Joint statement on Gaza from AFP, AP, BBC News and Reuters

Armed tribes supported by Syria's Islamist-led government clashed with Druze fighters outside Sweida Friday a day after government troops withdrew from the Druze-majority city, the warring parties said. Follow @afp.com coverage www.yahoo.com/news/syria-t...

No words! www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

#BREAKING Baghdad is working on a deal to free kidnapped academic Elizabeth Tsurkov in exchange for an Iranian jailed in Iraq for killing a US civilian, three security sources told @afpnews.bsky.social Saturday.

The millennia-old history of the marshes -- the reputed home of the biblical Garden of Eden -- "would end" with a new oilfield 'Leave our marshes alone': Iraqis fear oil drilling would destroy fabled wetlands My latest for @afpnews.bsky.social www.al-monitor.com/originals/20...

#UPDATE A Turkish court on Tuesday remanded seven journalists in custody, including AFP photographer Yasin Akgul, who had been detained after covering the Istanbul protests that erupted after the arrest of the city's mayor ➡️ u.afp.com/SwHZ

#BREAKING AFP urges 'rapid release' of its photographer Yasin Akgul detained in Turkey, who is 'a journalist' and 'not part of protest': chairman

'Roads full of corpses': terrified Alawites in Syria flee attacks @afpnews.bsky.social www.france24.com/en/live-news...

The end of the energy waiver could hit Iraq hard, and the end of U.S. humanitarian aid is an absolute body blow to Syria. It appears Trump is about to pull troops out of both countries, but not before nuking their economies as a parting gift.

311 Alawite civilians killed by Syrian security forces, allies since Thursday, according to the SOHR. The new authorities should deal firmly with these attacks and summary executions to avoid a vicious circle that would drag Syria into a new sectarian war. Transitional justice is key.

Syria's new authorities have launched a sweeping security operation after clashes with fighters loyal to former president Bashar al-Assad, the biggest challenge to their rule so far, left at least 71 people dead. u.afp.com/S3He

In light of Syria's latest news, Lars Hauch warned "while the top-level leadership fled the country, the committed core... retreated" to the coast. With caches of weapons and the 4th division's billions of dollars, "you have what you need for a sustained insurgency." 👇

Bad flare up on the Syrian coast. Killings, protests, curfews. • al-Jazeera: www.aljazeera.net/news/2025/3/... • al-Mayadeen. www.almayadeen.net/news/politic...

Iraq's National Security Adviser told @afpnews.bsky.social that "Iraqi authorities are working" to find Elizabeth Tsurkov. "The security services are mobilised," he said, adding there had been no claims of responsibility for her abduction or demands for her release. www.barrons.com/news/iraq-sa...

Trump's decision to cut aid hinders Iraq's efforts to repatriate its nationals from Al-Hol camp by the end of 2025, National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji told @afpnews.bsky.social He also called on Turkey and the PKK to withdraw from Iraq www.barrons.com/news/us-aid-...

After over two months of work, I hope my latest @afpnews.bsky.social piece provides a comprehensive insight into the economic empire of Maher al-Assad's notorious Fourth Division. u.afp.com/S3qV

Israeli strikes killed 5 people in the village of Harris and another 4 in Taloussa, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, days after the ceasefire went into effect. Reports of women and children among those killed.

Reports of 9 killed, including women and children in an Israeli strike on the village of Harris in south Lebanon, days after the ceasefire went into effect. Displaced people thought they can go back to their homes and villages, to build and start over. But apparently not.

After another hellish day in Lebanon, after weeks of strikes and destruction, Israel has approved a 60-day ceasefire deal.

Coming up on Wednesday - I look forward to a conversation with my colleague and friend from the Yale World Fellows program Roba El Husseini, in discussion with Dina Francesca Haynes of the @YaleLawSch Schell Centre for International Human Rights. law.yale.edu/yls-today/ya...