The Iraqi Council of Ministers today approved a draft agreement aimed at resolving financial disputes between Erbil and Baghdad and facilitating the disbursement of salaries for civil servants in the Kurdistan Region, according to a well-informed source cited by The New Region. Separately, a large fire at a newly opened shopping mall in Kut, eastern Iraq, resulted in at least 50 fatalities, as reported by the governor, with other sources indicating at least 77 people killed or injured, according to Worldsource24 and Osint613. The incident occurred today, July 17th. In the Kurdistan Region, two drone incidents were reported today. The Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Directorate stated that a drone attacked the DNO oil field in Tawke, Zakho Autonomous Administration, at 10:55 AM. Additionally, an explosive-laden drone crashed near the village of Sûrêja in Erbil province at 10:50 AM, with no reported casualties or material damage, as stated by the Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Directorate.
