Assessing Russian Claims About Al-Baghdadi's Death
by Amir Musawy
Despite claims by the Russian military, there are a number of good reasons to believe the leader of ISIL is not dead, writes Amir Musawy
Politics
Russia's Involvement in the Syrian Conflict
Once perceived as a mere spoiler, Russia has become an agenda-setting power in the Middle East. Now that the US have pulled out politically, expectations are even higher. Can the Russians handle them?
Polarisation in the Syrian War
Why is it that both regime supporters and armed Islamist rebels can play so successfully on Syria's sectarian problems? On takfir and takhwin, two concepts of domestication that look flagrantly alike.
The Kurdish Peshmerga from Karlsruhe
A young Kurdish-German takes up arms against Daesh and for the liberation of Kurdistan. His mother, who also happens to be a war hero, goes with him. And that’s where the trouble begins.
Helmut Mejcher Interview
Despite Israeli commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War, what was a strategic victory from a military standpoint created many of the political problems that contemporary Israel still grapples with, argues historian Helmut Mejcher.
101 Years on From the Sykes-Picot Agreement
It’s time to look beyond the “original sins” of the Sykes-Picot Agreement and European interventions in the Middle East. Europeans should calmly make plans for the region’s future, but explain their intentions clearly.
Libyan Politics in a Nightclub in Tunis
In a nightclub in Tunis, a strange ritual is carried out where Libyans toss money to a singer, to sing the praises of their towns. It seems peace can be found at the cabaret – for a while.