Kurds

In Iraq, a fragile partnership works to prevent Islamic State revival

By Samya Kullab, Associated Press

Iraq's central government and the Kurdish autonomy zone have formed a fragile security partnership to prevent a resurgence by the Islamic State group, despite a long-standing territorial dispute between them.

How a small but powerful band of women led the fight against ISIS

By Amna Nawaz, Ali Rogin

In the years-long battle to retake northeastern Syria from ISIS, a small but powerful band of fighters led the way. The women of the YPJ, a Syrian-Kurdish force, fought alongside their male counterparts and face-to-face against ISIS. Author and journalist…

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Pence on surprise Iraq trip to reassure Kurds, greet troops

By Zeke Miller, Associated Press

Vice President Mike Pence made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Saturday in the highest-level American trip since President Donald Trump ordered a pullback of U.S. forces in Syria two months ago.

Turkey says at least 8 killed by car bomb in northeast Syria

By Associated Press

A car bomb in northern Syria killed at least eight civilians and wounded 20 others Sunday in a town near the border with Turkey, Turkey's Defense Ministry said.

Senior U.S. envoy in Syria highly critical of troop withdrawal, memo shows

By Matthew Lee, Associated Press

In an internal memo, the top American diplomat in northern Syria takes the Trump administration to task for not doing more to prevent Turkey's invasion or protect the Kurds.

Blast in Syrian town held by Turkey-backed gunmen kills 13

By Zeynep Bilginsoy, Bassem Mroue, Associated Press

A car bomb exploded in a northern Syrian town along the border with Turkey on Saturday killing 13 people, Turkey's Defense Ministry said.

Esper says U.S. troops, armored vehicles going to Syria oil fields

By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

The U.S. will send armored reinforcements into eastern Syria to bolster defenses against a potential move by Islamic State militants on oil fields controlled by U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Friday.

Russia says it sent hundreds of additional troops to Syria

By Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press

The ministry said about 300 military police have arrived in Syria to patrol the northeastern areas along the border with Turkey.

Syria says Turkish-led forces attacked its troops

By Bassem Mroue, Associated Press

Turkish forces and their allies attacked Syrian government troops in northeastern Syria on Thursday, killing some of them, and they also clashed with Kurdish-led fighters, the state news agency in Damascus and a war monitoring group said.