Whether the United States pulls forces from the Middle East to counter China may well depend on the success of Biden’s diplomacy with Iran Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is keeping a close eye on the US military’s presence in the Middle East as new Pentagon leadership prepares to review the …

Iraqi security forces arrested four suspects for allegedly killing Iraqi protesters and activists. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced on Feb. 15 the arrests in Basra of a group allegedly involved in the murders of Iraqi protesters and activists.

Around 1,600 Iraqis were still detained in northeast Syria at the end of last year over allegedly fighting for IS A US-backed Kurdish force in northeast Syria handed over 100 alleged Islamic State (IS) group fighters to Baghdad this week, a senior Iraqi security source told AFP on Sunday.