Iraq elections: militias designated as terrorist organizations by the US take 80 parliamentary seats
Among the Shia militias that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the United States, at least ten have…
Turkey Eyes Return of Diyarbakır Mothers’ Children as Prelude to Öcalan Visit
A new round of briefings in Ankara suggests that the next moves in the Turkey–PKK peace track are converging around…
How the KDP Reshaped Iraq’s Minority Quota Map in the 2025 Elections
The results of the nine quota seats for the Iraqi parliamentary elections held on 11 November are as follows: The…
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Arivan
How ‘private sector’ patronage networks are reshaping politics in the Kurdistan Region
As the Iraqi parliamentary elections slated for November 11 approach, the two ruling Kurdish parties – the KDP and PUK – are expected to secure a large majority of the…
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Arivan
In Northeast Syria, Christian Schools Win Fight to Keep Damascus Curriculum, Complicate SDF Plans
The heads of Christian denominations in northeast Syria announced an agreement with the SDF-run administration that allows church-run schools to continue teaching the Syrian Ministry of Education curriculum during the…
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Arivan
Small Tel Aviv Meeting on ‘Minorities’ Triggers Syrian Debate
On October 27 in Tel Aviv, Israeli journalist Eddy Cohen hosted a “Minorities Conference” of roughly 30 participants. Speakers attacked Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and urged separate statelets for Syrian…
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Arivan
A Year After Kurdistan’s Regional Elections, Government Formation Remains Stalled
The Kurdistan Region’s two main parties, the KDP and PUK, remain deadlocked over cabinet formation as a full year passes since the October 2024 elections. This makes the Kurdistan Region…
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Arivan
Leaked Files Expose the Barzani Brothers’ $100M U.S. Property Spree
A new Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) investigation shows the five sons of KDP president Masoud Barzani channelled over $100 million into direct U.S. property purchases, along with…
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Arivan
Iraq’s Jaafari Law Triggers Flight of Hundreds of Mothers to Kurdistan
Since the enactment of Iraq’s controversial Jaafari Personal Status Law forty days ago, more than 800 mothers have fled Baghdad and other southern and western provinces, relocating to the Kurdistan…
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Arivan
Syrian parliamentary elections are not a transparency issue but a structural one
The indirect Syrian parliamentary elections held yesterday were rejected by the SDF and Druze-led groups in Suwayda. Elections did not take place in Suwayda, Hasakah, or Raqqa. Context: Bedran Chia…
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