Islamic State Is Still Alive and Kicking
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,…
Russia Sends Second Batch of Combat Aircraft to Syria
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…
Amnesty Documents 18 Attacks on Clinics and Schools in Syria
On 11 May 2020, Amnesty International reported that during the past year, Russian-backed Syrian regime forces had carried out 18 attacks on medical facilities and schools in northwest Syria. The…
What Game Is Turkey Playing in Syria?
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – © Photo: File: Laszlo Balogh/Getty Images[/caption] Three basic factors underlie Turkey’s stance in the confused military situation in north-west Syria. The first is that Turkey’s…
Slaughtered in Syria – the Innocent, Humanity and Democracy
Copyright REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah/File photo[/caption] In March 2011 a few teenagers in a southern Syrian city – fired no doubt by the revolutionary fervour sweeping the Middle East at the time…
Defending Political Freedoms: Incidents in Israel and Scandinavia Raise Alarm Bells
© Photo: SAS[/caption] Incidents this week in Israel and Scandinavia ring alarm bells. They highlight how the rise of civilizationalist leaders in democracies empower anti-liberal and anti-democratic forces. They also…
Protesters Push Arab Militaries off Their Pedestal
A decade of anti-government protests in the Arab world have thrown popular trust in the military into the garbage bin and undermined the military’s position as one of the most…
Syria’s Rebel-Held Idlib Was Hit by 200 Air Strikes
The Rebel-held Idlib was hit by at least 200 air strikes, mainly targeting civilians, in the past three days. United States Special Representative for Syria Engagement and the Special Envoy…
Assad Regime Captures Strategic Town in Rebel-Held Territory
On 28 January 2020, Assad regime has recaptured a significant town in Syria’s last rebel-held territory, in an offensive that has driven tens of thousands of people towards the border…
Syria – Ceasefire Brokered in Idlib Was Broken
The Syria Campaign reported that Assad’s regime had broken the ceasefire brokered last week between Assad’s Russian ally and Turkey when it today bombarded civilians buying fruit and vegetables at…