Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Kuwaiti press (al-Siyasah) is alleging that the Iraqi government, under American pressure, has hit the pause button on its campaign to take al-Anbar Province back from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). The report was also carried by 24.ae in the United Arab Emirates. A source in the […]

Hamas

Did Daesh/ ISIL just hit Hamas in Gaza with Car Bombs?

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Five car bombs targeting the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad went off in near-simultaneous blasts on Sunday morning in the center of Gaza City and its northern neighborhood of Sheikh Radwan. Witnesses said the explosions that went off at around 6:30 a.m. appeared […]

Human Rights

On ‘Death Road’: Women, Civilians Flee ISIL Extremists in Iraq & Syria

contributors

By Shalaw Mohammed | Kirkuk | (Niqash.org) – – As extremists rule harshly and coalition airstrikes hit, there’s a mass exodus of civilians out of Hawija. And one of the ways they are getting out is with people smugglers on the “death road”. A few days ago Mahmoud Fathallah arrived with his family and another […]

Featured

Did rise of Daesh/ ISIL ensure Iran Nuclear Deal?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In Iraq on Tuesday, Iraq militias and the Iraqi military launched a counter-attack on Falluja with the ultimate aim of driving Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) out of al-Anbar Province. The operation follows the successful liberation of Tikrit, north of Baghdad, from Daesh by these same forces. In […]

Featured

No, Mr. Netanyahu, Iran isn’t trying to Take over the world & it isn’t ISIL

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanahu charged last week that Iran was the major sponsor of terrorism in the world and that it wants to take over the whole world. He also likened Iran to the faux caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Iran is not trying to […]

Egypt

Egypt: ISIL claims Massive Blast at Italian Consulate that Kills 1, wounds 4

contributors

Times of India | (Video Report) | – – “At least one person was killed and four others injured today in a powerful explosion outside the Italian consulate in the Egyptian capital.” (Update: “ISIS Claims Deadly Car Bomb Blast At Italian Consulate In Cairo” The Times of India: “1 Killed, 4 Injured in Blast at […]

Bashar al-Assad

4 Million Syrian Displaced Abroad: ‘Biggest Refugee Population From a Single Conflict in a Generation’

contributors

By Kanya D’Almeida | – – UNITED NATIONS, (IPS) – Barely 10 months ago, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said the refugee population from Syria had reached the three million mark. Today, the latest data from the field show that the number has passed four million. “This is the biggest refugee population from a […]

Alevis

Why defeating ISIL/ Daesh with military might is starry eyed idealism

contributors

By David Alpher | (The Conversation) | – – Just this past weekend of July 4, US-led coalition aircraft targeted the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa in Syria. It was one of the “largest deliberate engagements to date,” said a coalition spokesman, and it was executed “to deny [ISIS] the ability to move military capabilities throughout […]

Featured

Obama: No more US troops to fight Daesh/ ISIL, but more Training

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – President Obama on Monday went for a briefing at the Pentagon on the fight against Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). In remarks afterwards, he acknowledged that training of Iraqi troops has been going much slower than originally envisaged (about 5,000 have been trained in the past year, and […]