During my service in the Iraqi armed forces, the country witnessed flurries of successes and failures. Despite all this, I never felt that the fate of the country was under threat. Despite the complex circumstances that followed the fall of Mosul into the hands of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
No country has suffered from terrorism as much as Saudi Arabia: From the initial sparks of this phenomenon during the 1990s and the hectic attacks in the early 2000s to Riyadh finally being able to encircle and force these terrorists to leave the country a few years ago. Based on Saudi Arabia’s abil
Cairo/Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz issued two statements decrying the international community’s silence towards the conflicts raging in the Middle East, particularly Israel’s offensive in Gaza on Friday. The Saudi monarch’s statements—one addressing the internat
Dubai, Reuters—Dubai’s Emirates said it had suspended flights to Guinea over Ebola, becoming the first major international airline to impose a ban in response to the outbreak of the deadly virus in West Africa. Flights would be suspended from Saturday until further notice, the airline said in
Kunshan, Reuters—An explosion killed at least 65 people and injured more than 120 at a factory in China that makes wheels for US carmakers, including General Motors, state media said, as the country suffered its worst industrial accident in a year. Chinese media cited the government as saying
Gaza/Jerusalem, Reuters—Hamas claimed responsibility on Saturday for a deadly Gaza Strip ambush in which an Israeli army officer may have been captured, but said the incident likely preceded and therefore had not violated a US- and UN-sponsored truce. The statement by Hamas’s armed wing,
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—“Arabs are savage tribes, but Britain is the land of democracy,” shouts Salim Abdul Hussein—or Carlos Fuentes—as he struggles in his broken English to convince the UK Border Agency officer of the validity of his asylum claim. Based on a short story by the award-wi
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Following HSBC’s controversial decision to unilaterally close bank accounts belonging to a number of Muslim organizations based in the UK, those organizations have hit back, branding the move “shocking” and “Islamaphobic.” Last week, HSBC sent out a number of near-identical l
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—“Benghazi has not and will not fall into the hands of the extremists,” Libyan National Army spokesman Col. Mohamed Al-Hejazi said after Libyan Islamist militant group Ansar Al-Sharia announced an “Islamic emirate” in the eastern city. In exclusive comments to Asharq Al-Awsat,
Musaid, Libya, Asharq Al-Awsat—As conditions in Libya worsen, the conflicts that have destabilized the country have turned into a standoff between the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood, elements associated with Al-Qaeda, and the renegade army officer Gen. Khalifa Haftar. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi
[blockquote] Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi King Abdullah on Friday criticized international inaction regarding the situation in Gaza, labeling Israeli’s military offensive a “war crime against humanity.” A statement read out on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin
Freetown, Reuters—Sierra Leone has declared a state of emergency and called in troops to quarantine Ebola victims, joining neighboring Liberia in imposing controls as the death toll from the outbreak of the virus hit 729 in West Africa. The World Health Organization said it would launch a 100-millio
Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—Yemen’s military was placed on high alert this week after the government took the decision to end a controversial fuel subsidy program, sparking scattered protests across the country. Hundreds took to the streets of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, on Wednesday to protest against
Paris, AP—The Council of Europe is taking new steps to combat violence against women under a newly ratified convention that comes into force Friday. Fourteen European states are committing themselves to better fight violence against women following the signature of the so-called “Istanbul Conv
Gaza/Jerusalem, Reuters—A Gaza ceasefire crumbled only hours after it began on Friday, with at least 40 Palestinians killed by Israeli shelling and Israel accusing militants of violating the US- and UN-brokered truce by firing rockets and mortars. The 72-hour break announced by US Secretary of
Singapore, Reuters—Part of a Kurdish oil cargo has been offloaded from a Greek-managed tanker into another tanker in the South China Sea, but mystery surrounds the identity of the buyer and where the two tankers are headed. The United Emblem, which is carrying more than 1 million barrels of oil, is
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egypt’s Salafist Al-Nour Party does not intend to join any political alliance ahead of parliamentary elections set to be held later this year, party leader Younes Makhioun told Asharq Al-Awsat. “The Nour Party is among the most powerful parties currently present on the E
Iraqis certainly know how to surprise themselves, and everyone else. Just when many pundits claimed that the democratic experience had failed, Iraqis set the constitutional process in motion to form a new government. Last week they elected the speaker of their new parliament, and then they chose the
Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—A heavily armed Iranian military force landed at Sulaymaniyah International Airport this week, deploying to Kirkuk to defend Shi’a shrines from radical Sunni militants, an Iraqi Kurdish security source told Asharq Al-Awsat. A senior Kurdish security official, speaking to Ashar
Tripoli, Reuters—Heavy shelling resumed on Thursday in southern Tripoli, where rival militia brigades were battling for control of the capital’s main airport in some of the worst clashes since the 2011 revolt which ousted Muammar Gaddafi. Around 200 people have been killed since the clashes er
