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ISIS is preparing to free its loyal fighters and followers from prisons and displacement camps across Syria and Iraq following ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's September 16, 2019 statement encouraging a breakout. In one camp in Northern Syria, ISIS has been fundraising via encrypted social media channels for several months.
In a new "Russia in Review" update, Darina Regio argues that the West should recognize that treating the recent elections in Russia as a true expression of the popular will of the Russian population simply reinforces a false narrative designed to mask Vladimir Putin's dictatorship.
Overwatch is ISW's podcast series. Launched in September 2019, the series examines the national security challenges that lie ahead for the US through interviews with ISW's experts and featured guests. Listen to the episodes on your favorite podcast service!
Al Qaeda has reinvigorated its effort to unite anti-Assad groups into a single military force in northwest Syria after Russia enabled the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad to break a months-long stalemate in northwest Syria.
Russia has been building its campaign to expand its influence across the African continent ahead of the inaugural Africa-Russia Summit in October 2019. The campaign provides insight into the Kremlin’s potential points of vulnerability and the risk of blowback from failed influence operations.
Conditions in Afghanistan are worse today than they were when the Soviets withdrew, even if the insurgency is weaker. No actors share a compelling vision for the future of Afghanistan. No faction is strong enough to exert full control over the country. As the U.S. and NATO prepare for a drawdown, they must be clear-eyed about the likely outcome.
The latest SITREP covers insurgent attacks in Southern Syria, demonstrations of support for ISIS in the al Hawl IDP camp, and Turkish-backed forces' targeting of Russia's airbase on the Syrian coast.
The Turkish Armed Forces began deploying large numbers of troops and armored vehicles along the Syrian-Turkish Border in early July. The threat of a further Turkish intervention into Northern Syria is part of an effort to extract concessions from the U.S. and NATO.
With an eye on a major summit this fall, Russia continues to develop closer military, economic, and political ties with African states as part of its campaign to mitigate sanctions and compete with the West.
The latest SITREP covers pro-Assad regime activity in Northern Hama Province, the Syrian Democratic Forces restructuring military councils, and Saudi Arabia's support for stabilization efforts in Eastern Syria.