middle-east - INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR JOURNALISM AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

Extremist groups grow and adapt despite ‘war on terror’, warns US report

Extremist groups around the world have been adapting and growing in influence despite nearly two decades of the “war on terror”, a US government report has revealed. The US State Department’s annual terror assessment was released yesterday. ...

US soldier dies in ‘non-combat incident’ in Jordan

The US Department of Defence announced yesterday the death of an American soldier in Jordan who died on Tuesday in a non-combat related incident. ...

Iran’s coronavirus death toll continues to resurge, nears 10,000

Iran’s death toll from COVID-19 has risen to nearly 10,000 with 133 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said, extending a reversal from a steady fall in daily numbers as the country has relaxed its lockdown. ...

Arab League calls for an end to foreign interventions in Libya

The Arab League has called for external actors to cease military intervention in Libya during their virtual meeting with the International Follow Up Committee on Libya (IFCL), local daily Al-Ahram Online reported on Monday. ...

Daesh named as inspiration for ‘satanic’ neo-Nazi plotting to kill US soldiers

Details of a recent terror plot foiled by the FBI and the US army has raised more questions than answers about the evolving threat of far-right extremists. ...

Iraqis flee border areas as Turkey strikes Kurdish militants

Dozens of civilians fled villages in northern Iraq on Monday as Turkey stepped up a military campaign targeting Kurdish rebels that has drawn condemnation from Iraqi officials. ...

Algeria cracks down on activists in bid to break protest movement

Algeria has intensified a crackdown on an anti-government protest movement, targeting social media users in a bid to stop demonstrations resuming once coronavirus restrictions end. ...

Iran continues air strikes on northern Iraq

Iran has continued its air strikes in northern Iraq for the second day yesterday, the Kurdish news site Rudaw reported. ...

Syrians file complaint in Germany over sexual abuse in Assad's jails: NGO

Seven Syrians who suffered or witnessed rape and sexual abuse in detention centres under President Bashar Assad's regime have submitted a criminal complaint to prosecutors in Germany, an NGO supporting them said Thursday. ...

Lebanon’s financial chaos spikes as US Caesar Act looms

Lebanon saw a spike in economic and financial chaos on the eve of the US Caesar Act taking effect, with people flocking to buy the US dollar, the threat of industrial action and job losses at a prominent university. ...

US hits Syria with toughest sanctions yet to push Assad to end war

The United States on Wednesday imposed its toughest sanctions ever targeting Syrian President Bashar Assad to choke off revenue for his government in a bid to force it back to United Nations-led negotiations and broker an end to the country’s nearly decade-long war. ...

US: ‘We will continue reducing our forces in Iraq’

The US announced on Thursday that it will continue to reduce its military forces in Iraq, as Baghdad promised to protect US bases. ...

Lebanon protests: Hundreds take to streets for second night

Hundreds of people have protested in cities across Lebanon for a second night over the handling of the country's economic crisis. ...

US to reduce troops in Iraq in coming months

The US has agreed to reduce its forces in Iraq over the coming months, a joint statement issued by the two governments said today. ...

Lebanon protests escalate as currency dives

Hundreds of people have taken to the streets in cities across Lebanon amid escalating protests as the country faces a collapse in its currency. ...

Tunisia lawmakers reject motion on French colonial rule

Tunisia’s parliament on Wednesday rejected a motion calling on France to apologize for crimes committed during and after colonial rule, following 15 hours of debate that ran into the night. ...

Iran reports more than 2,000 new virus cases

Iran on Wednesday announced more than 2,000 new coronavirus infections, in line with a recent surge in cases that President Hassan Rouhani attributed to increased testing. ...

How Qassem Soleimani’s killing diminished Iran’s Middle East hegemony

Six months ago, a US missile brought to an end the 23-year military career of the Middle East’s most dangerous man: Qassem Soleimani, the “shadow commander.” ...