Last week in the Middle East, Israeli warplanes struck Damascus International Airport and nearby areas in Syria. Israel was targeting the Syrian regime and Iranian Quds Force command centers in response to an incident involving the discovery of planted IEDs in the southern Golan Heights. Meanwhile, rocket fire from the Gaza strip was met with…
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, intense fighting between the Houthis and joint anti-Houthi forces was reported in Ad Ali and Mirab, while renewed clashes broke out between pro-Southern Transitional Council (STC) and pro-Hadi fighters in Yemen’s south. In Syria, both a prominent Sunni cleric in charge of the Damascus region and the head of…
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…
In this edition of ACLED’s State of Syria infographic series, Syria Research Manager Muaz A. maps key developments in the conflict between the second quarter and third quarter of 2020. Past editions of the control map can be found below. For an explanation of ACLED’s methodology for mapping territorial control in Syria, click here. © 2020…
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 States (US) threatened to close its embassy in Baghdad in response to continuous attacks by militias in Iraq on US and global coalition targets. Fatah and Hamas have agreed to hold joint elections in the West Bank and Gaza. Lebanon is once again facing a political vacuum…
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…