KIRKUK, Iraq: Iraqi forces clashed with Kurdish fighters Monday near the disputed city of Kirkuk, seizing a key military base and other territory in a major operation sparked by a controversial independence referendum.
The offensive, which follows weeks of soaring tensions between two US allies in the battle against the Daesh group, aims to retake oil fields and military bases that Kurdish forces seized during the fightback against the jihadists.
Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga forces exchanged artillery fire early Monday south of Kirkuk, the capital of the oil-rich province, after the launch of the operation overnight.
In a major advance, Iraq's Joint Operations Command said central government forces took control of the K1 military base northwest of the city -- the first objective of the offensive -- following the withdrawal of peshmerga fighters.
They also seized bridges, roads and an industrial zone to the southwest of Kirkuk, as well as gas facilities, a power station, a refinery and a police station, it said.
The clashes follow an armed standoff between Kurdish forces and the Iraqi army prompted by the September 25 non-binding referendum that produced a resounding "yes" for independence for the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
Baghdad has declared the referendum -- held despite international opposition -- illegal.
Crisis talks on Sunday had made little headway in resolving the standoff, which has raised fears of fresh chaos just as Daesh jihadists are on the verge of losing their last strongholds in the country.
State television announced that government troops had taken "large areas" of the province from Kurdish forces "without fighting".
Military sources on both sides however reported exchange of Katyusha rocket fire to the south of the provincial capital.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who said this week that he was "not going... to make war on our Kurdish citizens", has "given orders to armed forces to take over security in Kirkuk," state television said.
Iraqi troops will "secure bases and government facilities in Kirkuk province" the government said.
Multiple peshmerga fighters were injured in the clashes and hospitalised in Kirkuk, a local security source said.
Abadi said that members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, the paramilitary Popular Mobilisation forces, which are dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias, would stay away from Kirkuk, where there have been multiple demonstrations against their involvement in the dispute.
An AFP photographer saw columns of Iraqi troops heading towards Kirkuk from the south.
Two people were killed in artillery exchanges at Tuz Khurmatu, 75 kilometres south of Kirkuk, a doctor at a city hospital said.
On Sunday, Iraq's National Security Council said it viewed as a "declaration of war" the presence of "fighters not belonging to the regular security forces in Kirkuk", including fighters from Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
For their part the Iraqi forces have said that they have no wish to enter Kirkuk but that they wish to retake military positions and infrastructure which were under their control before their troops withdrew in the face of hostility from the jihadists.
On the fringes of the town, they used loudspeakers to call on the peshmerga to give up their positions, local sources said.
Long claimed by the Kurds as part of their historic territory, the province has emerged as the main flashpoint in the dispute.
Polling during the referendum was held not only in the three provinces of the autonomous Kurdish region but also in adjacent Kurdish-held areas, including Kirkuk, that are claimed by both Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Kurds control the city of Kirkuk and three major oil fields in the province that produce some 250,000 barrels per day, accounting for 40 percent of Iraqi Kurdistan's oil exports.
The fields would provide crucial revenue to Baghdad, which has been left cash-strapped from the global fall in oil prices and three years of battle against Daesh. Iraq is also demanding the return of a military base and a nearby airport, according to the Kurds.
Iraqi forces seize territory from Kurds in independence dispute
Iraqi forces seize territory from Kurds in independence dispute
Rare kidney operation performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital
- Precise medication management needed for surgery
- No stomach incisions, with suture done via the mouth
RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh recently performed a rare Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant.
In a statement, KFSHRC said the operation was considered “the first of its kind in the region.”
It required “meticulous management of immunosuppressive medications and the prevention of any complications that could jeopardize the transplanted organ.
“This procedure marks a significant advancement in providing safe treatment solutions for transplant recipients, to improve their graft survival and quality of life.”
The ESG procedure differs from surgical sleeve gastrectomy in that it requires no abdominal incisions, which is important for transplant patients.
Instead, it uses an endoscope inserted through the mouth to suture the stomach internally, effectively reducing its volume and enabling the patient to lose weight and improve overall health.
The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team of experts led by Dr. Ehab Abufarhaneh, consultant in adult transplant gastroenterology and hepatology.
The team included gastroenterologists, various transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff.
In the statement, the hospital said it was “adopting innovative techniques tailored to the unique needs of transplant patients and developing treatment protocols that address post-transplant challenges.”
The facility “reinforces its position as a regional referral hub for cases beyond the scope of conventional treatment pathways,” and as a leading healthcare provider in the region.
It was fulfilling its vision of being the optimal choice for patients supported by an integrated ecosystem of education, research, and clinical excellence that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, the hospital stated.
The hospital has been ranked by Brand Financing 2025 as first in the Middle East and North Africa, and 15th globally on the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the third consecutive year.
Additionally, it was included in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.
Pakistan stocks retreat as profit-taking offsets recent rally
- Volatility marked the session with intraday swings before a 0.21 percent decline
- KSE‑100 Index swung between intraday high of 2,365 points, low of 501 points
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s stock market ended lower on Thursday as investors locked in gains following a recent surge, even though there were no major policy or economic surprises during the session, analysts said.
The KSE‑100 Index closed at 124,093, down 260 points, or 0.21 percent, after swinging between an intraday high of 2,365 points and a low of 501 points, reflecting heightened volatility tied to profit-taking in heavyweight sectors.
Trading activity was brisk: the broader all‑shares index traded 1.018 billion shares, indicating strong market participation and continued investor engagement .
“The Pakistan stock market ended the session on a negative note, weighed down by cautious investor sentiment and profit-taking activity,” Pakistani brokerage house Topline Securities said in its daily market review.
The Pakistani market has rallied over 80 percent in the past year, boosted by a favorable macroeconomic environment, easing inflation, and the resumption of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) support program. That momentum peaked in early June, with the KSE‑100 briefly nearing the 126,700 mark .
Profit‑taking was the most likely trigger for Thursday’s dip, particularly in the banking, cement, and energy sectors, where gains had been steepest in recent weeks.
Market participants are also assessing the federal budget for 2025-26, released this week, which aims to boost GDP growth to 4.2 percent, reduce the fiscal deficit, and implement reforms under a broader $7 billion IMF program.
With profit-booking likely to persist, analysts predict a period of range-bound trading in the short term. The budget’s implementation and IMF engagement will be key drivers, with any setbacks in revenue mobilization or delays in reform efforts presenting downside risks.
That said, if broader economic stability holds and reforms proceed as planned, sentiment is likely to stabilize, keeping the market on solid footing, analysts say.
Egypt’s foreign minister discusses Iran nuclear negotiations, Gaza with US envoy
- Badr Abdelatty says US-Iran negotiations are an important opportunity to achieve calm in the region
- Oman to host sixth round of negotiations between Iran and the US on Sunday
LONDON: Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s minister of foreign affairs, emphasized the need to persist in negotiations between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program during a phone call with Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Abdelatty said the negotiations are an important opportunity to achieve calm, avoid escalation, and prevent the region from sliding into greater instability, WAM, the Emirates News Agency, reported.
Oman will host the sixth round of negotiations between Iran and the US on Sunday, Oman’s foreign minister said on Thursday.
Abdelatty and Witkoff, the US president’s special envoy for the Middle East, on Thursday addressed Egyptian and US efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. They discussed the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as well as the flow of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian coastal enclave, according to WAM.
The Egyptian foreign minister highlighted the need for a lasting resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that meets the region’s aspirations for peace and stability.
Pakistan’s legendary Wasim Akram praises his statue amid social media flak
- Statue installed outside Hyderabad’s Niaz Stadium in April shows Akram bowling in 1999 World Cup team kit next to statue of a tiger
- Fans have been mocking statue saying, “only thing that looks real is the ball,” while face looked more like Hollywood hero Sylvester Stallone
KARACHI: Legendary Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram saluted on Thursday the “effort” of the artist who created a statue of him that has spawned scorn on social media.
The statue of Akram — one of the greatest left-arm fast bowlers to play the game — was installed outside the southwestern city of Hyderabad’s Niaz Stadium in April.
Akram is shown bowling wearing the kit of the 1999 World Cup team, when Pakistan were runners-up.
Nearby is a statue of a tiger.
One fan mocked the statue, saying: “The only thing that looks real is the ball,” adding the face looked more like Hollywood hero Sylvester Stallone.
The affable Akram, however, took to social media to praise the effort.
“Lots of talk about my sculpture being erected at Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad. Mine is definitely better than the tiger,” he posted on X.
“It’s the idea that matters. Credit to the creators, full marks for the effort and thanks to everyone involved.”
Australia has a history of placing statues of their iconic players outside their stadiums, while India unveiled one of master batter Sachin Tendulkar outside a stadium in Mumbai in 2023.
Niaz stadium chief Shiraz Leghari told AFP: “The artist did his best effort, but accepts it doesn’t resemble (Akram) a hundred percent.”
Akram is one of the country’s most celebrated cricketers, having represented Pakistan in 104 Tests and 356 ODIs with 414 and 502 wickets respectively.
He was the leading wicket-taker in the 1992 World Cup when Pakistan claimed the trophy.
Closing Bell: Saudi Arabia’s main index declines to close at 10,840
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index closed lower on Thursday, falling 164.08 points, or 1.49 percent, to end the session at 10,840.94.
Trading turnover on the main index reached SR5.34 billion ($1.42 billion), with only 14 stocks recording gains while 238 declined.
The Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, also saw a downturn, losing 425.57 points, or 1.56 percent, to close at 26,798.14. A total of 28 stocks advanced while 63 retreated. The MSCI Tadawul 30 Index slipped 13.42 points, or 0.95 percent, to finish at 1,392.04.
SEDCO Capital REIT Fund emerged as the session’s best performer, with its share price rising 0.88 percent to SR6.85. Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co. followed with a 0.71 percent gain to SR19.84, while Tihama Advertising and Public Relations Co. rose 0.67 percent to SR15.10.
On the downside, Al-Omran Industrial Trading Co. recorded the steepest loss, falling 9.15 percent to SR26.30. AYYAN Investment Co. dropped 7.35 percent to SR12.60, and Al Taiseer Group Talco Industrial Co. declined 7.26 percent to SR40.85.
On the announcements front, the Saudi National Bank announced plans to issue US dollar-denominated notes under its Euro Medium-Term Note Program.
According to a Tadawul filing, the issuance will be conducted through a special purpose vehicle and will be offered to eligible investors in Saudi Arabia and globally.
The bank has appointed Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC, DBS Bank Ltd., Emirates NBD Bank P.J.S.C., Goldman Sachs International, HSBC Bank plc, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, Mashreqbank psc, and Mizuho International plc as joint lead managers and book-runners.
SNB Capital Co., SMBC Bank International plc, and Standard Chartered were also mandated. The proceeds from the offering will be used to enhance Tier 2 capital, support general corporate purposes, and advance SNB’s strategic goals.
Final terms of the issuance will be determined based on market conditions. SNB shares edged up 0.14 percent to close at SR34.70.
Meanwhile, Yaqeen Capital Co. announced it has deposited proceeds from the sale of fractional shares following a recent capital increase. A total of 308 shares were sold, generating SR3,451.76, with an average price of SR11.23 per share. The proceeds have been distributed to eligible shareholders via their investment-linked accounts.
