KUWAIT, Dec 29 (KUNA) -- Iraq was the scene of a lot of key events in 2023, covering many fields. The following are major events throughout the year:
Jan 4: The UN welcomed Iraq's decision to allow Yazidis to have ownership of properties in Sinjar, their main headquarters in Iraq, after 47 years of denying them this right.
Jan 5: At least one person died and nine others were injured after a building under construction collapsed in Mosul.
Jan 6: The 25th Arabian Gulf Cup kicked off in Basra.
Jan 7: Iraq Football Association apologized to the Kuwaiti delegation for being unable to enter the stadium to attend the opening ceremony of the Arabian Gulf Cup.
Jan 9: Iraq's Kurdistan region announced dismantling two terrorist cells that were planning attacks in Irbil during the New Year's Eve.
Jan 10: Burgan Bank said the Central Bank of Iraq approved selling Burgan Bank's share in the Bank of Baghdad, worth 51.8 percent to the Jordan Kuwait Bank.
Jan 12: Zain Group said its sub-company (Zain Iraq) signed a deal to sell and re-rent infrastructure of its cell towers with TASC Towers company, worth USD 180 million.
Jan 15: Iraq announced that over 55,000 visitors from the Gulf countries entered Iraq since the beginning of the Arabian Gulf Cup 25.
Jan 16: At least seven people were killed and 30 others injured in an accident involving a bus that was carrying football fans, on their way to Basra to attend an Arabian Gulf Cup 25 match.
Jan 19: Iraqi News Agency said that one person was killed and 60 others injured during a rampage outside the Basra International Stadium, hours before the conclusion of the Arabian Gulf Cup.
Jan 19: Iraq won the Arabian Gulf Cup 25 title.
Jan 19: Foreign ministry said four Iraqis were killed and one injured in a shooting incident on their vehicle in southern Turkey.
Jan 22: Iraq announced that five "terrorists" were killed in an air raid by Iraqi army in Saladin Governorate.
Jan 23: Commander of NATO Allied Joint Force Command Admiral Munsch renewed support for Iraqi forces, during his meeting with Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani.
Jan 23: Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani exempted Governor of the Central Bank Mustafa Ghaleb from his position, as the Iraqi dinar's exchange rate against the US dollar continued to drop.
Jan 28: Iraq recorded an earthquake of 4.6 magnitude in Diyala Governorate, near the Iraqi-Iranian borders.
Feb 1: Iraq oil ministry announced that the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) exported 101.2 barrels last January.
Feb 1: Iraq's Kurdistan region announced that a military camp belonging to Turkish soldiers in Nineveh, southern Iraq, was attacked with missiles without causing deaths or injuries.
Feb 2: Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani and Saudi foreign minister Faisan bin Farhat launching the Iraqi-Saudi coordination council.
Feb 3: US President Joe Biden renewed commitment to the strategic framework agreement with Iraq.
Feb 4: Iraq's Kurdistan said it had recorded over 70,000 cancer cases in the region, on the sidelines of the World Cancer Day.
Feb 6: Iraq's Kurdistan region announced recording an earthquake of 4.7 magnitude without causing damage.
Feb 6: Iraq opened an airspace route to deliver humanitarian aid to earthquake victims in Syria.
Feb 7: Iraq approved the decision of the Central bank of Iraq to amend the exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar against the US dollar to 1,300 dinar per one dollar, instead of the previous rate of 1,460 dinar per dollar.
Feb 8: The Iraqi-Jordanian joint business conference kicked off, aiming to enhance economic cooperation and investment.
Feb 8: GCC Secretary General Jassem Al-Budaiwi welcomed the signing of contracts to execute the electric connection project between the GCC states and Iraq.
Feb 8: Iraq's Kurdistan region announced resuming oil export through the pipeline connecting the region to Turkey, after closing the line due to the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria.
Feb 9: Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfig Al-Rabiah announced raising the number of seats for Iraqi pilgrims for the upcoming season to 10,000.
Feb 14: Iraqi forces said three so-called Islamic State (IS) members were killed in Kirkuk, north Iraq.
Feb 16: Iraqi authorities announced that three soldiers were killed in clashes with "terrorists" in northern Baghdad.
Feb 16: Ministry of electricity and water signed a memorandum of understanding with the US' General Electric company to develop electricity network in the country.
Feb 19: The joint Kuwaiti-Iraqi technical committee held its fifth meeting in Baghdad.
Feb 20: Foreign minister Fuad Hussein denied news that the US had set political rules for Iraq in order to support the country economically.
Feb 22: An earthquake of 5.4 magnitude hit Nineveh governorate, north Iraq, with the epicenter being in Mosul.
Feb 24: Iraqi authorities said five armed men were killed in an air raid in Saladin governorate, north Baghdad.
Feb 25: The 34th Conference of Arab Inter-parliamentary Union kicked off with the participation of Kuwaiti National Assembly delegation headed by Thamer Al-Dhafeeri.
Feb 26: Iraqi armed forces spokesperson said that 17 so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorists were killed in Al-Anbar governorate, western Iraq.
March 1: The State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) exported 92.2 million oil barrels last February, with profits worth USD 7.08 billion.
March 3: Former Iraqi Turkmen official Ahmad Tahir was killed by a bomb attached to his car at his home in Kirkuk city.
March 3: Iraqi authorities issued order to arrest four former senior Iraqi officials with charges of facilitating taking over taxes.
March 6: Iraq's Thi Qar Oil Company signed a contract with Russia's LUKOIL company and Japan's JAPEX oil company to develop Eridu field in southern Iraq.
March 7: Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani and German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock supervised the signing of new contracts between Iraq's electricity ministry and Germany's Siemens company on cooperation in the electricity field.
March 8: The 15th Erbil International Book Fair kicked off with the participation of over 350 publishers from 18 countries.
March 13: The joint Iraqi-Iranian ministerial committee concluded it fifth session by agreeing on several files including economy, finance, water and borders.
March 13: Iraq submitted a draft law on the state's budget of USD 150 billion for 2023 to the parliament for approval, with a deficit of USD 48 billion.
March 16: Iraq recorded an earthquake of five magnitude, north of the country.
March 17: Minister of oil Hayan Abdulghan inaugurated the first phase of gas production facility in Az Zubair Field in Basra.
March 20: Iraqi parliament voted for a draft law on the third amendment law for parliament election and governorate councils.
March 27: Iraqi parliament voted for the final terms of the third amendment law for elections
March 28: Foreign minister Fuad Hussein ordered the return of Iraqi Charge-d'affairs in Bahrain to the ministry in Baghdad.
April 1: A 3.4 magnitude quake hit central Iraq.
April 1: Karbala oil strategic refinery inaugurated with a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day in accordance with international standards.
April 2: Iraq announced it would decrease oil production by 211,000 barrels per day until the end of 2023.
April 4: The Iraqi government agreed to lower its shares in the natural gas and oil development project with TotalEnergies Company by 30 percent. The project is located in southern Iraq and is worth USD 27 billion.
April 4: The Iraqi government and the authorities in Kirkuk agreed on a temporary deal to resume crude oil production from the autonomous Kurdistan region after it was halted due to an international decision.
April 5: Iraqi intelligence said that a senior figure in the so-called Islamic State (IS/Daesh) named Yaqoub Al-Muhajer was eliminated during a security operation. Al-Muhajer was planning to carry out terrorist operations in Europe.
April 7: Iraqi security announced the death of five terrorists during operations Diyala province northeast of the capital Baghdad.
April 7: Iraq Kurdistan region said that an explosion occurred in Al-Sulaimaniya international airport with no injuries reported.
April 11: Transit flights for Iraqi Airways resumed after 30 years of suspension.
April 22: Iraq evacuated diplomats stranded in the Sudanese capital Khartoum after clashes erupted between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army.
April 23: Iraq said that an Iraqi national was killed due to the clashes and violence in Sudan.
April 27: Iraq evacuated 234 Iraqis from Sudan due to the ongoing violence there.
May 4: Iraq and Jordan agreed on renewing a contract to export 10,000 barrels of oil per day from Iraq to the latter party.
May 6: Iraq called for an international intervention to save the Tigris-Euphrates river system heavily affected by drought in recent years.
May 8: Iraq announced the resumption of oil production in Al-Qiyarah refinery in Nineveh province at a capacity of 33,000 barrels per day.
May 9: Iraq announced the retrieval of 6,000 artifacts from the UK, the second largest operation of its kind in Iraqi history.
May 10: Iraq and Iran signed a MoU in oil production and petrochemical industries.
May 12: Iraq announced the addition of 10 billion barrels of oil reserve and eight trillion cubic meters of natural gas.
May 12: The Iraqi government announced it would resume oil production to Turkiye through Ceyhan terminal.
May 26: Iraq condemned the attack on its embassy in the Swiss capital Bern, deeming it as unprecedented.
May 27: The Iraqi government said that the road to development conference, hosted in Baghdad, resulted in the formation of a technical committee to realize the goals of the event.
May 27: The Iraqi Ministry of Oil launched the road to development project with the participation GCC countries.
June 20: Iraq won the Baghdad-hosted U-23 West Asia football tournament after beating Iran in a penalty shootout.
June 26: Kurdistan health authorities revealed that five death occurred due to Cholera infection in the Iraq Kurdistan region.
July 1: The Iraqi Oil Ministry declares exporting more than 100 million barrels of crude oil with proceeds amounting to USD 7.1 billion.
July 20: The government of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq declares suspending its diplomats' mission in Sweden after a copy of the Quran is torched in the European country. During the same day, the Iraqi Government in Baghdad calls back its charge d'affaires in Stockholm and has asked the Swedish ambassador in Baghdad to leave the country amid a recurrence of such incidents in Sweden.
July 21: Iraq signs an accord with Lebanon to supply the latter with fuel crude oils.
July 27: Iraq declares detention of a chief of the notorious group "Daesh." The man was accused of partaking in "camp Speicher massacres," when the militants executed nearly 2,000 military cadets after seizing Tikrit city.
July 29: Iraq declares complete power outage after a fire guts a relation power plant in Basra Governorate.
Aug. 4: The Iraqi Armed Forces Command vows to track down saboteurs who have blown up a power cable in East Baghdad.
Aug. 6: The Iraqi Communication Ministry suspends the online application "Telegram" citing security concerns.
Aug. 24: The Government of the Kurdistan Region inks a MoU with the British government for coordination against organized crime.
Aug. 31: An Iraqi court sentences five persons including an Iranian for killing an American in Baghdad, the previous year.
Sept. 1: Iraq declares exporting 106.1 million barrels of oil, in August, valued at USD 8.8 billion.
Sept. 2: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani orders formation of a panel to probe disturbances in Kirkuk where at least one person has lost his life and a number of others have suffered injuries.
Sept. 2: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani lays the corner stone of a railway linked to Iran in a celebration held in the border region of Al-Shalamjah in Basra province.
Sept. 3: Kirkuk police declares lifting a curfew following violent incidents that have taken four lives and have resulted in injuries 14 persons.
Sept. 7: Cholera cases in the norther province Al-Sulaimaniya reach 117.
Sept. 12: Austria inaugurates an embassy building in Baghdad and works out a security accord with the Iraqi Government.
Sept. 13: The Kurdistan Region Government inks an agreement with the International Finance Cooperation (IFC) to boost investments in the region.
Sept. 15: The Iraqi Borders Guard declares retaking locations along the Iraqi-Iranian border in the northern Irbil Governorate after armed clashes with outlaws.
Sept. 17: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani inaugurates the 27th edition of the International Book Fair with participation of hundreds of Iraqi, Arab and foreign publishers and publishing houses.
Sept. 19: The Iraqi Government declares evacuation of buildings that have been occupied by Iranian opposition groups. They have been relocated from the frontiers with Iran and stripped of their weapons.
Sept. 21: Health authorities in Irbil Governorate declare registration of more than 200 cholera cases bringing the toll of people infected with the epidemic to above 300 in the province alone.
Sept. 25: The Coordination Framework that heads the government at the time affirms its adherence to UN resolutions that regulate Baghdad's relations with regional and foreign States.
Sept. 28: Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdulghani inaugurates a new crude oil tanker, "Somar," of a cargo capacity of 200,000 barrels.
Oct. 1: Iraq Oil Market Company (Somo) exported, in September, 103.1 million barrels of oil valued at USD 49.8 billion.
Oct. 6: Iraqi Minister of Electricity Ziad Ali signs a MoU to import natural gas from Turkmenistan.
Oct. 12: The Iraqi Government declares urgent dispatch of humanitarian and medical aid for the besieged Gaza.
Oct. 24: Iraq discovers an ancient sculpture of a human-headed winged bull in Ninawa, the North.
Nov. 1: Somo exported in October 109.5 million barrels of oil with overall proceeds amounting to USD 9.7 billion.
Nov. 14: The Supreme Court strips Mohammad Al-Halbousi of his parliamentary membership. It issues a similar penalty against another legislator with whom Al-Halbousi has wrangled.
Nov. 20: Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani affirms commitment to protect diplomatic missions and security advisers serving with the international coalition for combating the notorious shadowy group, the "Islamic state" (Daesh).
Nov. 22: Iraq declares its initial approval to establish a free economic zone on the borders with Saudi Arabia.
Nov 30: Iraq declares it will voluntarily slash its oil output by 220,000 bpd effective early January 2024.
Dec. 1: The oil marketing company, Somo, exported in November 102.9 million barrels of crude oil valued USD 8.5 billion.
Dec. 2: The government Iraqi forces declare that four gunmen of the so-called "Islamic state" have been killed in the northern governorate of Ninawa.
Dec. 8: The health authorities in Irbil declare 14 people have perished and 19 others have suffered injuries in a fire that gutted a building housing dormitories. (end) kt.ed