Shafaq News- Kirkuk

One person was killed and four others wounded Monday when anattack targeted a Federal Police position in the Al-Bargiliya–Al-Danadish areaof Hawija district, southwest of Kirkuk, a security source told Shafaq News.

The attack targeted the 3rd Battalion sector of the 9thBrigade of the Federal Police, the source said, adding that several thermalcameras at the site were also destroyed.

Security forces cordoned off the area following the attackand launched an investigation to determine those responsible, while search andinspection operations continued in the surrounding area.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s F-16 fighter fleet can now be operated andmaintained by Iraqi personnel, the Defense Ministry told Shafaq News, daysafter the US-led Coalition ended its military mission in the country on Sept.30.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Yahya Rasoolexplained that Iraqi crews have handled flight operations, maintenance, fuelprovision, and pilot training since 2025, while spare parts and replacementcomponents continue to arrive through the manufacturer and established supplychannels.

Iraq acquired 36 F-16IQ Block 52 fighters from theUnited States, comprising 24 single-seat F-16Cs and 12 twin-seat F-16Ds.Thirty-four remain after two were lost in training accidents in the US,according to defense publication Janes.

The first fighters arrived at Balad Air Base in July2015, with deliveries completed in May 2019. They are now stationed at MartyrBrigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base, formerly Balad Air Base, in Saladinprovince.

Read more: Iraqi Army after US-led Coalition withdrawal

Iraqi Control, External Supply

Rasool said Iraqi engineers and technicians underwentadvanced training in the United States and at home in cooperation withspecialized companies, with some now qualified to instruct other personnel.

Maj. Gen. Tahseen Al-Khafaji, deputy head of Iraq’sSecurity Media Cell, likewise confirmed that local crews fly and service thefighters without foreign personnel directing operations at the base. Routinemaintenance is performed domestically, he added, although major overhauls canrequire manufacturer assistance and imported components.

The main challenge is no longer operating the fightersbut securing a steady supply of parts and funding future upgrades, securityexpert Sarmad Al-Bayati told Shafaq News.

Some components must come from Lockheed Martin or, insome cases, through US bases in Germany, he explained, with existing agreementsproviding Baghdad access to those supplies. Upgrades, however, could costmillions of dollars depending on the systems involved.

US Support for the Fleet

The expanding Iraqi role has developed alongsideUS-backed contracts supporting the F-16 program. In June 2025, Vectrus Systemsreceived a contract worth up to $118.02 million for operations, life-support,and security services at Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base, with workextending through Nov. 30, 2026.

A further $252.05-million contract followed inNovember for services related to the Iraqi F-16 program, scheduled throughSept. 24, 2026. Both agreements were funded by Iraq through the US ForeignMilitary Sales program.

The vulnerability of this support structure emerged in2020, when US contractors withdrew from Balad Air Base amid attacks andsecurity threats against American personnel and facilities.

Forbes reported that several Iraqi F-16s becameinoperable as maintenance and technical assistance declined. Lockheed Martinagain relocated its Iraq-based team in 2021 over security concerns, althoughIraqi crews continued servicing the fighters and conducting combat missions.

The disruption prompted questions about the fleet’slong-term readiness and speculation that Baghdad might seek alternative fighteraircraft, but the government continued funding the F-16 program.

Long-Term Readiness

Strategic affairs expert Ahmed Al-Sharifi told ShafaqNews that Baghdad now needs a clearer long-term strategy for the fighterswithin its air force and broader defense relationship with Washington. Hequestioned whether the country could sustain the necessary technical capacitywhen critical components and specialized services remain tied to US companiesand potentially vulnerable to changes in bilateral relations.

Al-Sharifi also argued that the Iraqi Air Forceemploys the F-16 across a narrower range of missions than the aircraft iscapable of performing.

The US-led Coalition’s military mission in Iraqofficially concluded on Sept. 30, according to Iraq’s Foreign Ministry, whichsaid security cooperation with partner countries would continue throughtraining, information exchange, and capacity-building.

Read more: Iraq's Sovereignty Days: Coalition mission ends

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Security Media Cell (SMC)said on Monday that reports claiming large numbers of people classified asterrorists had been released from prisons in Erbil and Duhok and transferredtoward Kirkuk remained unverified.

The claims, attributed to an unnamedpolitician in media and social media reports, were not based on any statementor position issued by Iraq’s relevant security authorities, the SMC clarified.

The SMC urged citizens to rely onofficial sources and called on media outlets and social media platforms toexercise accuracy and responsibility when circulating security information,citing the need to safeguard societal security, reassure the public, and avoidconfusion.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi engineers and technicians have handled 100% of maintenance on the country’s F-16 fighter jets since 2025, Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Yahya Rasool told Shafaq News on Sunday, saying the work no longer relies on foreign personnel.

Rasool said maintenance, aircraft operations, fuel provision, and pilot training are now handled entirely by Iraqi personnel. Iraq only needs the aircraft manufacturer to provide spare parts, he added, describing that as normal practice in dealings with aircraft manufacturers worldwide.

Many Iraqi F-16 engineers and technicians participated in advanced training courses in the US, while others were trained inside Iraq in cooperation with specialized companies, Rasool said. Some are now capable of training other personnel.

The Global Coalition’s military mission in Iraq officially concluded on Sept. 30, according to Iraq’s Foreign Ministry, which said security cooperation with partner countries would continue through training, information exchange, and capacity-building.

Iraq procured 36 F-16IQ aircraft, two of which were lost in training accidents in the US, according to defense publication Janes, which reported that the Iraqi Air Force fields 34 of the fighters.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on Sunday said it arrested 55 suspects during security operations across 12 provinces over the past several days.

The PMF said 23 were wanted over alleged links to the banned Baath Party, six in cases involving leaks of information affecting state security, five in organized crime cases, four in terrorism cases, and seven over links to “deviant movements.”

All arrests were carried out under judicial warrants and established legal procedures, the authority said. Under Law No. 40 of 2016, the PMF is an independent military formation within Iraq’s armed forces and is linked to the commander-in-chief. Iraq also prohibits the Baath Party under Law No. 32 of 2016.

Read more: Iraqi government votes on PMF law

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) replaced the commander of its Kirkuk regiment following the Altun Kupri operation that killed two civilians, a security source told Shafaq News on Sunday.

The source said the lieutenant colonel commanding the regiment was removed about a week after taking the post, while the unit’s former commander was reinstated.

A committee ordered by Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi continues to investigate the circumstances of the operation and determine responsibility.

The source said preliminary information indicated that the inquiry could find an officer and five personnel responsible for negligence, but stressed that no such finding had been officially announced and that final decisions would follow the committee’s conclusions.

The CTS said last week that its forces had pursued two suspected militants in a densely populated area, killing one and arresting the other. It also said four CTS personnel were wounded and confirmed that two civilians were killed.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Two men suspected of human organ trafficking were arrestedafter one allegedly planned to travel abroad to sell a kidney for 14 millionIraqi dinars ($10,721), Baghdad's Al-Rusafa Police Command said on Sunday.

One of the suspects had been visiting a passport office toobtain travel documents before leaving Iraq to sell his kidney. Police arrangeda meeting with him and arrested him, then tracked down a second man whoreportedly acted as an intermediary in the sale of human organs, the Commandsaid.

During questioning, the second suspect admitted to takingpart in more than one operation involving the sale of kidneys and other humanorgans. He allegedly worked with people outside Iraq and received payments forarranging the transactions, which also involved travel bookings and hotelaccommodations.

Iraq has recently recorded a rise in human-traffickingcases. Earlier today, the Supreme Judicial Council said Iraqi courts registered183 cases in August, up from 167 in July.

Read more: Iraq arrests 5K+ in 2025 human trafficking cases

Shafaq News-Nineveh

Two Iraqisoldiers were killed and two others wounded when an explosive device leftbehind by ISIS detonated during a search operation north of the Rawa Desert,south of Nineveh, the Defense Ministry announced on Sunday.

The blastoccurred within the area of responsibility of the 27th Brigade, under the 7thInfantry Division of Al-Jazeera Operations Command.

In May, asecurity source told Shafaq News that a roadside bomb wounded an Iraqi warrantofficer during a search mission by the West Nineveh Operations Command in theprovince's Hatra Desert.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s RapidResponse Division arrested 308 suspects during 124 operations in September andseized weapons, drugs and large sums of money, Interior Ministry spokespersonMiqdad Miri said on Saturday

The arrests included 31 suspects in integrity-related casesand 55 in drug cases, and 1,425 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 305 grams ofhashish, 92 narcotic pills, and drug-use paraphernalia. Security forces also confiscated21 weapons, 356 pieces of ammunition, 32 magazines, and 131 rounds of varioustypes. They also confiscated 6.047 million Iraqi dinars ($4626.05) and $1million, along with 18 mobile phones and other items.

They carried out three operations to remove illegalencroachments and intervened in three tribal disputes.

Last month, the Interior Ministry said Iraqi authorities haddismantled 250 drug-trafficking networks, including 34 international groups,during the government’s first 100 days. Authorities also seized 785 kilogramsof drugs and 177,000 narcotic pills and arrested 144 foreign suspects.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

An Iraqi Air Force official on Friday denied reports that anF-16 fighter jet had crashed following a technical malfunction in the Hatraarea of Nineveh province, dismissing them as false and baseless.

ِAll aircraft involved hadcompleted their missions and landed safely at military air bases, the official told Shafaq News. 

The rumors circulated on social media as Iraqi aircraftconducted flights to mark “Sovereignty Day,” coinciding with the withdrawal ofGlobal Coalition forces from Iraq.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Ammunition stored at a site belonging to an armed faction exploded onThursday evening in Baghdad's southern Dora district, a security source toldShafaq News.

The explosion, which was heard across Dora, involved munitions storedinside a portable cabin used by the faction, the source said.

No casualties were reported.

The source did not name the faction or give a cause for the explosion.

Shafaq News-Baghdad

HarakatAnsar Allah al-Awfiya, an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed faction, said on Thursday itwould abide by agreed timelines between armed factions, the CoordinationFramework and the government under the “full sovereigntyproject,” including ending military operations inside Iraq.

The group'ssecretary-general, Sheikh Haidar al-Gharawi, said the faction was committed toPrime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's Sovereignty Day statement and to the terms of anagreed “sovereignty paper.”

Read more: Four Iraqi factions set conditions for weapons control

Al-Gharawipraised the government, the prime minister and political forces for pressingahead with ending the foreign presence and pledged the group's support for anystep that preserves “a national achievement, made possible by the blood offighters and the sacrifices of Iraqis.”

The US-ledGlobal Coalition to Defeat ISIS ended its military mission in Iraq on September30. At a ceremony marking the transition, al-Zaidi declared that there would be“no weapons outside the umbrella of the law, and no force outside stateinstitutions.”

Read more: Iraq's Sovereignty Days: Coalition mission ends, factions keep their weapons

Shafaq News-Baghdad

KataibSayyid al-Shuhada, an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed faction, said on Thursday it iscommitted to an agreement reached between the parties involved and to PrimeMinister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's Sovereignty Day speech, in which he declaredthere would be no weapons outside the law, as long as the other side keeps toits obligations.

It welcomedthe end of the foreign military presence in Iraq as an important step towardcompleting the country's sovereignty, and thanked al-Zaidi for efforts that “sparedIraq Shiite-on-Shiite fighting and prevented a slide into internal strife.”

Read more: Four Iraqi factions set conditions for weapons control

The comingphase requires putting Iraq's interests first, protecting its security andunity, and shielding it from anything that could return the country to conflictand internal fighting, according to the group.

In May,spokesman Kazem al-Fartousi told Shafaq News that Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada'srefusal to surrender its weapons was “fixed and unchangeable,” saying its armswould remain as long as the reasons for possessing them continued.

Read more: Iraq's Sovereignty Days: Coalition mission ends, factions keep their weapons

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's Air Force and Army Aviation commands will stage flyovers overBaghdad and other provinces from 10:00 a.m. on Friday to mark the NationalSovereignty Day, the Security Media Cell (SMC) said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi, commander-in-chief of the armedforces, formally marked Sovereignty Day on Wednesday as he announced the end ofthe US-led Coalition’s military mission in Iraq. The coalition was formed in2014 to fight ISIS.

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Iraq's National Security Service (INSS) arrested a senior smuggling suspect in Kirkuk province, northern Iraq, and seized 10 large vehicles during a security operation, a security source told Shafaq News on Thursday.

The operation was carried out in the Jemen area of the province in the early hours of the morning.

No details were immediately available on the materials the suspect was allegedly smuggling.

Shafaq News- Ankara

Turkiye will withdraw from the Bashiqa-Zilkan militarybase in northern Iraq, which its forces have used since 2015, and hand it overto Iraqi authorities in stages, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry linked the decision to the progress insecurity measures taken by the Iraqi government in Sinjar, and welcomed Baghdad's recent steps to impose state authority in the district.

Millî Savunma Bakanlığı Haftalık Basın Bilgilendirme Toplantısı, 1926 yılında Türkiye’nin ilk uçak fabrikası olarak kurulan ve yaklaşık bir asırlık köklü geçmişiyle Türk havacılık sanayisinin gelişiminde önemli bir yere sahip olan Kayseri’deki 2’nci Hava Bakım Fabrika… pic.twitter.com/trFT2F0lvf

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) October 1, 2026

The Bashiqa-Zilkan complex lies northeast of Mosul inNineveh province. According to the ministry, Turkish forces have used the baseat the request of Iraqi authorities as part of the fight against ISIS.

Turkiye will continue supporting Iraq militarily afterthe handover under bilateral agreements covering “building military capacity,sharing counterterrorism expertise, military training and defense industrycooperation,” the ministry added.

The handover will not take place all at once but willproceed under a mechanism and timetable agreed with the Iraqi government, theministry said without giving a date for completion.

Read more: Baghdad, Ankara agree on Bashiqa–Zilkan Camp transfer

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Security forces arrested six Afghan and Pakistani nationals and one Iranian in eastern Baghdad and seized passports and forged stamps, a security source told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

The source said nine passports, papers and other international documents were seized, along with three forged stamps bearing the name of the Shalamcheh Residency and Passports Directorate, a forged Basra airport stamp and another used to alter dates.

Shalamcheh is an Iraq-Iran border crossing in Basra province. On September 29, Border Ports Authority chief Omar Adnan Al-Waeli said Iraq would not allow unauthorized entry or exit through the crossing.

Shafaq News- Maysan

Three young men were killed in separate incidents on Wednesday inal-Amarah, the capital of Maysan province in southern Iraq, a security sourcetold Shafaq News.

In the first case, police found the body of a young man with gunshotwounds in the al-Battat area of central Amarah. Gunmen shot dead a second youngman near a police station in the city's central al-Qitaa area. The third victimdied of stab wounds sustained in an armed brawl near the Amarah livestockmarket, on the al-Amarah–Mashrah road.

The bodies were taken to the forensic medicine department for legalprocedures, the source said, adding that security forces had arrested onesuspect in connection with the incidents and were searching for others.

Shafaq News-Basra

Unidentifiedattackers threw a hand grenade at a house in Izz al-Din Salim district innorthern Basra province, causing no injuries, a security source told ShafaqNews.

Securityforces arrived at the scene and opened an investigation into the circumstancesof the attack and those behind it, the source said.

The housebelongs to relatives of a leader of the Sheikhi community, whose members followa minority school of Shiite Islam with a notable presence in Basra.

The sourceadded that the community has experienced internal tensions in recent months,with several members killed or wounded.

About theSheikhi Sect

Founded inthe 18th century by Ahmad bin Zayn al-Din al-Ahsa’I, the Sheikhi sect —knownlocally in Iraq as the Hasawiya— is a school of thought closely related toTwelver Shiism. The name Hasawiya refers to Al-Ahsa in eastern Saudi Arabia,from where the founder traveled to Karbala before establishing a following thatlater settled in Basra.

Basraremains the main center of the Sheikhi presence in Iraq, where historicalaccounts indicate the community has existed for more than 200 years. Populationestimates vary, with some sources placing the number at more than 250,000.Parliamentary representative Amer Al-Fayez has said the figure could reach onemillion, mainly concentrated in Basra, with smaller communities in Karbala andDiyala province.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM) leader Muqtada Al-Sadrannounced on Wednesday the immediate dissolution of Liwa’a al-Yawm al-Maw'oud(the Promised Day Brigade) following the formal end of the US-led Coalition’smilitary mission in Iraq.

He ordered the armed group to be converted into acharitable organization named after Imam al-Mahdi, declaring that Iraq hadregained its independence and that the era of US and Coalition militarypresence had “ended permanently.”

pic.twitter.com/efTZPuFLD6

— مقتدى السيد محمد الصدر (@Mu_AlSadr) September 30, 2026

Established in 2008 after the disbandment of the MahdiArmy, the Promised Day Brigade was an elite force that fought Coalition forcesin Iraq.

Al-Sadr also urged the government to develop a“scientific and well-studied” program to bring weapons exclusively under statecontrol, with concrete results accepted by the Iraqi public and the religiousestablishment. He demanded compensation from the US military for damage causedduring its presence and called on Washington to “refrain from interfering inIraq’s internal affairs.”

On domestic politics, the PSM leader urged politicalfigures to retire from public life and make way for new leadership, whilebacking stronger and more diversified security forces, particularly the BorderGuard.

Read more: Kurdistan Region faces air-defense gap as US troops leave Iraq

Shafaq News- Saladin

A security force accompanied by an Integrity Commission teamarrested a businessman at his home in Tikrit, Saladin province, on Tuesday inconnection with the case of detained Oil Ministry Deputy Adnan al-Jumaili, asecurity source told Shafaq News.

The source said the businessman was arrested hours afterreturning to Iraq from abroad. Investigators have begun legal proceedings andquestioning but have not disclosed further details about the allegations.

Al-Jumaili, a former deputy oil minister for refining affairs and formerdirector-general of the North Refineries Company, has been detained since hisMay 30 over alleged misuse of public funds at the Baiji Refinery.

An investigating judge later said information provided by Al-Jumaili duringquestioning widened the inquiry, led to further arrests and promptedinvestigators to examine additional government contracts. The investigationsubsequently became one of the main cases linked to the government’s DawnCrackdown (Sawlat Al-Fajr) anti-corruption campaign, drawing in lawmakers, officials andbusiness figures.

On Sep. 5 authorities also arrested Al-Jumaili’s brother, Ghassan, head ofthe training department at the Baiji Oil Institute over allegedcorruption. Officials have not disclosed the specific accusations against himor confirmed whether his detention forms part of the investigation into hisbrother.

Read more: Iraq’s Dawn Crackdown spreads through state institutions

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Italy withdrew its last troops from Iraq on Tuesday, ending atwelve-year military presence, according to a statement from Italian DefenseMinister Guido Crosetto.

The final group had stayed behind to recover and ship out logisticalequipment, Crosetto said. Italian forces, along with those of other countriesin the Global Coalition and NATO, left Iraq by the September 30 deadline agreedwith the Iraqi government.

Crosetto said the withdrawal was "not an Italian decision,"but part of a new phase agreed with Iraqi authorities and partner countries, inwhich Iraqi security forces take full responsibility for the country'ssecurity.

The Global Coalition's Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the US-ledmilitary campaign against ISIS, will continue to operate from other countries,according to the statement. So will NATO Mission Iraq, the alliance'snon-combat advisory and training mission, which will run from a temporaryheadquarters at NATO's Joint Force Command Naples in Lago Patria, southernItaly.

Most Italian troops had already left by March 2026, the ministry said.Only teams handling the recovery and transfer of equipment remained in recentweeks.

Thousands of Italian troops served in Iraq over the period, taking partin the fight against ISIS and training the Iraqi armed forces and the securityforces of the Kurdistan Region.

The pullout does not end Italy's relationship with Iraq or rule outfuture cooperation, according to Crosetto, who said the relationship will shiftfrom a military presence on the ground toward training, sharing expertise andbuilding the capabilities of Iraq's armed forces.

In recent talks, Italy's Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Luciano Portolano,and Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah confirmed that bothcountries plan to maintain training and capacity-building programs, theministry said.

Two members of the Carabinieri, Italy's military police force, remain inIraq with the European Union Advisory Mission in Iraq (EUAM Iraq), a civilianmission that advises on security sector reform and operates with the Iraqigovernment's authorization, according to the ministry.

IRAQ: CONCLUSO IL RIENTRO DELLE NOSTRE FORZE ARMATE"Con il rientro degli ultimi militari impegnati nel recupero e nel trasferimento dei materiali logistici, si conclude oggi la presenza delle nostre Forze Armate in Iraq. [...]Ringrazio gli uomini e le donne delle nostre Forze… pic.twitter.com/WcSTyTB4b7

— Ministero Difesa (@MinisteroDifesa) September 29, 2026

Read more: Iraq caught between US-Iran war and September 30 deadline

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said it hadarrested three suspected members of ISIS in Al-Sulaymaniyah province in theKurdistan Region, acting on court warrants.

Two of the suspects had entered the province on the dayof the operation, while the third lived there, the CTS said in a statement on Monday.

Read more: Two ‘terrorists’ killed in Kirkuk clashes

جهاز مكافحة الإرهاب يلقي القبض على ثلاثة متهمين بالإرهاب في السليمانية==============تمكن أبطال جهاز مكافحة الإرهاب وفقاً لاوامر قضائية من إلقاء القبض على ثلاثة متهمين بالانتماء إلى عصابات داعش الإرهابية في محافظة السليمانية، دخل اثنان منهم اليوم إلى المحافظة، فيما يقيم المتهم pic.twitter.com/wgtq3sSy4Y

— جهاز مكافحة الإرهاب (@iraqicts) September 27, 2026

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Tehran

Baghdad is seeking exemptions from US sanctions to restore civilian flights with Iran, as Tehran presses for the restrictions to be lifted and Iraqi airports face warnings over servicing sanctioned Iranian airlines.

Political researcher Saeed Shaverdi said that Tehran expects neighboring countries, particularly Iraq, not to comply with unilateral US sanctions, and Baghdad should “explain the nature” of its relationship with Iran to Washington rather than implement the measures in full.

Flight restrictions also directly affect Iraqi students in Iran, religious visitors traveling to Qom and Mashhad, and patients seeking treatment, Iranian affairs researcher Saleh Al-Qazwini cautioned.

According to Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadeq, talks with Baghdad are continuing, and Tehran has submitted proposals on restoring flights. He told Iranian media that about 12,000 to 13,000 people normally travel between the two countries each day on Iranian airlines.

Iranian pilgrims have meanwhile continued traveling to Iraq through land crossings. Morteza Aghaei, deputy for holy sites at Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, said pilgrims would continue traveling through Mehran, Khosravi, Shalamcheh, and Chazabeh, while passengers with air bookings could switch to land travel and recover the fare difference.

The disruption followed US sanctions announced on Sept. 8 against 36 Iran-related aviation targets, including 27 airlines, and warnings that foreign companies providing services to sanctioned carriers could face penalties.

On September 27, a senior Iraqi government source told Shafaq News that Washington had directly warned Baghdad that Iraqi airports and companies servicing sanctioned Iranian airlines could face US sanctions. According to Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi’s office, Baghdad was holding direct talks with Washington to secure exemptions for some airports and restore flights for medical treatment, education, religious visits, and other civilian travel.

Najaf Provincial Council member Taif Al-Hatami separately told Shafaq News that no decision had been issued to exempt Najaf International Airport from the suspension, rejecting reports that services could resume within 24 hours. Senior Iraqi officials were pressing external parties to lift the restrictions on the airport, but no timetable had been set.

In a limited exception on Sunday, an Iranian VIP flight carrying six Iraqi passengers received permission to land at Baghdad International Airport. Iraqi authorities have not announced receiving a broader US exemption allowing regular Iranian airline services to resume.

Coordination with Washington could protect Iraqi airports and aviation companies from sanctions risks, while negotiations with Tehran were needed to prevent Iraqi airports from becoming an “arena of confrontation,” Iraqi political analyst Mujashaa Al-Tamimi told Shafaq News.

The Shiite Coordination Framework, the largest parliamentary bloc, was expected to meet Al-Zaidi on Sunday to discuss the flight suspension and its domestic political repercussions. Iran-aligned Iraqi factions have also opposed the restrictions, with Harakat Al-Nujaba threatening airport sit-ins unless flights resume and Kataib Hezbollah calling for expanded trade with Iran in response to US pressure.

Read more: US sanctions reshape Iraq-Iran travel, airline operations

Shafaq News- Kirkuk (Updated on September 30 at 15:15)

Two “terrorists” were killed and a third was wounded andarrested after security forces clashed with three militants north of Kirkuk,Iraq’s Security Media Cell chief Saad Maan said on Sunday.

In a statement, Maan said a force from the Second SpecialOperations Command of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) confronted themilitants. Two were wearing explosive belts, while the third was transportingthem.

Two Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) personnel were wounded, and two civilians were killed during the incident, according to Shafaq News sources.