Iraq
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Kurdish defence
Peshmerga help families flee from IS
Civilians who are fleeing from the "Islamic State" group near Mosul in Iraq are actively helped by Kurdish peshmerga forces during their escape. Judit Neurink reports from Bashiqa
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IS terrorism in Europe
Glorifying terminology
Those who kill in the name of the IS and do an especially thorough job of it earn the honorary title "Inghimasi". Efficiency is everything here. Joseph Croitoru provides insights into the murderous strategies of jihadist suicide bombers
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Saudi-Iranian rivalry
And the winner is...
A cold war is waging in one of the world′s hottest regions. A key component of the sectarian competition between Shia and Sunni Islam in the Middle East is geopolitical, with Iran facing off against Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies in a struggle for regional dominance. By Robert Harvey
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Azraq refugee camp
Captives of the desert
The Azraq refugee camp sits just off the highway, deep in the Jordanian desert. Lorries, on their way to Baghdad, thunder past along the so-called "road of death", the endless, pothole-pitted eastbound desert dirt track. Visitors are rare. By Dana Ritzmann
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Ramadan for refugees
The month-long Muslim holiday of Ramadan began last week. In a camp of about 800, refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan celebrate with what little they have. Jodi Hilton reports from Ritsona Camp outside Athens
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The reconquest of Fallujah
The serpent′s head
Last week Iraq′s prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, announced victory over the "Islamic State" terror militia in Fallujah and the liberation of the city. But following the advance of government forces into the centre of the western Iraqi IS stronghold, the refugee crisis in the region is worsening. The mass exodus from Fallujah continues, with people still leaving in their thousands. By Birgit Svensson
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Battle for the IS stronghold of Fallujah
Militiamen on the rampage
The battle for the Iraqi city of Fallujah is in full swing. Shia militia are apparently giving the IS jihadists a run for their money. But what appears to be militarily effective is a political disaster. By Karim El-Gawhary
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Interview with documentary maker Nagieb Khaja
″Believe in the importance of your work″
Documentary maker Danish-Afghan journalist Nagieb Khaja regularly reports from the crisis regions of the world. His work is frequently to be found on media outlets such as VICE or Al Jazeera. He talked to Emran Feroz about his dangerous experiences and what motivates him to keep going
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Sykes-Picot and the role of Gertrude Bell
Midwife of the Middle East
The order of nation states in the Middle East has been disintegrating since Islamic State fighters overran the Syrian border in 2014 – a border that dates back to 1916 and a secret agreement between the diplomats Sir Mark Sykes and Francois Georges-Picot. Yet one woman also played a key role: the British national Gertrude Bell. Birgit Svensson visited her grave in Baghdad
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150th anniversary of Friedrich Ruckert′s death
Forget Goethe, read Ruckert
One of Germany′s greatest poets died 150 years ago – and today, hardly anyone is familiar with him. But all those years ago, Friedrich Ruckert knew how to integrate refugees successfully. By Christoph Meyer
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100 years of Sykes-Picot
"A tapestry of plans and promises"
One hundred years ago, the Middle East was divvied up between the French and the British. The historian Maurus Reinkowski talks about the long-term effects of the colonialist powers' splitting up of the spoils. Interview by Andreas Noll
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Iraq′s political crisis
Al-Sadr the power broker
Demonstrators have gathered in Baghdad to protest Iraq's government every Friday for months. The Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is using the movement to stage his political comeback. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad