A diplomatic spat erupted between the United States and Turkey after the Turkish government announced that thirteen of its citizens, including service members, police officers, and civilians, were killed (Al-Monitor) by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Iraq’s northern Gara region. The U.S. State Department condemned the killings and agreed that the PKK was responsible after first appearing to question the group’s involvement.

Ankara lashed out at Washington’s initial skepticism. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebuked the U.S. backing (WaPo) of Kurdish fighters in Syria tied to the PKK, which the United States considers a terrorist group, and the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. ambassador to Turkey. The incident, which shocked Turkish citizens (NYT), further strained U.S.-Turkey ties. U.S. President Joe Biden has previously called Erdogan an “autocrat,” and his administration has rebuked Turkey for human rights issues.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defense Minister Linda Reynolds apologized for the government’s response to the alleged 2019 rape of an aide in Reynolds’s office. Contrary to the staffer’s statement, Morrison said his office was informed (SMH) of the incident just last week.
 
Australia/New Zealand: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged Australia to take responsibility (Al Jazeera) for a woman detained in Turkey who is allegedly part of the self-proclaimed Islamic State. The woman held Australian and New Zealand citizenships before the former was revoked last year. However, Ardern noted, she has more recently lived in Australia.

In its first official press briefing, a spokesperson for Myanmar’s junta denied (Bloomberg) that its February 1 takeover was a coup and said the military will eventually proceed with an election while trying to avoid violence. The comments came after the junta shut down internet access for two nights.
 
CFR’s Joshua Kurlantzick looks at potential policy responses to Myanmar’s coup.
 
Afghanistan: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance will not leave (TOLO) Afghanistan “before the time is right.” On Thursday, NATO defense ministers will review (Politico) a May deadline to withdraw foreign troops that was set in the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement.
 
CFR’s Max Boot explains the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

A civilian contractor was killed (AFP) and six other people were injured in a rocket attack on an air base used by U.S.-led coalition troops in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged to “hold accountable those responsible,” and Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani condemned the incident.
 
Iran: The country announced that it will stop allowing short-notice inspections (RFE/RL) of its nuclear sites by the United Nations’ atomic watchdog on February 23 unless other signatories uphold their commitments to the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) appointed former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to fill its director general position (WSJ) beginning on March 1. President Muhammadu Buhari said Okonjo-Iweala’s selection will increase respect (Nation) for Nigeria.
 
This CFR Backgrounder looks at what’s next for the WTO.
 
CAR: The former head of the Central African Republic’s soccer association, Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona, and militant Alfred Yekatom went on trial (AFP) at the International Criminal Court today for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The men are accused of leading vigilante groups that brutalized the country’s Muslims in 2013 and 2014.

In a new report, France’s cybersecurity agency said it uncovered (Politico) an “intrusion campaign” that breached “several French entities” between 2017 and 2020. The agency tied the cyberattacks to Russian government–linked hackers.

Interim President Francisco Sagasti said nearly five hundred officials secretly received (AP) COVID-19 vaccines. The scandal has riled Peru’s health-care workers and prompted its foreign and health ministers, who both received the vaccine, to resign. Lawmakers will meet today to decide whether to investigate.
 
Venezuela: The government relaxed COVID-19 restrictions (LAHT) to allow citizens to celebrate the carnival holiday, claiming that public celebrations are safe with precautionary measures. The country has reported 133,218 cases of the virus and 1,279 deaths.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated that the House of Representatives will consider legislation (WaPo) to create an investigatory commission on the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol. The independent panel would resemble one that probed the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

 Almost sixty countries, including the United States, endorsed a nonbinding declaration (Al Jazeera) against states arbitrarily detaining foreign citizens on political grounds. The effort was led by Canada, which is seeking the release of two of its citizens from Chinese custody. China criticized Canada (SCMP) as “hypocritical and despicable,” citing its detention of a Chinese telecommunications executive.