Why Iran Targets the Kurdistan Region?

The Kurdistan region is home to bases of Iranian opposition armed groups. They are Kurds and have maintained their headquarters in the Kurdistan region since the early 1990s. These groups have never used the territory of the Kurdistan region to attack Iran. Only peshmerga positioned in Iran and commanded by Kurdish opposition groups conduct operations within Iran. Yet the IRGC frequently shells the territory. Before the September 28 attacks, the IRGC bombed multiple locations bordering Iran, especially the Bradost area.

Who Was Targeted?

Iran targeted several Kurdish opposition groups. The IRGC targeted the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (DPKI). It has a significant presence in Koya; many of its members live as refugees or have integrated into the people of Koya in Erbil. While a large number of its members live in diaspora, especially in Scandinavian countries, and work towards the party's aims through civil society organizations. The party controls a Saddam-era castle and holds regular high-level meetings, colloquially known as DPKI castle Koya. PDKI also said two people had been killed in attacks on its houses near Koya. A portion of this attack was caught on video, and journalists were reportedly wounded. A K24 journalist, while covering the attacks live, was hit by a missile and lost his legs.

Kurdistan Freedom Party (KFP) was attacked near Pride with drones and missiles. The KFP played roles in fighting ISIS alongside the Kurdistan region Peshmerga forces. Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) backs the KFP, and its leaders live in Erbil. The group's leader, Hussein Yazdanpanah, became well known during the war against ISIS. Iran now appears to be expanding its areas of operations in Iraq to target the group. The KFP claimed to have downed one of the drones in Pride, KurdSat reporter in Prde said. 

When KurdSat's correspondent went to Pride to cover the events, the KDP security forces in Pride broke the Camera and equipment of the KurdSat reporter; the scene was caught on Camera and widely circulated on social media.

Mustafa Hijri leads the PDKI and recently reunifies with the KDP-I; the two groups separated 16 years ago. Iran has assassinated many of its leaders. In 1989, Iran assassinated PDKI leader Dr. Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou in Vienna and killed his successor Sadegh Sharafkandi several years later. PDKI and KDPI unification might have played a role in the attacks on them, as recently, Iran accused the Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan region behind the nationwide protests in Iran.  

Iran has also targeted Komala, or Kurdistan Tailor's Party, another Kurdish group. Iran arrests group members, most of whom have left the region for Europe or elsewhere. The only opposition group not targeted in the September 28 attacks is Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK). The group of PKK's sister organization in Iran has a united command with the PKK.

Where Was Hit?

The attacks were concentrated on Sulaimani and Erbil. The first swarm of drones targeted KDPI bases in Koya around 7:00 AM, the KurdSat report said. The attacks continued until late afternoon. Later it targeted Zirgwezala in southern Sulaimani. Zirgwezala is home to Komala bases, and many of their political refugees are leaving the area. Several refugee homes were destroyed by Kamikaze drones, a member of Komala speaking to KurdSat English said. One of the Kamikaze drones falling into a base in Zir Gwezala was caught on Camera and widely shared on social media. 

The coordinated drone attack comes after Iran sold several of its drones to Russia, where it was deployed against the Ukrainian army, and so far, it has proven effective. Iran's use of drones in the region helps its drone brand to attract more customers. 

The commander of the ground forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Muhammad Pakpour, announced, on Wednesday, that his country launched 73 ballistic missiles and dozens of drones at 43 points in the Kurdistan region, Al-Arabiya reported. 

What Weapons Were Used?

Iran’s recently popularized Kamikaze Shaheed-136 drone was used in the attack, according to IRNA. The same model was sold to Russia and used against Ukraine. Iran state media reported the deployment of Fath-360 missiles in the attack, the latest of the Islamic Republic’s satellite-oriented missile system. the recent attacks were more precise than the previous ones. In 2020, in retaliation for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, Iran fired multiple ballistic missiles at US bases in Iraq, some of which fell to the ground before hitting their targets and were widely mocked on Kurdish social media as the rockets hovered over the Kurdistan region skies.

Condemnations

The Kurdistan Regional Government's health ministry said on September 28, "Today's attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran that targeted several areas in the Kurdistan Region has killed 9 people, including 1 civilian, and left more than 30 more wounded. Hospitals are currently providing treatment for the wounded."

Kurdistan region government and Parliament condemned the attack and called on the international community to put an end to the attacks. The KRG wrote, "The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) strongly condemns the repetitive violations of the sovereignty of the Kurdistan Region. 

Attacks on opposition groups through the Islamic Republic of Iran's missiles, under any pretext, is an incorrect stance that promotes a misleading interpretation of the course of events. We strongly condemn these continuous attacks which result in the death of civilians, and we call for an end to these violations."

The US department of state condemned the attack. It said, "We strongly condemn Iran's use of ballistic missiles and drone attacks against the Iraqi Kurdistan Region as an unjustified violation of Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity. We are also aware of reports of civilian casualties and deplore any loss of life caused by Today's attack."

The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) noted, "Iraq, including the Kurdistan region, rejects the idea that it can be treated as the "backyard" of the region where its sovereignty routinely violates its neighborhood with impunity. Missile diplomacy is a reckless act with dire consequences. These attacks must stop immediately."

Iraq summoned the Iranian ambassador and condemned the attacks, calling it a "dangerous development that threatens the security and sovereignty of Iraq."

"We view Iran's attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq against the background of the domestic political protests in Iran with great concern," Germany's Foreign Ministry said in a new statement.

US Central Command Downs An Iranian Drone

"At approximately 2:10 PM local time, US forces brought down an Iranian Mojer-6 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle headed in the direction of Erbil as it appeared as a threat to CENTCOM forces in the area," US Central Command said in a statement. The statement was "Statement regarding Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' unprovoked attack in Iraq's Erbil Governorate."

The wave of the attacks were unprecedented in scale and it shows Iran that it could break other limits without retaliation from the groups and regions it targets, turning the Kurdistan region into a playground for the various state and non-state actors in the region. Once one of the most stable and peaceful places in the world, the Kurdistan region might turn into regional battleground.

Map of Targeted Locations

On September 23, 2001, they attacked Halabja Governorate’s Kheli Hama village and captured over 50 Peshmerga troops sent there on a peacekeeping mission. The terrorists killed them, distorted their bodies, and beheaded 42 of the force in Kheli Hama.

Ansar al-Islam carried out the attack just days after the September 11 attacks. The terrorist group declared war against Peshmerga forces commanded by the PUK since its early inception.

The incident came after the infamous September 11 attacks. The terrorists filmed the beheadings and published them across the world. The film showed the cruel terrorist acts by the terrorists, and it aimed to persuade the Peshmerga forces to resist.

Ansar al-Islam was one of the few terrorist groups in the world that controlled the territory at the time and used its resources to spread its rule. The terrorists controlled villages and mountains in Halabja that bordered Iran. The group imposed strict Sharia in the regions it controlled.

Just 24 hours after the attack, the Peshmerga forces commanded by the PUK declared war on the terrorists and began removing them from the region. The documents captured after the elimination of the terrorist group from the area reveal the deep connection between Al-Qaeda and Ansar al-Islam.

In her book, The Bin Laden Papers, Nelly Lahoud explains Al-Qaeda’s endeavors to build a global network of terrorist groups by providing them with logistical and financial support. The Al-Qaeda brand sold well within the terrorist groups, especially after the September 11 attacks.

The terrorist group initially introduced itself as Jund al-Islam, was based in the Kurdistan region’s Hawraman area, and maintained close ties with Al-Qaeda. It worked to establish an Islamic state in the Kurdistan region.  

The group was a designated terrorist organization in the United Nations, Australia, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and a known affiliate of the al-Qaeda network.

The group remained in the area until the collapse of Saddam Hussein in 2003, when the Kurdish security forces, assisted by the international coalition against Saddam Hussein, eventually helped to remove the group from the Hawraman region and destroy their headquarters. 

On August 29, 2014, 50 members and commanders of Ansar al-Islam announced that they were joining ISIS individually; however, Ansar al-Islam continued to oppose ISIS and kept functioning independently. Abu Khattab al-Kurdi was among those who left Ansar al-Islam for ISIS and later became an ISIS commander.

The group is now totally absent in the Kurdistan region due to the efforts of the Kurdish security forces.

The United States has agreed with Iran to roll back its nuclear activities in exchange for the US to lift sanctions imposed on the Islamic republic linked to its nuclear program. However, the IAEA agency says Iran doesn't allow the agency to know whether the uranium discovered has a military dimension under an investigation that started in 2019.

Iran doesn't allow the inspections because it believes it is related to the International Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and not the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The nuclear deal with the United States does not cover this issue. Since Tehran wants to revive the 2015 deal to loosen its sanctions, an agreement without IAEA closing its investigations would make international lifting sanctions on Iran difficult. Such a scenario would humiliate the supreme leader and Iran's leadership. The to-be-revived agreement would give the parties 120 days to implement its provisions.

The IAEA has been investigating the three areas since 2019, the last time Iran blocked them. The IAEA said one of the areas is the Iranian city of Marivan, which it has called a test zone.

This is the only issue blocking the agreement, despite pressure on the head of the nuclear agency to close the issue, as was done in 2015.

But because the IAEA's 22 member states must unanimously vote on a resolution to pass, it makes such a decision difficult. Israel was very influential when it failed to convince the Biden administration to sign the deal.

Although, on Friday, the United States said the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and the Iran-US nuclear deal were two separate issues, meaning it was asking the IAEA to close the matter. There were still ways to move the talks in Vienna forward.

The United States cannot sign the agreement without the approval of the IAEA because it reported to the UN Security Council. Without returning to the UN Security Council, the United States would hurt its international trust among allies and weaken its obligation to international organizations and treaties in the eyes of the world, at a time it wants to reassure allies of upholding international norms and principles as China and Russia work to undermine the US-led global order.

Then the United States is the founder and supporter of these organizations, and they monitor and assist the US global system. The US would be better off with their help rather than acting against them.

A deal between the US and Iran would not lead to a broader reproachment any time soon. Clashes between the US and Iran backed forces are frequent throughout the Middle East. After Biden’s hopes were dashed in Saudi Arabia, in a trip he hoped to convince the oil Kingdome to increase oil production, Iran has become Biden’s only hope to bring energy prices down, and satisfy Europe as Russia has restricted its sale to Europe and has turned the continent against Ukraine.

Experts say that Iran would flood the market with 1 to 1.2 million barrels of oil per day, if a deal is reached. It would reduce oil price to 65$ by 2023. Iran deal would help the West against Russia in Ukraine when lowered energy prices diminish Russia’s war chest.

The department of Justice in Kirkuk had a Kurdish president and deputy replaced by Arabs and Turkmen. The department's four sections previously headed by Kurds were removed alongside other posts occupied by Kurdish officials.

According to election results over the past 19 years, Kurds make up 51% of Kirkuk's population but come after Arabs and Turkmens in holding governmental positions and dealing with them as a minority.

PUK's bloc in the Iraqi council of representatives has informed the Parliament of all the violations against the Kurds. The PUK fraction in the Parliament has asked Baghdad for a fair distribution of positions in the city, and the distribution shall be based on voter turnout.

The acting governor of Kirkuk is trying to change the city's demographics under the pretext of verifying the residence cards of its residents.

According to figures, 98 senior positions of directors and heads of Kirkuk governorate departments occupied by Kurds were removed and replaced by Arabs and Turkmens.

There are 108 general directors and heads of departments in Kirkuk. Of the 108 positions, 31 are occupied by Kurds, 37 by Arabs, and 40 by Turkmen.

According to the 1957 Kirkuk census, Kurds made up 48 percent of the population in the city, followed by Arabs at 28 percent and Turkmen at 21 percent. That has been preserved to date, with Kurds coming first, followed by Arabs and Turkmen.

Sulaiman Halshoy was a wealthy man from Sulaimani's Pshdar district. He built a reputation of a promising business that could multiply his wealth in an unimaginably short period. His story was unknown until he collected millions of dollars worth of vehicles, homes, property, land, weapons, and even cattle. He promised his lenders that he would multiply their property. Surprisingly those who lent him did not think a contract was necessary since his reputation blindfolded his clients.

However, on December 19, he declared bankruptcy. Hundreds of people flocked to his home and even wanted to kill him in revenge for taking their money and property. However, no one would dare to hurt Halshoy because the perpetrator should pay other clients back if anything happens to him. Essentially, he is protected by his clients. On average, everyone had paid Halshoy close to 30,000 USD. Halshoy is placed in custody pending trial in Sulaimani's Raparin district.

His case is probably one of the most complex since there is no legal contract between Halshoy and his clients was signed. Most contracts between him and his clients are amusing as they were only word of mouth or just a signature with the first name on pieces of colorful paper. In some instances, clients signed a piece of a paper taken from a cigarette package with only Halshoy's and the clients' first name, and the amount given to Halshoy, without any mention of date or legal reference.

A man who lent his vehicle to Halshoy said there were no legal contracts between Halshoy and his clients. He had always said that he would not guarantee his deals and that nobody had the right to ask for his money whenever he went bankrupt.

Halshoy's deals went viral because he would buy something overpriced from his clients while few people wanted to buy them, which he sold for lesser cash. For instance, if the price for a vehicle were 10,000 USD in the market, he would pay 20,000 USD but on the condition that he would pay the amount back a year or a half year later.

One might think he was an imposter who wanted to steal people's wealth. However, on the second look, it does make sense. If more money makes more money, then Halshoy did precisely that. With millions of dollars at his disposal, he could increase his wealth quicker and pay back his clients. A friend of Halshoy claims that he had 8 million dollars and wanted to pay back his clients, but he was drugged and robbed and his money stolen before he could pay back his clients.

The Director of Raparin Police Directorate, where Halshoy is awaiting trial, told KurdSat News that Halshoy is charged with taking 15,230,000 USD by adding up all the people who have sued him.

People who have lost their money in their dealings with Halshoy have repeatedly gathered in front of the Raparin police department, demanding to bring Halshoy to justice.

Halshoy's case remains a mystery of how he could convince so many people to trust him with their wealth when the Kurdistan region was going through a financial crisis.

On June 28, the director of the Raparin police department, Shorsh Ismael, announced Halshoy's release on 100,000 USD bail ahead of trial. 

On June 12, the Sadrists gave their resignation letters to the speaker of the parliament, and he signed them all together with the presence of the bloc's representative. 

Iraq's electoral law gives the votes of a former parliamentarian to a person placed second in the same electoral circle. The former parliamentarians' votes will be distributed over Sadr rivals, mostly pro-Iranian party candidates such as the Fatah Alliance, Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition, Kataib Hezbollah's Huqooq Movement, Halbusi's Taqaddum party, Emtedad, affiliated with some groups of the Tishreen movement, Ammar al-Hakim's Hikma bloc, and other small groups and independents.

After months of impasse, the Sadrist move might deepen, not soothe the political turmoil. Since the first Iraqi election in 2005, the aftermath of each election has gone south. A Sunni insurgency erupted after the first election, and conflict between Erbil and Baghdad emerged after the 2009 general elections. IS emerged following the 2014 elections. The 2021 general parliamentary election is beginning to introduce another turmoil into the Iraqi landscape. 

Ayad Allawi, leader of the National accord, said, "Sadr will take to the streets to get their rights, Sadr feels embarrassed because even after securing 73 seats in the parliament, he could not form the next government." 

"Iraq is now facing serious problems, and there is not a way to end the political issues," Allawi added. 

Sadr is known for his populist moves, the most recent being his entire bloc's resignation, a populist innovation. He is apt in mobilizing the streets and managing to win most of the votes. Iraqi streets might be filled with Sadrists in the coming days and weeks.  

Sadr's exit from the parliament was a shock to many who took Sadr's 73-strong seats for granted. The KDP, with 31 seats, allied with the Sadrist Movement, hoped to make a KDP a member of the next Iraqi president. A move staunchly opposed by the coordination framework, resulting in a dead-end. 

A Kurd has occupied the president of the republic since 2005. Shiite and Sunni parties have announced they would support any candidate the Kurds select. PUK's candidate for the president is Barham Salih, the incumbent president, and the KDP has worked with its allies to replace him with his candidate. This move has brought the process to a standstill. 

Sadr's withdrawal will open the way for the coordination framework to work with the Sunnis and the Kurds to form the next government and select the next president and prime minister. However, bickering among allied parties could jeopardize the process. 
 
The competition between Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Hezbollah is very sharp. The relations between the KDP and the PUK, the main Kurdish parties, are consistently low, and their agreement on a candidate for the president is the first step in breaking the ice in forming the next cabinet. 
 
Sadr would use his popularity, especially among the Shiites, to stir the political arena. Lack of electricity, basic services, and a dusty and hot summer would only stoke his ambitions.

A government without the Sadr movement would be unstable, and a lack of agreement between the political parties would make early elections difficult. The caretaker government that has been ruling since October 2021 could continue ruling but with numerous challenges. 

Iraqi security forces arrested a group of 18 people charged with trafficking drugs in Basra, spokesman for the Joint Operations Commander Tahsin Khafaji said.

The Directorate of Counter-Narcotics said that more than 6,000 people have been arrested on charges of using and trafficking illegal drugs since the beginning of this year until mid-June in the users.

Since the emergence of IS in Iraq, drug trafficking has increased on the Iraq-Iran border. On June 6, Iraqi Intelligence Service downed a paraglider over Basra, that carried a large number of illegal drugs.

The pursuit of health and well-being in today's era includes avoiding health problems and supporting the body in ways that help it thrive. In societies driven by constant productivity and the pursuit of great mental performance, it's no wonder why brain-boosting, mind-boosting products have emerged recently, according to Mind Your Body Green.

Cognitive health scientist Professor Mylene Brownlow says that as a neuroscientist and working mother, she is "deeply interested in how nutrients, botanicals, and prebiotics combined with nootropic actions affect cognitive health," whose use is correlated with many demographics among students, business and professionals, and even among Mothers who try to keep up with their children.

"Nootropic"

Although the word "nootropic" has become more popular lately, some of these compounds may have been used for centuries in ancient medicine. Others are regularly used in modern societies, like caffeine, to name a few.

Nootropics or "nootropics" are a label that describes a variety of unique compounds that support aspects of brain health and cognitive function, including mental clarity, sharpness, memory, neurological function, neurotransmitter balance and cognitive performance.

Nootropics can be phytonutrients or prebiotics such as peptides and probiotic strains at the dietary supplement level.

Some medications are sometimes called the same, but experts caution that any pharmacological nootropic use must be prescribed by a medical professional.

The list of nootropics includes a number of the brain-supporting ingredients found in high-quality supplement formulations, distinguished by a variety of amazing botanicals such as ginseng, berries such as guarana and coffee cherry fruit, fungi such as adaptogenic mushrooms, lesser-known succulents such as canna and even essential brain neurotransmitters such as citicoline.

The precise mechanisms of action of Nootropics

Whether nutritious, botanical or biologically active, the body and brain obtain unique energizing mechanisms and actions from each nootropic. Some nootropics affect neuron health and neurotransmitter balance, while others increase focus and mental sharpness.

Some enhance blood flow to the brain, such as resveratrol, which helps smooth the flow of nutrients and oxygen throughout the central nervous system and maintain adequate energy.

Nootropics have also been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and adaptive properties, which are neuroprotective. Other neuronal activities help protect the brain from toxins, improve executive functions such as cognitive flexibility, enhance memory, and nurture neuroplasticity, all of which contribute to the brain's longevity with good functioning and health.

Some nootropics also enhance resilience to stress and balance moods, heralding calmness and serenity. Overall, high-quality nootropics help keep the mind in good shape.

Nootropic types

The plants, fungi, and herbs used as a natural source of nootropics include ashwagandha, ginkgo Biloba, lion's mane, Panax ginseng, canna (Sclerotium tortusum) and Rhodiola Rosea.

There are also phytonutrients, also known as phytochemicals, natural compounds found in plants that benefit human health. Many phytochemicals contain intrinsic antioxidant properties. Many of them also promote other areas of health, such as immune resilience, hormone balance, and how well the brain functions.

For example, L-theanine, a phytochemical found in green tea, is a nootropic and helps improve mood thanks to its ability to generate a relaxed and focused state of mind. The complex antioxidant resveratrol, a polyphenol with anti-inflammatory properties, can be obtained from various foods such as grapes, berries, cranberries, peanuts, pistachios and even chocolate. It enhances blood flow in the brain and the performance of cognitive tasks.

Of course, many use caffeine as a constant stimulant, whether by eating chocolate or sipping tea or coffee. It improves mental performance (i.e., focus, attention, executive function skills, and more).

In this context, nutritionist Professor Ashley Jordan Ferreira warned against taking "synthetic caffeine," advising to be careful to eat caffeine obtained from plants, such as whole coffee fruit, green coffee beans and tea.

Nootropic benefits for brain health

Professor Ferreira mentioned the benefits of nootropics for brain health: "For a wide range of activities and feelings essential to life, cognitive flexibility is at its core. This includes empathy, debate, impulse control, stress regulation, changing attitudes, strategic planning, creative writing, problem-solving and multitasking.

Just reading a book and understanding what is being read at the same time requires the brain to make use of the range of cognitive flexibility skills."

Of all the neurocognitive domains tested in the 2014 Evidence-Based Complementary and Complementary Medicine Clinical Trial, the ability of a nootropic such as Kanna can be said to improve cognitive flexibility, including a subset of executive function skills.

Likewise, ginseng can help balance moods and work activities without feeling tired, especially when completing cognitive tasks. It acts as a natural protective factor. It demonstrates enhancing mental functioning capacity and physical performance without increasing oxygen consumption.

Nootropics are safe

According to Dr. William Cole, a functional medicine practitioner, most nootropics are generally considered safe. The nootropic ingredients are chosen from reputable brands and quality products.

He noted that nootropic ingredients have been in use for decades. Some have even been used for thousands of years and have been clinically tested. But Cole added, "My advice is to start slowly and listen to the body and adapt accordingly, always telling your doctor about any supplements you are taking."

He added that each person is unique, and some individuals may be more sensitive (or responsive) to different nootropic ingredients. As with any change in diet or lifestyle, check with your doctor before starting any nutritional supplement or periodically adding any nootropic ingredient into your health routine.

Experts stress the need to see a doctor if the person is taking medications or suffers from a health condition. Of course, if the woman is pregnant or breastfeeding.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a message to those wanting to join NATO, or the anti-Kremlin alliance as the Russian ruling Siloviki called it, that joining the alliance would mean a threat to Russia that the Kremlin would not tolerate. 

However, the invasion served the opposite of what the Kremlin intended to do. NATO and the US are more closely involved in Ukraine, and Russia seems to lose its economic clout in Europe. Now NATO forces are closer to Russia than they would probably have ever been because the use of military troops brings other military forces closer. 

Despite repercussions, the Europeans are bent on finding an alternative to Russian gas and oil. Europe has many options to choose from, but Russia does not.

Putin's plan to divide Europe was partly successful when its military was kept in the shadows. As the Russian army marched, Europe and NATO were brought together, and differences evaporated overnight.

The West's democratic approach was more powerful in Germany and later Ukraine than Russia's traditional method of buying off leaders to their advantage. Therefore, Russia overestimated its non-military and military strength when it tried to meddle in western elections and later when it marched into Ukraine. 

The West has limited Russia to the extent that all the Kremlin has left is usually the threat of nuclear war. Moscow's long-embraced and innovative policy of Finlandization seems to be faltering. 

Finland per se might seal the last nail in the coffin of Finlandization term. A term might not make one proud. Sweden, Finland, and others seem to risk Russian attacks on their soil. Russia's entire army is stuck in Ukraine, and its attention is scattered across a multifront war and a volatile public.

The two Nordic countries would become a new frontier between the East and the West. The relationship between the West and Russia would be more militarily defined. Russia's limited options might be spent fuel as it would be left with only stopping its energy flow to Europe, something Russia would be as damaged as Europe would be. 

The war in Ukraine is a European problem. Surprisingly, Europe's purchase of Russian energy indirectly funds the Kremlin's war chest. At the same time, the West is financing Ukraine to counterpoise the cash it gives Russia.
As such, Europe is at war, and ordinary Europeans depending on Russian gas, feel the effects of war, indirectly, as Ukrainians do. 

For Europeans, NATO expansion is a historical and extricable development beginning from the 18th century. At the same time, it is a historical threat for Russia that needs to be settled sooner or later. 

Russia has failed to stop NATO's eastward advance. Employing energy and economics to halt the alliance has not worked, as has not it's meddling with elections of the western countries. 

Therefore, the expansion of NATO is a forgone conclusion because NATO, whether in Germany or Finland, or Ukraine would mean a constant threat of war with Russia. 

As the war has begun, NATO sees no reason not to expand into Russian borders. There, the Europeans must expand NATO into Russian bordering states and eliminate the deadlock rivalry that is a remnant of the cold war, which these countries still grapple with.

To Stop NATO expansion, Russia would have to pay for a long-term war on its western frontier or risk nuclear war, which would end the game together.

Finland and Sweden joining NATO would mean a significant diplomatic, military, and economic victory and probably the harshest sanction the West could impose on the Kremlin. In a scenario where Russia and the West negotiate, Russia's most viable option to exit NATO's expansion is to apply for membership in the alliance. 

The first known recorded publication of the Kurdish language dates back to 1898 when Miqdad Midhad Baderkhan published the first Kurdish language newspaper in Egypt.

Kurdish is a family of languages composed of various dialects and regional accents. The earliest scientific European studies on the Kurdish language and civilization date back to the 18th century. Missionaries, Italian Catholics, and later English protestants studied Kurdistan, its people and its language, especially during the decline of the Ottoman empire that left power vacuums across the Middle East, where the majority of the Kurds live.

Maurizio Garzoni (1734-1804), was a pioneer Kurdologist. He was a member of the Order of Black Friars, who reached the region of Mosul in 1762. At the time, Mosul Velayet—Veleyeti Mosul in Turkish—was an administrative ottoman region that comprises what is roughly today the Kurdistan region.

In 1764 Garzoni settled in ʿAmādiya, the capital of the principality of Bahdinān, to the northeast of Mosul. He collected materials for his 'Grammatica e vocabolario della lingua Kurda,' literally, 'Grammar and Vocabulary of Kurdish Language', published in Rome in 1787. 

The text was the first of its kind. It remained an essential source of the Kurdish language until the end of the 19th century.

The book contains a detailed guide to learning the Kurdish language. The book is made of  289 pages. The book is a guide to learn the Kurdish language. It opens with explaining the Kurdish alphabet, numbers, grammar, and vocabulary. The book's last chapters include a list of essential vocabulary with Italian translations on the opposite side of the page.

In the preface, the author states, 'the Kurdish language is strange to European ears.' A few pages later, he adds, 'This is not a perfect guide to learn the language, but it will be useful for missionaries that visit the region [Kurdistan].' Kurdish was not used in official documents, and state institutions by both the Ottoman and Persian empires but only spoken by ordinary Kurds and it borrowed many words from Arabic and Persian.

Kurds have had some autonomy under the sovereignty of the empires that ruled the Middle East. Autonomy was a grave factor that helped the Kurdish language to survive. Garzoni continues, 'I split Kurdistan between the end of Persia and the Ottoman empire.' Kurdistan was not a word used by the Kurds until the late 19th century when the decline of the ottoman empire led to the rise of Kurdish nationalism.

Kurds were divided among many tribes and subcultures that spoke different dialects and accents, preventing their unity even today.

Today, the Kurdish language is studied at some educational institutions in the Kurdistan region. However, university colleges have adopted English, rather than Kurdish, as the medium of teaching and research, as most private primary and high schools in the region have. That includes all university colleges except Arabic and Kurdish language schools alongside other colleges such as Law and Theology taught in Arabic.

Iraq is the only country whose constitution recognizes the Kurdish language. Kurdish is found on Iraqi banknotes and official state documents. There are tens of papers and TV stations that write and broadcast in Kurdish.

The public library of Rawandiz in the Kurdistan region was opened in 1965. It has more than 17,000 titles, but its shelves and reading tables are empty as an increasing number of children, teenagers, and youngsters use social media.

Primarily students and researchers are the only visitors, while most prefer to surf online for information.

A high schooler speaking to KurdSat News said, ‘ I prefer the library because it has many books and I can use them for my studies. I borrowed a book about learning the Korean languages, and I really benefited from the book.’

A bookkeeper in Rawandiz library explained, ‘burrowing books from the library is extraordinary. Our youngsters are somehow addicted to social media and the internet. Instead of spending their time on books.’

The majority of books written in Kurdish are available only in hard copy, and their soft copy is difficult to come by. First, because e-readers do not support the Kurdish alphabet and people have to read them on other electronic screens, it is tiring and boring, as most readers complain.

Those who possess the soft copies are the publishers, usually in PDF format, and they are not stored online but on unconnected drives due to lack of security.

Another reason is the lack of copyright laws in the Kurdistan region, where intellectual property could be stolen without consequences.

According to official data from Kurdistan regional government, the literacy rate in the region is close to 65%. Kurdistan region is well connected, with every corner of the Kurdistan region having access to the internet. 

Kids are given smartphones and electronic devices to scroll on social media from a very young age, especially TikTok and YouTube. It usually keeps them away from books and other reliable sources of information.

As such, the region is vulnerable to disinformation and fake news. Many platforms on social media spread fake news and promote dangerous rightist or lefties ideas. Although reading books might not solve every issue in the region, it is a way to enlighten people to find reasonable solutions.

The Damascus Gate, or Bab al-Amud – as it is known in Arabic, has re-emerged as a flashpoint between Palestinians and Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem.

Since the start of Ramadan on April 2, Israeli forces, including undercover units, have attacked and detained Palestinian residents in the Damascus Gate area on an almost daily basis.

Similar scenes were documented last Ramadan during protests against Israeli attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and Israel’s 11-day war on Gaza.

The Damascus Gate is an Ottoman-era plaza, which has been in its current form since 1537. It is the largest of the seven open gates to Jerusalem’s Old City, which lies in East Jerusalem.

It opens onto the souq in the Muslim Quarter, the main market for Palestinians in the city – for everything from spices to home appliances.

Walking distance from the gate is the main business and commercial artery of East Jerusalem – Salah al-Din Street – as well as the central Palestinian bus stations.

A social, cultural, and political Palestinian landmark, Damascus Gate is one of the few open spaces available for residents to gather. A favorite pastime for many is grabbing a coffee from the nearby Musrara area and sipping it on the large stone steps of the gate.

During protests, periods of political tension, and on religious occasions such as Ramadan, higher numbers of Palestinians congregate at the Damascus Gate, and the chance of a violent response from Israeli forces increases.

Israel militarily occupied the Palestinian-majority East Jerusalem during the 1967 war and annexed it in breach of international law. The majority of countries around the world do not recognize Israeli sovereignty in East Jerusalem, consider it occupied territory, and the settlers there illegal.

Israel declares all of Jerusalem its “complete and united” capital, enshrined by law.

Analysts say the Damascus Gate and Al-Aqsa Mosque compound are the places where the “struggle over control and space” between the Israeli occupation and Palestinians in Jerusalem erupts.

“The Damascus Gate has become a national symbol for Jerusalemites and for Palestinians more generally – a symbol that expresses the national identity in the city,” political analyst Nasser al-Hidmi told Al Jazeera.

He noted the “repetition and persistence” of Palestinians to gather in the space. “There is an expression of ownership of it, to claim this space, despite the heavy price that Jerusalemites have paid.”

“The fact that the space comes under Palestinian control bothers the occupation. Security-wise, this is a main entrance for settlers … Israel wants to ensure the security of the settlers in entering and exiting, and in such a gathering it is difficult to secure,” said al-Hidmi.

Far-right Jewish groups have also sought to stamp their authority on the Damascus Gate and other areas of the Old City’s Muslim Quarter. On Wednesday, hundreds of Israeli nationalists were prevented by Israeli police from carrying out a “flag march” – a procession waving Israeli flags through the Damascus Gate and Palestinian-majority areas of the Old City.

They live alongside at least 420,000 Palestinians with Israeli “residency status” that is contingent upon continuously providing proof of living in the city in complicated bureaucratic processes which advocates say are designed to push Palestinians out of Jerusalem.

Since 1967, Israel has revoked the status of 14,000 Palestinians in Jerusalem, according to the Israeli rights group B’Tselem.

Local NGOs and rights groups have long pointed to a range of Israeli practices and policies, such as settlement expansion, Palestinian home demolitions, and restrictions on urban development, in Jerusalem as evidence of attempts to alter the demographic ratio in favor of Jews, a goal laid out as “maintaining a solid Jewish majority in the city” in the municipality’s 2000 master plan.

It led to the end of the constitutional deadline set by the Federal Supreme Court on April 6.

The supreme court was obliged to resort to legal jurisprudence and issue a decision to continue the current President Barham Salih's term until a president is elected to office. 

Since its first session on February 9, Parliament failed to elect a president from 40 candidates led by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) candidate, the current president, Barham Salih, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party's (KDP) candidate, Rebar Ahmed. The KDP's previous candidate Hoshyar Zebari was disqualified because the house of representatives withdrew his confidence when he was finance minister. 

Iraqi Parliament could not convene in the past weeks to hold a session to elect the president of the republic because the house could not meet the required quorum of two-thirds of the 329 MPs.

The tripartite alliance to Save the Homeland consists of the Sadrist Movement, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and the Sunni Alliance, which is calling to form a national majority government, failed to mobilize the majority of the votes to meet the required threshold.

On the other hand, the Coordination Framework that boycotted the sessions works to form a consensus government. It comprises Shia and Kurdish forces, most notably the PUK, State of Law Coalition, and Al-Fateh. 

It does not support the tripartite alliance and has joined the "blocking third" to prevent voting a president of the republic.

Iraq entered a constitutional vacuum when the deadline set by the Federal Court expired last March. The supreme court opened the door for the presidential candidate before the Presidency of the House of Representatives for 30 days per Article 72/2 of the Iraqi Constitution. 

According to the Iraqi news agency INA, this 30-day period is from March 6 to April 6, the house shall elect the president of the republic.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine came just days after Xi and Putin cemented a significant partnership on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics – the first in-person, bilateral meeting Xi had attended since the pandemic began.

A joint statement from the two leaders said the bonds between the two countries had “no limits” and there were “no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation”. It called on the west to “abandon the ideologized approaches of the cold war”, and expressed support for each other’s position on Ukraine and Taiwan.

Analysts claim that the leaders think they are stronger united.

Did China know about the invasion of Ukraine in advance?

The timing of the partnership signed between Russia and China has raised questions about what China’s government knew of the invasion. Some analysts and US officials have suggested it was likely Beijing knew of the Russian plans for Ukraine but not the extent of them, and was caught somewhat by surprise. Beijing denies this. In the Washington Post on Wednesday, China’s ambassador to the US said any assertions it “knew about, acquiesced to or tacitly supported this war are purely disinformation”.

China has been careful not to lend a blind support to Russia in its war effort. When China abstained from voting on a UN security council resolution which would have deplored Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia used its veto power to quash the resolution but China’s decision to not actively support the veto was reportedly seen as a positive sign by western officials.

Dr. Courtney J Fung, an associate professor at Macquarie University and associate fellow at Chatham House, says China wants recognition as a responsible major country, but is applying this selectively when it comes to the invasion of Ukraine. “China focuses on second order issues that result from the Russian invasion – like humanitarian aid, civilian protection, evacuation – and while these are of course important concerns, China is sidestepping efforts for it to mediate or resolve the crisis itself.”

What has China said about the war?

China’s government and state apparatus are mostly not referring to it as an invasion or a war, although official English-language readouts of bilateral phone calls by Xi and foreign minister Wang Yi included the word “war”. It is instead usually referring to it as a “situation”, a “crisis”, or sometimes a “conflict”, and has emphasized a “complex historical background and context”. It has expressed support for both Ukraine’s sovereignty and Russia’s “security concerns”.

Speaking to media after the annual “two sessions” meeting last Friday, Premier Li Keqiang said China was “deeply concerned and grieved” over the conflict.

“On Ukraine, indeed the current situation there is grave,” he said. “The pressing task now is preventing tensions from escalating or even getting out of control.”

Beijing has sought to present itself as neutral, and signaled it could act as a mediator, but Chinese media have amplified Russian propaganda and conspiracy theories. Government spokespeople have also promoted an anti-western narrative, blaming the US and Nato for inflaming tensions.

Lu Yuguang has filed reports from cities under Russian attack since the invasion began almost three weeks ago.

‘I’m on the frontline in Mariupol’: the Chinese reporter embedded with Russian troops

China has struggled to navigate a path between its partnership with Russia and the huge global condemnation of the invasion. “China continues to back Russia through its comprehensive strategic partnership and to oppose Nato expansion and sanctions on Russia,” Paul Haenle, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told China File.

“At the same time, it is paying lip service to its principles of non-interference and positive relations with Ukraine.” Haenle said Beijing’s aims were incompatible, but in recent days it had started to solidify its messaging into an attempt to straddle them anyway.

What does Russia want from China?

According to reports in US media, citing unnamed government officials, Russia has requested military equipment and support from China, as well as economic assistance as global sanctions and private sector abandonment starts to bite.

The initial reports didn’t detail the types of weapons Russia was seeking or China’s response, but drew warnings from the US that China would face “consequences” if it agreed. Subsequent reports, citing US diplomatic cables to allies, said Russia had requested equipment including drones, armored vehicles and surface-to-air missiles, and that China had signaled a willingness to agree.

Chinese officials angrily dismissed the claims as malicious disinformation. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said he’d never heard of such a request.

Is China likely to help?

US officials fear China has already decided to provide Russia with economic and financial support and is contemplating sending military supplies such as armed drones.

The Russian relationship remains important to Xi, and he is unlikely to jettison it in favor of aligning with a declining west, the director of the Asia programme at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Bonnie Glaser, told China File. But he must decide to what extent he’ll help the Russian economy as sanctions – which China has long opposed – kick in.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping

US urged China not to supply arms to Russia at ‘intense’ Rome meeting

“China is likely to find ways to help Moscow mitigate the impact of the sanctions, without blatantly violating them. The playbook it has used to assist Iran and North Korea evade sanctions provides possible actions China can take.”

China has little incentive to provide direct military aid, says Wen-Ti Sung, a political scientist with the Australian National University.

“Beijing’s preferences are: one, international stability; two, to ensure the Russian economy and polity does not collapse under the weight of the international sanctions, and three, to not be seen as an overt enabler of Russian aggression.”

Hass says it’s more likely that China will remain “rhetorically committed to showing support for Russia” but will largely comply with international sanctions against it, in order to avoid attracting secondary sanctions.

“I also expect China to remain cautious in providing any materiel support to Russia, given that such support likely would have limited impact on the outcome of hostilities in Ukraine, but significant impacts on China’s relations with the west.”

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described the carnages in his country as “war crimes” while Ukraine authorities said approximately more than 4,400 incidents were being examined.

“Russia will be responsible for Bucha in The Hague,” Ukraine’s prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova said in a statement.

Western sanctions on Russia over its nearly six-week invasion of its neighbors gained new impetus this week after bodies of civilians shot at close distant were discovered in the town of Bucha, after Russian forces withdrew.

Russia has denied responsibility and suggested the images are fake or the deaths occurred after its troops pulled out. However, satellite images show that bodies were lying on streets in Bucha for days before Russian troops left the town.

The White House said sanctions to be unveiled on Wednesday were in part a response to Bucha. The measures, coordinated between Washington, G7 economies and the European Union, will target Russian banks and officials and ban new investment in Russia.

“The goal is to force them to make a choice,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “The biggest part of our objective here is to deplete the resources that Putin has to continue his war against Ukraine.”

Psaki declined to comment on reports in the Wall Street Journal that the sanctions would target Putin’s two daughters.

Proposed EU sanctions, which the bloc’s 27 member states must approve, would ban buying Russian coal and prevent Russian ships from entering EU ports. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said the bloc was also working on banning oil imports. Europe, which obtains about a third of its natural gas from Russia, has been wary of the economic impact a total ban on Russian energy would bring. But signaling strengthening EU resolve, Germany’s foreign minister said the coal ban was the first step toward an embargo on all Russian fossil fuel imports.

Renewed pressure from the west comes after Zelenskiy gave the UN security council a harrowing account of atrocities in his country and demanded that Russian leaders be “brought to justice for war crimes”.

A day after US president Joe Biden called for Putin to be held to account, Zelenskiy said there should be an international tribunal similar to the Nuremberg trials of Nazis after the second world war.

There has been global revulsion at apparently deliberate civilian killings by Russian troops in Ukraine. Zelenskiy visited Bucha on Monday after officials said the bodies of 410 civilians had been recovered from Kyiv-area towns. Officials said up to 300 people could be buried in one mass grave in Bucha.

“There is not a single crime that they would not commit there,” Zelenskiy said via video link and an interpreter. “The Russians searched for and purposely killed anyone who served our country. They shot and killed women outside their houses. They killed entire families – adults and children – and they tried to burn the bodies.”

Zelenskiy spoke of civilians “shot and killed in the back of the head after being tortured. Some of them were shot on the streets; others were thrown into the wells. So they died there in suffering.”

He added: “Civilians were crushed by tanks while sitting in their cars in the middle of the road just for their pleasure.”

The president detailed the alleged brutality of the Russian forces. “They cut off limbs, slashed their throats, women were raped and killed in front of their children. Their tongues were pulled out only because the aggressor did not hear what they wanted to hear.”

This was no different, he said, from the behaviour of Islamic State, the terrorist group notorious for its acts of cruelty in Iraq and Syria, but in this instance the perpetrator was Russia, a member of the UN security council. He urged the council to live up to its name. “It is obvious that the key institution of the world which must ensure the coercion of any aggressor to peace simply cannot work effectively.”

Zelenskiy also said Bucha was “only one of many examples of what the occupiers have been doing on our land for the past 41 days” and there were many more that the world had yet to learn the full truth about.

He accused Russia of behaving like an ancient coloniser that was abducting children and looting wealth, including gold earrings ripped from civilians’ ears. “Russia wants to turn Ukraine into silent slaves,” he said.

Speaking before he headed to Brussels for meetings of Nato and G7 foreign ministers, Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said: “What we’ve seen in Bucha is not the random act of a rogue unit. It’s a deliberate campaign to kill, to torture, to rape, to commit atrocities. The reports are more than credible. The evidence is there for the world to see. This reinforces our determination and the determination of countries around the world to make sure that one way or another, one day or another, there is accountability for those who committed these acts, for those who ordered them.”

Peskov said remarks by Biden on Monday calling Putin “a war criminal” and demanding “a war crimes trial” were unacceptable and unworthy of a US president.