(Middle East Eye)- Tunisia is not simply a “jihadist beacon”, but that may be the only thing you associate it with given the way some European commentators have discussed the country recently. Against all the odds - deep ideological rifts, a fragile state in a chaotic regional context,...

(Al-Monitor)- When 2016 was drawing to a close, Moscow surprisingly agreed to divide Syrian warring factions into “good” and “bad” guys and to recognize the idea of the “moderate opposition.” On Jan. 10, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced the preparation of talks between...

By Hassan Hassan (The  National)- Al Qaeda in Syria has faced – and survived – two upheavals since 2011. Today, the organisation might be facing its third major test, and the new development brings with it a fresh challenge for Syria. The first challenge was the dispute...

By Mohaled al-Hussein (Zaman Al Wasl)- The Syrian regime backed by Iran and Russia, seeks to recruit the largest number of young men from the region of eastern Syria into the “Al-Jazira and Euphrates Mobilization” militias, the Fifth Legion- Storm Troopers, and the National Defense among...