Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday addressed the Kurds in a video message, announcing that he has signed a “special decree” guaranteeing Kurdish “rights and certain particularities.” The move comes as fighting continues between Syrian state forces and Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria.
Rudaw on Tuesday screened Glory, a new documentary highlighting the legacy of the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces, from their early uprisings against successive Iraqi regimes to their defining role in defeating the Islamic State (ISIS).
Kurdish political theorist Abbas Vali has warned that Iran’s Kurdish opposition groups should not lay down their arms, citing the “critical conditions” in the country. He added these groups should instead strengthen their military capabilities to be prepared to act “if the center in Iran collapses.”
A renowned Kurdish feminist writer has criticized Kurdistan Region’s media and public for fixating on so-called “model girls”—female vloggers and influencers—while sidelining the cultural, artistic, and intellectual contributions of Kurdish women.
Kurdish school systems in the Kurdistan Region and northeastern Syria (Rojava) agree on medieval Kurdish symbols but diverge on more recent history, a French scholar told Rudaw English, reflecting competing narratives across different parts of Kurdistan.
An American poet based in Sulaimani condemned what she called “horribly extractive” practices in Western publishing when it comes to Kurdish literary works and said local experts must be recognized as equal partners.
Sulaimani on Thursday hosted the inaugural Kurdish Studies Forum (KSF), an initiative aimed at fostering dialogue, research, and cultural exchange on Kurdish history, society, literature, and the arts, with speakers stressing the role of culture and scholarship in preserving Kurdish identity amid political and security challenges.
People’s Front (Baray Gal) leader Lahur Talabany was arrested Friday morning after a night of dramatic clashes that had tanks rolling through the streets of Sulaimani. This is a detailed account of how events unfolded.
The first convoy of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew from Aleppo on Friday under the supervision of the Syrian defense ministry, Syrian state media reported.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa held a phone call on Tuesday to discuss the new government in Damascus, the political process in Syria, and the enhancement of bilateral ties between the two nations. The conversation comes as Baghdad is bracing itself to hold a key summit next month amid unconfirmed reports of Sharaa's attendance.
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Saturday appointed a 23-member cabinet, including four members from minority groups. However, the appointments have raised eyebrows as some political forces say they were not consulted during the appointment process. The cabinet also includes figures who have been blacklisted by the UN and the US over ties to extremist armed groups.
Turkmen and Arab leaders in Kirkuk on Wednesday rejected statements made by Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani calling the disputed city the “heart of Kurdistan” as “provocative” ahead of Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections in October.
For Idrees Ahmed, Qaysari Bazaar is more than a marketplace, it is his heritage, his identity, and his life's work. A devastating fire in May reduced his shop to ashes, but he was determined to keep his father’s legacy alive in the heart of Erbil’s historic market.
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) chief Mazloum Abdi on Monday urged Syria’s interim government to “bear its responsibility” for the deaths of Kurdish civilians killed in an airstrike in north Syria earlier in the day.
Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) chief Mazloum Abdi signed a landmark agreement on Monday to integrate the SDF into Syria's state institutions.
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday issued a decree establishing a seven-member committee to draft a “constitutional declaration” for Syria’s “transitional phase.” However, the effort appears to have once again excluded Kurdish parties.
Iraq’s oil minister on Friday said the resumption of Kurdistan Region’s oil exports will be announced “in the coming hours,” nearly two years after they were suspended.
Kurdistan Region’s Presidency on Monday criticized the Iraqi forces’ crackdown on Kurdish farmers in Sargaran subdistrict, northwest of Kirkuk, as “completely rejected and unacceptable.”
Former Iraqi prime minister and head of the State of Law coalition Nouri al-Maliki on Monday called for separate revotes on three controversial bills passed last month.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday instructed its natural resource ministry to coordinate with oil companies and relevant bodies in Iraq to restart Kurdish oil exports “as soon as possible.”
Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court on Wednesday defended its authority, stating that the Iraqi constitution stipulates that its rulings are “final and binding for all authorities.” The move came after the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq had earlier in the day argued that the court’s suspension of three recently amended laws was premature.
With empty pockets and through cold weather, teachers in Sulaimani have set up camp on a hunger strike for several days protesting over a decade of late and unpaid salaries, saying that they are resolute in obtaining their rights despite little support from Erbil and Baghdad.
The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Thursday announced that its doors are open to the “voluntary return” of Syrians in the notorious al-Hol camp housing families of Islamic State (ISIS) suspects to their hometowns.
The ongoing negotiations between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the new government in Damascus should be given a chance and sufficient time in order to avoid a full-scale confrontation, the United Nations special envoy to Syria said on Wednesday.
Iraq’s legislature on Tuesday passed three controversial bills regarding the return of land confiscated under the Baath regime to the original Kurdish owners, the amendments to the controversial personal status law pushed for by the Shiite blocs, and the general amnesty bill that would change the definition of affiliation with terror groups desired by Sunni groups after months of disagreements.
Waste from illegal refineries continues to pollute Erbil’s air and water as authorities struggle to keep pace, officials and experts told Rudaw, with many such refineries still open despite government measures and pollution at “dangerous” levels.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani met on Thursday to discuss government formation talks, a senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official said. This marks their first meeting since the October 20 elections.
A top official of the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Wednesday asked the United States and France to deploy troops along Syria’s northern border with Turkey.
Prominent Yazidi activist Nadia Murad on Wednesday reacted to a recent remark by Elon Musk about the 2014 Yazidi genocide by the Islamic State (ISIS), urging awareness to identify early signs of such catastrophes in the future.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday reiterated his country’s support for Syrian Kurds, saying they will not abandon “freedom fighters.”
The foreign ministers of France and Germany arrived in Damascus on Friday morning for talks with de facto Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. They also visited Christian leaders and Sednaya prison, expressing support for a peaceful transition in Syria.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Thursday claimed to have repelled several attacks near Manbij and Tishreen Dam by Syrian National Army (SNA) militants, alleging the presence of Chechen, Turkestani, and Uzbek nationals among the attackers.
A truck collided with a bridge in Gali Ali Bag canyon early Friday morning, damaging the structure and blocking a key route between Erbil and Soran's independent administration.
Thousands took to the streets in several parts of the war-torn Syria on Wednesday following the circulation of a video purportedly showing an attack on an Alawite shrine in the country’s north, a war monitor reported.
Rebel groups in Syria, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa have agreed to disband and integrate into the country’s defense ministry, the new administration announced on Tuesday.
A 73-year-old Kurdish farmer said the Iraqi army tried to arrest him for working on his farm in Kirkuk where longstanding land disputes have created tensions between communities.
The Pentagon on Thursday acknowledged that nearly 2,000 United States troops are currently stationed in Syria, more than double earlier official numbers.
Two journalists were killed in an airstrike in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Thursday while covering the conflict between Kurdish forces and the Syrian National Army (SNA), their employer said on Friday.
Nearly 2,500 Syrian soldiers, who sought refuge in Iraq earlier this month as Bashar al-Assad’s regime was facing a lightning-blitz by a coalition of rebels, are set to be “voluntarily” repatriated to their country in the coming days, a top security official in Iraq’s bordering province of Anbar said on Wednesday.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi security forces foiled two assassination attempts targeting Pope Francis during his historic trip to the country three years ago, the pontiff says in his forthcoming biography as reported by the Italian media on Tuesday.
The Swiss parliament on Tuesday passed a motion officially recognizing the crimes of the Islamic State (ISIS) against Iraq's Yazidi community as an act of genocide, calling for international reparations and justice for victims.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Wednesday told lawmakers that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will not receive the full amount of money it needs to pay its civil servant salaries, attributing the shortfall to insufficient funds in the Kurdish government’s share of the federal budget.
A “first-of-its-kind” security agreement was signed between Iraq and the UK on Thursday to enhance the cooperation over Iraq and the Kurdistan Region’s border security to curb people smuggling and narcotics trade, according to the British home office.
Roads leading to Kirkuk from Erbil and Sulaimani were unusually congested on Tuesday as natives of the disputed province returned en masse to be recorded as residents of their hometown in the significant nationwide census, with Kurdish officials stressing the outcome of the process as vital for the future of Kurds in the country.
The Kurdistan Region interior ministry on Sunday announced its plan for the two-day census lockdown later this week, saying foreign missions and nationals, airports, international organizations and journalists will not be affected by the decision.
Reconstruction work has finished on Mosul’s iconic al-Hadba minaret that was destroyed by jihadists, the United Nations agency leading the project announced on Thursday.
Kurdistan Region’s long-suspended oil exports could be resumed later this year if the Iraqi parliament passes an amendment proposed by the federal government, Iraq’s foreign minister said on Thursday.
The United Nations deputy secretary-general on Tuesday labeled a proposed amendment to Iraq’s personal status law that could effectively legalize child marriage as “an assault on childhood.”
A French court on Tuesday sentenced 18 people, mostly Iraqi Kurds, to prison terms of up to 15 years for operating a smuggling network that transported migrants across the English Channel to the United Kingdom.
The Iraqi Council of Ministers on Tuesday amended the federal budget to authorize compensation to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for oil production and transportation costs, setting the rate at $16 per barrel, a long-sought agreement aimed at resuming exports from the region’s oil fields.
Iraq's Council of Ministers chaired by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Tuesday approved requests from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to conduct the census based on residents' place of origin, using the 1957 census for reference in disputed areas, addressing long-standing demographic concerns.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Sunday issued a formal request to its ministries for a banking and salary digitization project to proceed unimpeded, following reports that the process has been obstructed in Sulaimani and Halabja provinces.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on a Turkish aerospace facility in Ankara.
Turkey’s largest pro-Kurdish political party said on Friday that their headquarters in Ankara were attacked overnight.
Election monitors at Kurdistan Region polling stations on Friday reported voters bringing phones into the ballot booths, a violation of election regulations that raises concerns over potential voter coercion.
The leader of the Change Movement (Gorran) on Thursday announced the party's withdrawal from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and local governments, just days ahead of the parliamentary election.
A Kurdish member of Kirkuk’s provincial council is concerned that Iraq’s census is premature and could be tainted by new settlers in the province, which is given special treatment under the constitution because of its multi-ethnic and disputed status.
The leader of Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) and the former speaker of parliament have expressed increased worry over the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga receiving artillery, arguing the weapons could fuel internal conflicts in disputed areas.
A senior commander of a Kurdish opposition party was killed in clashes with Iranian forces in Iran’s western Kurdistan province on Thursday.
Iraq’s federal supreme court reaffirmed on Tuesday that the constitution grants citizens the right to manage personal status matters based on their religion, sect, beliefs, or choices
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon was injured on Tuesday, Iranian state media reported, after wireless communications devices exploded in southern Lebanon injuring many hundreds of people. Hezbollah members and fighters were among the injured and wounded, AP and Reuters have reported.
A drone hit a camp for internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in Makhmour in Erbil province on Tuesday, killing one person and injuring others.
Iraq's oil ministry on Sunday dismissed accusations by a group of US congress members of assisting Iran in circumventing US sanctions and financing “terrorist entities.”
Senior Iraqi Shiite politicians are urging for the trial of the "Heist of the Century,” the alleged embezzlement of trillions of Iraqi dinars, be broadcast live, as suspicions grow over the judicial proceedings’ integrity and the involvement of high-ranking officials.
An education official in Kirkuk has criticized the Iraqi government for failing to support Kurdish education in the province, arguing that it is their "legitimate right" for Baghdad to provide financial compensation and salaries because the Iraqi government takes “all” of its revenues.
Representatives from the finance ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) met with their Iraqi counterparts in Baghdad on Wednesday in a bid to resolve persistent problems that have caused nearly two months of salary delays for most of the Kurdistan Region’s civil servants. The federal government has blamed the KRG yet it appears optimistic that a resolution will be found, but Kurdish officials have complained that the delays are “politically motivated.”
Enerflex, a supplier for the gas industry, on Wednesday accused Dana Gas of wrongfully terminating their contract at a Khor Mor gas field expansion project and blamed security concerns at the site that forced them to suspend operations.
As Western countries jointly have appealed for Iran, Israel, and Hamas to de-escalate tensions, Donald Trump insisted that if he returns to the White House the world would not be waiting for an attack by Iran
An 18-year-old Iraqi national was detained by Austrian authorities on Friday for alleged links to a group plotting an attack on a Taylor Swift concert, according to the country’s interior minister. The suspect is reportedly an Islamic State (ISIS) sympathizer.
The Kurdistan Region’s environment board would like to see the establishment of a specialized environmental court because the existing courts cannot manage the large caseload.
A Nineveh court issued an arrest warrant on Thursday for Qassim Shasho, commander of the Yazidi Peshmerga unit in Shingal district, on charges of blasphemy.
Human rights activists gathered on Sunday in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square to protest a proposed amendment to Iraq’s Personal Status Law that has drawn strong criticism for its measures such as the legalization of child marriage under certain religious jurisprudence.
In the capital of the Kurdistan Region, residents endure a relentless assault on their senses. The pervasive smell of exhaust makes breathing laborios, while smoke billows from ubiquitous electricity generators and decrepit vehicles burning unregulated fuel. During the summer, a dark oppressive haze blankets the horizon.
A delegation of Iraqi defense and Peshmerga officials and their US counterparts concluded a two-day meeting on Tuesday at the Pentagon as talks continue between the two countries to determine the future US-led international coalition in Iraq.
