Recent Posts

Iran Update, January 13, 2026

Toplines The Iranian regime is using an unprecedented level of brutality to suppress protests. The actual death toll is likely significantly higher relative to the 1,500 people killed during the 2019 protests, though CTP-ISW cannot independently determine the number of protester deaths. Western media outlets have reported death toll estimates …

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Indicators of Iranian Regime Instability

The ongoing protests in Iran mark the most serious domestic unrest that the Islamic Republic has faced. The protests could alter the character of the regime fundamentally or even topple it. CTP-ISW currently assesses that the unprecedentedly brutal crackdown that the regime is conducting has broadly suppressed protest activity and …

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Europe and Central Asia Overview: January 2026

Bulgaria: Government quits in the wake of demonstrations against the budget The publication of a draft national budget for 2026, proposing an income tax increase, prompted thousands of Bulgarians, mostly young, to take to the streets of the capital, Sofia, and over 30 towns and cities across the country on …

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Attacks escalate against SDF in Deir Ezzor

Northeastern Syria has witnessed heightened security and military escalation over the past hours, marked by a series of attacks targeting military positions of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), alongside intensive troop movements and reinforcements along contact lines. Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Deir Ezzor reported today, Tuesday 13 January, that several …

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