Based on a Miqrab AI analysis of 405 Facebook posts trending on December 22, 2024, the social media landscape in Iraq was dominated by a mix of somber historical reflection, government development initiatives, and national pride in sports. The most engaging topic was the discovery of a mass grave from the Anfal campaign, prompting discussions on the brutalities of the former regime. Concurrently, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s highly publicized visit to Nineveh to launch major reconstruction projects, including the Mosul airport, garnered significant positive attention, signaling a focus on rebuilding and stability. Nationalistic sentiment was high following the Iraqi football team’s victory against Yemen in the Gulf Cup. Other key conversations included a high-profile legal case involving an activist, government administrative reforms such as new passport rules, and public service announcements regarding a severe upcoming cold wave.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Mass Grave from Anfal Campaign Discovered in Samawah

Multiple pages reported on the discovery of a mass grave in the Samawah desert dating back to the 1980s. According to Al-Khwa Al-Nadhifa (Post Impact: 72%), the grave contained the remains of Kurdish women and children who were victims of the Anfal campaign. The page shared images from the site, highlighting the tragic discovery. Similarly, Mona Sami (Post Impact: 12%) shared the news, using it to condemn the former Ba’athist regime, stating, “I thank God a thousand times that our children did not grow up under a system where children died once in mass graves and again from lack of medicine and food!” Page Ali Wajeeh (Post Impact: 3%) echoed this sentiment, arguing that the worst criminals in creation did not dare to justify killing a child the way Saddam and his aides did.

2. PM Al-Sudani Launches Major Development Projects in Nineveh

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s visit to Nineveh province was a major topic, with his official page and others covering his activities extensively. The Engineer Mohamed Shia Al Sudani (Post Impact: 42%) page detailed his meeting with tribal elders and representatives, where he announced that a series of infrastructure projects would launch within 30 days and set a June 10th date for the opening of Mosul International Airport. Additional posts from his page covered his inauguration of the new Nineveh provincial building (Post Impact: 22%) and a meeting with security commanders (Post Impact: 34%). Other pages like The Government Palace (Post Impact: 12%) and Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 8%) summarized the achievements of the visit, highlighting the launch of the North Thermal Power Station project and the reconstruction of the historical Nineveh Wall.

3. Iraq Celebrates Football Victory Over Yemen in Gulf Cup

The Iraqi national football team’s victory over Yemen in the Gulf Cup was a cause for widespread celebration on Facebook. Multiple pages announced the 1-0 win, congratulating the “Lions of Mesopotamia.” Set Ashwaq Om Al-Qanouniya (Post Impact: 46%) posted enthusiastically, “Aymen Hussein’s head is like oil, without them Iraq can neither solve nor tie anything. Congratulations on the win.” Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 22%) and Iraqeen W Bas (Post Impact: 11%) also reported the result of the match, held in Kuwait for the Gulf Cup 26. The celebratory sentiment was shared by public figures like Hakem Al-Zamili (Post Impact: 9%) and media pages such as Albasheer Show (Post Impact: 16%).

4. Case of Jailed Activist Hamd Farhan Gains Attention

A high-impact video post from Haider Al-Hamdani (Post Impact: 100%) focused on the case of activist Hamd Farhan, who was sentenced to six months in prison. The post promises to reveal the “truth with documents and evidence,” questioning the reasons behind the sentence and exploring the alleged connection of MP Basim Khashan to the case. The video delves into the details of the legal proceedings and the circumstances that led to Farhan’s conviction, aiming to provide a comprehensive explanation of the controversial issue to the public.

5. New Simplified Passport Issuance Procedure Announced

Several news and community pages announced a significant change in the process for obtaining an Iraqi passport. Baghdad (Post Impact: 12%) reported that the Ministry of Interior has decided to accept the National ID Card as the sole required document for issuing a passport. Crucially, citizens will now be able to apply at any passport office in the country, without being restricted to their city of residence. This information was also shared by pages like Bab Al-Toob (Post Impact: 10%) and Support for Iraqi Security Forces (Post Impact: 3%), which hailed the move as a major step toward simplifying bureaucratic procedures for citizens.

6. Severe Cold Wave Forecast for End of Year

A weather forecast from the Iraqi Meteorological Organization warning of an impending cold snap was widely circulated. Al-Khwa Al-Nadhifa (Post Impact: 29%) reported that a “severe polar cold wave” is expected at the end of the current year and the beginning of the next. This warning was echoed by regional news pages, including Diyala TV (Post Impact: 5%) and Mosul – MOSUL (Post Impact: 3%). The posts served as a public service announcement, alerting Iraqis to prepare for significantly colder temperatures during the New Year period.

7. Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Announces Halt to Operations

Commentator Rusly Al-Maliki reported on his pages that the Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada faction has announced an end to its operations against what it terms “the entity.” In posts on both his Rusly Al-Maliki – رسلي المالكي (Post Impact: 12%) page and his personal Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 6%) profile, he shared the news with the sarcastic comment, “The resistance is gone 😝..”. The announcement signifies a notable development in the activities of armed factions within the country.

8. MP Discusses Upcoming Salary Adjustment for Interior Ministry

A post by the Iraqi Council of Representatives (Post Impact: 12%) featured MP Amir Al-Ma’mouri discussing an upcoming adjustment to the nominal salaries for employees of the Ministry of Interior. According to the post, the change will affect both civilian and military personnel. The MP stated that the new salary scale is expected to range from a base of 700,000 Iraqi dinars up to 3 million dinars. This news points to significant financial reforms being planned for one of the country’s key security ministries.

9. Arrest of Blackmailers Targeting Women

The page Yalla (Post Impact: 7%) reported on the successful arrest of two individuals involved in blackmailing women. In Nasiriyah, security forces captured a man described as the “most dangerous electronic blackmailer,” who used a female voice and the alias “Sabiha” to lure women under the pretense of sorcery, ultimately extorting them with over 300 explicit videos. In a separate case in Baghdad, authorities arrested another scammer known as “Fattah Fal Baghdad,” who used the guise of performing “Istikhara” (a prayer for guidance) to deceive his victims. The report highlights the ongoing efforts of security forces to combat electronic crime.

10. Economic Hardship for Minorities Due to Alcohol Ban

A report shared by Yalla (Post Impact: 6%) detailed the severe economic consequences of the recent enforcement of an alcohol ban, particularly on Iraq’s Christian and Yazidi communities. Quoting a report from Agence France-Presse (AFP), the post claims the decision has created “economic turmoil,” affecting up to 200,000 people working in related sectors. The financial losses for Christian and Yazidi business owners are estimated at around 15 billion Iraqi dinars per month, forcing many to lose their jobs and sell assets to cover their debts. One investor described the measures as “harsh on minorities in Iraq.”