Exclusive Syria's Kurds say Trump aid cuts are feeding radicalism in ISIS camps In an interview at Syria’s Roj camp, the head of intelligence for the Women’s Protection Units warns that US funding cuts are fueling a resurgence of ISIS ideology among detained women and children, deepening an already volatile security crisis. By Amberin Zaman In Paris, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Netanyahu set to meet Trump amid differences over Iran, tariffs and Turkey: What to know In a surprise move, the US president invited the Israeli prime minister to Washington at short notice to discuss his recent tariff decision, the Iranian file and other issues. United States
Top US general calls out Houthi-Shabaab ties across Yemen-Somalia strait The Pentagon has opened the aperture on al-Shabaab in recent months, allowing AFRICOM to ramp up strikes on the al-Qaeda offshoot in the Horn of Africa. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Analysis Are Lebanon, Syria ripe for peace with Israel or on cusp of more escalation? While some Israeli leaders hope for normalized ties with Lebanon and Syria, others warn that the uncertainty of the current situation could become permanent or deteriorate. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Turkey, alarmed by sectarian clashes, steps up Syria role, criticizes Iran By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Exclusive Turkey to host regional summit in April on counter-ISIS operations By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Armenia joins US-led global coalition against Islamic State By Amberin Zaman In Paris, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Syrian soldiers killed in deadly Islamic State ambush in Deir Ezzor The Syrian army loyal to Bashar al-Assad has struggled to control the country's eastern desert. Syria
Kurdish leaders say poverty 'biggest threat,' driving Syrians into arms of IS Offers of money by the Islamic State to join its ranks prove "irresistible" to those hit hard by Syria's collapsed economy. Syria
Iraq continues to kill, capture IS members as effectiveness questioned Iraqi security forces have captured and killed a number of key Islamic State facilitators and others in the past month amid a US mission transition and concerns over coordination. Iraq
Islamic State's spread beyond Syria, Iraq remains concern for US The State Department's annual report on terrorism said Islamic State branches outside of Iraq and Syria caused more fatalities in 2020 than any previous year. News Brief
Syria, Iraq discuss boosting trade The two countries also discussed cooperation on oil imports earlier this year. News Brief
Pentagon: Four Islamic State fighters killed in nighttime Syria raid Conflicting accounts of the raid emerged amid renewed scrutiny of the Pentagon's oversight of civilian casualties in Syria. Syria
Sinai tribes hunt Islamic State bomb makers Sinai tribes join the hunt for IS explosives engineers, potentially depriving the terrorist group of its last technique in its fight against the Egyptian army. Egypt
Jihadis from Syria blamed for multiple attacks on Iraqi Kurds An onslaught of attacks on Kurdish peshmerga forces and villages in northern Iraq has sparked concerns over the presence of Islamic State cells and whether they have been bulked up by jihadis arriving from Syria. Iraq
Iraqi prime minister visits site of Islamic State attack Mustafa al-Kadhimi met with Kurdistan Region security forces in disputed Makhmour. News Brief
Turkey strikes Yazidi militia in Iraq The Sinjar Resistance Units is a member of the Popular Mobilization Units, making it officially part of the Iraqi security forces. Iraq
Islamic State targets peshmerga in Iraq’s disputed Diyala and Makhmour A recent string of attacks on Iraq’s Kurdistan Region peshmerga forces have raised concern over how effective long-discussed coordination with the central government is in the country’s flashpoint disputed territories. Iraq
Islamic State down but not out in Syria and Iraq: Pentagon report Also, Al-Monitor’s on-the-ground reporting on the security situations in Syria and Iraq, including the impact of the Turkish lira crisis on Idlib. Syria
