Turkey signals new rules of engagement to Syrian Kurds, Damascus

Turkish strikes on Syrian government troops and overt Kurdish attacks on targets inside Turkey signal that both sides are changing the rules of the game as Ankara eyes normalization with Damascus.

Turkey

EU's Borrell says Iran's response to nuclear text 'reasonable'

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said he hoped the American response would "put an end to the negotiations."

Iran

Iran’s president denies making concessions in nuclear talks

As the world waits to hear the results of the nuclear talks, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has denied that his country made any major concessions.

Iran

Palestinians working in Israel strike to protest salary payments in banks

Palestinian construction workers are suspicious about a new mechanism agreed upon by Israeli and Palestinian Authority administrations, for salaries to be paid directly into Palestinian bank accounts and not in cash.

Israel

Shin Bet chief talks security in Egypt

Egypt was hoping that after mediating between Israel and Islamic Jihad, the Israel Defense Forces would tone down its operations in the West Bank — but this did not happen.

Israel

Egypt army makes gains against Islamic State in western Sinai

Egyptian Army troops and tribal fighters are working to liberate the northwestern Sinai village of Gilbana from IS control as the terrorist group tries to move its command center there.

Egypt

Tunisian police unions clash with president's plan to unify security forces

Human rights organizations in Tunisia are increasingly concerned about the police unions’ encroachment on politics.

North Africa

Oil smuggling in Syria worsens pollution in Euphrates River

The residents living near the Euphrates River in northeast Syria are suffering the consequences of water pollution mainly caused by oil spills resulting from smuggling operations between the areas held by the Kurdish forces and the Syrian government.

Syria

Syrian jihadist group in Idlib purges hard-liners

A prominent Egyptian resigned from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s Shura Council as the group sidelines hard-line members.

Syria

Islamic Jihad denies rift with Hamas

Hamas' lack of participation in the last round of fighting has further cracked the shaky relationship between it and Islamic Jihad, although the two movements deny being on bad terms.

Palestine

Deadly church fire prompts wide-scale safety inspections in Egypt

After a blaze in a Giza church killed dozens, the Egyptian government says it will systematically review the safety conditions of churches across the country.

Egypt

Analysis

Turkey’s economic crisis coincides with new diplomatic initiatives

Finding solutions: Turkey and the UN are pursuing diplomacy to end Ukraine war while Ankara is considering rapprochement with Syria and mending ties with Israel.

By Week in Review