News on politics, security and defence in the Middle East and North Africa
China was quick to aid coronavirus-stricken Sri Lanka. Chinese magnanimity and speed in responding to the Indian Ocean Island’s request contrasted starkly with Beijing’s more measured response to Africa’s needs,…
Morocco has ordered the 24 attack helicopters from Boeing in a deal worth $440 million, following a request of the aircraft in late 2019.
Egypt has reportedly signed an agreement for the production of 500 Russian T-90MS tanks in the country.
The plan proposes four years in which to come to an accord. It is time that should not be wasted in unproductive rejection for rejection’s sake.
On 24 June 2020, Egyptian security forces raided the offices of the online al-Manassa news agency and arrested its editor-in-chief, Noura Younis, reported the agency on Twitter.
On 21 June 2020, the Cairo Criminal Court sentenced 16 people for links with the terrorist Al-Nusra group in Syria. The court sentenced 13 defendants to life in prison, and…
Early June saw Syria erupt into nationwide demonstrations against the president, Bashar al-Assad. A beleaguered population, exhausted by years of civil conflict, were at the end of their tether. Spiralling…
For the first time since it was founded in 1932, Saudi Arabia is contemplating the cancellation of the most important annual Muslim ritual – Hajj pilgrimage – this year after…
During its heyday in 2014-2015, Islamic State (IS) conquered great tracts of Iraq and Syria and ruled over some 11 million people. It took four years for the US coalition,…
On 3 June 2020, Russia confirmed the delivery of more MiG-29 combat aircraft to Syria; just days after the US military had accused Moscow of using Syria to transfer warplanes…