Mona Alami is researcher and a journalist on Middle East political and economic affairs , with a special interest in non-state armed actors and gender issues.
Comment: The war on IS has partially suppressed disagreements among the different Shia blocs in Iraq, but as victory draws closer, tensions are rising once again, writes Mona Alami.
Comment: A young, and increasingly educated population is unlikely to find Hizballah's policy of banking on war an attractive prospect, writes Mona Alami.
Comment: Unlike its regional neighbours, Lebanon appears to be entering a period of political and economic stability. But the road ahead with not be without its challenges, writes Mona Alami.
Comment: Amman has long fought against armed groups, and with growing support for the Islamic State group in Jordan, that fight is a long way from over, writes Mona Alami.
Comment: The battle for the northern capital and its ultimate capture consecrated the routinisation of violence in a country, plagued by a five-year war.
Comment: Lebanon's new president may have come to power with backing from former rival Hariri, but balancing the interests of new and old allies will prove complicated, writes Mona Alami
Comment: The consolidation of Jund al-Aqsa with JFS indicates a new trend, as smaller groups find long-term survival increasingly difficult, writes Mona Alami
Comment: John Kerry's belief that 'moderate' rebels would disentangle themselves from groups deemed to be 'terrorists' shows how little Washington understands the Syrian war, writes Mona Alami.
