Syria

Syria slides closer to Arab-Kurdish ethnic war

Clashes broke out between Syrian rebel factions and Kurdish fighters in Aleppo province, as Arabs and Kurds are further pitted against each other by Great Power manipulation.

Southeast Asia

Duterte declares martial law in south Philippines

Duterte's declaration of martial law in Mindanao is ostensibly in response to an ISIS-linked terrorist group, but will give security forces a still freer hand in his murderous "war on drugs."

Greater Middle East

Qatar crisis places US regional policing in pickle

Qatar's diplomatic isolation by the other Gulf states, accused of supporting terrorism in the region, heightens contradictions for the Pentagon's use of the critical al-Udeid Air Base.

North Africa

Egypt bombs Libya after new attack on Copts

Egyptian warplanes carried out air-strikes on what President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi called six "terrorist training camps" in Libya after a new massacre of Coptic Christians.

Iraq

Iraq to investigate Mosul atrocity reports

Iraq's Interior Ministry has launched an investigation following claims of grave human rights violations carried out against civilians by special forces while fighting ISIS in Mosul.

Syria

Syria: Trump approves plan to arm Rojava Kurds

The Rojava Kurds, caught in a pincer between Turkey and ISIS, are being forced to accept superpower aid—but with costs for Syrian revolutionary unity against ISIS and Assad.

Iraq

Iraq in talks for long-term US troop presence

The Trump administration is in talks with Baghdad on keeping "several thousand" US troops in Iraq after the fight against ISIS in the country is over, Associated Press reported.