Comparing Syria to Other Crises
Many believe Syria constitutes the worst crisis in a decade. Indeed, the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner has stopped counting fatalities in 2014,[1] the amount of US (2017) and Russian (2016) airstrikes is unprecedented[2] and after distinct crises such as Sinjar, Khan Shaykhun new ones continue to arise (Eastern Ghouta, Afrin).…
Cameroon and Boko Haram Insurgency
There was an increase in attacks by Boko Haram in northern Cameroon (Extreme-Nord region) in the week of 18-24 February, as five attacks perpetrated against civilians caused seventeen deaths. Last week’s events are consistent with a trend from 7-13 January and 14-20 January, which experienced high levels of violence against civilians. …
Mauritania: Police violence against the IRA (Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement)
Protests in Nouakchott increased last week, as they had in the past when a ‘lenient’ verdict was given for blogger Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir (accused of apostasy) and during the constitutional referendum in August 2017.…
Actors in Syria – The State of Syria: February 2018
In this series of infographics, we explore active actors in Syria. The first visual features the state of Syria in February 2018.…
Islamic State in Pakistan 2015 – Current
The Islamic State (IS) first appeared in Pakistan around April 2015, in the Tirah Valley area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and has since established itself more thoroughly throughout the country. Although operations by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) have in recent years managed to push the group closer to the border with Afghanistan, incidents of suicide attacks have increased.…
Protest Activity following the US Embassy Move Announcement
On December 6, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that the US would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and that it would be relocating its embassy from Tel Aviv to there (New York Times, December 6, 2017).…
The Battlefront of Taiz
The highest number of fatalities in Yemen have occurred in Taiz governorate, with nearly twice as many fatalities reported within its borders relative to any other governorate in the country. Since January 1, 2017, ACLED has recorded over 500 civilian fatalities (with the true number of civilian fatalities possibly higher as a result of collateral damage), the highest estimate among all Yemeni governorates.…
Regional Overview – Middle East 26 February 2018
While there was an increase in the number of reported events in several countries in the Middle East last week, including in Palestine, Syria, and Turkey, this was contrasted by a slight decrease in the number of political violence and protest events recorded across much of the rest of the region.…