US strike in Syria kills al-Qaeda-linked planner, hints at changing militant networks Members of Syria’s al-Qaeda branch, Huras ad-Din, have been joining Ansar al-Islam as US drone strikes have continued to pick off Huras ad-Din's leaders, a report to the UN Security Council noted in July. Syria
US troop drawdown in Syria on hold over regime stability concerns While American troops in Iraq hand over operations against the Islamic State to Baghdad's forces, the parallel drawdown in neighboring Syria has been halted amid concerns about the abilities of the new Islamist-led government in Damascus. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
US troops in Iraq shift to Erbil to focus on ISIS in Syria The US mission against the Islamic State is relocating its headquarters and most of its troops from Baghdad to Erbil as the prime minister's coalition faces reelection in November. Iraq
Pentagon pushes to accelerate ISIS detainee repatriations from Syria Uncertainty about Syria’s long-term stability and the the US military’s future presence in the country have increased urgency among some Pentagon officials to further reduce the population of nearly 30,000 suspected ISIS-associated detainees in the camps. Syria
Islamic State cells terrorize civilians in northwest Syria Islamic State cells in the areas under the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army in the countryside of Aleppo have escalated operations following the killing of a senior IS official and his colleague during a raid on their hideout in the city of al-Bab. Syria
Islamic State suicide bombing kills two in Libya The Libyan civil war ended with a cease-fire in October of 2020, and a transitional government is now in power. News Brief
US cranks up diplomacy with Russia to keep Syria’s last humanitarian aid corridor open The fate of millions of Syrians hangs in the balance as Russia threatens to shut a crossing vital to humanitarian aid. Syria
Iraq keeps focus on terror funding Iraqi operations against Islamic State cells continue to rely on intelligence and airstrikes more than group battles. By Shelly Kittleson In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics
Will Syria come up in Biden-Putin summit? US pressing to maintain humanitarian corridors into Syria; Erdogan’s issues with US Syria policy; UN envoy refers to Syria’s "tragic irony." Russia
Two Iranian military advisers killed by IS in Syria The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members died during an ambush near Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria, where the Islamic State remains active. News Brief
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham cracks down on Assad supporters in Idlib Hayat Tahrir al-Sham carried out a spate of arrests in several areas under its control in Idlib, targeting pro-Syrian government individuals who supported President Bashar al-Assad in the recent presidential elections, as well as members of the Islamic State. Syria
Iraqi security forces to fill security vacuum that harbors Islamic State In an effort to curb growing Islamic State activity in security gaps along the border between Iraqi Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal Iraqi government are establishing Joint Coordination Centers. Iraq
Islamic State escalates operations against Syrian forces during Ramadan The Islamic State has recently stepped up its operations against the Syrian government forces and their allied militias as IS cells spread in more areas in Syria. Syria
Egypt to complete construction of New Rafah City New Rafah City is becoming a reality in northern Sinai, giving displaced Rafah residents hope for a new and secure life and Egypt a chance to better fight the Islamic State in the border area with the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Egypt
'Mountain of information' against Islamic State leads UN investigators to recognize Yazidi genocide While Monday’s findings leave “no space for denial,” Yazidis now call for legislation and support for development of social and economic life. Iraq
Islamic State takes border station in Iraqi desert with 'drug smuggling wali' A recent incident along Iraq’s western border and alleged connections between drug smuggling and Islamic State cells in the area have raised concern. Iraq
