Across the Middle East, riots and protests increased last week amid a worsening economic crisis aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic. This trend was driven mainly by increased demonstrations in Lebanon, Israel, and Iraq, while anti-regime protests also took place in Syria. The Iraqi military and global coalition forces increased airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS)…
Last week in Africa, the head of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) was killed in a French military operation in northern Mali; Khalifa Haftar supported a ceasefire after his Libyan National Army (LNA) forces withdrew from Libya’s capital Tripoli; and Congolese military forces (FARDC) regained territory in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri…
Last week in Central Asia and the Caucasus, clashes between Taliban and Afghan forces continued at lower levels in Afghanistan; opposition protests took place all over Kazakhstan; and fresh rounds of violence along the Kyrgyz-Uzbek-Tajik border resulted in casualties. Armenia and Azerbaijan continued to struggle with the coronavirus crisis, restricting movement for foreigners, as ceasefire…
Key trends in South Asia last week include: armed clashes between security forces and domestic rebel groups in India and Pakistan, as well as coronavirus-related violence in India and Nepal. In India, armed clashes between security forces and rebel groups continued across the country. In Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), 19 militant fatalities were reported in…
In Southeast Asia, key developments last week include: increased fighting in Shan state in Myanmar; deadly clashes between state forces and Islamist armed groups in the Philippines; demonstrations over the new anti-terrorism bill in the Philippines; the abduction of a Thai political activist in Cambodia; and protests over coronavirus-induced economic hardship in the region. In…
Last week in South America, key developments include: demonstrations over coronavirus-related issues in Argentina, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela; the killing of a Mapuche indigenous leader in Chile; protests against gender-based violence in Argentina; protests against racism and police brutality in Brazil and French Guiana; and demonstrations both for and against President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil,…
Last week battles and violence targeting civilians decreased in Central America and the Caribbean in comparison to the previous two weeks. However, turf wars between gangs continued in Mexico, leading to several lethal attacks. The coronavirus pandemic remains a key driver for demonstration activity, but the American Black Lives Matter movement also sparked demonstrations across…