Sudani from Sulaymaniyah: Iraq Does Not Align itself with One Axis against the Other

In this handout photo released by the Iraqi prime minister's office, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani delivers a speech in Baghdad on March 13, 2023. (Iraqi prime minister's media office/AFP)
In this handout photo released by the Iraqi prime minister's office, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani delivers a speech in Baghdad on March 13, 2023. (Iraqi prime minister's media office/AFP)
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Sudani from Sulaymaniyah: Iraq Does Not Align itself with One Axis against the Other

In this handout photo released by the Iraqi prime minister's office, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani delivers a speech in Baghdad on March 13, 2023. (Iraqi prime minister's media office/AFP)
In this handout photo released by the Iraqi prime minister's office, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani delivers a speech in Baghdad on March 13, 2023. (Iraqi prime minister's media office/AFP)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani underscored on Wednesday that his country will not be a platform to threaten its neighbors.

Speaking at the seventh International Sulaymaniyah Forum, he stressed that Iraq cannot align itself with one axis against the other, rather, it can be a meeting point for all sides.

“Our constitution obligates us to refrain from meddling in the affairs of others. Likewise, we will not allow the sovereignty of our nation to be violated by our neighbors and others,” he remarked.

“We are seeking deep sustainable economic partnerships with fraternal and friendly nations,” he added.

Effective and fruitful economic cooperation will pave the way for sustainable security, he noted.

Moreover, Sudani dismissed as “unjustified exaggeration” claims about Iran’s meddling in Iraqi affairs. He also described the United States as a “strategic partner” to Iraq.

“Iraq’s strength and stability are a source of strength and stability to the entire world,” continued Sudani.

The forum was sponsored by former President Barham Salih. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a video message at the event that was attended by Kurdistan Region President Nechervan Barzani, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and several ambassadors, researchers and academics.

Barzani said Kurdistan “fully” supports the Baghdad government and Sudani.

The PM, he added, has sought to create a “secure political environment” in Iraq.



Sudan’s Paramilitary Unleashes Drones on Key Targets in Port Sudan

Smoke billows after a drone strike on the port of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
Smoke billows after a drone strike on the port of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
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Sudan’s Paramilitary Unleashes Drones on Key Targets in Port Sudan

Smoke billows after a drone strike on the port of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
Smoke billows after a drone strike on the port of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)

Sudan’s paramilitary unleashed drones on the Red Sea city of Port Sudan early Tuesday, hitting key targets there, including the airport, the port and a hotel, military officials said. The barrage was the second such attack this week on a city that had been a hub for people fleeing Sudan's two-year war.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of damage. Local media reported loud sounds of explosions and fires at the port and the airport. Footage circulating online showed thick smoke rising over the area.

The attack on Port Sudan, which also serves as an interim seat for Sudan's military-allied government, underscores that after two years of fighting, the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are still capable of threatening each other’s territory.

The RSF drones struck early in the morning, said two Sudanese military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Abdel-Rahman al-Nour, a Port Sudan resident, said he woke up to strong explosions, and saw fires and plumes of black smoke rising over the port. Msha’ashir Ahmed, a local journalist living in Port Sudan, said fires were still burning late Tuesday morning in the southern vicinity of the maritime port.

The RSF did not release any statements on the attack. On Sunday, the paramilitary force struck Port Sudan for the first time in the war, disrupting air traffic in the city’s airport, which has been the main entry point for the county in the last two years.

A military ammunition warehouse in the Othman Daqna airbase in the city was also hit, setting off a fire that burned for two days.

When the fighting in Sudan broke out, the focus of the battles initially was the country's capital, Khartoum, which turned into a war zone. Within weeks, Port Sudan, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) to the east of Khartoum, turned into a safe haven for the displaced and those fleeing the war. Many aid missions and UN agencies moved their offices there.

The attacks on Port Sudan are also seen as retaliation after the Sudanese military earlier this month struck the Nyala airport in South Darfur, which the paramilitary RSF has turned into a base and where it gets shipments of arms, including drones.