Iraq
US betrays Rojava Kurds (inevitably)
Washington has given Turkey a green light to crush the revolutionary Kurds—in Turkey, Syria and Iraq alike—as the price of Ankara's cooperation against ISIS.
Tag: Syria
Iraq
Turkey launches Syria intervention
With US support, Turkey is moving to seize its "buffer zone" in Syria—ostensibly against ISIS but actually against the Kurdish forces that have been the most effective against ISIS.
Greater Middle East
Turkey in new crackdown on ISIS —and PKK
As Turkey opens Incirlik Air Base to US warplanes, it has launched sweeps against supporters of both ISIS and their enemies in the PKK and allied leftist forces.
Greater Middle East
Pentagon claims kill of ‘Khorasan Group’ leader
The Pentagon announced that Muhsin al-Fadhli, a longtime al-Qaeda operative from Kuwait, was killed in an air-strike in Syria, where he was leading the so-called "Khorasan Group."
Greater Middle East
Turkey: ISIS terror blast targets solidarity meeting
A suicide bomb attack in the southern Turkish town of Suruc killed at least 30 at a meeting of young activists to organize solidarity with the reconstruction of Kobani.
Greater Middle East
North Korean troops fight in Syria?
Pro-opposition sources in Syria say a force of North Korean soldiers has arrived in Damascus, and been mobilized to the rebel-controlled suburbs of Ghouta district.
Iran
Iran, world powers reach nuclear agreement
The Iran nuiclear deal comes as the US is in a de facto alliance with Tehran against ISIS, and includes a lifting of sanctions on a notorious commander of counterinsurgency forces in Syria and Iraq.
Greater Middle East
Syria: Alawites clash with regime, Iran troops
Syrian regime forces backed by Iranian troops clashed with residents of two Alawite villages outside Hama following a wave of mass arrests in the area.
Greater Middle East
Israel Lobby schmoozes Sisi —Assad next?
Egypt's dictatorial President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a delegation from the American Jewish Committee to discuss ways to "defeat terrorism" in the region.
Iraq
Spanish anti-ISIS volunteers face ‘terror’ charges
Two Spanish volunteers who went to Iraq to fight ISIS in an "International Brigade" were arrested upon their return and face charges of membership in a "terrorist organization."
Iraq
Obama disses Kurdish ‘partners’ against ISIS
Obama's Pentagon speech on his strategy against ISIS boasted of "effective partners on the ground"—but pointedly made no actual reference to the Rojava Kurds.
Iraq
UNESCO sees ISIS war crimes at heritage sites
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee warned that extremist groups' destruction of antiquities and heritage sites in conflict zones could amount to war crimes.