Last week, land conflicts continued across Central America, with attacks in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico. Demonstration events increased in comparison to previous weeks, especially in Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama. Protests are motivated by issues with bad governance, stemming from a lack of access to water, poor infrastructure, and general insecurity. In Guatemala, two…
Last week in the Middle East, key developments include: major fighting in Yemen; a lack of political leadership in Iraq amid ongoing demonstrations, and rising Islamic State (IS) activity; a ceasefire agreement between Turkey and Russia in Syria; inconclusive Israeli elections; and a spike in protests around the region. In Yemen, Houthi forces continued their…
Last week in Africa, Islamist violence continued in conjunction with heightened intercommunal tensions in the Sahel. In Somalia, ongoing fighting between different state actors overshadowed confrontations with the Al Shabaab insurgency. Meanwhile, intercommunal violence has left thousands displaced in South Sudan. In Tunisia, a suicide bombing was carried out near the United States embassy in…
Last week in Central Asia, violence increased in Afghanistan as Taliban and Afghan forces resumed fighting following the previous week’s peace deal. At the same time, violent demonstrations took place in Kyrgyzstan in support of an imprisoned opposition politician. In the Caucasus, cross-border fighting caused further casualties, though ceasefire violations continued at similar levels. In…
In Southeast Asia, key developments last week include: continued fighting in Rakhine state in Myanmar; ongoing pro-democracy protests across university campuses in Thailand; deadly clashes between state forces and Islamist rebels in the Philippines; demonstrations stemming from the political upheaval in Malaysia; and labor protests in Cambodia and Indonesia. Clashes in Myanmar between the military…