Category: Reports

alt
Reports

Asaad Al-Aidani… an escape to the world of leadership  

Asaad was a young student who fled Basra in 1991, and then quickly returned. Today, he holds the keys to power and money in Iraq’s richest province. The story of Asaad al-Aidani, who moved between parties, banks and shadow councils, until he became a player who was difficult to ignore.

alt
Reports

Iraqi F-16 fighter jets: The pride of the air force which are turned into spare parts 

Iraqi F-16 fighter jets, once the pride of the Iraqi Air Force, played an important role in battles against ISIS and military parades. However, in recent years, they have faced a crisis of maintenance and corruption that has led to some being dismantled for spare parts, This leaves 80 per cent of the squadron out of service. How did these combat aircrafts end up being reduced to mere parade showpieces?

alt
Reports

Generation Z in the Iraqi electoral arena: what will change?

A new generation of voters may decide the outcome of Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections — and the political class cannot afford to ignore them. Given the significance and size of their vote, politicians will inevitably turn their attention to this group. This in-depth article examines the role of Gen Z in Iraq’s electoral landscape.

alt
Reports

Fishermen sell reeds: The harsh impact of climate change on inhabitants of the Marshlands 

The Euphrates no longer meets the Tigris in southern Iraq. Fishermen have abandoned their homes and boats in the marshes to sell RO water instead. Boat makers find no one left to buy their mashoof canoes. This is the harsh impact of climate change on inhabitants of the marshlands of Dhi Qar.

alt
Reports

“Leave your dignity at the door”: A testimony from the Iraqi Military College 

At the Iraqi Military College, the first day of learning did not begin with introductions. It began with humiliation. Thirst became a tool of discipline. Insults were part of the curriculum. Beatings were a daily routine. Below s the testimony of a young officer about a training program that did not teach discipline. It tested how far a person could be pushed before breaking.

alt
Reports

Governing from the top down: How to manufacture civil wars in Iraq 

Civil wars do not erupt solely from sectarian crises. They can also stem from societal rifts caused by poor public services, extreme centralisation, and the spread of hatred across the country. A reflection on Iraq: a country governed from its heights and crumbling at its roots.

alt
Reports

Shatt Al-Arab: Fishing up Iv fluid bags instead of fish 

In Shatt Al-Arab, fishing lines and nets no longer bring up fish but medical intravenous (IV) bags and human waste. The fish that once thrived can no longer grow. They have adapted by restricting their growth to survive.

alt
Reports

“Pack your bags. The striking force is on its way!” Faiq Al-Sheikh’s smile amid the regional inferno 

Nearly three years ago, former Iraqi MP, Faiq Al-Sheikh Ali, promised the arrival of a striking force that would overthrow Iraq’s political system. Since then, developments on the ground have given that claim a new resonance.

alt
Reports

Sweet, white and contested: The women fighting for Samawa’s salt 

In Samawa, southern Iraq, women salt gatherers are battling for their livelihoods after a private investor seized control of the region’s only salt mine – and with it, the future of the community’s traditional trade. This investigative report examines how women have been forcibly and violently displaced from their work.

alt
Reports

Driven out by noise: The quiet disappearance of Iraqi bats 

In Iraq, bats are known as Saḥayyir Al-Layl – “The one that stays up at night”. Long misunderstood and often viewed as ill-omened creatures that are the harbingers of bad luck. At dusk, when bats would appear in the sky, mothers would call their children inside, warning them that a bat might cling on to their face. Yet how much of this fear is rooted in reality? And where did the bats go?