Iran says 13 ISIS affiliates arrested for planning suicide attacks ISIS’ Khorasan branch has conducted numerous attacks against Iran in recent years, prompting authorities to pursue its members. Iran
US Syria envoy Barrack says troop drawdown to continue, support for Kurds to remain Trump’s ambassador to Ankara told a Turkish TV news outlet that American troops will eventually draw down to a single base in Syria, but that Washington is unlikely to abandon the Kurdish-led forces. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Turkey, Syria, Jordan launch anti-ISIS ops center in Damascus: What to know The coordination unit began operations on May 19 in Damascus as the Turkish president accused the SDF of stalling on an integration deal with Damascus. Turkey
Turkey’s intel chief Kalin makes surprise visit to Syria, meets Sharaa Kalin's visit comes as a Turkish delegation arrives in Washington to discuss sanctions relief on Syria with the Trump administration. Turkey
Feature Nightlife rocks Raqqa as Syria’s Islamist leaders navigate power By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Exclusive Syria's Kurds say Trump aid cuts are feeding radicalism in ISIS camps By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Netanyahu set to meet Trump amid differences over Iran, tariffs and Turkey: What to know United States
Russian airstrikes target Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria The al-Qaeda offshoot is focused on defending its territory from Russian-backed Syrian government forces, but it has also clashed with the Islamic State recently. Syria
Iraq's war-battered cities grapple with rising resistance to antibiotics Six years after the liberation of Mosul from the Islamic State, the city battles a silent enemy: abnormally high rates of multidrug-resistant infections. It's a phenomenon fueled by decades of war that poses a massive threat to global health. Iraq
Iran claims Israel behind shrine attack, pledges revenge The shooting renewed debates on Iran's intelligence failures in thwarting deadly attacks in contrast to the official assertion that the country is an "island of stability" in a volatile Middle East. Iran
Islamic State attack kills 26 Syrian soldiers, third in 2 weeks The deadly attack, the group’s third this month, follows the death of another one of its leaders. Syria
US, Iraq defense chiefs discuss post-Islamic State strategy Congress has long sought answers as to how the Pentagon plans to prepare Iraq’s military forces to stand on their own after the defeat of the Islamic State. This week, the Biden administration took a first step. Iraq
Islamic State attack in Raqqa kills 10 Syrian soldiers, second in a week IS militants attacked several positions and checkpoints of the Syrian government and allied fighters in the group’s former stronghold of Raqqa. Syria
Iraq's Mosul rises from Islamic State ashes to rebuild minarets, museum As Mosul makes a slow revival from the remnants of war, a host of challenges remain, including corrupt officials and institutional weaknesses in Iraq. Iraq
Blinken urges coalition partners to repatriate Islamic State fighters in Syria At a gathering in Riyadh of the global alliance to defeat IS, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked partners to repatriate their detained citizens and announced new funding for stabilization work in Iraq and Syria. Syria
Syrian girls play soccer among ghosts of Islamic State Raqqa's first-ever girls' soccer team is blooming where Islamic State once terrorized the society. Syria
Islamic State women use children as 'sex tools,' Syrian Kurdish officials say Officials in northeast Syria tell Al-Monitor that women in Islamic State internment camps are forcing young boys to impregnate women as part of an alleged IS campaign to "go forth and multiply." Syria
Syria’s Kurds turn to UAE to ease tensions with Assad An alleged trip to the UAE capital by Syrian Democratic Forces chief Mazloum Kobane, which Emirati officials deny, came just before he was targeted by a Turkish drone last month. Legacy: Gulf
US does not confirm Turkey’s claim of killing Islamic State leader in Syria The US administration said it had no information to support Ankara’s claim to have killed the Islamic State leader. Turkey
