Iraq

BAGHDAD, Mar 4 (NNN-NINA) – In a health centre of Medical City, Iraq’s largest medical complex, medical staff members gathered, to register for COVID-19 vaccination with the Sinopharm vaccine donated by China.

“We are very optimistic about the vaccination programme, and we started the vaccination of some 40 medics in more than an hour of the first day,” Safaa al-Din Kareem, a nurse vaccinating the health workers at the scene, said.

Iraq kicked off its national vaccination on Tuesday, by administering the China-donated vaccines to Iraqi frontline health workers.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 10 rockets landed on Wednesday at Iraq’s Ain al-Asad air base that hosts United States, coalition and Iraqi forces, the Iraqi military said.

It was the second rocket attack in Iraq this month and came two days before Pope Francis is due to visit the country.

The attack caused no significant losses, Iraqi’s military said without going into further detail.

A Baghdad Operations Command official told Reuters earlier that about 13 rockets were launched from a location about 8 km (5 miles) from the base, which is in western Anbar province.

01 Mar 2021; MEMO: The Iraqi government has been negotiating with anti-government protesters in the Dhi Qar Governorate in a bid to convince them to halt their protests during Pope Francis' historic visit to the governorate, Russia Today reported.

01 Mar 2021; MEMO: Iraq's Parliament Speaker, Muhammad Al-Halbousi, yesterday called on the representatives of some diplomatic missions not to interfere in issues that "do not concern them".

"The duty of the diplomatic missions' representatives in Iraq is to represent their countries and enhance bilateral cooperation," Al-Halbousi wrote on Twitter.

"Some of those representatives have to realise this very well, and not to meddle and to respect the sovereignty of Iraq," he added.

25 Feb 2021; MEMO: Three separate explosions have targeted liquor stores in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Russia Today news agency reported.

The agency said two separate explosions targeted liquor stores in the Camp Sarah area near the Karrada neighbourhood yesterday, no casualties were reported.

Later in the day, a third explosive device exploded in a liquor store in Besmaya Road, southeast of Baghdad.

Liquor stores in Iraq are frequently targeted with explosive devices.

24 Feb 2021; MEMO: Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has called for Syria's membership to the Arab League to be restored, saying it would achieve the principle of integration in Arab work and coordination, Russia Today reported.

The Iraqi minister made the remarks during a meeting with Gulf officials, during which he also praised "the tripartite mechanism" between Iraq, Jordan and Egypt.

16 Feb 2021; MEMO: The appearance of the eldest daughter of the later Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on Al Arabiya TV caused a diplomatic crisis between Baghdad, Riyadh and Amman, regional media reported yesterday.

Raghad Saddam Hussein appeared with Sohaib Charair on a programme aired by Saudi satellite channel Al Arabiya, saying it is possible for her to play a role in Iraqi politics.

BAGHDAD, Feb 21 (NNN-NINA) – Three Katyusha rockets, yesterday landed on an Iraqi military airbase, in Iraq’s Salahudin province, a provincial security source said.

The attack took place in the evening, when the Katyusha rockets landed in Balad airbase, some 90 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Mohammed al-Bazi, from the provincial police, said.

One of the rockets struck a building, used by a company contracting with U.S. forces at the base, causing damage to the building and wounding an Iraqi civilian, working for the company, al-Bazi, said.

21 Feb 2021; MEMO: A rocket attack hit a military base hosting NATO troops in Iraq, local media reported on Saturday, Anadolu Agency reports.

Three foreign contracted personnel were injured when three rockets struck the Balad Air Base in the Salah al-Din province, north of the capital Baghdad, according to Iraqi media.

The Iraqi government has not made any statement over the attacks.

18 Feb 2021; MEMO: A pro-Iran armed militia calling itself "Saraya Awliya Al-Dam" yesterday claimed responsibility for the missile attack that targeted Erbil International Airport on Monday in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

"At exactly 9:15 pm our members carried out a qualitative operation against the American occupation in our beloved north," the group said in a statement, claiming the airport's C-RAM counter- missile system failed to intercept the missiles.