The story: Two helicopters have crashed in Iraq’s northern Duhok Governorate under mysterious circumstances, killing nine members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The fatalities notably include a close relative of the SDF’s top commander—giving rise to speculations about the existence of a secret air corridor between Iraq and Syria.

The aftermath of the rare incidents has highlighted divisions and rivalries in the fractured transnational politics of Kurdish parties in Iraq, Syria and Turkey.

The coverage: In the immediate aftermath of the Mar. 15 crashes, there was immense speculation about the incidents and what entities may be involved.

• The crash site of one of the aircraft—a Eurocopter AS350 helicopter—is in the Chamanke subdistrict, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Duhok city. The location of the other crash has not been revealed. The area is known for fighting between the...