IS Archives - Arab Digest

Arab States and Afghanistan under the Taliban

25 August 202125 August 2021Hugh MilesArab Digest EmailAfghanistan, Al Qaeda, Egypt, IS, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA

Summary: As the world adjusts to the Taliban victory, and the US and UK scramble to make the last evacuations before the looming 31 August deadline, Arab regimes face a disconcerting moment.

The Middle East’s Heroin Tracks

5 May 2021William LawArab Digest EmailAfghanistan, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, IS, Jordan, Kurds, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE

Heroin mostly enters the Arab world from Afghanistan via Iran enroute to markets in Europe. Arab countries close to the main smuggling routes are the most impacted by the trade. The Syrian war has led traffickers to re-route heroin shipments via the Black Sea and Africa.

ISIS in Ramadan

25 March 2021William LawArab Digest EmailCovid-19, Iraq, IS, Syria

Concern is growing that ISIS will use Ramadan to launch new attacks and expand its military operations in Syria and Iraq.

Airwars: bearing witness in Iraq, Libya and Yemen

9 March 20219 March 2021William LawArab Digest EmailIran, Iraq, IS, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, USA, Yemen

We conclude our look at the Airwars 2020 Report on civilian harm caused by air and artillery attacks with Iraq, Libya and Yemen.

The Airwars Annual Report: Syria

2 March 2021William LawArab Digest EmailFrance, IS, Kurds, Russia, Syria, Turkey, UK, USA

With the publication of their annual report Airwars once again puts the focus on aerial warfare and artillery attacks on civilians whose death and injuries would otherwise go unacknowledged and unaccountable.

A timely book of essays on MENA water issues

6 January 2021William LawArab Digest EmailEgypt, Iraq, IS, Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, UAE, Yemen

Summary: Greg Shapland reviews Water and Conflict in the Middle East, a study of hydro-politics in a troubled region.

Holding the upper hand in Iraq

15 October 2020William LawArab Digest EmailIran, Iraq, IS, USA

The Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah has declared a truce in Iraq until after the US presidential election as long as the Americans agree to get all their soldiers out.

Syria: Is the Assad regime gearing up to take the last rebel stronghold?

24 September 2020William LawArab Digest EmailAl Qaeda, Iran, IS, Kurds, Russia, Syria, Turkey, USA

As Turkey, Russia and the US weigh up their options, a shaky ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib province may be about to end.

MENA: Twenty years on

7 July 2020William LawArab Digest EmailAlgeria, Bahrain, Covid-19, Egypt, Iraq, IS, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen

Summary: when set against today’s reality a snapshot of MENA in July 2000 proves a grim comparison. So are there any grounds for hope and optimism?

Covid-19 provides good cover for ISIS

1 April 20206 May 2020William LawArab Digest EmailCovid-19, Iraq, IS, Syria, USA

While the world is focussed on the Covid-19 pandemic ISIS is quietly reassembling infrastructure, financial and otherwise, that will enable it to rebuild its global terror campaign.