Based on an analysis of 489 Facebook posts on March 12, 2025 by Miqrab AI, the most dominant theme in Iraq’s social media landscape was sports, particularly European football, which garnered the highest engagement by a significant margin. Following this, political and security news held significant sway, with posts detailing the activities of prominent political figures like Muqtada al-Sadr and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani, as well as security incidents such as the death of a high-ranking officer in a car crash. Social issues and crime also featured prominently, including widespread condemnation of attacks on Syrian workers and the murder of a journalist in Baghdad, sparking demands for justice. Finally, human interest stories and commemorations of national figures and activists resonated with audiences, reflecting a blend of entertainment, political discourse, and social commentary.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Real Madrid Advances to Champions League Quarter-Finals

The most engaging story was Real Madrid’s victory over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. Pages like Al-Khawa Al-Nadifa (Post Impact: 100%) and Set Ashwaq Om Al-Qanouniya (Post Impact: 41%) reported that Real Madrid won on penalty kicks to advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face Arsenal. The celebratory posts emphasized the team’s resilience, with one page noting, “The Royal does not die in the Champions League.” Other pages, including Hussein – IMADTech (Post Impact: 22%) and Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 18%), also covered the win. Additionally, Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 14%) shared a detail about player Vinícius Jr. gesturing to the Atletico fans about Real Madrid’s 15 championship titles, further provoking them.

2. Pages Commemorate Martyr Captain Harith Al-Sudani

Iraqi social media pages commemorated Captain Harith Al-Sudani, an intelligence officer from the Falcons Cell who infiltrated ISIS and was later executed by the group. The page Support for the Iraqi Security Forces (Post Impact: 47%) shared what it described as a “rare picture” of the martyr. Similarly, journalist Muna Sami (Post Impact: 3%) wrote about the heroes of the Falcons Cell, mentioning Al-Sudani by name and stating, “Why are fictional spy stories written for children, when the reality of the men of Iraq is more exciting than fiction?” These posts reflect a continued reverence for those who sacrificed their lives in the fight against ISIS.

3. Muqtada al-Sadr’s Ramadan Meetings and Lectures

The official page for Muqtada al-Sadr was active in sharing his Ramadan engagements. In a highly-engaged post, The Private Office of His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr (Post Impact: 33%) announced that al-Sadr received Sayyid Munir Al-Khabbaz at his home in Al-Hanana, where they emphasized the importance of “friendly communication and good relations.” The same page also shared a video of al-Sadr’s sixth Quranic interpretation lecture (Post Impact: 22%) on Surah Al-Mursalat and posted a document with his answered questions (Post Impact: 20%) for the 12th night of Ramadan, maintaining a strong connection with his followers during the holy month.

4. Colonel and Guards Killed in Maysan Traffic Accident

News of a fatal traffic accident involving a senior security official circulated widely. The page Khabar Ajel (Urgent News) (Post Impact: 31%) reported that Colonel Jaafar, the Director of Tribal Affairs in Maysan, was killed along with his four guards in a car crash near the Ali al-Gharbi checkpoint in the province. The Iraqi Ministry of Interior (Post Impact: 7%) and the Media Office of the Minister of Interior (Post Impact: 4%) both issued official statements of condolence, naming the deceased as Brigadier General Jaafar Hato Fakher Al-Moussawi and confirming the death of three personnel who were with him.

5. Albasheer Show to Interview U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson

Anticipation is building for an upcoming episode of the popular satirical program, Albasheer Show. Both the official page of the Albasheer Show (Post Impact: 22%) and the personal page of host Ahmed Albasheer (Post Impact: 15%) announced a “special meeting” with U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson. The posts promoted the segment as an “exceptional interview” and informed viewers to tune in on Friday at 10 PM. This announcement generated significant buzz among the show’s large following.

6. Tributes Pour in for Deceased Basra Activist Hussam Al-Atabi

A series of emotional posts mourned the death of Hussam Al-Atabi, an activist from Basra. Fellow activist Ammar Al-Halfi (Post Impact: 22%) lamented the difficult circumstances faced by some activists, stating that Al-Atabi had “not even a foot of land in life or even in death.” In another post (Post Impact: 19%), Al-Halfi described Al-Atabi as an orphan who was the sole provider for his sisters, wife, and children, and who dedicated his life to humanitarian work, especially helping the poor with medical operations. Al-Halfi also made a call to action (Post Impact: 11%) for people in Najaf to join the funeral procession.

7. Defense Minister Promises Jobs and Land Plots for Army

Statements from the Minister of Defense, Thabit Al-Abbasi, regarding benefits for military personnel were shared by the page Maher Mouhi::Voice of the Homeland Protectors (Post Impact: 8%). The page quoted the minister promising that all Iraqi army fighters will receive plots of land and that these lands “will not be given for investment.” In another post (Post Impact: 9%), the same page reported that Minister Al-Abbasi stated the Ministry of Defense is in need of 50,000 new job positions. These announcements address key demands of military service members and potential recruits.

8. PM Al Sudani’s Iftar with Orphans and Development Projects

The official pages of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani highlighted his recent activities. The page of Engineer Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani (Post Impact: 8%) shared that he received and congratulated the Iraqi veteran’s football team for winning a Gulf tournament in Kuwait. In another update (Post Impact: 7%), he was shown chairing a meeting on the development project for the Adhamiya district of Baghdad. Furthermore, the Al-Qasr Al-Hukoumi (Post Impact: 4%) page shared photos of the Prime Minister sharing an Iftar meal with orphaned students from the “Al-Farah” schools at the Government Palace.

9. Masked Group’s Attack on Syrian Workers Condemned

A video showing an assault on Syrian workers in Iraq drew widespread condemnation. The page Maraya (Post Impact: 8%) reported that a masked group calling itself “Popular Ya Ali Formations” attacked the workers, describing the behavior as “disgraceful conduct that contradicts the human and moral values we cherish, and is far from the morals of our society and our religion.” The story was also covered by Al Jazeera – Iraq (Post Impact: 4%), which framed the incident as sparking “Syrian anger.” Salem Mashkour (Post Impact: 8%) shared a screenshot from the video with the sarcastic caption, “The brother is keen on the rights of Syrians.”

10. Journalist Laith Mohammed Killed in Baghdad Dispute

Multiple pages reported the killing of journalist Laith Mohammed in Baghdad. World Jokes Through Iraqi Eyes (Post Impact: 4%) stated that he was shot dead by the driver of a black G-Class vehicle without license plates after a heated argument, alleging the killer is security for a senior official. The page Iraq (Post Impact: 4%) shared a video from the victim’s tribe, Al-Sawaed, who stated they “refuse to hold a funeral until his right is taken,” claiming the killer has backing from a political party. Iraqi Economists (Post Impact: 3%) mourned the loss of their colleague, who was a Ph.D. candidate, and called for an immediate investigation.