Thursday, 18 January, 2018 , 15:24 AFP — Turkey has ramped up its rhetoric to threaten an imminent cross-border incursion against Kurdish militia in Syria but the attitude of Russia and to a lesser extent the United States will determine the nature of the operation, analysts say.

Thursday, 18 January, 2018 , 14:08 AFP — Iraq signed a contract Thursday with British energy giant BP aimed at more than doubling production from oil fields in the northern province of Kirkuk that were retaken from the Kurds last year.

Thursday, 18 January, 2018 , 11:22 AFP — Iraq signed a contract Thursday with British energy giant BP to develop oil fields in the northern province of Kirkuk that were retaken from the Kurds last year.

Thursday, 18 January, 2018 , 10:44 AFP — Turkey on Thursday described as far from satisfactory US assurances playing down plans to create a border force in northern Syria made up of Kurdish militia forces deemed as "terrorists" by Ankara.

Thursday, 18 January, 2018 , 00:59 AFP — The United States is training a new force in Syria but insisted Wednesday it does not intend to create an "army" or conventional border guards following criticism of the plan.

Wednesday, 17 January, 2018 , 20:06 AFP — Turkey on Wednesday said it was ready to take any steps necessary against a Syrian Kurdish militia to ensure the security of its borders, as speculation mounted of an imminent cross border operation.

Wednesday, 17 January, 2018 , 12:53 AFP — Syria's main opposition group on Wednesday condemned the US-led coalition's plan to create a 30,000-strong border force on the war-torn country's northern frontier with Turkey.

Tuesday, 16 January, 2018 , 20:45 AFP — The head of a powerful Kurdish militia hit back on Tuesday at Turkish threats to attack its forces in northern Syria, pledging to "cleanse" the area of Ankara's "scourges".

Tuesday, 16 January, 2018 , 11:04 AFP — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday vowed Turkey would soon begin an operation against towns in Syria controlled by Kurdish militia, calling the areas "nests" of terror.

Monday, 15 January, 2018 , 19:06 AFP — Syria on Monday denounced the US-led coalition's plan to create a 30,000-strong border force in the country's northeast, saying it would consider its members "traitors".