Iraq

An internal Kurdish power feud has triggered mass arrests, alleged executions, and the unresolved detention of an American veteran amid rising Iranian influence.

Several recent meetings indicate Pakistan’s potential shift from a focus on South Asia to West Asia. This may also reflect its intention to work more closely with the US under Donald Trump.

US Envoy to Iraq, Mark Savaya, posted on X overnight between December 21 and 22 that the steps being taken by “armed groups” in Iraq are “welcome and encouraging.”

Calls grow to disarm the militias in Iraq, but Kataib Hezbollah refuses to comply.

Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo. Both the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Egypt play important roles in the region.

For years, the base was the subject of interest because it had an entrance to a large underground tunnel and was likely being used by the IRGC to transfer weapons via Syria to Hezbollah.

Salih will begin a five-year term on January 1, 2026.

Kurdish communities across the globe honored their national symbol on Wednesday, reflecting on decades of struggle, pride, and the ongoing fight for autonomy.

The UN will close its assistance mission in Iraq after more than two decades, ending a presence launched following the 2003 US invasion, as Baghdad says it is now self-reliant.

BEHIND THE LINES: Despite setbacks, Iraq’s Iranian-backed militias continue to thrive politically, posing a lasting threat to Israel’s security.