SYRIA Syrian Democratic Forces fighters now reportedly control about half of the town of Sousa, after making significant headway on Monday and withstanding an ISIS counterattack on Tuesday. Sousa is located in the last pocket of ISIS-held territory east of the Euphrates River, centered around the town of Hajin. TURKEY Well Tuesday brought us Turkish … Continue reading Middle East update: October 23 2018

ASIACAUCASUS After he leaves Russia (see below), National Security Advisor John Bolton will make a swing through the Caucasus, where he's expected to emphasize the need for security cooperation against Iran. He's likely to get a lukewarm reception for that pitch. Caucasian countries would really rather not get sucked into the US-Iran rivalry because it's … Continue reading World update: October 23 2018

EUROPERUSSIA So, John Bolton went to Moscow on Monday, presumably to talk about renegotiating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty that he just convinced Donald Trump to tear up. The Russian government has expressed dismay over ending the treaty, which bars the US and Russia from fielding land-based intermediate-range (500-5500 kilometers) nuclear missiles, even though the … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: October 22 2018

MIDDLE EASTERN CHRISTIANS This probably doesn't come as much of a surprise, but Al-Monitor's Bryant Harris writes that Donald Trump's "pro-Christian" Middle East policies are more about delighting his evangelical base in the US than about supporting Christians in the region. Trump has, for example, made Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi a close ally even … Continue reading Middle East update: October 22 2018

ASIA AFGHANISTAN An Afghan soldier opened fire on NATO troops on a military base in Herat province on Monday, killing one and wounding two others. It may have been another Taliban-organized "insider" attack but there's also talk that the attacker was angry at NATO forces stemming back to the killing of Kandahar strongman Abdul Raziq … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: October 22 2018

ASIA AFGHANISTAN At least 11 people were killed on Sunday by a roadside bomb in Nangarhar province. There's been no claim of responsibility. The attack came a day after at least 36 people were killed in over 120 attacks across the country that were intended to impede the parliamentary election. The bloodiest single attack killed … Continue reading World update: October 20-21 2018

SYRIA Both the Syrian Observatory and the White Helmets reported that an explosion in Idlib province killed at least three people on Sunday. Presumably this was a little rebel-on-rebel violence though at this point there aren't any details beyond the death toll. The US has acknowledged conducting airstrikes in and around the town of Sousa … Continue reading Middle East update: October 20-21 2018

ASIA AFGHANISTAN Afghans will vote in their parliamentary election on Saturday under threat of violence from both the Taliban and ISIS. It very much remains to be seen how much the risk of violence will tamp down turnout, but in the lead up to the election nine candidates were assassinated and hundreds of people killed … Continue reading World update: October 19 2018

SYRIA Syrian media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights are both reporting that multiple civilians (the SOHR says at least 46) have been killed in US airstrikes on the town of Sousa over the past two days. Sousa is in the pocket of territory still controlled by ISIS around the town of Hajin, where … Continue reading Middle East update: October 19 2018

EUROPE KOSOVO The Kosovar parliament voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to create a 5000 man standing army (with 3000 reserves) against objections by the country's Serbian minority (whose legislators boycotted the vote), the Serbian government, and NATO, which still has a peacekeeping force there. Kosovo already has a 2500 man security force that this measure would … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: October 18 2018