Rami Jameel
Rami Jameel is a researcher who specializes in militant groups in the Middle East and North Africa. He focuses on the political and military conflicts in the region and its impact on global security.
Contact Rami Jameel
Articles by Rami Jameel
Naim Qassem: Hezbollah Secretary-General Rejects Disarmament
Executive Summary: On August 15, Hezbollah’s new secretary-general, Naim Qassem, rejected Lebanon’s U.S.-backed disarmament plan. Lebanon’s eventual reconstruction hinges on Hezbollah’s disarmament. The situation has deepened sectarian divides as Shia
Hikmat al-Hijri: Druze Cleric Struggles Against Syrian Government
Executive Summary: In July 2025, heavy communal violence in Suwayda between Druze and Bedouin tribes escalated into open battles with Syrian government forces, leaving hundreds dead. The clashes marked the
Saleh al-Arouri: A Postmortem of One of Hamas’s Key al-Qassam Commanders in Lebanon
Executive Summary Hamas deputy leader and head of the West Bank al-Qassam Brigades Saleh al-Arouri was killed in a January 2024 Israeli drone strike while meeting with Hezbollah. He is
Kidnapping of Elizabeth Tsurkov Opens Window into Iraqi Shia Militia Politics
Months after she was kidnapped in Baghdad, Russian-Israeli researcher and activist Elizabeth Tsurkov appeared in a video released on Iranian-backed Iraqi Shia militias’ media platforms. In the video she spoke
Hezbollah’s Calculations in the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza
When the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in October, one of the questions asked was whether Lebanese Hezbollah would open a second front against Israel. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is a member
Abu al-Hussein: A Post-Mortem of Islamic State’s Previous Caliph
Islamic State (IS) caliph Abu al-Hussein al-Qurashi was killed in northwestern Syria, IS’s third leader overall to be killed in the last 18 months. The role of the caliph is
A Post-Mortem Profile of Senior ISIS Leader Usama al-Muhajir
US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a statement on July 9 to announce that it killed an Islamic State (IS) leader in eastern Syria two days earlier. This leader, Usama al-Muhajir,
Akram al-Kaabi: The Anti-American Iraqi Shia Militia Leader Who Went to Moscow
In late November 2022, Iraqi Shia militia leader Akram al-Kaabi visited Russia and met with the Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov and other Russian officials. During his visit, al-Kaabi,
The Causes and Consequences of the Islamic State Caliph’s Killing in Deraa
On November 30, the Islamic State (IS) announced that its “caliph,” Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (Abu al-Hassan), was killed and another leader, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qureshi (Abu al-Hussein), was the
Islamic State’s Shiraz Attack Provokes Narrative War with Iran and al-Qaeda
On October 26, gunmen opened fire at the Shia shrine of Shah Geragh in the Iranian city of Shiraz, killing and injuring dozens of people. Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility
Is an Iraqi Shia Civil War Looming on the Horizon?
Protesters loyal to Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr invaded the heavily fortified area in central Baghdad, known as the Green Zone, twice in one week in late July. They occupied
Muhammad Kawtharani: Hezbollah’s Key Operative in Iraq
On April 10, 2020, the U.S. treasury announced a $10 million award for information on Muhammad Kawtharani, a Lebanese Hezbollah commander (state.gov, April 10, 2020). Kawtharani is one of the
Husseini’yon: A Profile of the Iranian-backed Militia Threatening Azerbaijan
Husseini’yon: A Profile of the Iranian-backed Militia Threatening Azerbaijan Rami Jameel The Iranian-backed Shia Islamist militia, Husseini’yon, has emerged in recent years as an insurgency in what has been a
Assassination Attempt against Prime Minister Al-Khadimi Highlights Intra-Shia Divisions in Iraq
A loud explosion was heard in the early hours of November 7 in the fortified area in Baghdad known as the “Green Zone.” This was followed by heavy gunfire in
Arrested and Released: A Profile of Iranian-Backed Militia Commander Qassim Musleh
On May 26, Iraqi security forces arrested Qassim Musleh, a prominent Shia militia leader. He is the commander of the strategically important western Iraq sector within the Iranian-backed militia umbrella
Iraqi Prime Minister Walks Tightrope Between Shia Militias and the United States
One of the most critical issues in Iraq currently is the relationship between its Shia-led government and Iranian-backed Shia militias. This issue has been important for U.S. military strategy in
Yemen’s Houthi Head of Intelligence Abu Ali al-Hakim Wages War in Marib
Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim (a.k.a. Abu Ali al-Hakim) is one of the most prominent military leaders of the Yemeni Houthi movement. Since 2011, he led the group in decisive battles that
Post-Mortem Analysis: Izzat al-Douri and the State of Iraq’s Ba’ath Party
On October 25, the Iraqi Ba’ath party of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein announced the death of its leader, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri. Almost no details were given about the
The Iraqi and Kurdish Regional Government’s Sinjar Agreement: Consequences for U.S., Turkish, and Iranian Influence and Rebel Rivalries
On October 9, the Iraqi government headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) signed the “Sinjar Agreement” to normalize the situation in the war-torn
Abu al-Yaqzan al-Masri: The Egyptian Salafist Refusing to Back Turkey or HTS in Syria
Abu al-Yaqzan al-Masri is one of the most active jihadist scholars in Syria. Until last year, he was a senior member of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Abu Muhammad
HTS Leader al-Julani’s New Strategy in Northwestern Syria
Abu Mohammed al-Julani’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has recently escalated its crackdown on jihadists groups and figures in the Idlib province of northwestern Syria (Step News, October 5). The formation
The Shadowy Leader of the PMU Confronting the U.S. in Iraq—Abdul-Aziz al-Muhammadawi
On February 21, leaders of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU)—the official umbrella group of Iraq’s Shia-dominated militias—announced that they had agreed to appoint Abdul Aziz al-Muhammadawi as the chief of
ARRESTED: Senior Islamic State Leader Abdul Nasser Qardash Highlights Internal Divisions
On May 20, Iraqi authorities announced that the arrest of Abdul Nasser Qardash, one of the most prominent leaders of the Islamic State (IS) (Sky News Arabia, May 20). He
Abu Alaa al-Walai: Tehran’s Loyal Iraqi Militiaman
"All Americans in Iraq will be hostages if a war broke out between the U.S. and Iran. Because we will stand with Iran, period,” said Abu Ala’a al-Walai, the prominent Iraqi