Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon: Why a month is a long time in the Middle East Massive political shifts and out-of-the-blue developments have made this month a remarkable one even by the normally volatile standards of the Middle East. The aftershocks of the Kurdish independence referendum in Iraq continued, as a strengthened central Iraqi government in Baghdad relentlessly pushed forward, […]
A controversial referendum for Kurdish independence in Northern Iraq dominated the region’s headlines and triggered the rapid deployment of Iraqi forces to Kirkuk. As expected, on 25 September Kurds in Northern Iraq held a referendum for independence from Iraq. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Kurds have enjoyed a de-facto regional governance and since then have aspired to create an […]
An Arabic-language weekly Pan-Arab current affairs program, broadcasted live via satellite from Cairo throughout the MENA region, since 2013. It aims to give voice to members of Arab society that are not often given such voice, and to create a forum for open and free discussion on issues of importance to democratic transition, in the form of a weekly, live […]
As the military war against so-called Islamic State enters a new phase, on the Church front, Christian leaders made bridge-building visits to the region’s beleaguered church communities. The Syrian civil war entered a new phase this week, with the decision of President Trump to arm the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) with heavy weapons in preparations for the campaign to […]
This Easter, as we remembered the death and resurrection of our Saviour, world events continued to present us with the sharp contrasts of suffering and hope – the darkness of the present moment and the promise that all things will be made new in Christ. It’s a message that is more important than ever for the people of the Middle […]
The Middle East has entered yet another uncertain phase. New US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy is difficult to forecast, but his executive order (27 January) suspending refugee admissions and temporarily barring visits from seven Muslim-majority countries made ripples in the region. Christians in the Middle East were in the uncomfortable position of seeing people from their region barred from […]
Another year began, with signs that 2017 too is set to be fraught with challenges for the people of the Middle East, Christian and Muslim alike. An attack at a famous night club in Istanbul by so-called Islamic State (IS) killed 39 people celebrating the New Year. The following day multiple bombs in Baghdad killed dozens more. So what lies […]
In a year of intense conflict, the region’s balance of power and national borders have come under acute pressure from insurgencies, fighting forces with competing aims, and the involvement of major powers. The turmoil in Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iraq has been violent and extreme. Together, these conflicts have driven more than 15 million people from their homes – more […]
Even as the tide began to turn against so-called Islamic State, rival ambitions and visions made for fraught international relations in the region. News from the region In Syria last month so-called Islamic State (IS) came under intense pressure from all directions – from the US-led coalition, Kurdish forces, Syrian government troops and allies, the Iraqi army and shelling from […]
While always turbulent, the Middle East this month experienced a series of curious and, in some cases, appalling incidents. News from the region In Syria, in a strike, apparently by Syrian or Russian jets, on a camp for internally displaced Syrians killed over 30 civilians and prompted international condemnation. IS rockets also destroyed much of a 7,000-capacity refugee camp on […]
