"Independence is the dream of every single Kurd." In a food court in the Melbourne suburb of Epping, three Kurdish men are talking about the plans of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government to hold a referendum on independence on September 25.
(AFP) -- Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani on Saturday delayed a scheduled news conference on a controversial independence referendum he has called for next week as international pressure mounts for a postponement.
ISTANBUL/BAGHDAD (Reuters) -- Turkey's parliament voted on Saturday to extend by a year a mandate authorizing the deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq and Syria, stepping up pressure against an independence referendum in northern Iraq's Kurdish region in two days' time.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Syria's foreign minister told world leaders Saturday that victory against terrorists in his war-ravaged nation "is now within reach" while North Korea's foreign minister said U.S. President Donald Trump's insult to his country makes an attack against the U.S.
With the battle for Raqqa entering its 109th day, a small Islamic State garrison continues to resist the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) whose troops have cleared most of the city centre, and effectively seized over 90% of ISIS' self-declared capital.
Alqosh, Iraq -- Louay gestured towards the Mar Mikha al-Nuhedri school. He said it has been in the town of Alqosh since the fifth century. "They were the first one here and they are teaching the instruction of Christianity," he said. "They brought disabled kids here to teach them.