Iraq | Pakistan

Turkiye said on Monday that three more of its soldiers had died after being exposed to methane gas during a search operation in caves in northern Iraq, bringing the total toll to eight. The incident comes at a sensitive time with Turkiye in talks to end the conflict with the Kurds after the PKK militant group agreed to end its decades-long armed struggle. The conflict, which began in 1984, has cost more than 40,000 lives. The deaths occurred as the Turkish troops were searching for the remains of a soldier who was shot dead by Kurdish fighters in the area in May 2022 and whose body was never recovered, Turkiye’s defence ministry said. “Three other of our heroic comrades in arms, affected by methane gas, have died, bringing the total number of victims to eight,” the ministry said on X on Monday. It did not explain the origin of the methane gas in the caves. “During a search operation in a cave… previously known to have been used as a hospital… 19 of our personnel were exposed to methane gas,” the ministry said...

The federal government has decided to enhance travel facilities for pilgrims heading to Iran and Iraq by increasing the number of flights and introducing a ferry service.

Iraq will investigate suicide drone attacks on radar systems at two military bases, Sabah al-Numan, the military spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister, said on Tuesday, adding that Iraqi forces intercepted several other attempted incursions. “Several small suicide drones targeted multiple Iraqi military sites and bases,” according to the spokesman. No casualties were reported. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and the government has not yet identified any perpetrators. Numan described the attacks as “cowardly and treacherous”. “The assault severely damaged radar systems at Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, and Imam Ali Base in Dhi Qar Province” in southern Iraq, he added. Iraqi forces also thwarted other attacks against “four additional sites across various locations”, Numan said, adding that the drones were downed “before they could reach their intended targets”. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered the formation of “a high-level” committee to investigate the attacks and identify the p...

ISLAMABAD - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) successfully facilitated the repatriation of 268 Pakistani nationals from Iraq yesterday.

Pakistan on Monday repatriated another 618 nationals from both Iran and Iraq amid Tehran’s ongoing conflict with Israel, according to the Foreign Office (FO) and a district official in Balochistan. A day ago, the government was able to repatriate 450 zaireen (pilgrims) from Iran, with more to follow from the neighbouring country as well as from Iraq. Arrangements were made for the safe evacuation of Pakistani students currently residing in Iran, including 154 in the first batch. The move came after Israel launched an air offensive against Iran on Friday, killing commanders and scientists and bombing nuclear sites in a stated bid to stop Tehran from building an atomic weapon, which the latter has consistently denied, saying its uranium enrichment programme is for civilian purposes. Around 350 Pakistani pilgrims stranded in Iran returned to their homeland on Monday after crossing the border at Taftan, according to a district official in Balochistan. Chagai Deputy Commissioner Attaul Muneem told Dawn.com that 35...

The government on Friday advised the Pakistani Zaireen to reconsider their plans to travel to Iran and Iraq, keeping in view the situation, emerged after Israel’s attack on Iran.