After two coups in both Burkina Faso and Mali in the past three years and another coup in Guinea in 2021, Niger became the latest West African country to succumb to a coup in July. Like the other coups, the one in Niger was relatively bloodless and involved military generals
In the summer of 2023, it looked for a moment that West Africa was at risk of a regional inter-state war of the sorts it had not seen since the 1990s. After a group of military officers overthrew the democratically elected president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, in late July, the
The meeting between President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit in San Francisco has been the diplomatic event of the year. Xi and Biden didn’t come out of their conversation empty-handed, and while it seems that after San Francisco, the relationship between Beijing
Al-Shabaab’s resurgence in the past year is evidenced by the group’s continued attacks on targets ranging from tourists and government officials at beachside hotels, to African Union (AU) soldiers at military bases, to ambushes and assassinations of Somali soldiers and politicians. At the same time, al-Shabaab is no longer actively
In this Orion Talks conversation, Dr. Colin Clarke discusses the implications of the killing of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder and leader of the Wagner Group, for the group’s future and its relationship with the Russian regime. He explains how the turmoil surrounding the Wagner may influence the group’s operations and
The news about the downing of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane was not unexpected. What was more surprising was the time that passed between Prigozhin’s attempted mutiny and his reported death. Mr. Putin does not forget the people who betray him. So, the fact that Prigozhin was allowed to walk free for
The killing of Prigozhin has understandably elicited many analyses of Russia as a lawless mafia state. There’s something to that interpretation. But, it’s also somewhat sweeping and risks caricaturing the Putin regime. In fact, Putin often prefers to rule through law, and in particular, he often although not always seeks
For eight years, beginning in early 2015, Saudi Arabia and Iran supported opposing parties in the Yemeni conflict – the internationally recognized government and the Houthi armed group respectively. While the Saudi investment failed to pay off due to the government’s limited credibility, scarce legitimacy, and deep internal divisions, the
In this episode of Orion Talks, host Suat Cubukcu engages in a thought-provoking conversation with special guest Dr. Elena Pokalova, a Professor at the College of International Security Affairs (CISA) at the National Defense University. During the discussion, Dr. Elena Pokalova explained why the Wagner Group should be considered a
In this episode of OrionTalks, Broderick McDonald and Guy Fiennes join host Suat Cubukcu to discuss the Wagner Group’s expanding relations in the Sahel region and its potential impact on the security and stability of the region. They delve into the specific roles undertaken by the Wagner Group, examining their
The “rise of China” in the past three decades has seen the country’s influence increase in virtually all corners of the world. While China’s geopolitical sway is most evident in its “near abroad,” such as in Central, South, and East Asia, as well in the maritime domain in the South
With its primary mission of protecting Turkey’s sovereignty and promoting peace in the region, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) plays a crucial role in national defense and humanitarian aid. Nevertheless, recent incidents have raised questions about its effectiveness in carrying out these tasks. After the attempted coup on July 15,
