Iraq
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International conspiracy theories and xenophobia in Turkey
Turkey alone against the world
Turkey appears to be in the grip of a wave of xenophobia, according to the results of a recent survey by the US-based Pew Research Foundation. The findings come as the country has to cope with two conflicts on its borders and faces increasingly strained relations with key allies and neighbours. But as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, the findings could be part of a far deeper historical fear of the West
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Strategies for combating IS
Plea for a wide-angled view of the Arab world
In spite of all the hysteria surrounding IS, the terrorist militia is just one symptom of a changing region where repressive despots and militant Islamists are rising up once again and goading each other on. An essay by Karim El-Gawhary
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Fadhil al-Azzawi's novel "The Last of the Angels"
Topical, thrilling and entertaining – even after 25 years
The publication of Fadhil al-Azzawi's novel in German translation is a sensation on the German book market, and its publication a late tribute to the internationally-renowned Iraqi author who wrote it 25 years ago. While "The Last of the Angels" remained unknown in Germany for a long time, the novel is already highly acclaimed in the Arabic- and English-speaking world. By Volker Kaminski
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Inside Kobani
The political game and the humanitarian crisis
The city of Kobani in northern Syria has been under seige from Islamic State (IS) for over a month now. In recent days, Turkey has allowed a military convoy of Iraqi peshmerga and Free Syrian Army fighters to pass through its territory en route to Kobani. However, the peshmerga are arriving relatively late in the day. Thousands of Kurds from Syria, Turkey and Iraq have already joined the YPG and are in Kobani defending the city. They may all be fighting the same enemy, but they are certainly not united among themselves. By Kiran Nazish in Erbil
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The culture and faith of the Yazidis
Demonised and eternally misunderstood
Their persecution by Islamic State has put the Yazidis in the international spotlight. In her book on the Yazidis, Birgul Acikyildiz provides insights into the culture and faith of this endangered community. By Ulrich von Schwerin
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The abduction of women by IS
Traded like cattle
Amsha is a young Yazidi woman and mother who was abducted by IS and sold to an armed fighter from the city of Mosul. She told Qantara.de the horrific story of her 25-day captivity at the hands of IS and her successful escape. By Karim El-Gawhary in Dohuk
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Syria's cultural heritage under threat
"Virtually nothing is left"
It is now plain for all to see that the destruction of Syria's cultural heritage is far worse than anyone expected. Michel al-Maqdissi, director of the Archaeological Excavations Department at the Syrian Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums from 2000 to 2012, tells Mona Sarkis how dire things really are and of the mistakes made by UNESCO
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The Kurds and Turkish–Iranian relations
Caught between two stools
As differences over Syria and Islamic State continue to deepen between Turkey and Iran, Kurds living across the Middle East are set to become pawns in the intensifying rivalry between these two regional powers. By Dorian Jones in Istanbul
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Video: Guido Steinberg on global jihadism
Islamist terror: a global threat? Guido Steinberg, a Middle East Analyst at the German Institute for International & Security Affairs, discusses this question in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
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Fighting Islamic State with satire and black humour
Terribly funny
Reports and videos of Islamic State's horrendous deeds have left many people around the world speechless with shock. But for many Arabs – both in the countries affected by IS and elsewhere around the globe – the only way to fight IS is to satirise and ridicule it. Elisabeth Lehmann has the details
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The genesis of Islamic State
A new chapter in the decline of the Arab world
IS is a child of the late cold war and at the same time the beginning of a total war against the countries of the Arab East. It is the consequence of a collapse of political, moral and social values in the region, writes the Lebanese author Elias Khoury
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French reactions to IS terror
"What next? Will we ask Muslims to kneel?"
France's divided society is united in condemning the jihadi barbarism of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. From Toulouse, Birgit Kaspar sums up the reactions of French politicians and Islamic organisations