Watching the Shadows

Two Guantánamo detainees transferred to Ghana

Two Yemeni men captured in Afghanistan and detained at Guantánamo Bay for 14 years have been released to Ghana, bringing the number held at the facility to 105.

Africa

Mali: who is behind Bamako attack?

The deadly hotel siege in Mali's capital was apparently ordered by Algerian militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar—who was twice reported killed in military operations over the past two years.

Watching the Shadows

Last UK detainee released from Gitmo

The last remaining British inmate at Guantánamo Bay, Shaker Aamer, was released to the UK, bringing the number detainees at the facility to 112.

Watching the Shadows

German torture case against CIA official

The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights filed a criminal complaint against a high-ranking CIA official for the torture of German citizen Khaled el-Masri.

Greater Middle East

AKP-ISIS collaboration in Ankara massacre?

Several PKK sympathizers have been arrested in connection with the Ankara suicide blasts—but the Turkish left charges that the ruling AKP collaborated with ISIS in the attack.

Greater Middle East

Egypt: court acquits al-Qaeda leader’s brother

A Cairo court found the brother of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri innocent of terrorism charges in a case stemming from the 2013 repression of Muslim Brotherhood protests.

Greater Middle East

Lines drawn in imperial scramble for Syria

The US and Russia each groom their own rival proxy forces to fight ISIS and the Nusra Front—which in turn pledge to turn Syria into "another Afghanistan."

Greater Middle East

Tatar militants pledge to Syria’s Nusra Front?

In a claim convenient to Russian war propaganda, a group of Tatars calling themselves the Crimean Jamaat reportedly pledged loyalty to Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's Syrian franchise.

Greater Middle East

Russia bombs ISIS —not!

The Syrian regime says Russian air-strikes hit "ISIS dens"—but a look at the map indicates the strikes were nowhere near ISIS territory, and targetted rebel forces hostile to ISIS.

Greater Middle East

China enters Syrian war?

China is reported to be sending warships to Syria to augment the Russian build-up there—as word emerges of a Uighur jihadist group allied with the Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front.