Haider al-Abadi
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Al-Hol camp in SyriaBring extremists' children out — but leave mothers?
As Syrian camps housing families of Islamic State fighters get more dangerous, there are calls to bring children out, even if the mothers don't want to go. The idea of separating families is a controversial one. By Cathrin Schaer
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Parliamentary elections in IraqLow turnout, high drama
With turnout somewhere between 38 and 41 per cent, assassinations and intimidation of activists by armed groups in the run-up to the election, and a boycott of the election by several new parties linked to the protest movement, political calm and stability seem a distant prospect in Iraq. There has also been a shift in the balance of power towards Muqtada al-Sadr and Nouri al-Maliki. By Harith Hasan
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Facing the Mahdi militiasIraqi civilians in the firing line
Of all the protests currently in progress around the world, those in Iraq have been the most deadly. But just who exactly is firing on the demonstrators? The question is difficult to answer – and constitutes political dynamite. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
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The uncertain future of Kurdish autonomyWhat next for Iraqʹs Kurds?
A sense of resignation and pessimism is spreading through the Kurdistan region of Iraq, especially among the younger generation. The economic standstill, rampant youth unemployment and the omnipotence of the clans are driving people to despair. Dara Alani reports from Sulaymaniyah
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"Islamic State" in IraqBeware the jihadist hydra
Kurdish peshmerga in Iraq say that IS is rising like a phoenix from the ashes. The organisation is re-grouping to fill the void left by its quarrelling adversaries. Judit Neurink reports from Irbil and Mosul
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From Basra to BaghdadYoung Iraqis rise up for a life worth living
Major rallies against the nation's political elite have been raging in Iraq for months, so far resulting in 15 deaths and 120 injuries. Birgit Svensson reports from Basra, where the protests first flared up and quickly spread through the entire southern half of the country to Baghdad
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A new quality of civil unrestIs Iraq steering towards post-sectarianism?
In the absence of civil war, the people of Iraq have found an opportunity to demand that the political elite deliver on their election campaign promises. Chanting slogans demanding services and jobs, the protesters are keeping clear of sectarian rhetoric. By Seyed Ali Alavi
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Iraqʹs wrangle over natural resourcesThe battle for Kurdish oil
Tensions between Iraqi federal government and the Kurds centres around a long-running dispute over the countryʹs oil revenues. While Baghdad denies Kurdistanʹs right to conclude production contracts without prior central government approval, the Kurdistan Regional Government claims this as a constitutional right. By Stasa Salacanin
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Iraqʹs political futureEntering a new era
The recent elections in Iraq mark a dramatic turning point in the countryʹs political fortunes. New party alliances – in particular the Sairun list led by influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr – have emerged victorious from the polls. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
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Parliamentary elections in IraqShifting towards Iran?
At the forthcoming parliamentary poll in Iraq, the question is who will gain the upper hand – pro-Iranian Shias or pro-western forces? A pre-election analysis by Arnold Hottinger
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Murder and kidnapping in IraqAn inexorable tide
In today's Iraq, there is no force more powerful than the militias and no voice louder than those who seek to drive a wedge between the religious denominations, says Iraqi writer Safaa Khalaf
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Fighting over Kurdish independenceA political fiasco
By going ahead with the referendum on independence, Massoud Barzani has forfeited the support of his international allies, while bringing tensions with Iraqi central government to a dangerous head. If Barzani hoped the referendum would consolidate his own power base, he couldn′t have been more wrong. An analysis by Cigdem Akyol