Iraq has been rocked by several high-profile attacks and deadly clashes over the past seven days, including an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi on Sunday. A period marked by violence began on October 30, when rockets were fired into a residential area of the capital Baghdad near …
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2021
How Will the United States Deal with the Growing Threat Posed by Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K)?
There are growing concerns that Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) could set its sights on targets outside of Afghanistan, launching attacks throughout the region or possibly even in the West. The recruitment of disenchanted former security force members, coupled with hardened jihadists released from prison, is reminiscent of a pattern that …
Read More »Iraq Prime Minister Survives Election-Related Attack
The November 6 drone strike on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s home represented a dramatic escalation of violence over the results of Iraq’s October 10 national election. The attack retaliated for the killing and wounding of pro-Iranian protesters by Iraqi security forces. The assassination attempt, likely approved by Iran, illustrates …
Read More »An Overstretched UAE Looks to Mend Ties With Turkey
This time last year, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey appeared to be on opposing sides of a range of issues spanning the broader Middle East and North Africa region. But recently, leaders from the two countries have started to talk again. Concerns in 2019 and 2020 that a regional …
Read More »Libya Is a Testing Ground for Russia-UAE Cooperation in the Middle East
In a little more than a month, on Dec. 24, Libyan voters will go to the polls to elect a new president, and after a decadelong civil war it is probably stating the obvious to say that they face tough choices. Among the candidates they can vote for are Gen. …
Read More »Tunisians Might Be Turning on Saied’s Presidential Coup
It’s a bitter irony that the last embers of the Arab Spring may be snuffed out in the same place, Tunisia, where a spark first ignited massive pro-democracy fires across a region filled with dictatorships. Tunisians, at least some of them, seem to be stirring from their jaded acceptance of …
Read More »Russia Is Massing Troops on the Ukrainian and Polish Borders and the US Is Unsure What This Means
Admit nothing, deny everything, blame NATO and the West. That seems to be the Russian playbook under Vladimir Putin. The Russians have been massing troops on the Ukrainian border since spring. Many troops still remain in the region. Now, Russia is reinforcing them covertly as many experts believe that Moscow …
Read More »Iran: Intelligence Agents Kill Two Baluch Men
Intelligence agents killed two Baluch men in Jask, southeastern Iran. According to the Baloch Campaign website, the two men were identified as Morad Ahardadi and his brother-in-law Khodadad. The two men were ambushed by agents in the mountains. An informed source said Intelligence agents were waiting for them to pass …
Read More »Cultural Factors Key To Understanding Ethiopia’s Suffering – Analysis
The recent fast-moving events in Ethiopia are raising many questions about the future of the country. A violent ethnic war is attracting all types of attention. There are many possible scenarios for Ethiopia’s immediate future, ranging from a negotiation process to a surrender or even a fractious civil war, with …
Read More »Coup In Sudan – Analysis
On 25 October 2021, Sudan’s military led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan seized power, dissolved the transitional government, declared a state of emergency and imprisoned the civilian leaders, including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. This coup has led to widespread protests in the country and condemnation across the world. The African …
Read More »