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News / Kurdistan

Kurdish forces seize some oil wells from Iraqi control

Forces from the regional Kurdish government have taken control of some oil wells in northern Kirkuk, Iraq's state-run North Oil Company said in a statement on Saturday. It said the forces arrived with a technical team from the Kurdish region and took over some of the oil wells in the Bai Hassan oilfield, which is controlled by the North Oil Company. The statement did not say when the forces arrived and whether they were still there. Iraqi forces took back control of Kirkuk oilfields from the Kurds in 2017 following a referendum on Kurdish independence. Baghdad responded to the plebiscite, in which Kurds overwhelmingly voted for independence, by dislodging Kurdish Peshmerga fighters from territories claimed by both Baghdad and the Kurds, including the oil city of Kirkuk. Kirkuk’s oilfields had been under Kurdish control since 2014, when the Iraqi army collapsed in the face of Islamic State. The Kurdish move prevented the militants from seizing the region’s oilfields.

Oil fields in Duhok province and their production capacity

Draw Media Out of (57) oil and gas blocks, (18) oil blocks are located in Duhok province, where (22) companies from (9) foreign countries are exploring and drilling for gas and oil. Although according to the information (65%) of the oil reserves in Sulaimani province and only one block has reached the production stage, in Duhok province in (6) blocks companies have reached the production stage, all the six blocks produce more than (50%) of the region's oil production. According to the data for 2020 compared to 2022, in the Duhok fields, the three fields (Fishkhabur, Sarsang, and Sheikhan) increased daily oil production, and in two fields (Tawke and Atrush), oil production decreased. First; Oil blocks in Duhok province Out of the 57 mineral blocks (oil and gas), 18 oil blocks are located in Duhok province, three of which are in Mosul province (Ain Safni, Bashik, Jabal Kand). These blocks are under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government. In 17 of those Blocks, (22) foreign companies are exploring and drilling for gas and oil. the companies are from (9) different countries (USA, Canada, Turkey, Norway, Britain, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, and UAE). Each company's share will fluctuate depending on the contracts. Second; Producing oil blocks in the Duhok province According to the information, 10 oil blocks are in the production process in the Kurdistan Region. Six of these blocks are located in Duhok province, producing more than 50% of the total oil production in the Kurdistan Region. According to statistics, the Kurdistan Regional Government produces 400,000 to 450,000 barrels of oil per day, and (220-250 thousand) barrels of oil are produced in the fields of Duhok province. Third: The growth and decline of oil fields in Duhok province According to the data for 2020 compared to 2022, in the 6 fields of Duhok, three fields (Fishkhabur, Sarsang, and Sheikhan) increased daily oil production, and in two fields (Tawke and Atrush), oil production decreased, and no information is available about the production of the Ain Safni block.

Dana Gas doubles net profit in 2022

Draw Media, Dana Gas Dana Gas PJSC (the “Company”), the Middle East’s largest regional private sector natural gas company, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2022. Net Profit was up 125% in Q1 2022, reaching AED 198 million ($54mm) or 2.8 fils per share as compared to AED 88 million ($24mm) or 1.26 fils per share in Q1 2021, reflecting strong business performance. Revenue was AED 513 million ($140mm), 32% higher compared to AED 389 million ($106mm) in Q1 2021. The increase in revenue and profit was the result of higher hydrocarbon prices and the Company’s successful efforts to manage costs. The Company’s EBITDA increased 62% in Q1 2022 at AED 297 million ($81mm). The Company’s realized prices during the period averaged $82/bbl for condensate and $43/boe for LPG compared to $44/bbl and $33/boe respectively in Q1 2021. “Building on the positive momentum from 2021, Dana Gas has delivered one of its best quarterly results, supported by high energy prices, continued high KRI operational performance and our low-cost base. This has allowed the Board of Directors to recommend a 4.5 fils dividend payment to shareholders. Looking ahead, good progress continues to be made on the $600 million KM250 gas expansion project. The next phase of development is expected to contribute an additional 25% to our total production capacity by Q2 2023 and will positively impact our top and bottom lines and support future dividend payments. The outlook for the remainder of 2022 is particularly encouraging, as energy prices and demand remain strong due to the prevalent global economic challenges.” Operations & Production The Group’s overall production fell slightly to 62,400 boepd in Q1 2022 versus 64,900 boepd in Q1 2021. Production output in the KRI remained similar year-on-year, with production averaging 35,400 boepd in Q1 2022 versus 35,300 in Q1 2021. Egypt production declined 7% to 27,000 boepd as a result of natural field depletion. Furthermore, the KM250 expansion plans are progressing well. The KM expansion project is on track to deliver first gas in Q2 2023. Liquidity and Collections The Group’s cash and bank balance at end of Q1 stood at AED 766 million ($209mm) including AED 260 million ($71mm) held at the Pearl level, an increase of 13% compared to AED 678 million ($185mm) at the end of 2021. At the Company’s General Assembly held on 21 April 2022, the shareholders approved a cash dividend of 4.5 fils per share for the second half of 2021, to be distributed on the 19th of May. This brings the total dividend for the year ended 31 December 2021 to 8 fils per share. The Group collected a total of AED 253 million ($69mm) during the quarter compared to AED 213 million ($58mm) in Q1 2021, with Egypt and KRI contributing AED 62 million ($17mm) and AED 191 million ($52mm) respectively. The Company’s receivables in KRI stands at AED 216 million ($59mm) versus AED 176 million ($48mm) in Q1 2022 and a significant improvement in Egypt at AED 114 million ($31mm) at the end of quarter, compared to AED 480 million ($131mm) in Q1 2021. CEO succession plan The Dana Gas Board also announces the commencement of a succession planning process for the CEO to include a search for the candidate to succeed Dr. Patrick-Allman Ward who will have successfully completed 10 years of remarkable service leading the Company’s management. The Board of Directors has agreed that Dr. Allman-Ward will assist with the executive search process for his successor, which is expected to take the rest of the year 2022. Dr. Allman-Ward will thereafter continue to support the Company as Senior Advisor to the Board of Directors. “Since Patrick was appointed CEO by the Board in September 2013, Dana Gas has been transformed from a company with $1 billion in overdue receivables and $1 billion in debt to a company that has totally redeemed its Sukuk entirely, has negligible receivables, and that has been delivering consistent dividends to its shareholders at levels which are among the highest of its global peer group and currently the highest on the ADX. In this period the Company’s share price has risen from AED 0.6 per share to reach AED 1.15 per share. On behalf of the Board, I express my deepest gratitude for Patrick’s decade of loyal service. We obviously welcome Patrick’s assistance with the search for his successor, as well as his willingness to continue to serve the Company as a Senior Adviser to the Board. A successor CEO will be recruited to take over the executive helm of Dana Gas with the requisite qualifications and skill sets to drive the Company forward and implement its next phase of development and growth.” “Serving as the CEO of Dana Gas has been both a pleasure and a privilege and has been the most exciting and challenging period of my life. Witnessing the transformation of the Company has been a hugely satisfying achievement. 2021 has been the Company’s best year since its establishment in 2005, with record collections, profits and dividends. At the beginning of my tenure all the Company’s free cash flow was absorbed by debt repayment, but now it flows to its shareholders in growing dividends. I look forward to continuing to work with the Board pending the appointment of my successor, and thereafter as Senior Adviser to the Board.” About Dana Gas Dana Gas is the Middle East’s first and largest regional private sector natural gas Company established in December 2005 with a public listing on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). It has exploration and production assets in Egypt, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and UAE, with 2P reserves exceeding one billion boe and average production of 62,600 boepd in 2021. With sizeable assets in KRI and Egypt, and further plans for expansion.

The Kurdistan region's income in March 2022

Draw Media A schedule that has been sent to Draw, Shows the Kurdistan region's total income and Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah’s portion of the KRG income. 🔹 Total oil revenue: 800 billion dinars 🔹 Total non-oil revenue: 300 billion dinars 🔹 International Coalition financial aid: 32 billion dinars Total KRG revenue: one trillion and 132 billion dinars 🔹 Sulaymaniyah’s Portion: 388 billion dinars by 34% 🔹 (Erbil and Duhok)’s Portion: 744 billion dinars by 66%

Kurdistan Regional Government Income for April 2022

Non-oil income •The region's non-oil revenues for April = (164 billion) dinars (which will be spent on salaries) • Coalition Financial aid for Peshmerga forces = (31 billion 500 million) dinars Oil revenues (pipeline export) • The Kurdistan Region exported 13 million and 616 thousand barrels of oil through the Turkish port of Jayhan in April 2022. • The average price of Brent oil for April was $ 104.58. • Because the region sells its oil for less than $12, The average price of KRG oil for April was.$92.58. So: (13 million and 616 thousand) barrels X (92.58) dollars = (1 billion, 260 million, 569 thousand and 280) dollars. In Iraqi dinar is: (1 billion, 260 million, 569 thousand and 280) dollars X (1450) dinars = (1 trillion 827 billion, 825 million and 456 thousand) dinars. • According to Deloitte's latest report, 56% of oil revenues will go to the production expenses and 44% remains for the Ministry of Natural Resources. - So: (1 billion, 260 million, 569 thousand and 280) dollars X (56%) = (705 million, 918 thousand and 797) dollars go to the oil process costs. It means in dinar: (705 million, 918 thousand and 797) dollars X (1450 dinars = (1 trillion, 23 billion, 582 million and 255 thousand and 360) dinars is oil expenditure. - (1 billion, 260 million, 569 thousand and 280) dollars X (44%) = (554 million, 650 thousand and 483) dollars of the income will remain in April. Oil revenue in Dinar is 554 million, 650 thousand-, and 483-dollars X (1,450) dinars= (804 billion, 243 million, 200 thousand, and 640) dinars. Total income in April 2022 (in dinar) • (804 billion, 243 million, 200 thousand and 640) oil income + (164 billion) non-oil income + (31 billion 500 million) from allies = (999 billion, 743 million, 200 thousand and 640) dinars

Report: Kurdish Authorities 'Likely Involved' in Citizen Journalist’s Killing

Draw Media, VOA On the 12th anniversary of the death of Kurdish journalist Sardasht Osman, an investigation by three press advocacy groups claims Iraqi Kurdish authorities were “likely directly involved” and that Osman was assassinated because of a satirical blog post. The investigation’s results were published in a 43-page report Wednesday by A Safer World For The Truth, a collaborative initiative of Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Reporters without Borders (RSF). The groups said they interviewed dozens of witnesses, analyzed case files, and reviewed satellite photos in concluding that Osman, a citizen journalist, was targeted for an article written a year earlier criticizing the family of then-Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani. Osman's body was found on May 6, 2010, in Mosul, two days after he’d been abducted outside his college campus in the Iraqi Kurdish capital, Irbil. He had been shot in the head. “This report reveals serious flaws in the official investigation into the kidnap and assassination of Sardasht and finds credible allegations that Kurdish authorities were directly involved in the murder,” the group’s report states. VOA reached out to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) for comment on the report but has not received a response. The KRG had accused the now-defunct terror group Ansar al-Islam of carrying out the killing. Barzani has previously denied any involvement in Osman's death. Osman was 23 when he died and a student at the University of Salahaddin in Irbil. The offending blog post, titled "I am in love with Barzani’s daughter,” lampooned Barzani's family for nepotism and corruption. After publishing his article, Osman wrote that he had received death threats and was interrogated by the security forces. “There are always people who don’t want to listen when you start telling the truth, who get furious at the slightest whisper. To stay alive though, we must tell the truth. I will continue to write until the last minute of my life,” he wrote. Numerous reports have documented how the Barzani and Talabani families have dominated Kurdistan for decades and allegedly amassed vast hidden wealth using their control of the regional government, security forces and oil resources. A Safer World For The Truth describes itself as “a people's tribunal” in a world where impunity for crimes against journalists is common. The initiative so far has investigated impunity in the killings of five journalists. In Osman’s case, the KRG created a special committee to investigate the matter. But the journalist groups found numerous problems in the committee’s work, making the explanation that terrorists were to blame implausible. “First, we found that after the assassination, Kurdish authorities consistently harassed and threatened Sardasht’s family and friends, and threatened journalists who wrote about the case. Additionally, Kurdish authorities banned various publications about Sardasht’s life, work and assassination,” the report states. “The location where Sardasht was kidnapped was constantly monitored by CCTV cameras and armed guards, yet the armed guards did not prevent the kidnapping; nor did the committee analyze CCTV footage of the kidnapping,” the investigation found. An original autopsy report disappeared, the group said, as did its author. An official autopsy report was inconsistent with other physical evidence, and the KRG committee never interviewed Osman’s family and friends or investigated the threats he’d received. Jules Swinkels, lead researcher for the group’s report said in a statement: “The case of Sardasht is emblematic of what can happen when journalists push the boundaries of their confined freedom of expression.” "[Osman] wrote satirically about Kurdistan’s most powerful individuals and was kidnapped and assassinated because of it. Tragically, his case demonstrates that a complete lack of political will to investigate and solve murders of journalists domestically is one of the main reasons for impunity," Swinkels added. In the years since Osman's death, at least 22 other journalists have been killed in Iraq, including several who died in KRG-controlled areas, according to the CPJ. The report called on the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, which have all aided the KRG financially and militarily, to press Kurdish authorities “to investigate threats against, attacks on and murders of journalists according to international standards, including a re-investigation of the case of Sardasht Osman.”

The income of the border crossings was more than 400 billion dinars in the last 3 months

Draw Media According to statistics from the Kurdistan Regional Government's General Directorate of Customs, the revenue of the border crossings was more than 400 billion dinars in the last 3 months January customs revenue: Ibrahim Khalil: 65 billion and 392 million dinars Haji Omaran: 14 billion and 102 million dinars Bashmakh: 10 billion and 538 million dinars Parwezkhan: 18 billion and 231 million dinars February 2022 customs revenue: Ibrahim Khalil: 77 billion and 172 million dinars Haji Omaran: 17 billion and 831 million dinars Bashmakh: 15 billion and 140 million dinars Parwezkhan: 21 billion and 642 million dinars March 2022 customs revenue: Ibrahim Khalil: 73 billion and 320 million dinars Haji Omaran: 22 billion and 488 million dinars Bashmakh: 17 billion and 238 million dinars Parwezkhan: 23 billion and 338 million dinars January customs revenues for airports: Erbil International Airport: one billion and 853 million dinars Sulaymaniyah International Airport: One billion and 27 million dinars General Coy: 2 billion and 880 million dinars February customs revenues for airports: Erbil International Airport: one billion and 461 million dinars Sulaymaniyah International Airport: One billion and 225 million dinars General Coy: 2 billion and 686 million dinars March customs revenues for airports: Erbil International Airport: one billion and 780 million dinars Sulaymaniyah International Airport: 784 million dinars General Coy: 2 billion and 564 million dinars Total Customs income of January 2022: 116 billion and 842 million dinars Total Customs income of February 2022: 142 billion and 56 million dinars Total Customs income of March 2022: 147 billion and 67 million dinars

ExxonMobil Quits Iraqi Kurdistan

Draw Media, mees The US supermajor’s bold 2011 Iraqi Kurdistan entry sent shockwaves through Iraq. A decade later ExxonMobil has quietly packed its bags and quit its last remaining asset, Pirmam, without producing a drop from any of the six blocks it picked up. Any prospective replacement may eye a gas-related tie-in with neighboring Bina Bawi. ExxonMobil has quit Iraqi Kurdistan, relinquishing its sole remaining license in the region – the Pirmam gas block. The supermajor’s contentious 2011 entry was spearheaded by then-CEO Rex Tillerson in the face of opposition not only from Baghdad but also from the US Department of State. A decade after sparking political outcry, Exxon has walked away without much to show. Attracting international majors was a cornerstone of Iraqi Kurdistan’s strategy for developing its nascent oil and gas sector a decade ago. Erbil’s success in bringing in the likes of ExxonMobil, Total, Chevron and Gazprom Neft helped provide a political shield against Baghdad’s opposition – the four firms are national champions from three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

How the Salaries of Sulaymaniyah's Civil Servants Are Provided?

Draw Media - March oil revenue: one billion and 128 million dollars - Oil revenue to the government treasury: 551 million dollars - Oil revenue for salary: 366 million for salary, (66%) - Oil revenue for expenditure: $ 185 million, (34%) - Oil income and Baghdad financial aid for Sulaymaniyah salary: 193 million dollars Sulaymaniyah should allocate 48 million dollars of internal income for civil servants’ monthly salary - Sulaymaniyah needs $248 million per month for civil servant’s salary - The total salary of the KRG civil servants: is 893 billion dinars monthly -The total salary of Sulaymaniyah civil servants: is 365 billion dinars monthly -The KRG sends 287 billion dinars monthly for Sulaymaniyah’s salary - Sulaymaniyah’s salary deficit is 78 billion dinars, which will be filled with internal income - From the Sulaymaniyah’s internal income (15) billion dinars will be sent to national institutions in Erbil monthly - From the Sulaymaniyah’s internal income (7) billion dinars will be paid to students and contract teachers monthly - With internal income and oil revenues, the civil servant salaries would be easily provided, but the government has lost the control and the internal income does not return to banks and the oil and internal revenues are not transparent, some of those revenues are unknown, so how much local income increases and how much higher the price of oil is, the salary problem would not be solved. - The KRG Income for March: Oil income: 810 billion dinars Baghdad financial aid: 200 billion dinars - Internal income: 370 billion dinars - Coalition financial aid: 27 billion dinars - Total March revenue: one trillion and 407 billion dinars - The total amount of civil servant Salary: is 893 billion dinars - The remaining amount for the KRG: 514 billion dinars (after extracting the salary)

65% of Oil Reserves and 7% of Oil Production Are in the PUK Zone.

Draw Media Part one Of the 57 oil and gas blocks, 23 oil and 2 gas blocks are located in the PUK zone in Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and Garmian provinces, where 13 foreign companies are investigating, searching, and digging oil production (except gas). According to the information, Sulaymaniyah’s oil reserves are estimated at more than 36 billion barrels which are 65 percent of the region's total oil reserves. This comes at a time when of the 9 blocks that have reached the production stage in the PUK zone, making up only 7.3 percent of the region's oil production. First, the oil reserves of the Kurdistan Region and the share of Sulaymaniyah governorate in it Different information is available on the size of the region's oil reserves, but official KRG information since 2010 indicates that 45 billion barrels of oil reserves are estimated to be in the Kurdistan Region, which has been published on the KRG's official website. On August 19, 2010, the former minister of natural resources, Ashti Hawrami, announced at a press conference about the oil reserves in the Kurdistan Region that "There are 45 billion barrels of oil in the Kurdistan Region." According to a 2015 Report by the Door Organization for Kurdistan Oil Information, "The Kurdistan Region has 50 billion barrels of stable oil reserve and 80 billion barrels of unstable oil reserve,", also the press information indicates that Sulaymaniyah’s oil reserves are estimated at more than 36 billion barrels and 65 percent of the region's total oil reserves. Second, the oil blocks of Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and Garmian administration Of the 57 blocks (oil and gas), 23 oil blocks and 2 gas blocks, are located in the PUK zone borders of Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and Garmian provinces, where 13 foreign companies now operating in the area. The companies are from (8) the different countries (United States, Russia, Canada, Turkey, Korea, Spain, Australia, and Italy). 1. Betwata block: 650 Squares kilometers, in Sulaymaniyah province, it starts from Hajiawa town and reaches Betwata, Balisan, Khoshnawati.‌ 2. Shakrok block: In Sulaimaniyah province, it starts in the Khedrani district in Dukan until near Shaqlawa. 418 square kilometers. 3. Qaladze block: In Sulaymaniyah province, it covers all Kaladze districts, Marqa, Dukan Lake, and Rania. It is about 2,000 kilometers square. 4. Khalakan block: In Sulaymaniyah province, Kalakan town, Haybat Sultan Mountain, and a part of Koya plain until Little Zab River. 624 square kilometers have (2,450) billion barrels of oil. 5. Piramagrun block: In Sulaimaniyah province, east of Dukan-Sulaymaniyah road and the foothills of Piramagrun mountain till it reaches Dukan town, it is more than 730 square kilometers. 6. Miran block: In Sulaimaniyah province, it starts from Tasluja, west of Dukan-Sulaymaniyah road, including a part of Agjalar, Bazian, and Chamy Razan Resort. It's 1015 square kilometers. Contains two big oil fields; east Miran which is expected to have 1,637 billion barrels of oil, and west Miran, which contains 4,808 billion barrels of oil. 7. Bazian block: In Sulaimaniyah province, Sagarma mountain, west of Bazian, Takia town, and part of Agjalar in Chamchamal district. Its 473 square kilometers, and has 1,178 billion barrels of oil reserve. 8. North Sangawa block: In Garmian. is located north of Sangaw in the Chamchamal district. it contains 6,163 billion barrels of oil in 492 square kilometers. 9. Top xana block, In Garmian. East of Qadir Karam district and Jabari area. Contains 4 billion barrels of oil in 945 square kilometers, despite a large amount of gas. 10. Taza block, In Garmian. Including a part of Nawjul and west of Qadir Karam district. It is expected to be 3 billion in oil and a large amount of gas in 700 square kilometers. 11. Palkana block: In Garmian, Duzkhurmatu, and Jabara districts, which is 529 square kilometers, containing 1.58 billion barrels of oil reserve. 12. Penjwen Block: In Sulaymaniyah province. Extends from the center of Penjwen to the Iranian border, and it is worth mentioning that no investment has been made in this block so far. 13. East Arabat block: in Sulaymaniyah province, it covers Siwail, Barzanja, and a part of Sharazur to Nalparez district in Penjwen district and is 700 km square. 14. Arabat block, in Sulaimaniyah city. Extends from Arabat to New-Halabja District. Including Goizha and Azmar mountain. Its 974 square kilometers contain 1,177 billion barrels of oil. 15. Baranan block: In Sulaymaniyah province, containing south-east of Sulaymaniyah and Baranan mountain until it reaches Darbandikhan lake. It's 722 square kilometers. 16. Qaradagh block: In Sulaymaniyah province, including the Qaradagh area and the east of Sagarma Mountain and west of the Sirwan River to Darbandikhan. it contains 4,896 billion barrels of oil in 846 square kilometers. 17. South Sangawa block: In Garmian, it covers the center of the Sangaw district and its surroundings. It is 846 square kilometers and is expected to have 2 billion barrels of oil and one trillion cubic meters of natural gas. 18. Kordamir block: In Garmian. Located in the south of Sangaw district and the north of the Kalar district until the Sirwan River. contains 5,129 billion barrels of oil reserve in 620 square kilometers. 19. Garmian block: Including the northern district of Kalar, Bawanur, Sarqalla, and Sheikh Tawel. Contains more than 4 billion barrels of oil in 2120 square Kilometers. 20. Shakal block: In the Garmian area, it covers the south of Kalar, Rizgari district, and Kafri district. which contains about 2 billion barrels of oil in 832 square kilometers. 21. Chia Surkh block: In Garmian. Located on the east of the Sirwan River. Extents from Qoratu and Maidan district in Khanaqin until the Iranian border. Contains 5,656 billion barrels of oil in 938 square kilometers. 22. Qara Hanjir block: In Garmian, it is located between Chamchamal and Kirkuk, which Contains Shwan, Qara Hanjir, and the Takai Jabari district. It’s expected to be 5 to 10 billion barrels of oil in 1,200 square Kilometers. 23. Halabja block: in Sulaymaniyah province, it is located in the Halabja district. Contains Khurmal, Sirwan, Biara, Gelejal, Halabja district center, and a part of Sayed Sadiq. Contain an estimated 650 million barrels of oil in about 1000 square kilometers.

18 Billion Dinars of Sulaymaniyah Revenue Would Be Sent to Erbil Monthly

Draw Media In Sulaymaniyah, 75 billion dinars would be allocated monthly for salary funding, 18 billion dinars would be sent to Erbil for the expenses of national institutions and 7 billion dinars would be spent on students, Lecturers’ and contract teachers’ salaries. A source at the Kurdistan Regional Bank, the Sulaymaniyah branch, told Draw Media that in the past three months, the revenues allocated for salaries were as follows: January: 75 billion and 521 million dinars February: 75 billion and 680 million dinars March: 78 billion and 260 million dinars In addition, according to the source, Sulaymaniyah’s funding for the Minara Bank in Erbil for the expenses of national institutions in the last three months was 54 billion and 558 million dinars, which means (18 billion dinars) per month is being sent to Erbil from Sulaymaniyah. In addition to these expenses, 7 billion dinars would be allocated monthly for students’, lecturers', and contract teachers' funds. It means monthly salary expenses and the money on Sulaymaniyah's income would be sent to Erbil is about 100 billion dinars, in addition to the cost of rubbish companies, medicines, prisoners' food, (most of which have been stopped) This is at a time when parliamentarians are talking about that the Sulaymaniyah's income will not return to the government and will be taken by the high officials of the PUK, which has caused the lack of cash in Sulaymaniyah banks.

PUK is trying to set him free

Draw Media The Kirkuk Criminal Court imposed a one-year prison sentence on Jamal Shuker, the former mayor of Kirkuk, on the PUK’s share, in the case of selling 10 pieces of land. This is the second mayor in Kirkuk to be sentenced for corruption. Jamal Shukr, a former member of the Iraqi parliament from the PUK Fraction, was arrested by Kirkuk police and detained in Kirkuk prison. Jamal Shukr, formerly the mayor of Kirkuk on the share of the PUK, was sentenced to one year in prison by the Kirkuk Criminal Court on October 19 on the case of selling 10 pieces of land when he was the mayor of Kirkuk. In the same case, the Kirkuk Criminal Court sentenced 2 other municipal employees, but because they have no criminal background, the court did not carry out the sentence. In addition to the punishment of Jamal Shukir, the Kirkuk Criminal Court has granted the right to the complaint through the civil court ask for compensation. Before the fall of the Ba'athist regime in 2003, the municipality of Kirkuk placed 10 pieces of land on a bid and was sold to 10 members who were close to "The Ba'athist regime, but the municipality of Kirkuk once again sold those lands and manipulated the price of transactions. "We will formally condemn the decision with my lawyer on Sunday because I have no crime and I don't know why I was targeted," Jamal Shukr told Kirkuk Naw in a telephone call from prison. Shkur also mentioned that at the beginning he did not sign the official letters related to the sale of the lands, but the municipal ministry forced him to do so, “the work is not illegal and I will publish all the evidence in the near future," he said. According to Draw's information, PUK officials are now trying to find a way to get Jamal Shukri out of prison, fearing he will be sent to Baghdad, and for that, they are preparing a medical report on Jamal Shukri's health. Jamal Shukrak is the second mayor of Kirkuk, on the share of the PUK that he is accused of corruption. Abdul-Karim Hassan was previously sentenced to six months in prison by the Kirkuk court on the case of establishing a plastic factory. Transferring Jamal Shkur's to Baghdad may open the door to some new cases at the Kirkuk municipality border. Following the October 16 incidents and the return of the Iraqi army to Kirkuk province, several provincial administration officials have faced court over corruption cases in previous years, including (a former traffic manager, former president of Kirkuk University, and former director of Kirkuk education).

Iranians want to get the final answer from PDK

Iran's high delegation is scheduled to visit the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) next week and receive the party's response to the case of its alliance with Sadr and Halbousi. A senior source from the PDK's political bureau told Draw that the Party's political bureau is scheduled to meet in the next two days and decide on the issues of the tripartite coalition, the issue of President’s position, gas export, and the local election issues. According to the KDP source, Iran's delegation visits Erbil to get the final answer from KDP about the tripartite alliance. "If the KDP agrees to Iran's demands, Iran would handle some issues for the KDP, including: • Resolving the federal court's decision on oil and gas in the Kurdistan Region. • The candidate for President, who will be the KDP, and Massoud Barzani’s favorite. • The issue of the Kurdistan Regional Government's elections and attempts to bring the PUK and KDP back together on the suspended issues. If the KDP won’t agree to Iran's demands and remains in a trilateral alliance, there are some possibilities are expected: • The region's internal problems would be more complex and the possibility of two administrations will increase. • Federal court decisions will be fully implemented and KRG oil will be prohibited from exporting. • The PUK would agree with Somo and the gas of its area would be sold through Somo. Masrour Barzani's visit to Turkey and Britain is for gaining support for PDK's policies and agendas until they won’t be under Iranian pressure, as the KDP believes the federal court’s decision and the Erbil missile attack and the PUK's stance are part of Iran's pressure to force the KDP to compromise and withdraw from the trilateral alliance. Barzani has repeatedly told those who visited him that he would "never accept the pressures" and showed that he does not care even if they go back to two administrations. On March 10, an Iranian delegation led by former Iranian ambassador to Iraq Hassan Danai fard met in Erbil with KDP’s President Masoud Barzani, whose visit was aimed at convincing the Party to leave the trilateral alliance in order to form a pro-Iranian government in Iraq.

Iraqi oil ministry: Masrour Barzani has no intention of an agreement

Draw Media The Iraqi oil ministry is disappointed to have an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government and accusing Masrour Barzani of not cooperating and not complying with the federal court's decision. The Iraqi government intends to formally call on Turkey to stop exporting the KRG oil, which may be the beginning of a tougher economic phase in the region. The Iraq's oil ministry decides The Iraqi oil ministry is expected to announce a strong stance on the Kurdistan Regional Government in the next few days, an informed source from Baghdad told Draw. According to the source, the Iraqi ministry of oil intends to formally inform the Iraqi Council of Ministers and the public that the regional government, particularly Masrour Barzani himself, is not complying with the federal court's decision. After notifying the Iraqi government and the general public about the region's non-compliance, the Iraqi oil ministry wants to formally stop exporting the region's oil through the Jaihan port. 80% of the Kurdistan regional government's income comes from oil sales alone, and stopping oil exports paralyzes the region's economy and people's life in general. KRG and the federal court's decisions The regional government and the Iraqi oil ministry have not yet reached an agreement on implemention of the February 15 decision of the Federal Supreme Court. On The 11th of this month, for the first time since the supreme federal court's decision was issued, a delegation of the Kurdistan regional government went to Baghdad and met with the oil ministry officials. The Iraqi ministry of oil said the meeting was to discuss how to implement the federal court's decision on the Kurdistan Region, yet on the 15th of this month, Abdul-Hakim Khasraw, a member of the regional government delegation, said, "The visit of the regional delegation to Baghdad was not to negotiate on the decision," he said. "We have not been able to implement the federal court's decision because we have formally responded to Baghdad that we will negotiate based on the constitution, not the decision." On February 15 this year, after ten years of waiting, the Iraqi Supreme Federal Court settled the Iraqi government's legal status on the Kurdistan Regional Government's oil and gas case. The details of the federal court's decision are as follows: • Kurdistan Region's oil and gas law No. 22 of 2007 is unconstitutional and dismantled. • The KRG government shall abide by the handover of all oil products from the Kurdistan Region's fields and other areas, which the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Region extracts oil from) to the federal government. • The complaint has the right to investigate the cancellation of oil contracts signed by the Regional Government and the Representative of the Minister of Natural Resources with foreign parties, states, and companies regarding the discovery, extraction, export, and sale of oil and gas. • Obliging the Kurdistan Regional Government to allow the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and the Federal Financial Supervisory Board to review all oil contracts that the Kurdistan Regional Government has made regarding the export and sale of oil and gas.

KRG: Oil revenues were (one billion and 128 million dollars)

Kurdistan Region's oil revenues in March were (one billion and 128 million dollars), and 551 million dollars of which remained for the government, meaning 810 billion dinars, which is close to the salaries of the KRG’s civil servants, without the international coalition’s monthly financial aid, and 200 billion dinars from Baghdad. According to a report presented at the last meeting of the KRG Council of Ministers by Omed Sabah, Head of the Council of Ministries Office of the Kurdistan Region in the presence of the Minister of Natural Resources, the region's oil revenues were as follows for March 2022. Daily: 421 thousand barrels of oil are exported March Exports: 11 million and 180 thousand barrels The average price of a barrel is 100 dollars and 88 cents The total revenue: was one billion and 128 million dollars Companies’ expenditure: 472 million dollars, 42% of the total revenue Pipeline rent: 60 million dollars 5% of the total revenue Companies loan: 45 million dollars 4% of the total revenue Total oil expenditure: 577 million dollars by 51% The remaining amount for KRG: 551 million dollars by 49% This means the total oil revenues for the government was 810 billion dinars when it requires 900 billion dinars for paying civil servant salaries in full. The data shows only the oil revenues are close enough to provide salaries without the other revenues. Internal income is about 370 billion dinars Coalition aid: 31 billion dinars Baghdad budget: 200 billion dinars The data presented by KRG proves that the Kurdistan Regional Government had enough money to distribute the March salary and before Eid al-Fitr start distributing the salaries of April, but by the decision of the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the distribution of salaries has been postponed so that the salary of April will be distributed after the Eid holidays, which will be close to May 10.