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MECRA RESEARCH BLOG
The MECRA research blog is composed of short articles and may include outside contributions. The views expressed in these blogs and articles are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis editorial stance.
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Idlib after the agreement
An interview Mohammed Ruzgar, a Syrian who has been following the conflict since its beginning. What do you make of the current...
MECRA
Sep 20, 20185 min read
Interview: Elections, Baghdad and hope for the future in the Kurdistan region in Iraq
An interview with Zkri Musa, media advisor President Masoud Barzani September 17, 2018 Interview by Seth J. Frantzman Can you tell us...
MECRA
Sep 20, 20187 min read
Iraq elects a new, young, speaker of parliament
Mohammed Al-Halbusi was elected the speaker of Iraq's Parliament on Saturday. The election comes months after the May elections and after...
MECRA
Sep 15, 20182 min read
White House: US will hold Iran responsible for attacks by proxies
The White House released a statement on September 11 saying that "The United States will hold the regime in Tehran accountable for any...
MECRA
Sep 11, 20183 min read
Showcasing the Fateh 110's abilities: IRGC's attack on Kurdish groups in Koya
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran carried out a missile attack on Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq's Koya on...
MECRA
Sep 10, 20184 min read
Report: Iranian regime strikes at Kurdish groups in Koya, Iraq
On September 8 Kurdish groups in and around the city of Koya in northern Iraq were struck by a bombardment. Locals said that missiles and...
MECRA
Sep 8, 20185 min read
A new administration in northeast Syria?
By SIRWAN KAJJO The Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) this week announced a new administration for areas in north and...
MECRA
Sep 8, 20183 min read
Can Turkey stop a humanitarian disaster in Idlib?
By YUSUF ERIM This oped originally appear at The Jerusalem Post Weeks of speculation regarding a Russia backed regime offensive into...
MECRA
Sep 7, 20184 min read
Coptic Christians keep their faith in face of trauma
By Laura Kelly This article originally appeared in the August 31 edition of The Washington Times. Fayza Estephanos knows exactly how long...
MECRA
Sep 5, 20185 min read
Abadi vs. Amiri vs. the US vs. the PMU: Baghdad politics on a volcano
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Iraq’s parliament was thrown into uncertainty on Tuesday after dozens of parties failed to create a coalition...
MECRA
Sep 4, 20185 min read
With the Kurdish PDKI on the border with Iran: Exclusive new photos from Zach Huff
Zach Huff, a field researcher with MECRA, recently travelled to the border areas of northern Iraq and Iran with the Democratic Party of...
MECRA
Sep 1, 20182 min read
How Iran's Defense Minister in Damascus sent a message to Washington
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Three days after US National Security Advisor John Bolton met his Russian counterpart in Geneva, the Iranian Defense...
MECRA
Aug 26, 20185 min read
'Islamic State' in south Syria: An inside look at at its internal security apparatus
Translator’s introduction (Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi) Readers familiar with my work will know that I closely tracked the Islamic State...
MECRA
Aug 20, 201812 min read
The forgotten war, from Aden to Sana'a: An interview from the Yemen war with Gabriel Chaim
Yemen’s forgotten war: An interview with Gabriel Chaim By Seth J. Frantzman Photojournalist Gabriel Chaim travelled to Yemen in the...
MECRA
Aug 17, 20188 min read
Hubs of peace: UN-Habitat, and a unique look at urbanization's impact on Afghanistan
An interview with Koussay Boulaich about why urbanization matters so much in Afghanistan today By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Koussay Boulaich...
MECRA
Aug 17, 201813 min read
Oil politics: How Syrian Kurds use oil for political leverage
By SIRWAN KAJJO RIMELAN, SYRIA - “Where does all our oil go to?” my Kurdish driver asked as we drove past more than a dozen hefty trucks...
MECRA
Aug 14, 20183 min read
Mapping Kurdish groups in Iran clashes with IRGC
Kurdish groups in Iran have been increasing their activities over the summer months of 2018. An uptick in clashes, particularly with the...
MECRA
Aug 12, 20182 min read
Conflicting statements of Hashd al-Shaabi (PMU) reorganization in Nineveh
On Sunday August 12 a letter from the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) circulated online leading to rumors and conflicting...
MECRA
Aug 12, 20184 min read
Over 3,100 Yazidi women and children still missing four years after genocide by ISIS in Iraq
By LAURA KELLY Over 3,000 Yazidi's are still missing after being kidnapped by ISIS in 2014, sold into slavery and sexually abused, the...
MECRA
Aug 7, 20185 min read
The Iraqi Army and Kurdish Peshmerga are not coordinating operations against Islamic State
By PAUL IDDON On Monday July 16 the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Kurdish Peshmerga conducted an operation in the Makhmour region...
MECRA
Aug 5, 20184 min read
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