Kurdistan

Turkish President will not reopen peace talks with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party

As the Turkish military, under the guise of Operation Olive Branch, continues to push against the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) affiliated Kurds in northern Syria, peace talks do not appear to be an option for Turkey. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims he will not entertain the notion of reopening peace […]

McGurk meets with Kurdistan Democratic Party head Masoud Barzani

Former President of Kurdistan and leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has met with the United States special presidential envoy Brett McGurk to discuss current events. McGurk congratulated the KDP on their recent success in the Iraqi parliamentary elections, in which the KDP won overall in both the cities of Duhok and Erbil. They […]

Kurdistan Workers’ Party and Turkish Peoples’ Democratic Party side with Palestine

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a communist resistance movement dedicated to combating the Turkish government, have condemned the recent killing of Palestinian protesters that clashed with Israeli soldiers just after the United States opened its embassy in Jerusalem. Ironically, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the incident as well; one of the rare instances where […]

Kurdistan Regional Government looks to UN for help as elections close

The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) is demanding the U.N. General Assembly cooperate with them to further human rights in the region. The KRG asked that the General Assembly work hand in hand with the various agencies in Iraq to achieve this goal. The KRG’s Department of Foreign Relations head, Falah Mustafa, released the statement that […]

Iraq struggles as unemployment rates rise

The issue of unemployment is looming issue for Kurdistan as elections for the region come to an end. Nearly half the Kurdish population is below the age of 19 and within that age group unemployment is 18%. The unemployment rate for Iraq overall is at 11% based off the reports done by the United Nations Development […]

US weighs in on Iraq’s parliamentary elections

According to reports from United States based observers, the recent parliamentary elections in Iraq were entirely “credible” and the claims of fraud heard from various political parties are unfounded. Heather Nauert, representative for the U.S. State Department, stated that, “The IHEC is investigating and taking a close look at fraud and intimidation. They have reported to us that they […]

Kurdish political parties accuse each other of fraud in elections

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) representative and member of its leadership council, Nasrullah Surchi, has accused the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of committing election fraud in Shingal and Nineveh provinces. They have claimed that KDP set up roadblocks in the Mosul region and intimidated voters while conducting ballot box manipulation. Nasrullah Surchi is also the Mosul […]

Iraqis cry foul as polls close for parliamentary elections

Iraq’s Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, has given the order to Kirkuk’s regional security forces to remain impartial while handling election files and providing protection during the democratic process. Abadi, who is in command of Iraq’s armed forces, informed the public of his stance on the situation this week through twitter. He also tweeted, I call on […]

Syrian Kurds attempt to stimulate their economy through oil trade

In northern Syria the economy is struggling in the wake of the Islamic State war, the Kurds of Rojava have resorted to the oil trade to stimulate it. You would think it is doing well by appearances, oil tanker trucks line the highways there. Their haul of oil has been gathered from the oil fields […]

Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution and CTG director Lahur Talabani

Controversy over the proposal of Article 140 to the Iraqi constitution continues, as Kurdish leaders push to renew efforts towards Kurdish independence. Article 140 would give the Kurdish Regional Government the ability to reacquire disputed territories lost during the previous referendum. Lahur Talabani, who leads the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s CTG (Counter Terror Group), addressed […]

Turkish business in Iraq and economic stability

Turkey is moving to financially support Iraq by revisiting several business and investment agreements that were signed in 2009 by the two nations. The Ankara based government wants to give Iraq $5 billion in reconstruction support, they also desire the opening of a new border crossing which will develop further trade between the two countries. […]

Assassinated journalists in Kurdistan and a call for justice

As World Press Freedom Day has passed this Thursday on May 3rd, a Kurdish based advocacy organization known as Metro Center is asking the authorities and courts of Kurdistan to, “review the cases of assassinated journalists.” In a public statement they claimed, “Metro Center calls on the Kurdistan Regional Government to work to pave the way to a […]