Presence of foreign military bases in Erbil, Ain al-Assad illegal: Sudani
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani told Rudaw in an exclusive interview that the presence of two military bases belonging to the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Erbil and Ain al-Assad is against the Iraqi constitution. He added that these bases were established during wartime.
“Now there are bases present in Ain al-Assad and in Erbil. Give me one official document that authorizes the global coalition to establish bases in Iraq - this is against the constitution,” Sudani said during Rudaw’s Bestoon Talk program.
“I don't want a coalition of 86 countries present in Iraq with an operations commander and so on, and airspace they control. Where's the sovereignty? Give us sovereignty,” he added.
Formed in 2014 under former US President Barack Obama, the global coalition to defeat the Islamic State launched its operations in Iraq with airstrikes, later expanding to include training and advising Iraqi forces. The coalition comprises nearly 89 countries and international organizations, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, and several Middle Eastern nations, contributing military personnel, equipment, and financial support.
The US has around 2,500 soldiers in Iraq. Washington has agreed to withdraw, as demanded by Baghdad under pressure from pro-Iran militia groups.
Baghdad and Washington said in a joint statement on September 27, 2024, that the coalition’s mission would conclude within a year, “no later than the end of September 2025,” and transition into “bilateral security partnerships in a manner that supports Iraqi forces and maintains pressure on ISIS.” As per the deal, the foreign troops will be located in the Kurdistan Region in September 2026.
Acknowledging the role of the coalition in the fight against ISIS, Sudani said he wants to maintain relations with the member states, especially powerful ones.
“The relationship between us and the coalition countries will transform - I don't want there to be a break with them. I want cooperation. Our armament is American, and we have relationships with European countries like France and Britain,” he said.
Iraq and the US on Thursday held “technical consultations” about the “new phase” of security cooperation between their nations.
Both sides "expressed their ongoing commitment to laying the foundations for a new phase in U.S.-Iraq security cooperation that will continue to empower Federal Iraq to provide for its security and achieve tangible benefits for both Americans and Iraqis,” they said in a joint statement.
Militia groups
Many Iran-backed militia groups have long posed challenges for successive Iraqi governments, particularly for Prime Minister Sudani’s cabinet. The prime minister reiterated that all weapons must remain under state control and that all armed groups should operate under the authority of Baghdad.
These groups have previously targeted US interests in Iraq and across the region, and some have conducted attacks against Israel. Sudani’s government has cracked down on the militias on multiple occasions, including the arrest of several members over incidents of unrest.
“The option before any group that possesses weapons is either to join the security apparatus - in the Popular Mobilization Forces, in Defense, in Interior, in any security apparatus - or transition to political work. There is no third option,” he said.
The Iraqi government in August revoked a controversial bill to restructure the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) following intense pressure from the United States.
Although the PMF was officially incorporated into the Iraqi security apparatus and granted formal legal status by parliament in 2016, many of its factions still operate independently, with impunity, and reportedly maintain strong ties to Iran.
Iraq-Turkey water deal
Iraq and Turkey on Sunday signed the implementation mechanism of the Framework Water Cooperation Agreement, a deal officials say aims to provide sustainable solutions to Iraq’s worsening water crisis. Sudani then hailed the agreement as “one of the sustainable solutions to Iraq’s water crisis,” saying it includes “a package of major joint projects to be implemented in the water sector.”
Iraq relies heavily on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, both of which originate in Turkey. However, large-scale Turkish dam projects, including the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), have significantly reduced downstream water flow, exacerbating drought, desertification, and environmental degradation.
Currently, Iraq receives less than 40 percent of its historical water share. The crisis is compounded by climate change, declining rainfall, poor resource management, and the absence of comprehensive water-sharing agreements with Turkey as well as its eastern neighbor Iran - leaving Iraq vulnerable to unilateral upstream policies.
Sudani on Friday revealed some details of the agreement to Rudaw, noting that Ankara has blamed Baghdad for misusing water.
“The recent agreement with Turkey, which came after extensive dialogue and negotiation, was also subject to the confusion and misinformation that usually accompanies any government decision or step. Its details are as follows: Turkey and Iraq, since the founding of the Iraqi state, have had no agreement between us and them,” he said.
He added that until signing the deal, both sides did not have an agreement that establishes quotas.
“Ninety percent of our water resources come from Turkey through the Tigris River, and ten percent from Iran. Turkey, part of their reasoning says that I'm giving water quotas but your uses are wrong. We discussed earlier what these uses are. The agreement is to transfer Turkey's successful experience in water management to Iraq through Turkish companies implementing dam projects from the Kurdistan Region to Basra,” he revealed.
“And implementing lined projects and pipes to convert open rivers to pipes, treatment plants, desalination plants, agricultural projects, and irrigation projects. Who implements these? Turkish companies for a fee that we provide, meaning contracting like any other contracts. With this agreement, we will guarantee fair and sustainable quotas from Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. So that we can continue agriculture and secure what we need in potable water. With these solutions, we can say we're heading in the right direction,” he added.
The Iraqi prime minister also mentioned the water crisis in Maysan province.
“The current conditions for the province regarding services and infrastructure - Maysan is the best among a group of governorates in terms of infrastructure. There are other problems with services due to violations, overcrowding, and organization issues, possibly. The pollution issue - all provinces suffer from pollution. Honored attendees, the greatest environmental damage comes from humans. It doesn't come only from climate changes. There are wrong practices from factories, hospitals, private sector projects, and some citizens,” he noted.
He blamed gas flaring for pollution.
“We have a problem we inherited as a government. We've put a solution in place, and God willing, the solution will be completed by early 2028, which is the associated gas issue. We produce oil. Maysan produced 650,000 barrels, Basra around three million barrels. Imagine this quantity comes with associated gas. This gas affects global warming and affects the environment,” he said.
Erbil-Baghdad tensions
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday accused the federal government of politicizing the salaries of over one million civil servants in the Region, as Baghdad continues to delay their disbursement.
For years, the Iraqi government has failed to release the Kurdistan Region’s share of the federal budget on time, often accusing Erbil of not meeting its financial obligations - a claim the Kurdistan Region Government has consistently denied.
Sudani accused the KRG of failing to hand over oil and non-oil revenues to the federal government.
“Let's separate this issue and clarify some misconceptions because we now have all of Iraq from all provinces before us. We are governed by a constitution and law. Right? I don't exceed powers outside the constitution and law,” Sudani said.
“What does the constitution and law say regarding resources? It says all provinces and the Region must hand over oil and non-oil revenues [to the federal government]. The question is: why hasn't the Region handed over oil and non-oil revenues since 2023? Is it fair that provinces hand over oil revenues and non-oil revenues to this treasury vessel while the Region doesn't deliver these revenues, and then we come and distribute what's in the vessel to all Iraqis? Certainly not,” he stated.
The KRG independently exported its oil for over a decade. However, those exports were halted in March 2023 following a ruling by a Paris-based arbitration court. Exports resumed in late September after a landmark deal between Erbil, Baghdad, and international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the Region.
While the agreement initially raised hopes of easing financial tensions between the two sides, disputes have persisted.
Updated at 4:37 pm on November 8, 2025.