[Published here March 29, 2021]
Along Iraq’s borders, a corrupt customs-evasion cartel is diverting billions of dollars away from state coffers to line the pockets of armed groups, political parties and crooked officials.
The prime beneficiaries are Iran-linked Shiite paramilitaries that intimidate federal officials who dare obstruct them, sometimes through chillingly specific death threats, a six-month AFP investigation has found.
Continue reading[Published here August 31, 2019]
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s government is preparing a complaint to the U.N. after finding Israel is “certainly” behind several attacks on Al-Hashd al-Shaabi bases, a parliamentarian and leading member of the force said.
[Published here November 6, 2018]
More than 200 mass graves containing up to 12,000 victims have been found so far in Iraq that could hold vital evidence of war crimes by the Islamic State group, the UN said Tuesday.
The United Nations in Iraq (UNAMI) and its human rights office said they had documented a total of 202 mass graves in parts of western and northern Iraq held by IS between 2014 and 2017.
MAYA GEBEILY 