Saturday, 12 September 2026

Saudi Arabia attributed Thursday morning’s drone strikes on East–West Pipeline facilities in the Riyadh and Medina regions to Iraqi factions, saying they caused injuries, damage and a temporary shutdown; Riyadh deferred a military response at Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi’s request. Baghdad condemned the attack, traced the launch to Maysan, removed the Maysan Operations commander and ordered an investigative council. On Saturday, al-Zaidi removed Maysan’s police chief and transferred the province’s security-agency directors to the reserve command for investigation. Iraq also closed Shalamcheh, al-Shib and Mandali with Iran, while the Security Media Cell said temporary closures were required for administrative and security reorganisation after breaches. Militia coverage split over the personnel action: Al-Ittijah TV (KH — official) called it punishment imposed before the investigation was complete, while Watan TV (Badr Organization — affiliated) carried the order as issued. Separately, al-Zaidi announced that the Sinjar Resistance Units and Women’s Units would begin handing weapons to the state, with eligible personnel integrated into Iraqi security institutions. Nineveh Provincial Council Security Committee head Mohammed Jassim said Saturday that no concrete disarmament steps had occurred and more than 4,000 armed fighters remained, leaving the Sinjar package as an announced transfer rather than a completed handover.

Iraq and Turkiye completed the final draft of an agreement to implement transport infrastructure projects after four days of negotiations in Baghdad. The talks settled legal, technical and financial provisions, including implementation mechanisms and each side’s rights and responsibilities. The Development Road project would link Grand Faw Port to the Turkish border through railways, roads and ports. Iraq’s delegation included the transport, oil, finance and foreign ministries, the Central Bank and the State Organization for Marketing of Oil, while Turkish ministries and Ziraat Bank also took part. Both sides will now submit the draft to their governments for approval before formal signing and contracting. The draft moves the project beyond the political backing recorded during the Iraqi and Turkish parliament speakers’ talks, but government approval and signature remain pending.

Najaf hospitals have cut surgical procedures by 50 percent because of a financial crisis, according to a source at the provincial Health Directorate. The reduction applies to non-emergency operations. The source attributed the decision to the directorate’s financial difficulties and what it called a lack of government cooperation. Parliament’s Health and Anti-Narcotics Committee head Adila Hamoud had warned last month that the health sector could face a crisis if the country’s financial problems persisted. Separately, most state-owned banks had stopped issuing loans and salary advances because of limited allocations and insufficient liquidity, with deposits down 5.6 percent in the first half of 2026. Funding constraints have now reduced non-emergency care as well as public-bank credit.

Saudi Arabia attributed Thursday morning’s drone strikes on East–West Pipeline facilities in the Riyadh and Medina regions to Iraqi factions, saying they caused injuries, damage and a temporary shutdown. Riyadh deferred a response at Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Ali Falih al-Zaidi’s request. Baghdad condemned the attack, and al-Zaidi removed the Maysan Operations commander and ordered an investigative council after authorities traced the launch to the province. On Saturday he removed Maysan’s police chief and sent provincial security directors for investigation over recent security breaches. Al-Ghadeer TV (Badr Organization — official) and Al-Nujaba TV (Nujaba — official) had described the pipeline explosion as following a Yemeni attack. Al-Kornet al-Kata'ibi (KSS — affiliated) instead relayed the Saudi account that the drones came from Iraq, while Al-Ittijah TV (KH — official) described extensive fire damage at the pumping station. Al-Ittijah then called Baghdad’s wider personnel action punishment imposed before the investigation was complete. Riyadh has named Iraqi factions, while Baghdad has acted against Maysan’s security command as its investigation proceeds.

Iraq closed Shalamcheh, al-Shib and Mandali with Iran after Saudi Arabia said Thursday’s pipeline drones came from Iraqi territory. The Security Media Cell described administrative and security reorganisation after breaches, while two security sources called Shalamcheh’s closure a precaution after the attack. Sabereen News (KH — affiliated) reported Mandali closed, Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official) reported Shalamcheh closed to passengers and goods, and Al-Kornet reported that Maysan Operations Command had reportedly closed al-Shib until further notice. Al-Ghadeer reported that Basra airport suspended Iran flights, but the airport director said operations were normal. Sabereen showed stranded travellers and patient appeals, while Shabab al-Islam (Ashab al-Kahf — affiliated) showed families sleeping on the floor and said the "young man" closed the crossing on orders from Tom Barrack and Mohammed bin Salman. Sabereen, Unit 10,000 (KH — affiliated) and Shabab also carried MP Mukhtar al-Yusuf calling the closures rushed and intended to please Washington and Riyadh.

On September 11, al-Zaidi announced that the Sinjar Resistance Units and Women’s Units would begin handing their weapons to the state. He said eligible members would enter Iraqi security institutions and Sinjar would come under full federal security and administrative authority. Watan TV (Badr Organization — affiliated) carried the announcement, while Al-Kornet stressed legal guarantees for eligible personnel. On Saturday, Nineveh Provincial Council Security Committee head Mohammed Jassim said no concrete disarmament steps had occurred and more than 4,000 armed fighters remained. He said an earlier process registered around 2,000 fighters but failed. The announcement comes as AAH and Nujaba maintain different weapons formulas while KH’s position remains reported. The Sinjar package therefore sets out a transfer and integration process, but not a completed handover.

Al-Janoub TV (Harakat al-Jihad wal-Bina — official) highlighted parliamentary efforts to pass the PMF law and guarantee personnel rights. Al-Ghadeer called for expedited submission, while Al-Ahad carried Qais al-Khazali (AAH — secretary-general) saying enactment was necessary. Hoquq MP Miqdad al-Khafaji had said more than 140 MPs signed for the law. Legal expert Abbas al-Aqabi told Al-Ahad that the absence of a dedicated law did not exempt security institutions from the Penal Code. He said parliament could question and dismiss an official negligent toward the PMF. The law push and al-Khazali’s call to restructure PMF leadership remain separate: the reported signature count applies to the law.