The Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement that another soldier was killed during Operation Claw-Lock in the Kurdistan region, without pinpointing the location.

Turkish Defense Ministry said that on July 11, a soldier named Erdem Kavlak was seriously wounded in the area of Operation Claw-Lock on and died after being transported to hospital.

The Turkish Defense Ministry expressed its condolences to the family of the soldier.

Turkey has launched Claw-Lock military operation on April 18, 2022 to eliminate security threats to the country. It includes the areas of Matina, Zab, Avashin and Basyan of the Kurdistan region.

Halabja Deputy Governor Kawa Ali said that 12 trillion dinars worth of projects have been implemented in Halabja in the four years of the ninth cabinet, that is the current government.

The minimum legal share of Halabja province is 252 billion dinars of implemented projects, but in fact the implemented projects that have been actually spent by the ninth cabinet in Halabja province does not reach 10 billion dinars, the deputy said.

He added that if the 2.1% of the 12 trillion was actually spent on the province, the rest were spent on all projects that were stopped in 2010.

The deputy governor stressed that the truth is that the numbers should reach the citizens correctly, not exaggerating the numbers.

 

According to Kurdsat reporter in Pirmam a delegation from the political bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan led by PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani met with a delegation of Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP in Pirmam.

They discussed the latest political developments of the Kurdistan region and Iraq, and the issue of the upcoming elections.

After the meeting, PUK President Talabani said that the meeting went normal and that the PUK remains strong and potent, and they did not agree to have a joint statement after meeting.

 

In a meeting, Qubad Talabani thanked Consul General Decottignies for his efforts to promote his country’s relations with the Kurdistan Region and wished him success in his upcoming assignment.

The French Consul reaffirmed his country's commitment to support the Kurdistan Region and appreciated the role of the Deputy Prime Minister in carrying out reforms in various sectors to improve the governance process in Kurdistan.

Then the latest developments and changes in the Kurdistan Region were discussed and at the end of the meeting, Qubad Talabani offered the French Consul General a book on the history of Kurdistan as a farewell gift.

Secretary General of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce Jahanbakhsh Sanjabi Shirazi said that due to the similar language and culture and Iraq's progress in terms of domestic and foreign investment, migration of Iranian workers to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region has increased.

He said the Iranians have realized that their economic situation in Iraq will be better than in Iran. Because companies and businesses in Iraq pay better salaries than companies and businesses in Iran, the secretary added.

The Iranian official said the adoption of a large-scale budget law by Iraq and the growth of oil revenues and the need for workers are the other reasons for workers to migrate to Iraq.

Amal Jalal, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Tourism Board, told Kurdsat that during the first three days of Eid al-Adha, 388,000 tourists visited the tourist areas of the Kurdistan region, but the figure is not final, because the number for all four days of the holidays are not available.

Director of Sulaimani Tourism Department Ali Rauf Kurdsat that 113,000 tourists visited the tourist areas of Sulaimani province during the Eid al-Adha.

Every year, thousands of tourists visit the tourist areas of the Kurdistan Region during the holidays of Ramadan, Eid al-Adha and New Year and Newroz, as the region is more secure and has a cooler climate compared to the rest of Iraq.

Bafel Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan sent a tweet on burning a copy of holy Quran in Sweden.

President Bafel Jalal Talabani said on Twitter that he strongly condemns the burning of the Holy Quran and opposes any such attempt.

PUK President also said that the burning of the Holy Quran is painful for the entire Muslim community and human sacredness cannot be insulted within the framework of the law.

Spokesperson of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Soran Tahir today told Kurdsat that the two political bureaus of the PUK and PDK will meet tomorrow at 11:00 PM at the headquarters of the PUK political bureau in Erbil.

Tahir also said, the PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani will lead the PUK delegation that includes Vice President of the Kurdistan Region President Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa, Darbaz Kosrat Rasul, Shalaw Ali Askari and Salar Sarhad. Tahir did not talk of the KDP delegation.

The PUK spokesman added, issues to be discussed in the meeting will be political situation in the Kurdistan region and the PUK-KDP bilateral ties.

They will also assess the events that have occurred in the past in the Kurdistan region and Iraq and discuss the possibilities facing the Kurdistan region for the future, the spokesperson said.

The relations between the two ruling KRG parties have been very low since early 2023, and the meeting is hoped to break the obstacle between them.

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani received a number of environmental experts and academics in Erbil to listen to their viewpoints about the environment of the Kurdistan region.

Nowadays, no governance is good if environmental protection is not a strategic priority, and no society is a responsible conscious living society that is not sensitive to its environment, the DPM said in the meeting.

He added that the meeting discussed plans on how to combat environmental degradation and in the future their cabinet hold wider meetings at the level of experts in the region and Iraq.

They will hold a meeting on Monday with the participation of the relevant ministries and parties of the KRG that is aimed at prioritizing the issue of the environment, Talabani noted.

To better protect the region’s environment all consuls and diplomatic envoys in the Kurdistan Region are to prepare a comprehensive plan with international assistance and friendly countries to combat the issue, Qubad Talabani said.

 

 

Kawa Ali Deputy Governor of Halabja, said the works to open the Tewella border to tourists are nearing completion and the first official traffic of tourists will begin before Eid al-Adha.

According to a post on Facebook of Deputy Governor of Halabja signed by Iranian Vice President Ishaq Jahangiri, the Islamic Republic of Iran has approved the movement of tourists at the Tewella, Pshta and Keli border crossings since August 10, 2023.

On November 18, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani visited the border and said, the border will be officially opened to tourists in the near future, which will affect the economic recovery of Halabja and Hawraman.

The DPM added that in the near future tourists can officially travel between the Kurdistan Region and Iran, which will help to further economic recovery and development of the tourism sector in Halabja.

A source in the Peshmerga Ministry said they have requested the system several times in meetings.

The United States Congress has approved providing the Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan region air defense systems, Middle East Eye reported.

House Armed Services Committee passed an amendment by Republican Congressman Don Bacon that would support the transfer of air defense systems to the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga, Middle East Eye added in an article.

They also direct the US administration to prepare and implement a training plan for the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army to use to the system, however the senate needs to approve the decision before the white house can transfer the weapons to the Kurdistan region.

A source in the Peshmerga Ministry told Kurdsat that they have repeatedly called for the system in meetings with US delegations, especially after several attacks on its airports and other parts of the region in the past.

Jonathan Lord head of the Middle East Security Program also told Middle East Eye that the Peshmerga forces receive $20 million monthly from US Department of Defense.

Providing air defense systems to the Peshmerga may be against the rules, especially as US allies are competing for weapons and there is a lot of demand for the system, the source added.

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Security Agency said in a statement, after gathering intelligence, the security forces of Raperin by order of the security investigation judge, On June 21, 2023 arrest a suspect that was carrying pieces of heroin.

The suspect has been detained under article 25 of the law against drugs and psychotropic substances, the agency added.

 

According to Kurdsat reporter in Baghdad, the federal government has agreed to allocate another 400 bn Iraqi Dinars (IQD) to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to pay the salaries of its employees, and Baghdad's money is expected to reach the Kurdistan Region on Thursday.

The salary for May will be distributed from Saturday to Tuesday, the reporter added. Meanwhile, a source in the Council of Ministers told KurdSat, that the KRG Finance Ministry has twice asked Baghdad to send another 400 bn IQD to cover the May salary.

On June 11 the Iraqi lawmakers approved budget bill, which is the biggest in the country's history.

President Dr. Latif Rashid said, the signing is a "turning point" as the $158 billion budget will allow the government to implement its programs across every sector.

The president stressed the need to work on reorganizing expenditures, protecting public wealth, developing and diversifying economic resources, while the country is facing economic and environmental challenges.

The budget projects 2023 revenue at about $103.3 billion, based on a projected price of $70 per barrel for oil exports, the main source of income for Iraq, with exports estimated at 3.5 million barrels a day, including 400,000 thousand barrels from the Kurdistan region.

The budget estimates a deficit of about $48 billion.

The vote also approved the same budgets of $152 billion for 2024 and 2025 — apparently to avoid haggling over the issue for the next two years.

Domestically produced chicken and fish meets the market needs, the mayor of Sulaimani Awat Muhamad said in a statement.

The city supports the sale of domestic products and helps to regulate prices, the mayor added.

To pay support to local production and local farms and determine the market needs of meat, chicken and fish, mayor of Sulaimani met with the directors of agriculture, veterinary, trade supervision and economic security and representatives of poultry farms.

The committees of the governor's office are responsible for regulating price and supply of red meat, chicken, fish, eggs and do not allow prices to become unaffordable, the governor said.

US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski said on Twitter that the delegation, which includes Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Affairs Dana Stroul, will meet with Iraqi government officials in Baghdad.

"Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul is in Baghdad for meetings with Iraqi Govt. She spoke with Iraqi journalists about the importance of US-Iraqi partnership in ensuring Iraq’s security, stability & sovereignty،" she said.

The Pentagon delegation is also scheduled to visit the Kurdistan Region and meet with senior officials.