Kurds
The Waiting Peshmerga
As U.S. and Israeli airstrikes batter Iran, exiled Kurdish militant groups in northern Iraq see their best chance in decades to challenge the Islamic Republic. But without air cover or firm backing from Washington, most are holding the line and waiting.
Kurdish Militias Hold Their Fire
As Israeli-American strikes pummel Iran, and discussion proliferates over whether Kurdish factions will enter the fight, Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraqi exile are weighing a familiar dilemma: seize a historic opening, or risk being used and abandoned again.
Inside the End of Kurdish Self-Rule in Syria
A deal between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces that will end Kurdish self-rule in northeastern Syria is moving forward. But mistrust runs deep, and many SDF fighters reject integration, while civilians, worn down by war, hope for stability but fear what unification could bring.
Kurds Could Hold Syria Together or Pull It Apart
For a century, Damascus pushed a single Syrian identity while the margins asked for recognition. After Assad fell, that argument resurfaced again. How it’s settled will make or break the country.
The Twisting Path to Syrian Reunification
Despite a landmark agreement between Syria’s new government and Kurdish-led factions, the country remains fractured and vulnerable to jihadist resurgence. Negotiations over security coordination and political integration have stalled amid deep mistrust, while Islamic State group attacks and U.S. pressure increase.
After a Century, the Question of the Kurds’ Place in Syria Remains Unresolved
Since the end of the Ottoman era a century ago, the question of the Kurds’ place in Syria has been shaped by a complex history of integration, separatism, oppression and struggle. It suggests that the recent deal between the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces and Damascus may prove to be fragile.
In Syria’s Detention Camps, Fears Grow of an Islamic State Resurgence
The al-Hawl and Roj camps in northeastern Syria house the remnants of the Islamic State group, including many foreign nationals, women and children. Amid uncertainty over U.S. funding for the camps and political change within Syria, fears are growing of some form of resurgence from among the radicalized detainees.