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."
Tag: sectarian war
Iraq
Sectarian massacres continue in Syria and Iraq
The Nusra Front fired hundreds of missiles into beseiged Alwaite villages in Syria, while ISIS claimed responsibility for suicide blasts that targeted Shi'ite areas of Baghdad.
Greater Middle East
Syria: Alawites clash with regime, Iran troops
Syrian regime forces backed by Iranian troops clashed with residents of two Alawite villages outside Hama following a wave of mass arrests in the area.
Iraq
Obama disses Kurdish ‘partners’ against ISIS
Obama's Pentagon speech on his strategy against ISIS boasted of "effective partners on the ground"—but pointedly made no actual reference to the Rojava Kurds.
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.
Greater Middle East
ISIS coordinated attacks from France to Kuwait?
Seemingly coordinated attacks left over 140 dead across four countries in what social media users are dubbing "Bloody Friday"—one year after declaration of the ISIS "caliphate."
Watching the Shadows
Global terror survey sees surging attacks —again
The US State Department finds that the number of "terrorist attacks" around the world rose by a third in 2014, largely due to the expansion of ISIS and Boko Haram.
Palestine
Jewish extremists attack revered church in Galilee
An apparent arson attack by Jewish extremists damaged the revered Byzantine-era Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Greater Middle East
Bahrain sentences Shi’ite opposition leader
A Bahraini court sentenced prominent Shi'ite leader Sheikh Ali Salman to four years in prison for insulting the Interior Ministry and inciting hatred against Sunnis.
Greater Middle East
Syria: Nusra Front renegades in Druze massacre
Syrian al-Qaeda affiliate Nusra Front acknowledged that its followers were responsible for a massacre at a Druze village, which was quickly condemned by other rebel factions.
Iraq
Iraq: US sends more troops —amid reprisals
A new force of 450 US military advisors in Iraq will be training Sunni and Shi'ite militias to fight ISIS—amid mounting reports of bloody sectarian reprisals.
Iraq
ISIS gains ground as diplomats dither
ISIS advanced on Aleppo and launched an offensive on the Syrian Kurdish city of Hassakeh as the US and coalition partners met in Paris. No Kurdish leaders were invited to the summit.