Bardarash camp was constructed by MODM in 2015. The camp was decommissioned in December 2017 after the return of Iraqi IDPs and reopened to receive Syrians refugees from north-east Syria since 15 October 2019.
The KRG began rebuilding its economy. Kurdistan entered into a new phase as “double economic sanctions were lifted, i.e. the international sanctions on Iraq, and Saddam’s sanctions against Kurdistan” (Fattah, 2008, 119). in 2006, the... more
The KRG began rebuilding its economy. Kurdistan entered into a new phase as “double economic sanctions were lifted, i.e. the international sanctions on Iraq, and Saddam’s sanctions against Kurdistan” (Fattah, 2008, 119). in 2006, the president of Kurdistan region signed the Law of Investment, the article 3 (treatment of foreign investors) assured the foreign investors that wish to start business in Kurdistan region that they will be treated equally to national investors, regarding to taxation and they will be entitled to own all the capital of their investments they do in Kurdistan (Gov, 2006). This was a huge step for KRG to attract foreign investors, according to Dr. Zeki Fattah, Senior Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, this liberal economic policy will help KRG prepare to join the global market and establish economic relations with the major economic states (Fattah, 2008).
Turkey’s response to the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq’s independence referendum took most observers by surprise. The prevailing assumption was that, despite its vocal objections, Turkey would eventually just accommodate the... more
Turkey’s response to the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq’s independence referendum took most observers by surprise. The prevailing assumption was that, despite its vocal objections, Turkey would eventually just accommodate the results of the referendum because years of engagement and a KRG-centred Iraq policy had created multi-faceted interdependencies, which would be hard to overturn. However, rhetoric dictated policy. In a counter-intuitive move, Turkey realigned its partnerships to chart a new policy which involved greater coordination with the central government of Iraq. This reaction is best understood through a study of contextual variables at regional, domestic and leadership levels which have led to major changes in Turkey’s regional policies.
Written in early 2017, the paper looks at the rise of ISIS in Iraq, its structural and ideological base and its probable restructuration into a localized guerilla.
The October 2017 clashes between Iraqi and Kurdish forces in the disputed territories of the Kurdistan Region led to the loss of territories previously controlled by the Kurdish Peshmerga, including the city of Kirkuk and Sinjar. This... more
The October 2017 clashes between Iraqi and Kurdish forces in the disputed territories of the Kurdistan Region led to the loss of territories previously controlled by the Kurdish Peshmerga, including the city of Kirkuk and Sinjar. This article will discuss the various factions of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) as well as the internal dispute between the PUK and KDP. It will also identify possible scenarios for each disputed area. Last, the wider conflict between the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Region will be addressed. The intertwining of these various political, diplomatic, and military conflicts has brought severe impediments to the Kurdistan Region after the Kurdish independence referendum process. The article concludes that a federal solution with a strong judicial arrangement is the optimal scenario.
Nearly five years after the 2014 Islamic State's (ISIS) assault, Yazidis, deeply traumatized by the genocide against them, are confronted to internal divisions and numerous challenges, crucial to their very existence. The succession of... more
Nearly five years after the 2014 Islamic State's (ISIS) assault, Yazidis, deeply traumatized by the genocide against them, are confronted to internal divisions and numerous challenges, crucial to their very existence. The succession of their leader, Prince Tahseen Said, who died in 2018, alongside the efforts to deal with the repercussions of the 2014 ISIS attack have put further strain on the beleaguered community. Moreover, the Turkish incursion in Afrin, in Syria in early 2018 and the US decision to withdraw its troops from Syria has engendered new fears in the community, considering the persecutions and the security vacuum respectively.
Rather than being a policy U-turn, as it has generally been described in mainstream media, [Turkey's current dual] offensive [against ISIS and the PKK] is essentially a new tactic by Turkey's ruling 'Justice and Development Party' (AKP)... more
Rather than being a policy U-turn, as it has generally been described in mainstream media, [Turkey's current dual] offensive [against ISIS and the PKK] is essentially a new tactic by Turkey's ruling 'Justice and Development Party' (AKP) to extricate its grand strategy of domestic entrenchment and regional hegemony from a structural impasse central to which is the advancements of the Kurdish revolution in Turkey and Syria.
Abstract Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was established after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and governs the autonomous Kurdistan region in Northern Iraq. KRG has enjoyed extensive autonomy over all areas including the economy.... more
Abstract Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was established after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and governs the autonomous Kurdistan region in Northern Iraq. KRG has enjoyed extensive autonomy over all areas including the economy. The effectiveness of its economic policy has been questioned with some describing it as positive progress, while others claiming it has created results worse than the pre-2013 era. However, a comprehensive analysis of the KRG’s economic policy is not provided in the existing literature and both of the above mentioned positions fall short of analysing the underlying reasons behind the policy choices, including impact of the class structure and the existing social and economic relations. Although it has economically developed and the living standards have increased, the gap between the rich and the poor has widened. This is not a coincidence but a consequence of the KRG’s deliberate neoliberal policy. In order to understand the reasons behind the specific policy choices, an analysis based on the class-structure and a focus on the role of the elites is necessary.
The world is becoming more dependent on Information Technology, but the ability of network infrastructures to handle the growing demand is questionable. This paper studies the infrastructure needed to provide the basic Information... more
The world is becoming more dependent on Information Technology, but the ability of network
infrastructures to handle the growing demand is questionable. This paper studies the infrastructure needed
to provide the basic Information Exchange services from the reliability point of view. These concepts are
applied to the newly installed ICT infrastructure of the Ministry of Education/ KRG/Iraq regional Government. Availability Block Diagram for the system has been built and the system is simulated using Relex7.7, in which the overall system availability index has been calculated and discussed.
For the first time in the modern history of Syria and Iraq, two de facto Kurdish autonomous entities-the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), as well as various Kurdish... more
For the first time in the modern history of Syria and Iraq, two de facto Kurdish autonomous entities-the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), as well as various Kurdish forces, share control of border portions on both sides, in Northwestern Iraq and Northeast Syria. This geopolitical shift invigorates the discussion around Kurdish unity and the concept of "Greater Kurdistan" highlighting the longstanding political and ideological boundaries concomitantly among the Kurdish political movements. These boundaries, alongside the socio-cultural ones, mirror different approaches vis-à-vis territoriality and governance, rendering Kurdish unity goal elusive.
With Kurds in Iraq and Syria under attack from the Islamic State, many young Kurds in Europe have been joining resistance forces—a trend occluded by the media focus on European-born jihadists.
With Kurds in Iraq and Syria under attack from the Islamic State, many young Kurds in Europe have been joining resistance forces—a trend occluded by the media focus on European-born jihadists.
The Iraqi parliamentary elections were held early in response to the 2019 mass protests. The final results have yet to be announced; yet, it appears that the Sadrist movement is the big winner while pro-Iranian militias seem to have... more
The Iraqi parliamentary elections were held early in response to the 2019 mass protests. The final results have yet to be announced; yet, it appears that the Sadrist movement is the big winner while pro-Iranian militias seem to have suffered the greatest loss. Considering though the lowest voter turnout since Saddam Hussein’s removal in 2003, the very democratic legitimacy of the new government, whose formation process is expected to be lengthy and complex, is under question. Additionally, its fragility is highlighted in the gravity of the challenges it faces: serious socio-economic problems related to the Covid-19, climate change and entrenched corruption.
Lecture, in Hebrew, at Bar-Ilan University (4 January 2014) on the impressions from Kurdistan during a trip in October 2012, with some remarks on the Israeli-Kurdish relations
The world is becoming more dependent on Information Technology, but the ability of network infrastructures to handle the growing demand is questionable. This paper studies the infrastructure needed to provide the basic Information... more
The world is becoming more dependent on Information Technology, but the ability of network infrastructures to handle the growing demand is questionable. This paper studies the infrastructure needed to provide the basic Information Exchange services from the reliability point of view. These concepts are applied to the newly installed ICT infrastructure of the Ministry of Education/ KRG/Iraq regional Government. Availability
