Air raids, attacks and mutual accusations are reigniting the conflict along the Durand Line. Civilian casualties remain difficult to verify, whilst Ankara, Doha and now Riyadh are trying to keep a channel of communication open between the two countries, but the risk of escalation is growing

An attempted murder in Erbil took place the day after a senior Iranian military officer stated that his country had recently carried out 14 ‘ground operations’ in this northern region of Iraq. Meanwhile, Trump believes the war will end ‘fairly soon’

Although an agreement between the central government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led forces now seems imminent, the situation in the north-eastern province of Hasakah is causing concern

Backed by the US President but supported at home by figures close to the regime in Tehran, the young Iraqi leader is seeking an economic agreement with the US without fuelling tensions