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Amberin Zaman

Amberin Zaman

Al Monitor

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Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria

Turkey reopened the Akcakale-Tell Abyad crossing on Monday, ending an 11-year closure along the Syria border.

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Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance

Backlash erupts after dancers perform to Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” exposing the tightrope between Sharaa’s outreach to the West and pressure...

22.04.2026 8

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Trump envoy Barrack’s embrace of 'strong leaders' sparks fury in Turkey

Turkish opposition members say envoy Tom Barrack’s remarks praising “strong leaders” and monarchies undermine Turkey’s democratic tradition...

21.04.2026 9

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

After years of closure, the reopening of al-Yaaroubiya crossing is redrawing Kurdish economic leverage and reinforcing Turkey’s regional strategy.

20.04.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds?

Damascus is making limited but tangible progress in its engagement with Syrian Kurds, even as Ankara seeks to shape the terms of any settlement.

16.04.2026 7

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Despite Trump’s U-turns, US may still support Iran’s Kurds, says Komala’s Mohtadi

In an exclusive interview, the Komala leader discusses US backing, Kurdish ambitions and Trump’s shifting stance.

14.04.2026 5

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

'King of Iraq': Top judge Zaidan played key role in Shelly Kittleson's release

Officials say Faiq Zaidan leveraged his influence with Iran-backed militias to help secure the US journalist’s release, underscoring his outsized...

08.04.2026 8

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

US journalist Shelly Kittleson released by Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq

Two officials confirmed to Al-Monitor that Kittleson had been released.

07.04.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

US journalist Shelly Kittleson will be released, says Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah

The Iran-backed group claimed it has decided to free Kittleson after a week in captivity, but there has been no confirmation of her release.

07.04.2026 7

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Shelly Kittleson's kidnapping by suspected Iran-backed militia exposes Iraq government weakness

The abduction of US journalist Shelly Kittleson highlights the outsized influence of Iran-aligned armed groups operating beyond Baghdad’s control.

01.04.2026 6

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

American journalist Shelly Kittleson abducted in Iraq

Local authorities are searching for Shelley Kittleson, who was abducted in Baghdad.

31.03.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Iran's first strike on Iraqi Kurdish forces since war began a warning to US allies

The deadly strike on Kurdish forces underscores Tehran’s readiness to pressure US partners as Erbil is caught between Iran, Baghdad and Washington.

24.03.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Journalist who investigated Erdogan’s son jailed on 'disinformation' charges in Turkey

Human rights organizations warn Ari’s detention signals a broader campaign against journalists probing government corruption and elite networks.

23.03.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Iraqi oil flows to Turkey after US pledges role in Baghdad-Kurds customs dispute

A US-brokered breakthrough between Baghdad and Erbil has restarted Iraqi oil exports through Turkey after a weeklong standoff.

18.03.2026 8

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Dana Gas evacuates Khor Mor staff in Iraq's Kurdistan region after Iran threats

Tehran has warned it will target Gulf oil and gas facilities following Israeli strike on South Pars.

18.03.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Desperate to sell its oil, Iraq turns to Turkey amid standoff with Kurds

As Iraq looks to reroute oil to Turkey, Baghdad is also using the plan to push the Iraqi Kurds to greenlight exports through their territory.

16.03.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Top Kurdish critic of Damascus named Syria's deputy defense minister

The move cements a US-brokered truce and signals Damascus’ intent to integrate the Kurdish-led northeast into the national government, even as...

11.03.2026 8

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

US-backed Kurdish forces poised to enter Iran from Iraqi Kurdistan 'within days'

The CIA has reportedly been in contact with Iranian Kurdish armed groups since last year, as Israel presses for Kurdish engagement.

04.03.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Kurds see opening yet remain wary as Trump seeks help to oust Iran regime

As the US and Israel escalate strikes on Iran, Trump has opened talks with Iraqi Kurdish leaders about their potential involvement in the conflict.

03.03.2026 9

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

As Iran weighs Khamenei’s successor, some question future of role

Iran faces uncertainty as the process of choosing Khamenei’s successor unfolds, with some experts saying that wartime conditions and the lack of a...

03.03.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Rubio said 'no meeting' with Syria’s Shibani in Munich unless Kurdish commander included

Rubio’s insistence was aimed at satisfying lawmakers demanding stronger US support for the SDF.

27.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Turkey to repatriate its ISIS fighters from Iraq as jihadis escalate Syria attacks

Ankara will repatriate its nationals from among thousands of fighters transferred from Syria, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said.

23.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

UN points to 'genocidal path' in RSF assault on Sudan’s El-Fasher

A UN fact-finding mission says the scale and coordination of atrocities in Darfur mark a shift in its assessment of the paramilitary group’s campaign.

19.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

After SDF-Damascus truce, is Kurdish haven still safe for Syria's Alawites?

Thousands of Alawites who fled violence in western Syria now face uncertainty as the Syrian government and Kurdish forces reach a tentative truce.

18.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Syrian Kurdish officials say 66 Turkish ISIS fighters transferred for relocation to Iraq

The detainees were handed over from SDF custody to the US-led coalition for transfer to Iraqi prisons.

11.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Prince William meets footballers, gamers during Saudi tour

Britain's Prince William criss-crossed the Saudi capital Riyadh on Tuesday, meeting footballers, playing video games and chatting with customers at a...

11.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

100 non-Syrian Kurds return to PKK’s Qandil stronghold under SDF-Damascus deal

The transfer of non-Syrian PKK fighters to Iraq’s Qandil Mountains follows a US-brokered SDF-Damascus deal aimed at easing tensions and preserving...

11.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Turkey's army chief says 'no plans to withdraw' from Syria

Turkey’s military chief said that Ankara has no plans to withdraw troops from northern Syria despite recent Damascus-SDF agreements.

09.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Syrian Kurds say US ignored pleas for help as ISIS detainees turned on them in al-Hol

Chaos at al-Hol during clashes between Kurdish forces and Damascus underscored the widening security vacuum amid Kurdish claims of US abandonment.

05.02.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Israel military reported to accept death toll of around 70,000 in Gaza

JERUSALEM, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Israel's military has accepted that around 70,000 Palestinians were killed during the war in Gaza, after having earlier...

30.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt to reopen on Sunday, Israel says

JERUSALEM, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing on Sunday for people to travel between Gaza and Egypt, the Israeli...

30.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Explainer-How does Iran's system of power work?

Jan 30 (Reuters) - The United States is considering new military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran over its deadly suppression of protests...

30.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Iran to label EU armed forces as 'terrorists' over Guards blacklist

Jan 30 (Reuters) - Iran plans to designate the armed forces of European Union countries that have blacklisted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as...

30.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Kurds, Damascus step back from brink as SDF signs fresh deal with Syrian government 

After intense US-led diplomacy, Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led SDF agreed to a ceasefire and phased integration, averting all-out...

30.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

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...

28.01.2026 30

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

ISIS brides face uncertain future as Damascus clashes with Syria’s Kurds

With Syrian government forces taking over nearby al-Hol and security breaking down, families of ISIS fighters at Roj Camp live in fear and...

27.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Syria-Kurd deal hinges on SDF integration as Barrack meets Kobane

Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are navigating tense negotiations following clashes and a temporary ceasefire in northeastern...

23.01.2026 20

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Syria’s Kurds accept sweetened ceasefire deal as US envoy Barrack declares SDF obsolete

The ceasefire follows intense clashes and a rapid Syrian military advance in the Kurdish-held northeast, amid concerns over ISIS prisoners.

21.01.2026 20

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Trump demands end to clashes with Kurds in call with Syria's Sharaa

US President Donald Trump called Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and secured a pledge from the leader to not enter al-Hasakeh as Syrian...

20.01.2026 30

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Limited internet briefly returns in Iran after protest blackout

Limited internet access briefly returned in Iran before dropping again, a monitor said Sunday, 10 days into a communications blackout that rights...

19.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Limited internet returns in Iran after protest blackout

Limited internet access has returned in Iran, a monitor said Sunday, 10 days after authorities imposed a communications blackout that rights groups...

18.01.2026 20

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Bowing to US pressure, Syrian military advances, Kurdish-led SDF agrees to Sharaa's terms

Syrian government forces rapidly retook Raqqa and key eastern territories from the US-backed SDF, prompting a ceasefire agreement that effectively...

18.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Trump says 'thank you' to Iran for not hanging protesters

US President Donald Trump thanked Iran's leadership on Friday after saying Tehran had called off the executions of hundreds of protesters arrested in...

17.01.2026 20

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Syria’s Sharaa declares Kurdish a national language, recognizes Nowruz

Syria's interim president surprised the country's Kurdish citizens with a decree enshrining their culture and language as an "inseparable component of...

17.01.2026 20

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Explainer-What is the status of Iran's main nuclear facilities?

By Francois MurphyVIENNA, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Regional fears of a U.S. attack on Iran have eased after President Donald Trump said Tehran had assured...

16.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Munich Security Conference scraps invitation to Iranian minister

BERLIN, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The Munich Security Conference, one of the world's top security forums, said on Friday it was withdrawing an invitation to...

16.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

US envoy Barrack to meet Kurdish SDF chief Kobane in bid to avoid Syria escalation

The US special envoy to Syria is expected to meet SDF leader Mazlum Kobane in Erbil amid mounting tensions that threaten to unravel a fragile...

16.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Why Iran regime’s potential collapse spells more risk than benefit for Turkey

Iran’s leadership faces its most serious unrest in years, and rising Kurdish mobilization makes the prospect of regime collapse particularly risky...

16.01.2026 20

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Closed-door breakdown in Syria-Kurdish talks foreshadowed Aleppo clashes

The collapse of US-brokered Syria-Kurdish talks preceded the Aleppo violence as Ankara continued to press Damascus on the Syrian Democratic Forces'...

10.01.2026 30

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman

Closed-door breakdown in Syria-Kurdish talks foreshadowed Aleppo clashes

The collapse of US-brokered Syria-Kurdish talks preceded the Aleppo violence as Ankara continued to press Damascus on the Syrian Democratic...

10.01.2026 9

Al Monitor

Amberin Zaman