Showing posts with label free conflict maps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free conflict maps. Show all posts

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Israel / Palestine: Map of Control Before Israel's Gaza Invasion (October 27, 2023)

This map shows the approximate situation early on October 27, 2023, before Israel's announced expansion of military activity within the Gaza Strip. At the time of publication, it's still unclear whether the expected Israeli ground invasion has begun, and little is known of the current situation within the Strip.

Map of who controlled Palestine and Israel's claimed territories early on October 27, 2023, before the expansion of Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip that may signal the start of the expected ground invasion. Shows both Israeli and Palestinian Authority administration (Fatah and Hamas factions indicated separately). Includes bigger West Bank map (Area A, Area B, and Area C). Map also includes Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, major cities and Israeli settlements, UN peacekeeper deployments (UNIFIL in Lebanon and UNDOF in Syria), no man's land, Golan Heights buffer zone (area of separation, AOS), and Shebaa Farms. Now also shows Israel's closed military zones (closed military areas) and key towns and sites from the news, like Sderot, Netivot, Erez Crossing, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Tulkarm, and Kiryat Shmona (Qiryat Shemona). Colorblind accessible.
Click to enlarge. Map by Evan Centanni, incorporating base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com and data from B'Tselem's interactive mapping project. (Contact us for permission to use this map.)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

2023 Israel-Hamas Control Map: Temporary Equilibrium

It's been almost three weeks since Palestinian group Hamas and allies burst unexpectedly out of the Gaza Strip, taking brief but unprecedented control over parts of Israel proper (see our map of the height of Hamas control). Israel's long-promised counter-invasion of the Strip may now be starting, two weeks after its military restored the lines of control to roughly the same as before the Hamas attack. But during the wait, there's been no end to violence: Israel has retaliated against Hamas with heavy bombing of that group's stronghold, the densely-populated Gaza Strip, while both Hamas in Gaza and allied Hezbollah in Lebanon have continued striking Israel with rockets and missiles launched across the borders. 

Israel reports that at least 1,400 of its people have been killed, including over 1,000 civilians - mostly in the first day of Hamas's October 7 invasion - while the Gaza Health Ministry says over 7,000 total Palestinian fighters and civilians have been killed, about 3,000 of them under the age of 18 (the ministry is part of the Hamas-dominated government of the Gaza Strip, but is generally evaluated as credible by outside observers).

Friday, October 13, 2023

Israel / Palestine Map: Height of Hamas Control in 2023 Invasion (October 7, 2023)

This map shows the approximate situation on the afternoon of October 7, 2023, when control by Hamas and its allies reached farthest into Israel. Now, several days later, Israeli forces are thought to have reversed almost all those gains, returning the lines of control to roughly their same positions as just before the invasion.

Map of who controlled Palestine and Israel's claimed territories on the afternoon of October 7, 2023, at the greatest extent of penetration into Israel by the Hamas invasion. Shows both Israeli and Palestinian Authority administration (Fatah and Hamas factions indicated separately). Includes bigger West Bank map (Area A, Area B, and Area C). Map also includes Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, major cities and Israeli settlements, UN peacekeeper deployments (UNIFIL in Lebanon and UNDOF in Syria), no man's land, Golan Heights buffer zone (area of separation, AOS), and Shebaa Farms. Colorblind accessible. Also file under: Map of Hamas attack on Israel.
Click to enlarge. Map by Evan Centanni, incorporating base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com and data from B'Tselem's interactive mapping project. (Contact us for permission to use this map.)


Timeline by Djordje Djukic

2023 Israel-Hamas War: How much of Israel did Hamas Capture in its Invasion?

Last Saturday, just a day after the 50th anniversary of Israel's last full-scale war, the country was once again thrust into massive turmoil. In an unprecedented invasion of Israel proper, forces of hardline Palestinian party Hamas and smaller allied groups burst out of their stronghold in the Gaza Strip, briefly doubling their area of control while killing hundreds of Israeli civilians and soldiers alike. The above map shows the approximate situation at the height of Hamas and allied control, later on the same day that the invasion began.

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Israel / Palestine Map: Who Controlled What Before the 2023 Hamas Invasion?

This article was originally published in July 2020, but has been revised and updated to October 2023. The design of the accompanying map has also been slightly revised, but there were no changes to territorial control between the previous edition and this one except for the reopening of the Gaza fishing zone.

This map shows the situation just before the current war began. For the war itself, check out our new map showing control at the height of the October 2023 Hamas invasion the next day.

Map of who controlled Palestine and Israel's claimed territories on October 6, 2023, just before Hamas's invasion and the start of the current war. Shows both Israeli and Palestinian Authority administration (Fatah and Hamas factions indicated separately). Includes bigger West Bank map (Area A, Area B, and Area C). Map also includes Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, major cities and Israeli settlements, UN peacekeeper deployments (UNIFIL in Lebanon and UNDOF in Syria), no man's land, Golan Heights buffer zone (area of separation, AOS), and Shebaa Farms. Colorblind accessible. Also file under: Palestine controlled area map, How much of Israel is Palestinian land?
Click to enlarge. Map by Evan Centanni, incorporating base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com and data from B'Tselem's interactive mapping project. (Contact us for permission to use this map.)

Israel and Palestine Controlled Areas: Before the War

October 2023's surprise invasion of Israel by Palestinian fighters from the Gaza Strip has catapulted the area back to the top of world headlines, and the situation on the ground is now in flux. But what exactly was the situation just before this new chapter of the conflict started? This newly-revised version of PolGeoNow's Israel/Palestine explainer article answers all your questions about who's who and what the significance of each disputed zone is. 

The accompanying map has also been slightly revised and newly fact-checked to ensure that it shows the situation accurately as of October 6, 2023, the night before the Hamas-led invasion of Israel (the only change to control is that the Gaza Strip fishing zone was apparently open for most of this year, rather than closed as it was at the time of our 2021 update).

Note that this is a map of who actually controls what, not of who claims which areas. And it's definitely not supposed to imply that any particular party should or shouldn't control any particular area. As always, PolGeoNow takes no side in these disputes, and we have done our best to report only the facts.

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Ukraine: Map of Russian Control in February 2023

There are newer editions of this map available. To see them, view all Ukraine articles on PolGeoNow.Hidden image for crawlers
Map of Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine on February 21, 2023. In addition to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia had already seized in 2014, and parts of the far eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces (the Donbas region) already controlled by Russia-backed separatist rebels (and formerly declared independent as the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics), Russian forces still control a large strip of territory just north of Crimea, including large parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces, as well as large additional areas of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. Meanwhile, all of those provinces are now claimed by the Russian government as parts of Russia, creating a new claimed international border through what was until recently undisputed eastern Ukraine. Map includes key locations from the news, such as Bakhmut, Synkivka, Marinka, Snake Island, and more. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Contact us for permission to use this map.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Map of territorial control within the claimed borders of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), which now consider themselves part of Russia, updated to February 21, 2023. Map shows that the vast majority of the LPR, otherwise known as Ukraine's Luhansk province, is now under the control of Russian, while Russian forces also control over half of the DPR, or Ukraine's Donetsk province, including the major central and southern cities of Donetsk, Horlivka, Makiyivka, and Mariupol. Includes key locations from the news, such as Bakhmut, Krasna Hora, Ivanivske, Klischivka, Marinka, Vulhedar, and many more. Colorblind accessible.
Map showing what parts of the claimed territory of the self-declared Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics - now claimed as part of Russia - are controlled by Russian forces and allies, compared to the Ukrainian government. Click to enlarge.

Russian Advances: Steady, but Slow

In the month following our previous Ukraine war control map report, the advantage has remained with Russia, though not by much. 

While Ukraine has made some very small advances, Russian forces have achieved still-small but more-significant gains, nearly cutting off Ukrainian supply lines to the small city of Bakhmut in Donetsk.

Russia has also made small advances in the contested area west of Donetsk city, and in the northeastern corner of mostly-Ukraine-controlled Kharkiv province - the only remaining area of Russian control that it doesn't officially claim as part of Russia.

Meanwhile, Snake Island in the Black Sea is now known to be held by Ukraine, after reports following Russia's mid-2022 withdrawal had left the situation unclear.

This report describes the situation as of one week ago, on February 21, 2023.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Ukraine: Map of Russian Control on April 18, 2022

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Ukraine articles on PolGeoNow.
Map of Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine a month and a half into the Russian invasion (April 18, 2022). In addition to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia had already seized in 2014, and parts of the far eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces (the Donbass region) already controlled by Russia-backed separatist rebels (and declared independent as the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics), Russian forces control a large strip of territory just north of Crimea, including Kherson city and parts of Mariupol, as well as large additional areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, and other areas of Ukraine's northeast. Russia has recently withdrawn from the large area it had captured in north-central Ukraine, including around national capital city Kyiv (Kiev). Map includes key locations from the news, such as Bucha, Mariupol, Izium, Makariv, the Azovstal plant, and many more. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Contact us for permission to use this map.

(View this article in the member area)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Russia Completes Withdrawal from Northern Ukraine

In the more than two weeks since PolGeoNow's previous Ukraine control map report, Russian forces have completed their withdrawal from north-central Ukraine, and are now beginning a new push to complete their control of the eastern Donbass (Donetsk and Luhansk) region. Fighting this month has largely been focused on the southeastern city of Mariupol, which is now thought to be under full Russian control except for one industrial area. If Russia completes its control there, Mariupol will be the largest city captured since the start of the 2022 invasion.

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Yemen Control Map & Report: Truce Pauses Fighting - April 2022

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

Map of what's happening in Yemen as of April 2022, showing territorial control at the time of the new truce (ceasefire), including the unrecognized Houthi government, the former forces of president-in-exile Hadi (now resigned) and his allies in the Saudi-led coalition, and the UAE-backed southern separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), plus major areas of operations of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Includes recent locations of fighting and other events, including Harib, Harad, Maydee (Midi), Yatmah, and many more.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, from base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

(View this article in the member area)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Yemen's New Truce: Who Controls What?

Since our previous Yemen control map report of three months ago, forces of Yemen's unrecognized, Iran-backed Houthi government have rolled back their rivals' recent gains, but still haven't been able to move on the central city of Marib. Amid this stalemate, a surprise UN-brokered truce, alongside the resignation of the country's weak internationally-recognized president, has opened up new possibilities for an end to the war.

Monday, March 7, 2022

Ukraine: Map of Russian Control on March 6, 2022

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Ukraine articles on PolGeoNow.
Map of Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine during the second week of the Russian invasion (March 6, 2022). In addition to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia had already seized in 2014, and parts of the far eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces (the Donbass region) already controlled by Russia-backed separatist rebels (and declared independent as the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics), Russian forces have moved into large areas of the countryside north of Ukrainian capital city Kyiv (Kiev), along a long slowly-growing swath of the northeastern border adjacent to Kharkiv city, and in a growing chunk of territory just north of Crimea, including Kherson city and parts of Mariupol, while also expanding control somewhat in Donetsk and much more in Luhansk, covering most of that province. Map includes key locations from the news, such as Kherson, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Volnovakha, Kharkiv, Romny, Mykolaiv, Bobrovytsya, and more. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Contact us for permission to use this map.

(Subscribers click here to view this article in the member area)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Ukraine Map: Russian Troops Gradually Advancing

In the week since our previous Ukraine control map report, Russia and allied rebels have continued expanding their control at a modest pace, seizing the small city of Kherson in the south, expanding separatist control to cover most of Luhansk province, and bringing the port city of Mariupol under siege. Kherson, though the largest city yet captured since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, isn't the biggest city taken from Ukraine by Russia overall, since the slightly larger Sevastopol and Simferopol in Crimea have been controlled by Russia since 2014 (meanwhile, the much larger city of Donetsk, as well as somewhat larger Luhansk, have also been controlled by pro-Russian rebels since that time).

Monday, February 28, 2022

Ukraine: Map of Russian Control on Feb. 27, 2022

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Ukraine articles on PolGeoNow.
Map of Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine at the end of the fourth day of the Russian invasion (February 27, 2022). In addition to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia had already seized in 2014, and parts of the far eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces (the Donbass region) already controlled by Russia-backed separatist rebels (and declared independent as the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics), Russian forces have moved into large areas of the countryside north of Ukrainian capital city Kyiv (Kiev), along a long swath of the northeastern border adjacent to Kharkiv city, and in a robust chunk of territory just north of Crimea, while also expanding control a small amount in Donetsk and a larger amount in Luhansk. Map includes key locations from the news, such as Melitopol, Chernobyl, Hostomel Airport, Konotop, Kupiansk, Tokmak, Vasylkiv, Ivankiv, and the Kakhovka Reservoir. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Contact us for permission to use this map.

(Subscribers click here to view this article in the member area)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Russian Invasion Map: Ukraine at War

Months of US warnings that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine were proven right last Thursday, as Russian troops, tanks, ships, and aircraft flooded into the neighboring country. Russia had already taken over Ukraine's southern province of Crimea in 2014, and pro-Russia separatists claimed to have split off from eastern Ukraine after seizing much of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. But Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a massive new escalation, unprecedented in Europe since World War II.

The above map shows control lines as of Sunday night - just before the first round of ceasefire talks - when Russian forces had captured significant chunks of rural Ukraine, but so far not gained control of any major cities (the situation a day later remains mostly unchanged). The map is based on reporting from various news media on the status of cities and towns, with lines of control in the countryside estimated with the help of other conflict-tracking websites and social media accounts.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Ethiopia War Map: Tigray Rebel Advance on Capital & Control Today (Nov. 2021/Jan. 2022)

(There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Ethiopia articles on PolGeoNow.)

As a followup to the three Tigray war maps we've published as guest features from Daniel of Passport Party, PolGeoNow is pleased to present our new in-house map of control in Ethiopia's ongoing civil war. The new map shows Tigray rebel control both today and at its greatest extent last November, while also highlighting a second insurgency by allied rebel group the Oromo Liberation Army.

Ethiopia war map for late 2021 and early 2022, showing Tigray rebel control both at its height in November 2021, extending far down into Amhara state and near national capital Addis Ababa, and at present day (January 24, 2022). Also indicates areas claimed to be controlled by the Oromo Liberation Army in western and central Ethiopia. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Terrain data sourced from ViewFinderPanoramas.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

(Subscribers click here to view this article in the member area)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Rebel Advance on Addis Ababa - and Subsequent Retreat

In the five months since our previous report on Ethiopia's civil war, Tigray rebels expanded their control far south of their home state's borders, nearly reaching the national capital city of Addis Ababa. However, despite assistance from another Ethiopian rebel group, their gains were eventually reversed, with Ethiopian federal government forces and allies pushing them back within the boundaries of Tigray state. Now, the situation has almost returned to the same place it was when the war began, with Tigray largely controlled by rebels associated with its former state government, while neighboring Amhara state controls its own territory plus a section of western Tigray.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - December 2021

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Who controls Somalia? Map (December 2021). With states, regions, and territorial control. Best Somalia control map online, thoroughly researched, detailed but concise. Shows territorial control by Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Al Shabaab, so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), separatist Somaliland, autonomous state Puntland, and boundaries of additional federal member states Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Now labels state capitals and disputed boundaries between Somaliland and Puntland, as well as key towns from recent news such as Ba'adweyne, Amara, Qey'ad, Marian Guway, Balidhidhin, and more. Updated to December 14, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

(Subscribers click here to view this article in the member area)

Timeline by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic

Somalia Crisis Timeline: Political and Military Disarray in 2021

In the nearly 10 months since PolGeoNow's previous Somalia control map report, the country's news cycle has been dominated by a series of interconnected political crises that have led the federal government's military to the brink of civil war. All the while, the fight against Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, which operates a parallel government across much of Somalia's countryside, has continued to see a mix of victories and defeats for each side. And while the standoff between the federal army and Jubaland state forces has ended, new regional conflicts have erupted in Hirshabelle and Galmudug states, including a major resurgence of the controversial ASWJ militia.

Read on for concise summaries of the past 10 months' political crises and military trends, followed by a detailed timeline of events since February. Sources for our reporting, and for changes to the map since last time, are covered in the detailed timeline and the additional source notes at the bottom of the page.

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Guest Feature: Map of Control in Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict (August 2021)

Update: PolGeoNow now has an in-house map showing territorial control in northern Ethiopia. To find the latest version, view all Ethiopia reports.

In a dramatic reversal, Tigray rebels are now on the offensive after recapturing their state's capital in northern Ethiopia. To illustrate the current situation, PolGeoNow is again honored to feature a territorial control map created by our colleague Daniel from Passport Party. Also included is a timeline of events since the previous update in February.

Tigray control map: Rough illustration of territorial control in Ethiopia's Tigray war as known August 9, 2021, showing which areas have been retaken by Tigrayan rebels both inside and outside of the Tigray regional state. By Daniel of Passport Party.
Map of control in Tigray and surrounding areas in early August 2021, by Daniel of Passport Party (used with permission).


Ethiopia Conflict: Updated Control Map 

Since our previous Tigray conflict article in February, the war in Ethiopia's Tigray state has undergone a major shift. Where just months ago the Tigrayan rebels fighting in the name of the former TPLF state government had been reduced to a guerilla forces striking from the hills, they've now recaptured the state capital and continue to advance even beyond the state's borders in a show of strength against the Ethiopian federal government. Though many details of the situation on the ground are still fuzzy, Daniel's latest map - a specially-made update to one published on his Passport Party Twitter account last month - approximates the current lines of control in early August.

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Central African Republic Control Map & Timeline - July 2021

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Central African Republic articles on PolGeoNow. 

We've revived and relaunched our coverage of territorial control in the Central African Republic, one of PolGeoNow's original areas of reporting from back in 2013. The timeline in this article covers the entire period from then up to now, and going forward, our newly-redesigned map will be updated as needed. To ensure your access to future updates, sign up for our conflict mapping service.

Central African Republic conflict: 2021 map of rebel and government control. Updated to July 16, 2021, showing territorial control by the CAR government, CPC rebel coalition (FPRC, MPC, 3R),  other ex-Séléka rebels (UPC, RPRC, MLCJ), Anti-balaka militias, and other armed groups such as Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Terrain data sourced from ViewFinderPanoramas.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

(Subscribers click here to view this article in the member area)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni

Who controls the Central African Republic in 2021?

Since PolGeoNow's last coverage of rebel control in the Central African Republic back in 2013, the country's civil war has continued all the way until today, but with some major reconfigurations. The Séléka rebel coalition, officially disbanded after it took over the country's government in 2013, has undergone a long series of fragmentations and reconstitutions since stepping down from full control of the country in 2014. Perhaps more surprisingly, many of the ex-Séléka groups have teamed up with their once-bitter enemies - militias of the Anti-balaka movement - to form a unified front against the country's internationally-backed government, which sees both of them as unwelcome rogue elements.

Friday, May 14, 2021

Israel / Palestine Map: Who Controlled What in May 2021?

This is the 2021 edition of our Israel/Palestine control map, first published in July 2020. A newer version is now available.

Map of who controls Palestine and Israel's claimed territories today (May 14, 2021), as Gaza Strip violence continues to escalate? Israeli and Palestinian Authority administration (Fatah and Hamas factions indicated separately). Also file under: Palestine controlled area map. Includes bigger West Bank map (Areas A, B, C). Map also includes Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, major cities and Israeli settlements, UN peacekeeper deployments (UNIFIL and UNDOF), no man's land, Golan Heights buffer zone (area of separation, AOS), and Shebaa Farms. Colorblind accessible.
Click to enlarge. Map by Evan Centanni, incorporating base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com and data from B'Tselem's interactive mapping project. (Contact us for permission to use this map.)

Israel and Palestine Controlled Areas in 2021

The Israeli government's much-hyped plan to absorb parts of the Palestine-claimed West Bank into Israel in 2020 didn't happen (at least not yet). But in May 2021, the region was once again making headlines amid a new wave of fighting. So who actually controlled what parts of Palestine and Israel's claimed territories at the time? This revised version of PolGeoNow's Israel/Palestine control map lays out the details of government jurisdictions on the ground.

There were no changes to the lines of control between 2020 and this 2021 edition, but this edition of the map did feature several modifications for improved clarity and more precise depictions of the situation. If you see something you don't understand on the map, check out the latest edition of our concise outline explaining who's who and introducing each of the disputed areas.

Note that this is a map of who actually controls what, not of who claims which areas. And it's definitely not supposed to imply that any particular party should or shouldn't control any particular area. As always, PolGeoNow takes no side in these disputes, and we have done our best to report only the facts.

Newer Map and Explainer Article: Who Controls What in the Israel-Palestine conflict?

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Mozambique Insurgency: Close-up Map of Control in April 2021

There are newer editions of this map available. To see them, view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.

It's finally here: the close-up, super-detailed version of our Mozambique insurgency control map! This edition depicts the situation near the beginning of this month, when the government was fighting for control of Palma. A new close-up version of our August 2020 map is also now available, and future updates are expected more frequently from now on. To see the full list of reports, you can always view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.

Mozambique: Cabo Delgado conflict map - April 2021: Detailed, close-up control map showing areas occupied by so-called ISIS-linked rebels in northern Mozambique (also known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama, ASWJ, Ansar al-Sunnah, or Al Shabaab), plus towns and villages raided by the insurgents over the past eight months. Shows roads, rivers, and terrain, and includes key locations of the insurgency such as Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Macomia, the Total LNG site and natural gas fields, Muidumbe, Pangane, Muatide, Vamizi Island, and many more towns and villages. Key locations across the border in Tanzania also shown. Updated to April 2, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Some elements © OpenStreetMap contributors. Terrain data sourced from ViewFinderPanoramas. Contact us for permission to use this map.

(Subscribers click here to view this article in the member area)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni

New: Close-up Cabo Delgado Insurgency Map

In the eight months since our first Mozambique conflict timeline was published, insurgents in Cabo Delgado province have gradually increased their control, continuing to raid villages and towns in multiple districts, culminating most recently in their temporary takeover of most of Palma, a major town close to under-construction natural gas facilities operated by French company Total. The rebel group - locally known as "Al Shabaab" but thought to formally label itself Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamâ (ASWJ) - is increasingly believed to be cooperating, if only loosely, with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; ISIS/ISIL).

Now, for the first time, PolGeoNow presents our close-up map of the Cabo Delgado conflict, rigorously researched and edited to provide the most detailed, informative, and reliable map of insurgent control and attacks available anywhere.

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Guest Map: Border Changes in Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict (February 2021)

Update: PolGeoNow now has an in-house map showing territorial control in northern Ethiopia. To find the latest version, view all Ethiopia reports.

For the second time, we're honored to feature a map of the Tigray conflict created by our colleague Daniel from Passport Party. Though detailed territorial control is difficult to map right now, Daniel illustrates how the shakeup has resulted in new de facto courses for both state and national borders in the area.

Tigray border changes map: Illustration of changes to the de facto courses of state and national borers amid Ethiopia's Tigray war, as known January 30, 2021, showing areas taken over by Amhara state and Eritrea. By Daniel of Passport Party.
Map of de facto border changes amid the 2020-2021 Tigray conflict, by Daniel of Passport Party (used with permission).


Ethiopia Conflict: Passport Party's Map of Tigray Border Changes 

Since our previous Tigray conflict article in November, featuring our colleague Daniel's map of territorial control at that time, the war in Ethiopia's Tigray state has cooled down somewhat. Because of the situation on the ground, it's probably not possible to reliably map out the details of territorial control in Tigray right now. So instead, Daniel's new map - originally published on his Passport Party blog and Twitter account - focuses on another interesting aspect of the political geography: the way that overall administrative boundaries have changed during the war, even if not officially.
 

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Nagorno-Karabakh Control Map & Timeline: Artsakh Withdrawals - December 1, 2020

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Nagorno-Karabakh articles on PolGeoNow.

This update on the (approximate) final results of the 2020 Azerbaijan-Armenia war is free for all readers.

Nagorno-Karabakh control map, showing territorial claims and control after the Azerbaijan-Armenia war, including the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. Updated to December 1, 2020, at the approximate time of completion of all Artsakh/Armenian withdrawals promised under the 2020 peace agreement. Colorblind accessible.
Map of current territorial control. By Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, starting from this map by
Bourrichon and Lesqual. License: CC BY-SA
 
 
Timeline by Djordje Djukic
 

Artsakh/Armenian Forces Make Promised Withdrawals

Map of territorial change in Nagorno-Karabakh before and after the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and the Armenia-backed, self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. Updated to December 1, 2020, the date of approximate completion of the Artsakh/Armenia withdrawals from areas outside the NKAO. Colorblind accessible.
Click to enlarge: Map of territorial changes during and after the war
(For credit and license see main map above)

Three weeks after the peace deal that brought an end to the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and the Armenia-backed, self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, the latter side has completed the additional withdrawals it promised in the deal.

Though no official map has yet been released of the new lines of control, PolGeoNow has estimated their course based on news reporting and a comparison between information reported by various other online mapping projects.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Guest Feature: Map of Control in Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict (November 18, 2020)

Update: PolGeoNow now has an in-house map showing territorial control in northern Ethiopia. To find the latest version, view all Ethiopia reports.

Today we're featuring a map created by a friend of PolGeoNow, Daniel from Passport Party, roughly illustrating territorial control in the new conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray state. For further updates to this map, follow Passport Party on Twitter.

Tigray control map: Rough illustration of territorial control in Ethiopia's Tigray war as known November 18, 2020, showing areas believed to have been captured by Ethiopian government forces as well as areas occupied along the disputed border with Eritrea.
Rough map of territorial control in Ethiopia's 2020 Tigray conflict, by Daniel of Passport Party (used with permission).

 

Ethiopia Conflict: Tigray Control Map by Passport Party

On November 4, 2020, a new armed conflict broke out between Ethiopia's central government and the government of Tigray, a regional state within Ethiopia. Details since then have been difficult to track down because of a government-imposed communications blackout in the region, and at PolGeoNow we've been too busy so far to create our own control map. 

Fortunately, our friend Daniel from Passport Party has managed to create a rough map his own, drawing from a carefully-curated network of sources with local ties, along with what scant media reports are available. Though Daniel warns that a map like this can't be completely reliable under the circumstances, this is our pick for best of the maps that we've seen.

Daniel has graciously offered us permission to feature the latest version of his map here, and for further map updates on the rapidly-changing situation, you can check the Passport Party Twitter feed. Keep reading for a brief outline of the situation, and for more details on the sources used in creating this map.

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Yemen Control Map & Report - October 2020

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

Map of what's happening in Yemen as of October 2020, including territorial control for the unrecognized Houthi government, president-in-exile Hadi and his allies in the Saudi-led coalition, the UAE-backed southern separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Includes recent locations of fighting and other events, including Al Amud, Al Khanjar base, Durayhimi, and more.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, from base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Houthi Control Expanding

In the two months since PolGeoNow's previous Yemen control map report, Houthi fighters have continued their gradual advance against forces loyal to the Saudi-backed, internationally-recognized government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Most of the changes have taken place in Marib province, east of the capital, where the Houthis have expanded their control of the province's western and southern reaches. Meanwhile, southern separatists and Al Qaeda fighters continue to govern other parts of the country relatively undisturbed.


Friday, October 2, 2020

Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Control Map & Timeline - October 2, 2020

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Nagorno-Karabakh articles on PolGeoNow.

This is the first edition of our new Nagorno-Karabakh control map series, which we hope to further improve in the near future if the conflict continues. To guarantee your access to future updates, sign up our conflict map subscription service.

Nagorno-Karabakh control map, showing territorial claims and control in the new Azerbaijan-Armenia war, including the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. Updated to October 2, 2020, showing claimed Azerbaijani advances around the edges of the disputed territory. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, starting from this map by Bourrichon and Lesqual. License: CC BY-SA
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Article by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni

Armenia and Azerbaijan Go to War

One of the former Soviet Union's "frozen conflicts" has suddenly lurched towards meltdown. The dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the Caucasus - involving Azerbaijan and Armenia plus the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh - has been simmering for decades, with regular border clashes since a full-scale war ended in 1994. But last weekend it launched into its biggest flare-up yet.

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Ukraine War Control Map & Report: September 2020

To see other maps in this series, plus a new map of Russian control in the 2022 invasion, view all Ukraine articles on PolGeoNow.
Map of territorial control and frontlines in the Donbass region of Donetsk and Luhansk, internationally recognized as part of eastern Ukraine but partly controlled by the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic. Updated for September 2020, with Minsk ceasefire lines shown. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Contact us for permission to use this map.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Donbass Frontline Map

In the four years since PolGeoNow last updated our Ukraine control map, little has changed in terms of territorial boundaries in the region of eastern Europe known as the Donbass. Forces of the Russia-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) still hold a large chunk of what most of the world considers Ukraine, though their plans of formally uniting into a confederation of "Novorossiya" ("New Russia") have long gone by the wayside. But as attempts at resolving the conflict peacefully grind slowly forward, fighting has continued at a low level along the frontlines, and we have made some small changes to the map where the situation has either changed or been clarified since 2016.