Conflict

Turkey and Syria

A renewed partnership?

Damascus and Ankara came to blows following the outbreak of civil war in Syria. Now, the Turkish government and the Assad regime are seeking rapprochement. A diplomatic breakthrough would have consequences beyond regional relations—including for Germany.
Thousands of Muslim homes bulldozed by India's BJP party

India’s ruling Hindu Nationalist party is turning the bulldozer into a political symbol and, say opponents, a means of control.
An enduring conflict – 40 years since the Iran-Iraq War started

The Iran-Iraq War was one of the deadliest military conflicts ever seen in the Middle East. The eight-year-long conflict, which saw the use of chemical weapons, killed thousands of people and divided the region along sectarian lines. By Shamil Shams
Mauritania, land of desert and contrasts

Mauritania straddles the transition between the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa, its population equally divided between Africans and Arabs. By Pascal Mannaerts
Saudi Arabia and Iran: The feud is ongoing

Iran and Saudi Arabia are engaged in a proxy conflict for influence in the Middle East and the Muslim world. They support opposing sides in neighbouring conflicts, such as in Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar and Iraq.
Partition of India: The way forward

On 15 August 1947, British India split into two nations – Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. The two countries continue to be hostile towards each other despite some efforts to improve bilateral ties. By Shamil Shams
US Response to the Riots in the Muslim World

Don't Set the Wrong Example

September saw an outburst of anger across much of the Muslim world in response to a propaganda video that made fun of the Prophet Mohammed. Cartoons that followed added fuel to the fire. So far, the reaction of Western governments has been appropriate. The US, however, must not now repeat past mistakes and start hunting terrorists in Libya. A commentary by Hans Dembowski
Unrest in Tajikistan

The Spectre of Civil War

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a bloody ethnic conflict raged in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. The peace accord of 1997 appeared to put an end to the fighting, but recent clashes on the border with Afghanistan indicate that the civil war may be flaring up again. Marcus Bensmann explains the background to the conflict
2013: Conflict in Northern Mali

Since the fall of Amadou Toumani Touré in March 2013, Mali has been in a hopeless political crisis. After soldiers mutinied in Bamako, rebellious Tuareg and Islamists took control of the north of the country and declared an independent state. By Annett Hellwig