Based on a Miqrab AI analysis of 414 Facebook posts trending in Iraq on April 26, 2026, the online conversation was dominated by sharp criticism of the Ministry of Interior’s conduct, fueled by viral videos showing alleged police misconduct. Political developments were also prominent, with cleric Moqtada al-Sadr issuing strong statements against specific individuals and his Saraya al-Salam militia disavowing some of its members. International news, particularly the assassination attempt on Donald Trump and his subsequent threats against Iran, garnered significant attention and commentary. Other key topics included ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, reports of an escaped lion in Diyala, and domestic security updates on counter-terrorism operations.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Outrage Over Alleged Police Misconduct

The most engaging topic of the day was the widespread criticism directed at the Ministry of Interior following the circulation of videos depicting forceful arrests. Influencer Haider Al-Hamdani (Post Impact: 100%) shared a clip with the sarcastic caption “What a feat, men of the Interior!”, and in another post, he questioned the arrest of an elderly woman, asking, “This is your mother, your honor… how could you have the heart to arrest her?” Haider Al-Hamdani (Post Impact: 35%). In response to the backlash, the Karakh Police Command issued a clarification, shared by pages like Baghdad (Post Impact: 4%) and Iraqis Only (Post Impact: 3%), stating one incident involved a man who had “savagely assaulted” a traffic police officer, torn his uniform, and also assaulted the arresting officers. Despite this official statement, pages like Iraq’s Eyes (Post Impact: 1%) continued to demand strict measures against any officer who assaults citizens, stating “The dignity of people is a red line.”

2. Muqtada al-Sadr Condemns “Enemies of Religion”

Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr issued a strongly worded statement that was widely circulated by his official channels and news pages. The Private Office of His Eminence Muqtada al-Sadr (Post Impact: 27%) published the statement, which described a group of individuals as “enemies of religion and the doctrine… loyal to the ominous trinity” and enemies of the Sadr family, vowing to hand them over to the judiciary immediately. The statement was also shared by Saraya al-Salam – Central Media Directorate (Post Impact: 3%) and the Baghdad (Post Impact: 1%) page, which linked it to a recent armed clash in Karbala. In a related development, Saraya al-Salam’s media directorate also issued a “declaration of innocence,” disassociating the group from a list of named individuals for the sake of the “public interest and to preserve the reputation of Saraya al-Salam,” as reported by their official page (Post Impact: 8%).

3. Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump

The attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump was a major topic of discussion. News of the incident was shared by pages like Set Ashwaq Umm Al-Qanouniya (Post Impact: 3%). The event sparked commentary from Iraqi figures, with politician Mustafa Sanad (Post Impact: 7%) posting a metaphorical reaction: “This isn’t Trump who fell, damn him, this is America that fell.” Journalist Rafid Jaboori (Post Impact: 1%) also covered the event, sharing a video report on the attempt. The news captured significant attention as a major international development with potential global implications.

4. Trump Threatens Iran’s Infrastructure

Following the assassination attempt, statements attributed to Donald Trump threatening Iran circulated on Iraqi social media. The page The Clean Brotherhood (Post Impact: 4%) quoted Trump’s interview with Fox News, where he allegedly stated, “Iran has only 3 days, and then we will destroy all the infrastructure in that country.” This sentiment was echoed by Al-Adhamiya News (Post Impact: 1%), which reported a similar quote: “Trump: Iran has about 3 days before its oil infrastructure explodes.” These posts highlighted escalating tensions and fears of a potential military confrontation in the region, directly impacting Iraq’s geopolitical environment.

5. An Escaped Lion Causes Panic in Diyala

Reports of a loose lion in Diyala province captured significant local attention and concern. Diyala TV (Post Impact: 3%) was among the first to report a sighting of a lion between the areas of Dur al-Zira’a and al-Asawid. The story was elaborated on by Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 2%), who claimed the lion had escaped two days prior from a farm, killed a child and two cows, and remained at large. Following these public reports, security forces began searching for the animal, as documented by Diyala TV (Post Impact: 1%) and summarized in detail by East of Iraq (Post Impact: 1%).

6. Israel-Hezbollah Clashes Continue

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon was covered with updates on specific military operations. The Tactical Cell (Post Impact: 3%) shared footage allegedly showing Hezbollah fighters targeting an Israeli UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with an FPV drone during an evacuation operation in the town of Taybeh. In another post, the same page shared a video of an Israeli Merkava tank being destroyed by a guided anti-tank missile The Tactical Cell (Post Impact: 2%). Concurrently, Mohammed Al-Khazaie (Post Impact: 3%) reported a story from the newspaper “Israel Hayom,” claiming that “Israel resorted to a ceasefire with Hezbollah because it is unable to confront it.”

7. Concerns Over Salary Deductions and Suspensions

Economic anxieties were highlighted through discussions about unexplained salary issues. Maher Mouhi::Voice of the Nation’s Protectors (Post Impact: 4%) raised the alarm about salary deductions by Rafidain and Rasheed banks, asking his followers if they had experienced similar cuts. Separately, a political response was reported concerning the suspended salaries of martyrs and wounded personnel. Khalid Al-Obeidi (Post Impact: 1%) described a meeting chaired by Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi to address the issue. Following this, Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 1%) confirmed that Halbousi had directed that the suspended salaries be released immediately.

8. Attempted Assassination of Dirgham Majid

An alleged assassination attempt against an individual named Dirgham Majid was reported, with specific accusations leveled against members of a political faction. Ahmed Al-Washah (Post Impact: 5%) claimed that four individuals from the city of Ijbela carried out the attack on Dirgham Majid. The post detailed that after the operation, the attackers disposed of their motorcycles and were picked up by a Tahoe vehicle belonging to a member of parliament from Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq. Al-Washah further alleged that two of the perpetrators were brothers who work in the MP’s protection detail. This specific and serious accusation circulated as a key security development.

9. Counter-Terrorism Forces Announce Arrests

Official security channels reported on successful operations against ISIS remnants across several provinces. The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) issued a statement, shared by its official page (Post Impact: 1%) and the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (Post Impact: 1%) page, detailing the arrest of four terrorists in Baghdad, Anbar, Sulaymaniyah, and Diyala. The statement affirmed that these operations were based on precise intelligence. Additionally, The Tactical Cell (Post Impact: 2%) reported on broader CTS operations in the same provinces, which included destroying hideouts and seizing weapons and equipment belonging to the defeated organization.

10. PM Selection Reportedly Remains at an Impasse

Political news focused on the ongoing deadlock within the Coordination Framework regarding the selection of a new prime minister. Al-Adhamiya News (Post Impact: 1%) reported that the Framework had once again failed to choose a candidate and postponed its meeting. Adding to this narrative, the page From Baghdad (Post Impact: 1%) claimed that current Prime Minister Al-Sudani had informed Nouri al-Maliki of his rejection of Al-Badri’s candidacy, purportedly stating, “I am the one who chooses the prime minister, not you!” This highlights the deep divisions and power struggles complicating the formation of a new government.