Regional Overview – Middle East 25 June 2018

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Current Hotspots, Middle East, Remote Violence, Rioting And Protests, Violence Against Civilians
Notable trends, including offensives, continued in several countries, including Israel, Palestine, Syria and Yemen. Meanwhile, counter-insurgency operations by Turkish forces were stepped up both inside and outside of the country. Rocket fire and airstrikes continued to be exchanged between Palestinian militants and Israeli military this past week, with these activities making up the majority of events in Israel and Palestine over the period.…

Turkey Targets Refugees at its Borders

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Focus On Militias, Interactive Visuals, Middle East, Political Stability, Pro-Government Militias, Rioting And Protests, Violence Against Civilians
Since the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, Turkey has been the main hub for hosting Syrian refugees. It is estimated that about 3.5 million refugees are based in Turkey; this amounts to approximately 15% of the total pre-war population of Syria.…

Has Kenya’s participation in AMISOM bolstered them as a regional power?

Africa, Al Shabaab, AMISOM, Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Focus On Militias, Islamist Violence, Political Stability, Pro-Government Militias, Vigilante Militias, Violence Against Civilians
On 12 June, the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) partners gathered in Nairobi to evaluate the current military stabilization projects in the wake of the nine year al Shabaab insurgency (New Vision Uganda, 12 June 2018).…

Burkina Faso – Something is Stirring in the East

Africa, Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Focus On Militias, Islamic State, Islamist Violence, Political Stability, Unidentified Armed Groups, Vigilante Militias, Violence Against Civilians
Since late 2016, Burkina Faso has been confronted with a growing insurgency and has suffered several high-profile attacks in the capital of Ouagadougou (ACLED, 3 March 2018). However, in recent months a new front has emerged in Burkina Faso’s far east.…

Recent Non-Lethal Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Demonstrate New Strategy

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Conflict Monitoring, Current Hotspots, Middle East, Political Stability, Remote Violence, Rioting And Protests, Violence Against Civilians
Following international condemnation of Israel’s use of force against demonstrators (for more on this, see this past ACLED piece), Israeli forces have begun to use strategic airstrikes on Hamas infrastructure as a means of pressuring the group to better control border demonstrations in the Gaza Strip.…

Is Ahrar al Sham Still Fighting the Regime?

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Conflict Monitoring, Focus On Militias, Governance, Islamic State, Islamist Violence, Middle East, Political Stability, Pro-Government Militias, Unidentified Armed Groups, Vigilante Militias
Ahrar al Sham (AAS) has been a major player in the Syrian conflict since the group was formed in December 2011. Bringing together a number of Syrian Islamist groups to fight under a single structure, AAS’ primary stated objective was to bring an end to the Assad regime and see the establishment of a Sunni Islamist state in Syria (Stanford, 2017).[1]…