Cengiz Çandar, a member of Turkey’s parliament from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, says that the PKK congress to dissolve itself—which has been anticipated following its leader Öcalan’s call—will likely take place in or near Sulaimani.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, currently in Erbil after visiting Baghdad, has announced that he will meet with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi. Barrot met with the three Barzanis today and is scheduled to meet with the two Talabanis tomorrow.

Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reports that U.S. officials have informed Israel that US forces will begin a gradual withdrawal from Syria within two months. According to the report, Israel has warned of the potential consequences and is making significant efforts to prevent the move.

Some interesting photos capture the Palm Sunday celebration rituals of Syriac Catholic Christians in the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Bakhdida) in the Nineveh Plains:

Turkish attacks on the PKK continue in the Kurdistan Region despite the group’s declared ceasefire and ongoing peace efforts within Turkey. Tonight, Turkish helicopters targeted PKK positions near Blava village, in the Matin mountain range of Amedi district.

The same poll reveals deep public disillusionment with political parties in the Kurdistan Region. Despite that, the KDP stands out as the only party with a significant trust base: 31% of respondents said they fully trust it. PUK comes a distant second at 13%, while all other parties are under 5%.

Another notable finding relates to the salary domiciliation issue: nearly 60% said they had no information about either system. Among those who were familiar, around 80% expressed some level of satisfaction with Iraq’s Tawtin, while nearly 60% felt similarly about the KRG’s Hejmarî Min.

An interesting new poll by Sbey Research examined public opinion including on salary-related issues in the Kurdistan Region. Out of ~1,600 respondents (58% in KDP areas, 42% in PUK areas). Who’s to blame for salary delays? 36.9%: KRG 24.8%: Baghdad 38.4%: Both

US Secretary of State held a phone call with Masrour Barzani to discuss KRG oil resumption. The Trump admin prioritized reviving KRG oil exports as part of its broader strategy to isolate Iran. However, the strategy faces complications. More here: thenationalcontext.com/us-secretary...

As expected, Nechirvan Barzani met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. The meeting was arranged by Turkish officials. Turkish officials have also arranged additional meetings for Al-Sharaa with other leaders attending the Antalya Conference.

Turkish airstrikes have targeted Mount Kurajaro in the Shiladze district of Duhok province and reportedly later led to clashes with the PKK. During the fighting, stray bullets struck a civilian home while the family was inside, though no injuries were reported.

Dler Mirza Kakayee, a PUK-affiliated Kurd, has been appointed director of intelligence and security in Kirkuk—a key position that had been the subject of speculation following the formation of the new local government.

The two Islamic parties in the Kurdistan Region—Islamic Union and Justice Group—who together hold 10% of seats in the regional parliament, have announced plans to organize a demonstration in support of Gaza in Erbil on Saturday but their request for a permit was denied by Erbil authorities.

In a rare display of unity, all five Kurdish factions in the Iraqi parliament are extending their boycott and will not attend today's parliamentary session due to the continued exclusion of a vote on the long-awaited bill to grant Halabja governorate status.

PUK Security forces in Penjween, Sulaimani province, have arrested activist Rebeen Omar for planning a protest in solidarity with Gaza. They also attempted to detain two other organizers involved in the initiative.

Seven firms have been proposed to oversee the KRG oil production cost assessment, including the Big Four accounting firms—KPMG, Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)—as well as Moore Global, D. Jones and Associates, and CCG.

The KRG has handed over 42 convicts to Iranian authorities, most of whom are Iranian Kurds as part of a security agreement between the KRG and Iran. According to KRG security officials, the majority of those transferred had been sentenced in the Kurdistan Region on drug-related charges.

The Chief Justice and his deputy of the Kurdistan Region's Judicial Council and several justices from the Kurdistan Court of Cassation, along with the Chief Judges of the Erbil and Duhok Appellate Courts visit Mustafa Barzani's Memorial.

AVA Media TV reports that Nechirvan Barzani is likely to meet Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa during the upcoming Antalya Diplomatic Forum, scheduled for next week.

Sidqi Salem Zebari, a KDP judge from Duhok, has been sworn in as a new member of Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court. His appointment fills a vacancy left by the withdrawal of a previous KDP Kurdish judge, who stepped down in mid-2024. 1/

The rainfall in the Kurdistan Region this year has decreased so dramatically compared to last year that even traditionally precipitation-rich cities have been severely affected.

According to the Erbil-based Bwar News website, the PUK’s recent rapprochement with the KDP over forming the new KRG is linked to rapid geopolitical shifts in the Middle East. The KDP reportedly believes that the PUK’s willingness to compromise has significantly eased the cabinet formation process.

On Islam Zebari’s Arrest: He is reportedly being transferred to Erbil today and is expected to stand trial in a military court under the Ministry of Peshmerga. As for the reason behind his arrest, his family states that Zebari submitted his resignation from the Ministry of Peshmerga...

Turkish forces are preventing villagers in the Bradost area of Sidakan district, in north Erbil, from reaching their homes. The reasons remain unclear, but Turkey exercises significant control over movement in dozens of villages across the Bradost area.

Egyptian writer and scholar Youssef Ziedan has canceled his trip to Erbil, where he was scheduled to deliver a lecture at the Erbil Book Fair following a media campaign against his visit due to his controversial views on legendary Kurdish figure Saladin. More details: t.me/KurdistanWatch

Report: Ten Shia militias—including the powerful Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujabaa, and Kataib Sayyed al-Shuhada—are reportedly prepared to ‘disarm for the first time in an effort to avert the threat of escalating conflict with the US’.

Rafat Abdullah, the most senior figure in the Kirkuki faction, has reportedly been appointed as PUK’s Deputy Leader—a decision made during yesterday’s Political Bureau meeting—making him Bafel Talabani’s deputy within the party.

So, KRG PM Masrour Barzani's media gave extensive, hero-like, coverage to Turkish actor Burak Özçivit. Why? Because he is now the face of the Masrour Barzani-owned Pavilion project, which is being built on seized Christian farmland near Erbil Airport: thenationalcontext.com/turkish-acto...

Sabah Subhi, KDP's Deputy Chair of Iraqi Parliament's Oil Committee "Iraqi Oil Ministry lacks negotiation authority and has explicitly acknowledged 'we do not possess the mandate to provide guarantees or increase allocation for oil extraction costs,' rendering the current framework unimplementable."

Islam Zebari, a Peshmerga officer and prominent member of the Halwest Movement in Duhok’s Akre city, was detained today by KDP security forces.

All six department directors of the KRG's Non-Governmental Organizations Office have resigned today and are requesting reassignments due to what they describe as widespread corruption under Director General Falah Hassan. 1/

Seven years after Iraqi forces recaptured Kirkuk and other disputed territories from the Peshmerga, the KDP has reopened its leadership headquarters in Kirkuk. 1/

Former Shia MP and cleric Iyad Jamal al-Din: “I told the Shiite militias: liberating Erbil is more important than liberating Palestine. Years ago, I said the same to Assad’s Syria and Hezbollah: liberating Idlib is more important than liberating Palestine”.

About 150 shops in Sulaimani’s central market were affected by a fire this morning, with many completely destroyed. According to reports, the likely cause was an electrical fault, as it is common in the area to tap into power lines and conceal the connections with cloth coverings.

Although much of what’s happening to Iraq in the KRG oil file stems from broader regional shifts and Trump’s re-election, when you connect the dots, the picture is staggering: reduced oil sales (due to KRG's unofficial production & OPEC cap)…

The CPT, which closely monitors Turkish operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region, has reported a notable shift in Turkish tactics as direct clashes have gradually decreased during the ongoing PKK ceasefire. According to the report, Turkish military is now focusing on two key strategies:

Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani is reportedly set to visit Ankara in the coming days for a meeting with President Erdoğan, who is also expected to reciprocate with a visit to Baghdad within the next two months.

Beyond the oil companies, the KRG itself has little incentive to resume oil exports under the current terms. The KDP, PUK, and especially the Barzani family are profiting massively from the current arrangement, while deflecting the KRG’s financial burdens onto Baghdad. 1/

As this analysis shows, there has never been a more opportune moment for the KRG and int's oil companies to press for maximum gains vs Baghdad. The U.S. and Israel want a stable KRG as they escalate vs Iran…1/ thenationalcontext.com/why-internat...

Masrour Barzani Funded Media Wage Honor-Based Harassment Campaign Against Rivals' Spouses kurdistanwatch.substack.com/p/masrour-ba...

A Syrian Kurdish human rights organization claims that the current rulers in Damascus, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), are running a prison where 800 Yazidi women and girls who were captured by ISIS in Sinjar are allegedly being held in Idlib. The image is AI-generated, only for illustration purposes.

Trump's statement on Syria demonstrates his continued fixation on withdrawing US troops from the region—a stance he has repeatedly emphasized. This is troubling news for the SDF and carries significant implications for the Kurdistan Region.

What is Going on in Syria? - A Strategic and Geopolitical Analysis of its Implications for the Kurdistan Region and Iraq Here is our take: kurdistanwatch.substack.com/p/what-is-go...

The KRG public sector salary crisis is ongoing as civil servants still haven't been paid their October and November salaries, with December payments now also in question.

Public Perception and Behavior Patterns of Kurdistan Parliament Members kurdistanwatch.substack.com/p/public-per...

According to the Iraqi Christian Foundation and US State Department's 2019 estimates, about 250,000 Christians remained in Iraq: of this population, roughly 80% belong to the Chaldean Catholic Church, with the remainder divided among Syriac and Assyrian Christian denominations.

A Safe Haven? The indigenous Christian population of Erbil has declined dramatically, falling by over 53% in a decade — from more than 15,000 native families in 2014 to just 7,000 today, according to the Christian Affairs Director at the KRG's Ministry of Endowment.

Corruption Uncovered: KRG's Masrour Barzani Awards 200 Billion Dinar Healthcare Monopoly to Company Linked to His Business Empire, Privatizes Healthcare Testing and Cancer Medications Details here: kurdistanwatch.substack.com/p/corruption...

Kazim Tuki, a member of the Iraqi Parliament's Oil and Gas Committee, states that the recent Erbil-Baghdad oil agreement marks a breakthrough in resolving the two-decade-long dispute over oil and gas law.

Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw also met with Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, widely regarded as Turkey’s most high-profile opposition figure.