By Lauren Dickey for War on the Rocks — China is trying to link Uighur militants to foreign-led extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State. Well, Lauren Dickey isn’t buying it. The alleged linkages are truly opaque and don’t presage future Uighur attacks on Chinese soil. What …
Read More »
The number of Uyghurs fighting in Syria has risen sharply over the past year. How will China respond? By David Volodzko for the Diplomat — The dark night of the Syrian soul is now physically manifest in a nationwide blackout, and as Mohanad Hage Ali writes in Al Arabiya, Beijing’s …
Read More »
THE LEVANT NEWS: Russia said U.N.-led talks planned for Saturday between major international players on establishing a ceasefire in Syria had been postponed, as wrangling dragged on between the various sides. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russian news agencies that the meeting in Geneva had been put back to …
Read More »
The Levant News — An estimated 3,000 Islamic State fighters as well as militants from other extremist groups have fled Syria for Jordan fearing a renewed offensive by the Syrian army in addition to Russian airstrikes, a military official has told RIA news agency. “At least 3,000 militants from Islamic State …
Read More »
Source: The Daily Star – Lebanon: The streets of Ras Baalbek, in northeast Lebanon, were eerily calm, intercepted at times by the sounds of the Lebanese Army’s military vehicles cruising by, the four-by-fours of Hezbollah’s Resistance Brigades not far behind. Most residents had opted to stay indoors while clashes ensued …
Read More »
Source: The Daily Star – Syrian army airstrikes against militant positions across the border from Lebanon’s northeastern town of Arsal killed 11 and wounded 17 Wednesday, a high-ranking Lebanese security source said, as clashes raged between rival jihadi groups in the Qalamoun region. The source said ISIS and Nusra Front …
Read More »
The Levant News Your Middle East Journal