Global Outlook

  Israel has firmly declared that it will not withdraw its forces from the Gaza-Egypt border , a crucial condition outlined in the second phase of a truce with Hamas. Despite participating in ongoing ceasefire negotiations, an Israeli source made it clear: “We will not exit the Philadelphi Corridor.” This corridor, a 14-kilometer (8-mile) strip along the border, remains a point of contention as Israel insists it will not allow Hamas fighters to regain access to weapons through smuggling. This announcement sets a tense backdrop just days before the first phase of the Israel-Hamas hostage-ceasefire agreement is set to expire. Hamas quickly responded, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement. In a statement, Hamas asserted that Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the border was “a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement, and an attempt to fabricate excuses to obstruct the ceasefire agreement and cause it to fail.” The second phase of the ceasefire was intended to involve ...

  In a significant shift, the European Union has announced the easing of sanctions on Syria’s energy, transport, and banking sectors. This decision, approved during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, aims to support Syria’s reconstruction efforts following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The sanctions were originally imposed to target al-Assad’s regime during the devastating civil war that erupted in 2011. However, with new leadership in Damascus, the EU now seeks to facilitate engagement with Syria's people and businesses, hoping to boost key economic areas and pave the way for much-needed humanitarian aid and rebuilding initiatives. Syria’s new leaders have been pressing the West to lift the sanctions, which have long crippled the nation’s economy. While the EU has been cautious, reluctant to act without clear signals of an inclusive transition from Damascus, this move suggests a tentative shift in stance. The recent decision includes suspending sanctions on energy and t...

  The Sudanese political environment became complicated because military forces united with Islamic movements through the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood. The political alliance between these entities has created substantial changes within national governance and social systems of the country. The Sudanese Army and the Islamic Movement The Sudanese army preserves significant bonds with Islamic organizations with special focus on the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood. Through their relationship the Islamist ideologies found their way into military structures which impacts strategic choices as well as command decisions. Military reports show that ex-intelligence staff linked to Islamism now serve within the army to strengthen this relationship further. The Influence in Al Jazirah State The activities of Sudan's Islamic movements have found their main base within Al Jazirah State. Numerous training camps in the region exist because of the Popular Resistance Forces (PRF) an allied civilian milit...

  The current emergence of Islamist groups in Syria most especially Hayat Tahir al-Sham has raised damaging discourses concerning their goals as well as the future of Syria. One of them is their operational topping in the seizing of state institutions, which if achieved, will really alter the socio-political landscape of the Syria in a big way. New policies as the reform of the education system show how HTS tries to exercise control over institutions. The changes in curriculum proposed are eradicating all references to Assad’s regime, changing the religious material, and erasing concepts like evolution. Opponents state that these changes insert an Islamists’ attributes, which might completely eliminate Syrian secular learning legacy and make the divides in society wider. The Islamists continue with the appointment of people with extremists linkages to other strategic governmental positions, the above strategies confirm. For example, the appointment of Shadi al-Waisi, who used to be...

  The Sudanese conflict persists due to extensive international backing of Sudanese Armed Forces Commander General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Outside backing of this type has extended the military conflict while allowing the troops to conduct serious abuses against the local people. The SAF receives its key support from Egypt which has become its leading international partner. Since Egypt and Sudan border each other they have maintained long-standing military relationships throughout history. Following the start of the conflict Egypt has hosted Burhan and his representatives while simultaneously conducting Sudanese neighborhood talks parallel to mediation led by the U.S. Saudi Arabia together with IGAD. In response to this conflict Egypt supports both ceasefire implementation along with ruling the dispute within Sudan's national boundaries. The SAF receives support from Iran according to evidence presented by various sources. Military investigators show the Sudanese army secured vital...

  After the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad the politics of Syria has shifted drastically. Leading this charge is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [formerly known as Al-Nusra front], an organisation that was originally affiliated with al-Qaeda seeking to implement its form shariah over the battered Syrian state. The current leader of HTS which is Ahmed al-Sharaa, alias Abu Mohammed al-Golani has stated publicly that he has laid down his plans of forming a government that will respect the ethnic and religious composition in Syria. However, because the group has links with jihadist ideology, the public has questioned the true mission of the group. An important characteristic of HTS’s operations is gradual seizure of state structures. They want to make sure they have loyalists in positions where they can make official decisions to make formalists accept them as the rightful rulers of Syria. This is reminiscent of strategies and policies used by Assad regime by appointment of loyalists to impo...

  Slowly, but steadily, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani transformed from a militant commander to the political leader of Idlib – at least during the first months into his administration. Yet the day to day realities of governance shed so much light on the leadership problems and more particularly the author’s weaknesses in managing the region. It remains to say that in an attempt to influence the population and introduce HTS and its leader Hayat as the rightful rulers of Syria, successes have been outnumbered by failures. Perhaps one of the most noticeable deficits that have characterised the phenomenon of crisis mapping is the poor governance structures. The creation of SSG was supposed to initiate a process of order and stability. However, it is stated that the SSG acts with undemocratic authority and the ministers, chosen by a consultative council which is controlled by HTS. This of course has caused a lot of dissatisfaction among people of Idlib province to lack proper representation. E...

  A Nation in Crisis Syrian civil war has crowned the country into great humanitarian issues. The crisis has claimed more than 250 thousand lives and forced over 11 million people either within the country or outside. This has made millions of people in the country to lack the most basic needs that hail from the destroyed infrastructure of the country by the war. Economic Devastation As evidenced by the data above the war has almost paralyzed the Syrian economy. More than ninety percent of Syrian pound has been devalued leaving the country in hands of hyper inflation and high poverty level. Housing and food have become expensive, for many people, and the level of unemployment has hugely increased. Healthcare System Collapse All these years the permanent infrastructure has been reported severely affected with many hospitals either being completely damaged or used by the fighting forces. Essential medicine is lacking and there is a shortage of health care human resource. Neglect of m...

  The recent modifications made to the Syrian curriculum in the past three years raised a lot of high stakes and concerns among the schools’ stakeholders and the global society. The current HTS which now runs the providence has made several changes that many regard as other extreme policies being rolled in to change the youth. These reforms of textbooks to the first primary to the third secondary grades have given a different view on the future of Syrian education and their corresponding consequence on the society. It is pertinent to note that the last regimes song and dance, including but not limited to, the anthem have been wiped clean of existence. Such kind of detachment of education from the Assad era may look like a desire to remain neutral, however, the content substitution points to the contrary. The old concept of ‘defending the homeland ’Has thus been replaced by the new concept of ‘for the sake of God’ indicating a shift from nationalist, to religious motivation. This al...

   A shocking video made on December 25, 2024, showed an armed incursion into the Shiite Alawite shrine of Abu Abdullah Al-Hussein Al-Khasibi in Maisaloon district of Aleppo city. Speaking of the unfortunate attack, it, led to the gruesome shooting dead of five shrine attendants, their bodies mutilated and the shrine burnt. This event has raised concerns in the minds of the Syrian minority especially the ALawaite community due to they view the event as antithetical to the protection of their lives and the free practice of their religion. The last President, Bashar al-Assad, belonged to such a sect as Alawite, which traditionally was in the shade, persecuted in Syria. Hathern one of their holiest place of worship has been violated in the recent past, sectarian tensions, and anger has risen, and the feeling of insecurity among the population is palpable. In return, wide civil protests started in several Syrian provinces including Latakia, Tartus, Homs describing the act as a bar...