Features International

Syria: Jordanian businesses begin to feel collateral damage

Syrian rebels’ seizure of the main frontier crossing with Jordan has begun to have an impact on the government in Damascus and regional countries that are engaged in trans-frontal trade. The Nasib crossing point fell to the rebels at the beginning of the month and some Jordanian businessmen have already started calling for the Assad […]

Features Headlines Libya

UN Expert Urge Rich Countries to Act to Halt Boat Deaths offshore Libya

A UN expert has called on rich Western countries to take in some thousands of the Syrian and sub-Saharan migrants to end the tragedies of boat disasters occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. The call was made as the EU leaders are convening an emergency summit in Brussels to discuss the migration crisis and consider all […]

Features International

Syria: US-led coalition “not serious” and unhelpful, President Assad

President Assad has labeled the US-led coalition against ISIS as unserious because they have been ineffective. He said “IS was created in Iraq in 2006 under the supervision of the Americans.” Assad acknowledged that he called on Hezbollah to help his forces fight against the different rebel groups in Syria but refuted claims that there […]

Features Headlines Morocco

Morocco’s FBI Dismantles Jihadist Cell

The newly set up Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) has dismantled a jihadist cell at Selouane in the region of Nador, close to the Spanish enclave of Melilla, and arrested six of its members. According to the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior which made the announcement, a seventh individual with close ties with this […]

Features International

Syria: Al-Qaeda network to disband, Al-Nusra supports move  

There are emerging reports that worldwide renowned terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, will soon be disbanding so that its members can be free from their oath of loyalty to the group and join the Islamic State jihadist group. The claims are yet to be confirmed by al-Qaeda but it is believed that the group has lost significance […]

Features Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia Renews Ties with Damascus, Frowns at Ankara

Tunisia has announced that it is mending its diplomatic ties with Syria after more than a three year break but that of Turkey could soon become sour after Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche accused Ankara of facilitating the transit of fighters bound for neighboring Syria and Iraq, where thousands of its citizens have joined the ranks […]

Features International

Syria: Extremist groups get closer to Damascus and Jordan

A coalition of rebel groups in Syria have made major advances on government held areas thereby getting closer to Jordan and Damascus. The developments will be of huge concern to Assad and King Abdullah especially regarding that the hardline extremists were among those leading the offensive charge. Rebels backed by the Al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda […]

Features International

Yemen: From Arab Military Action to Birth of Permanent Force?

As Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies joined forces to stop the Iran-backed Houthi Shiite insurgents from tightening their grip on the impoverished country, many analysts say this joint Arab move to defend the legitimate Yemeni government may lead to the creation of an Arab army, a dream which has so far been an elusive […]

Asia Features International

US Drone Downed by Syria or Suffered Malfunction?

Syrian authorities have said that their air forces have shot down what they described as “a hostile US surveillance aircraft in Latakia” province, the stronghold of Bachar al-Assad in north-west of Syria. The state-controlled Syrian news agency said “air defences brought down a hostile US surveillance plane in northern Latakia”, stressing that the hit aircraft […]