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Latest Articles about Middle East
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Islamic State Causes Turmoil and Divisions Among North Caucasus Militant Leaders
The amir (commander) of the Khasavyurt jamaat, Islam Abu Ibragim (a.k.a. Islam Muradov), recently declared that Muslims in Dagestan should pay a tax to the Islamic State (IS). Ibragim is among those militants who left the Caucasus Emirate and pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu... MORE
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A Critical Link Between Jabhat al-Nusra and al-Qaeda: Abu Humam al-Suri
Though far from a household name, Abu Humam al-Suri (birth name: Samir Hijazi) is a critical Syrian jihadist leader, important to both Jabhat al-Nusra and the broader al-Qaeda organization. Abu Humam is an al-Qaeda veteran and also Jabhat al-Nusra’s masul al-askari al-amm (general military official).... MORE
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A Portrait of Moroccan-Syrian Jihadist Mohamed Mazouz and Harakat Sham al-Islam
On September 24, 2014, the U.S. Department of State listed Harakat Sham al-Islam (HSI) as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” (U.S. Department of State, September 24, 2014). The listing described HSI, which was formed in August 2013, as a “Moroccan-led terrorist organization operating in Syria principally... MORE
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A Post-Mortem Profile of Abu Hafs al-Balochi, Leader of Ansar al-Furqan in Iranian Balochistan
In an Arabic-language statement issued over Twitter on April 23, the Iranian hardline Sunni Baloch militant organization Ansar al-Furqan announced the death of its leader, Abu Hafs al-Balochi (Twitter, April 23). The statement said al-Balochi had been killed the previous day after “a long confrontation”... MORE
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Abdul Malik al-Houthi: Yemen’s Most Powerful and Most Wanted Man
Abdul Malik al-Houthi is the most wanted man in Yemen. He is also the most powerful man in Yemen, at least for now. The reclusive and enigmatic leader of Yemen’s Houthis, a predominately Zaydi Shi’a movement, was thrust onto the world stage when Saudi Arabia,... MORE
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Al-Qaeda-Aligned Central Asian Militants in Syria Separate from Islamic State-Aligned IMU in Afghanistan
On April 25, 2015, a coalition of rebel forces led by al-Qaeda affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra (JN), and including the Uyghur-led Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) and Uzbek-led Imam Bukhari Jamaat (IBJ) and Katibat Tawhid wal Jihad, defeated the Syrian army in a battle at the strategic... MORE
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The Jihadist Threat in Italy
In recent months, a number of incidents have brought attention to the possible threat to Italy from cells or individuals linked to the Islamic State. For instance, since mid-April, some pictures of self-proclaimed Islamic State supporters have been circulating on the web, in which Italy... MORE
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How Belgium Became a Top Exporter of Jihad
Belgium has in recent years produced some of the largest numbers of foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq, both in absolute and relative terms of any European country. This article aims to take a critical look at the numbers of Belgian fighters active with the... MORE
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China’s “One Belt, One Road” Strategy Meets the UAE’s Look East Policy
From May 8 to 15, Dubai, the second largest state of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), hosted a first of its kind seven-day trade exhibition bringing together prominent government leaders, high net worth individuals and global corporate giants in Beijing. The week intended to showcase... MORE
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Popular North Caucasian Islamic Preacher Turns Up in the Middle East and Joins Islamic State
One of the most “fashionable” Islamic preachers in the North Caucasus, Nadir Medetov, has unexpectedly surfaced in the ranks of the Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East after being put under house arrest by the Russian security services for the past 6–7 months. How... MORE