Expert on Syria and the Middle East
Omar Abu Laila is an expert on Syria and the Middle East. He is the CEO of DeirEzzor 24 network.
Armed opposition factions in Syria including the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) killed a top Iranian military commander and pierced the outskirts of Aleppo in recent days, jolting the stalemated fight against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
Over the past decade, the Middle East has witnessed a surge in drug manufacturing and trafficking, largely fueled by the Syrian conflict, with Iran proxies playing a major role.
Iran-backed militia forces launched their second attack in a week on US targets in Syria on Tuesday, as ceasefire talks for Gaza approach on Thursday.
In the early hours of Friday morning, the town of Dahla in Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria, witnessed a sudden and bloody attack by Assad's forces and Iranian-backed militias against civilians.
Northern Syria is witnessing a dangerous escalation in conflicts as tribal forces backed by Iran attacked positions held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Wednesday, according to local sources.
The Middle East has recently witnessed a series of security and military developments, including targeted assassinations carried out by Israel, aimed at prominent leaders of Iran-backed armed movements.
