Retired US General and former CIA Director David Petraeus said the United States must hold Syria’s interim government accountable for violence against Kurdish forces, warning that Damascus should do more than acknowledge attacks on minority communities.
United States lawmakers have expressed concern through Rudaw over violence against Kurds in Syria’s Aleppo, urging that any engagement between Washington and Damascus be contingent on its commitment to “guardrails,” particularly safeguarding minority rights.
United States President Donald Trump told Rudaw late Friday that he wants the tensions between the Syrian Arab Army and Kurdish fighters in Aleppo to be stopped.
Several US lawmakers from both parties on Thursday voiced concern over reports of attacks on Kurdish forces and civilians in northern Syria, stressing the need to protect Kurds and other minorities as Syria navigates a fragile post-Assad transition.
A US State Department official said Washington wants Iran-backed groups excluded from Iraq’s next government, as Baghdad moves to form a new administration amid intensified US pressure to curb Iranian influence.
United States Congressman Marlin Stutzman called on Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to seek reconciliation with the country’s Kurdish population, which has been historically discriminated against.
United States lawmakers have urged Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, during his visit to Washington DC, to safeguard the rights of Kurds and other minorities in Syria through the adoption of a decentralized system of governance.
As the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) begins withdrawing its fighters from Turkey, attention is turning to the role of the United States in the peace process, with analysts and Kurdish researchers saying Washington’s engagement could prove pivotal in ensuring its success.
The 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) opened Monday in Washington amid escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, with economists and financial leaders urging cooperation to safeguard global growth.
A former US Department of State official expressed concerns over the inability of Kurdistan Region’s political parties to form a cabinet nearly a year after the election.
The US Chamber of Commerce has organized its first certified business delegation to the Kurdistan Region, Vice President Steve Lutes told Rudaw on Wednesday, saying the step was endorsed by the US Department of Commerce.
Prominent religious freedom advocates on Monday urged the Donald Trump administration to push for a more inclusive political settlement in Syria, warning that the country’s new transitional government risks replicating authoritarian patterns and marginalizing minorities under its current constitutional framework, as violence has left thousands of minorities dead.
For the first time, a ceremony commemorating Assyrian Martyrs' Day was held in the United States Congress, honoring victims of the 1933 Simele massacre and calling for full recognition of atrocities committed against the Assyrian people.
US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Tuesday declined to comment on whether Washington has sent messages to Tehran regarding the resumption of nuclear talks. However, she emphasized that the administration of President Donald Trump remains committed to promoting stability in the region, including in Syria.
A ceasefire between Iran and Israel took effect Tuesday, following ten days of escalating hostilities that included direct military strikes on Iranian nuclear targets by the United States. In Washington, the developments have sparked a partisan debate with Republicans backing President Donald Trump’s “peace through strength” approach, while Democrats call for diplomacy and greater congressional oversight.
The United States on Tuesday urged the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to resolve disputes through dialogue, including Baghdad’s recent suspension of salaries for over a million civil servants in the Kurdistan Region. Washington also reaffirmed its commitment to a “strong and resilient” Kurdistan as a key component of its relationship with Iraq.
The United States on Monday called on Iraq to ensure full command over all security forces operating within its borders, including the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and reiterated the need to limit Iranian influence.
The United States has begun a gradual withdrawal of troops from Syria, reducing its presence by several hundred to maintain roughly 1,000 forces on the ground, a US defense official told Rudaw on Tuesday.
Washington on Thursday called on Baghdad and Erbil to fulfill their constitutional commitments and resolve their financial dispute through dialogue, saying swift action would boost investor confidence and pave the way for reopening the Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline.
The United States has reaffirmed its backing for a “strong and resilient” Kurdistan Region and categorically dismissed reports of a potential prisoner exchange involving abducted Israeli-Russian researcher, Elizabeth Tsurkov, allegedly involving the US, Israel, Iran and Iraq.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani called on the Iraqi government to reconsider its opposition to Erbil’s new oil and gas contracts signed with American firms this week.
The Kurdistan Region’s two ruling parties have exchanged their lists of preferred ministries and are aiming to form the next cabinet before federal elections scheduled for November, a government official said on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has urged the Iraqi government to work with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to start gas production following major gas contracts between the Kurdish government and American firms, a state department spokesperson said on Thursday.
The United States on Tuesday welcomed the Kurdistan Workers’ Party's (PKK) announcement of its intent to disband, hailing the move "a victory for civilization" and expressing hope that it will contribute to greater regional stability.
Washington on Thursday sharply criticized the Syrian government’s appointment of former militia leader Ahmad al-Hayes to division commander in northern Syria, noting he is accused of committing serious human rights violations.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told Rudaw on Tuesday that while the United States has agreed to “honor” the Houthis’ declared intent to halt attacks on Red Sea shipping, the ceasefire with the Iran-aligned group should not be conflated with ongoing diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
In an exclusive interview with Rudaw, US Deputy State Department Spokesperson Mignon Houston emphasized that President Donald Trump’s administration remains "laser-focused" on the Middle East - particularly on the conduct of Syria’s interim authorities and the ongoing efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, stating confidently, “President Trump can get this done!”
Washington is planning to scale back its military presence in Syria, after it increased its troop numbers following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad by a coalition of Islamist rebels, a Pentagon official told Rudaw on Friday.
The United States “provided guidance” to the Syrian Mission to the United Nations regarding the modification of the visa status of its members in New York, a US State Department spokesperson told Rudaw on Thursday, emphasizing that Washington “currently does not recognize any entity” in Damascus as “the government of Syria.”
The United States’ new consulate in Erbil will enhance diplomatic cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Iraq, a US State Department spokesperson said on Monday.
The Kurdish service of the Voice of America (VOA) is hopeful that a judge will overturn United States President Donald Trump’s decision to shut down the media outlet, an employee for the service told Rudaw on Thursday.
The United States on Friday said it had noted concerns about the “consolidation of power” in Damascus and called for an “inclusive, civilian-led” government.
Kurds, Americans and people from other countries gathered at the American University in Washington on Wednesday to celebrate the Kurdish New Year (Newroz).
The United States claimed on Wednesday that its recent attacks against the Houthis in Yemen are continuing to yield results, adding that Tehran has certainly taken notice as well.
Representatives of political parties from Kurdish-majority regions in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria as well as the diaspora met in Washington on Friday.
Political parties in the Kurdistan Region should come together to form an inclusive government as its formation will enhance the Region’s stability and economic advancement, the US State Department said on Wednesday.
The White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said on Tuesday that their partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) is “really strong.”
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is going to have “some very difficult conversations” in Ankara over the Syrian National Army (SNA) attacks on the areas under the control of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria (Rojava), a former US State Department official told Rudaw on Wednesday.
The United States on Monday called on the parties engaged in the ongoing conflict in Syria to do “everything possible” to protect civilians, while stressing that its position on President Bashar al-Assad’s regime remains unchanged.
Despite their stark differences on the Gaza conflict - Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris backing a ceasefire while Republican nominee Donald Trump has pushed for swift a Israeli victory - experts say neither candidate is likely to fundamentally alter America's steadfast support for Israel. Yet both are heavily courting Muslim and Arab voters in crucial swing states like Michigan, where this constituency could prove decisive in the US elections on Tuesday.
With less than 48 hours until the US election to determine whether front-runner Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump will sit in the White House for the next four years, how could the vote impact global conflicts, including the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East?
The US government encouraged political parties in the Kurdistan Region to have dialogue following the announcement of election results on Monday, stressing there is more that unites than divides them.
Martyn Warr, director of the communication cell of the global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), discussed the prospects of ending the coalition's military mission in Iraq, describing the move as “a transition.”
The US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) held a ministerial-level meeting Monday to review developments, priorities, and discuss how the members of the coalition cooperate together to fight the group’s continued threat.
Regarding the Iraq-Turkey pipeline (ITP), the ambassador said the status quo is unsustainable and Washington is actively supporting all sides
The United Nations team investigating crimes committed by the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq is preparing to share with Iraqi authorities the 40 terabytes of evidence compiled in its six-year investigation as it wraps up its mission next month.
The United States is warning Iran and its affiliated militia groups in Iraq against attacking US forces in the country, saying Washington “will not hesitate” to protect itself.
The Iraqi and Kurdistan Region governments have further work to do to combat trafficking in the country, the US State Department has said in light of Baghdad being upgraded from a Tier 3 Watch List to a Tier 2 country in the annual US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.
The United States remains “concerned” that some members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) “are not responsive” to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani's command and “engage in violent and destabilizing” activities in the region, urging Baghdad to rein the Iran-backed groups, a State Department spokesperson said on Thursday.
The United States has urged Baghdad to consult with Yazidis directly as part of full implementation of the Shingal agreement in order to find a durable solution for families who have been displaced from their homes for almost a decade, a US State Department spokesperson told Rudaw.
The US position on the situation in northeast Syria (Rojava) "has not changed," a US State Department spokesperson told Rudaw, adding that the US calls on Turkey and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to de-escalate violence and enhance stability in Syria.
