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Politics & Security

Siyamend Ali

Interview

YPG spokesman: Syrian forces' strategy is to isolate Kurdish towns and cities

In an interview with Al-Monitor, YPG spokesman Siyamend Ali said Kurdish forces were successfully repelling advances by the Syrian army, while Damascus accused the Kurds of launching unprovoked attacks.

Siyamend Ali

Siyamend Ali

YPG spokesman

The Washington Post building at One Franklin Square on June 5, 2024, in Washington.

‘Save the Post’: Washington Post journalists urge Bezos to protect foreign desk

The Post maintains one of the most extensive overseas reporting networks among US newspapers, including Middle East bureaus in Istanbul, Cairo and Dubai.

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki leaves after casting his ballot at a polling station in Baghdad on Nov. 11, 2025 during Iraq's parliamentary elections.

‘Very bad choice’: Trump threatens to cut Iraq aid if Maliki returns as PM

Trump warned that the US would “no longer help Iraq” if former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki returns to power, saying his previous leadership had brought chaos and poverty.

Latest News

As phase 2 looms, Netanyahu insists no Turkish or Qatari troops in Gaza

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Christian party in Lebanon says alliance with Hezbollah over: What to know

Lebanese MP Gebran Bassil attends the 12th parliamentary session to elect a new president in Beirut's downtown district on June 14, 2023.

Analysis

As Trump weighs Iran diplomacy, Israel uneasy but could accept deal

trump

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

What’s next for Iraq as Nouri al-Maliki gets nominated for PM?

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki answers reporters' questions during a news conference with US President Barack Obama in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Dec. 12, 2011, in Washington.

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Smokes billows in Qamishli in northeastern Syria close to the Turkish border on Dec. 25, 2023, amid Turkish military strikes in the area.

Breaking | Last Updated: January 13, 2024, 2:36 pm

Turkey launches retaliatory strikes in Syria & Iraq, Erdogan convenes security meeting

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold an emergency national security meeting on Saturday.

In this handout image provided by the UK Ministry of Defense, an RAF Typhoon aircraft returns to berth following a strike mission on Yemen's Houthi rebels at RAF Akrotiri on Jan. 12, 2024.

Analysis

Explainer: Why Bahrain supported US strikes on Yemen’s Houthis

Bahrain’s geographical position and close ties to the US are influencing its policy on the Houthis’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Volunteers unload a truck as a convoy carrying humanitarian aid arrives in Syria after crossing the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, on Sept. 19, 2023.

Syria extends humanitarian aid deliveries via Turkey to rebel-held zone

The crossing is the sole artery for UN supplies for the rebel-held northwest of the country.

OLAF KRAAK/AFP via Getty Images

Israel rejects South Africa's genocide charge at ICJ as 'grossly distorted'

On the second day of hearings at the International Court of Justice, Israel rejected the court's jurisdiction and accused Hamas of genocidal acts.

Aharon Barak, on the panel of the International Court of Justice, The Hague, Jan. 11, 2024.

Analysis

Netanyahu turns to longtime foe to defend Israel — and himself — at ICJ

The prime minister chose former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak, a target of his judicial reform effort, to join the ICJ panel hearing South Africa's genocide complaint against Israel.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

An RAF Typhoon aircraft takes off to join the US-led coalition from RAF Akrotiri to conduct air strikes against military targets in Yemen on Jan. 12, 2024.

From Turkey to Iran, condemnations, calls for revenge to strikes on Houthis

The overnight US and British strikes against Houthi military sites in Yemen have further raised concerns of a regional war.

Amir Levy/Getty Images

Day 98 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Jan. 12

US special envoy Amos Hochstein (L) meets with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut on Jan. 11, 2024 amid continuing tensions on the Lebanese-Israeli border.

US seeks diplomatic deal to contain Israel-Lebanon escalation

Amos Hochstein said he was hopeful a "temporary compromise" could be reached to ease tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border.

ODESSA, UKRAINE - APRIL 25: A view of the sign which reads "Caution: mines" on the beach on April 25, 2022 in Odessa, Ukraine. Ukrainian forces, as well as civilian Odessans, remain on guard against a potential Russian advance on this historic port city, whose capture could help give Russia control of Ukraine's southern coast. But given Russia's setbacks in this two-month-long war, including the sinking of its Black Sea Fleet's flagship Moskva, analysts regard a full-scale attack on Odessa to be unlikely. (

Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania ink deal to remove floating mines from Black Sea

The mission will be solely open to Black Sea NATO countries, the Turkish Defense Ministry stressed following signing the ceremony.

SUEZ, EGYPT - JANUARY 10: A ship transits the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea on January 10, 2024 in Suez, Egypt. on January 10, 2024 in Suez, Egypt. In the wake of Israel's war on Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Houthi rebels in Yemen pledged disruption on all ships destined for Israel through the Red Sea's Suez Canal. The disruption on world trade is evident in the number of companies using this container ship route - a 90 per cent decline compared to figures one year ago. (Photo by Sayed

Breaking | Last Updated: January 11, 2024, 6:41 pm

US, UK mull strikes against Iran-backed Houthis following Red Sea attacks

British media reported that Downing Street called for an emergency cabinet meeting tonight to approve UK military action against the Houthis.

France's Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna (2R) meets with soldiers of the French contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), outside the Pine Residence, the French Ambassador's official residence in Beirut, on December 18, 2023. France's top diplomat is in Lebanon on December 18, for talks on de-escalating near-daily exchanges of fire on the Israel border, which have triggered fears of all-out conflict. (Photo by Anwar AMRO / AFP) (Photo by ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Image

Breaking | Last Updated: January 11, 2024, 4:42 pm

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna out as France changes cabinet

With French President Emmanuel Macron still in charge of his country's foreign policies, Colonna's exit is unlikely to affect Paris' Middle East positions.

This picture taken on Oct. 31, 2022 shows a view of an oil tanker, seized by Iranian naval forces at the Gulf port of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

Turkey says tanker seized by Iran carrying Turkish oil purchased from Iraq

The ship was seized by the Iranian navy off the coast of Oman.