Syria
In northwest Syria, warring parties seek to shore up strongholds after earthquake catastrophe

Syria, United States
Washington rallies local companies around new jihadist prison project in northeastern Syria

The US is funding the construction of a new detention centre in northeastern Syria, while its local partner, the Syrian Democratic Forces, has been tasked with selecting suitable companies for the project.

France, Syria
Pro-Damascus Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce makes Paris comeback

The Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce, the industrial and commercial arm of President Bashar Al Assad's regime, attended the recent Franco-Arab Chamber of Commerce summit in Paris, despite continuing French hostility to a rapprochement with Damascus.

Middle East, United States
Washington counts on fledgling Negev Forum to drive Middle East security

Keen to see the establishment of a Middle East security organisation, the US is looking to the Negev Forum to fulfill that role, despite the scant progress it has made thus far.

The Agencies' Gazette
MIT spending, DC quiet on pilots in China, Sergey Beseda in good form, Tracfin reform toughens, KGB takes swipe at MI6

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community, from Ankara to Moscow via Paris and London.

TurkeyIraq and Syria operations MIT's biggest expense

France/United StatesUS and UK left France out of loop over China pilot training

Russia/UkraineQuestions of Ukraine intel fail to shake Beseda from FSB

FranceFinance ministry's intelligence reform ramps up a notch

United Kingdom/RussiaRussian author takes swipe at MI6

Azerbaijan, Turkey, United States
Ezra Friedlander, Turkey's lobbyist in Washington, teams up with Ankara's allies

Ezra Friedlander, a Washington lobbyist and PR adviser to Turkey, has recently started promoting Azerbaijan's interests on Capitol Hill. His connections to the US Israeli community are of particular interest to both Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Saudi Arabia, Syria
Saudi Arabia's earthquake aid reveals Riyadh's changing posture towards Syria

Saudi Arabia and Syria's secret normalisation process has been brought into the open by recent Saudi deliveries of humanitarian aid to areas of Syria controlled by Assad, an initiative that paves the way for more direct diplomatic contact.

Syria, United States
USSOCOM keeps troops on ground despite Syria-Turkey talks

After letting its focus on Syria slip, the United States is now having to sit by and watch as the Assad regime continues to engage with Turkey. If the two neighbours do restore ties, this could pull the US back into the regional troubles and call into question the presence of US troops in northeast Syria.

Iran, Syria
Tehran pulls its militias from Syria to beef up domestic fronts

Now in difficulty on their home turf, the Revolutionary Guards are reviewing their militia system in order to adapt it to the evolving situation. Fighters in Syria, Iraq and even Lebanon are being redeployed to the most tense Iranian zones.

Syria, Turkey
Taksim Square blast makes Ankara ill at ease with its private fighters in northern Syria

While it is still not clear who perpetrated the deadly attack in Istanbul on 13 November, a theory that Syrian fighters could be responsible has begun to surface in Ankara. This comes on the back of already growing disquiet between these fighters and their sponsor.

Syria, Turkey
Turkish intelligence plays ambiguous game in north-west Syria

Following the capture of the district of Afrin by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Turkish intelligence service MIT is unsure whether to condemn the group, with which it maintains relations, or turn a blind eye to its activities.

Jordan
GID gets battle ready to tackle drug trafficking

Jordan's intelligence community is on high alert over the increased threat of Captagon pills coming across the border from Syria and has been recruiting amongst those connected to the illicit drug trade there.