Latest Articles about Middle East
Spearheading the Coming Assault on Raqqa: A Portrait of Abu Issa al-Raqqawi
Abu Issa al-Raqqawi is the head of the Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa (Raqqa Revolutionaries’ Brigade) and a former manager of an agricultural company who could play a key role in defeating the Islamic State in the caliphate’s self-declared capital of Raqqa. Al-Raqqawi’s forces are the main... MORE
A Profile of Syria’s Influential Sunni-Arab Tribal Militia Leader—Shaykh Humaydi Daham al-Hadi Jarba
Over the last two months, an anti-Islamic State offensive conducted by Sunni Arab tribal forces has sought to displace the jihadist organization from two important towns in northeastern Syria’s al-Hasakah governorate: al-Shaddadeh and al-Hawl. These towns serve as major routes of resupply and reinforcement for... MORE
Hot Issue: How DAESH’s Lone Wolf Guidance Increases the Group’s Threat to the United States
Executive Summary On October 18, 2015, a DAESH promoter posted a 63-page English-language manual entitled Safety and Security Guidelines for Lone Wolf Mujahideen on Twitter. [1] Reportedly, three former members of Saddam Hussein’s intelligence service now with this jihadist organization in Raqqa, Syria, produced the... MORE
Putin Accuses Islamic State of Downing Passenger Jet as Strategic Bombers Pound Syria
In an apparent sudden about-face, the Kremlin has accused the Islamic State (IS) of planting a bomb onboard Russian Metrojet Flight 9268, which disintegrated in midair after takeoff from the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, on October 31, killing all 224 people on board,... MORE
Putin’s Russia Seeks Place in International Anti-Terrorism Coalition
President Vladimir Putin responded promptly to the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris with a telegram to French President François Hollande that condemned the “barbaric nature of terrorism, which challenges human civilization” and called for unity in the struggle against this “evil” (Kremlin.ru, November 14).... MORE
China and the Quiet Kingdom: An Assessment of China-Oman Relations
China’s foreign policy toward the wider Middle East rests on advancing numerous objectives. Foremost among these priorities is China’s need to assure domestic energy security. As the world’s largest consumer of energy overall and second largest importer of crude oil, safeguarding a stable flow of... MORE
The Houthis’ Counter-Offensive in Yemen: Strategy, Aims and Outcomes
After seven months of military operations in Yemen, Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners are facing a counter-offensive by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The Houthis—who refer to themselves as Ansar Allah—and allied units of the Yemeni Army launched a three-pronged offensive designed to broadly encircle Yemen’s... MORE
Russia’s Operation in Syria: Concealing Mission Creep
Russia’s air operations in Syria have triggered speculation concerning Moscow’s objectives, the length of the campaign, as well as the levels of planning involved. On the one hand, Russia’s information campaign describes a limited engagement, which boosts domestic support for the intervention. The Kremlin fears... MORE
Chechen Authorities Claim to Have Identified Channel for Supplying Recruits to Syria
Chechen authorities claim that a group of 20 young Chechens and Ingush studying in Moscow tried to leave Russia for Syria and were stopped at the last moment. According to Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov, Western security services are constantly seeking to undermine Russia’s prestige (Instagram.com,... MORE
Metrojet Flight 9268 Crash Could Undermine Russian Public Support for Syria Bombing Campaign
On October 31, a Russian charter passenger jet, Airbus A321 Metrojet Flight 9268, disintegrated in midair some 23 minutes after takeoff from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, Russia, killing all 224 people on board, mostly Russian tourists. Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed... MORE