February, 2021

• 20 February

  In Serbia, State’s Ties to Crime Become Hard to Miss

  Under Aleksandar Vucic’s Progressives, the line between the state and organised crime has become increasingly blurred, raising the question – is Serbia a mafia state? According to the Hungarian sociologist Balint Magyar, in a ‘mafia state’ “The state itself, at the top, works as a criminal organisation.”

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• 20 February

  NEW CZECH PARTY: FROM PROTEST TO POLITICS

  Ahead of the October elections, a new liberal party is looking to mobilise segments of the Czech public who have given up on politics to depose the governing ANO party. But LidePRO is finding the pandemic an obstacle to its grassroots campaign.

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• 20 February

  Eastern Aleppo | Attack targets headquarters of “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” faction in al-Bab city

  The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has monitored this morning an armed attack by gunmen in a car on a military position belonging to the “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” faction on al-Ra’i road inside the city of Al-Bab, which is under the control of Turkish forces and proxy factions in eastern Aleppo …

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• 20 February

  Russia Mediating Israeli-Syrian Prisoner Swap

  Russia is mediating a deal for the release of an Israeli girl who accidentally crossed into Syria, in exchange for two Syrians held by Israel, Syrian state media said on Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to comment on the report by SANA news agency during an interview with …

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• 20 February

  Large Cache of Terrorists’ Weapons Discovered in Syria

  A large cache of weapons used by militants of the Daesh (also known as ISIL or ISIS) Takfiri terrorist group in the Southern Syrian provinces of Homs and Deir Ezzur was discovered by the country’s government troops with the support of Russian Aerospace Forces drones, a Spokesman for the Russian …

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• 20 February

  To counter Iran’s expansion and weaken SDF | Russian forces plan to recruit Arab tribesmen in al-Qamishli and al-Hasaka

  Reliable sources have informed SOHR that Russian forces meet, on the tenth of this month, with the elders and sheikhs of Arab tribes in the city of al-Qamishli, in coordination with the Syrian regime. The meeting was attended by the head of the tribe of Bani Sab’a and other Arab …

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• 20 February

  Egypt pushes diplomacy to contain losses in Libya

  In recent months, Cairo has shifted its approach to reach out to different Libyan players and has been able to correct some of its past mistakes, hosting several meetings between Libyan rivals. Egypt is moving to contain its losses in Libya by engaging in diplomacy in the western part of …

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• 20 February

  Erdogan faces tough questions after northern Iraq debacle

  Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition CHP, demanded the government declare who should take responsibility “for the failure of the operation launched to rescue our 13 citizens,” and criticised Erdogan for undermining the secrecy of the offensive.

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• 20 February

  Amid endless exercises, Iran begins naval drill with Russia

  Tehran has been seeking to step up military cooperation with Beijing and Moscow amid regional tensions with the United States. Iran’s armed forces on Tuesday launched a joint naval drill with Russia in the north of the Indian Ocean designed to “enhance security” of maritime trade, state television reported.

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• 20 February

  US approves $200 million arms sale to ‘strategic partner’ Egypt

  The $197 million sale of 168 tactical Raytheon-made Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAMs) was requested by the Egyptian navy to improve defense in coastal areas and around the Red Sea, the State Department said. US President Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday approved a nearly $200 million arms sale to Egypt, confirming …

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