Classic Layout

Ethnocentric Yugoslav War Commemorations Taint the Future, Experts Warn

Conflicting ethnically-based commemorations of the 1990s wars mean that even though the fighting ended decades ago, the past continues to burden the present and affect former Yugoslav countries’ futures, an expert report argues. In post-Yugoslav countries, there are often conflicting narratives surrounding events from the 1990s wars, which instead of …

Read More »

In Race for Justice, Ukraine Repeats Bosnia’s Mistakes

In pursuing trial after trial for war crimes committed by Russian forces, Ukraine is failing to put the victims at the heart of a much-needed transitional justice strategy. To see the result of such an approach, Kyiv need only look at Bosnia and Herzegovina. The entrance to the cemetery in …

Read More »

In a Bulgarian Town, Syrians Find Tension and Violence, but Little Hope

A decade after it was opened, Bulgaria’s biggest asylum centre, in Harmanli, is a crowded, sometimes violent, and – according to many accounts – squalid place, emblematic of the rot at the heart of Europe’s asylum policy. Harmanli was built on tobacco, but it really grew under communism with the …

Read More »

Explainer: Iraq’s competing Shi’ite armed factions and parties

A visit by the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force to Baghdad has led to a pause in attacks on U.S. troops by Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, multiple Iranian and Iraqi sources told Reuters.Here’s a look at Iraq’s most influential Shi’ite parties and armed groups, who remain divided over how …

Read More »

Iran Update, February 21, 2024

Iranian sources told Reuters on February 21 that Iran provided hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) to Russia in early January.[i] The three unspecified Iranian sources said that Iran provided roughly 400 SRBMs to Russia, including the Fateh-110 and the Zolfaghar. The sources said that Iran has sent at least …

Read More »

Syria Today – Hezbollah Training Russian Drone Operators in Homs; Cross Border Aid Extended Three Months

Ukraine says Russian troops are being trained on the use of Iranian drones at the Shayrat airfield in Syria’s western province of Homs. At the same time, Syria has extended permission for the United Nations to deliver aid to opposition-held areas in the northwest of the country via two Turkish …

Read More »

Syrian Desert: 17 Killed by ISIS Cells in Separate Attacks on Syrian Regime

17 members of the Syrian regime forces were killed in a series of attacks by ISIS cells on separate locations in the Syrian desert within 72 hours, bringing the death toll of the regime and its loyal militias to 90 since the beginning of 2024. According to the Syrian Observatory …

Read More »

Several SDF Members Killed in Tribal Attacks

Sources reported to Athr Press changes in the SDF’s military leadership. Several members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in attacks carried out by Arab tribal fighters on Friday, targeting multiple SDF positions in the eastern and western countryside of Deir-ez-Zor. According to sources from Athr Press, Arab …

Read More »

Restructuring the National Army with Turkish Support to Confront Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham

According to information acquired by Asharq Al-Awsat, the initiative encompasses a comprehensive restructuring of the constituent forces within the National Army. Sources within the Syrian opposition have unveiled a strategic plan aimed at revamping the Turkish-backed National Army. This initiative involves consolidating certain units, streamlining manpower, and ultimately enhancing security …

Read More »

Ukraine Publishes Lists of Syrians Recruited by Russia

Ukrainian intelligence disclosed on Monday that Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah are training Russian pilots in the utilization of Iranian drones. The Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense released lists on Wednesday, purportedly revealing the presence of numerous Syrians within the ranks of the Russian army engaged in combat …

Read More »