Based on 475 Facebook posts analyzed on March 24, 2025, Miqrab AI identified several key themes dominating online conversations in Iraq. The most engaging content revolved around community events, such as a highly popular online contest for an upcoming national football match. A significant news event was the sudden death of former Civil Defense Director Kazim Bohan, which prompted condolences from top government officials and was widely shared across news pages. Political discourse included recollections of atrocities under Saddam Hussein’s regime, discussions of new government regulations imposing fees on social media influencers, and reports on US pressure on Baghdad to curb the influence of armed factions and Iran. Other notable topics included praise for the sacrifices of security forces during Ramadan, the activities of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and the re-election of Ahlam Allami as the head of the Iraqi Bar Association.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Giveaway for Iraq vs. Palestine Match Drives High Engagement

The most engaging post of the day centered on the national football team’s upcoming match against Palestine. The page Set Ashwaq Umm al-Qanounia (Post Impact: 100%) launched a contest asking followers to predict the match’s outcome for a chance to win one of ten 50,000 IQD coupons, adding, “This means Eid clothes are covered.” The high value of the prizes and the popularity of the national team drove massive interaction. Another page, Diyala TV (Post Impact: 6%), also encouraged its followers to predict the score, indicating broad interest in the match across different platforms.

2. Officials Mourn Death of Former Civil Defense Director

The sudden death of Lieutenant General Kazim Bohan, the former Director of Civil Defense and a technical advisor to the Minister of Interior, was a major topic of discussion. Pages like Al-Khuwa al-Nadhifa (Post Impact: 35%) and Khabar Ajel (Post Impact: 15%) reported that he passed away from a heart attack during an Iftar banquet. Official condolences were issued by the Media Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister (Post Impact: 14%) and the Iraqi Ministry of Interior (Post Impact: 14%), whose minister, Abdul Amir al-Shammari, praised Bohan as one of the “best honest and brave officers who dedicated himself to Iraq and the service of his ministry.”

3. Memories of Atrocities Under Saddam Hussein’s Regime Resurface

Discussion surrounding atrocities committed during Saddam Hussein’s rule gained significant traction. A video shared by Mohammed Al-Khozaie (Post Impact: 70%) featured former judge Wael Abdul Latif recounting a “story that makes the skin crawl” about executions that took place under the former regime, including that of a child. In a separate post, analyst Fadhel Abu Ragheef (Post Impact: 31%) shared a video asking who was behind the planning and execution of the assassination of Ayatollah Mohammed Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr (referred to as the Second Martyr), an event widely blamed on the Ba’athist regime.

4. New Government Fees for Social Media Influencers Spark Debate

A new regulation from the Communications and Media Commission imposing annual fees on social media content creators generated considerable online discussion. Influencer Set Ashwaq Umm al-Qanounia (Post Impact: 39%), who has 2.5 million followers, reacted by asking, “What is this now, a tax on pages? How much will they take from me?” The page Ahdath Erbil (Post Impact: 11%) broke down the fee structure, specifying that fees range from 250,000 IQD for accounts with over 100,000 followers to 1,000,000 IQD for those with over 5 million. Blogger Shojaa Faris (Post Impact: 7%) also commented on the decision.

5. Reports of US Pressure on Iraq Over Militias and Iran

Pages discussed what they described as increasing pressure from Washington on the Iraqi government. Al-Khuwa al-Nadhifa (Post Impact: 34%) reported on a US State Department demand that the Iraqi government must control all armed factions within its territory and that its decisions “should not be in Iran.” Similarly, Rusly Al-Maliki – Rusli Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 14%) listed alleged directives from Washington, including stopping the flow of US dollars to Iran, preventing Iraq from becoming a haven for groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, and restructuring the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

6. Pages Honor Sacrifices of Security Forces During Ramadan

A coordinated campaign praised the contributions of Iraqi security forces during the holy month of Ramadan. Posts by Tele Iraq – Tele Iraq (Post Impact: 21%) and Tele Iraq – Tele Iraq Media (Post Impact: 19%) highlighted that many security personnel are spending sacred nights away from their families to ensure citizens can celebrate safely. The pages emphasized that the forces’ “love for our country is as strong as our faith, and their duty is as sacred as our prayers,” encouraging followers to share stories of those who have sacrificed for the safety of others.

7. Muqtada al-Sadr’s Office Highlights Ramadan Activities

The official Facebook page for the office of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was active in promoting his religious and charitable endeavors. The page The Private Office of His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr (Post Impact: 26%) published answers from the cleric to religious questions. Other posts documented the revival of Laylat al-Qadr at the Fatima al-Zahra Mosque in Najaf and shared a video from the Al-Sadr family’s guest house providing Iftar meals to families in Lebanon, an initiative ordered by al-Sadr to continue throughout Ramadan.

8. Ahlam Allami Re-elected as First Female Bar Association Head

Multiple pages celebrated the re-election of Ahlam Allami as the head of the Iraqi Bar Association, highlighting her historic position. Baghdad (Post Impact: 16%) and journalist Muna Sami (Post Impact: 14%) both noted that she is the first woman to hold this role since the syndicate was established in 1933. Sami stated that her victory is not only a personal success but “proof of the effective role of Iraqi women in leading institutions and decision-making, and an affirmation that women are capable of breaking all barriers.”

9. Anbar Awakening Leader Makes Accusations Against Ahmed al-Sharaa

A highly engaged post by Khabar Ajel (Post Impact: 52%) featured controversial claims from Jabar Ajaj, a leader in the Anbar Awakening movement. In a clip from an interview on Zagros TV, Ajaj alleged that Ahmed al-Sharaa (a prominent Sunni figure) used to fight against the Iraqi army and police in Anbar province. Ajaj dismissed the narrative that al-Sharaa was fighting American forces, calling it an “abject lie.”

10. Parliament Votes to Reinstate ‘Mahawalat’ Exam System

Several political pages announced that the Iraqi Parliament has voted to recommend the reinstatement of the “Mahawalat” (attempts) system for sixth-grade students. Parliamentarians Adnan Al-Zurfi (Post Impact: 7%) and MP Mohammed Nuri Aziz (Post Impact: 4%), along with the page Diyala TV (Post Impact: 5%), confirmed the vote. The decision urges the Ministry of Education to bring back the system, which allows students additional opportunities to pass their crucial final exams.