Middle Orient

Syria’s Ministry of Interior said an escape incident at al-Shaddadi Prison in the countryside of al-Hasakah Governorate (northeastern Syria) resulted in the escape of about 120 Islamic State (IS) members, adding that it had arrested 81 of them. Special Tasks units affiliated with the ministry began, immediately after entering al-Shaddadi …

The ongoing conflict between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) risks unleashing tens of thousands of ISIS-linked detainees, reviving a threat that the United States and the SDF spent years and much blood trying to contain. Following intense clashes over the weekend, during which Syrian government troops entered …

As the rivalry between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi sharpens in Yemen and beyond, Turkey has begun edging closer to Saudi Arabia. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has openly acknowledged Saudi concerns, saying in a televised interview, on January 8, that “developments in the region — especially recent ones — pose …

The Syrian pound has strengthened against foreign currencies since the morning of Sunday, 18 January, coinciding with the Syrian army regaining control of the most important oil and gas fields in eastern Syria. The exchange rate reached 11,000 Syrian pounds to the US dollar, according to the “Lira Today” website, …

Protesters who took to the streets in Iran say the media is wrongly portraying monarchists as leading the uprising. A week after Iranian security forces violently crushed the latest anti-regime protests, the streets are quiet for now, but a battle over who speaks for the uprising has erupted. With Iran …

Syrian military reaches outskirts of Hassakeh as army advances further into areas previously held by Kurdish-led SDF Fighting between the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued early Tuesday in multiple areas of northeast Syria, as a ceasefire agreed on Sunday night appeared to collapse. On Tuesday, …

Relative calm has prevailed in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor governorates in northeastern Syria, after military operations halted following an agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In Raqqa, an Enab Baladi correspondent reported that the Syrian army has taken control of the city, which has seen …

The Syrian Interior Ministry said it is fully ready to take over the management and security of prisons holding Islamic State (IS) detainees in al-Hasakah Governorate (northeastern Syria), in line with “international standards” and in a way that prevents security breaches or escape attempts. In a statement issued on Monday, …

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that al-Shaddadi Prison in al-Hasakah governorate (northeastern Syria), which holds detainees from the Islamic State (IS), has slipped out of its control after repeated attacks by the Syrian government. In a statement issued on Monday, 19 January, the SDF accused the International Coalition base …

The Popular Mobilization Forces announced the arrest of one of the elements of the “Islamic State” organization in Mosul, explaining that preliminary information indicates that the detainee infiltrated from Syrian territory to the Mosul desert. The Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported at dawn on Tuesday, January 20, that “the security …