Tuesday, 6 October 2026

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs announced on Monday that Iraq had released more than 435 billion dinars in October social assistance to over 2.036 million families. The payments cover Baghdad and other federal provinces but exclude the Kurdistan Region. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s Sunday funding package totals 3.5 trillion Iraqi dinars ($2.7 billion). It redirects one trillion dinars from existing Central Bank initiatives to housing and construction. Another 500 billion dinars is designated to settle government debts to contractors and farmers. For next year’s budget, Safaa al-Jabri (AAH — Sadiqoun MP and Parliamentary Economic Committee member) described a Finance Ministry proposal to set the official exchange rate at 150,000 dinars per $100. He said the cabinet had made no binding decision on that change.

The Transport Ministry announced on Monday that the state-owned Iraqi Line was preparing to resume regular Gulf shipping after a hiatus exceeding 50 years. Its maiden voyage is scheduled for 15 October, from Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates directly to Umm Qasr. The service is intended to provide a state-backed shipping option for merchants importing bulk goods and containerized freight. In the oil trade, Chinese independent refiners are increasing Iraqi crude purchases as Iranian flows fall, traders said. Oil Minister Basim Khudair said the ministry was working with the government to secure funding for new oil tankers. It is seeking vessels with a capacity of two million barrels; Iraq’s current fleet consists of six small-capacity tankers used mainly for petroleum products.

Separately, an attack that security sources attributed to Islamic State killed a Federal Police member in Kirkuk on 5 October. Reuters reported at least one dead and four wounded near Hawija, while Rudaw reported one dead and three wounded. Defence Ministry spokesperson Major General Yahya Rasool meanwhile said Iraqi personnel can operate and maintain the country’s F-16 fleet. He said they had handled flight operations, maintenance, fuel provision and pilot training since 2025. Spare parts and replacement components continue to arrive through the manufacturer and established supply channels. Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said on Monday that the Peshmerga would keep the Region protected after the US-led coalition’s withdrawal.

Kadhim al-Fartousi (KSS — spokesman) said on 5 October that the weapons agreement concerned regulating weapons, not handing them over. He said weapons would remain until sovereignty was achieved. He described ten sovereignty conditions translated into a negotiating paper with implementation timings. AAH’s Sadiqoun bloc was pressing today to place the PMF law on parliament’s agenda, according to the parliamentary correspondent of Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official). The service-and-retirement bill follows the cabinet’s 30 September referral for a parliamentary vote. MP Ahmed al-Saadi pledged to vote for it once the government submitted it. The legislative step remains cabinet referral, not parliamentary passage.

Human Rights Watch warned that nearly 5,700 men and boys transferred from northeastern Syria to Iraq over suspected Islamic State links risk abuse and unfair prosecution. It said adults faced imminent prosecution in unfair trials followed by the death penalty. The transfers took place between 21 January and 12 February, after detention in northeastern Syria for up to seven-and-a-half years. The warning follows National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji’s announcement that Iraq had completed initial investigations into 5,704 people transferred over alleged ISIS links. HRW senior counterterrorism adviser Letta Tayler called for humane treatment and due process. The organization urged foreign governments to take responsibility for their citizens and repatriate them.

Separately, Baghdad’s Karkh Court of Appeal asked parliament to lift MP Zahra Luqman al-Saadi’s immunity, 964media reported, citing the state news agency. The proceedings concern alleged forgery and use of forged official documents. Al-Saadi (Badr — MP) said on 5 October that an investigation found no shortcoming on her part and recommended closing the administrative inquiry. Her account of an administrative recommendation is separate from the judicial request, which requires a parliamentary vote.

Kadhim al-Fartousi (KSS — spokesman) said on 5 October that the agreement concerned regulating weapons, not handing them over, in remarks carried by Al-Kornet al-Kata'ibi (KSS — affiliated) and iNEWS (KSS — affiliated). He said weapons would remain until sovereignty was achieved. He described ten sovereignty conditions translated into a negotiating paper with implementation timings. He said the United States, Turkey and the PKK were parties to government commitments, not participants in the negotiations. Shafaqna Iraq separately reported Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s announcement that five factions had accepted handover and three had already transferred their weapons. That announcement does not establish that KSS handed over weapons.

Al-Nujaba TV (Nujaba — official) reported one Federal Police member killed and two wounded in Kirkuk on 5 October, in an attack security sources attributed to Islamic State. It reported one thermal camera destroyed, while Al-Kornet al-Kata'ibi described several wounded personnel and several destroyed cameras. Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official) placed a policeman’s death in Hawija. Reuters reported at least one dead and four wounded near Hawija, compared with Rudaw’s one dead and three wounded.

Separately, Ahmad al-Khazali (AAH — Sadiqoun MP) said the 2027 budget tables had not reached parliament. On Al-Ahad TV, former Democratic Party MP Mohma Khalil cited a leaked spending ceiling of 228 trillion dinars. Press reports projected roughly 200 trillion dinars in expenditure and a 64 trillion-dinar deficit. Hoquq MP Miqdad al-Khafaji (KH — parliamentary bloc), speaking on Al-Ittijah TV (KH — official), denied agreement on raising the dollar exchange rate in the budget. Falih al-Khazali (KSS — Muntasirun bloc head) later described a government intention to set the rate at 150,000 dinars per $100. He also said the government intended to remove fuel subsidies and raise fuel prices in next year’s budget. Safaa al-Jabri (AAH — Sadiqoun MP and Parliamentary Economic Committee member) described the exchange-rate change as a Finance Ministry proposal without a binding cabinet decision.

Ahmad al-Khazali also forecast a cabinet vote early next week and said nominees lacking majority support had been replaced. Mohma Khalil ruled out cabinet completion this week or next. Miqdad al-Khafaji forecast a vote on the remaining posts at the end of this week. Shafaq News reported that the planned Thursday session had been postponed until next week over disputed nominees for Labour and Social Affairs, Youth and Sport, Planning, and Construction, Housing, Municipalities and Public Works.

AAH’s Sadiqoun bloc was pressing on 6 October to place the PMF law on parliament’s agenda, according to Al-Ahad TV’s parliamentary correspondent. The effort follows the cabinet’s 30 September referral of the bill for a parliamentary vote. MP Ahmed al-Saadi pledged to vote for it once the government submitted it, speaking to Al-Ghadeer TV (Badr Organization — official). Al-Janoub TV (Harakat al-Jihad wal-Bina — official) carried his assertion that MPs agreed to pass it as soon as it reached parliament.

Separately, Zahra Luqman al-Saadi (Badr — MP) said on 5 October that an investigation found no shortcoming on her part and recommended closing the administrative inquiry, in a statement carried by Al-Ghadeer TV. 964media, citing the state news agency, reported that Baghdad’s Karkh Court of Appeal requested removal of her parliamentary immunity for proceedings over alleged forgery and use of forged official documents. That request requires a parliamentary vote. Her account of an administrative recommendation is separate from the judicial request to lift immunity.