Tag: Syria

Fragile Borders and Where to Draw Them: How British Mapmakers Immortalised Conflict in the Middle East

Across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa, the borders that define modern states and the conflicts that dictate modern headlines trace back to decisions made by British officials who were, at best, in a hurry, and at worst, deliberately designing systems of division that would ensure no territory could ever mount a unified resistance. To understand why so many of the world’s most catastrophic conflicts feel permanent, we must follow the ink lines back to the men who drew them.
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Protector or puppeteer: Israel’s weaponisation of sects and sovereignty in Syria

After 13 brutal years of war, the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December, following a flash offensive by Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), a breakaway faction of Al Qaeda, felt like a long-awaited victory for many Syrians.

The authoritarian state that had ruled through fear, censorship, and brutality had finally fallen. Relief bloomed, and along with it, hope for a new beginning, not dictated by differences but by unity. But, that moment of relief was short-lived. … Continue readingProtector or puppeteer: Israel’s weaponisation of sects and sovereignty in Syria

Living Through History: How the Middle East is Being Reshaped in 2025

The Middle East has long been a geopolitical hotbed – a land of shifting alliances, ancient rivalries, and religious divisions, where empires have risen and fallen, leaving behind a legacy of both culture and conflict.

But in recent years, something remarkable has begun to unfold: historic changes that are quietly, yet significantly, reshaping the region and its alliances. Understanding these changes is critical, because the future of the Middle East could look very different from its past. On a grander level, this can impact the global landscape. … Continue readingLiving Through History: How the Middle East is Being Reshaped in 2025