MENASource brings you up-close to a region at the epicenter of geo-political headlines. It is the Atlantic Council’s hub for in-depth commentary about breaking news, key topics, and trends from our team of experts on the Middle East and North Africa.

The views expressed in MENASource are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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Mapping “The Kurds”: An Interactive Chart

MENASource
Jan 14, 2026

Voices from Iran: As rejection of government reaches all-time high, Iranians also wary of foreign intervention

If Trump is serious about peace, stability, and a lasting legacy, the path forward does not run through air strikes or transactional deals with a failing theocracy.

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Mapping “The Kurds”: An Interactive Chart

MENASource
Jan 13, 2026

Eight questions (and expert answers) on the SDF’s withdrawal from Syria’s Aleppo

By
Atlantic Council experts

Our experts unpack why violence erupted, what it means for Kurdish safety and integration in Syria, and how Washington is engaging.

Civil Society
Conflict

Mapping “The Kurds”: An Interactive Chart

MENASource
Jan 12, 2026

The Venezuela-Iran connection and what Maduro’s capture means for Tehran, explained 

By
Joze Pelayo, Kirsten Fontenrose, Ellie Sennett 

Our experts break down Iran’s ties to Venezuela and the impact Maduro’s capture could have on Tehran’s interests in and outside of its own borders. 

Iran
Oil and Gas

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Content

MENASource

Mar 15, 2016

Mapping “The Kurds”: An Interactive Chart

By Alev Erhan and Aaron Stein

Ethnic Kurds in Iraq and Syria are on the front-lines against the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). They receive US training and weapons and work closely with the US-led military coalition. However, the two main groups receiving US assistance—the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD)—are different entities with competing political visions […]

MENASource

Mar 14, 2016

Top News: Deadly explosion in the heart of Turkey’s capital

By MENASource

A car filled with explosives blew up in a public square in the heart of Ankara, the Turkish capital, on Sunday evening in the latest of a string of terrorist attacks that have destabilized the country. At least 34 people were killed and 125 wounded in the attack, Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu said, although recent […]

MENASource

Mar 14, 2016

Top News: Egypt’s Parliament Rejects EU Parliament’s ‘Interference’ in Domestic Affairs

By EgyptSource

Egypt’s parliament has rejected all interference in its work and the country’s domestic affairs in response to a resolution from the European Union (EU) parliament on Thursday that criticized Egypt’s human rights record. The House of Representatives issued a statement on Friday after the EU parliament’s resolution, which was overwhelmingly passed on Thursday, over the […]

MENASource

Mar 14, 2016

EconSource: Egypt Devalues Currency to Record Low Against the Dollar

By EconSource

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) on Monday devalued the Egyptian pound to 8.85 per dollar from 7.73 and said it would move to a more flexible exchange rate policy, as it sold $198.1 million to local banks in a $200 million exceptional auction.

MENASource

Mar 11, 2016

Top News: UN report sees violations of Libyan arms embargo, ISIS expansion

By MENASource

In their annual report to the UN Security Council, which was released on Wednesday, the experts monitoring UN sanctions against Libya found an array of companies, individuals, and countries supplying arms to factions in Libya, breaking a long-standing arms embargo on the North African country.

MENASource

Mar 11, 2016

EconSource: Tunisia Mounts Charm Offensive to Save Tourism Sector

By EconSource

Tunisia’s tourism heads are seeking to attract more visitors as the country’s tourism sector struggles following major terror attacks that took place last year. “Tunisia is safe,” Tourism Minister Selma Elloumi Rekik said at the ITB travel fair in Berlin on Thursday.

MENASource

Mar 11, 2016

Top News: State TV Anchor Suspended for Anti-Sisi Comments, Again

By EgyptSource

The Head of the Egyptian Union for Radio and Television (ERTU) Essam al-Amir temporarily suspended state TV anchor Azza al-Henawy on Thursday “pending investigation,” for her criticisms of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The decision was based on a report submitted by a committee of senior ERTU officials who examined Henawy’s Sunday episode in which she […]

MENASource

Mar 10, 2016

Ahmed Abul Gheit Chosen as New Arab League Secretary General

By Margaret Suter

The Arab League announced today that it has chosen former Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit as its new Secretary General. The selection of Abul Gheit is in line with what Ahram Online describes as the league’s traditional practice of electing an Egyptian to serve as the head of the 22-member body. He will succeed […]

North Africa

MENASource

Mar 10, 2016

Top News: EU to suspend military cooperation with Egypt

By MENASource

The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday recommending the suspension of military aid and assistance to Egypt in light of the “abduction, savage torture and killing” of Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni in Cairo.

MENASource

Mar 10, 2016

Top News: EU Parliament Passes Resolution to Suspend Military Cooperation with Egypt

By EgyptSource

The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday recommending the suspension of military aid and assistance to Egypt in light of the “abduction, savage torture, and killing” of Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni in Cairo. The resolution was passed by a majority of EU member states, with 558 voting in favor, 10 against, and 59 abstentions. […]

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