Middle East
Inside Houthis’ Sa’dah Stronghold
22 March 2018
Historically the home to a powerful Zaydi dynasty and more recently the birthplace of the Houthi insurgency, Yemen’s northwestern governorate of Sa’dah has long managed to defy government control and has borne the brunt of the Saudi-led coalition’s aerial campaign throughout much of Yemen’s most recent civil war. The current conflict in Sa’dah pits armed…
- Analysis
- Civilians At Risk
- Middle East
- Political Stability
- Remote Violence
- Violence Against Civilians
Pro-Government Militia Autonomy on the Battlefield in Syria
22 March 2018
The presence of pro-government militias during civil wars has been a prominent feature in armed conflicts across the globe, and Syria is no exception (Kishi and Raleigh, 2018). The Syrian government first mobilised loyalist gangs, known as “Shabiha,” to act against civilian opposition when peaceful demonstrations began in Syria in 2011 (Marsh and Siddique, 2011).…
- Analysis
- Ethnic Militias
- Focus On Militias
- Middle East
- Political Stability
- Pro-Government Militias
- Unidentified Armed Groups
Demonstrations in Iraq
21 March 2018
Since the end of the Hawija offensive in early October 2017, during which the Islamic State ousted from the last major urban centre in Iraq, events of political violence and reported fatalities in the country have seen a steady decline. This trend began with a relatively dramatic decline in the number of events between October…
Read MoreRegional Overview – Middle East 19 March 2018
20 March 2018
Last week, new dynamics in political violence involving the Islamic State (IS) were reported in Iraq and Yemen, while notable events of political violence or protest dynamics were also recorded in Israel, Iran, and Palestine. In Syria, government and Turkish forces continue to advance in the Eastern Ghouta and Afrin areas respectively, while advances by…
- Analysis
- Civilians At Risk
- Current Hotspots
- Middle East
- Political Stability
- Remote Violence
- Rioting And Protests
- Violence Against Civilians
Loyalist Militia Involvement in Battles in Syria
16 March 2018
Since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War, the Assad regime’s army has faced a manpower issue due to defection and desertion. It has partially solved this problem by fostering and allying with loyalist militias, both domestic and foreign, in order to defend and recapture territory in Syria. A myriad of militias is heavily involved…
- Analysis
- Conflict Monitoring
- Ethnic Militias
- Focus On Militias
- Middle East
- Pro-Government Militias
- Unidentified Armed Groups
- Vigilante Militias
The Hodeidah Front
15 March 2018
The western front of the Yemeni civil war revolves around the port city of Hodeidah, currently the most important entry point for goods and humanitarian aid into central and northern Yemen, and the last port under Houthi control. Customs revenues in Hodeidah port and the nearby Salif make up a large share of income for…
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