Publications

Russian Military Activity in Syria: March 15 – April 18, 2016

April 20, 2016 - Genevieve Casagrande
Russia remains a decisive actor in Syria despite announcing its limited drawdown on March 14. It has since reshaped the nature of its deployment and military operations in ways that continue to bolster the Assad regime’s position on the ground as well as at the negotiating table, while allowing Russia to maintain its strategic military foothold along the Eastern Mediterranean. Russian military contributions continue to shape the battlefield momentum of pro-regime operations through the deployment of alternative assets to theater such as advanced rotary wing attack aircraft.

Power-plays in Iraq's Political Crisis: Constitutional Provisions

April 15, 2016 - Patrick Martin

Iraq's political crisis is cresting to a point where the collapse of the government is a distinct possibility. Thi document examines and excerpts the relevant sections of the Iraqi Constitution related to the powers to dismiss and/or dissolve the various bodies and positions in the Iraqi government.

Iraq's Political Crisis: An Interactive Timeline

April 15, 2016 - Harleen Gambhir

ISW's timeline presents the major meetings and events leading to Iraq's current political crisis. Spanning 7 weeks, this timeline details nearly 70 individual meetings related to the political crisis precipitated by Prime Minister Abadi’s announcement of an impending Cabinet shuffle. The meetings demonstrate the level of negotiations between international and regional actors and Iraq’s major political blocs to find a solution to Iraq’s ongoing political crisis.

Syria Situation Report: April 9-15, 2016

April 15, 2016 - Chris Kozak

Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi announced that Russia and Syria are preparing a joint operation to seize Aleppo City on April 10. This map marks the return of ISW's Syria SITREP in partnership with Syria Direct.

Iraq Government Collapse Likely as a Rump Parliament Calls for Resignations

April 15, 2016 - Patrick Martin

The rump Council of Representatives (CoR) barricaded itself in the Parliament building after an overnight sit in on April 13 to 14. The parliamentary remnant illegally convened a session, voted amongst itself to dismiss CoR Speaker Salim al-Juburi, and elected a new provisional speaker.

Afghanistan Partial Threat Assessment: April 12, 2016

April 12, 2016 - Harleen Gambhir

The ANSF is unprepared to counter the Taliban militants’ summer campaign. Northern warlords will take advantage of Taliban militants’ gains to establish themselves as security providers and gain leverage against the fragile National Unity Government.

ISW last published its Afghanistan Partial Threat Assessment on February 23, 2016. 

Iraq Situation Report: April 5 - 11, 2016

April 11, 2016 - Patrick Martin

Political blocs continue to jockey for influence over the final composition of the Council of Ministers (CoM) amid increased threats to Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s position.

Aleppo Warning Update: April 7, 2016

April 7, 2016 - Chris Kozak

Aleppo Province stands to become the focal point of a new round of violence in the Syrian Civil War even as the Geneva III Talks to end the conflict are scheduled to resume on April 13. Continued violations of an ongoing ‘cessation of hostilities’ by both pro-regime and opposition factions have fueled the largest outbreak of violence in northern Syria since the agreement went into effect on February 27, threatening to drive a wider breakdown of the tenuous ceasefire.

Iraq Situation Report: March 29 - April 4, 2016

April 4, 2016 - Patrick Martin

ISIS conducted a wave of explosive attacks across Iraq aimed at disrupting the forward operations of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF). Coalition-trained elements of the ISF, supported by local forces, converged on Hit District in western Anbar and the village of al-Nasr, west of Makhmur, conducting operations aimed at recapturing areas on key ground lines of communication.

ISIS's Regional Campaign: March 2016

April 1, 2016 - Harleen Gambhir

ISIS continued to pursue ongoing campaigns both regionally and further abroad throughout March. The group carried out a spectacular, sophisticated terror attack in Brussels on March 22. The attack, which was unprecedented in Belgium, is part of ISIS’s  ongoing campaign to attack and polarize the West, sowing disorder to make way for future expansion to a global Caliphate.

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