kurdish forces

Iran executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, a 68% increase and the highest number since 1989, according to human rights groups. This surge, with over four executions daily, is seen as a tool to instil fear and deter dissent, disproportionately affecting minorities and those linked in anti-government protests.

The Middle East's conflicts are analyzed through the lens of 'proxies and levers,' where state actors use non-state groups to project power and achieve strategic goals. This approach, while avoiding direct military costs, often results in prolonged violence, instability, and humanitarian crises, complicating peace efforts in the region.

Israel planned to galvanise opposition to the Iranian government to spark a collapse. Now, the belief that Israel and the US could help instigate widespread revolt in Iran seems to be a foundational flaw in the war

The CIA is reportedly planning to arm kurdish forces in Iran to incite a popular uprising, with the Trump administration in talks with opposition groups and Kurdish leaders. This move aims to draw Iranian security forces away from urban centers, potentially aiding civilian protests and straining Tehran's military resources.

Germany delivered arms and ammunition to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq to boost their firepower against the Islamic State militants who have captured large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq.

The US president's best options are capturing oil export infra like Kharg Island, and seizing Iran’s coastline to control Strait of Hormuz. Both come with considerable risks, as Iran has long prepared for these scenarios. Besides, there isn’t much global support for Trump’s moves

Syria's army said it had completed a "security sweep" on Saturday of a neighbourhood in Aleppo where it clashed with kurdish forces, who denied losing control of the area after defying calls to surrender. The army announced Saturday the "completion of a full security sweep of the Sheikh Maqsud neighbourhood", while urging residents to stay in their homes due to the continued presence of kurdish forces.

Syrian security forces deployed in Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsoud after days of clashes with Kurdish fighters, which resulted in dozens of casualties and displacement. An explosive drone later struck a government building, with state TV blaming kurdish forces, a claim they deny. Military operations have reportedly halted, with Kurdish fighters being transferred out of the area.

Syrian army declared a halt to military operations in Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsud after clashes with Kurdish fighters. Despite the announcement, sporadic gunfire was reported. The operation followed Kurdish refusal to withdraw, leading to civilian casualties and displacement. Efforts to integrate kurdish forces into the new government have stalled, raising concerns about Syria's stability.

Turkey has threatened a military operation against kurdish forces in Syria unless they agree to specific conditions for a peaceful transition post-Assad. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan demanded the withdrawal of fighters linked to the PKK and signaled readiness for action if the demands aren't met.

A drone strike killed a French soldier in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, France's armed forces ministry said on Friday, after President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the country's first military death in the Middle East war. Macron has insisted his country's stance in the Middle East war is "strictly defensive".

Syrian government forces have taken full control of Aleppo after securing Sheikh Maqsoud, the city's last opposition-held district. This development followed intense fighting and the evacuation of hundreds of Kurdish fighters. The government also detained around 300 Kurds, including security personnel, as operations concluded.

The alliance includes several Syrian rebel groups that have backed the YPG in battles against IS, including the mostly-Arab Burkan al-Furat group.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have sent reinforcements to quell unrest in Syria's Deir al Zor province following the detention of an Arab renegade commander. Battles have been raging since Sunday between the SDF and Arab tribal clans, resulting in the deaths of at least 40 fighters, 15 civilians, and the displacement of residents. The SDF arrested Ahmad Al Khubail, alias Abu Khawla, who was leading the SDF's Deir al Zor Council, for complicity in multiple crimes. The arrest has exposed deep anger among the predominately Arab population in the oil-rich province towards the Kurdish-led militia.

US President Donald Trump confirmed that ISIS leader in Iraq, Abu Khadija, was eliminated in a coordinated operation involving US, Iraqi, and kurdish forces. Trump highlighted the operation as a significant blow to ISIS. The Iraqi leader praised the efforts that led to this crucial victory.

A drone attack on a Syrian military academy in Homs has left over 100 people dead, including 14 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The attack was carried out by "armed terrorist organisations" using explosive-laden drones, according to the Syrian army. Meanwhile, Turkish strikes on military and infrastructure targets in Kurdish-held northeast Syria killed at least nine people, including six members of the internal security agency. The strikes came after Turkey threatened raids in retaliation for a bomb attack.

kurdish forces in northern Syria face pressure from Turkish-backed groups and the new Damascus government, jeopardizing their autonomy. A recent Turkish-backed offensive seized key Kurdish areas, while a US-brokered truce remains fragile. The Kurds, crucial in the fight against ISIS, seek a demilitarized zone in Kobane. Turkey demands Kurdish disarmament, but the new Syrian government may intervene.

Iman Abdullah was 13 when ISIS terrorists kidnapped her and sold her multiple times as a sex slave, and she was raped repeatedly before she was rescued and reunited with her family. One of the Yazidis, a minority community in Iraq that suffered untold brutalities at the hands of ISIS terrorists, Abdullah spoke to the media about her ordeal on Tuesday.