Greater Middle East

Turkey slips toward internal war

As Turkey continues to bomb Kurdish anti-ISIS fighters in Iraq, violence is quickly spreading within Turkey itself—with bombings and armed clashes from Istanbul to the Kurdish east.

Greater Middle East

Suez Canal expansion amid regional war

Egypt formally opened an expansion to the Suez Canal amid pomp, spectacle—and a massive troop presence. The new trade hub opens as a jihadist insurgency mounts in the Sinai.

Greater Middle East

Turkey in new crackdown on ISIS —and PKK

As Turkey opens Incirlik Air Base to US warplanes, it has launched sweeps against supporters of both ISIS and their enemies in the PKK and allied leftist forces.

Greater Middle East

Pentagon claims kill of ‘Khorasan Group’ leader

The Pentagon announced that Muhsin al-Fadhli, a longtime al-Qaeda operative from Kuwait, was killed in an air-strike in Syria, where he was leading the so-called "Khorasan Group."

Greater Middle East

North Korean troops fight in Syria?

Pro-opposition sources in Syria say a force of North Korean soldiers has arrived in Damascus, and been mobilized to the rebel-controlled suburbs of Ghouta district.

Greater Middle East

Bahrain releases ailing rights advocate

Bahrain's king released the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, citing health reasons. He is charged with insulting authorities on Twitter.

Greater Middle East

Israel Lobby schmoozes Sisi —Assad next?

Egypt's dictatorial President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a delegation from the American Jewish Committee to discuss ways to "defeat terrorism" in the region.

Greater Middle East

Egypt: clashes in Cairo; ‘war’ in Sinai

A protester was killed at a Cairo rally in support of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, as Egypt's military luanched air-strikes on ISIS-aligned militant forces in the Sinai Peninsula.

Greater Middle East

Human Rights Watch sees war crimes in Yemen

Human Rights Watch issued a report charging violations of international humanitarian law in the Saudi-led air campaign against Shi'ite rebels in Yemen.