The Latest Breaking News from Kurdish

Iran Violations May Amount to Crimes Against Humanity, Says UN Expert

Iran's authorities have committed violations in recent months that may amount to crimes against humanity, a UN-appointed expert told the Human Rights Council on Monday, citing cases of murder, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, torture, rape, sexual violence and persecution. Iran has been swept by protests since the death of a young…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 20, 2023

Britain Sanctions Senior Officials in Iran's IRGC

Britain on Monday sanctioned senior officials from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including those who it said were responsible for managing the group's financial investments. Britain, along with the European Union and the United States, has in recent months issued several waves of sanctions against Iran, citing a widespread…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 20, 2023

Iraq, Iran Sign Deal to Tighten Border Security

Iraq and Iran signed a border security agreement on Sunday, a move Iraqi officials said aimed primarily at tightening the frontier with Iraq's Kurdish region, where Tehran says armed Kurdish dissidents pose a threat to its security. The joint security agreement includes coordination in "protecting the common borders between the…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 19, 2023

Syrian Kurdish Force Says It Lost 9 Fighters in Iraq Crash

The main US-backed and Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria said Friday it lost nine fighters, including a commander, when two helicopters crashed this week in neighboring Iraq. The Syrian Democratic Forces said the helicopters crashed during bad weather while en route to the northern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah on Wednesday…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 17, 2023

Iranian protesters are making demands in charters and bills of rights

It’s been six months since the latest spark ignited mass protests in Iran — the death of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian Mahsa (Jina) Amini in morality police custody after she was arrested for allegedly failing to wear her hijab properly.

The Conversation · Mar 16, 2023

Many Killed in Mysterious Helicopter Crash in Iraq's North

Several people, including fighters belonging to an outlawed Kurdish insurgency group, were killed in a mysterious helicopter crash in northern Iraq, according to a statement from the Iraqi Kurdish-run counterterrorism service on Thursday. The AS350 Eurocopter crashed in the district of Chamanke in Dohuk province in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 16, 2023

Amnesty International: Iran Forces Have Tortured Child Protesters

Iran’s intelligence and security forces have been committing horrific acts of torture, against child protesters as young as 12 to quell their involvement in nationwide protests, Amnesty International reported Thursday. Such acts include beatings, flogging, electric shocks, rape and other sexual violence, it said. Before releasing them, state agents often…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 16, 2023

Türkiye Plans to Ratify Finland's NATO Bid ahead of May Polls

Türkiye’s parliament will "highly likely" ratify Finland's NATO accession bid before it closes in mid-April, two Turkish officials told Reuters on Wednesday, a day before Finnish President Sauli Niinisto visits the country. Finland's bid will be approved independently from that of Sweden, which had applied for membership in the Western…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 15, 2023

Iraqi PM Visits Erbil, Opening New Chapter in Relations

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani kicked off on Tuesday a visit to the Kurdistan Region, his first since assuming his post in October. He met with Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and former Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani, and several senior officials. Sudani is…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 15, 2023

Türkiye to Continue Normalization Talks with Assad Regime within Days

Türkiye confirmed its intention to continue the normalization talks with the Syrian regime in the coming period, expressing its hope that Damascus would understand its concerns about the presence of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) near its borders. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar asserted that Ankara will continue the…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Mar 13, 2023