The KDP and PUK Seek Backroom Deal on Iraqi Presidency
The KDP and PUK are locked in another episode of their ongoing power struggle over the Iraqi presidency. While both…
In Damascus Talks, SDF and Syria Battle Over Optics and Command
Yesterday, top SDF commanders Mazloum Abdi, Sipan Hamo and Sozdar Derik met with Syrian officials in Damascus. The talks immediately…
As Iran Recedes, Two New Blocs Collide on Kurdish Ground
The post-October 7 Middle East is reorganising around three distinct formations, each with its own internal logic. Iran’s Axis of…
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Arivan
Northeast Syria’s political geography turns every option into a trap
As the stated deadline of the Damascus–SDF March 10 agreement for the integration of the SDF into the Syrian army passes without a deal, the risk of military escalation rises.…
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Arivan
A Prime Minister or a Tea-Server? Inside Iraq’s Post-Election Shia Power Struggle
With the Federal Court’s ratification of the election results, Iraqi parliament is set to convene tomorrow for its inaugural session, where lawmakers will elect the parliament’s presidium. The president must…
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Arivan
Iraq’s Consensus System Faces a Floor Vote It Wasn’t Built For
As Iraq approaches the constitutional timeline for forming a new government, disputes inside the main blocs are sharpening and beginning to test the informal power-sharing rules that have governed politics…
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Arivan
As the SDF Integration Deadline Nears, the Leaks Tell the Real Story
As the year-end deadline for SDF integration into the HTS-led Syrian army looms, a war of leaks is sweeping the media. This comes amid reports of an expected, US-pushed visit…
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Arivan
A New Account of Israel–SDF Ties Raises the Stakes for Syria’s Northeast
The Washington Post reports that the SDF “maintains ties to Israel,” and that Druze figures linked to Israel’s security establishment funneled money to Druze militants in Sweida via the SDF…
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Arivan
Mapped, Exposed, Targetable: How Strike Risk Is Forcing a Managed Militia Transition
In an unusual statement, the head of Iraq’s top judicial body, Faiq Zaidan, has said Shia militia leaders have accepted to hand over their weapons to the “state” and transition…
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Arivan
Damascus Tests the SDF With a “Three Divisions” Offer
The Syrian government and the SDF are accelerating talks ahead of the end-of-2025 deadline set out in the March 10 Damascus–SDF agreement, but the chances of a last-minute, full integration…
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