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
Will Iraq cut a deal to prosecute foreign IS fighters? Iraq is seeking to prosecute foreign Islamic State fighters held in Syria, even if they did not commit crimes in Iraq. Iraq
Congress expands Pentagon aid in Syria to cover Islamic State prisoners The Senate’s new defense authorization bill gives the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces greater leeway to build prisons for Islamic State detainees. Syria
Five years later, calls for accountability over fall of Mosul continue On the fifth anniversary of the fall of Mosul, people decry that no one has been held accountable for the tragedy. Iraq
Islamic State in Iraq is not over yet Several terrorist attacks have occurred over the last several days across Iraq, raising concerns over a resurgence of the Islamic State. Iraq
West Bank security arrests alleged IS recruit targeting Israel Palestinian Authority security services tell Israeli media they arrested a Palestinian woman they believe was going to blow herself up in Israel for the Islamic State. Palestine
IS exploits disputed areas, sets Iraqi fields on fire A rash of farmland set on fire, allegedly by the Islamic State, threatens massive economic loss and more internally displaced persons. Iraq
Iraqi tribes seek to heal enduring wounds of IS legacy Sunni tribes in Iraq that were under the control of the Islamic State for about three years are working toward social reconciliation to end lingering conflict and incidents of revenge. Iraq
Iraq to handle foreign IS fighters' trials Iraq so far is holding roughly a dozen French nationals who fought for the Islamic State. France's response: Keep them. Iraq
Christians in northeastern Syria seek to revive Easter spirit following IS ouster After the fall of IS, Easter celebrations were held in only in some northeastern Syrian areas. Syria
Syria drawdown raises security risks for US troops The Donald Trump administration’s drawdown in Syria threatens to disrupt a fragile balance where US troops trade military power for Kurdish protection. Syria
Explosive hazards in Mosul a major threat for years to come After the military campaign to retake Iraqi territory from the Islamic State, particularly in Mosul, unexploded ordnance remains a big concern for residents returning to their homes two years after liberation. Iraq
