Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 18:02 AFP — The UN Human Rights Council decided Friday to deepen its scrutiny of Iran over its crackdown on protests that left thousands dead, including children, amid demands it end its "brutal repression".

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 16:32 AFP — Women in Iraqi Kurdistan and beyond have taken to the streets and social media to braid their hair in a show of solidarity after a Syrian soldier bragged in a video about cutting off a Kurdish fighter's braid in Raqa.

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 16:03 AFP — The United Nations called Friday on Iranian authorities to immediately end their "brutal repression", after a crackdown on nationwide protests left thousands dead, including children.

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 14:28 AFP — Europeans were among 150 senior Islamic State group detainees transferred this week by the US military from Kurdish custody in Syria to Iraq, whose premier urged EU countries to repatriate their nationals.

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 12:32 AFP — The EU said Friday that alleged breakouts by detained foreign fighters from the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria were of "paramount concern", and it was monitoring the transfer of prisoners to Iraq.

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 12:16 AFP — Europeans were among 150 senior Islamic State group jihadist detainees transferred from Syria to Iraq earlier this week as part of a US operation, two Iraqi security officials told AFP Friday.

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 12:14 AFP — Poor security at a camp in Syria housing thousands of suspected relatives of Islamic State group jihadists has prevented UN agency staff from entering, days after Kurdish forces withdrew and the army deployed at the site.

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 09:42 AFP — Poor security conditions at a camp in northeast Syria that houses thousands of suspected relatives of Islamic State group fighters including foreigners has prevented the UN refugee agency from entering, a spokesperson told AFP on Friday.

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 08:45 AFP — Poor security conditions at a camp in northeast Syria housing thousands of suspected relatives of Islamic State group fighters including foreigners has prevented the UN refugee agency from entering, a spokesperson told AFP on Friday.

Friday, 23 January, 2026 , 01:50 AFP — Syria said early Friday that government forces had begun transferring Kurdish fighters from a prison in the north where they had been holding Islamic State group detainees, as part of a weekend agreement.