Bottom Line Up Front: Iraq’s new government will struggle to extricate the country from its role as an arena for conflict between Iran and the United States, or necessarily set Iraq on a course for long-term stability.

Turkish security forces have killed over 1,300 terrorists across five different operational areas since the beginning of 2020, the country’s national defense minister said.

Al-Qaida-linked fighters attacked Syrian government positions Sunday on the edge of the country’s last rebel stronghold, triggering intense clashes that killed nearly three dozen combatants across both sides, opposition activists said.