Instances of political violence have been on an upward trend since 16 December 2018, with both battles and remote violence rising by approximately 25 and 65 percent, respectively. At the same time, demonstrations decreased overall in the latter half of December; however, despite this reduction, unrest against economic and labour conditions spread throughout the region…
Last week in the Middle East region, overall trends in armed violence and demonstrations continued at a similar or reduced rate. In Gaza, diplomatic efforts to curb violence appear to be working, while in Iran and Bahrain demonstrations continued due to a lack of change. In Iraq, armed attacks on civilians rose as Shiite pilgrims…
Conflict continued at a similar level throughout the Middle East region last week relative to the week prior. In Syria and Yemen, long-planned offensives began and moved forward at a slow pace. In Turkey and Iraq, fighting continued against Kurdish rebel groups in both Iraqi Kurdistan and the Turkish southeast. In Palestine and Bahrain, demonstrations…
Iraqi Kurdistan and adjacent Kurdish regions were the site of increased activity last week as both Iran and Turkey continued to attack alleged enclaves of Kurdish rebels in the governorates of Erbil and Dahuk. In both Iraq and Iran, demonstrations were held by Kurds against these and other actions. Meanwhile, unrelated demonstrations continued throughout the…
General unrest and demonstrations increased last week throughout the Middle East region as a result of ongoing economic and security issues. This includes in Yemen as well, where armed conflict continues following failed peace talks. The Hamas-Israeli ceasefire has also seemingly failed, with airstrikes occurring once again along the Gaza border. Meanwhile, in Syria, the…
The beginning of August marked a significant downturn in reported fatalities throughout the Middle East region, due in part to the effect of stalemates, diplomatic negotiations, and an end to the Syrian regime’s offensive in southeast Syria. Meanwhile, demonstrations continued in the region at a high rate throughout the month, however their numbers dipped during…
Last week, violence continued in Gaza and the West Bank, but also in the area surrounding the Sea of Galilee as Israeli forces sparred with Syrian armed groups from across the border. Within Syria itself, Islamic State (IS) militants launched several attacks in As-Sweida governorate, which were in turn met with a regime counteroffensive. This…
Last week, the escalating conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas finally ended with a seemingly stable ceasefire on July 21, though not before several people were reportedly killed along the Gazan border. In Iraq, anti-regime demonstrations escalated further, leading security forces to crack down harder on the increasingly violent and widespread agitation (for more on…
A heavy artillery exchange occurred last week between Hamas and Israeli military forces along the Gaza border, leading to a ceasefire brokered by Egypt. In Iraq, anti-regime protests in Basrah and Thi-Qar governorates escalated in scale and violence, spreading to other areas of the country including the capital Baghdad. In Yemen, UAE-backed and Saudi-led soldiers…
Demonstrations dominated the events reported last week in several countries across the region including in Bahrain, Iran, and Turkey. In Syria, intense activity was reported in Dar’a governorate last week as the government and its allies continued their offensive against rebel and Islamist factions, while parallel offensives in Idleb and northern Hama governorates also continued.…