Last week in the Middle East, Houthis claimed to have overtaken the strategic Mas Military Camp in Yemen, while fighting between pro-Hadi and the pro-Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces intensified in Abyan province. In Saudi Arabia, the Islamic State (IS) carried out an attack on an international diplomatic event in Jeddah, injuring three people. The…
Last week, demonstrations broke out across the Middle East against the French president who stated he would protect the right to caricature the Prophet Mohammad. In Syria, dozens of Turkish-backed fighters were killed by a Russian airstrike, while Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) increased its shelling of regime forces. In Iraq, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters…
Last week in the Middle East, two members of Hurras Al Din were killed by a drone strike conducted by the global coalition forces in northern Syria, while three former opposition commanders were killed by unidentified gunmen in the south. In Iraq, the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s branch in Baghdad was set on fire by supporters…
Last week in the Middle East, a truck bomb explosion reportedly led to the deaths of 18 civilians in Syria, while two former opposition figures were killed in an armed attack by unknown gunmen. Anti-government demonstrations were reported in Iraq, Turkey, and Iran. Demonstrations were also reported in Palestine following the fatal shooting of a…
Last week in the Middle East, the Islamic State (IS) carried out several attacks in eastern and central Syria against pro-Assad forces. Fighting continued in Yemen as Houthi forces pushed closer to Marib, while 1,000 Sudanese troops were reportedly sent to Yemen via Saudi Arabia. In Israel, anti-Netanyahu demonstrations continued despite new coronavirus restrictions, while…
Last week in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed normalization agreements with Israel in Washington, DC, setting off a wave of protests in Bahrain, Palestine, and Iran. A new round of sanctions on Iran was announced by the United States (US). In Syria, a car bomb explosion in Afrin city…
Last week in the Middle East, the Saudi-led coalition conducted airstrikes in Yemen for the first time since July, as Houthi forces continued their operations in Marib governorate. Bahrain announced its willingness to follow in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in normalizing relations with Israel; both are set to sign historic agreements…
Last month in the Middle East, a blast in Beirut left Lebanon reeling from the overwhelming human and financial cost of the explosion. Armed clashes intensified in both the Marib district and in Al Bayda in Yemen, and in the Greater Idleb area in Syria. A historic deal establishing full diplomatic ties between the United…
In our special report on 10 conflicts to worry about at the start of 2020, ACLED identified a range of flashpoints and emerging crises where violent political disorder was likely to evolve and worsen over the course of the year: the Sahel, Mexico, Yemen, India, Somalia, Iran, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Lebanon, and the United States. Our…
Last week in the Middle East, it was generally quiet as event counts were low across many countries with a few notable exceptions. In Yemen, clashes between Houthi and anti-Houthi forces decreased along with Saudi-led airstrikes. In Syria, Israeli airstrikes led to heightened regional tensions between Israel, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon. Meanwhile, demonstrations in Iraq…