Israel’s Disproportionate Use of Force in Gaza

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Current Hotspots, Government Repression, Middle East, Rioting And Protests, United Nations
The Great Return March demonstrations (see here for more on this topic) officially began on 30 March 2018 (Land Day) and ended on 15 May 2018 (Nakba Day). These events were meant to reaffirm the right of return of Palestinians in the face of the US decision to move their embassy to Jerusalem, which is seen by Palestinians as the capital of their future state.…

The Offensive on Hodeidah

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Current Hotspots, Middle East, Remote Violence, Rioting And Protests
Since the killing of the President of the Supreme Political Council in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike, anti-Houthi militias backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have managed to wrest much of southern Hodeidah governorate from Houthi control, setting the stage for a full-out assault on the port city and sparking fears of increased suffering by civilians should the port cease to function.…

Regional Overview – Middle East 21 May 2018

Regional Overviews
Significant demonstrations were reported across a number of Middle Eastern countries last week, including in Iraq following its elections; in Palestine, especially in Gaza, over the US embassy move to Jerusalem; in Israel, Jordan, and Turkey, in response to the recent use of force against demonstrators in Gaza; and in Iran, where economic issues continue to motivate protests.…

Alleged Chemical Incidents in Syria

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Conflict Monitoring, Current Hotspots, Ethnic Militias, Focus On Militias, Government Repression, Middle East, Political Stability, Pro-Government Militias, Remote Violence, Unidentified Armed Groups, Vigilante Militias, Violence Against Civilians
Chemical incidents have perhaps been the only consistent factor shaping the United States’ position on the civil war in Syria before and after Trump’s election. A chemical attack on Eastern Ghouta in August 2013 prompted an imminent attack, led by the Obama administration.…

Elections and Sectarianism in Iraq and Lebanon

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Elections, Middle East, Political Stability, Remote Violence, Rioting And Protests, Violence Against Civilians
Since the beginning of May 2018, voters in both Lebanon and Iraq have gone to the polls in historic elections. There have been concerns that these elections could spark violence amongst the participating actors due to sectarian tensions and the divisive political landscapes in these countries — as well as pressures from the Syrian Civil War and conflict with the Islamic State (IS).…

Violence Against Civilians in Afghanistan: The Taliban and the Islamic State

Analysis, Asia, Civilians At Risk, Conflict Monitoring, Focus On Militias, Improvised Explosive Devices, Islamic State, Islamist Violence, Political Stability, Violence Against Civilians
Late last month in Kabul, an Islamic State (IS) suicide bomber detonated himself outside of a voter registration centre in the predominantly Shiite neighbourhood of Dasht-e-Barchi. At least 69 civilians were reportedly killed and another 120 were reportedly injured in the blast (Pajhwok, 23 April 2018).…

Regional Overview – Middle East 14 May 2018

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Conflict Monitoring, Current Hotspots, Middle East, Remote Violence, Rioting And Protests, Violence Against Civilians
Both Lebanon and Iraq held elections last week, with the number of riots and protests as well as election-related violence rising, respectively, in each case. Demonstrations in Iran were focused on “Teacher’s Week” while a smaller subset of demonstrations were focused on the United States’ pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.…