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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Top News: UNSC criticizes Turkey’s strikes in northern Syria

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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Top News: UNSC criticizes Turkey’s strikes in northern Syria

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

Top News: UNSC criticizes Turkey’s strikes in northern Syria

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

Feb 17, 2016

Top News: UNSC criticizes Turkey’s strikes in northern Syria

By MENASource

On Tuesday, the UN Security Council criticized Turkey for its strikes into northern Syria that are fueling fears of a serious escalation. As a rapid advance of US-backed Kurdish fighters seized new ground in northern Syria on Tuesday, Turkey fired artillery from across the border to try to halt their advances in northern Syria.

MENASource

Feb 17, 2016

Top News: Former Presidential Candidate Sabbahi Referred to Prosecution

By EgyptSource

Prosecutor General Nabil Sadek referred a report against former presidential candidate and founder of the Popular Current Hamdeen Sabbahi to prosecution for further investigation. Lawyer Ashraf Farahat accused Sabbahi of attempting to overthrow the regime and incite violence, in the wake of televised statements by the former candidate in January 2016.

MENASource

Feb 17, 2016

The YPG’s Next Move: A Two Front War for the Manbij Pocket

By Aaron Stein

The Kurdish-majority Democratic Union Party (PYD), its militia the YPG, and an allied Arab-majority rebel group called Jaysh al-Thuwar have swiftly expanded the territory they control in the Azaz corridor in northern Aleppo. In recent days, the YPG led force have taken control of the Menagh Airbase, Tel Rifaat, and reportedly is in the final […]

Turkey

MENASource

Feb 17, 2016

EconSource: OPEC Presses Iran, Iraq to Cap Crude Oil Production

By EconSource

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) increased pressure on Iran and Iraq on Wednesday to limit their oil production following a tentative deal between Saudi Arabia, Russia, and other oil producers to freeze output.

MENASource

Feb 16, 2016

Top News: Egypt Court Overturns Sentence for Policeman Convicted in Sabbagh Murder

By EgyptSource

Egypt’s Court of Cassation overturned on Sunday a 15-year jail sentence issued to a police officer for the fatal shooting of protester Shaimaa al-Sabbagh during a peaceful march last year in downtown Cairo. The court ordered a new trial of the Central Security Forces (CSF) officer Yaseen Mohamed Hatem in front of a different district […]

MENASource

Feb 16, 2016

A Return to Trade Protection in Egypt

By Mohsin Khan and Elissa Miller

Egypt began a slow process of moving from a state-dominated closed economy with high tariffs on imports and foreign exchange controls to a more open and market-friendly one in the 1990s. This process gained momentum in mid-2004 when the government of former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif launched a number of ambitious and far-reaching economic reforms. […]

Economy & Business
North Africa

MENASource

Feb 16, 2016

Top News: Libya’s presidential council announces revised unity government

By MENASource

Libya’s UN-backed Presidential Council announced the formation of a revised national unity government on Sunday. One of the council’s members, Fathi al-Majbari, said in a televised statement that the list of 13 ministers and five ministers of state had been sent to Libya’s House of Representatives (HOR) for approval.

MENASource

Feb 16, 2016

EconSource: Saudi Arabia, Russia Agree to Freeze Oil Output

By EconSource

Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Venezuela announced a plan on Tuesday to freeze oil output at current levels after a meeting in Doha in an effort to help boost energy prices.

MENASource

Feb 12, 2016

Top News: Major powers agree to plan for cessation of hostilities in Syria

By MENASource

Diplomats agreed to work toward a temporary “cessation of hostilities” within a week, although efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire fell short. The deal appeared to be the result of a compromise between the United States, which wanted an immediate ceasefire, and Russia, which had proposed a March 1 start date.

Economies In Transition

Feb 12, 2016

Unleashing the Middle East’s Economic Potential

By MENASource

As the Middle East and North Africa wrestle with a number of security and geopolitical challenges, subtle societal shifts–such as increased access to technology and a youth boom–can create an opportunity for economic revitalization in the region. As much as these energies can contribute to popular unrest, they can also lead to a technologically driven […]

Middle East
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