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Latest Articles about Middle East
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AQAP Update: A New Look at Khalid Saeed Batarfi’s Rise to the Top
On January 23, the U.S. Department of State designated al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) top commander Khalid Saeed Batarfi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. [1] Batarfi is just the latest AQAP figure to be added to the U.S. sanctions list, a mechanism that... MORE
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Azerbaijan Seeks to Enhance Military Cooperation With Iran
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami visited Azerbaijan, on February 21, to discuss the expansion of military cooperation (technical, medical, educational, joint defense industry), regional stability, as well as Caspian security (Mod.gov.az, Mdi.gov.az, February 21). Hatami expressed Iran’s interest in increasing Azerbaijan’s military power and in... MORE
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Russia’s General Staff Draws Lessons Learned in Syria
Since President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s Armed Forces to commence operations in Syria, the campaign has provoked controversy and criticism abroad. Criticism ranges from asserting that it would repeat the experience of the Soviet-Afghan conflict (1979–1989) to risking proxy conflicts with other powers, including the... MORE
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Russia and Lebanon Drafting Agreement for Increased Military Cooperation
Since the Syrian civil war erupted nearly seven years ago, perhaps the most dramatic regional diplomatic development has been the steady reemergence of Russia as a major player in the convoluted world of Middle East politics. As a reward for its intervention in Syria, Russia... MORE
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Ending Islamic State: Dealing With Women and Children Returnees in the North Caucasus
In the spring of 2016, Islamic State (IS) propagandists released an unusual video purporting to show the famous Chechen pop-singer Azza Bataeva, previously known for her provocative clothing, wearing a niqab and calling on Muslims to join “the path of Allah,” as she tore up... MORE
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Death of Military Contractors Illuminates Russia’s War by Proxy in Syria
Officials from the United States and Russia, together with non-governmental sources, all agree on the core narrative: On February 7, 2018, east of the Euphrates River, in the oil-rich province of Deir el-Zour, a battalion-size armed group loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, supported by... MORE
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How Does Russia Fit into Egypt’s Strategic Plan?
As Russian-Egyptian military and economic cooperation increases, many comparisons have been made with Egypt’s early post-independence era (1956–1971), when Cairo grew close to Moscow. Egypt’s current strategic position, however, bears closer similarities to the foreign policy of the first decades of rule by the founder... MORE
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Russia Accuses US of Supplying Missile That Brought Down Hero Su-25 Pilot Over Syria
Two Russian Su-25SM attack jets were overflying the rebel-controlled Idlib province in northwestern Syria, on February 3, when one of the planes was hit by an infrared-signature- homing surface-to-air missile fired from a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS). Russian commanders insist the jets were on a... MORE
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The Uncertain Future of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units
At the end of 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the defeat of Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, an achievement that has paved the way for a new challenge—that of controlling and integrating the powerful, expansive paramilitary groups of the Hashd al-Shaabi (PMU -... MORE