Monday, 26 October 2026

On federal spending, parliamentary Finance Committee chairman Udai Awad said submission of the 2027 budget draft to parliament had been delayed to 15 November. The draft published by Kurdistan24 projects 217 trillion dinars in expenditure against 174 trillion dinars in revenue. It allocates the Kurdistan Region 13.308 trillion dinars, or 6.1 percent of total expenditure. The region’s investment allocation stands at 0.499 trillion dinars, compared with 2.784 trillion dinars the previous year. The draft specifies no regional development projects or investment programmes beyond operational spending. Separately, a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Mohsin Mandalawi held a meeting with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Sunday on the region’s financial entitlements in the 2027 budget.

Separately, the Federal Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit challenging the continuation of the Kurdistan parliament’s sixth term for lack of jurisdiction. Halwest Movement leader Ali Hama Saleh had sought a ruling declaring the term’s continuation unconstitutional. The court also postponed a separate case seeking to restrict the Kurdistan Regional Government to caretaker powers. Lawmakers elected in October 2024 were sworn in that December, but subsequent attempts to convene parliament have failed for lack of quorum. Negotiations between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan to form the next cabinet have repeatedly stalled, with each blaming the other.

In Baghdad, al-Zaidi pledged Sunday evening to review and work to meet demands submitted by Tishreen protesters. Hundreds had gathered in Tahrir Square for the seventh anniversary of the 2019 protests, where a delegation led by Security Media Cell chief Lt. Gen. Saad Maan received their demands. These included prosecuting corrupt officials, restricting weapons to state control and bringing demonstrators’ killers to justice. An official source said protesters gave the delegation one month to act. National Home Party secretary-general Hussein al-Ghurabi welcomed the government’s reception of the demands but said ending Iranian and American interference remained Tishreen’s central demand. The demonstrations ended without security incidents.

The Sinjar Protection Units announced on Monday that they had agreed with the Iraqi government to end their independent military status and enter federal security structures. Security Media said the integration covered weapons and military sites. Federal forces took control of Mount Sinjar’s highest point at a handover ceremony, according to Security Media Cell chief Lt. Gen. Saad Maan. The units’ leadership put the force at 4,165 fighters, while government announcements used 4,000. iNEWS (KSS — affiliated) described dissolution and entry into the army, narrower than the federal-security destination announced by the units and government. Parliamentary Finance Committee chairman Uday Awad praised the prime minister’s integration efforts on Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official).

Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi ordered an inquiry into Maysan Provincial Council head Mustafa Duair (AAH — Sadiqoun) over his Sunday threat of civil disobedience unless Baghdad reopened Shib, the crossing with Iran it closed on 20 October. Sabereen News (KH — affiliated) described the inquiry as a response to his reopening demand, while Al-Ghadeer TV (Badr Organization — official) specified his disobedience threat and inappropriate language. MP Muhammad Jasim al-Khafaji disputed the prime minister’s authority to investigate him. Shafaq News reported on Monday that Baghdad’s Third Karkh Investigative Court ordered Duair’s arrest in a document dated 25 October, acting on a complaint from al-Zaidi’s office. Al-Janoub TV (Harakat al-Jihad wal-Bina — official) reported continuing demonstrations at Shib on Monday. The Badr parliamentary bloc said closure had damaged livelihoods and increased public discontent. Sabereen News and Unit 10,000 (KH — affiliated) reported a parliamentary signature drive for discussion of the closure with responsible officials present. Falih al-Khazali (KSS — Muntasirun bloc head) requested a government explanation of the closure within 15 days.

Separately, Sabereen News alleged on Sunday that three MQ-9 and five Akıncı aircraft violated Iraqi airspace on 24 October. It attributed the flights to bases in Jordan and Turkey. Islamic Resistance in Iraq’s Saturday accusation of 171 American airspace violations between 30 September and 23 October received coverage in Al-Quds Al-Arabi on Sunday. On Al-Nujaba TV (Nujaba — official), Abdul Hussein al-Dhalmi (Badr Organization — leader) alleged daily US and Israeli overflights. The SOFX Report separately reported Iraqi officials’ suspicion that Israeli strikes the previous week destroyed two Baghdad-area depots holding Chinese-made shoulder-fired missiles newly delivered from Iran. Its proposed match to QW-12 and FN-16 missiles in a July procurement report does not confirm which models the depots held.