Syria church bombing raises fears ISIS will exploit Iran-Israel war to gain ground As the Iran-Israel war draws in global powers, security vacuums in Syria may be allowing ISIS to reemerge. Syria
Analysis With latest video, Yemen's AQAP seeks relevance, taps into regional outrage The first video address by Yemeni al-Qaeda leader Saad al-Awlaki follows a decline in clashes between the group and the Iran-backed Houthis in what one expert dubbed a "collaborative arrangement." By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Turkey detains dozens of ISIS suspects in raids tied to Syria-based network A nationwide sweep targeted the group's financial and propaganda networks as Ankara steps up efforts to counter the jihadi extremist group in Syria. Turkey
Iran executes 9 'ISIS militants' amid surge in jihadist extremism: What to know While Iran has long claimed full eradication of the Islamic State through a campaign waged by late general Qasem Soleimani, the country has been grappling with a deadly resurgence of the militant group in recent years. Iran
Interview US believes Syria’s Sharaa at risk of assassination, Trump envoy says Tom Barrack US special envoy for Syria
US Syria envoy Barrack says troop drawdown to continue, support for Kurds to remain By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Movie about Yazidis, female fighters offers stylized look at Kurdish plight "Sisters in Arms" casts an artful eye on the plight of Iraq's Yazidi women and the Kurdish women who fought the Islamic State, but critics say its narrative is misleading. Iraq
Pentagon to stay in Islamic State fight from Iraq The Pentagon expects to fight the Islamic State from Iraq, a senior defense official said today, as American troops are set to leave northern Syria under pressure from a deepening Turkish offensive. Iraq
Is Turkey able to handle influx of Islamic State prisoners? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey can take custody of Islamic State prisoners at a time when every other country avoids the repatriation of their own citizens. But there are serious questions as to whether Turkey can handle the situation. Iraq
Pentagon blames Turkey for strikes near US troops in Syria The Pentagon held Turkey responsible for shelling American units in the Syrian city of Kobani on Friday, in spite of denials from Ankara. Turkey
The Aramco attack and the rise of nonstate actors The attack against Saudi Arabia's Aramco facility points to a crucial change on how one traditionally understands armed conflict in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia
Islamic State fight paused as Turkey invades northern Syria As Kurdish fighters in Syria leave the fight against the Islamic State to defend against Turkey, the United States pauses the battle against the militant group. Syria
Turkish incursion threatens to unleash Islamic State in Syria, US officials warn The Donald Trump administration’s decision Sunday to allow a Turkish incursion into northeast Syria threatens to let loose thousands of Islamic State prisoners onto the battlefield, US officials are warning. Syria
Islamic State's money transfer network busted in Turkey A Turkish police operation exposed how the Islamic State can still run cross-border money transfer networks despite its defeat in Syria and Iraq. Syria
Chinese investment in Iraq provides gains for Baghdad, Beijing Iraqi prime minister trip to China has paved the ground for China to invest in Iraq. Iraq
SDF, coalition crack down on IS remnants in Syria US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are dismantling Islamic State cells as the terrorist group still has a presence in northern and eastern Syria despite its declared defeat earlier this year. Iraq
Congress pushes Trump to reopen US Consulate in Iraq’s Basra province The State Department closed the US Consulate in Iraq’s Basra province nearly a year ago. Now Congress is laying the groundwork to reopen it. Iraq
Pentagon fears Islamic State surge in Iraqi Kurdistan The Donald Trump administration is concerned that the Islamic State could take advantage of ongoing disputes between Iraq’s government and Kurdish authorities to gain refuge in the war-torn country. Iraq
