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 […]
Under pressure in Syria and Iraq, so-called Islamic State increased attacks abroad while churches in Turkey were on high alert after nationwide terror warnings. News from the region Syria Syrian citizens in many areas enjoyed some respite from violence after a ceasefire between government and non-jihadist groups began (27 February) and was mostly observed. A significant development in the ongoing […]
As European Union leaders meet again with Turkey in their struggle for a humanitarian and comprehensive policy to stem the incoming flow of migrants, there are a number of moral issues that need to be better understood and addressed, says SAT-7 International Executive Director Terence Ascott. Europe seems to have settled on a simplistic division of those coming to its […]
While a partial ceasefire in Syria has been the main story in the region, moves to recognise the extremist targeting of Christians and other religious minorities as genocide could lead to greater protection and easier asylum for those fleeing jihadists. News from the region A partial ceasefire in Syria, brokered by Russia and the US, finally came into force at […]