International Coalition Conducts Military Drills at Qasrek Base in Hasaka
ARK News.. International Coalition forces have carried out military exercises at Qasrek Base, located northwest of the city of Hasaka in northeastern Syria.
According to local sources, the drills conducted on Friday, December 26, 2025, involved the use of heavy weaponry, alongside intensive warplane flights over the area, aimed at enhancing the combat capabilities and readiness of coalition troops.
On December 24, coalition forces had already conducted large-scale military exercises at the same base as part of efforts to raise their operational and combat readiness.
The drills reportedly focused on the use of newly delivered advanced weapons systems, including heavy arms, the operation of radar and early-warning systems, missile strikes, and raid simulations.
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Musa Ahmed: The cost of Barzani's Charity projects exceeded 41 billion Iraqi dinars.
ARK News.. The Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) announced the implementation of 161 humanitarian and development projects across the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Syria during 2025, with a total value exceeding 41 billion Iraqi dinars.
The head of the foundation, Musa Ahmed, said that the projects covered a wide range of humanitarian and development sectors, including relief assistance, healthcare, education, shelter, water and sanitation, food aid, and support for vulnerable groups, particularly displaced families, refugees, orphans, and people with special needs.
He explained that the foundation’s activities were carried out in coordination with local authorities and relevant institutions, aiming to respond to urgent humanitarian needs while also contributing to sustainable development and improving living conditions in affected communities.
According to the foundation, a significant portion of the projects focused on emergency response and winterization assistance, as well as long-term development initiatives designed to strengthen community resilience and social stability.
The Barzani Charity Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to continuing its humanitarian mission and expanding its activities in the coming period, in line with its principles of solidarity, humanitarian responsibility, and support for those most in need, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or background.
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Peshmerga Officer Completes Three Specialized Training Courses in the United States
ARK News.. A Peshmerga officer has completed three specialized training programs in the United States, alongside military personnel from several other countries, as part of ongoing cooperation between the International Coalition forces and the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Peshmerga, Captain Mohammed Yousif Saleh, an officer in the 3rd Infantry Division of the Ministry of Peshmerga, completed the courses at the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) in the United States. The programs were held across several locations, including Texas, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., and New York.
The ministry said that Captain Saleh first undertook an English language program at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas (DLIELC), where he earned a diploma in English.
He then completed a course on the legal aspects of anti-corruption, delivered by DIILS, which focused on institutional accountability, transparency, and the role of law within military institutions, the statement added.
The officer subsequently concluded a course on armed conflicts and weapons law, covering international humanitarian law as well as theoretical and practical leadership approaches in military contexts.
The ministry noted that the training programs lasted four months, from September 1, 2024, to January 18, 2025, and were attended by Captain Saleh alongside officers from the U.S. military and several other countries, all of whom completed the courses.
The training reflects continued international cooperation aimed at enhancing the professional, legal, and leadership capacities of the Peshmerga forces.
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Mass Displacement from Eastern Suwayda Countryside
ARK News.. A Syrian human rights source reported mass displacement from the eastern countryside of Suwayda following a series of airstrikes that targeted several homes in the area.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that al-Shaab village, in eastern Suwayda, witnessed a large-scale displacement of its residents on Thursday, December 25, 2025, as families fled eastward toward the Syrian desert after multiple air raids struck several houses in the village. The targeted properties reportedly belong to drug traffickers from the al-Ramthan clan.
According to the source, al-Shaab village lies within areas under the control of the transitional government in Damascus. The village is surrounded by security points affiliated with the Badiya Security Directorate and is home to around 250 residents, primarily from Bedouin tribes, notably the al-Ramthan and al-Saeed clans.
The source added that the village has been subjected to repeated aerial bombardment since 2023, amid accusations of activity by drug-smuggling networks, exacerbating fear among residents and prompting displacement amid concerns of renewed attacks.
This displacement comes amid growing questions over the security situation in the region and the continued activity of smuggling networks despite the presence of security checkpoints operated by the controlling authorities.
Meanwhile, the Jordanian Air Force reportedly carried out seven airstrikes, three of which targeted the vicinity of al-Shaab village, where drug-smuggling networks linked to local clans are believed to be operating. Another strike targeted a farm in a remote area affiliated with Umm al-Rumman village, while additional strikes hit a farm along the road to Khazma village. Information regarding other strikes remains under verification, as tension and fear continue to grip border communities.
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Nechirvan Barzani: Christians Are an Indigenous Component and an Integral Part of Kurdistan’s Past, Present, and Future
ARK New.. The President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, extended his Christmas greetings to Christians in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and around the world, reaffirming the Region’s commitment to safeguarding the values of coexistence and tolerance.
Below is the full text of the message: On the occasion of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), I extend my warmest and heartfelt congratulations to our Christian citizens in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, and to all Christians around the world. I wish them a joyful and secure Christmas.
Our Christian sisters and brothers are an indigenous component and an inseparable part of the history, present, and future of Kurdistan. On this blessed day, we renew the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to protecting the long-standing heritage of coexistence, tolerance, and acceptance of others. We reassure you that the Kurdistan Region will remain, as it has always been, a safe haven and a home for all components.
We are all partners in this homeland, and our destiny is one. We have made sacrifices together in difficult times, and through solidarity and unity, we will continue to work together for a better and more prosperous future for our generations. Let this holiday be a message of peace, love, and strengthened brotherhood among all.
Merry Christmas to everyone, and may you all enjoy happiness and well-being.
Nechirvan Barzani
President of the Kurdistan Region
December 24, 2025
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Suwayda: Clashes Between the National Guard and Government Forces and Their auxiliary
ARK News.. Local sources reported that armed clashes erupted on the evening of Wednesday, December 24, 2025, between fighters of the National Guard on one side and government forces and their auxiliary units on the other, along the Ara–Khirbet Samar axis in the western countryside of Suwayda.
According to the sources, intermittent clashes were also reported along the al-Majdal–al-Mazra’a axis in western Suwayda province, involving the use of heavy machine guns (23 mm), amid heightened security tensions in the area.
No information has yet emerged regarding casualties resulting from the clashes, as military alertness and troop movements continue in and around the region.
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Fifth Anniversary of the Departing of Renowned Kurdish Artist Mohammad Ali Shaker
ARK News.. On Wednesday, December 24, 2025, marked the fifth anniversary of the passing of the esteemed Kurdish artist Mohammad Ali Shakir, who died on the morning of Thursday, December 24, 2020, at the age of 74, after contracting COVID-19 in a hospital in the city of Qamishlo, Syrian Kurdistan.
Born in 1946 in the city of Sari Kaniye, Mohammad Ali Shakir studied English Language and Literature at the University of Aleppo, from which he graduated in 1981.
He began writing poetry and composing music in 1968, leaving behind a rich artistic legacy that includes approximately 265 songs written and composed by him. Around 170 of his poems were performed by his brother, the late artist Mahmoud Aziz Shaker. His works were also performed by prominent Kurdish artists such as Mohammad Sheikho, Mustafa Khaled, Zubair Saleh, Hussein Saleh, Shehribana Kurdi, and Khoshnav Tello, among others.
Shakir published two poetry collections and wrote extensively on issues related to the Kurdish cause and historical events, addressing a wide range of national and social themes. In addition to poetry and music, he was also a talented visual artist, producing numerous paintings that vividly reflected Kurdish folklore and cultural heritage.
With his passing, Kurdistan of Syria lost a distinguished cultural figure who played a significant role in enriching the Kurdish artistic and literary movement. He was laid to rest in Qamishlo, far from his hometown of Sari Kaniye, after a lifetime devoted to art, culture, and national expression.
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Germany Deports a Syrian to Damascus for the First Time Since 2011
ARK News.. Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior announced on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, that it has deported a Syrian national to Damascus for the first time since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
According to France Press Agency (AFP), the Interior Ministry said in a statement that “the Syrian migrant, who had previously been convicted of criminal offenses in Germany, was deported to Damascus and handed over to the Syrian authorities on Tuesday morning.”
The German Interior Ministry had announced in July that it would begin deporting Syrians with criminal records, days after Austria became the first European Union country in recent years to take such a step.
A ministry spokesperson said the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) had been tasked with taking measures against what it described as “dangerous and delinquent Syrians.”
The spokesperson stressed that committing serious crimes excludes individuals from the protection afforded by asylum and may lead to the revocation of any status previously granted.
Between January and May this year, BAMF initiated more than 3,500 procedures that could result in the withdrawal of asylum rights granted to Syrian nationals. During the same period, refugee status was revoked in 57 cases, while a lower level of protection was withdrawn in 22 other cases.
The ministry also noted that around 800 Syrians returned to their country during the same period under Germany’s state-funded voluntary return program, which has so far been joined by approximately 2,000 people.
Currently, around one million Syrians live in Germany, most of whom arrived during the large wave of displacement between 2015 and 2016.
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Secretary of the Kurdistan Democratic Party–Syria Meets with the Kurdistan Women’s Union–Syria
ARK News.. With the participation of Mohammad Ismail, Secretary of the Kurdistan Democratic Party–Syria and President of the Kurdish National Council in Syria, along with Mohammad Saleh, member of the party’s Central Committee and head of the Mass Organizations Office, the leadership of the Kurdistan Women’s Union–Syria held its regular meeting on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, in Qamishlo.
During the meeting, the Secretary of the Kurdistan Democratic Party–Syria emphasized the role and importance of the Kurdistan Women’s Union–Syria, stressing the need to strengthen organizational work and enhance performance in the coming phase in line with current challenges and opportunities.
Participants discussed key organizational and political issues and exchanged views on ways to further empower the Union’s role in supporting society and defending national causes.
The meeting concluded with an emphasis on continuing collective action and joint coordination among various branches to ensure the achievement of the desired objectives.
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International Coalition Carries Out Airborne Raid in Eastern Raqqa Countryside
ARK News.. A Syrian human rights source reported clashes between International Coalition forces and cells affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) in a village in the eastern countryside of Raqqa.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, International Coalition forces conducted an airborne raid in the village of Jdeidet Kahit in eastern Raqqa. The operation targeted individuals wanted on suspicion of belonging to ISIS cells.
The Observatory said that armed clashes broke out between the raiding forces and the suspects during the operation, involving exchanges of gunfire.
The clashes reportedly resulted in the death of a man and his mother, with information indicating that his brother was also killed. The two brothers are believed to have been active within ISIS cells. There has been no confirmed information regarding casualties among the coalition forces involved in the operation.
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