Latest Articles about Domestic/Social
‘A Syrian Echo in Azerbaijan’? Shiites, Police Clash in Nardaran
Clashes between the police and residents of the long-troubled Absheron peninsula city of Nardaran, on November 25–26, have resulted in numerous arrests and deaths. These deadly incidents have sparked concerns that Azerbaijan may be on the brink of more widespread religious-based conflicts of the kind... MORE
Spearheading the Coming Assault on Raqqa: A Portrait of Abu Issa al-Raqqawi
Abu Issa al-Raqqawi is the head of the Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa (Raqqa Revolutionaries’ Brigade) and a former manager of an agricultural company who could play a key role in defeating the Islamic State in the caliphate’s self-declared capital of Raqqa. Al-Raqqawi’s forces are the main... MORE
A Profile of Syria’s Influential Sunni-Arab Tribal Militia Leader—Shaykh Humaydi Daham al-Hadi Jarba
Over the last two months, an anti-Islamic State offensive conducted by Sunni Arab tribal forces has sought to displace the jihadist organization from two important towns in northeastern Syria’s al-Hasakah governorate: al-Shaddadeh and al-Hawl. These towns serve as major routes of resupply and reinforcement for... MORE
The Road Comes to an End for Ugandan Islamist Leader Jamil Mukulu
Shaykh Jamil Mukulu, the leader of Ugandan Islamist group Allied Democratic Forces-National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU), continues to be detained following his arrest in April by Tanzanian security forces. His arrest brought an end to the international hunt for one of the... MORE
Farhat Hashmi: Mentor to Pakistan’s Future Jihadist Mothers
Very few female Islamist preachers are as successful, popular and networked as Farhat Hashmi in Pakistan. Hashmi preaches an ideology not dissimilar from that of other contemporary Islamist preachers and ideologues in Pakistan; the vital difference is her approach and target audience. Hashmi’s audience is... MORE
Dagestani Truck Drivers Put up Surprisingly Strong Fight for Their Rights
On November 29, truck drivers across Russia continued gathering forces for a large protest in Moscow, while the authorities put various obstacles in their way (Ekho Moskvy, November 29). The previous day, November 28, the road police in Kalmykia stopped Dagestani truck drivers who were... MORE
State Capture, Failing State: Moldova’s Twin Processes (Part Two)
*To read Part One, please click here. The latest public opinion survey, commissioned by the US International Republican Institute (IRI), confirms a deepening chasm between the “pro-Europe” coalition government and voters in Moldova (Infotag, Unimedia, IPN, November 10). The coalition’s three parties (the Liberal-Democrat Party... MORE
Death of Influential Dagestani Sufi Sheikh May Alter Balance of Power in Republic
The recent elections for the sheikh and imam of a mosque located on Vengerskikh Boitsov Street (Hungarian Fighters Street), in the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala, were quite characteristic of the situation throughout the republic. According to official rules, a mosque imam is appointed by the... MORE
Georgia’s By-Elections Show Altering Political Balance in the Country
On October 31, Georgia held by-elections for two vacant parliamentary seats in the districts of Martvili and Sagarejo (Channel 1, Rustavi 2, Civil Georgia, October 31). The by-elections did not have much significance from an electoral perspective, since even if the ruling Georgian Dream (GD)... MORE
State Capture, Failing State: Moldova’s Twin Processes (Part One)
Moldova’s internal collapse is, at last, concentrating the West’s attention. Western officials are generally surprised and aghast. They worry, moreover, about the potential repercussions in the region: Moldova does, after all, account for a 700-kilometer stretch of the Baltic-Pontic isthmus. Blindsided by the “Moldovan success... MORE