Political and security risk updates from Open Briefing and Bradburys Global Risk Partners. This month: increasing pressure from United States risks China hastening land reclamation projects to cement territorial claims in South China Sea; Hungary’s far-right party on the rise; Syrian rebels make significant gains in government territory but Islamic State poses looming threat; and more.
Tag: Syria
The monthly briefing, March 2015: Philippines military engages militant Islamist groups, Hungary balancing between the East and West, fighting continues for control of key Syrian cities
Monthly briefing on political and security developments around the world. This month: Philippines military engages in large-scale offensives against militant Islamist groups; Hungary balancing between the East and West as prime minister seeks strong political ties with Russia; fighting continues for control of key Syrian cities as Islamic State kidnaps hundreds of Assyrian Christians; and more.
The monthly briefing, December 2014: Civilian rule returns to Burkina Faso, concern over Russia’s territorial expansion, conflict with Islamic State increasingly complex
The first in a new series of monthly political and security risk briefings that have replaced our weekly updates. This month: civilian rule returns to Burkina Faso but armed forces retain considerable power; concern over territorial expansion after Russia signs treaty with Georgian breakaway territory of Abkhazia; conflict with Islamic State in Syria becomes increasingly complex; and more.
Kobane, and the failure of Turkey’s Kurdish policy
Heavily influenced by the memories and legacies of the past, Turkey has not demonstrated the required degree of flexibility and imagination in dealing with the issue of Syria’s Kurds. This article from Open Briefing contributing analyst Arman Baisuanov explores Turkey's complex and differing relationships with Kurds in Iraq, Syria and Turkey and sets out some of the failings of its Kurdish policies in light of events in Kobane.
The weekly briefing, 6 October 2014: Violence escalates in Libya, Hong Kong pro-democracy protests continue, British aid worker beheaded by Islamic State
Political and security risk updates from Open Briefing and Bradburys Global Risk Partners. Violence escalates in Libya as rival ‘governments’ vie for military and political dominance, Hong Kong pro-democracy protests continue despite violence against demonstrators, British aid worker Alan Henning beheaded by Islamic State in Syria, and more.
The weekly briefing, 15 September 2014: EU and US impose additional sanctions on Russia, Syrian army regains control of Halfaya from al-Nusra Front, Nigerian military on high alert as Boko Haram threatens Maiduguri, and more
Political and security risk updates from Open Briefing and Bradburys Global Risk Partners. Nigerian forces on high alert following increase in frequency of Boko Haram operations in Borno State, European Union and United States impose additional sanctions on Russia, Syrian army regains control of Halfaya from al-Nusra Front, and more.
The weekly briefing, 1 September 2014 – Calls for Pakistani prime minister to resign, West warns Russia of heightened sanctions, al-Nusra Front holds Fijian peacekeepers hostage, and more
Political and security risk updates from the Open Briefing intelligence unit and Bradburys Global Risk Partners. Calls for Pakistani prime minister to resign as violent clashes continue, West warns Russia of heightened economic sanctions following incursion of Russian armed forces into eastern Ukraine, al-Nusra Front holds Fijian peacekeepers hostage in Syrian side of Golan Heights, and more.
Intelligence brief: The use of barrel bombs by the Syrian government
Barrel bombs are a type of IED dropped from a helicopter or cargo aircraft. It is estimated that 5-6,000 such bombs have been dropped by the Syrian military since the uprising began, killing at least 20,000 people. This intelligence brief explores the reasons behind the Syrian government's use of these improvised devices and assesses whether targeting helicopter manufacturers or spare-part suppliers might be an effective strategy for international NGOs wishing to put pressure on the Syrian government to end its use of these weapons.
