Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Your Views
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols interviewed on live Arab American radio in Detroit with host Ray Hanania Friday Dec. 9, 2022
    Nichols discusses need to improve Arab-Black relations in Chicagoland American Arabs
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions — no Arabs included American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Pritzker again ignores needs of Arab businesses in latest appointments Activism
  • Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) official candidate endorsements for the November 8, 2022 General elections.
    Arab American Democratic Club issues endorsements for Nov. 8, 2022 Cook County Illinois elections Activism
  • Arab Democrats urge NO VOTE on Gov. J.B. Pritzker re-election bid Activism
  • Assyrian American GOP issues endorsements in Nov, 8, 2022 elections
    Assyrian American GOP group endorses candidates in Illinois Activism
  • Abdullah Hammoud, elected Mayor of Dearborn Nov. 2, 2021. Photo courtesy of Abdullah Hammoud Facebook Page
    AHRC’s 2022 Spirit of Humanity Gala a Great Success American Arabs
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts Arab World
  • Rep. Cyril Nichols to be feted by supporters at fundraiser Saturday Oct. 22 Activism
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri Activism
Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Tank (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kurdish journalist killed, others attacked amid post referendum tensions

Posted on October 30, 2017 By rayhanania No Comments on Kurdish journalist killed, others attacked amid post referendum tensions
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Kurdish journalist killed, others attacked amid post referendum tensions

New York, October 30, 2017– CPJ today condemned attacks against the Kurdish media in Iraq and called on all parties to refrain from targeting the press as political and military tensions escalate over a Kurdish independence bid. In recent days, attackers stabbed to death a journalist, a mob attacked two TV crews, and Iraq’s media regulator ordered two stations to cease broadcasting.

Early today, eight masked men forced their way into the Daquq home of Arkan Sharifi, a cameraman for Kurdistan TV, and stabbed the journalist to death in front of his family, his employer and other local media reported. Sharifi had only recently returned to the city near Kirkuk. The journalist, who is also the head teacher at a village school, had left the city when the Iraqi-led Popular Mobilization Front seized Daquq, according to Kurdistan TV.

Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Tank
Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Tank (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kurdistan TV, which is affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has been covering clashes between Kurdish Peshmerga forces and the Popular Mobilization Front in northeastern Iraq, as well as killings and kidnappings allegedly carried out by the Popular Mobilization Front in Kirkuk. The Front denies allegations of human rights violations, according to reports.

The stabbing, alongside an unrelated attack on two TV crews in Erbil, and the Iraqi media regulator ordering the Kurdish satellite channels Rudaw TV and Kurdistan 24 to cease broadcasting, took place in regions currently or until recently under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government. Iraqi Kurdistan and the areas surrounding Kirkuk have seen unrest after the region held an independence referendum last month and Iraqi forces took Kirkuk from Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.

“Regional authorities should thoroughly investigate and prosecute the murder of Arkan Sharifi, and must also investigate the attacks on NRT and KNN journalists,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Coordinator Sherif Mansour in Washington D.C. “Iraqi and Kurdish parties must stop using journalists as political pawns to settle their scores, and the Iraqi media regulator should immediately allow Rudaw TV and Kurdistan 24 to resume broadcasts.”

Yesterday, a mob in Erbil attacked TV crews working for the independent broadcaster NRT (Nalia Radio and Television) and KNN (Kurdish News Network), a station affiliated with the Gorran party, which opposes the de-facto two party system in areas under Kurdish rule. At the time the journalists were broadcasting outside the Kurdish Parliament after President Masoud Barzani announced his resignation, according to news reports and the local human rights group 17 Shubat.

NRT posted a video to its website yesterday showing assailants in plainclothes wielding sticks and shouting in Kurdish, “He works for NRT, attack him, beat him,” before an attacker swings at the cameraman, who dropped his equipment. Rebwar Kakaiy, a reporter for the station, suffered a severe neck injury and KNN’s Erbil correspondent Saleh Harki was left with a bruised back, the news reports said. Ragaz Kamal, co-founder of 17 Shubat, shared with CPJ a picture showing Harki’s bruises.

In a video posted on a Facebook page of PDK News, a news website affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), an attacker can be heard telling the others not to attack the Rudaw TV crew, which is affiliated with Barzani’s KDP party.

NRT deputy newsroom manager Soran Rashid told CPJ that earlier today assailants attempted to break into the broadcaster’s office in the northern city of Duhok, 155km from Erbil. Rashid said that security forces stopped the attackers reaching the office, which was empty because the station, which is based in a KDP stronghold, was anticipating an attack because of the unrest. “We have asked the security forces to intervene,” Rashid said.

Separately, the Iraqi Commission of Media and Communications on October 28 ordered the Kurdish satellite channels Rudaw TV and Kurdistan 24 to cease broadcasts. The regulator accused the channels of lacking official registration, inciting violence and hate, and undermining social peace and security, the channel and two local press freedom groups who denounced the decision said today. The commission banned their crews from operating, and authorized the seizure of the station’s equipment throughout Iraq, Rudaw reported. CPJ was unable to determine if the stations complied with the order or how long the ban will last.

Both outlets issued statements denying the accusations. In a statement, Rudaw said that it was not officially notified of the ban, and that the regulator’s decision was sent to various Iraqi security officials and telecommunications companies, including those broadcasting the channel. The regulator did not immediately return CPJ’s request for comment sent via social media.

Last month, Turkish authorities ordered Kurdistan 24 and Rudaw TV to be removed from the country’s main satellite provider Turksat, over allegations that the stations promoted Kurdish independence, according to reports. Last year, Rudaw was banned by Kurdish authorities in Syria over allegations of spreading false news and promoting disunity.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States - January 19, 2023
  • Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 - January 18, 2023
  • CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd - January 12, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Arab World, Editors Picks, Iraq, Journalism, Kurdish, Kurds, Middle East, News Tags:Baghdad, Iraqi-Kurdistan, journalist, Journalists, Kurdish, Kurdistan, Kurds, reporter

Post navigation

Previous Post: Imam Mohammed Zafarullah will serve the Chicagoland Community
Next Post: Reza Aslan publishes new book on God

Related Posts

  • Why Muslims and Arabs should vote for Trump American Arabs
  • World Series newspapers Nov. 3, 2016
    How racism infects the American mainstream news media American Arabs
  • From One Palestinian: Dear Bretha Von Suttner, Wake Up! Bloggers
  • David Cameron’s failed policy on terrorism and extremism Arab World
  • Wheaton professor says views don’t contradict Christianity American Arabs
  • Vanunu Mordechai’s 34th Year Captivity Continues at Facebook Arab World

More Related Articles

Jerusalem map Israel’s Donald John Trump Station and Wailing Walls Arab World
Chicagoland Muslims reject criticism from Carson, Trump at Eid gathering American Arabs
Yemeni and Arab Americans protest against immigration restrictions. Photo courtesy of the YAMAUSA.org Yemeni organization in New York Arab Americans votes and the Yemen war Arab World
UN Headquarters New York UN Resolution to Outlaw Nuclear Weapons #GoodByeNukes #FreeVanunu Arab World
Jack Shaheen was one of the celebrities honoring former White House Dean and Journalist Helen Thomas at the 2011 Images and Perception Conferences hosted by activist Siham Awada Jaafar in Dearborn. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania American Arabs mourn passing of author Jack Shaheen American Arabs
President Bouteflika, Algeria (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Algeria’s State: Between Deep State’s Denial and Opposition’s Delusion Abdennour Toumi

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?
    January 17, 2023
  • Image from Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's "A Compendium of Chronicles. Image courtesy of Wikipedia
    Why allow religious extremists to re-define Islam in the West?
    January 10, 2023
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    This Thanksgiving, let’s use our Blessings for good
    November 23, 2022
  • NEWS
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022
    January 4, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri
    October 19, 2022

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib, book cover. Photo courtesy of Cune Press
    Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib
    November 1, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme