Asaib Ahl Al-Haq Withdraws From The Streets And Confirms: We Will Not Face The Security Forces

On December 25, 2020

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The Independent .. The leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Jawad al-Talibawi, confirmed that the militants of the movement would not face the security forces, stressing that “the matter is over.”

Al-Talibawi clarified in press statements, on Friday evening, that the security forces arrested four days ago, a person belonging to Asaib Ahl al-Haq, under a criminal conviction.

Yesterday, he added, we received information confirming that one of the security services was interfering with the investigation and began to press the detainee to extract confessions from the detainee stating that he was related to the rocket launches.

Al-Talibawi stressed, “We support the law and support our security forces, but officials involved in the investigation must apply the law away from political interference.”

For his part, a Twitter page named “Abu Jnat Al-Asaibi” stated that the Secretary-General of the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq Movement, Qais Khazali, had issued an order “to withdraw from the street immediately,” and indicated that “the heroic Mujahid brother has been pledged to leave as soon as possible, and now the forces have withdrawn.”

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What is happening in Baghdad? .. Al-Asaib and Abu Fadak face to face

Shafaq News / Informed sources revealed the details of what is going on in the corridors of severe tensions in the Iraqi capital on Friday, which was accompanied by the spread of armed men of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq in Baghdad.

The sources told Shafaq News Agency, on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, that the committee formed by the Popular Mobilization Authority to investigate the bombing of the Green Zone recommended the arrest of three suspects of their involvement in the recent bombing.

She added that special security forces arrested the three defendants for investigation, including a senior leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq.

An informed government source had informed Shafaq News Agency, on Monday, that a committee had been formed by the popular crowd headed by the deputy head of the crowd, Abdul Aziz al-Muhammadawi, known as “Abu Fadak” or “al-Khal”, to investigate the missile attacks on the Green Zone.

This is the first time that the Hashd have investigated the missile attacks, although some of its factions, especially those close to Iran, have been repeatedly accused of being behind the attacks at the behest of Tehran.

The formation of the committee came a day after unidentified persons fired eight Katyusha rockets at the Green Zone, most of which landed on residential buildings.

The sources said that Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kata’ib Hezbollah – two factions close to Iran, are extremely resentful of “Abu Fadak” and accused him of being dragged behind the wishes of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi.

It added that the leader of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haqq, Qais Khazali, directed his militants not to escalate and withdraw from the streets so that things would not get out of control.

The sources added that the leader of the Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, entered the crisis line to calm tensions that reached the point of spreading Asa’ib to its militants in the streets.

Earlier on Friday, a source told Shafaq News that Asaib Ahl al-Haq militants had deployed in the Al-Arasat and Palestine Street areas due to the arrest of a security force of a senior leader in Asaib on charges of terrorism.

The source pointed out that the leader of Asa’ib had confessions to his involvement in terrorism-related crimes.

He pointed out that the deployment of the gunmen came in an attempt to pressure the release of the leader of Asaib, which was rejected by the relevant authorities.

And the source added that calm has returned to the capital’s streets again after the withdrawal of Asa’ib militants.

For his part, a source in Al-Asaib told Shafaq News that Al-Asaib had hoped Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi until five in the morning to release the detained leader.

The source claimed that the arrest of the leader was due to the fact that “it was the engine for the owners of private banks and commercial companies to demonstrate in front of the Central Bank because of the raising of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar.”

The source said that the Asa’ib militants were on alert near their headquarters in Baghdad.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi posted a mysterious tweet on Twitter that was not without its threatening tone.

Al-Kazemi said, “The security of Iraq is a trust in our necks. We will not submit to adventures or diligence. We have worked silently and quietly to restore the confidence of the people, security services and the army in the state after it was shaken by the adventures of outlaws.” 

He added, “We called for a calm to prevent our country from being thrown into another absurd adventure, but we are ready for a decisive confrontation if necessary.” 

Tensions prevail in the country and fears of an outbreak of violence and attacks near the first anniversary of the assassination of the prominent Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and the former deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Authority, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, in a US air strike near Baghdad airport on the third of last January.

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Al-Kazemi is threatened: We are ready for a decisive confrontation if necessary

Politics

Mustafa Al-Kazemi

2020-12-25 15:17

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Shafaq News / On Friday, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi warned against throwing Iraq into a “absurd adventure,” stressing that his government is ready for what he called “a decisive confrontation.”

Al-Kazemi said in a tweet to him, seen by Shafaq News Agency, that “the security of Iraq is a trust in our necks. We will not submit to adventures or diligence. We have worked silently and calmly to restore the confidence of the people, security services and the army in the state after it was shaken by the adventures of outlaws.” 

He added, “We have called for a truce to prevent our country from being thrown into another vain adventure, but we are ready for a decisive confrontation if necessary.”

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Baghdad dollar exchange rate is rising

12/25/2020 20:34

The number of readings 57

Section : Iraq

Baghdad / Obelisk: The exchange rate of the US dollar on the Baghdad stock exchanges on Friday afternoon saw 141,000 Iraqi dinars against 100 US dollars. 

The exchange offices attributed this decline to a large offer to sell the dollar.

Obelisk

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Revenge of Soleimani … A secret document reveals a “supposed” timing to target an American base in Iraq

Security

breaking

Qassem Soleimani

Shiite factions

Iran

Targeting US forces

2020-12-25 10:11

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Shafaq News / A secret document attributed to the Iraqi Interior Ministry revealed a plot to target an American base in the capital, Baghdad, on the first anniversary of the assassination of the commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Qassem Soleimani, on January 3, 2020.

According to the document, “outlaw elements intend to target the US military base Victoria, near Baghdad airport, with advanced technology missiles.”

The document indicated that “the date of the attack is scheduled for January 3, 2021,” explaining that “the area from which the missiles are to be launched is the Sheha area of Abu Ghraib district.”

The document did not specify the parties intending to launch a missile attack on the US military base.

The leak of this document comes after unknown persons fired eight missiles on Sunday (December 20, 2020) at the Green Zone in Baghdad, where the US embassy is located.

Most of the rockets landed on residential buildings, while another hit a security checkpoint, seriously wounding a soldier, according to an Iraqi army statement.

And the outgoing US President Donald Trump announced, on Wednesday (23 December 2020), that his country’s embassy in Baghdad was attacked last Sunday by missiles, three of which did not explode, while Iran warned of the repercussions of the attempt to kill American citizens in Iraq.

Washington accuses armed Iraqi factions linked to Iran of launching attacks on the US embassy and military bases where American soldiers are deployed.

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The International Monetary announces support for the Iraqi government’s measures for “economic reform”

2020/12/25

 

Baghdad / Al-Mawred News

Today, Friday, the International Monetary Fund welcomed the efforts of the Iraqi authorities to undertake fiscal and monetary policy reforms .  

In a statement, the Fund stressed that these “reforms are of great importance in ensuring the stability of the Iraqi economy .”

“The repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic and the sharp decline in oil revenues create grave risks that threaten the economic stability of Iraq, ” Toker Mirzoyev, head of the fund’s mission on Iraq, said.  

He added, “The continuation of reforms in the next stage, including in structural areas, will have a great impact on strengthening gains in the short term .”  

He stressed, “The International Monetary Fund is ready to support the reform efforts being made by the Iraqi authorities at this challenging juncture .”  

The statement of the International Monetary Fund’s mission in Iraq also welcomed the approval of the Council of Ministers on the draft general budget law for the fiscal year 2021, indicating the need for “a decisive re-calibration of economic policies in order to maintain the stability of the economy .”  

The statement pointed out that “implementing important financial reforms and reducing the currency exchange rate are very important steps .”  

 https://almawrid.news/contents/view/details?id=23893

Although the government voted on it 4 days ago, the 2021 budget has not yet arrived in Parliament!

Editing date: 25/12/2020 10:48 • 77 times read

[Baghdad_in]

The Finance Committee in the House of Representatives confirmed, on Friday, that it did not officially receive the draft general budget bill for next year.

Committee member Magda Al-Tamimi said, according to the official agency, that “the Finance Committee has not yet formally received the draft budget for next year,” noting that “the central bank is responsible for the exchange rate, and it is not the financial committee’s authority to interfere with it.”

Al-Tamimi added, “The Financial Committee seeks to reduce the effects of changing the exchange rate on the vulnerable classes of people with limited incomes,” confirming that its committee seeks to increase social welfare allocations and the ration card items.

She pointed out that “there is a new mechanism presented regarding the file of the ration card far from the current approved mechanism,” indicating that “the new mechanism will protect the local product.”

The Council of Ministers voted on the federal general budget for the fiscal year 2021, during the extraordinary session held on Monday, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi.

http://www.alliraqnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=105542

The International Monetary Fund confirms its readiness to support economic reforms in Iraq

Editing date: 25/12/2020 14:20 • 62 times Walter read

[Baghdad-1776Where]

On Friday, the International Monetary Fund welcomed the efforts of the Iraqi authorities to make reforms in fiscal and monetary policy, while affirming its readiness to support these reforms.

“The repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic and the sharp drop in oil revenues create grave risks that threaten the economic stability of Iraq,” said the head of the Fund’s mission on Iraq, Toker Mirzoyev, in a press statement.

Mirzoyev added, “The continuation of reforms in the next stage, including in the structural areas, will have a great impact on strengthening gains in the short term.”

He explained, “These reforms are of great importance in ensuring the stability of the Iraqi economy,” stressing that “the International Monetary Fund is ready to support the reform efforts made by the Iraqi authorities at this challenging juncture.”

http://www.alliraqnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=105555

The Kurdistan Region is preparing for a new and decisive round of negotiations with Baghdad

Politics

Erbil

Baghdad

The budget

Negotiations

a tour

Political delegation

2020-12-25 07:50

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Shafaq News / The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan bloc in the Iraqi Parliament revealed on Friday the intention of Kurdistan Region to form a high-ranking political delegation to visit the capital, Baghdad, before approving the federal budget for the year 2021 with the aim of settling financial differences between the two sides.

A member of the Union, Faiq Yazidi, told Shafaq News, “The Kurdistan Region continues dialogue with Baghdad and there is convergence of views, and work is currently underway to form a Kurdish political delegation to go to Baghdad before the general budget law is approved in the Iraqi parliament.”

He added that “there is an agreement between Baghdad and Erbil that the region’s share is 12.60% in the public budget,” noting that “there are political parties trying to use this for electoral purposes to reject the agreement and disburse the region’s dues.”

Regarding the region’s financial dues according to the borrowing law, Yazidi pointed out that “the fiscal deficit financing law has only been left for days and it will be completed,” stressing that “there is no specific amount or time for Baghdad to send money to Erbil.”

On Tuesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s negotiating delegation to Baghdad announced that it had succeeded in reaching an agreement with the federal government, which led to the latter’s approval to refinance the salaries of employees working in the public sector in the region in accordance with the fiscal deficit (borrowing) law legislated by Parliament in addition to fixing Kurdistan’s share in The federal budget for 2021.

This came in a press conference held by the delegation’s head, Qubad Talabani, deputy prime minister of the region, Tuesday, nearly 15 days after the delegation entered a series of discussions that took place in the capital, Baghdad, with senior officials in the federal government and influential Iraqi political parties in the country.

The salaries of the region’s employees were not included in the fiscal deficit law enacted by the Iraqi parliament last November, although Baghdad and Erbil reached an agreement last August to send Baghdad 320 billion dinars to Erbil per month to cover part of the region’s employees’s expenses until an agreement is reached. Final on the differences between the two sides.

And Baghdad proceeded to cut the salaries of the region’s employees last April, after the government then led by Adel Abdul Mahdi said that Erbil had not fulfilled its budgetary obligations to deliver 250 thousand barrels of oil to the federal government, which the regional government denied.

Over the past few months, the two sides have been engaged in intensive discussions to reach an agreement to resolve the outstanding issues.

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Reforms and currency devaluation are key to ensuring Iraq’s economic stability, IMF says

The country needs deeper structural reforms to strengthen economic resilience and lay the ground for more inclusive growth

Street vendors wait for customers in the main Shurja market in Baghdad, Iraq. The country devalued its currency by about 23 per cent against the US dollar on December 20, the first time the peg was adjusted since 2015. Photo: AP 

Deepthi Nair

December 25, 2020

Fiscal reforms in Iraq combined with the recent devaluation of the exchange rate are “critically important steps to help reduce large external and fiscal imbalances and ensure the country’s economic stability”, according to a new report by the International Monetary Fund.

“The Covid-19 pandemic and the sharp decline in oil prices and output have aggravated Iraq’s economic vulnerabilities,” Tokhir Mirzoev, IMF mission chief for Iraq, said. “Severe fiscal financing constraints and challenges with meeting external and domestic payment obligations, including wages and pensions, necessitate a decisive recalibration of economic policies to maintain economic stability.”

The Washington-based lender welcomed the Iraq government’s plans to significantly increase targeted cash transfers to the poor as well as to enhance health-related spending to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the most vulnerable.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the sharp decline in oil prices and output have aggravated Iraq’s economic vulnerabilities

Tokhir Mirzoev, IMF mission chief for Iraq

Faced with the twin shocks of dwindling oil revenue and the coronavirus-induced economic slowdown, Iraq devalued its currency by about 23 per cent against the US dollar on December 20, the first time the peg was adjusted since 2015.

The Central Bank of Iraq set the exchange rate at 1,450 dinars per dollar, from a peg of 1,182 dinars, for sales to the finance ministry. The dinar will be sold to the public at 1,470 and to other banks at 1,460.

“The structural distortions in the Iraqi economy are the ones that impoverished the public finances and restricted the ability of reform sought by the government and the Ministry of Finance,” the Central Bank of Iraq said. “Fiscal policy lagged behind in performing its roles, and monetary policy was preoccupied with repairing the outputs of confused fiscal policy.”

Welcoming the draft 2021 budget, the IMF said continued reforms, including in structural areas, will be instrumental in cementing short-term gains and laying the ground for higher, job-rich and more inclusive growth

“While providing relief from immediate financial tensions, the authorities’ short-term plan will need to be followed up with further reforms, including deeper structural reforms, to strengthen economic resilience, create further fiscal space for critical reconstruction and social spending, and lay the ground for higher, job-rich and more inclusive medium-term growth,” Mr Mirzoev added.

Last month, the World Bank said millions of Iraqis could be forced into poverty due to the twin shocks of the pandemic and the collapse of oil prices. Even in its “benign scenario”, about 5.5 million Iraqis could be pushed into poverty, the Washington-based lender said.

Opec’s second-largest producer depends on oil revenue to meet 90 per cent of government expenditure, including $5 billion spent on salaries for public servants each month.

A white paper on economic reform submitted to parliament by Mustafa Al Kadhimi’s government proposes slashing the bill for government salaries to 12.5 per cent of gross domestic product within three years, from the current 25 per cent. The paper also calls for a reduction in benefits and allowances as well as reforms to the pension system.

Recommendations include phasing out subsidies to critical sectors in Iraq’s economy, notably power.

Iraq’s economy was forecast to shrink by 12.1 per cent this year before the devaluation, the third-steepest contraction in the Arab world after Lebanon and Libya, according to the IMF.

Fitch Ratings said last month that a 20 per cent devaluation would increase next year’s budgeted oil revenue in dinar terms by about 6 per cent of gross domestic product.

A weaker dinar also means inflation in the country will rise as the cost of imports increases.

Iraq’s central bank said the depreciation would not be repeated as it would use foreign reserves to defend and stabilise the currency.

The exchange rate had become “a major obstacle” to the growth and development of the economy, the central bank said, prompting it to respond to the requirements of financing the budget at a rate that provides sufficient cover to the government’s needs.

Updated: December 25, 2020 09:44 AM

thenationalnews.com