Based on an analysis of 663 X / Twitter posts trending on January 21, 2025, Miqrab AI identified several key narratives dominating online conversations in Iraq. The most prominent theme was the passage of controversial legislation by the Iraqi Parliament, specifically the General Amnesty Law and an amendment to the Personal Status Law, which sparked widespread outrage and debate over their societal and political implications. Another significant topic was a deadly security incident in Tarmiyah, which claimed the lives of several security personnel and fueled calls for harsh measures in the area. Discussions also revolved around the political implications of Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency, renewed sectarian tensions highlighted by events in Syria and an incident involving Iraqis and Syrians in the Netherlands, and domestic political criticism targeting the Coordination Framework for corruption and legislative failures.

Today’s Top 10 X (Twitter) Trends in Iraq:

1. Parliament Passes Controversial “Package Deal” Laws

Widespread criticism erupted on X after the Iraqi Parliament passed a “package deal” of three controversial laws in a single vote: the General Amnesty Law, an amendment to the Personal Status Law, and a law on real estate. Accounts like Sajjad Salem (Post Impact: 37%) and Noor Nafea Al-Jelihawi (Post Impact: 32%) described the session as a “farce,” with the latter noting that some members left the hall in protest. Haidar (Post Impact: 21%) reported the Personal Status Law will transfer marriage and divorce contracts to Sunni and Shia endowments instead of civil courts, while Bahaa khaleel (Post Impact: 17%) sarcastically congratulated supporters of the “child marriage law.” The General Amnesty Law was criticized for potentially releasing terrorists and corrupt individuals like Nour Zuhair, with Ahmed Al-Thawaq (Post Impact: 36%) appealing to the Federal Court to reject it. Conversely, Mohammed Al-Halbousi (Post Impact: 21%) celebrated the law as the “Law for the Justice of the Innocent.”

2. Deadly Security Incident in Tarmiyah Kills Officers

A security incident in Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad, resulted in the deaths of multiple security personnel, sparking mourning and anger online. Initial reports from Haidar (Post Impact: 30%) mentioned six casualties from a “treacherous Daesh attack,” with the number later rising to ten, including a commander, intelligence officer, and company commander. An official statement from the Iraqi Armed Forces, shared by Haidar (Post Impact: 12%), attributed the incident to the accidental explosion of an old, hidden ammunition cache during a security operation, stating three officers were killed and four others wounded. The Iraqi National Security Service (Post Impact: 12%) posted a Quranic verse in mourning. Fadhil Abu Ragheef (Post Impact: 10%) eulogized one of the victims, Intelligence Officer Major Hisham Hassan Obaid Al-Hasnawi, as a hero.

3. Commentary on Donald Trump’s Return to Presidency

The return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency prompted significant commentary regarding its implications for Iraq and the Middle East. Faig Al-Sheikh Ali (Post Impact: 51%) warned against optimism over Trump’s “peaceful” rhetoric, reminding followers that Trump previously urged Netanyahu to strike Iran’s nuclear reactors. Haidar (Post Impact: 36%) shared a clip of Trump stating his first foreign trip would be to Saudi Arabia again if they agreed to pay $450 billion. This was echoed by Najah Mohammed Ali (Post Impact: 18%), who noted Trump was now raising the price to half a trillion dollars due to inflation. Meanwhile, Mahdi Majeed (Post Impact: 34%) claimed that some Iraqis would soon meet with Trump and his administration to present points on “liberating Iraq from the authority of Iran and its tails.”

4. Iraqis Force Syrians to Apologize in the Netherlands

A video shared by Haidar (Post Impact: 100%) with very high engagement shows a group of Iraqis in the Netherlands forcing Syrian individuals to apologize to the Iraqi people and the holy city of Karbala. According to the post, the Syrians had previously chanted “We are coming, O Quneitra” but were made to change their chant to “We are coming, O Karbala” as part of their apology. The incident highlights sectarian tensions extending to the Iraqi and Syrian diaspora communities in Europe.

5. Reports of “Massacres” Against Shiites in Homs, Syria

Several accounts reported on alleged attacks against the Shiite population in Homs, Syria, by what they describe as terrorist groups. Wasan Al-Sheikhli (Post Impact: 48%) claimed that “massacres and field executions” were occurring against Shiites in Homs, asserting that “sectarianism rules Syria.” Similarly, Hassan Al-Kaabi (Post Impact: 27%) stated that “Al-Julani’s terrorist gangs” were carrying out an “extermination campaign against Shiite civilians in the village of Al-Ghour Al-Gharbiyah” in the western Homs countryside, a sentiment he repeated in another post. These posts reflect deep concern among some Iraqi social media users about the fate of Shiite communities in post-conflict Syria.

6. Coordination Framework Blamed for Corruption and Controversial Laws

The Coordination Framework faced direct accusations of political and moral responsibility for passing controversial legislation and enabling corruption. Parliamentarian Sajjad Salem (Post Impact: 43%) stated that the deal for the “child marriage law and the pardon for Nour Zuhair is borne politically and morally by the Coordination Framework.” In another post, Salem (Post Impact: 37%) expanded his criticism, holding the Framework responsible for “chaos,” its “insistence on pardoning the corrupt,” its defense of Nour Zuhair, and laws permitting child marriage and denying women inheritance rights. He described the current state of affairs as an unprecedented decline that has harmed Iraq’s wealth and reputation.

7. Kurdish Leaders Send Condolences After Fatal Fire in Turkey

Leaders from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq expressed their sympathies following a deadly fire in Bolu, Turkey. Masrour Barzani (Post Impact: 48%), Prime Minister of the KRG, posted that he was “saddened by the tragic fire” and offered his condolences to the victims’ families and the people and government of Turkey. Similarly, Nechirvan Barzani (Post Impact: 36%), President of the Kurdistan Region, stated he was “deeply saddened” and that his “thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of Türkiye.” These posts underscore the diplomatic ties between the KRG and Turkey.

8. Calls to Disband Militias Instead of Army Integration

The topic of integrating armed factions into the Iraqi military sparked calls for their complete dissolution instead. Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 40%) argued that merging the factions with the army is “rejected” because it would create an “Iranian infection within the armed forces,” giving Iran “eyes and guides in the army that we will not get rid of for a generation.” He concluded that “completely dissolving the factions is the radical solution to the farce of weapons.” This sentiment follows a statement from the Prime Minister, mentioned by Omar Al-Janabi (Post Impact: 9%), that the government is working to “integrate the armed factions within legal and institutional frameworks,” a move seen as a reaction to Trump’s inauguration.

9. Expressions of Shia Pride and Generosity

Amidst political and security news, high-engagement posts celebrated Shia identity and values. Wasan Al-Sheikhli (Post Impact: 82%) shared a video with the simple but powerful statement, “Baghdad is Shia forever.” In a different vein, Essam Hussein (Post Impact: 70%) contrasted the high price of bananas during Saddam Hussein’s era with their free distribution at processions for Imam Musa al-Kadhim today. He used this as an example of Shia generosity, stating, “The country that does not have Shiites does not know the meaning of generosity.” These posts reflect a strong sense of sectarian pride and cultural identity.

10. Alleged Misuse of Government Vehicle and Drone

A video posted by _. suhair Al_jumaili (Post Impact: 85%) sparked a conversation about the misuse of state resources. The post shows a citizen with a government-owned vehicle demonstrating and testing a drone in a desert area with other individuals. The user questions the accountability of officials, asking, “Is the Minister of Interior asleep? Awake?” This post highlights public concern over the lack of oversight and potential abuse of government property by officials or those connected to them.