Facts, News, Trends, Analysis
Lebanon and Syria agreed today to enhance border patrol and counter-terrorism mesures between the two nations. This is the next step to strengthen diplomatic ties. Cross-border smuggling has been a concern of the Syrians and has been the reasoning behind the movement of 10,000 troops to the border between Lebanon and Syria. This counter-terror effort [...]
The New YorkTimes has revealed that the recent U.S. anti-terrorism strikes in Syria and Pakistan were not part of targeted border-crossings authorized on a case-by-case basis, but rather as part of a secret order giving the C.I.A. and Special Operations Forces the power to go into any country where al-Qaeda is located. The order was [...]
On November 8, a Yemeni delegation traveled to London to participate in the World Tourism Fair, which will take place November 10-13, 2008.
Yemen’s Tourism Minister Nabil al-Faqi stated the necessity of Yemen’s participation, particularly in the face of tourism rates significantly declining since the attacks on the US Embassy in Sana’a. Al-Faqi explained Yemen’s hope [...]
A United States military jury in Guantanamo has sentenced a Yemeni man, Ali Hamza al-Bahlul, to life in prison for war crimes and for making a propaganda video for al-Qaeda. He has been convicted of multiple charges, including conspiracy, solicitation to commit murder and providing material to terrorist organizations. There are a total of 35 [...]
Syrian state television has aired a number of televised confessions from alleged members of Fatah al-Islam, a group that Lebanon has accused Syria of supporting violence against them. Fatah al-Islam has links to al-Qaeda. The confessions were regarding a car bombing in September that killed 17 people in Damascus.
These confessions have aroused suspicion for a [...]
The Iraqi government’s pact with the United States is proving problematic for their relationship with Syria. Because of the United States’ alleged attack in Syrian airspace, the Syrian government has viewed Iraq’s role as that of a staging ground for ‘aggression against Syria.’ Though Iraq has ‘rejected’ the raid, Iraq’s complex relationship with the United [...]
Witnesses in Lebanon are already confirming a troop build-up on the border with Syria, in a move that the two countries say they hope will reduce illegal border-crossing. At the same time, initial reports seem to confirm that Syria is removing some of the additional troops it had put on the border with Iraq towards [...]
The alleged (but as yet unconfirmed) U.S. invasion of Syrian airspace is causing security concerns around the United States embassy in Syria. Because of this, the U.S. has announced that it will temporarily be closing the embassy.
The situation between the two countries has been getting worse, as Syria has shut down U.S.-run schools and other [...]
Recent terrorist threats to the UN office and other international organizations operating in Yemen have forced the country to take steps toward increased security and protection. Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, Foreign Minister of Yemen, stated that Yemeni security teams are equipped to encounter and deal with any terrorist acts and are thereby working in coordination with [...]
New information and evidence gives more weight to the claim that Iran is providing assistance to terrorists battling US forces in Iraq. A study put together by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point details newly declassified materials that provide ample evidence of training facilities set up by Iran to train Shiite militias and members [...]