Friday, December 30, 2016

Yemen Control Map & Report: December 2016

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Yemen updates.

This is part of a series of Yemen maps and infographics created in collaboration between PolGeoNow and CIGeography.

Map of what is happening in Yemen as of December 30, 2016, including territorial control for the Houthi rebels and former president Saleh's forces, president-in-exile Hadi and his allies in the Saudi-led coalition and Southern Movement, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and the so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL). Includes recent locations of fighting, including Al Gail, Sirwah, Usaylan, and areas long the Yemen border with Saudi Arabia.
Click to enlarge. Map by Louis Martin-Vézian, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic. All rights reserved.
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Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Situation Summary
In the past three months since our previous Yemen control map report, fighting has continued between Houthi rebels and forces loyal to the Saudi-backed government of President Hadi, with small changes to territorial control on the eastern and northern fringes of Houthi territory, including along Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has remained entrenched in parts of the east, while allegedly capturing an area near its one-time stronghold of Rada in the country's west.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

What is Wallonia? Belgium's Unusual Federal System

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Map of Belgium's three official administrative regions: the Flemish Region (Flanders), the Walloon Region (Wallonia), and the Brussels-Capital Region
Map of Belgium's three official Language Communities: the Flemish Community, the Walloon Community, and the German-speaking Community
Maps by Evan Centanni, from base map by Vascer
(CC BY-SA)
By Bryn Jansson
 

Wallonia vs. the European Union

Belgium often seems like an afterthought in European politics. It doesn’t have the economic clout of a Germany, the political influence of a France, or the military power of a Britain. It’s a small country tucked into the northwest corner of Europe, and known mostly for its chocolate and beer (though the acclaim both have earned is well-deserved). It’s home to the European Union headquarters in Brussels, but otherwise holds no special political power in the for-now 28-nation bloc.

Yet there it was this October, caught in the middle of a European political drama, the lone holdout of the EU-28 against the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a large scale free-trade deal with Canada. Even more amazingly, it wasn’t even the whole of Belgium blocking the trade deal, but only the sub-region of Wallonia, home to 32 percent of Belgians (known as “Walloons”) and less than 1 percent of EU citizens.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Syria Control Map & Timeline: Assad Retakes Aleppo - December 2016 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Map of fighting and territorial control in Syria's Civil War (Free Syrian Army rebels, Kurdish YPG, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (Al-Nusra Front), Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), and others), updated to December 18, 2016. Now includes terrain and major roads (highways). Includes recent locations of conflict and territorial control changes, such as Aleppo, Palmyra, Khan al-Shih, Mayda'ani, and more. Colorblind accessible. There have been big and important changes to territorial control in Syria in the past month. The Assad government has retaken most of Syria's second biggest city, as well as several other areas of the country, even as the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has recaptured the historic desert town of Palmyra.
 
See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report in November, with sources cited.

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Exclusive report includes:
  • Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces. Colorblind accessible.
  • Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Nusra Front (now Jabhat Fateh al-Sham) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
  • Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Aleppo, Palmyra, Khan al-Shih, Mayda'ani, and more.
  • Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since November 23, 2016, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Libya's "Islamic State" Loses Last City: Dec. 2016 Control Map & Timeline (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic, with Evan Centanni. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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Libya control map: Shows detailed territorial control in Libya's civil war as of December 2016, including all major parties (Government of National Accord (GNA); Tobruk House of Representatives, General Haftar's Libyan National Army, Zintan militias, Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG); Tripoli GNC government, Libya Dawn, and Libya Shield Force; Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries and other hardline Islamist groups; and National Salvation Government). Also file under: Map of Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) control in Libya. Now includes terrain and major roads. Colorblind accessible. In the past three months, a lot has changed in Libya, including the expulsion of the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) from its last territory in North Africa. Meanwhile, Libya now has three competing governments, and key oil ports have changed hands.
 
See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our September 2016 Libya map report.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Libya map!

Exclusive report includes:
  • Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament (supported by General Haftar's Libyan National Army), religious hardline groups, and other actors such as the revived "National Salvation Government" and unaligned local councils.
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
  • Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Sirte, Sidra, Ras Lanuf, Brega, and more.
  • Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since September 6, 2016, with all sources cited.
  • New since last year: Major roads are marked on the map for reference

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Can I purchase just this map?
This map and report are not available for automated purchase to non-subscribers. If you need access or republication rights for only this map report, contact service@polgeonow.com for options.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Syrian Civil War Control Map & Report: November 2016

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Syria updates.

Map of fighting and territorial control in Syria's Civil War (Free Syrian Army rebels, Kurdish YPG, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (Al-Nusra Front), Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), and others), updated to November 23, 2016. Now includes terrain and major roads (highways). Includes recent locations of conflict and territorial control changes, such as Al-Bab, Khan al-Shih, Tal Saman, Qabasin, and more. Colorblind accessible.
Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic.
All rights reserved.
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Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Situation Summary
In the past month since our previous Syrian Civil War map update, fighting has focused largely on the ongoing battle for the city of Aleppo, where rebels control a large enclave in the east, as well as a three-way fight for control of Al-Bab, the largest town in the countryside east of Aleppo (at least, according to pre-war census figures). Held for nearly three years by the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL), Al-Bab is now the target of both the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition led by Kurdish militias. The SDF has also made progress toward the IS capital of Raqqah in the east, while the Syrian Army of President Bashar al-Assad is making slow progress against rebels in the west of the country.