Latest Articles about Syria
Zekerija Qazimi—Kosovo’s Imprisoned Imam and Ideological Mentor to Albanian Jihadists Fighting With Islamic State
Since August 2014, more than 100 individuals have been arrested or questioned by the security services in Kosovo, including a number of leading religious and political figures. These arrests stem from charges and allegations of recruiting young Albanian men and women from Kosovo to join... MORE
To Topple the Throne: Islamic State Sets Its Sights on Saudi Arabia
The meteoric rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which has since styled itself the Islamic State in an affirmation of its broader aspirations of dominion over a self-declared caliphate beyond the territories where it exercises control, has aggravated the Middle East’s already... MORE
FSB Director Says Islamic State fighters Include 1,700 Russian Citizens
As elements of the Islamic State (IS) infiltrate the territory of the North Caucasus, the looming question is whether the caliphate will have an actual impact on the situation in the region. As of now, it can be said with certainty that little has changed... MORE
Islamic State Loots Archaeological Sites for Cash
By late 2013, more than 90 percent of Syria’s cultural sites lay in regions affected by fighting and civil unrest, leaving them open to plunder. In addition, regions of Iraq now under the control of the Islamic State militant group and its allies include roughly... MORE
‘Fight Them Until There Is No Fitnah’: The Islamic State’s War With al-Qaeda
Recent events have raised fresh questions over the relationship between the Islamic State militant group and al-Qaeda. For instance, militants from the Islamic State and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the group’s Yemen-based franchise, are reported to have coordinated the multiple jihadist attacks in... MORE
Russia Stirs the Pot in the Middle East
While attention in the Middle East has focused mainly on the Islamic State or on Israel’s relationship with the United States, Russia has been busy trying to advance its own position in the region, chiefly at the US’s expense. Over the course of January and... MORE
Moscow Becomes Increasingly Worried About Russian Nationals Fighting With Islamic State
Russia has finally become concerned about its nationals fighting in Syria against its ally, Bashar al-Assad, and has begun targeting fighters returning from abroad. The authorities’ actions sometimes take an outrageous turn, such as when they recently accused men who had been in Egypt on... MORE
Operation Inherent Resolve: The War against Islamic State’s Oil Network
U.S. airstrikes launched on August 23 signaled the start of Operation Inherent Resolve. This is intended to eliminate the Islamic State terrorist group and the threat it poses to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. An important aim of the air attacks... MORE
Austria’s Rising Star in Islamic State: A Portrait of Viennese Muhammad Mahmoud
Europe is belatedly waking up to the fact that its immigrant community is producing Islamic militants. While the popular image is one of covert, stealthy activity, nine years ago Austrian jihadist Muhammad Mahmoud fronted a poorly attended press conference in Vienna to espouse his views.... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s Talented Smuggler: Abd al-Rahman al-Juhni
Despite the political rhetoric that al-Qaeda has been decimated, the organization’s core leadership remains a potent threat, as demonstrated by the emergence of the Khorasan Group, a cadre of operatives from parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. An intricate smuggling network spanning large swaths of territory... MORE