Abdulla HawezVerified account

@abdullahawez

Researcher, Kurdish and regional affairs. Middle East stuff. Politics, MidEast , . Formerly: , senior editor

London and Erbil
Joined June 2009
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  1. 52 minutes ago

    EMBARRASSING, Trump thinks president of Iraq Kurdistan is the commander of Syrian SDF ! These two are completely different Trumps says things have turn out great with Turkey in Syria and mistakenly thanks Barzani for keeping “my safe zone” safe. Watch:

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    24 replies 119 retweets 164 likes
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  2. 20 hours ago

    Extreme nepotism in action: This 23 years old with only a bachelors degree, no experience and no official position has been appointed as chancellor of a PUBLIC university in and his first speech was broadcasted live on TV. Hint: he‘s Barzani.

    25 replies 85 retweets 187 likes
  3. Retweeted
    22 hours ago

    Excited to announce that we are hiring for my replacement as Iraq researcher . Having held job for last 3.5 years, can tell you it is a fantastic position. Hoping to get as diverse candidate pool as possible so please share widely across your networks

    5 replies 148 retweets 147 likes
  4. Jan 20

    Kurdish media: In addition to its two existing bases: the US is planning to build three new military bases in Iraqi Kurdistan: one in Sulimania, one in Halabja (14km from Iran border) and 3rd in south Erbil; US is also planning to increase its military personnel from 450 to 2000.

    23 replies 118 retweets 208 likes
  5. Jan 19

    Violent clamp down of anti-corruption protests continue in Baghdad and southern Iraq as protesters decide to escalate by blocking Baghdad airport and other vital institutions until their demands met. Here footage of live ammunition against peaceful protesters in Baghdad:

    0:15
    قرب محطة وقود الكيلاني
    25 retweets 20 likes
  6. Jan 19

    30 activists (apparently mostly PKK supporters) have been arrested in the last three months of 2019 in Erbil and Dohuk and their fate is unknown, according to pro-PKK media. The prosecutor says he is unaware of any such arrests.

    9 retweets 9 likes
  7. Jan 19

    Eight kurdish political parties in Turkey meet in an attempt to form a united front. The parties included HDP, DBP, Kurdistan Democratic Party – Turkey (PDK-T), Communist Party of Kurdistan (KKP) and Democratic Communities Council (KCK).

    1 reply 14 retweets 33 likes
  8. Jan 19

    Iraqi kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani to meet President Donald Trump at the WEF in Davos.

    1 reply 3 retweets 8 likes
  9. Jan 19

    This is a paragraph about a village in northeast Syria where Kurds & Arabs lived in the 1930s. “A Kurdish woman has no doubt she is as good as a man or better! They come out of their houses and make jokes to any man, passing the time of day with the utmost amiability”.

    6 replies 27 retweets 112 likes
  10. Jan 19

    Let’s have some fun with these paid trolls! Here are different photoshopped pics of me - made by trolls - accusing me of being Arab, Iran mullah & Turkmen: Although I am proudly Kurdish but these people are so racist they think it is not okay being any of these ethnic groups.

    7 replies 2 retweets 24 likes
  11. Jan 19

    And if we go into more details, this map of Iraqi kurdistan in 1800s pretty much resembles today’s split. At the time different dynasties were ruling the wider kurdish areas, today Barzani and Talabani ‘dynasties’ rule the two parts in KRI. Map source:

    1 reply 9 retweets 16 likes
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  12. Retweeted
    Jan 19

    This is perhaps the most important but often overlooked dimension in the story of the 200K+ Syrian Kurdish refugees in Iraqi Kurdistan: they have hugely enriched Iraqi Kurdistan's culture towards better.

    2 replies 52 retweets 140 likes
  13. Jan 19

    For those unfamiliar, Kurdistan split after the 1996 civil war and haven't united since. There is a facade of a united government but KDP officials don't have power in PUK areas and visa versa. Also each of KDP and PUK has their own Peshmarga and different command structure.

    2 replies 11 retweets 17 likes
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  14. Jan 19

    KRG isn't one united entity & Peshmarga isn't national army of . It's composed of 2 main militias & some smaller ones. Yesterday, following the PUK Peshmerga death, senior PUK Peshmarga commander Mahmud Sangawi called the KDP security "similar to ISIS and terrorists".

    2 replies 3 retweets 14 likes
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  15. Jan 19

    Tensions mounting between KDP & PUK after a PUK Peshmarga gets arrested in Erbil and later found dead in his prison cell. KDP authorities say he was arrested while possessing drugs and later hanged himself PUK says he was arrested without court warrant and he has been murdered.

    3 replies 27 retweets 47 likes
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  16. Jan 19

    A Kurdish journalist is arrested in Sulimaniyah for publishing a story about former deputy speaker of Iraqi parliament.

    This is Iraq: a journalist publishes a well sourced story about Aram Sheikh Mohammad, former deputy head of parliament not returning public property after his 4-year term expired. Now authorities in…
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    2 replies 17 retweets 41 likes
  17. Retweeted
    Jan 19

    The critics of the KRG are used to such kind of hateful accusations by the KDP fanboys, sometimes even foreign paid-KRG apologists do. However, this is new & dangerous when former EU diplomats do. Being a critic of the KRG, in no ways mean hating it.

    1 reply 4 retweets 30 likes
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  18. Retweeted
    Jan 19

    Let's agree Abdullah hates the KRG simply bc of corruption, killing journalists & protesters, civil war crimes, holding militias, occupying land & several other crimes. But why do love the KRG so much you turn to be like a KDP fanboy throwing such bs hateful accusations?

    Tks for this summary. It made me read the piece. Only to find out N. Barzani didn't say any of those things. Honest questions: Why do you hate the KRG so much?. And do you really think incorrect summaries will sway anyone's opinion or policy? Both serious qu's. 🙏 …
    4 replies 6 retweets 54 likes
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  19. Retweeted
    Jan 18
    Replying to

    I am struggling to find a statement in this interview that contradicts ’s summary. On the YPG issue, the President has taken this position before and repeats it here. Also, “why do you hate the KRG?” is not an honest question, it’s an accusation.

    2 replies 1 retweet 23 likes
  20. Jan 19

    Former EU representative in Erbil accuses me of hating KRG “so much”. (She is implying she loves my country more than me). If EU’s top diplomat in Erbil throws such baseless dangerous accusations (which is as dangerous as accusing one of treason), I don’t know what to say.

    Tks for this summary. It made me read the piece. Only to find out N. Barzani didn't say any of those things. Honest questions: Why do you hate the KRG so much?. And do you really think incorrect summaries will sway anyone's opinion or policy? Both serious qu's. 🙏 …
    17 replies 11 retweets 53 likes
  21. Retweeted
    Jan 18

    This interview sums up why protestors are mad, why a riot is taking place in , why they are breaking things. It also highlights our courageous women who are leading this revolution, this riot, call it whatever you want.

    1:23
    Lebanese women are leading this revolution. We stand with you. 🇱🇧
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    12 replies 189 retweets 447 likes
  22. Retweeted
    Jan 18

    Another Kurdish film suggestion: ‘Resistance is Life’ (Berxwedan Jiyane) by Now available on

    6 replies 53 retweets 152 likes
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  23. Jan 18

    👏🏻👏🏻

    0:42
    Bir albüm kaydımda ilk kez şarkı söylemekle kalmayıp enstruman da çaldım :) For the first time in a recording, besides singing, I…
    1 reply 1 retweet 4 likes
  24. Retweeted
    Jan 18

    You have to love it when the people who brought you the Thirty Years' War, the Hundred Years' War and the two world wars go 'they've been fighting each other for centuries in the Middle East'.

    50 replies 1,317 retweets 3,818 likes
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  25. Jan 17

    President Barzani says the SDF was and still is taking orders from PKK in Qandil; and SDF should reach an agreement with Assad; he also says Demirtas should be freed; and that KRG has a ‘United Iraq’ policy and he has two standing invitations to US & Iran.

    12 replies 13 retweets 35 likes
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  26. Jan 16

    No Iraqi Kurdish or Iraqi official has issued any statement or condemnation of Turkey’s assassination of senior Yazidi commander Shingali (whose militia is formally part of Iraqi security forces) but here is a Syrian Kurdish leader condemns the killing:

    Commander Zerdest Shingali's assassination is a continuation of the attempt to eliminate the Yezidis & targets heroes who fight ISIS everywhere. Martyr Shingali had a great role in fighting ISIS, which disturbed…
    2 replies 20 retweets 29 likes
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  27. Jan 16

    After 30 years of kurdish self-rule: there‘re more hopeless Iraqi Kurds who leave thru dangerous roads to reach Europe than Turkish or even Iran Kurds. Those died were 20 something, while Barzani’s 20 something son runs a $1bln company & recently made chancellor of a university.

    A number of people from Kurdistan Region were unfortunately among those whose boat sank between Turkey and Greece. Prime Minister sent his condolences to the victims’ families & instructed government agencies to facilitate the repatriation of their bodies home.
    5 replies 25 retweets 61 likes
  28. Jan 15

    Turkish drones kill Zardasht Shingali, commander of PKK-aligned Yazidi militia YBŞ in Sinjar earlier today; Turkish airstrikes in 2018 also killed the then most prominent Yazidi PKK leader Zeki Shingali. YBŞ is formally part of Iraqi security body, gets paid by Iraq gov’t.

    12 replies 69 retweets 105 likes
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  29. Retweeted
    Jan 13

    Syrian-Kurdish politician Hevrin Khalaf was killed on 12 October 2019 A Turkish-backed Syrian rebel force was accused of killing her, but they deny it But have found evidence which tells a different story:

    61 replies 883 retweets 1,120 likes
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  30. Retweeted
    Jan 13

    What a photo. Turkey & Russia begin negotiations on in Moscow today. Video clips show broad smiles and friendly handshakes as the Turkish and Russian delegations enter the room. Few - particularly in Europe - saw this coming.

    35 replies 206 retweets 251 likes
  31. Jan 13

    This was expected given that Turkey’s priority has shifted a long time ago from overthrowing Assad to dismantling the Kurd-led admin in N Syria. Both Assad and Erdogan - unlike Putin - desperately want the Kurdish administration destroyed. This move will also make CHP happy.

    Turkish and Syrian heads of intelligence (Fidan and Mamlouk) met in Moscow, and discussed: • A ceasefire in Idlib…
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    4 replies 24 retweets 45 likes
  32. Jan 13

    KRG pushed to the wall: Iran has sent warning letters to KRG not to oppose expelling US troops from Iraq or offer to host them. + Hizbollah leader calls on Barzani in a rude language to recognise Soleimani’s role in defending Erbil from ISIS in which KRG has angrily responded.

    5 replies 39 retweets 65 likes
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  33. Jan 13

    669 Iraqi protesters were killed, 24,488 were injured and 2,806 were arrested in the last three months of 2019, according to Iraqi Warcrimes Documentation Centre.

    8 replies 324 retweets 429 likes
  34. Retweeted
    Jan 12

    Short version: Netanyahu tried to delay his corruption trial until after the current Israeli election campaign, but the ploy just blew up in his face. He's now likely to stand trial while campaigning, a major disadvantage that comes after he failed to win the 2 prior elections.

    1. Quick thread on something big that just happened in Israeli politics: The Knesset's legal adviser ruled that a committee on whether to give Netanyahu immunity from prosecution can be formed now. Israel's…
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    10 replies 174 retweets 466 likes
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  35. Jan 12

    Here is the VOA interview with leader of Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party, who is a close ally of Barzani and fiercely supported the 2017 referendum:

    1 reply 10 retweets 19 likes
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  36. Jan 12

    In a bombshell interview (in the context of KRG politics), a close ally of Masoud Barzani admits the 2017 referendum was the reason for losing Kirkuk, “Qassem Soleimani told us if you don’t do referendum in Kirkuk, we‘ll hand you all the way to Hamrin Mount (90km south Kirkuk)”.

    17 replies 59 retweets 95 likes
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  37. Retweeted
    Jan 11

    Amazing scenes of protest in Tehran tonight. While thousand have been on the streets in months past, Tehran tended to shy away from protests. Not now. Incompetence of regime in downing the plane is just too much.

    140 replies 2,908 retweets 6,744 likes
  38. Retweeted
    Jan 11

    BREAKING: I understand Britain's ambassador to Iran, Rob Macaire, was arrested in Tehran amid anti government protests. He was later released.

    51 replies 312 retweets 506 likes
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  39. Retweeted
    Jan 11

    : Iranian protesters in several areas of Tehran demand supreme leader khamenei quits after tehran admits shooting down Ukrainian plane

    555 replies 8,926 retweets 19,534 likes