Horn of Africa

May 20, 2026 | Daniel Swift, Mariam Wahba

Why the United States Should Pay More Attention to the War in Mali

The ongoing civil war in Mali—where a jihadist group is poised to seize power—is spilling over into Nigeria, with ominous humanitarian consequences.

May 14, 2026 | Edmund Fitton-Brown, Bridget Toomey

Iran-Backed Houthis Assist Resurgent Somali Pirates

The western section of the Indian Ocean, with its key trade routes and its maritime chokepoints, has faced no shortage of crises between disruptions caused by the Houthis in Yemen and their backers in...

May 7, 2026 | Sinan Ciddi |

SADAT: Turkey’s Wagner Group

The SADAT International Defense Consultancy has grown into a key instrument of Turkish influence in Africa and the Middle East.

April 20, 2026 | Daniel Swift |

Don’t Let Iran Sow Hunger Around the World

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has revealed Iran’s ability to threaten the global food supply.

April 12, 2026 | Mariam Wahba

Shadi Hamid’s argument against assimilation stumbled on itself

Readers on the ninth and 10th presidents, and the assimilation bargain.

April 6, 2026 | Sinan Ciddi, Natalie Ecanow

Turkey the new Iran? Ankara’s growing challenge to Western interests

Turkey’s growing regional influence and ties to Hamas challenge NATO and US security.

February 27, 2026 | Sinan Ciddi, William Doran

How Turkey’s Aggression in the Horn of Africa Could Benefit Al-Shabaab

Extremist Organizations Thrive in Environments Defined by State Rivalry, Political Fragmentation, and Security Vacuums

February 4, 2026 | Janatan Sayeh |

Iranian regime escalates hostilities with US, hardens negotiating position

Iran has ramped up military provocations against US forces in the Middle East as nuclear negotiations loom, with regime officials sending mixed signals on uranium enrichment while refusing to discuss missile...

December 11, 2025 | Hussain Abdul-Hussain |

From ‘Victory Only’ to Checkmate: Sudan’s Islamists Face Global Rejection

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — consisting of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait — has formally endorsed the U.S.-led vision for ending Sudan’s devastating...

December 10, 2025 | Hussain Abdul-Hussain |

Africa’s Collapse Is a Threat to America and Israel

Regions in Africa are collapsing. Across most of the continent’s 54 countries, governments are tyrannical, Islamist, or both. Many have ceased to function as states, splintering into warring ethnic and...

November 26, 2025 | Daniel Swift, Susan Soh

How the Nile Water Dispute Threatens Counter-Terrorism Efforts

Egypt and Sudan are unwittingly playing into the hands of the Horn of Africa’s most dangerous terrorist group: al-Shabaab.

November 17, 2025 | Kenan Arkan, Isaac A. Harris, RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Cdre. (Ret.) Peter Olive, Craig Singleton

Maritime Protection of Taiwan’s Energy Vulnerability

October 27, 2025 | Bridget Toomey |

UAE ‘likely’ building airstrip on strategic island in Red Sea

Satellite imagery reviewed by the Associated Press shows an airstrip under construction on Zuqar Island, a strategic island in the Red Sea about 55 miles south of the port of Hodeidah, which...

September 7, 2025 | Sinan Ciddi |

Turkey is escalating tensions in the Mediterranean (again)

Turkey is once again stoking tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean – this time by undermining the sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus while wagering that Washington and Brussels will look the other way....

July 22, 2025 | Bridget Toomey, Behnam Ben Taleblu

Post-12-Day War, Iran Continues To Invest in the Houthis

Tehran is still arming the Houthis. Yemen’s National Resistance Forces (NRF), an anti-Houthi coalition, intercepted 750 tons of Iranian weapons en route to the Houthi-controlled port of al-Salif from...

April 16, 2025 | Ahmad Sharawi, Sinan Ciddi

Turkey’s Ties to Al-Qaeda Entities in Yemen Threaten Regional Security

“Turkey is a country that loves us, and we love it,” declared Abu Omar al-Nahdi, a former emir in al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch and now the leader of the newly formed Change and Liberation Movement in...

March 21, 2025 | Mariam Wahba, Rebecca Goldsmith

SAF Capture the Presidential Palace, Shaking RSF’s Stronghold

Mohamed Dagalo — the Sudanese rebel leader also known as ‘Hemedti’ — recently appeared in a video urging his soldiers not to surrender the presidential palace in Khartoum. Now, Sudanese...

March 15, 2025 | Sinan Ciddi, Sophia Epley

Is Turkey Playing Both Sides of Sudan’s Civil War?

Ankara’s involvement in Sudan indicates its foreign policy is bereft of any values and willing to ignore sanctions intended to deter continued bloodshed.

March 4, 2025 | Mariam Wahba |

Sudan’s Civil War Edges Toward a Stalemate as RSF Rebels Establish Separatist Governing Authority

After more than 22 months of brutal civil war, Sudan appears to be heading toward a stalemate. Recent gains by the government’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have yet to secure a decisive victory, while...

January 23, 2025 | Bill Roggio |

Trump administration re-designates Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing his administration to re-designate the Houthis in Yemen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The move reverses a decision by the Biden administration...