US challenges in Syria and the Middle East
Mar 18,2018 – JORDAN TIMES – Amer Al Sabaileh The Turkish “Operation Olive Branch” in northern Syria has been quite chaotic since it began earlier this year, as the targets […]
America’s forgotten allies in Syria
Mar 18,2018 – JORDAN TIMES – Mahmoud Berkhdan AFRIN, SYRIA — On January 20, Turkey began targeting northern Syria with air strikes and heavy shelling in a campaign that it […]
On the front line in Syria, a confusing conversation with a doctor who may be an official of the YPG
Dr Heddo – trained as a doctor at the Aleppo medical school, he confided – wouldn’t exactly confirm he was an official of the YPG although he certainly sounded like it. […]
On the ground in Afrin, it’s hard to know what Kurdish fighters really stand for
Exclusive: While the Kurds try to persuade you of their potential loyalty to Syria and disclaim any connection to the rest of Kurdish Syria and the Iraqi Kurds – clearly […]
The next Kurdish war is on the horizon – Turkey and Syria will never allow it to create a mini-state
Syria cannot countenance Kurdish presence on its territory and Turkey cannot tolerate a Kurdish enclave along its southern border, however secular, liberal and socialist it claims (not without reason) to be Robert Fisk Middle East Correspondent @indyvoices Thursday 18 January 2018 Colonel Thomas Veale has had the unenviable task of […]
Syria service for British fighters Jac Holmes and Oliver Hall
By Emma Vardy BBC News 11 December 2017 A military ceremony has been held in Syria for two Britons killed with the Kurdish-led armed group the YPG. Jac Holmes, from […]
Walking a fine line between Syrian Kurds and Turkey
Dec 07,2017 – JORDAN TIMES – Michael Jansen No one can predict what the Trump administration will do in this region where Arabs, Kurds, Iranians and Turks […]
Iraqi authorities gain first foothold at Kurdish frontier with Turkey
By Reuters – Nov 01,2017 – JORDAN TIMES Military convoy leaves the border compound at the Habur border gate between Turkey and Iraq in this still image taken from video on Tuesday (Reuters photo) ANKARA/BAGHDAD/ERBIL, Iraq — Iraqi troops deployed on Tuesday at one of the main land crossings with […]
Kurds headed towards internal rift
Already on Sunday night, Iraqi Kurdish political parties opposed to Barzani reported attacks on their offices in several cities Image Credit: Reuters Demonstrators gather in the streets in support of Kurdish president Masoud Barzani in Duhok, Iraq on Sunday. Published: 12:03 October 30, 2017 By: Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles […]
US commends Barzani’s decision to step down as KRG president
COMPILED FROM WIRE SERVICES ISTANBUL AFP Photo The United States commended former the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) leader Massud Barzani’s decision to step down on Monday, pledging to work […]
States make war, but war will not make new states
Columns Sinem Cengiz | Published — Saturday 28 October 2017 American political scientist and sociologist Charles Tilly argued that “war made the state, and the state made war.” He was referring to Europe’s violent history and the impact of war on state-formation on the continent. Tilly’s argument has started […]
Kurdistan Regional Government offers to freeze referendum results – statement
Reuters International This content was published on October 25, 2017 An Iraqi Kurdish man holds a Kurdish flag in Erbil, Iraq October 4, 2017. REUTERS/Azad Lashkari (reuters_tickers) CAIRO […]
Kurdish saga
Oct 21,2017 – JORDAN TIMES – Walid M. Sadi Judging by the recent events and developments on the Iraqi Kurdish front, it appears that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), under the […]
History tells us that nationalist referendums, like those in Kurdistan and the UK, never end well
Kurdish leaders before the referendum and Brexiteers before the vote in 2016 could paint their critics as unpatriotic. Compromise becomes impossible even when the alternative is to disappear over a cliff edge Patrick Cockburn @indyworld Iraq sends artillery into Kirkuk after taking it back from the semi-independent Kurdistan Regional Government […]
Syrian town struggles to cope alone after key victory over Daesh
By Reuters – Oct 17,2017 – JORDAN TIMES A photo taken on Saturday in the Kurdish town of Kobani in northern Syria shows members of the Kurdish People’s Protection […]
View from Turkey: Time for cautious optimism on Iraq
İLNUR ÇEVIK @ilnurcevik Information from Irbil shows that there is a growing pessimism and an atmosphere of dejection especially among the Barzani administration people. This is only normal because they embarked on a mission impossible by insisting on holding a referendum for independence which was not only illegal but […]
Kurdish forces withdraw to June 2014 lines – Iraqi Army Commander
Reuters International This content was published on October 18, 2017 BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Kurdish Peshmerga forces have retreated to positions they held in northern Iraq in June 2014 in response to an Iraqi army advance into the region after a Kurdish independence referendum rejected by Baghdad, a senior Iraqi commander […]
Hezbollah says Kurdish vote a step toward wider Mideast partition
Reuters International This content was published on September 30, 2017 Kurds celebrate to show their support for the independence referendum in Duhok, Iraq, September 26, 2017. REUTERS/Ari Jalal (reuters_tickers) BEIRUT […]
Iraq’s Kurdistan region plans presidential, parliamentary votes on November 1
Reuters International This content was published on October 3, 2017 12:13 PMOct 3, 2017 – 12:13 ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) – Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region plans to hold presidential and […]
Iraq offering to pay KRG gov’t employees in full in return for Kirkuk oil: PM Abadi
REUTERS BAGHDAD Iraqi premier-designate Haider al-Abadi speaks at his first press conference since accepting the nomination to be Iraq’s next prime minister, in Baghdad, Iraq, Aug. 25, 2014. (AP Photo) Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi Saturday pressed the case for the central government in Baghdad to receive the revenue […]