Tuesday, 11 June, 2013 , 19:26 AFP — More than 1,000 Kurdish career soldiers in Iraq's army have deserted and want to be integrated into forces loyal to the autonomous Kurdistan region, a heavy blow to the country's stretched armed forces.

Tuesday, 11 June, 2013 , 15:10 AFP — More than 1,000 Kurdish career soldiers in the Iraqi army have deserted and want to be integrated into forces loyal to Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, officials said on Tuesday.

Tuesday, 11 June, 2013 , 14:34 AFP — More than 1,000 Kurdish career soldiers in the Iraqi army have deserted and want to be integrated into the Kurdish former rebel peshmerga militia, officials said on Tuesday.

Tuesday, 11 June, 2013 , 08:50 AFP — Between pots of glue and scraps of cotton, Bahjat Majeed sits cross-legged in his tiny workshop, putting the final touches on a pair of handmade shoes traditionally crafted in his hometown of Halabja.

Tuesday, 11 June, 2013 , 03:30 AFP — Between pots of glue and scraps of cotton, Bahjat Majeed sits cross-legged in his tiny workshop, putting the final touches on a pair of handmade shoes traditionally crafted in his hometown of Halabja.

Sunday, 9 June, 2013 , 12:50 AFP — Iraq's premier led a landmark cabinet meeting in the country's Kurdish region on Sunday to defuse tensions linked to a multitude of disputes that diplomats warn are among its biggest threats to stability.

Sunday, 9 June, 2013 , 11:37 AFP — Iraq's cabinet held a landmark meeting in the country's Kurdish region on Sunday to defuse tensions linked to disputes over territory and oil that diplomats warn are among its biggest threats to stability.

Saturday, 8 June, 2013 , 00:04 AFP — Jailed Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan on Friday voiced his support for the anti-government protests in Turkey, despite his involvement in peace talks with the Turkish authorities.

Friday, 7 June, 2013 , 17:52 AFP — A Swiss court on Friday slapped down a decision by the country's migration office to deny a Kurdish activist asylum, ruling there was still a real threat of torture and mistreatment in Turkey.

Wednesday, 5 June, 2013 , 20:38 AFP — Iraq's interior ministry on Wednesday issued a strongly-worded call for forces loyal to the northern Kurdish region to withdraw from several disputed areas, threatening a fragile peace after a spate of violence in April.