Analysis: Call to disband PKK reshapes Turkiye, Syria power dynamics
The consequences of the call by the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, for the group to disband are still reverberating – not just in Turkiye but also in the wider region. Shifting alliances in Syria – exemplified by the recent agreement between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the […]
The US-Iraq Relationship and its Implications for Regional Stability
In a notable indication of the seriousness of the strategic relationship between Iraq and the United States of America, the phone call between Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and US President-elect Donald Trump has given it a new dimension. This call caught observers’ and analysts’ attention. It introduced a critical phase in the relationship just […]
The Kurdish Conflict in Turkey: The Central Role of Identity Recognition (or Lack Thereof)
Introduction Throughout the twentieth century, sub-state ethnic groups—groups that do not have a state or formal political, cultural, or linguistic recognition—have played a significant role in national and international affairs. Following the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, the Middle East witnessed the emergence of dozens of new, often arbitrary state entities and the division of […]
Iraqi armed groups are withdrawing from demands for US withdrawal following the fall of Assad.
Iraqi armed groups are no longer calling for the withdrawal of US troops and allies after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, Iraqi and US officials say. Iraq and the United States signed an agreement last year to begin the phased withdrawal of US troops and the international coalition against ISIS in September. […]
Building a Strong, Capable Iraq Will Shape Its Foreign Policy
Emerging from twenty years of turbulence and challenges, a “strong and capable Iraq” is what Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani promised the Iraqi people in his Eid message on June 27. Most Iraq observers might consider such an idea far-fetched, or even impossible, but the vision that the Prime Minister forecast has already been […]
Iraq: No parliamentary elections until spring 2022?
A series of marathon meetings between the three presidencies, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), and the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq and the political parties, led to instructing the IHEC to postpone the elections, and they obliged. The Council of Ministers approved the decision. As a result, the political parties breathed a […]
Choose Kurdistan
For 100 years, in Turkey and North Kurdistan, there have been widespread attacks on all areas of Kurdish identity. Special attacks on the Kurdish language! Dozens of projects have been organized against the Kurdish language. Speaking in Kurdish has been punished, even with money. Projects to denigrate the Kurdish language have been implemented. Every effort […]
Iraq: A land whose borders are breached by all.
Some thought post-2003 Iraq would see the establishment of a democratic, strong, sovereign state. Instead, the country has become a battleground for foreign adversaries, the nest of armed proxy groups, and the economic dependent of its neighbours. In 2020 alone, the country has played host to a cascade of domestic militia rocket attacks, a spike […]
What does an Erdogan-Assad rapprochement mean for Syrian Kurds?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stepped up his efforts to normalize relations with Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad whom he labeled as a “terrorist” at the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Now, Erdogan desperately seeks a rapprochement with Assad. Should Syrian Kurds be worried about a potential reconciliation between both neighboring countries […]
Kurdish Oil Production: An Overview of Daily Outputs and Key Industry Players
Introduction The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is a region rich in oil and natural gas resources. Since the early 2000s, the Kurdish oil industry has grown significantly, transforming the economic landscape of the area and positioning it as a critical player in the global energy market. This article delves into the daily production of […]
