Jerusalem Post, 4/11 The Iraqi special forces have now entered the first neighborhoods of the city of Mosul. Captured by the Islamic State in the summer of 2014, the city constitutes the jewel in the crown of the Sunni … Continue reading →
Tremor in Yemen
Jerusalem Post, 21/10 Tremor in Yemen The Yemeni civil war, in which an Iran-supported Shia militia, the Ansar Allah movement (the ‘Houthis’) is clashing with a Saud- led coalition supporting the government of President Abd Rabbo Mansur al-Hadi, is largely … Continue reading →
A House Divided
Mosul in early autumn looks peaceful from the Bashiqa ridge. The first positions of the Iraqi Kurdish army, the Peshmerga, are here, 12km from the city. The occasional mortar shell lands somewhere in the vicinity once in a while. Further off, one can sometimes hear the distant thunder of heavier ordnance. But mostly it’s quiet.
Beyond Mosul
A version of this article appears in the current edition of the Jerusalem Report magazine. 25/9 Black smoke was rising from the Qayara oilfelds as the refugees huddled in the shade. They had arrived that morning – from ISIS controlled … Continue reading →
Turkey’s Next Move
Jerusalem Post, 2/9 The Turkish incursion into the north Syrian town of Jarabulus and its environs, which began on August 24, is the latest dramatic re-shuffling of the deck in a long and agonizing conflict. But what is its deeper … Continue reading →
Re-Facebooked
As of 16/8, my Facebook account has been reinstated. The power of positive thinking evidently works wonders. Much thanks to all.