Another Saudi mosque has been bombed. Previous ones have been Shia and ISIL is thought to have executed them. This blast, however, targeted Saudi security forces in southwestern Saudi Arabia, not far from the Yemeni frontier. ISIL has claimed responsibility for it. How many supporters does ISIL have in the Kingdom? Well, the ideology comes from Saudi Wahhabism. So do many recruits and donors.
Uzbek wariness over Taliban gains in northern Afghanistan
The Taliban offensive in the north has a;armed former warlord Mohammed Dostum. He was an Uzbek warlord during the war against the Taliban in the nineties and during the Russian war, However, he served with the Russians and the Kabul government too. He has been given a ceremonial title in the present government but has no substantive power. However, Dostum is widely respected among his Uzbek kin. If the Taliban and Kabul government reach an agreement that Dostum and other northerners don’t like, there could be trouble. Tajik leaders Abdullah Abdullah and Amrullah Saleh would also oppose such a settlement and they likely have militias support.
Palestinians object to Jewish prayer on Temple Mount
Is there a more dangerous flashpoint in the Middle East than the Temple Mount? The Temple of ancient Israel and Judea was there until destroyed by the Romans. Today, it is the site of the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa mosque – two highly revered places in Islam. The Temple Mount is central to apocalyptic traditions in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Some adherents of all three faiths want to control it; some want to destroy the buildings there. Shin Bet is very watchful of these groups.
Houthis retreat, government forces push forward. So does al Qaeda
The Saudi-backed forces continue to push the Houthis north from the former’s base of Aden. What gets lost in this war is that al Qaeda is intertwined with some of the Sunni tribes of the south. The Houthis are the most determined enemy of al Qaeda in Yemen. Look for a signifiant battle for Taiz in coming weeks – or days.