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Parliamentary Crisis Excludes The Extension Of The Comprehensive Ban !


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CNN. Broadcasting With No Plan To Extend The Ban - Perhaps They’ve Seen Some Of The Rioting By Scumbag Hooligans Here After Numerous Extended Pointless Bu!!Sh*t Lockdowns !


 

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Parliamentary crisis excludes the extension of the comprehensive ban

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1st June, 2020


The Parliamentary Crisis Cell ruled out today, Monday, the extension of the imposition of a comprehensive curfew in the capital, Baghdad, and other provinces, while attributing the high incidence of HIV infections to citizens' lack of commitment to preventive measures.

"The measures that will be taken after the comprehensive ban are going towards the partial and regional embargo, for the regions that have high infections with the Corona virus," said cell member Abbas Aliwi in a statement, followed by "Gilgamesh Press", pointing out that "the elimination of the Corona virus needs to be All government institutions and citizens cooperate by adhering to the Ministry of Health's guidelines."

He added that "the imposition of a comprehensive ban for a week came as a result of the high rate of injuries, as the decision was taken in cooperation between the Parliamentary and Governmental Crisis Cell", ruling out "the extension of the imposition of a comprehensive ban in the capital Baghdad and other provinces." 

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Washington informs Baghdad of the willingness of its companies to rehabilitate the electricity sector

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1st June, 2020

 

The American ambassador in Baghdad, Matthew Toller, informed on Monday, the Iraqi Minister of Electricity Majid Mahdi of the Emirate, the willingness of American companies to help develop and rehabilitate the electric power system in Iraq

A statement to the Ministry of Electricity media, reported to Shafaq News, stated that "Minister Majid Mahdi of the Emirate received today, Monday in his office at the Ministry's headquarters, the Ambassador of the United States of America in Baghdad Matthew Toller, who extended his congratulations to the Minister on the occasion of his assumption of the duties of his work and his position as Minister of Electricity

Toller called, according to the statement, to "activate the partnership between the American side and the Republic of Iraq in many economic fields," indicating "the willingness of the American companies to help develop and rehabilitate the electric power system in Iraq, especially after the contribution and great success that GE worked with the Ministry's staff

The ambassador noted that "the United States is ready to assist Iraq to overcome its economic problems and contribute effectively to stimulating investment in the Iraqi energy market in the interest of the two friendly countries

For his part, the Iraqi Minister of Electricity expressed his thanks to the American ambassador and welcomed the development of economic relations between the two countries, pointing out that "the ministry has ambitious plans to improve the performance of the national electricity system and praises the sobriety of American companies operating in the electric power sector

He said, "The Iraqi energy market is a promising and important market, and the door is open for all companies in friendly countries to enter this market and contribute to developing Iraq's energy capabilities." Thus the performance of the national network has improved

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Iraq praises US exemptions and opens the doors of the energy market to all companies

Iraq praises US exemptions and opens the doors of the energy market to all companies
 
 
06/1/2020 16:32:45
 
 
The Minister of Electricity, Majid Mahdi of the Emirate of Sabah, praised the American exemptions that were granted to Iraq, while he announced the opening of the doors of the Iraqi energy market to all the companies.
 
This came during a meeting in his office at the Ministry’s headquarters today, Monday, US Ambassador to Baghdad Matthew Toller in the presence of the Ministry’s Undersecretaries for Transport, Distribution and Production Affairs.
A statement issued by his office, received by Al-Furat News, said, "During his visit, Toller congratulated a minister on the occasion of his assumption of his work duties and his position as Minister of Electricity and wished him good luck in managing the ministry."

TolLer called during the meeting to "activate the partnership between the American side and the Republic of Iraq in many economic fields, and expressing the readiness of the American companies to help develop and rehabilitate the electric energy system in Iraq, especially after the contribution and great success that GE worked with the ministry's staff, and 
emphasized" the willingness of the United States To help Iraq overcome its economic problems and contribute effectively to stimulating investment in the Iraqi energy market to serve the interests of the two friendly countries." For his part, the minister thanked the US ambassador and welcomed the development of economic relations between the two countries, noting that "the ministry has ambitious plans to improve the performance of the national electricity system, praising" the sobriety of American companies operating in the electric power sector."

The minister said that "the Iraqi energy market is a promising and important market and that the door is open for all companies in friendly countries to enter this market and contribute to developing Iraq's capabilities in the field of energy," praising "American exemptions that were granted to Iraq, which contributed to perpetuating the momentum of production plant work and thus The performance of the national network improved."
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Deputy: The mid-June negotiations will resolve the American presence in Iraq

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17:57 - 01/06/2020

 

The deputy of the Al-Fateh Alliance Fadel Jaber confirmed, Monday, that the negotiations that will take place between the United States of America and the Iraqi government in the middle of this June will resolve the American combat presence in Iraq.

Jaber said in a statement to the "information", that "the previous parliament's decision to remove foreign forces from the country is binding on the government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi," noting that "the removal of foreign forces is a final decision that can never be reversed."

He added that "the negotiations that will take place between Washington and Baghdad in mid-June will resolve the American combat presence in Iraq," noting that "the government will hold talks to develop a mechanism to remove foreign forces from the country."

And al-Fath al-Fath al-Muhammad al-Baldawi warned earlier that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo exerted pressure on political figures and parties to resolve the issue of keeping American forces inside Iraq before holding the June talks between Baghdad and Washington.

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Trump's adviser : Washington will cut Iraq funding in one case

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1st June, 2020

The American professor and member of the advisory board of US President Donald Trump, Gabriel Soma, confirmed on Monday that the United States does not want to remove its forces from Iraqi lands, while noting that Washington will stop its financial support for Iraq if this happens.

"The United States of America does not want to be a confirmation by the Iraqi government to remove American bases at the present time," adviser Gabriel Souma told Shafaq News.

He added, "Removing the forces from the Iraqi territories will cause inconvenience to the United States that would make Washington suspend its financial support for Iraq."

There are still about 5,000 US soldiers in Iraq, most of them in an advisory capacity, as part of a broader international coalition that has been formed to help Iraq counter and defeat ISIS fighters.

Washington accuses armed groups backed by Iran of carrying out missile attacks and bombing regularly for bases hosting American forces and the area surrounding the American embassy in Baghdad.

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Tehran expresses its readiness to continue its oil shipments to Venezuela

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1st June, 2020

A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, said today, Monday, that the country will continue its oil shipments to Venezuela, if Caracas requests more.

Mousavi said in his weekly press conference: "Iran is exercising its right to free trade with Venezuela, and it is ready to send other ships if Caracas requests more supplies from Iran." Iran recently sent a fleet of five tankers to Fenuella, the oil-producing country in South America, which is suffering from a shortage of gasoline.

The fleet of tankers carries a total of 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and oil derivatives to Venezuela, according to official sources, sources and estimates, "Tanker Truck.com", which tracks the movement of tankers.

These shipments caused a diplomatic confrontation between Iran and Venezuela on the one hand and the United States on the other hand, as the two countries are subject to US sanctions. A senior official said that Washington was considering measures to respond, without giving details of the options put forward. 

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Tehran expresses its readiness to continue its oil shipments to Venezuela

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1st June, 2020

A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, said today, Monday, that the country will continue its oil shipments to Venezuela, if Caracas requests more.

Mousavi said in his weekly press conference: "Iran is exercising its right to free trade with Venezuela, and it is ready to send other ships if Caracas requests more supplies from Iran." Iran recently sent a fleet of five tankers to Fenuella, the oil-producing country in South America, which is suffering from a shortage of gasoline.

The fleet of tankers carries a total of 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and oil derivatives to Venezuela, according to official sources, sources and estimates, "Tanker Truck.com", which tracks the movement of tankers.

These shipments caused a diplomatic confrontation between Iran and Venezuela on the one hand and the United States on the other hand, as the two countries are subject to US sanctions. A senior official said that Washington was considering measures to respond, without giving details of the options put forward. 

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Agency: China suspends purchases of some US agricultural commodities

وكالة: الصين تُعلق مشتريات بعض السلع الزراعية الأمريكية

 

1st June, 2020

 

A recent report stated that Chinese government officials have informed the major state-owned agriculturalcompanies to stop purchases of some American agricultural commodities, including soybeans

A report published by Bloomberg Agency, citing a source who requested anonymity, said Monday that the importers of major agricultural commodities in China, "Kofco" and "Sinogreen", were ordered to suspend purchases

This comes as Beijing evaluates the continued escalation of tensions with the United States over Hong Kong, according to the report

Last week, the United States rejected China's move to tighten its grip on Hong Kong by passing new national security legislation against the city, which has seen pro-democracy protests recently

The agency added that Chinese buyers also canceled an unspecified number of US pork orders, but private companies were not required to stop import operations

Such a moratorium would be the latest sign that the first stage of the bargain-making trade deal between the world's two largest economies is at risk

Last month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang repeated his pledge to implement the agreement signed last January, but since then tensions between the two sides have continued to escalate

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China: We will respond vigorously to any US moves that harm our interests

China: We will respond vigorously to any US moves that harm our interests

 

1st June, 2020

 

China said today, Monday, that it will "respond to American attempts to harm its interests through strict countermeasures", in criticism of Washington's decision to end Hong Kong's special treatment and take measures against Chinese students and companies.

Last week, the Chinese parliament voted to press ahead with the imposition of a national security law for Hong Kong. On Friday, US President Donald Trump called the move a tragedy for the city's residents, and violated a promise China had made to maintain self-government.

To punish Beijing, Trump ordered his administration to begin the process of canceling the US special treatment for Hong Kong, from extraditing criminals to export controls. But he fell short of the immediate termination of the concessions that helped the former British colony remain a global financial center.

"China firmly opposes the US moves," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Legian. "The announced measures represent a blatant interference in China's internal affairs and harm US-China relations and will harm both sides. China strongly opposes this," he told reporters at a regular press conference. "Any words or actions on the part of the United States that harm China's interests will be offset by a severe counter-attack from (Beijing)," he said. 

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Parliamentary security attributes the decrease in terrorist attacks to "political stability"

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2nd June, 2020

 

Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee attributed, on Tuesday, the low rate of attacks and security incidents in several governorates to what it described as political stability, ruling out the ability of ISIS to launch effective attacks

A member of the committee and a representative of Salah Al-Din Mahdi Taqi told Shafaq News, that political confusion and the delay in the formation of the government caused an increase in terrorist attacks in the past period, indicating that there is a link between political stability and the security situation and this is what the terrorist groups have worked on

Currently, ISIS considered Taqi the term individual groups unable to launch any attacks after the organization lost all its pillars in Salah al-Din and Diyala, and this requires extensive intelligence efforts to hunt the remains of the organization

Taqi ruled out the ability of ISIS operatives to launch effective attacks that amounted to a security threat due to the noose imposed on them throughout the security sector and the quality and proactive operations achieved

The governorates of Diyala, Salah al-Din, witnessed during the past April and May a noticeable escalation of attacks and attacks that targeted security forces, the popular crowd, and several areas and kasbahs, causing dozens of victims

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Corona kills Taliban leaders, including the movement's leader

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2nd June 2020

 

Foreign Policy magazine quoted Taliban officials as saying that the movement's leader, Mullah Heba Allah, the Zada brothers, died while receiving treatment from the emerging Corona virus

Maulavi Muhammad Ali Jan Ahmad, a Taliban commander, has revealed that Mullah Hebatullah is one of many leaders who have been infected with the Coronavirus, indicating that he is recovering

He added that he was taken to the hospital but he did not confirm where, and when asked if he was receiving treatment in Pakistan, he answered, "Why do you think that Pakistan is the only country where he will be hospitalized? There are other countries stronger than Pakistan that support us, and the world knows that, I will not mention the name of the country, But it is a strong country and one of our allies

Three other Taliban sources in the Pakistani city of Quetta said they believed the gift of God had died from the virus, although there was no official confirmation of this

A senior official from the Afghan government said that most of the Taliban leaders present in Doha who had negotiated a bilateral agreement with the United States are infected with the virus, stressing that almost all Taliban leaders there are infected with Corona.  He pointed out that this matter may mean that the talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government may not take place in the coming weeks as expected,wondering how long the ceasefire agreement will last

According to Taliban officials who preferred not to be named, the gift of God has not been seen for 3 months, and he has not even sent audio recordings including the Eid al-Fitr message, which was issued as a statement only

Antonio Gustosi, a specialist on studies on the Taliban in London, said that his sources there confirm that the gift of God had contracted Corona, who is severely ill in a hospital in Pakistan, while other sources indicated that he had gone to receive treatment in Russia

The Taliban had offered a 3-day ceasefire in conjunction with the holiday, while government sources in Kabul indicated that the ceasefire would continue informally

With the injury of a number of Taliban leaders and negotiators, there are fears that the peace process may be damaged due to the uncertainty about how the Corona crisis affects decision-makers, as he also wounded Hibatullah's deputy, Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the Haqqani jihadist network. By infecting the Taliban leaders with the virus, this matter put Mullah Muhammad Yaqoub, son of the founder of the Taliban movement, Mullah Omar on his way to achieving his ambition to become a leader of the Taliban

On February 29, the United States and the Taliban signed a landmark agreement that would lay the groundwork for an end to the war in Afghanistan

US and other foreign forces have pledged to withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months of signing the agreement, provided that the Taliban adhere to many security guarantees and hold talks with the local Afghan government

A fundamental principle of the agreement between the United States and the Taliban is that the movement does not allow groups like Al Qaeda and Khorasan Province to use Afghan soil to plan attacks on the United States and its allies

Edited by DinarThug
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The Office of the Commander in Chief unveils the new strategy in combating terrorism

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2nd June, 2020
 


The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces revealed the new strategy in combating terrorism, stressing that Iraqi drones play a role in pursuing terrorist groups.

The media spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Brigadier Yahya Rasoul, according to the official agency, said, "The security forces have won victory over the terrorist groups, but there are vast and large desert areas that extend from West Nineveh towards Anbar, Salah al-Din, Karbala, Najaf and Samawah, and there may be some cells that She could not escape, but the desert areas took refuge," noting that "the security forces focus on specific work, especially in the desert areas, towards the borders with Syria."

"What is important for the security forces today is to secure the borders and fortify them immensely, which is what the security forces are working on now," Rasul added, noting that "the remnants of the ISIS terrorist gangs cannot control a region, but it is possible to carry out an operation here or there to achieve No more media goals by blackmailing citizens in remote areas of the nomads and benefiting from them in the matter of logistical support.

Rasool pointed out that: "Iraq possesses advanced military technology and there is an effort with regard to local industrialization. We have drones in the field of intelligence that were able to achieve a careful follow-up to pursue terrorist groups. We have Chinese march type (ch4) aircraft that were used in the war against ISIS and also in surveying areas. Sahwa, "adding that" Iraq has thermal cameras and an aerial reconnaissance, which enabled the security forces to carry out pre-emptive operations from the mobile forces."

Regarding cooperation with the international coalition and the presence of foreign forces, the media spokesman for the
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces said that "the process of relocating foreign forces in Iraq was a correct step because they were not large military bases but rather some camps that are located inside the headquarters of the Iraqi armed forces and were handed over to the Ministry Defense," stressing that "the Iraqi armed forces are still dealing with the international coalition, but on a subject related to photography and air strikes." 
He noted that "the international coalition possesses high technology and good air cover, but what we rely heavily on is the Iraqi military capabilities," stressing that "Iraq does not need any foreign soldier on the ground to fight ISIS, but we need them in the intelligence effort only." 

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The commander of the Iranian Quds Force in Baghdad to discuss a prospective US-Iraqi dialogue

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3rd June 2020

 

The commander of the Iranian Quds ForceIsmail Qaaniarrived in Baghdad today, Wednesday, with an Iranian government delegation that includes Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian and other officials

Told a source politician familiar with the agency Twilight News, that Qaana entered the capital Baghdad in an official after receives payments on a visa from the Foreign Affairs of Iraq within the delegation, the government of Iran

He added that the aim of the visit is to "unify positions towards the forthcoming strategic dialogue between Baghdad and Washington

It is expected to address the "strategic dialogue" the fate of the strategic framework agreement signed between the two countries in 2008 , which paved the way for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by the end of 2011 after eight years of occupation, and painted the nature of the relations between the two countries at various levels

Washington and Baghdad will also search for an agreement on the fate of US forces in Iraq, as Iran presses its allies in Iraq to drive US forces out of the country

Alongside the Washington-led coalition, US forces have withdrawn from military forces in Iraq since the killing of Soleimani and the engineer. The international coalition says this is part of the relocation and withdrawal from bases of a small number of soldiers

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7 hours ago, DinarThug said:

The commander of the Iranian Quds Force in Baghdad to discuss a prospective US-Iraqi dialogue

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3rd June 2020

 

The commander of the Iranian Quds ForceIsmail Qaaniarrived in Baghdad today, Wednesday, with an Iranian government delegation that includes Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian and other officials

Told a source politician familiar with the agency Twilight News, that Qaana entered the capital Baghdad in an official after receives payments on a visa from the Foreign Affairs of Iraq within the delegation, the government of Iran

He added that the aim of the visit is to "unify positions towards the forthcoming strategic dialogue between Baghdad and Washington

It is expected to address the "strategic dialogue" the fate of the strategic framework agreement signed between the two countries in 2008 , which paved the way for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by the end of 2011 after eight years of occupation, and painted the nature of the relations between the two countries at various levels

Washington and Baghdad will also search for an agreement on the fate of US forces in Iraq, as Iran presses its allies in Iraq to drive US forces out of the country

Alongside the Washington-led coalition, US forces have withdrawn from military forces in Iraq since the killing of Soleimani and the engineer. The international coalition says this is part of the relocation and withdrawal from bases of a small number of soldiers

 

 

In the era of Al-Kazemi, everyone enters our country through the gates, and no one - no matter what - will enter it from the windows!

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04/06/2020 07:03   
 

 Baghdad - Iraq today:

 

It seems that the equation of national sovereignty is changing now, and in the interest of Iraq,and that a comprehensive agreement and relief prevails in all political circles that were previously embarrassed by some pressures from here or there, but the equation flips positively, with the beginning of the understanding of allied and friendly countries of Iraq, the importance of the state's restoration For its pivotal role, and the exercise of its sovereignty and foreign policy freely and independence so that the region can return to its stability. In the absence of a strong, effective and influential Iraq, the entire Middle East will not witness stability, and previous years have proven this to be true .

Today, with the new government assuming its duties, the vision is slowly becoming clear, as Iraq under Al-Kazemi is not an enemy of one side, nor is it entrenched in a camp against another, as much as it is biased towards its own interests, and also maintains the friendliness of positive relations with the friendly, sister, and ally state, to the extent of their respect For national sovereignty, and its keenness on its interests as well as the interests of Iraq as well, this positive balance in the Iraqi position was met by a high-level understanding, especially from the friendly Iranian side, which is linked with Iraq with the ties of Islamic brotherhood and neighborhood, as well as the American side with which Iraq is linked with a network of long-term security and strategic agreements and security agreements Duration .

Where the sources indicate, that "there are clear instructions issued by Al-Kazemi himself, which stipulated that any visit to Iraq should be welcomed by any official, delegation, or country recognized in Iraq, provided that it is through official diplomatic channels, and to prevent secret visits, Or that does not pass through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal as is the agreed international practice . " 

She added that "Al-Kazemi's standards in this regard never exclude any party or country. As it applies to the Iranian side, it will be applied to the American, Saudi, Qatari, Emirati, and other friendly and brotherly countries of the world to Iraq ." 

The sources also point out that "the visit of Brigadier Ismail Qakani, commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to Baghdad recently, was carried out according to official fundamentalist approvals from the Iraqi side, and his entry into Iraq was accompanied by a delegation headed by Minister of Energy Reza Ardakanian after obtaining an entry visa from the Iraqi Foreign He is also the other .

And local media said, "The arrival of Qaani came after the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi insisted that all political and military figures from all countries enter his country in the form of official delegations exclusively ." 

This matter is now being read from the Iraqi street as part of the policy of distancing Iraq from the accusations of accusations of dependency on this or that party, as well as Iraq will deviate from the harmful engagement between the Iranian and American sides that Iraq hopes to stop, in order to preserve its own interests, as it also reads in the field The strong presence of the concept of sovereignty advocated by Al-Kazemi since his nomination, and also, this position will have the support and support of all political forces, all of whom are following official diplomatic procedures, in addition to following this context will avoid Iraq from any consequences of the wrong actions taking place, and put it in an embarrassing position as it happened previously In the unfortunate Baghdad airport accident .

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Pro-Iran militias in Iraq wage 'fake news' campaign against US

 

Several pro-Iran militias have lately claimed responsibility for attacking US forces in Iraq, but examining their media activities indicates they are probably fake groups created by existing militias to show strength without taking the risk of ramifications.

 

al-monitor
 

 An Iranian cleric chants slogans as they gather to mourn during the 40-days memorial after the killing of Iran's Quds Force top commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, at the Valley of Peace cemetery in Najaf. Photo by Alaa Al-Marjani.

 

June 2, 2020

 

In a span of less than three months, five “new pro-Iran militias” have announced their plans to escalate attacks on US forces in Iraq. Some of them have claimed responsibility for major anti-American attacks. But evidence indicates this is a propaganda campaign conducted by existing militias rather than an actual escalation. The main desire common among these groups is avenging the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Popular Mobilization Units’ (PMU) military leader who was assassinated by the United States alongside Iran’s Quds Force commander, Qasem Soleimani, in January.

In the last of a series of videos purporting to attack American forces or interests in Iraq, a group calling itself Tha’r al-Muhandis Brigade (Vengeance of al-Muhandis) claims they fired two anti-aircraft missiles that hit two American Chinook helicopters. In the short clip posted on the social media platform Telegram on May 22 and that has been viewed by Al-Monitor, two militants whose faces are blurred are seen carrying man-portable air-defense systems. The clip shows one of the militants firing a missile into the sky. The cameraman seemingly follows the missile into the sky, and seconds later a Chinook helicopter is seen in the clip. The video does not show the helicopter being hit by the missile. Also, we don’t see a second missile being fired.

But Tha’r al-Muhandis Brigade’s clip seems to be fake. Al-Monitor showed the clip to Ali Chakav, a senior graphic designer at the London-based Iran International TV. After examining the video, Chakav came to the conclusion that the clip is a montage and that footage of the Chinook was later added to the footage of the firing of the anti-aircraft missile.

The other four groups are called Osbat al-Tha’irin, Ghabdhat al-Huda, Kata’ib Thourat al-Ishrin II and Ashab al-Kahf. Some of these groups’ names have been around for a while without any proof that they exist independent of any known Iran-backed Shiite militias.

Upon examining videos posted by these groups, Chakav concluded that probably some of them are using “the same asset graphic library” and that the videos are “following similar visual identity.” This means that probably some of these videos — purporting to be created by separate groups — are created by the same people. According to Chakav, this is especially vivid when comparing graphic effects in a video posted by Osbat al-Tha’irin showing aerial footage of the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq and the Tha’r al-Muhandis’ clip claiming to have hit US helicopters.

Examining social media accounts belonging to these groups also provides hints that they are actually linked to one another and are run by existing militias loyal to Iran. Kataib Hezbollah (KH) seems to be the main militia behind at least some of these groups.

The Telegram account of Ashab al-Kahf has provided tailored stickers. Interestingly among those stickers is not only their own emblem but that of Osbat al-Tha’irin’s. Additionally, one of the stickers they initially introduced was a picture of Abu Fadak al-Mohammadawi, a KH commander whom the pro-Iran militant groups in the PMU are trying to impose as the successor to al-Muhandis. They later removed the sticker of Abu Fadak.

Other behavioral trends on social media also point to the probability of these groups being linked. For example, the Twitter account of Tha’r al-Muhandis Brigade follows only one Twitter account — that of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which is in Arabic. Those behind Ashab al-Kahf’s Twitter account also follow only the Arabic account of Khamenei.

If this was a behavior exhibited by the social media accounts of Iran-aligned groups, one could not conclude that the same people are probably behind them. But examining other pro-Iran Shiite militias shows this is not a behavior all of them show. Al-Nujaba's Twitter account, for instance, follows seven other accounts; none of them belong to Khamenei.

Michael Knights, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, considers these activities a “fake campaign.” Knights, who specializes in the military and security affairs of Iraq, told Al-Monitor, “They would fake a campaign of resistance because they want to show they are still avenging al-Muhandis.” According to Knights, the pro-Iran militias “fear US backlash that might cause damage to Iraq and Iran.” He says they are also worried about being rebuked by top Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for the damage to Iraq’s interests as a result of US reactions.

Recently, Sistani gave the green light to Shiite militias affiliated with him to withdraw from the Iran-dominated PMU, causing fear among Iran-backed militias that they are losing the popular support of the Shiite public. To anger Sistani at this stage does not seem to be a wise move for them.

Knights believes that faking a campaign “allows pro-Iran militias to signal ongoing loyalty to the axis of resistance but without the risks.” The “axis of resistance” is an anti-American and anti-Israel alliance led by Iran, which includes countries such as Syria but also groups like the Lebanese Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas.

US attacks on Shiite militia targets in recent months and especially the assassination of al-Muhandis and Soleimani proved the US Army’s determination in responding to any attacks by the pro-Iran factions. This has forced some prominent pro-Iran leaders such as Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, to largely go underground, fearing an American strike. This can explain why these factions resort to tactics that offer them a form of deniability.

This is not the first time Shiite militias loyal to Iran use this method, according to Iraqi security analyst Hisham al-Hashimi. In the past, these groups used similar tactics to cover for their attacks and enjoy plausible deniability.

Hashami told Al-Monitor, “This method of media campaign was used by these factions between 2007 and 2011. They used to carry out attacks [against US targets] while denying responsibility on their official platforms. They created media platforms for fake factions admitting responsibility for the attacks.”

During the years when more than 150,000 US forces occupied Iraq, Shiite factions — enjoying Iran's support — carried out hundreds of attacks against American troops, resulting in “the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more,” according to the US Department of Defense.

This time, evidence of serious attacks carried out against the US troops under fake groups is scarce. Iran is under increasing pressure internally and in the wider region. In the absence of Soleimani, who was the mastermind behind Iran’s regional policy and under the crippling pressures caused by the US administrations’ policy of “maximum pressure,” Iran has been forced to make significant concessions in Iraq.

senior Iranian official discussing Iran’s moves in Iraq recently told Reuters, “Sometimes you need to step back, observe and plan based on realities on the ground.”

Iran-backed Shiite militias’ fake campaign is a show of strength in a time of weakness.

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Dollars are running out of Hong Kong ATMs, amid financial buying and terror


- 4 Hours Ago
 
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Perhaps the rich island of Hong Kong will become a "precious chess" piece in the ongoing Cold War conflict between Beijing and Washington, a prospect that threatens the island's position as a global financial center, as well as the emigration of the rich and technical and financial expertise from the island.

Since the United States announced that it will abolish the preferential treatment it accords in Hong Kong tariffs, the buying fever of US dollars has risen to its fullest on the island. There are long lines in front of money changer shops to convert the local currency or “Hong Kong dollar” into US dollars, while these stores do not find enough amounts of American currency to meet the demands of customers, according to the local newspaper “Sing Tao” in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong residents fear that the new Chinese security law will tighten the Chinese government's grip on the island and possibly end the island's autonomy status over the Chinese mainland. They are concerns expressed by many western companies with headquarters in Hong Kong.

Last Friday, US President Donald Trump considered that Hong Kong was "no longer sufficiently autonomous to justify the special treatment" granted by Washington, announcing that he had instructed his administration to begin canceling trade exemptions granted to it.

In London, on Monday seven former foreign ministers called on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to form an international alliance to confront Beijing over Hong Kong's developments.

For his part, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Congress that Beijing stripped Hong Kong of its autonomy.

According to a report in the local newspaper "Sung Tao" in Hong Kong, many exchange offices said during the weekend that the US dollars that have run out due to the high demand for the green paper, and there are not enough exchange machines on the island that give their customers the right to withdraw the dollar American.

The British bank HSBC, the island’s largest bank, has only 33 withdrawals that grant the right to withdraw in dollars.

Hong Kong monetary authorities have not yet released information about the amount of money that has fled the island since the unrest began last summer, but Western reports indicate that many wealthy people have transferred part of their money to banks in Singapore and western centers in London and Zurich, and may be These amounts have reached tens of billions since last June.

The island’s wealthy and many residents fear that Hong Kong dollars will be de-linked with the US dollar, and this will lead to the loss of part of their wealth due to the devaluation of the local currency or “Hong Kong dollar”.

The Hong Kong dollar has been pegged since 1983 to the US dollar, within a calculated oscillation margin between 7.75 and 7.85 against the US dollar.

Analysts say the end of preferential trade treatment for Hong Kong's exports to the United States is the start of western companies fleeing the island's commercial center. This will automatically mean the loss of jobs and purchasing power on the island, and the recession of restaurants, cafes and nightclubs that have been suffering for months from the Corona pandemic.

The island's monetary authorities are seeking to reassure citizens about the exchange rate peg between the local currency and the US dollar, as they said at the end of the week that "linking the local currency to the dollar is one of the pillars of monetary policy and Hong Kong will not abandon it."

While the monetary authorities said in another message addressed to the long rows crowded in front of exchange shops and companies, that the island's central bank has sufficient dollar balances and that its balance in foreign currencies amounts to 440 billion dollars.

For its part, the Chinese government is working to threaten banks, businesses and businesses that do not support the new Chinese security measures on the island.

In this regard, the former Chinese official in Hong Kong, Leung Cheng Ying, wrote on his Facebook page, calling for the punishment of the British HSBC bank, because he did not support the new Chinese measures. "HSBC did not support the Chinese measures ... and it can be replaced on the mainland in one night with alternative banks from China and foreign countries," Ying said on Friday.

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The United States suspends China Airlines flights starting from June 16

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3rd June, 2020
 


The United States of America announced, on Wednesday, the suspension of flights by China Airlines, starting June 16.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Li Jian said Wednesday that the United States is not a party to the conflict in the South China Sea, but it often creates incidents there, engages in military provocations, and provokes regional international relations, which is not conducive to Peace and stability in the region.

"China's territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea have been formed through a long-term historical process and have been supported by successive governments of China, and they are in line with international laws including the United Nations Charter and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."

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