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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace

@kurdishsis.bsky.social
42 followers 5 following 262 posts

The Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace (GKIP) is a Research Initiative of the School of International Service @ausis.bsky.social at American University.

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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Watch the recording of our event "After Sovereignty: A Diplomat's View of Kurdish Governance" with Ambassador Joey Hood and Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK51...
youtube.com
After Sovereignty: A Diplomat's View of Kurdish Governance
YouTube video by School of International Service, AU
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Join us at @ausis.bsky.social for a discussion on religious freedom, protection of minority communities, and support for displaced people, featuring Nadine maenza, @knoxthames.bsky.social, and @yerevansaeed.bsky.social. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/kurdistan-...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Check out our September newsletter to see the latest work of the Initiative. This issue includes a note from Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social, recent publications, programs, and interviews on Kurdish art and community organizing. Read here: t.e2ma.net/webview/vcby...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social was quoted by @deutschewelle.dw.com on the security implications of the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, including the risks facing Kurdish communities and other vulnerable minorities. www.dw.com/en/iraq-us-t...
dw.com
Iraq: US troops withdraw after 12 years as Baghdad delays disarming Iran-backed militias to June 2027
As the US completes its military withdrawal from Iraq, Baghdad declares a new era of sovereignty. But as US troops leave, questions remain over militias, foreign forces and the country's future securi...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
As the U.S. completes its military withdrawal from Iraq, Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social spoke with BBC News about the future of Iraq’s security, the continued influence of Iran-backed militias, and the threat of renewed extremism. www.bbc.com/mundo/articl...
bbc.com
EE.UU. se retira completamente de Irak tras 20 años de presencia militar: cómo deja el país y qué ocurrirá ahora - BBC News Mundo
EE.UU. tiene previsto retirar las tropas que aún mantiene en Irak este 30 de septiembre, poniendo fin a una presencia militar que comenzó con la invasión en 2003 que derrocó a Saddam Hussein.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social comments on the implications of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq for The Australian. Read here: www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/ne...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
In a new piece for @gulfstatesinst.bsky.social, Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social examines the challenges facing Baghdad as U.S.-led coalition forces withdraw from Iraq, asking whether the government can bring PMF factions under effective state control. agsi.org/analysis/wit...
agsi.org
With U.S. Withdrawal, Can Iraq Exert Control Over the PMF? - AGSI
As U.S.-led coalition forces withdraw from Iraq, Baghdad is confronting the political bargains that allow armed factions to defy the state.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Experts Michael Knights, Elizabeth Dent, Kamaran Palani, and Jason Campbell weigh in on Kurdistan's security options following the end of Operation Inherent Resolve and Erbil's future relationships with Washington and Baghdad. www.american.edu/sis/research...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Join us at @ausis.bsky.social to hear how conflict in the Middle East affects global energy security, and what diplomacy can do to contain its costs, with a focus on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Featuring Amos Hochstein and Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social. www.eventbrite.com/e/2002159639...
eventbrite.com
Conflict in the Middle East: Energy Security and Diplomacy
SIS Founders Room
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Register today to join Nadine Maenza, @knoxthames.bsky.social, and @yerevansaeed.bsky.social for a timely discussion on religious freedom, protection of minority communities, and support for displaced people. Link here: www.eventbrite.com/e/1996239331...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social joined fellow experts to discuss the implications of the end of Operation Inherent Resolve for Iraq and Syria, including the future of Kurdish security, for War On The Rocks. warontherocks.com/what-the-end...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
GKIP, in coordination with the KRG Representation in the United States, hosted SIS graduate students for an evening of Kurdish culture, music, conversation, and community, featuring remarks from KRG Representative Treefa Aziz and Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social, and student reflections.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Speaking with Diplomatic Insider, Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social comments on Syria’s transition, warning weak command accountability and growing centralization in Damascus have left Kurds vulnerable and the country’s stability increasingly fragile. diplomaticinside.com/2026/09/18/s...
diplomaticinside.com
SDF Integration and Unrest Shaking the Foundations of New Syria - Diplomatic Insider
Though there is an international push to integrate the SDF into new Syria, Kurdish experts warn with Diplomatic Insider that it has offered a false cure. By
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Rising fuel prices have sparked protests in Kurdish-majority Qamishli and other parts of Syria. Residents say higher costs for fuel and basic goods are amplifying longstanding concerns over Kurdish rights and access to Kurdish-language education. www.rudaw.net/english/cate...
rudaw.net
Syria fuel price hike sparks Kurdish protests, unrest
A sharp increase in fuel prices has triggered protests across Syria, including Kurdish-majority areas in Qamishli in northeastern Syria (Rojava), with residents saying the rising cost of basic goods p
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
What lessons can Kurdistan's experience offer for fostering peaceful coexistence? Join Nadine Maenza, @knoxthames.bsky.social, and @yerevansaeed.bsky.social for a timely discussion on religious freedom, protection of minority communities, and support for displaced people. bit.ly/4h2cOT2
shorturl.at
Kurdistan: Faith, Tolerance, and Peaceful Coexistence
SIS Founders Room
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social’s proposal to designate the Kurdistan Region a Major Non-NATO Ally for air defense was highlighted by Alhurra in its latest article on Iranian drone strikes targeting regional energy infrastructure and U.S. options to protect it. alhurra.com/en/39239
alhurra.com
Beyond the Strait, Iranian Drone Attacks Threaten Regional Energy Infrastructure | Alhurra
Satellite imagery showed a black smoke plume at Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline after being attacked on Thursday, prompting the kingdom to shut the line down. A senior Saudi official said t…
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The Kurdistan Region says it has completed the unification of Peshmerga forces formerly affiliated with the KDP and PUK under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, marking a major milestone in efforts to establish a unified military force— @rudawenglish.bsky.social. www.rudaw.net/english/cate...
rudaw.net
Peshmerga unification process complete: Minister
Peshmerga minister on Thursday announced completion of the process to unify all Peshmerga forces, including those formerly affiliated with the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Uni
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The SDF’s integration into Syria’s government forces marks a turning point for Syrian Kurds. While some see an opportunity for political participation, others warn that Kurdish rights remain without guarantees, @ajenglish.bsky.social reports. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/...
aljazeera.com
As SDF disband in Syria, Kurds ponder how to secure their rights
As the Kurdish forces dissolve, experts express concern if their rights will be won through democratic means.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social joined fellow @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social experts to comment on the implications of the final withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. Read the rest of his response here: www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menaso...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Don't miss out! Register today for After Sovereignty: A Diplomat's View of Kurdish Governance, featuring Ambassador Joey Hood in conversation with Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/1996457494...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The Kurdistan Regional Government has asked Baghdad for 140,000 barrels of oil daily, nearly three times its current allocation, to lower petrol prices in the Kurdistan Region to 450 dinars per liter, matching the subsidized price in the rest of Iraq. en.964media.com/52195/
en.964media.com
KRG asks Baghdad for 140,000 barrels a day to cut fuel to 450 dinars
ERBIL — The Kurdistan Regional Government has asked Baghdad for 140,000 barrels of crude a day, nearly three
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Speaking with the Kurdish Center for Studies, Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social commented on the ending of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Kurdistan’s Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs and the U.S. Department of War. nlka.net/eng/beyond-t...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Kurdish counterterrorism officials said coalition forces intercepted 10 drones over Erbil early Wednesday. The attacks caused no casualties and two additional drones fell in Duhok’s Akre district—The New Region. thenewregion.com/posts/6397
thenewregion.com
At least 10 drones intercepted over Erbil: Kurdish counterterrorism
In a statement addressing the people of the Kurdistan Region, the IRGC said “the time has come for the end of the heinous and barbaric American regime.”
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The YPJ, a Kurdish women’s fighting force that played a key role in the campaign against ISIS, is seeking to maintain an organized military role in post-Assad Syria as the country restructures its security institutions, @reuters.com reports. www.reuters.com/world/middle...
reuters.com
Once symbols of war on Islamic State, Kurdish women fighters seek role in new Syria
Female Kurdish fighters who became global symbols of the fight against Islamic State are negotiating with Syria's new authorities to retain ​a combat role after a government overhaul left their future...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Register today for After Sovereignty: A Diplomat's View of Kurdish Governance, featuring Ambassador Joey Hood in conversation with Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social on the future of Kurdish political, economic, and social participation across the region. Link: www.eventbrite.com/e/1996457494...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Take a look at our Year in Review newsletter for a snapshot of our publications, programs, and highlights from the 2025–2026 academic year. Read here: t.e2ma.net/webview/3ylb...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social spoke with BBC to discuss the ending of U.S. security assistance to the Peshmerga, Kurdish security forces, and the implications for the Kurds, who have long been a key U.S. partner in the region. www.bbc.com/news/article...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
In a new piece for @thenationalnews.com, Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social argues that Washington should not leave on the schedule set by Iran-backed militias, as a premature exit could weaken Iraqi sovereignty, endanger Kurdistan, and embolden armed groups. www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comm...
thenationalnews.com
Don't let Iran-backed militias to set the clock on America's exit from Iraq | The National
Baghdad has set one deadline to disarm these groups, and one to send US forces home. Only one of them is real
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Rescheduled: Join us on September 29 from 11:30am-12:30pm for After Sovereignty: A Diplomat's View of Kurdish Governance, featuring Ambassador Joey Hood in conversation with Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/after-sove...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Today marks the 38th Anniversary of the Badinan Anfal Genocide, which was carried out by the Iraqi state and targeted civilians through military and chemical attacks, mass arrests, forced disappearances, village destruction, and displacement.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Join us for After Sovereignty: A Diplomat's View of Kurdish Governance, featuring Ambassador Joey Hood in conversation with Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social on the future of Kurdish political, economic, and social participation across the region. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/1996457494...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
The Kurdistan Region is facing increasing economic and security concerns as the US-Israel war on Iran continues. The KRG reports a 70% decline in trade, while attacks have damaged infrastructure and disrupted energy production, @aljazeera.com reports. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/...
aljazeera.com
Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region suffers as US-Iran war drags on
Kurdistan Regional Government says 70 percent of its trade has been cut by the regional conflict.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
More than 400 displaced Syrian Kurdish families returned to Ras Al Ain for the first organized mass return since 2019, but reports of attacks on the convoy raised concerns over the safety of returning residents, @thenationalnews.com reports. www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...
thenationalnews.com
Violence mars return of displaced Syrian Kurds to border town after nearly seven years | The National
More than 400 families set out from Hasakah camp to Ras Al Ain and nearby areas
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Premiering at the Venice Film Festival, Halkawt Mustafa’s No Paradise if You Are Killed by a Woman follows a Kurdish female sniper returning to Mosul to rescue her younger sister from ISIS. www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-_U...
youtube.com
NO PARADISE IF YOU ARE KILLED BY A WOMAN | Official Teaser | A Film by Halkawt Mustafa
YouTube video by Hene Film
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Turkey’s parliament approved legislation offering conditional pardons and sentence suspensions for thousands of PKK members, dependent on the group’s full disarmament. The measure marks a significant step in Ankara’s effort to advance its peace initiative. apnews.com/article/turk...
apnews.com
Turkey’s parliament approves a pardon-like bill for thousands of PKK militants
Turkey’s parliament has approved a conditional pardon for thousands of Kurdish militants. This move aims to advance the government's peace initiative with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Amid more than 1,000 missile and drone attacks, KRG PM Masrour Barzani says the Kurdistan Region will not become involved in the U.S.-Israel war on Iran and supports Baghdad’s efforts to bring weapons under state control.— @aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/...
aljazeera.com
Iraq’s Kurdish region wants to stay out of regional conflicts: PM Barzani
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Masrour Barzani denies any 'pressure' to enter the Iran war despite over 1,000 attacks.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
"The more time is given to these militia groups, I think the more difficult it will be for the U.S. and also for any future Iraqi government to tackle them."—Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social for @mbnenglish.bsky.social. Read here: alhurra.com/en/31051
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Speaking with @mbnenglish.bsky.social, Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social discussed the Kurdistan Region's security challenges, including Iran-backed militias, Baghdad's limited authority, and how U.S. pressure could strengthen regional security. Read here: alhurra.com/en/31051
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani visited Damascus for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Syria’s transition, Kurdish rights, implementation of the SDF integration agreement, border security, and regional cooperation. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/...
aljazeera.com
Iraqi Kurdish regional leader meets Syrian president in Damascus
Barzani meets Syria's al-Sharaa in Damascus to discuss SDF integration and Kurdish rights in post-Assad Syria.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Today marks the anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide, when ISIS launched a campaign to eradicate the Yazidi community in Sinjar through mass killings, forced displacement, enslavement, and forced conversions.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
July 31 marks the 43rd anniversary of the Barzani Genocide, which commemorates the systematic abduction and execution of thousands of Barzani men and boys by Iraq’s Ba’ath regime.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Thousands of displaced Syrian Kurds are still waiting to return to Ras al-Ain seven years after Turkey's 2019 offensive. Despite a deal between Damascus and the SDF, many say insecurity and occupied homes continue to prevent their return. www.al-monitor.com/originals/20...
al-monitor.com
Syria's Kurds still waiting to go home despite govt deal
At a desolate Syrian camp, home to thousands of displaced Kurds, Ahmad Oussi appealed for help to return to his hometown, seven years after a Turkish offensive drove him out. Residents of the Talaeh c...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Signed on July 24, 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne redrew the political map of the Middle East. It marked the end of provisions for Kurdish self-determination and left Kurdish communities divided across modern-day Türkiye, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/927...
kurdistan24.net
A Century of Denial: Today Marks 103 Years Since the Treaty of Lausanne
The 1923 accord replaced an earlier promise of Kurdish independence and split Greater Kurdistan among four states, a division still felt across the region today.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Iran has renewed drone and missile strikes on Kurdish Iranian opposition groups based in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, deepening regional instability and prompting several major energy companies to suspend operations, The Long War Journal reports. www.longwarjournal.org/archives/202...
longwarjournal.org
Iran renews attacks on Kurdish Iranian opposition groups in Iraq
Iran has intensified drone and missile attacks on Kurdish Iranian opposition groups and energy infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq amid renewed tensions with the United States. Mea...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Dana Gas temporarily shut down production at the Khor Mor gas field over "credible security threats," reducing electricity generation in the Kurdistan Region by 2,500 MW. The field supplies gas for about 90% of the Region's electricity—964 Media. en.964media.com/49689/
en.964media.com
Kurdistan Region loses 2,500 MW as Khor Mor shuts over security threats
ERBIL — Electricity generation across the Kurdistan Region fell by 2,500 megawatts on Thursday after the opera
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
The KRG condemned renewed Iranian missile and drone attacks on the Kurdistan Region, warning they threaten regional peace and security. It urged Iran to halt the strikes and called on Baghdad and the international community to respond, per The New Region. thenewregion.com/posts/5913
thenewregion.com
KRG condemns ‘unjustified’ attacks on Kurdistan Region
“The continuation of these attacks constitutes a grave threat to regional peace and security and risks further destabilizing the entire region,” KRG said in a statement.
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
In a new piece for Emirates Policy Center, Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social argues Iraq’s Gulf tensions reflect a deeper sovereignty crisis. As Iran-backed militias strain regional ties, the Kurdistan Region could emerge as a key channel for Gulf engagement. www.epc.ae/en/details/f...
epc.ae
Iraq as a Neighborhood Problem.. How a Decade of Gulf Diplomacy Collapsed during the Iran War
Three days after Ali al-Zaidi was sworn in as Iraq’s new prime minister in May, three drones launched from Iraqi territory targeted critical infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Speaking with The New Region, Director @yerevansaeed.bsky.social discussed reports of increasing Iranian pressure on Baghdad and Erbil over Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, highlighting the growing security and diplomatic challenges facing the KRG. thenewregion.com/posts/5761
thenewregion.com
Iran allegedly pressuring Iraq to expel Kurdish opposition groups
Reports that Iran has ramped up pressure on Iranian Kurdish dissident groups in the Kurdistan Region, who have faced relentless Iranian strikes during the recent regional war, have placed Baghdad and ...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
German-born Kurdish boxer Agit Kabayel was crowned the WBC World Heavyweight Champion, becoming the first Kurdish heavyweight world champion in history. english.anf-news.com/kurdistan/ku...
english.anf-news.com
Kurdish boxer Agit Kabayel crowned world heavyweight champion
Following Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to relinquish all of his heavyweight titles, the World Boxing Council (WBC) officially declared Germany-born Kurdish boxer Agit Kabayel the new W...
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Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace @kurdishsis.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Germany's Deniz Undav did more than score goals at the World Cup. The son of Yazidi refugees has become a symbol of hope and pride for Yazidi and Kurdish communities with no national teams of their own. apnews.com/article/deni...
apnews.com
Deniz Undav’s World Cup success for Germany lifts Yazidi and Kurdish pride
A standout at the World Cup, Deniz Undav is playing for Germany while representing his Yazidi and Kurdish heritage.
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