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What the PKK's exit from Turkey means for the Middle East
In late October, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced the unilateral withdrawal of its fighters from Turkey to northern Iraq. The announcement came on the heels of PKK fighters symbolically burning weapons in northern Iraq in July.
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U.S. emphasizes on integrating Syrian Kurdistan’s political–military structure into government
Following the historic meeting between Syrian President Ahmed al-Shar’a and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, Tom Barrack, the U.S. Special Envoy for Syria, announced that both sides have agreed on a plan to integrate the political and military structures of Syrian Kurdistan into the new government in Damascus—a move he described as a decisive step toward national unity and Syria’s reconstruction.
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Nechirvan Barzani's Million+ Vote Challenge: The Triumph of a Visionary Leadership / Bakhtiar Sajadi*
In the vibrant tapestry of Middle Eastern politics, few moments resonate as profoundly as the announcement of electoral victories that not only affirm a party's dominance but also underscore the enduring vision of its architects.
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Ahmad al-Shar’a in Washington: Do Syria’s Kurds have a place in the country’s new political equation?
Syrian President Ahmad al-Shar’a’s first official visit to Washington — which included talks with former U.S. President Donald Trump — has sparked growing debate over the future of Syria’s Kurds and their place in a potential new political framework. Analysts say Washington is attempting to strike a delicate balance between maintaining support for Kurdish forces and opening a new chapter of cooperation with the Damascus government.
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Kurdish opposition leaders express cautious optimism as Iraq holds parliamentary vote
Kurdish opposition leaders voiced cautious optimism on Tuesday as Iraqis headed to the polls for the country’s legislative elections, emphasizing the need for transparency and public trust in the voting process.
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Kurdish film, Gorg Band being filmed in Iranian Kurdish villages
Filming has begun on “Gorg Band” (literally Wolf Trap), a new feature film written and directed by Adnan Zandi and produced by Shahram Maslakhi, in the villages of Haqe and Baye in the Iranian western province Kurdistan.
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KRG delegation to visit Baghdad about unpaid salaries after election: official
A delegation from Erbil will visit Baghdad after the November 11 parliamentary election to discuss unpaid civil servant salaries, a senior Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) official said on Saturday.
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Ahmad Shar’a arrives in Washington for meeting with Trump
Ahmad Shar’a, the President of the Syrian Interim Government, has arrived in Washington at the head of a delegation to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
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SDF commander Hemo warns Kurdish–Damascus negotiations near collapse
Negotiations between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the interim Syrian government led by Ahmad al-Shar’a are close to reaching a dead end, a senior Kurdish commander has warned, raising concerns over the possibility of renewed conflict in northeastern Syria.
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Flights resume as first passenger plane from Turkey lands in Sulaimani after 2.5-year ban
The first commercial flight from Turkey landed at Sulaimani International Airport on Sunday night, ending a two-and-a-half-year suspension imposed by Ankara.
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Ocalan calls for Kurdish–Turkish unity as key to resolving Kurdish issue
Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has stated that the resolution of the Kurdish issue depends on Kurdish–Turkish unity and the full integration of Kurdish identity within the constitutional framework of the Republic of Turkey.
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Sipan Hemo warns: Syria has been divided into more than 40 regions
Sipan Hemo, the General Commander of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and a member of the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), issued a severe warning to the Syrian interim government and stated: “Some people in the Syrian capital imagine that their country has been divided into four regions, but in reality Syria is divided into more than 40 areas, each with its own administration and military force.”
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Bahceli calls for the release of prominent Kurdish politician Demirtas
Devlet Bahceli, leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and kingmaker of the current peace process in Turkey has called for the release of prominent politician Selahattin Demirtas.
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Masoud Barzani warns against using salary cuts as “political weapon” in Kurdistan region
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani warned that withholding salaries from employees in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region is being used as a “political weapon,” calling the practice “no less dangerous than the Anfal and chemical campaigns” that targeted Kurds in the past.
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Pro-Kurdish party and Erdogan hold talks to advance PKK dissolution
Senior members of Turkey’s biggest pro-Kurdish political party met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday in an attempt to advance the dissolution of the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
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Syrian government and SDF move toward military integration amid tensions and U.S. mediation
Peace talks between Syria and Kurdish fighters are picking up pace with a proposal to bring three militia units into the national army, The National has been told.
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Baghdad offered to pay Sulaimani salaries separately but we refused: Bafel Talabani
Bafel Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), revealed that Baghdad proposed to pay the salaries of Sulaimani and its surroundings separately, but the PUK rejected the offer.
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U.S.-led coalition expands military presence in Syria with new border base
Reports indicate increased movements and large-scale deliveries of military and logistical equipment by the U.S.-led international coalition to northern and eastern Syria.
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France President Macron says will visit Iraq this year
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday revealed his plans to visit Iraq this year, while hailing ongoing talks between new Damascus authorities, and the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria, during a news conference in Brussels.
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Official says Kurds want minority, women’s rights in amended Syrian constitution
Kurds want to see minority and women’s rights enshrined in the Syrian constitution after the interim government agreed to make changes, according to an official representing the Kurdish administration of northeast Syria (Rojava) in Washington.
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Sulaimani film festival opened, seeking to promot Kurdish culture through global cinema
The Fifth Slemani International Film Festival opened on Thursday with the theme “Kurdish Culture and Mother Tongue,” celebrating cinema as a bridge between Kurdish identity and global storytelling.
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In Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods, another setback for SDF-Damascus integration
A ceasefire between Syria’s transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) halted clashes in two Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Aleppo city this week, but the brief eruption of violence underscored how far the two sides remain from implementing stalled integration agreements.
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Erdogan orders end to airspace ban on Sulaimani Airport
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan decided on Thursday to lift the flight ban on Sulaimani International Airport following a request by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani.
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Poll shows majority in Turkey backs peace process with PKK
A slim majority of people in Turkey support the government’s ongoing peace efforts with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), but views vary sharply along political and ethnic lines, according to a new survey by Turkish pollster ASAL Research.
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Iraq confirms oversight of border wall construction with Syria
Iraq’s Border Guard Command confirmed on Monday that the construction of a border wall with Syria is being carried out under their supervision, countering media reports from northeast Syria (Rojava) that attributed the project to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
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Bahceli says a joint Ankara-Syria operation is certain If the SDF agreement with Damascus is not implemented
Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party of Turkey, warned the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that if the agreement signed on March 10, 2025, between the SDF and the Syrian Interim Government is not implemented, a joint military operation by Turkey and Damascus will be inevitable.
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Turkey and Damascus will not tolerate efforts to foment unrest in Syria: Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey and the Syrian government will not allow attempts to create turmoil on Syrian soil, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Tuesday.
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Nechirvan Barzani, Senior Turkish Foreign Ministry official discuss expanding joint cooperation
The President of the Kurdistan Region welcomed the Director General for Iraq and Iran Affairs at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his accompanying delegation. Both sides emphasized the expansion of joint cooperation.
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Iraqi PM Sudani, French President Macron discuss plans for regional conference
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on the phone. They discussed regional security and a planned visit to Baghdad, his office said on Saturday.
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Canada says Damascus legitimacy depends on acceptance of Kurdish Autonomy
Tom Kmiec, the Deputy Speaker of the Canadian Parliament, announced that Ottawa will only recognize the Damascus government if it accepts Kurdish autonomy in northern and eastern Syria.