Latest Articles about Middle East
Status of Chechens Rises in the Ranks of Middle East Jihadists
The Russian media, citing Agence France-Presse (AFP), recently reported that Yemeni authorities killed a militant named Abu Islam al-Shizani in the south of the country. His name was probably a distortion of Shishani, which usually means Chechen in Arabic. The slain militant had allegedly earlier... MORE
Russia Convinces ‘Caspian Five’ to Bar Foreign Militaries From the Caspian
Russia’s March 17 annexation of Crimea dramatically shifted the Black Sea’s naval balance of power, as Russia appropriated most of the Ukrainian navy’s vessels and equipment, and absorbed Sevastopol. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United States made some symbolic remonstrations by sending... MORE
Algeria’s Political Transition Begins in the Midst of Major Security Challenges
Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika won his fourth term in office on April 17, when he took over 81 percent of the vote in presidential elections. Former prime minister Ali Benflis failed in his second attempt to unseat Bouteflika, taking only 12 percent of the vote... MORE
Kurdish Enclaves in Syria Battle Islamist Militant Groups
The main Kurdish militia in Syria, the Yekîneyên Parastina Gel (YPG – Kurdish People’s Protection Units), has survived a siege of the town of Kobani (Arabic: Ayn al-Arab) by Islamist extremists belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The siege of the... MORE
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Prepares for Confrontation with North Yemen’s Houthi Movement
The high profile operations that al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has carried out in the last five months in Yemen have demonstrated that the group’s battle against Yemen’s central government and security forces is far from over. Attacks such as the coordinated suicide assault... MORE
In a Shifting Political Landscape, Hezbollah Repositions Itself as the Anti-Terrorist Defender of Lebanon
The growing perception in the Arab Middle East that Syria’s military has recently gained the upper hand in Syria’s civil war over an armed opposition that includes a number of politically dangerous extremist groups is leading to a number of new diplomatic initiatives aimed at... MORE
From Syria to Sulawesi: Could Mujahideen Indonesia Timor become an ISIS Ally?
A schism emerged among Syrian jihadist groups after al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri announced on February 3 that al-Qaeda has “no connection” to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) (Daily Times [Lahore], February 13). The message, which was circulated on jihadi websites, has forced... MORE
Chechen Militants in Syria Make Key Gains in Syria Fighting
The actions of Chechens in Syria—repeatedly examined in this publication over the past two years—is a complex issue, which involves, in particular, the symbiosis of North Caucasian perseverance and Middle Eastern Islamic radicalism. This emerging phenomenon is more dangerous to Russia than the current problems... MORE
Hot Issue: Iran and the Looming U.S.-Russian Cold War
Executive Summary As the Western world is drawn in by the recent events in the Crimea, nations on the periphery are seeing a chance to use the widening gulf between Russia and the United States/EU to further their own aims. A debate has already begun... MORE
Assad’s Hurricane: A Profile of the Paramilitary Wing of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party
The presence of numerous auxiliary forces fighting alongside the regular Syrian military and security services against the armed opposition to Ba’athist rule is without question. Acting as ancillaries for the Ba’athist regime’s defense are a similar number of paramilitaries, including the Popular Committees, their successor,... MORE