IS Archives - Arab Digest

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.

Syria – cards reshuffled

15 October 2019Oliver MilesArab Digest EmailFrance, Germany, IS, Italy, Kurds, Syria, Turkey, UK, USA

Syria – US permits and then opposes Turkish assault on the Kurdish north. Fears that IS may rise from the ashes.

The Libyan blind alley

2 October 2019Oliver MilesArab Digest EmailEgypt, France, Human rights, IS, Italy, Libya, Russia, Sudan, UAE, UK, USA

Haftar’s military operation to take Tripoli seems to have failed. His foreign supporters. Need for an international conference and a political solution.

Syria: more bloodshed

17 July 2019Oliver MilesArab Digest EmailFrance, Iran, IS, Israel, Syria, Turkey, UK, USA

Syria – inconclusive fighting in Idlib province and elsewhere. Peace talks not dead.

Tunisia – a black day

1 July 2019Oliver MilesArab Digest EmailIS, Libya, Tunisia, UAE

Tunisia – President Essebsi survives a health crisis. Jihadi attacks. Economic problems breed discontent.

Mauritania elects a president

24 June 201924 June 2019Oliver MilesArab Digest EmailFrance, IS, Mauritania

Ghazouani peacefully elected as president of Mauritania in place of Abdel Aziz – no change. Economy doing well.

Yemen – talk peace, make war

13 June 2019Oliver MilesArab Digest EmailIran, IS, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen

Stockholm peace process for Hudaida continues, but so does escalation of the war with Houthi attacks on Saudi territory. Two more tankers hit. Since our posting of 13 May the war in Yemen has continued unabated, not only between the Houthis and the Saudi led coalition forces; Al Qaeda and IS remain active, though largely against each other. Pro-coalition statements routinely describe the Houthis as “Iran backed“, but independent commentators argue that while there is certainly Iranian involvement the Houthi/Iranian relationship is pragmatic and limited. The war has increased …

Libya: oil and water

21 May 2019Oliver MilesArab Digest EmailFrance, IS, Libya, UAE, UK, USA

Libya – descent into civil war. Oil revenue and drinking water supplies under threat.