Middle Orient

Ongoing tensions due to regional interference to settle scores among rivals threaten new acts of violence, menacing the Yazidi minority concentrated in the area. More than 40 Yazidi community leaders from Sinjar signed a petition on March 13, demanding self-rule in Sinjar, the addition of the Ezidxane Asayish (Security Forces …

Intense fighting in northwest Syria left several people dead on Sunday as the battle continues over the last rebel stronghold in the country. Russian airstrikes killed one and injured two others near the town of Sarmada in the northwest Idlib province. The strikes hit an industrial facility as well as …

The military wing of the Hamas movement, al-Qassam Brigades, recently published a statement of its “evolution of military tactics” including the “development and accumulation of strength since 2006.” The publication allows a glimpse into the growing military capabilities of the militant group that has benefited highly from Iranian military support. …

“We dared to dream, and we will not regret dignity.” This quote was widely circulated by Syrian social media users, mainly on Facebook, in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Syrian revolution. The phrase was originally embroidered on the dress worn by the Syrian activist and Oscar-nominated director of …

Turkish intelligence agents have captured a senior figure from a US-backed Kurdish militant group operating in Syria. State news agency Anadolu reported on Monday that Ibrahim Babat, a “brigade commander” from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), was caught during an operation inside Syria and brought back to Turkey.

On Tuesday, joint forces of the Syrian regime’s Intelligence Services raided homes of members of the 47th local militia of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the city of Al Bukamal, east of Deir-ez-Zor. The Eye of the Euphrates correspondent said that the campaign began yesterday with the participation of State …

A recent Hezbollah visit to Moscow has provoked speculation as to the trip’s motives. Experts have suggested that the visit which took place two days ago was intended to establish more about Russia’s position on the Syrian regime’s head, Bashar al-Assad. Journalist Igor Sobotin published an article in Nezavisimaya Gazeta, …

The Syrian Democratic Forces claim Turkey caused a drop in the Euphrates River water level that will harm residents and their economic activities in the areas they control in northern and eastern Syria. The water level of the Euphrates River in Syria’s northern province of Raqqa has decreased dramatically over …

Top IRGC commanders inaugurated on Monday what Iranian state television described as a new underground missile base. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) revealed what it said was a new underground missile base capable of conducting electronic warfare in support of the country’s navy, state-run television reported. The subterranean “missile …

Several large military operations conducted in Sunni-majority areas of Iraq in recent weeks and mass killings have raised questions over whether a much-debated IS resurgence is actually in the making or whether the roots of the problem lie elsewhere. Mass killings, including ones in which attackers wore military attire, and …