Latest Articles about Middle East
Are Chechen Special Forces Fighting in Syria?
After the Kremlin denied having ground troops in Syria, the Russian leadership was surprised by Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement that Chechen special forces were fighting in the Middle East against the Islamic State (IS). A trailer for a program produced by the Russian federal TV channel... MORE
Russia Raises the Stakes in Aleppo
Russia’s air campaign in Syria initially provoked critical remarks and skepticism from Western governments and commentators. However, the intervention, which involves targeted air strikes and close air support (CAS) for Syrian regime and allied forces, has made dramatic advances in recent days. The Russian defense... MORE
Uyghur Militants in Syria: The Turkish Connection
The Chinese authorities have claimed that since 2013, “hundreds” of Uyghurs have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State and other jihadist organizations; such claims have been used as justification for new counter-terrorism policies (Xinhua, July 29. 2014). Alleged linkages between rising... MORE
The Islamic State’s Targeting Strategy in Egypt
The Egyptian government’s state of alert, under which dozens of activists were arrested ahead of the fifth anniversary of the Egyptian revolution, did not prevent militants from the Islamic State group in Sinai from claiming the lives of several policemen and soldiers across the country’s... MORE
Russian-Led forces Advance to Secure Syrian Borders With Turkey and Jordan
The Syria peace talks in Geneva, which are sponsored by the United Nations, have been postponed for three weeks by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. The talks between the Damascus government of President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian rebels collapsed during preliminary contacts between de... MORE
Beyond the Brotherhood: Egypt’s Yasir Hussein Borhami and the Salafist Revolution
Andrew McGregor With debate growing over the role of Saudi-inspired Salafism in the development of Islamist extremism, it is worth examining the career and continuing influence of Yasir Hussein al-Borhami, one of Egypt’s most prominent Salafists. Despite the rigid ideology associated with Salafism, Borhami has... MORE
The Scholar Behind the Islamic State’s Ideology: A Profile of Bahraini Cleric Turki al-Bin’ali
Ludovico Carlino The June 2014 proclamation of a Caliphate covering a large area spanning from eastern Syria to western Iraq has provided the Islamic State with a powerful tool to claim religious legitimacy among supporters and detractors alike. The Islamic State’s claim that it is... MORE
The Most Dangerous Women in Jihad – Part I: Nada al-Qahtani
Halla Diyab Introduction The rising number of foreign female militants and recruiters among the ranks of the Islamic State is a direct result of the ongoing manipulation of gender norms within the State’s jihadist framework. With female jihadist recruiters deviating from prescribed norms and bypassing... MORE
Russia’s Air Operations in Syria Expose Problems
Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine and Syria expose a fundamental distinction in approach: trying to extract itself from the former while showing no sign of applying that strategy to the latter. Officially, an “all is well” message is promulgated by the Russian political-military leadership concerning... MORE
China and the United Arab Emirates: Sustainable Silk Road Partnership?
Among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is emerging as an important player through its relationship with China. Despite Saudi Arabia and Egypt’s perceived dominance given their size and historic role in the Middle East, the UAE’s increasing prominence as a... MORE