An American analyst on Tuesday stressed the importance of a ceasefire in northern Syria, citing US interests in ensuring that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) can focus on guarding prisons holding Islamic State (ISIS) members and preventing the extremist group from regaining strength.

Kurdistan Region's political leaders on Tuesday shared their Merry Christmas messages, emphasizing the region's spirit of coexistence.

A Kurd recently freed from the notorious Sednaya prison in the outskirts of Damascus sustained a fractured skull and significant memory loss during his time behind bars as a result of torture by Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

At least 12 people were killed on Tuesday after a blast at an explosives factory in Turkey’s northwestern Balikesir province, state media reported.

Suspected Islamic State (ISIS) gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on a military vehicle belonging to Kurdish security forces (Asayish) in northeast Syria, injuring two members, a war monitor reported on Monday.

Sulaimani police said Monday that they have arrested a man and a woman, accused of torturing a girl, who is their relative, to death.

Scammers in the Kurdistan Region face light sentencing while their victims have difficulties receiving their rights back, making it a daily occurrence, according to lawyers.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that his country will “remove” the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its alleged Syria offshoots from the region, vowing to continue his country’s operations against the armed group.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) General Commander Mazloum Abdi on Monday met with a delegation from the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), in the presence of the global coalition, to discuss Kurdish unity going forward in Syria following the collapse of the Baathist regime.

The United Nations on Monday called for action in Syria, stating that the country is facing “a triple-layered crisis,” following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, amid an influx of Syrians returning to their homes, and internal displacement.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Monday launched a counterattack near the strategic Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates River, the spokesperson of the Kurdish-led forces announced, with clashes still ongoing.

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), came to the assistance of a family from the Kurdish city of Kobane in northern Syria (Rojava) and gave the family of a man who tragically died from gas suffocation residency in the Kurdistan Region.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Monday received Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans in Erbil to discuss Amsterdam’s contribution in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) and bilateral ties.

The Peshmerga Ministry announced on Sunday plans to establish two operations command centers comprising 11 military divisions as a part of ongoing efforts to reform and unify the Kurdistan Region’s forces.

The Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC) is set to meet with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) General Commander Mazloum Abdi under American and French supervision, amid calls for Kurdish unity and dialogue in Syria after the collapse of the Baathist regime, the council’s spokesperson said on Sunday.

German diplomats on Sunday warned against the escalating tensions between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian National Army (SNA) militias, during phone calls with General Commander Mazloum Abdi, amid ongoing attacks that have disrupted Kurdish counterterrorism operations.

A bitumen factory in Erbil province’s Soran administration was shut down on Sunday due to non-compliance with health and environmental standards, an official told Rudaw.

An Iraqi court has reportedly rejected an appeal from the federal oil ministry seeking to invalidate several oil contracts between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and international oil companies (IOCs).

After a day of intense clashes near Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates River, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday that it lost five fighters while thwarting an attack by Syrian National Army (SNA) militia groups and claimed to have killed 52 from their enemy’s ranks.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto arrived in Erbil on Saturday evening and was met at the airport by Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail.

Tehran’s foreign ministry accused the United States and Israel of having a master plan for the Middle East after a Washington official said there will be no place for Iran in the new Syria.

Syria’s transitional government on Saturday named Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani as its new foreign minister, less than two weeks after toppling the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) has provided humanitarian aid for people displaced by recent fighting in northern Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Friday.

United States government officials met with Syria’s new rulers in Damascus on Friday.

Turkey’s foreign minister will visit Syria soon for discussions on rebuilding the country after the collapse of the Assad regime, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists on Friday on his return flight from Egypt.

Erbil’s historic city center will be closed to motor vehicle traffic for seven hours on Fridays to ease congestion and accommodate tourists, the traffic directorate announced.

US troops will remain in Syria to prevent the Islamic State (ISIS) from resurging and Washington’s focus will be on deconfliction in the country, US deputy permanent representative to the UN said on Tuesday.

The Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) on Thursday said that nearly 3,000 Kurdish families have returned to Afrin while over a thousand settler families have left the city following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this month.

The president of a Baghdad court on Thursday said that they uncovered a group of security officers who embezzled 16 billion dinars (about $10 million) while stressing the urgency of Iraq’s fight against corruption, state media reported.

The Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) must avoid the Taliban approach in Afghanistan by presenting a moderate face only for its “true colors” to come out after strengthening its grip on the country, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Syria’s transitional government said on Wednesday that no authority other than the central government in Damascus will be recognized while affirming that Kurds are equal partners in rebuilding the nation.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Wednesday that the Syrian National Army (SNA), with Turkish air support, has continued attacks on the symbolic Kurdish city of Kobane in northern Syria and posed a threat to the crucial Tishreen Dam despite the US-brokered ceasefire which has been extended through the end of the week.

The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Wednesday said it removed customs and taxes with other parts of Syria in a bid to “preserve the unity of Syrian lands” following the collapse of the Baathist regime.

The Kurdistan Region’s tourism board is projecting that over 300,000 tourists will visit the Region for the New Year celebrations.

The United States wants to halt conflict across Syria and does not want new clashes to erupt, a Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) representative in Washington said on Tuesday, as the possibility of a Turkish attack on Syrian Kurds looms.

United Nations Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen said on Tuesday that while much of Syria appears stable following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, stability remains “fragile,” with ongoing violence and displacement in the northeast (Rojava) threatening the country's peace.

Kurdish leaders on Tuesday marked the Kurdistan Flag Day by honoring the sacrifices made in the 12/17/2024 10:10 PMpast while calling for united efforts to build a prosperous future for the Kurdish people.

The United States on Monday backed Turkey in going after the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) while reaffirming support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).

Iraq’s interior ministry on Monday denied that Maher al-Assad, the brother of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is in the country.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Monday that United States-led mediation efforts to reach a “permanent truce” with Turkey over Manbij city have fallen off, accusing the latter of “evasion to accept key points”.

The United States army announced on Monday that it killed 12 suspected Islamic State (ISIS) militants in airstrikes it carried out in Syria as a part of its efforts to prevent the group from exploiting security vacuums in the country.

Syrian Kurds are the number one victims of Bashar al-Assad’s downfall as they have lost control of many places, said a Russian expert on Monday.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has no presence in northeast Syria (Rojava), a top PKK commander said on Monday amid calls for the group's alleged fighters to leave the country.

United States President-elect Donald Trump on Monday described the recent rebellion in Syria that culminated with the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, as an “unfriendly takeover” by Turkey.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will start paying the October salaries of its civil servants on Tuesday as its financial disputes with the federal government remain unsolved.

The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Monday called for dialogue “to build a new Syria” following the collapse of the Baathist regime, and to have a “unified stance” in the country’s transitional period.

The Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC) on Sunday called for Kurdish unity in Syria, and engagement with new authority in Damascus following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad-led Baathist regime.

The federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Sunday agreed on steps to address delayed salaries of the Region’s employees and other financial disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.

A senior politburo member of Hamas said that the group is ready to strike a deal with Israel for a ceasefire and end the 14-month-long offensive of the latter which claimed the lives of tens of thousands in the Gaza Strip.

After a dramatic uptick in value over the past few days, the Syrian Lira began declining on Sunday as demand for the currency waned in the Kurdistan Region markets.

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), on Sunday responded to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa's statement about Kurds in Syria and expressed hope of correcting the wrong treatment of the Kurds.

The bodies of Naila Mustafa and her 9-month-old daughter Noor who drowned when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea, were returned to Sulaimani on Saturday to be buried in Ranya.

The seizure of Captagon production resources in Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime will have a "positive impact" on the entire region, including Kurdistan, said Captain Arkan Bibani, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region's anti-narcotics directorate.

United States influence in the Middle East will be restored when President-elect Donald Trump returns to power in Washington, a former envoy told Rudaw.

The foreign ministers of eight Arab countries and the head of the Arab League on Saturday expressed their support for a peaceful political transition in Syria, a week after the Baathist regime led by Bashar al-Assad was toppled.

The global chemical weapons watchdog held a rare emergency meeting in The Hague on Thursday to discuss concerns over stockpiles of chemical weapons in Syria after the collapse of the regime.

Stars on the red carpet at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah praised the festival’s support for women and films bringing unique perspectives to global audiences.

Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said early on Friday that they are monitoring reports of casualties in northern Raqqa and pledged transparency amid allegations that the SDF opened fire on civilians.

The Netherlands on Thursday presented a human rights award to a United States-based organization that monitors lethal conflict within the Kurdistan Region’s borders.

Damascus International Airport lies in disarray, with abandoned planes on the runway and no visible activity, following the takeover of the Syrian capital by rebel groups with ongoing talks to resume operations.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday met with United Kingdom’s Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Anthony Radakin to discuss regional developments, the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), and relations between Erbil, Baghdad, and London.

The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) decided on Thursday to raise the new flag of the country, previously used by the opposition, across its institutions following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Five schools in Duhok province’s Amedi district have halted studies due to ongoing clashes between the Turkish army and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the border areas of the Kurdistan Region.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Jordan and Turkey from Wednesday through Friday to discuss rebuilding an “inclusive” Syria and preventing it from being used “as a base of terrorism,” State Department spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for the clans and tribes of the Syrian eastern province of Deir ez-Zor on Wednesday urged the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to engage in negotiations and avoid confrontation in Syrian Arab majority areas amid claims by Syrian rebels of capturing Deir ez-Zor city.

Syrians who had been kept in the infamous Sednaya prison in the capital city of Damascus for their political views are celebrating their freedom after years of torture under Bashar al-Assad's regime which fell on Sunday following a surprise offensive by rebels.

The federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have redirected funds from the Region’s budget share to address salary shortfalls, with civil servants having gone nearly two months without pay.

The people of northeast Syria (Rojava) deserve to be heard and have their aspirations recognized amid constant threats to their lives, and peace will not prevail in the Middle East without resolving the Kurdish issue, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani said on Tuesday.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) on Monday called on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to play a "constructive role" in solving the Kurdish issue in the country, stressing the need for an Ankara-centered solution.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Washington is determined to prevent the Islamic State (ISIS) from reemerging in Syria and has a “clear interest” in avoiding the country's fragmentation.

Suspected Israeli warplanes on Monday carried out airstrikes against positions of the former regime in the city of Qamishli in northeast Syria (Rojava). The strikes reportedly targeted military bases and weapon depots near the city’s airport.

Hundreds of Syrian nationals living in Turkey, stood in long lines at the border crossings in southern Turkey, yearning to return to their homeland, following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Two suspected Islamic State (ISIS) members and two police officers were killed during a raid near Anbar province’s Falluja district, Iraqi police announced on Monday.

The next US administration should not ignore Syria because it is an “important” country, given that America has a military base there, a former American diplomat said on Monday.

Despite a recent amnesty issued by the authorities in Afrin, around 200 Kurds remain in prisons, a Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC) said on Monday, noting that over 2,000 families have returned to the Kurdish city since the start of the recent escalations in Syria.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday arrived in Bahrain to discuss regional security.

United States President Joe Biden on Sunday labeled the Syrian people’s triumph against Bashar al-Assad’s regime a “historic opportunity” and called to hold the ousted Syrian president “accountable.”

The United States army announced on Sunday that it carried out airstrikes against 75 Islamic State (ISIS) camps in Syria, to prevent the group from taking “advantage” of the recent kerfuffle in the country.

Iraq’s four presidencies and the ruling State Administration Coalition met on Sunday to discuss the latest developments in Syria, and the need to facilitate the return of Iraqi nationals from Syria.

Amnesty International on Sunday called for bringing perpetrators of human rights violations in Syria to justice following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family are in Moscow, Russian state media reported on Sunday, adding that Russia has granted them asylum, less than 24 hours after the collapse of the regime in Syria.

The best path forward for Syria is for its key actors to collaborate in shaping a shared future, a conflict expert told Rudaw on Sunday, as the country celebrates the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, days after rebels launched a blistering offensive.

Kurdistan Region Presidency said on Sunday it is following the developments in Syria with “great interest” and calls on all parties to utilize dialogue and peace to resolve the conflict.

Political parties in north and northeast Syria (Rojava) on Sunday urged the public to “protect the achievements” of the Kurdish-led administration, emphasizing the need for comprehensive national dialogue in Syria, amid attacks by Syrian National Army (SNA) militias on Kurdish forces in the northern city of Manbij. The parties also called for starting comprehensive national dialogue in Syria.

The collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime does not signify the end of the Syrian crisis, a former United Nations diplomat told Rudaw on Monday , warning that ideological differences among the opposition and factionalization between armed groups are the next challenges for Syrians to overcome.

Syrian rebels led by the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on Sunday announced that they had taken full control of the strategic city of Homs on their way towards the capital, Damascus.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Saturday congratulated French President Emmanuel Macron on the reopening of the iconic Notre Dame cathedral, stating that the event symbolizes resilience to preserve the “shared human heritage.”

France’s invitation to Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani to attend the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral is evidence of the strength of the relationship between France and Kurds just as Kurds in Syria need international support, a French senator told Rudaw on Saturday.

The foreign ministers of Iraq, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar are in Doha holding an emergency meeting on the latest developments in Syria.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday issued a general amnesty in areas of Deir ez-Zor province that are newly under their control.

The Syrian army has begun retreating from areas inside Damascus, consolidating their positions in the north of the city as rebels close in on the capital, the head of a conflict monitor told Rudaw on Saturday, predicting that Assad family rule is taking its final breaths.

United States President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that the conflict in Syria is not America’s fight and it should not get involved.

According to the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF), over 4,000 Kurds have returned home to Afrin from Shahba. However, Arabs from Latakia, Deir ez-Zor, Aleppo and other areas have settled in Kurdish homes on the Afrin border and refuse to leave.

Syrian rebel forces on Friday reached out to Russia and China, allies of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that he hopes the rebel offensive in Syria goes off “smoothly,” adding that the situation is the result of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s obstinacy towards Ankara’s efforts to repair their relationship.

The head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on Friday said that the conflict between the Syrian regime and the rebels is “an internal matter,” but added that Iraq cannot “turn a blind eye” to “terrorist groups” ruling Syria.

Israeli airstrikes early Friday morning hit a crossing on the border between Syria and Lebanon.

Suspected Turkish shelling early Friday morning targeted several villages near the northern Syrian city of Manbij in Aleppo province, local media reported, a day after three people were killed by artillery fire.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) warned on Thursday that it has taken “extensive” measures to respond to potential attacks by the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria’s eastern provinces

The Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani on Thursday called on Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani not to allow Iraqi armed groups to get involved in their ongoing war against the Syrian regime, claiming that his fighters will not pose a threat to Iraq’s national security.

Russia’s foreign ministry on Wednesday accused the West and NATO, of using Syria as a space to test their capabilities, adding that Moscow has racked up its efforts to resolve the ongoing escalations in the country.

Rudaw’s Washington DC bureau chief Diyar Kurda received the prestigious Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the USA (AFPC-USA) award, as one of the best reporters in the United States for 2024 for professional excellence.

Iraq's National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji met with Yazidi leader Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg on Wednesday, discussing efforts to facilitate the return of displaced Yazidis to their heartland of Shingal (Sinjar) in Nineveh province. Lack of security and basic services has hindered the process.

A local official of the Future Syria Party was killed in an attack by suspected Islamic State (ISIS) gunmen in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, local media reported on Wednesday.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Tuesday warned of "grave repercussions," including ethnic cleansing, amid the escalating conflict in Syria during a phone call with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who highlighted Ankara's commitment to preventing threats from “terrorist” organizations. The two stressed the need to safeguard the stability and territorial integrity of Syria.

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) allegedly killed an elderly Kurdish man in southeastern Aleppo province on Monday, according to a source, amid the group’s ongoing advance in the area.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday received newly-appointed Italian Ambassador to Iraq Niccolo Fontana in Erbil, discussing ways to bolster bilateral relations.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Tuesday announced that it captured seven villages previously held by Syrian regime forces in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor province, days after Russian forces reportedly withdrew from the area.

Russia remains committed to supporting Syria and maintaining its military presence there, despite the strain of its ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian Ambassador Andrey Baklanov said on Monday.

A Yazidi man was killed, and his wife was injured by Syrian militants while fleeing the town of Tel Rifaat toward their village in the Kurdish city of Afrin, a Yazidi rights watchdog said on Monday.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that his country is “closely” monitoring the developments in Syria, adding that Ankara is "ready to do whatever we must to extinguish the fire" in the region.

Iraq’s interior ministry said on Monday that the country’s border with Syria is secured “better than any point in Iraq’s history,” dismissing concerns about the spillover of the conflict in Syria.

The French Consul General on Monday emphasized France’s efforts to strengthen academic ties and expand student exchange programs with the Kurdistan Region, during the inauguration of the Region’s first “French Corner”.

Iraq sent additional reinforcement to the border areas with Syria, Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi said on Monday, stressing that the situation is “under control,” as tensions continue to grow in Syria.

Fear grows over the fate of approximately 500,000 Kurds and 5,000 Yazidis trapped in the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo province, activists warned on Monday, as Kurdish forces remain under siege in the conflict-stricken province.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday called for modernizing education to prepare students for job markets and paid tribute to the legacy of late Kurdish scholar Mustafa Zalmi during separate events in Duhok and Erbil.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Sunday received a call from Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, addressing the escalating situation in Syria andemphasized coordinating to prevent further destabilization, as Iraq intensifies efforts to secure its borders.

Villagers of Berashka in Sulaimani province, commute daily between their village and the nearby town of Said Sadiq, as they cannot reside permanently in their village due to the lack of basic public services.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Sunday urged the people in northeast Syria (Rojava) to “heed the calls” for general mobilization, as Turkish-backed groups launched a fresh offensive against the Kurdish forces in Aleppo province.

Iraq’s Central Bank has directed all banks and financial institutions to suspend financial transactions with TikTok intermediaries within Iraq. There had been previous plans to ban the app over social concerns.

Fighter jets, suspected to be Russian, conducted multiple airstrikes in Syria’s Aleppo, killing 12 people, and injuring dozens, a war monitor reported on Sunday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Saturday talked with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces have lost control of large amounts of territory to a rebel offensive in the north.

An unknown disease has ravaged poultry farms in Erbil province.

The agenda for the first session of the newly elected Kurdistan Parliament has been set, an official told Rudaw on Saturday.

A suspected Russian airstrike killed at least 16 people in Aleppo, northern Syria on Saturday, amid ongoing clashes between regime forces and rebels, a war monitor reported.

Representatives of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) met in Sulaimani on Saturday, kickstarting cabinet formation talks over a month after the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections.

At least five suspected Islamic State (ISIS) militants were killed in an Iraqi airstrike on the Hamrin Mountains in Kirkuk province, the army announced on Saturday.

Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria (Rojava) announced on Friday that they will welcome people displaced by the escalating conflict between rebels and the regime in the northwest.

Building a rail link between southern Iraq and Iran was one of the agreements Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani signed while on a trip to Spain.

Four students were killed and two others were injured in a rocket attack on a university residence in Aleppo that was carried out by rebel forces who this week launched a major offensive in northern Syria, a conflict monitor reported on Friday.

Iraq’s air force struck six suspected Islamic State (ISIS) hideouts in the west of the country, the armed forces announced on Friday evening.

A Kurdish man who lost his wife and child when their boat capsized near the Greek coast this week has blamed the smuggler for their deaths.

Over a ton of narcotics were seized by Iraqi security forces during the first ten months of this year as the country intensifies efforts to combat the spread of drugs.

Romania has maintained strong diplomatic ties with Iraq since establishing relations in the 1950s, Romanian Ambassador to Iraq Radu Octavian Dobre told Rudaw on Wednesday.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday received British home secretary Yvette Cooper in Erbil, discussing bilateral cooperation, and efforts to strengthen regional security.

Government formation talks officially began in the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday, following a presidential decree calling for the first session of parliament to be held next week. Some smaller parties are reluctant to join ruling ones in the next cabinet.

Iraq’s foreign ministry on Wednesday welcomed the United States-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, stressing the importance of preventing further escalation of the conflict.

Turkish security forces detained dozens of people, including politicians and journalists, for alleged ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), as crackdown against government dissidents continue for the second consecutive day.

The United States military announced on Wednesday conducting airstrikes on a weapon storage facility belonging to Iran-backed groups in Syria, adding that the attack was in retaliation to a prior attack by the militia groups.

Water levels at two of Kurdistan Region’s key dams have significantly improved this year compared to 2023, officials said on Tuesday.

The Iraqi government plans to dedicate one percent of the civil servants’ salaries to its Lebanon and Gaza humanitarian response for six months.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani issued a presidential decree on Tuesday summoning the newly-elected lawmakers to hold the first parliamentary session on December 2.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday laid the foundation for a drug addiction rehabilitation center in Erbil and expressed concern about the widespread use of substances in the Region.

Iraq’s national security advisor Qasim al-Araji on Monday denied reports of the government receiving a message from Israel via an Azerbaijani mediator, as tensions between Iraq and Israel escalate.

An Israeli strike on Monday in Syria’s Homs province injured at least two people, while Tel Aviv claims to have targeted weapon smuggling routes used by Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah.

Kurdish lawmakers on Monday met with the head of Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court in Baghdad to discuss the late payment of Kurdistan Region civil servants’ salaries, agreeing that wages must be paid on time.

Settler families in Kirkuk, who are eligible for constitutionally mandated compensation for leaving the province and returning to their areas of origin, risk losing this financial entitlement if they fail to complete their paperwork within ten days, a Kurdish official said Monday.

Kurdish farmers in a Kirkuk village have been unable to cultivate their lands for weeks due to decades-long land disputes with Arab settlers despite efforts by local authorities to resolve the issue.

Iraqi security forces on Monday announced the arrest of three suspected Islamic State (ISIS) members in the northwestern Nineveh province.

Kurdistan Region accounts for 14 percent of Iraq's total population, according to the preliminary results of the recently-conducted nationwide census announced on Monday.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Monday reiterated his commitment to women’s rights and ending Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the Region, in a statement marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The Last Pomegranate of the World, a novel by popular Kurdish novelist Bakhtyar Ali, has been selected among top 100 books of the 21st century by a Swiss newspaper.

Iraq’s electoral body said on Sunday that it will begin fining candidates who failed to remove their campaign posters from the streets, over a month after the Kurdistan Region's general elections.

Sulaimani security forces (Asayish) on Sunday announced the dismantling of the Islamic State's (ISIS) so-called Kurdistan State cell, following months-long operations across the Kurdistan Region and the disputed areas.

Iran’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that, in the following days, it would hold nuclear talks with three European countries, days after the United Nations nuclear watchdog adopted a resolution accusing Iran of lack of cooperation.

Iran has temporarily halted gas exports to Iraq, significantly reducing electricity generation in Baghdad, southern, and central Iraq, an Iraqi electricity ministry official told Rudaw on Sunday.

Iraq’s electoral commission is set to send the final results of the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections to the Region’s presidency on Sunday, pending the approval of President Nechirvan Barzani, an official from the commission told Rudaw.

The second phase of Iraq’s population census has been completed and preliminary results will be released this week, the Supreme Census Authority announced on Saturday.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said on Saturday that the threat from the Islamic State (ISIS) still exists, as Iraq prepares to end the military mission of the global coalition against the terror group.

Kurdish security forces in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Saturday announced they rescued a Yazidi man from the clutches of the Islamic State (ISIS), ending over a decade of captivity.

A Rudaw reporting team was detained by federal security forces in the Makhmour district of Erbil province while covering the nationwide census and Kurds who returned to their hometowns to be recorded in disputed areas.

Iran announced on Friday that it would begin operating new “advanced centrifuges” in response to a resolution against it at the global nuclear watchdog.

Kurdish villagers in some areas of the disputed territories were barred from registering for Iraq’s census in their hometowns, a Kurdish member of parliament said on Thursday.

Iraq on Thursday welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for “crimes against humanity.” Baghdad labeled the move as “courageous.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call on Thursday and discussed bilateral relations, with a focus on energy cooperation.

A Turkish court extended a ban on meetings between jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan and his lawyers, Turkey’s pro-Kurdish media outlets reported on Thursday.

The satellite-based Starlink internet could bypass internet blockades against the Kurdistan Region during regional and political disputes, a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Information Technology official said on Thursday.

Kirkuk’s Governor Rebwar Taha on Thursday urged residents to stay home as Iraq enters the second day of its nationwide population census, emphasizing that the process is solely for development purposes.

A Turkish court on Wednesday sentenced the pro-Kurdish mayor of Dersim to over six years in prison on charges of belonging to a “terrorist organization.” The mayor claims this is part of preparations to appoint a trustee in the Kurdish city.

The preliminary results of Iraq’s nationwide population census will be announced within two days, an Iraqi planning ministry official told Rudaw, as the country enters the second day of the process.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday extended the public holiday for civil servants originally from disputed territories until next month, allowing them to remain in their hometowns to complete additional phases of Iraq’s critical nationwide census.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied on Wednesday the existence of any disagreements or tensions with his ultranationalist government ally Devlet Bahceli, as the latter persistently proposes allowing jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan to speak at the parliament.

American businesses are interested in expanding investments in the Kurdistan Region, the head of the US-Kurdistan Business Council said on Wednesday, stressing that Washington is keen on advancing negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad to resume oil exports and attract investment.

The widely anticipated population census began across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday, with officials calling on citizens to cooperate with the process.

Iraq on Tuesday reacted to an Israeli letter to the UN Security Council holding Iraq responsible for the activities of pro-Iran groups in the Middle East. Baghdad deemed this a “pretext to justify aggression” and said it seeks peace in the region.

Iraq’s influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday called on the government and parliament to ban imports from pro-Israel states in a way that it does not damage the country’s economy.

An explosive device on Tuesday killed the mayor of the Kafrnan subdistrict in the central Homs province, state media reported.

Although Iraq’s anticipated population census does not include an ethnicity question, a Kurdistan Region official warned on Monday that the federal government can access ethnicity data, raising concern regarding the fate of the disputed areas.

Iraq’s interior ministry on Tuesday announced it seized ten trucks and detained their drivers across four provinces on oil-smuggling charges.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Monday that it has thwarted an infiltration attempt near the town of Gire Spi (Tal Abyad), northern Raqqa province, leaving several casualties, amid conflicting reports.

Peshmerga commanders on Monday expressed gratitude for the longstanding support of the United States in addressing security challenges, emphasizing the need for continued assistance as the Islamic State (ISIS) remains a persistent threat.

The US consulate on Monday extended condolences for casualties of joint Iraqi-Kurdish security forces following a deadly Islamic State (ISIS) attack in Salahaddin province, and reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with Iraqi partners.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Monday received the Turkish trade minister in Baghdad to discuss improving trade between the two neighbors and the Development Road project.

United States Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski on Monday expressed support for Iraq's upcoming census, calling it vital for informed political, economic, and development strategies.

The European Council on Monday announced widening the scope of its sanctions against Iran for supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine, and armed groups in the Middle East.

The international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region said on Sunday that the Iraqi government’s efforts to amend the federal budget law are positive but set the provision of a written agreement as a precondition for the restart of Kurdistan Region’s oil exports.

Approximately 200,000 Yazidis remain in the Kurdistan Region due to instability in their hometown of Shingal amid the ongoing Iraqi census process. Kurdish officials have outlined ways to be registered in their hometown.

Kurdistan Region president and prime minister and his deputy on Sunday extended their condolences to the families of the victims of a deadly improvised explosive device (IED) explosion on a joint Iraqi-Kurdish brigade in the disputed Salahadin province, reiterating the need for greater cooperation between Peshmerga and Iraqi forces to counter terrorism.

Flights across Iraq will operate as scheduled and will not be impacted by the curfew imposed during the anticipated population census later this week, an Iraqi official told Rudaw on Sunday.

Flights across Iraq will operate as scheduled and will not be impacted by the curfew imposed during the anticipated population census later this week, an Iraqi official told Rudaw on Sunday.

An Iraqi airstrike killed at least four suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Kirkuk province on Saturday, the army said.

Iraq’s electoral body has rejected nearly all of the complaints filed against the results of the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections, the commission’s spokesperson told Rudaw on Saturday.

Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha on Saturday urged people originally from the disputed province to return to their Kirkuk homes for the national census later this week.

Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk will have temporary access to their lands for planting winter crops until a solution to their land disputes with Arab settlers is resolved, a farmers’ representative told Rudaw on Friday.

The United Kingdom is collaborating with the Kurdistan Region to combat “organised immigration crime” as Kurdish groups have come to dominate deadly smuggling routes into Britain, a British official told Rudaw.

Kurdish leaders on Thursday congratulated the 240th anniversary of the founding of Sulaimani city, the Kurdistan Region’s capital of Kurdish culture.

A brother on Thursday allegedly killed two of his sisters in a Sulaimani city neighborhood, a police source said.

Oil producers in the Kurdistan Region on Thursday welcomed a proposal to amend an article from the Iraqi federal budget law aimed at resuming the Region’s oil exports.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Wednesday pledged to send the salaries of Kurdistan Region’s civil servants “as early as possible,” during his visit to the Region, where he met with Kurdish party leaders.

Authorities in Sulaimani province’s Chamchamal district on Wednesday arrested nearly 40 power generator owners for not supplying electricity during designated hours, according to a local official.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that he is still “hopeful” about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for a potential Ankara-Damascus rapprochement.

Iraq’s transportation ministry on Tuesday announced it had dispatched 50 truckloads of aid to Syria to support refugees from conflict-hit Gaza and Lebanon.

The US military announced early Wednesday that it carried out strikes against Iran-aligned militia groups in Syria for the second consecutive day in response to a rocket attack on a base housing American troops in Kurdish-held northeast Syria (Rojava).

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Tuesday announced the completion of a week-long operation against Islamic State (ISIS) sleeping cells in the notorious al-Hol camp in northeast Syria (Rojava), detaining 79 suspected members of the group.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the invitation to the COP29 climate summit, commending Azerbaijan for hosting a “successful summit” in Baku.

Iraq’s government on Tuesday announced that it approved conducting the general population census nationwide, including the Kurdistan Region, after resolving “technical issues” with authorities in Erbil.

Kirkuk governor Rebwar Taha on Monday said that they will resolve recently resurfaced land disputes between Kurdish farmers and Arab settlers “according to the law,” and expressed support for the passing of the land restitution bill in the Iraqi parliament.

Finding resources to correct the course of global climate goals is the main aim of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, the chief executive officer of the COP29 said on Monday.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Monday for COP29, pledging to support a "greener" Kurdistan Region. The Kurdish delegation plans to present hundreds of projects aimed at advancing environmental sustainability.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Monday announced arresting a “dangerous” Islamic State (ISIS) member in an ongoing operation carried out by Kurdish forces in the notorious al-Hol camp in northeast Syria (Rojava).

An Iraqi delegation led by National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji on Monday met with top Iranian security officials in Tehran to discuss the implementation of a joint security agreement amid regional conflict.

Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji headed a top security delegation including Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed to Tehran on Sunday, meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. They discussed security cooperation between the two countries.

Officials in Kirkuk have voiced concerns over the negligence of Kurdish education in the province, citing inadequate government support and challenges which leave Kurdish students at a disadvantage compared to their peers in the diverse city.

A military commander said two people were killed in the Sinjar (Shingal) district of Iraq’s northern Nineveh province on Sunday, following a reported Turkish airstrike.

Security forces on Sunday deployed to Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to remove a suspicious package a day before the COP29 climate summit.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani will visit Erbil this week as Kurdish parties prepare for government formation talks, an Iraqi government source told Rudaw on Saturday.

Iraqi security forces detained a suspected drug trafficker and an alleged practitioner of witchcraft as part of two separate raids in Baghdad that resulted in 25 arrests.

At least four suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) were killed on Saturday in an Iraqi airstrike in Kirkuk province, the army said.

Drinking water supplies became contaminated with sewage when pipelines broke after heavy rains earlier this week and this caused an outbreak of gastrointestinal complaints in southern Sulaimani province, a health official said on Saturday.

United States President-elect Donald Trump should not return to “the wrong policies” of his past term when he resumes office, an Iranian official said on Sunday.

Illness does not deter Barin Yassin’s love for the Sulaimani-based Nawroz Football Club. As the seven-year-old cheers for his team, football fans across the Kurdistan Region raised funds to help him win the biggest match of his life.

Authorities in southern Sulaimani province have advised against drinking tap water after thousands of people visited hospital with gastrointestinal complaints within the past 24 hours.

More than 300 people residing in camps in Duhok province have returned to their homes in Shingal after years of displacement.

Kurdish forces in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Friday announced the second phase of an operation against the anti-Islamic State (ISIS) in a camp housing thousands of the terror group’s suspected family members and sympathizers.

The Turkish interior ministry on Thursday initiated a legal procedure against the co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) following his remarks during an event protesting the recent removal of three mayors from the party.

Addressing climate change is important for the future of Iraq, so the country’s environment ministry on Thursday underscored joint initiatives currently underway supported by the German development agency (GIZ).

The Iraqi parliament on Thursday extended its legislative session for another month as several controversial bills have not been settled.

Iraq’s interior ministry on Wednesday announced the killing of a man accused of fatally shooting a police officer a day prior in the capital, Baghdad, while police were carrying out an arrest warrant.

Iraq’s governing coalition on Wednesday urged the importance of keeping Iraq away from regional wars with tensions high against the backdrop of the Israel-Gaza war and rejected reports about the country being used as a base to launch attacks on Israel.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) will not exclude any party in formation talks for the next government, President Masoud Barzani stressed on Wednesday in a meeting with outgoing British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hitchen.

Iraqi officials on Wednesday congratulated the US president-elect Donald Trump on his election victory, encouraging Washington to participate in constructive dialogue.

The Iraqi government on Wednesday denied reports of its lands being used as a launchpad to attack Israel, stating that the reports are used as an excuse to drag Iraq into war.

Security forces in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Wednesday launched a new security operation targeting suspected Islamic State (ISIS) members in al-Hol camp amid an uptick in the extremists’ activity.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday announced its support for conducting a population census in Iraq for the purpose of development and warned against the count being used for political purposes, especially for the disputed areas.

The Kurdistan Region’s leaders on Wednesday congratulated US President-elect Donald Trump on his victory in the US elections, saying Erbil looks forward to advancing its ties with Washington.

Thousands of students are set to be temporarily employed for the Kurdistan Region census process, an official from the Region’s census team said on Wednesday, as Iraq prepares to carry out a nationwide census.

A 26-year-old Yazidi woman taken into captivity by the Islamic State (ISIS) ten years ago reunited with her family, the Yazidi Rescue Office announced on Tuesday.

Iran on Tuesday launched its first two privately developed satellites into lower Earth orbit from sites in Russia, state media reported, as Tehran plans to launch several more this year.

Former US president and Republican candidate Donald Trump is “exceeding expectations” and is likely to win the US presidential election over Kamala Harris with his numbers performing better than the last two voting cycles, a Republican official in Washington said on Tuesday.

Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), on Tuesday doubled down on his proposal for the jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan to address the Turkish parliament and announce the dissolution of the group.

The US Central Command on Tuesday said it has successfully eliminated hundreds of suspected Islamic State (ISIS) members and leaders in the past two months in unilateral and joint strikes with Iraqi and Syrian security forces.

Angry protestors, led by opposition politicians on Monday, hit the streets in Turkey hours after Ankara removed three Kurdish mayors on “terror” charges and replaced them with trustees.

The new head of the UN assistance mission in Iraq, Mohamed al-Hassan, on Monday met with the country’s highest Shiite authority, with both emphasizing the need to safeguard the well-being and dignity of Iraqis, free from foreign interference.

The anti-narcotics directorate in the Kurdistan Region announced on Monday the arrest of three foreign nationals in Erbil on drug-related charges and the seizure of five kilograms of narcotics.

Iraq has undertaken important steps to combat extremism in the country and region, National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji said on Monday, noting Baghdad’s efforts to return nationals being held at al-Hol camp in northeast Syria (Rojava)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Monday directed government institutions to fully transition to electronic payment methods within seven months, and ordered the establishment of an appropriate mechanism for the private sector.

US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski met with leaders in the Kurdistan Region on Monday, including Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) head Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, discussing the recent elections and inclusive government formation.

Iran’s consul general to Erbil on Monday said that the Islamic Republic will help Kurdish parties “whenever necessary” to form the next government, stressing that Tehran’s efforts have always been to improve ties with Erbil.

The cancer rate is on a sharp rise in the Kurdistan Region, with a diagnosis occurring every hour in the last year, according to data obtained by Rudaw.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani congratulated newly-elected parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani following their meeting on Sunday in Baghdad.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday that sellers of unregistered SIM cards will face heavy fines, warning the practice can facilitate criminal activity and vowing legal action to protect citizens.

More than half of the food served in Erbil’s dineries goes to waste, the city’s restaurant association said on Sunday, and while some leftovers are repurposed, much of it ends up in landfills and contributes to harmful gas emissions.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Sunday received an invitation from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud to discuss the developments in Gaza and Lebanon in a summit amid simmering regional tensions.

Three complaints about the final results of the Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections have been recorded, the Iraqi electoral body reported on Sunday, the final day for disputing the results.

Kirkuk and Halabja provinces have declared Sunday a holiday as authorities brace for potential floods with heavy rains forecast across the region. Floodwaters have already claimed one life.

The Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) said it will remain in opposition and decline a role in government formation amid allegations of election irregularities.

Cancer rates in the Kurdistan Region have more than doubled over the last decade, new statistics from the Ministry of Health reveal.

It was a good year for Halabja’s pomegranate farmers, but there are no export deals lining up after the fruit was introduced to international markets two years ago.

Yazidi, Turkmen, and Kurds have all raised concerns over inclusion and fairness in Iraq’s census as the government strives to reassure people and highlight the survey’s primary goal - development.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani traveled to Turkey on Friday on an unannounced trip.

It was a good year for Soran’s farmers because of plenty of water and favourable government policies, an official told Rudaw on Friday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Thursday offered assistance and condolences to his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez, after flash floods in the eastern part of the country have claimed the lives of nearly 100 people.

The Syrian interior ministry announced on Wednesday that security forces in Damascus countryside province seized weapons, ammunition, and 600,000 Captagon pills intended for smuggling into Iraq.

The conclusion of the United Nations mission in Iraq by the end of 2025 does not mean that its support and presence in Iraq will also end, the mission’s head said on Wednesday, stressing that the UN is entering its “most important” chapter in the country.

Iraq’s electoral commission on Wednesday announced the final results of the Kurdistan Region’s parliament elections in Erbil, with vote counts barely changing from the preliminary results.

The Iraqi parliament on Tuesday adjourned its session after tensions rose between Kurdish and Sunni lawmakers over a proposed bill to resolve land disputes in Kirkuk, an MP told Rudaw.

Two Kurdish citizens convicted of theft in Iran had their fingers amputated at Urmia’s central prison on Tuesday, according to a report by a human rights organization.

Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs on Tuesday rejected criticism by Germany over Tehran’s execution of dual national Jamshid Sharmahd, saying that a European passport does not guarantee freedom from punishment.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday received the US ambassador to Baghdad, with both agreeing that Iraq should avoid becoming embroiled in the Middle East conflicts.

The “successful” parliamentary elections restored the Kurdistan Region’s legitimacy in Baghdad and internationally despite being held two years overdue, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said on Tuesday, as the Region awaits official results of the vote.

Rudaw Media Network is proud to announce that the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the USA (AFPC-USA) has named Diyar Kurda, Rudaw’s Washington DC bureau chief and talented correspondent, as one of the best reporters in the United States for 2024.

Security issues, legal protections, and complex bureaucracy deter foreign investment and inflate project costs in Iraq, a UAE-based Crescent Petroleum executive said, encouraging Baghdad to foster private sector partnerships and reform its regulatory environment.

The Middle East Research Institute (MERI) kicked off its two-day forum in Erbil on Tuesday with discussions on Iraq’s regional partnerships, international engagement, and shifts in US-Iraq relations, amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East.

French and Qatari energy companies signed a partnership to initiate a major solar power project in Iraq’s Basra province, with plans to generate up to 1.25 gigawatts of electricity as the country seeks to diversify its energy sector.

The Turkish military has struck 470 Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets in Iraq and Syria since the group carried out an attack on a Turkish state-owned defense firm last week, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.

Kurdish security forces (Asayish) in Erbil confiscated 11,000 fake automobile batteries and detained two suspects, they announced on Monday.

The Iraqi Ministry of Education plans to offer Lebanese education curricula, a spokesperson said on Sunday, as more refugees arrive fleeing the ongoing conflict with Israel.

Kataib Hezbollah, a pro-Tehran Iraqi militia group, said on Sunday the US must face consequences for misusing Iraqi airspace, a day after Tehran claimed Israel used it to launch strikes against the Islamic republic.

Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) banned a political commentator and a politician on Sunday from appearing on Iraqi television for “inciting violence” and alleged violations of Iraq’s broadcast media regulations.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will convene an urgent session following a request on Sunday by Iran.

The legislative body of the Arab League approved an Iraqi proposal to file a lawsuit against “the Zionist occupation army,” the Iraqi parliament’s media office announced on Sunday.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that recent attacks on Tehran were a “mistake”, adding that Iranian officials must determine what is best for the country and act accordingly.

A top Iraqi Shiite politician on Sunday said that the United States will be held “fully responsible” for violating Iraqi airspace by using it to launch its attack on neighboring Iran, a day after Tehran said Israel used Iraqi airspace against it.

Three contentious bills are on the agenda of the Iraqi parliament‘s Sunday meeting, and disagreement between the parties might lead to another exclusion of the bills from the session.

Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein state has passed a law granting residency to Yazidis who sought refuge in the country, thereby preventing their deportation.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Saturday called on the Iraqi government to avoid involvement in the Middle East’s tensions.

Ten police officers were killed in an armed attack in southeast Iran on Saturday, state media reported. A Baluchi group has claimed responsibility.

Ali Bapir, leader of the Kurdistan Justice Group (Komal), on Saturday announced that his party will not enter the Kurdistan Region parliament, alleging that the election was rigged.

Several Middle Eastern countries on Saturday condemned Israel’s pre-dawn airstrikes targeting Iranian military sites. Iraq called for an international effort to curb further escalations.

Baghdad’s air quality has improved over the past week, a government spokesperson said on Friday, though the Iraqi capital continues to be one of the world's most polluted cities.

Turkish strikes on vital infrastructure in northeast Syria (Rojava) this week have left hundreds of thousands of people without water or electricity, the local administration said on Friday.

Iraqi security forces on Friday announced that four people were killed in airstrikes on a suspected Islamic State (ISIS) hideout in Salahaddin province.

Turkish security forces on Friday detained over 170 people for alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), two days after an attack on a drone manufacturing facility in the capital Ankara.

Iraqi security forces said on Friday that they arrested a self-proclaimed spiritualist accused of blackmailing over 150 women in Basra.

At least three people were killed and one was injured in Shingal on Friday as a result of suspected Turkish airstrikes, according to a Peshmerga commander.

Joyce Blau, a renowned expert on Kurdish language and literature, passed away at the age of 92.

Kurdish security forces (Asayish) in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Friday said Turkish drone and heavy artillery fire targeting civilian sites killed one person and injured eight others.

Iraqi security forces announced on Thursday that they killed 16 suspected terrorists in Anbar province during a counter-terrorism operation conducted with support from the international coalition.

Registration for Rudaw Media Network in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) cohort for women from Muthana, Karbala, Dhi Qar, and Wasit provinces

A shooting on Thursday at the Kurdsat police station in Sulaimani left two police officers and another person wounded, police in the city said.

At least one Syrian army soldier was killed on Thursday in Israeli airstrikes on Damascus and Homs, state media reported, and seven others were wounded.

The family of Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), met in-person with him on Wednesday at Turkey's Imrali prison for the first time in nearly four years.

World leaders have sent messages of condolence and condemnation to Turkey after a deadly attack on an aerospace firm in the capital Ankara on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet Middle Eastern counterparts in London at the end of the week to discuss Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon, the State Department said on Wednesday, as it has been encouraging a peace deal and the release of hostages.

Iraq is set to close two camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Erbil province and merge an additional three camps, a ministry official told Rudaw on Wednesday, amid efforts by Baghdad to close camps across the country.

Iraq’s migration and displacement ministry on Tuesday updated the number of Lebanese refugees that have arrived in the country to 13,000, as Israel ramps up its strikes against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ office on Tuesday congratulated the Kurdistan Region for holding parliamentary elections, encouraging an inclusive government to be formed “as soon as possible.”

Two members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were injured by shelling from unknown attackers in Syria’s eastern province of Deir ez-Zor on Tuesday, according to a UK-based conflict monitor.

Four political parties which participated in the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections said on Tuesday that there were many instances of fraud and violations and they will release proof soon.

Dozens of people were in critical condition on Tuesday after a carbon monoxide gas leak at a mosque in central Iran, state media reported, as a humanitarian organization said nearly 100 people were affected.

The US government encouraged political parties in the Kurdistan Region to have dialogue following the announcement of election results on Monday, stressing there is more that unites than divides them.

Labeling it as an “important step” that bolsters democracy in the Kurdistan Region, President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated its people on Sunday for the “victorious” ending following the announcement of election results by the electoral commission.

Election monitors in the Kurdistan Region reported on Monday at least 124 complaints from political parties during the general vote, citing cases of noncompliance with electoral regulations and procedural shortcomings.

Iraq’s electoral body on Sunday announced that the voter turnout for the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections was 72 percent, with Duhok province scoring the highest turnout.

Elderly and disabled citizens of the Kurdistan Region on Sunday headed to the polls to vote in the Region’s long-overdue parliamentary elections, determined to make their voice heard.

At least four suspected Islamic State (ISIS) members, including a senior leader, were killed in an Iraqi airstrike on Sunday, the army said, as Baghdad continues to pursue jihadist remnants across the country.

Iraq’s electoral body on Sunday announced that the voter turnout by midday for the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections was 31 percent, with the polls set to close at 6 pm.

Iraq’s electricity ministry announced on Saturday that it signed an agreement with Turkmenistan to import natural gas to boost the national electricity grid.

Iraq's media regulator on Saturday revoked the license of MBC satellite channel, a day after the Saudi broadcaster labeled pro-Iran figures as “terrorists.”

Police officers in Dhi Qar province used tear gas and live bullets to disperse crowds demanding the release of detained protesters, an activist said on Saturday, a day after clashes with security forces resulted in dozens of injuries.

The Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) on Saturday said that security forces were coerced to vote for the ruling parties in Friday’s early voting for the Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections.

Election monitors in the Kurdistan Region reported midday on Friday that they have documented 61 violations during the special vote, including campaigning near polling centers and voters bringing mobile phones into booths.

At least six people were killed and dozens were injured on Friday after a bus rolled over in Turkey’s central Aksaray province.

Mohamed al-Hassan, new head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), said late Thursday night the Kurdistan Region over the past decades has become a place of “development and progress,” hoping for successful and peaceful parliamentary elections.

After Iraqi warplanes targeted a suspected Islamic State (ISIS) hideout in Kirkuk, a member of the Kurdish security forces (Asayish) was killed during a sweeping operation in the disputed province on Thursday.

Security forces across the Kurdistan Region on Friday headed to the polling stations to cast their ballots during the early voting period two days ahead of the general vote in parliamentary elections.

Iraq security officials announced Thursday that an Islamic State (ISIS) suspect was captured in Sulaimani province in a joint operation by Iraqi counterrorism and Kurdish units, with another militant apprehended in a separate operation in Anbar.

The German parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly voted in favor of its government’s request to extend Berlin’s military mission in Iraq for another 15 months.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Leaders from the European Union on Thursday are considering stricter migration policies, including increased deportations, enhanced border security, and cooperation with non-EU countries, while also addressing growing concerns over irregular migration.

The Israeli military said on Thursday they have confirmed the death of Palestinian Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar after initially saying it was investigating his death in a recent Israeli operation in Gaza.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, on Thursday, reassured allies and partners that there is a strong will to unify the Peshmerga forces, adding that progress has been slow, but there is an effort to make the Peshmerga forces a national army.

A 16-year-old boy died while trying to take down a campaign poster in Duhok province’s Shekhan district, as he touched the sign’s electrified metal frame on the final night of the campaigning period, authorities said.

Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) on Wednesday said it has reached a deal with Korek Telecom to settle outstanding payments totaling $1.25 billion, allowing the company to resume full operations after nearly a year of restricted service.

Iraq's Independent Electoral High Commission (IHEC) on Wednesday addressed over 40 complaints of election campaigning violations, including improper flag placements and unauthorized posters, as authorities have cautioned against the illegal removal of posters.

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey’s southern Malatya province on Wednesday, the country’s disaster management agency announced. The tremor of the quake was felt in neighboring Syria.

At least three people died and over a dozen others were injured after separate fires erupted in Iran’s Isfahan and Khuzestan provinces, state media reported on Wednesday.

Nearly 2,000 observers from consulates and international organizations have registered to oversee the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections on Sunday, an Iraqi electoral body official said.

Change Movement (Gorran) acting general coordinator Dana Majid urged voters for another chance Tuesday, the final day of the campaigning, and pledged to push for change and to defend people’s rights through a strong opposition.

Lebanon’s ambassador to Iraq on Tuesday commended Iraqi authorities for welcoming thousands of Lebanese refugees fleeing the Israel-Hezbollah conflict into the country, labeling Baghdad’s effort as “tremendous.”

Lahur Talabany, leader of the new People’s Front (Baray Gal), rallied for support on Tuesday in Sulaimani, vowing to make the province more independent and a cultural development hub, while criticizing ruling parties for years of neglect.

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani on Tuesday vowed to reform governance in the Kurdistan Region, assuring voters that their participation is consequential in the parliamentary election.

The European Union foreign ministers on Monday called for the cessation of Israeli attacks on peacekeepers in Lebanon, reiterating that the bloc will not withdraw “blue helmets” from the war-torn country.

Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani rallied supporters on Tuesday, the final day of campaigning, affirming the party’s commitment to the Kurdistan Region and pledging to prioritize enacting a constitution in the next government.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with new United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) chief Mohamed al-Hassan on Tuesday in Erbil, discussing Baghdad and the Region’s relations, minority groups, and election processes.

Thousands in Iraq’s southern Karbala city attended the funeral of the slain Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Abbas Nilforoushian, who was killed in Beirut last month.

Candidates debate road projects in Sulaimani province during a Rudaw program, blaming each other for the failure to complete several road constructions in the province.

An 11-year-old girl has become the first Lebanese refugee to enroll in the education system in Iraq, two weeks after her family arrived in the country to escape the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

Iran on Monday condemned recent sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom over transferring ballistic missiles and drones to Russia, as well as attacks in the Middle East.

At least four suspected Islamic State (ISIS) members, including an “important leader,” were killed in an Iraqi airstrike in Kirkuk province, the army said on Tuesday, with Baghdad tightening the noose around jihadist remnants in the country.

A sulfuric odor engulfing the Iraqi capital Baghdad has sent nearly 200 people to hospital, and a local official on Monday blamed the foul odor on illegal factories operating at night.

The Iraqi Red Crescent Society has sent 150 tons of food supplies and aid to Lebanon since the start of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, state media reported on Tuesday.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) appealed to potential voters in Sulaimani and Duhok on Monday, less than a week before parliamentary elections, as Komal called for unity in Ranya to address challenges.

Foreign ministers from 27 countries in the European Union met on Monday in Luxembourg to discuss current affairs and a range of issues including the security situation in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, sanctions, humanitarian and environmental concerns.

Two Islamic Resistance in Iraq drones were intercepted by Israeli defense systems near the Golan Heights, a war monitor said on Monday, adding they entered Syrian airspace from Iraq.

Candidates in the parliamentary elections debated long-standing issues of enacting a constitution for the Kurdistan Region, citing the absence of a formal legal framework as a key factor hindering governance and the rule of law.

At least two depots, containing food and sanitization materials, caught fire in Sulaimani’s industrial zone on Monday. No casualties have been reported and the cause of the blaze remains unknown, according to initial reports.

Iraq does not plan to set up camps in the country for incoming Lebanese refugees fleeing war in their homeland, an Iraqi migration ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

The European Union on Monday slammed as “completely unacceptable” a number of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon which have injured United Nations peacekeepers, urging for such attacks to stop.

As the parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region draw closer, low-financed independent candidates are finding inexpensive, creative ways for campaigning to win a spot in the Kurdish legislature.

Around 20,000 Lebanese and Syrian nationals have arrived in northeast Syria (Rojava) since the start of the Israeli operations in Lebanon, Kurdish authorities in Rojava announced on Monday.

Iranian security forces seized over 50 kilograms of narcotics across two cities of the West Azerbaijan province, an official from the Kurdish city of Mahabad told state media.

More than three million ballot papers have been printed as of Sunday and are set to be distributed, along with voting machines, to polling centers across the Kurdistan Region as the campaigning period enters its final days.

Iraq’s finance minister on Sunday requested for lawmakers to assist in receiving non-oil revenues from the Kurdistan Region, adding that Erbil has not handed over its oil revenues since a federal court ruling in February.

Iran’s foreign ministry on Sunday condemned recently expanded US energy sanctions imposed on Tehran, calling them “illegal and unjustified.”

Candidates competing in the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections discussed infrastructure including concerns over roads in the independent administration of Soran, a week ahead of the vote.

The Iraqi premier received the new head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Mohamed al-Hassan on Sunday in Baghdad, discussing the UN’s future in the country following the conclusion of the UNAMI mission and regional stability.

Iraq’s foreign minister on Sunday said that the violation of the country’s airspace to expand the ongoing war towards Iran is “unacceptable”, amid rising regional tensions and a potential Israeli retaliatory strike on its neighbor.

Turkmen parties in the Kurdistan Region on Saturday announced their election plan to make Turkmen an official language.

Politicians on Saturday made appeals to voters at rallies across the Kurdistan Region in the last days of campaigning before a crucial parliamentary election.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Baghdad on Sunday for meetings with Iraqi leaders amid rising regional tensions, according to an informed source.

An independent candidate in the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections announced his withdrawal from the race on Saturday, saying he realized he could not win without the support of a party or a tribe.

Two women of Kurdish descent are running in Belgium’s municipal elections, which are scheduled for Sunday.

The US military announced on Saturday it conducted airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) camps in Syria the day prior, adding that the strikes caused no civilian casualties.

The migration and displacement ministry said on Saturday that tens of thousands of Iraqis remain displaced in camps in the Kurdistan Region amid efforts by Baghdad to close them across the country.

The US government announced expanded sanctions on Iranian petroleum and chemical interests on Friday, citing Tehran's unprecedented missile attack on Israel earlier this month and suggesting that other countries could soon add their own sanctions.

A US soldier was handed a 14-year prison sentence on Friday after pleading guilty to attempting to help Islamic State (ISIS) members attack American troops in the Middle East.

Tens of billions of dollars have been lost since the Kurdistan Region’s oil pipeline exports were halted last year, the oil producing firms said on Saturday, affecting the people and governments of Iraq and the Region.

At least one person was killed and four injured in an unidentified drone strike in Syria’s eastern Deir ez-Zor province on Friday, a war monitor reported.

Hundreds of Lebanese nationals with varying degrees of injuries have arrived in Iraq, the country’s Red Crescent Society said on Friday, as thousands fleeing the conflict have sought refuge in the country.

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) said on Friday that it is reviewing a complaint regarding claims that security forces have engaged in early voting ahead of the scheduled date.

Three ministers from the Change Movement (Gorran) and Sulaimani’s governor have announced their resignations following the party’s decision to withdraw from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Thursday.

The Iraqi government has instructed an industrial subdistrict to introduce measures to reduce factory emissions.

A group of lawyers from four political parties announced on Thursday that, in order to ensure voting is free and fair, they are volunteering their services for voters who face intimidation in the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary election.

Iraq's prime minister told a US delegation in Baghdad on Thursday that disrespecting the country's religious figures is "an affront" to the feelings of Muslims. After the meeting, US Ambassador Alina Romanowski posted on X that they "reject any suggestion of targeting Grand Ayatollah Sistani."

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and a Sunni Arab alliance ended their months-long boycott of the Nineveh provincial council meetings and took part in sessions again, a KDP member said on Thursday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday responded positively towards a question about resolving issues with the country’s pro-Kurdish party, as efforts continue to restore relations.

Israeli airstrikes early Thursday targeted the central Syrian provinces of Homs and Hama, state media reported, as regional tensions continue to rise against the backdrop of the Israel-Gaza war.

The United Nations refugee agency on Wednesday praised Iraq for welcoming more than 500 Lebanese nationals daily, their travel eased by Baghdad’s recent introduction of favorable visa policies.

Iraq is generating about 25 percent less electricity due to a decrease in gas imports from Iran and renovations of power stations ahead of winter, the electricity ministry said on Wednesday.

Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party on Wednesday called on supporters to attend an anticipated rally in the city of Diyarbakir (Amed) in support of the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, despite a ban issued by the governor’s office.

A parliamentary candidate from the newly formed Sardam Alliance on Tuesday warned that the escalating tensions in the Middle East might impede the Kurdistan Region’s long-overdue general elections, calling for the parties to be united for a coherent Kurdish front in Baghdad.

The Syrian defense ministry said on Tuesday that an Israeli airstrike targeted a building in the capital Damascus, killing seven civilians. A war monitor said foreigners were among the casualties.

The Iraqi government plans to return nearly 700 nationals from the al-Hol camp in northeast Syria (Rojava) which houses the families of Islamic State (ISIS) fighters, a spokesperson for Iraq’s migration ministry said on Tuesday.

With the Iraqi government opening its arms to more than 6,500 Lebanese people fleeing conflict in their homeland, the UNHCR said on Tuesday it is gathering information and providing access to essential humanitarian aid and other services.

Parliament candidates from Halabja debated the challenges surrounding the city’s status and recognition as a province during a Rudaw program, criticizing the government for the city’s lack of essential services and infrastructure.

Turkey’s interior ministry on Tuesday announced that it has detained 200 individuals in the past month over human trafficking charges while apprehending over 4000 “irregular” migrants.

A Turkmen MP has voiced concerns over the ongoing Iraqi census, citing the lack of clarity regarding its outcomes and the absence of an agreement. The lawmaker also criticized MPs for opposing a bill that would return land confiscated from Kurdish and Turkmen communities to its rightful owners.

A Kurdish woman recently returned to her hometown of Kobane - fleeing the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon - instead preferring northern Syria as the safer place despite more than a decade of devastating civil war.

The US State Department on Monday underscored concerns about the security situation in Iraq - specifically Iran-backed militias - as the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed groups threatens the wider region

As the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections approach, young first-time voters state their reasons for participating in the process and their expectations from candidates.

Internal security forces (Asayish) carried out raids across Hasaka province, northeast Syria (Rojava) on Monday, arresting 54 people accused of carrying out robbery, theft and murder crimes, local media reported.

Residents of a neighborhood in the disputed city of Kirkuk are worried about being excluded in the upcoming census as household mapping officials have skipped parts of the area.

The US State Department on Monday underscored concerns about the security situation in Iraq - specifically Iran-backed militias - as the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed groups threatens the wider region

Iranian authorities on Monday announced the resumption of flights hours after it canceled flights at some airports, state media reported, amid concerns of Israeli retaliation for the Iranian missile attack.

President Barzani asks voters to support ‘development over destruction’ in Kurdistan

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Sunday called on world leaders to intensify their efforts to spare the Middle East from “destruction and devastation” which “could plunge the region and the world into prolonged conflicts.”

Iran’s aviation authority on Sunday suspended flights at multiple airports in the country overnight, citing “operational limitations,” state media reported, amid increasing concerns of Israeli strikes.

A suspected Israeli airstrike on Sunday struck aid trucks loaded with foods and supplies bound for refugees from Lebanon in Syria’s central Homs province, injuring three people, a war monitor reported.

Iraq’s electoral body has completed the logistical preparations for the Kurdistan Region’s elections, a spokesperson for the commission said on Sunday, as voting machines were delivered to the body’s provincial branches.

At least two members of the Iraqi security forces were killed overnight in a suspected Islamic State (ISIS) attack in Diyala province, a police source said on Sunday.

Kuwait on Sunday revoked the citizenship of two dual nationals involved in the massive theft of $2.5 billion from neighboring Iraq’s tax coffers, a corruption case dubbed the “Heist of the Century.”

The Iraqi army announced on Saturday that over a hundred members of the Islamic State (ISIS) have been killed since the beginning of the year, describing Baghdad’s progress in the fight against terrorism as “great,” state media reported.

Iraq’s security forces have confiscated more than six tons of drugs over the past two years, a spokesperson for the interior ministry announced on Saturday. This is a 210 percent jump when compared to the past two decades.

Iraq has received more than 5,500 Lebanese refugees since the start of Israel’s escalated attacks, a spokesperson for the Iraqi interior ministry said on Saturday.

A Turkmen community leader was injured in an explosion in Kirkuk on Saturday, according to the Turkmen Front political party, which said the blast was an attempt to “create chaos” between groups in the multi-ethnic city.

Iranian police arrested three suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) on Saturday. They were allegedly planning an attack on one of the country’s tourist hubs, state media reported.

The former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Schenker, said in an interview with Rudaw on Saturday that extremist groups like the Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaeda are becoming more active in the Middle East. With the region preoccupied with the conflict in Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine, he said: “There's no state really to go actively after these groups.”

Iraq has received approximately 1,500 people from Lebanon through the al-Qaim border crossing with Syria since the latest escalation between Israel and Hezbollah two weeks ago, an Iraqi Red Crescent Society official said on Saturday.

More than a dozen people from the Kurdistan Region detained in Tunisian waters in early August have been released, an Iraqi lawmaker told Rudaw on Saturday, adding two more are expected to be released soon.

Police are investigating an explosion in downtown Kirkuk that injured at least five people on Saturday.

Iran-backed groups in Syria used rockets and drones to attack a gas field in eastern Deir ez-Zor province late Friday, a war monitor reported, adding the facility houses US forces.

Parliament candidates addressed a rising trend in the use of recreational drugs in the Kurdistan Region during a Rudaw program, tracing the increase to a lack of comprehensive strategy along with limited social and economic opportunities.

Israeli airstrikes severed the highway between Beirut and Damascus early on Friday, a war monitor reported. The strikes led to the closing of one of the most important crossings between the two countries amid an influx of Lebanese citizens fleeing the war.

A new political party representing the Shiite Feyli Kurds is set to launch in Baghdad in October, with the party’s leader stating that the current leadership does not adequately represent the minority.

Iran’s Supreme leader Ali Khamenei is set to lead the Friday prayer and deliver a sermon, for the first time in nearly five years, days after Tehran launched a barrage of missiles on Israel.

Kurdistan Region’s education ministry announced on Thursday a week of school holidays for the parliamentary elections, taking place on October 20. Some polling stations will be located in schools.

Iraq's first lady added her voice to those of female lawmakers and activists who are concerned about proposed amendments to the personal status law, fearing it could undermine women’s and children’s rights as support for the changes grows in parliament

A 21-year-old Yazidi woman who was kidnapped by the Islamic State (ISIS) and living in the Gaza Strip was rescued and reunited with family members, Iraqi and Kurdistan Region officials announced on Thursday. Iraqi authorities said they were made aware of her situation through Rudaw coverage.

Flights between airports in the Kurdistan Region and Tehran are set to resume on Friday, a source told Rudaw. Flights were halted on Tuesday when Iran launched missiles at Israel and regional countries closed their airspace.

Iraqi security forces on Wednesday foiled an attempt to smuggle 80 artifacts in the central Babil province, state media reported, adding two suspects were arrested.

The US government on Wednesday said that it would hold the Iraqi government accountable if American personnel in the region are targeted, following pro-Tehran elements in Baghdad warning they would target "all American bases and interests”

Several prominent artists and intellectuals have entered the Kurdistan parliamentary election race, campaigning with promises to restore the prominence of Kurdish culture and support artists.

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani on Wednesday called on his rival political leaders to participate in a public debate as campaigning heats up ahead of the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary election.

At least four Iraqi soldiers were killed on Wednesday in a suspected Islamic State (ISIS) ambush in Kirkuk province, the army said, as Baghdad continues to battle jihadist remnants in the country.

More than 550 Lebanese civilians fleeing repeated Israeli attacks have arrived in Iraq over the past two days, an Iraqi migration ministry official said on Wednesday.

The spokesperson for an elite group of Iraqi forces praised the growing synergy with the security forces in the Kurdistan Region, especially when combating the Islamic State’s (ISIS) escalating activities in Kirkuk.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that his country does not want a war with Israel after Tehran fired a barrage of missiles at its arch-enemy on Tuesday night. Israel has vowed to retaliate.

Pro-Tehran Iraqi militia groups warned late on Tuesday that if the US uses Iraqi airspace to carry out “hostile action” against Iran, they will target American interests in the country as they previously have done. The threat followed Iran’s missile attack on Israel earlier in the evening.

Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel on Tuesday, as all Israeli civilians were ordered to shelter in place. Tehran on multiple occasions has vowed retaliation for Israeli aggression.

At least six people including an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander were killed in attacks in southeastern Iran, state media reported on Tuesday. A Baluchi extremist group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The Kurdistan Region on Tuesday started the listing and numbering in preparation for the much-anticipated census.

Twenty-three percent of eligible voters in the Kurdistan Region will not be able to cast ballots in the upcoming parliamentary election due to the lack of voter registration cards, with the Iraqi electoral body stating on Tuesday that registration for the cards has already closed.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Tuesday ordered an investigation into a “security breach” after Katyusha rockets landed at Baghdad International Airport.

A tanker exploded in Baghdad’s Baladiyat area on Monday, killing two and injuring another.

An Israeli aerial strike on the Syrian capital of Damascus killed and injured several civilians, state media reported on Tuesday.

The Lebanese ambassador to Baghdad commended Iraq on Monday for its humanitarian response to Lebanon amid escalating conflict.

Security forces (Asayish) said in a statement that a person was shot during a mourning ceremony at a mosque in Erbil on Monday by guards of a Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) candidate.