Media

As Western analysts debate whether Syrian President Bashar Assad is ultimately more preferable than the militant Islamists fighting to take his place, EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya considers Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stance on terrorism, concluding that he is guided by his own agenda rather than principles....

In an article published on La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana, EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo explains that whilst the Islamic world has been somewhat vocal in denouncing the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, it needs to be more critical of such acts....

EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo discusses the findings of a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, which suggests that support for Islamist groups in the Middle East is closely linked with the proximity of the group, and that support tends to dwindle when these groups are encountered first-hand. Valentina calls for us to consider these findings in connection with the growing presence of ISIS in Iraq....

As the militant Islamist group ISIS makes gains in Iraq, EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo writes that, for the first time in Iraq's history, Christians can no longer be found in Mosul. She also discusses the rigid ideology which is behind ISIS' actions....

EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo on the persecution of Christians and non-Sunni minorities in Iraq, which has escalated significantly with the increased presence of the militant group ISIS....

Amid renewed conflict in the Middle East, EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour calls for Palestinians to take a critical stance on Hamas' conduct. He pleads for the adoption of new role models, a culture of constructive self-reflection, and argues that, in order to actually move forward in the region, it is time to distance ourselves from the image of a victimised Palestine -- both in the Middle East, and in the West....

Following the announcement of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi that a new Caliphate called "Islamic State" has been established in Iraq and Syria, EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo discusses conflicting perceptions of the notion of Caliphate in the Muslim world. Valentina examines the historic role of the Caliphate, and discusses its power to inspire Islamic fundamentalists....

Following the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights to uphold a ban on the full-face veil in France, EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo writes that this decision is in-keeping with what many Muslim theologians think about the burka and the niqab: that they are not Islamic....

EFD Researcher Giovanni Giacalone writes that, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, instability in Bosnia provided fertile ground for the spread of Wahhabism from Saudi Arabia....

Although many jihadists left Europe during the Arab Spring, networks of jihadists are still present in Italy. In an article published in Le Formiche, EFD Senior Policy Advisor Lorenzo Vidino gives an overview of the “identity-kit” of Italian jihadists....

Following news of ISIS advancing in Iraq, EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya observes that U.S. policymakers should be concerned about Russia’s growing influence in the region, which is motivated by decreasing U.S. and Western interest....

In this article published on La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana, EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo explains that in Iraq, the conflict cannot be reduced to a Sunni - Shia conflict. This is because, Valentina explains, the Baath party in Iraq is still a force to be reckoned with....

EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya draws attention to Crimean economic difficulties that followed 2014 Russian annexation....

The arrest of Mehdi Nemmouche, the perpetrator of the shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels, leads EFD’s Valentina Colombo to consider the links between this anti-Semitic attack and European Jihadism in Syria....

Despite civil war, presidential elections were held in Syria on 3 June 2014. EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya discusses such elections and the international community’s reactions to President Bashar al-Assad’s victory....

Following her trip to Japan, EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya presents Tokyo’s concerns about US commitment to assisting Japan in protecting territories from both domestic and external threats....