Arab World

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Houthi Ansarullah Movement that controls most of north and west Yemen staged what was by all accounts an enormous demonstration in the capital of Sanaa on Saturday. It may have been the single largest demonstration in the country’s history. While it was unlikely actually to […]

Featured

Near-War: US Planes almost tangle with Syrian MiGs, which bombed area of US troop Embeds

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The fighting that has broken out between Kurdish YPG fighters and the Syrian Arab Army in Hasaka, northeast Syria, is hardly a new thing. There were clashes in April. Syria says that the Kurds brought it on themselves by trying to expand into government-held territory. As […]

Syria

The Haunting Image of a Syrian Boy Who’s Only Known War

contributors

TeleSur | – – The image is haunting: A boy sits silent and stone-still in an ambulance, hands resting in his lap, his feet dangling from the chair as though suspended in mid-air, staring straight ahead, dust and dried blood covering his face like a mask. With a shock of thick, brown hair dissecting his […]

Saudi Arabia

Economic Damage from Civil War Costs poverty-stricken Yemen $14 Billion

contributors

TeleSur | – – The civil war in Yemen has caused a humanitarian disaster. The cost from damage to infrastructure and economic losses in Yemen’s civil war is more than $14 billion so far, according to a confidential report obtained by Reuters that highlights the effort needed to rebuild the country, where more than half […]

Central Asia

Dragon Rising? China seeks Closer military Cooperation with Syria

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | Informed Comment | – – The Arabic press is reporting that a high Chinese official on a visit to Damascus has announced that Beijing intends to strengthen its military relationship with the current Syrian government. At the same time he affirmed that China would avoid involvement in the civil war. Reuters […]

Featured

Does this Change Everything? Russia’s first strikes on Syria from Iran Airbases

contributors

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Russian bombers for the first time have taken off from bases in Iran to carry out air strikes on rebel targets in Syria. The US military is complaining that under a Russian agreement with the US, it was supposed to get a timely notification of Russia […]

Syria

10 Children Killed in Saudi Airstrike on Yemeni School

contributors

TeleSur | – – The Saudi-led coalition admitted children were at the site of the airstrike but jets “don’t distinguish ages” during attacks. At least 10 Yemeni children were killed in a Saudi airstrike targeting a school in Haydan, a town in rebel-held Saada province, Doctors Without Borders, a Paris-based relief agency also known as […]

Featured

People in Syria’s Manbij Rejoice by Shaving, throwing off Veil as ISIL fighters Flee

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – People in Syria’s norther town of Manbij, now entirely liberated from the rule of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), rejoiced on Saturday. Men shaved their beards (which had been imposed on them by the fundamentalists) and women threw off their burqas (full-face veils) and burned them. The burqa […]

Featured

ISIL fighter number falls to 15,000 as Manbij capture Cuts off Route to Europe

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | AP is reporting that Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland maintains that the number of ISIL fighters in Syria and Iraq is in steep decline, having fallen to as little as 15,000, down from 25,000 at the organization’s height. In Iraq the organization has lost Tikrit, Beiji, Mt. Sinjar, Sinjar, […]