Grenade attack on IRGC kills 2 in Iran’s Kurdistan province: What to know The deadly assault comes amid recurring tensions and clashes in Iran’s Kurdish-majority western region. Iran
Culture Turkey's women, LGBTQ artists top targets of Erdogan's drive for cultural hegemony From pop stars to performers, Turkey’s secular arts scene faces increasing pressure under Erdogan’s conservative push. Turkey
UK’s top spy uses farewell from Turkey to lure Russian recruits, sparks fury The outgoing MI6 chief called on Russians with "truths to share" to contact the agency, sparking diplomatic unease just days before Erdogan’s White House meeting. Turkey
Turkey’s spy chief in Damascus as Israel, Syria weigh new security map Ibrahim Kalin’s visit comes as Israel presses Syria on a buffer zone plan and Turkey frets over Kurdish autonomy. Turkey
Exclusive UK-based oil firm victim of standoff between Damascus, Syria’s Kurds By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis Iraqi Kurdish factional feuds erupt anew with violent arrest of Lahur Talabani By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Archive Upfront from Oct 17, 2022 Are Syria’s HTS jihadis Turkey’s new friends? After Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the jihadi faction that runs the northwestern province of Idlib, moved into Afrin, the question of where Turkey stands in this power grab is of critical importance. Turkey
Tehran strikes Kurdish opponents in Iraq as protests over Mahsa Amini’s death convulse Iran Iran ramps up its bombing campaign in northern Iraq in what Iraqi Kurds argue is an attempt to divert the world's attention from the killing of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. Iraq
Turkish celebrities, including jailed Kurdish politician, cut hair for Mahsa Amini Women activists, celebrities and jailed Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas cut their hair in solidarity with Mahsa Amini, the Iranian Kurdish woman who died in detention by Iran’s morality police. Turkey
Culture Syrian opposition launches program to teach Kurdish language in Aleppo Syrian Kurds in the areas of the Syrian opposition welcomed the decision to launch a program to teach the Kurdish language at the opposition-affiliated Free Aleppo University in the city of Azaz. Syria
US extends military support for Iraq’s Kurdistan Region The renewed agreement entails further steps to reform peshmerga forces as Pentagon aims to prepare Iraq’s forces for long-term self-sufficiency. Iraqi-Kurdistan
Deadly intra-Shiite violence rattles Iraq’s Kurds Kurds are "deeply troubled by the new cycle of violence in Iraq" and look to be peacemakers. Iraq
Barzani says former Turkish president wanted federation with Iraq’s Kurds In his memoir, Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani shares that Turkey's former President Turgut Ozal had once floated the idea of "annexing" Iraqi Kurdistan. Turkey
Islamic State threatens Kurdish workers in northeast Syria The Islamic State is threatening to kill employees in the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor if they continue to report to their jobs. Syria
Will Iraq's Sunnis, Kurds support early elections? Iraq’s Sunni and Kurdish forces are closely watching developments between the Sadrist movement and the Coordination Framework, so as to take a political position on whether to dissolve parliament and hold early elections. Iraq
Turkey grapples with policy change on Syria Ankara's complex ties with Moscow, the political cost of Syrian refugees and looming elections are all dictating dialogue with Damascus on Ankara, but it has yet to come up with a plan to proceed. Turkey
Kurdish leaders meet as Iraqi political deadlock continues Iraq’s two major Kurdish parties have been trying to reach a compromise between the two, but to no avail. Iraqi-Kurdistan
Kurdish diva brokenhearted but resolute in face of language discrimination in Turkey The "brutal" quashing of Kurdishness in Turkey continues to be state policy — even in entertainment. Turkey
