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MENASource

May 9, 2017

After ISIS the US Will Still Have a Role in Iraq—But Does It Care Enough to Play It?

By Feras Hanoush

The fight against ISIS in Iraq is in full swing. Despite the costly human errors that caused the death of hundreds of Mosul residents, the offensive forces continue to make progress, having managed during the past months to isolate, besiege, and take control of over 60 percent of the city.

Iraq

MENASource

May 3, 2017

Conflict Flares Between Sinai Tribes and the Islamic State

By Ahmed Zaghloul Shallata

Recent clashes occurred in the south of Rafah between fighters loyal to Wilayat Sinai––previously known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which joined the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) in 2014––and the Tarabin tribe. This follows a militant attack on April 17 against a truck belonging to a Tarabin tribesman as it carried cigarettes towards Gaza. After […]

North Africa

MENASource

May 3, 2017

The Yemen War, Media, and Propaganda

By Afrah Nasser

Yemeni media is one of the most affected aspects in the raging war in Yemen. In an unprecedented case, a Houthi-controlled court issued a death sentence earlier in April, against journalist Yahya al-Joubayhy, for being a “Saudi spy,” reflecting a glimpse of the risks Yemeni media workers endure.

Yemen

MENASource

May 2, 2017

Can Tunisia’s Government Make Necessary Reforms in the Face of Popular Demonstrations?

By Elissa Miller

Last summer, Tunisia’s parliament ousted former Prime Minister Habib Essid, a vote of no-confidence, as President Beji Caid Essebsi announced his intent to form a new unity government. He appointed Youssef Chahed, a little known young technocrat, to replace Essid. Chahed was presented as a fresh-faced, “courageous alternative” who would be better situated to push […]

North Africa

MENASource

May 1, 2017

Algeria’s Elections in an Atmosphere of Uncertainty

By Sabina Henneberg

Algeria is facing change in several interrelated areas. Upcoming parliamentary elections on May 5 will therefore take place in an atmosphere of rising uncertainty. Coupled with the fact that those in power realize that change is needed, and have taken steps to diversify the economy and adopt constitutional amendments in recent years, means the elections […]

North Africa

MENASource

Apr 28, 2017

How Aya Hijazi Ended Up in Sisi’s Seat at the White House

By Dalia Rabie

President Donald Trump did not waste time boasting about his role in the release of Aya Hijazi, Egyptian-American charity worker who had been jailed in Egypt for the past three years. “Did you see Aya?” Trump asked an Associated Press reporter at the beginning of his interview this week. “I asked the government to let […]

North Africa

MENASource

Apr 26, 2017

The Endless Battle in Taiz

By Maysaa Shuja al Deen

Taiz is the site of the longest-running battle ground in the Yemen war, which began when Houthi forces took over the city on March 25, 2015. Initially, the Houthis were confronted by peaceful demonstrations which they repressed heavily, killing six demonstrators in the process. The situation rapidly developed into armed conflict when the war erupted […]

Yemen

MENASource

Apr 24, 2017

Riyadh & Cairo: A Relationship of Alignment

By Dr. H.A. Hellyer

This past Sunday, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited Riyadh for an official state visit to the Saudi Kingdom. It comes at a time when many are speculating about the future and current state of Saudi-Egyptian relations, particularly after the furor about the status of the islands off the coast of Sinai. But much of […]

North Africa Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Apr 21, 2017

Trump on Libya: What Now?

By Karim Mezran and Elissa Miller

The situation in Libya seems to be simultaneously stalemated and wavering on the brink of collapse. The Presidential Council and Government of National Accord (PC/GNA), which emerged from the UN-led Libyan Political Agreement at the end of 2015, has made little progress in solidifying its authority in the country. The United Nations is increasingly weak […]

Libya

MENASource

Apr 17, 2017

Raising the Stakes: Egyptians Have Questions About a New Emergency Law and the State of Security

By Mirette F. Mabrouk

The dead were buried without a mass. On April 9, two suicide bombers hit two churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria in Egypt. The next day, the first burial was held for seven of those killed at St Mina Monastery in King Mariout, on the outskirts of Alexandria. The Eastern Orthodox Church does […]

North Africa Political Reform