Latest Articles about Syria
‘The Spielberg of French Islamism’: A Profile of Omar Diaby (a.k.a. Omar Omsen)
Andrew McGregor The Islamic State-inspired Bastille Day atrocity in Nice that killed 84 people and injured over 300 more has brought new awareness of a strain of radical Islam that thrives behind the lights and glamour of life on the French Riviera. Nurtured in hidden... MORE
A Look at the Refugee Turned Ansbach Bomber – Mohammad Daleel
Meghan Conroy Introduction On July 26, the Islamic State’s (IS) online newsletter, al-Nabaa, published a profile of a 27-year-old jihadist who had allegedly belonged to the organization since 2013. [1] This publication was disseminated in the wake of that jihadist’s claim to fame – a... MORE
To the Gates of Mosul: A Snapshot of Sayyid Ali al-Yasseri & Sayyid Hamid al-Jazaeri, Co-Leaders of the Khorasani Brigades Shiite Militias
Nicholas A. Heras Introduction The U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) is preparing a campaign to seize Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city. Located in Iraq’s northwestern Ninewah governorate, Mosul is arguably the most important city controlled by IS in Syria or Iraq. As... MORE
Chechens in Syria May Quit Islamic State After Death of Umar Shishani
People in Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge have been going quietly, one by one, to Tengiz Batirashvili, the younger brother of Umar Shishani (Batirashvili), to express their condolences in connection with Umar Shishani’s death. Unlike his brothers Umar and Tamaz, Tengiz Batirashvili did not go to the... MORE
Russia Wanders the War Zones and Political Badlands of the Middle East
Russia’s military intervention in Syria is clearly not going well. Last Friday (July 8), another helicopter was reportedly shot down near Palmyra, and the Russian Ministry of Defense, after an initial denial, had to admit that the downed aircraft was not a Syrian Mi-25, but... MORE
Alleged Chechen Mastermind of Istanbul Airport Attack Unpopular Within Chechen Diaspora
From the start of the conflict in Syria, access to the conflict zone has only been possible from the Turkish side. The militants’ dependence on Turkey forced them to avoid spoiling relations with the Turkish government. Even if Ankara did not help the militants in... MORE
The Most Dangerous Women in Jihad Part 3: Umm Layth
Halla Diyab Introduction A world overflowing with social media provides Islamic State (IS) supporters with a golden opportunity. The Internet revolution has not only restructured extremist discourse and its accessibility, but also changed the role female militants play within IS: indeed, their online roles are... MORE
In the Shadow of al-Baghdadi: Islamic State’s Deputy Caliph – Abu Alaa al-Afri
Bridget Moreng On March 18, 2015, a coalition airstrike targeted a convoy of three cars traveling in Iraq’s al-Baaj district, a remote western area near the Syrian border (Haaretz, April 21, 2015). The following day, U.S. Central Command released its daily strike update, noting that... MORE
June 2016 Briefs (Free)
Mustafa Sejari: A Rising Star in Northwest Syria’s Militant Opposition Nicholas A. Heras The United States military and its coalition allies are working to expand the number of local Arab Sunni armed opposition groups that are participating in the anti-Islamic State campaign in Syria. One of... MORE
Istanbul and Aktobe Attacks Highlight Central Asians’ Role in Transnational Terrorist Networks
Since the start of the Syrian war in 2011, Central Asians have featured prominently among the anti-government militants. But until June 2016, as far as Central Asia was concerned, the impact of the war was contained almost entirely to Syria and Iraq and remote parts... MORE