Orientul Mijlociu

Ahluddin Navqotiy

Active

Terror organization: Uzbek Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ)

Status: Imam

Role: He is the highest religious authority in KTJ.

Location: Syria/ Turkey.

Abu Muhammad al Turkistani

Terror organization: Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria

Status: Leader

Role: He has more than a decade of experience fighting in Afghanistan. Came few years ago to Syria to assist HTS. On 31 st of December,2024, he received from al-Julani the rank of “Colonel” in the new formation of the regime in Syria (post Assad regime). This honor has been granted only to the leaders of the factions allied with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and agreed by Turkey.

Location: Syria.

Ilmurad Khikmatov

Active

Terror organization: Uzbek Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ)

Status: Leader

Role: KTJ’s current leader and also one of al-Qaeda’s devoted followers. In April 2019, Abdul Aziz, an ethnic Uzbek of the Fergana Valley and former deputy emir of the al- Qaeda-linked Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) in Afghanistan, was elected the new leader of KTJ. According to a UN Security Council report dated 3 February 2022, “KTJ’s capability is undermined by conflict between the current group leader Abdul Aziz and the former group emir Abu Saloh.” But this is a superficial assessment of the situation taking place among the Uzbek jihadists in Syria.

The Ancient Precursor To IMEC – Analysis

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), first announced by Prime Minister Modi on 9 September 2023 on the sidelines of India’s G20, will accelerate under the new Trump Presidency and the likely resolution of the Israel-Hamas war, a prelude to which is the latest 45-day ceasefire between the warring parties.

Qatar’s ‘Day After’ Plan for Gaza: Keeping Hamas in Power

Qatar wants the Palestinian Authority (PA) government to collect the garbage, rebuild destroyed houses, and pay salaries to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, while Hamas is busy rearming, regrouping and getting ready for the next attack on Israel.

[T]he PA government in Ramallah, the de facto capital of the Palestinians in the West Bank, decided to suspend the broadcasts of the Qatar-owned Al-Jazeera television for supporting and promoting Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups. Israel and some Arab states had also shut down the broadcasts for the same reason.

Syrian spy agency targeted ICIJ’s Syrian media partner, documents show

Assad regime collected intel on SIRAJ journalists after its reporting on Syria’s use of Western-made trucks triggered more sanctions.

Syria’s feared intelligence services launched an investigation into ICIJ’s Syrian media partner, Syrian Investigative Reporting for Accountability Journalism, after it reported on Damascus’ business links with Europe, internal documents reveal.

Trump wants Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians from Gaza. Here’s why the idea is rejected

President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinians from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip was met with a hard “no” Sunday from the two U.S. allies along with the Palestinians themselves, who fear Israel would never allow them to return.

Trump floated the idea on Saturday, saying he would urge the leaders of the two Arab countries to take in Gaza’s now largely homeless population, so that “we just clean out that whole thing.” He added that resettling most of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million could be temporary or long term.

Spotlight on Iran (January 15 – 22, 2025)

  • Iran presented the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas as an Israeli defeat and a victory for Hamas and the “Palestinian resistance.” According to senior Iranian officials, Israel was forced to agree to the ceasefire after failing to realize its goals in the war even after 15 months. The Houthis and the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq also congratulated Hamas on the “victory.” The Iranian foreign minister spoke with senior Hamas and PIJ figures and congratulated them on the “victory of the resistance.” He stressed Iran’s continued support for the “resistance.”
  • The Houthis claimed responsibility for six attacks against Israel using ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles. The IDF Spokesperson reported the interception of two ballistic missiles. Senior Houthi officials announced a halt to direct attacks against Israel due to the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip but threatened to resume operations in the event of Israeli “violations.” However, they declared that attacks in the Red Sea against vessels connected to Israel would continue.
  • The pro-Iranian militias in Iraq announced the suspension of their military operations against Israel due to the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. In practice, they stopped the attacks as early as November 24, 2024.
  • The Syrian authorities have instructed foreign airlines flying to the country not to allow the entry of Iranian citizens.
  • The Syrian security and intelligence services announced the seizure of weapons on the Syrian-Lebanese border, including Iranian-made drones. Experience indicates that Iran continues to make efforts to transfer weapons to Lebanon even after the collapse of the Assad regime.
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“When I learned that Assad and Russian troops had left, I immediately understood that the Turks would begin an operation.” How the Kurds are preparing for a war for survival

While Syria celebrates the fall of the Assad regime, the mood in the north of the country is very different: taking advantage of the chaos, Turkey and its proxy, the Syrian National Army, have launched an offensive against the Kurds. In a matter of days, the autonomous region lost two major cities: Til Rifaat and Manbij. For the past decade, the Kurds have effectively existed in Syria as a quasi-independent state. The new Syrian authorities from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have been actively discussing the need to disarm the Kurdish forces at meetings with Turkish officials. Turkey has long been trying to put an end to the Kurdish separatist movement. The Kurds are being helped by the United States, which needs them as effective allies in the fight against ISIS, but so far it does not seem that the Americans are ready to stand up for the Kurds in the confrontation with Turkey. The Insider correspondent, who lives in Syria, spoke with the Kurds about why they believe that their old enemies have now come to power in the country.