"Macedonia": Why is a Name So Important?

Ancient definitions of Macedonia compared with modern borders.
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What's in a Name? The "Macedonia" Dispute

This Sunday, Southeastern Europe's Republic of Macedonia is voting on a deal with Greece that includes changing its name to "Republic of North Macedonia". Greece objects to its neighbor using the name "Macedonia", and has been locked in a bitter dispute over it ever since the smaller country declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

The spat is serious enough that the Republic of Macedonia has been forced to accept the temporary name "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM) in the UN and other international organizations for the past 25 years, and has been blocked entirely from joining the European Union and NATO, where Greece holds veto power on new member applications.

Yemen Control Map & Report - September 2018 (Subscription)

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

Since June, anti-Houthi forces have continued chipping away at Houthi control near the port city of Hodeida and along the border with Saudi Arabia. This comes even as sharp divisions remain in Aden between Saudi-backed Hadi loyalists and UAE-backed southern separatists, both of whom are formally members of the coalition.

See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's Yemen territorial control map, which includes a timeline of changes and important events since our previous Yemen map report in June.

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• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Yemen, color-coded for the pro-Hadi coalition, Houthi forces, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL)
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for recent areas of fighting, including Hodeida, Al Tuhayata, Hayran, Malahith, Malajeem, and more
• Timeline of changes to the situation since June 16, 2018, with links to sources

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Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: Assad Retakes Southwest Borders - August 2018 (Subscription)

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

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Since late July, Syria's Assad government and allies have completely eliminated both rebel and so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) control of the southwestern border area next to Israel and Jordan. IS has also lost territory elsewhere in the southwest and in Syria's far eastern desert regions.

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 July, with sources cited.

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• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
• Markers showing the approximate locations of Russian-Turkish-Iranian "de-escalation zones" and the one known US "deconfliction zone".
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the US-backed SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Quneitra, Tasil, Al Safa, Al Kara'a, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since July 25, 2018, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources. 
• Brief summary of the current situation and of major changes to the configuration of territorial boundaries and de facto enclaves and exclaves.

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Taiwan Loses "Recognition" from El Salvador (Map)

You can always find the latest version of this map, and a list of all related articles, on our Which Countries Recognize Taiwan? page.

Click to enlarge. By Evan Centanni, modified from public domain blank world map.
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Taiwan Loses Recognition from Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso (Map)

You can always find the latest version of this map, and a list of all related articles, on our Which Countries Recognize Taiwan? page.

Click to enlarge. By Evan Centanni, modified from public domain blank world map.

Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: Rebels Lose Daraa Province - July 2018 (Subscription)

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

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Since late June, a rapid government offensive has completely driven rebels out of southwestern Syria's Daraa province, which they had controlled about half of. 

Meanwhile, the government has surrendered an enclave of control within rebel-held northwestern Syria, and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) is struggling to hold onto pockets of territory both east and west.

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 June, with sources cited.

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• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
• Markers showing the approximate locations of Russian-Turkish-Iranian "de-escalation zones" and the one known US "deconfliction zone".
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the US-backed SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Daraa, the Golan Heights, Busra, Nawa, Fuaa, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since June 21, 2018, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources. 
• Brief summary of the current situation and of major changes to the configuration of territorial boundaries and de facto enclaves and exclaves.

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Libyan Civil War Map & Timeline - July 2018

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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

Libya: Who Controls What?

Ten months after our previous Libya control map and report, the country remains divided between two major rival governments and several smaller groups, but there have been a few changes to their areas of control. This is the first free edition of our map that also shows the territories of the Toubou and Tuareg militias in Libya's south, which align on and off with the country's two major governments.

All About Swaziland's Name Change (With Maps)

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. Based on this map by Htonl and NordNordWest.

Swaziland's New Name

If you follow PolGeoNow on Twitter, you already know that the small, southern African country of Swaziland was renamed "Eswatini" this April. The full English name of the country, previously "Kingdom of Swaziland", has also been changed to "Kingdom of Eswatini".

The rename was first announced by the country's king on April 19 - his 50th birthday. (Some media incorrectly reported that April 19 was also Swaziland's 50th anniversary of independence. The country is indeed celebrating its 50th this year, but the actual day of the anniversary is September 6.)

The change was apparently effective immediately: A purported copy of the legal order making the new name official, also dated April 19, was posted on a Swaziland news blog in May, with some validation from other sources.

Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: June 2018 (Subscription)

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

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Since late May, fighting between government and rebel forces in Syria has subsided, but battles against the so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) have continued in both eastern and western parts of the country.

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 May, with sources cited.

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• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
• Markers showing the approximate locations of Russian-Turkish-Iranian "de-escalation zones" and the one known US "deconfliction zone".
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the US-backed SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Dashishah, Al Kara'a, Manbij, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since May 23, 2018, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources. 
• Brief summary of the current situation and of major changes to the configuration of territorial boundaries and de facto enclaves and exclaves.

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Yemen Control Map & Report - June 2018 (Subscription)

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

Since April, Yemen's Saudi-led coalition has resisted increasing internal divisions to gain some ground against the rival Houthi government, as well as Al Qaeda forces in the east. Now, the coalition is making a concerted push to capture the Houthi-held city of Hodeida, Yemen's main port on the Red Sea.

See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's Yemen territorial control map, which includes a timeline of changes and important events since our previous Yemen map report in April.

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• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for recent areas of fighting, including Hodeida, Al Faza, Al Tuhayata, and more
• Timeline of changes to the situation since April 14, 2018, with links to sources

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World Cup 2018: Which Countries Are (and Aren't) Members of FIFA?

There are newer versions of this explainer available. To see them, view all FIFA World Cup articles on PolGeoNow.

This is an updated edition of our FIFA member countries article for Russia 2018. The original version, from 2014, is here.

The six continental confederations of national football teams associated with FIFA. Most, but not all, confederation members are individually members of FIFA as well. Map by Evan Centanni, based on work by EOZyo (source).

Around the world, fans of association football - also known in many countries as "soccer" - are tuning in today for the beginning of the month-long FIFA World Cup in Russia. Not all the world's countries can advance to the cup, but did they all get a shot at it? Which countries were eligible to enter the tournament, and which are excluded? Read on for our exclusive guide to the roster of FIFA national football teams...

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - June 2018 (Subscription)

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

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In the last two months, several towns in southern Somalia have changed hands between Al Shabaab and government-allied forces, while political realignments have continued to change the country's map of autonomous states.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of March 2018, with sources cited.

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• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions, plus control lines for the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, and Khatumo.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Tukaraq, Moqokori, Bulo Haji, Bali Khadar, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since March 28, 2018, with sources indicated. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation, as well as major changes to the alignment of autonomous administrations, over the past three months.

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Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: Rebels Lose Rastan Enclave - May 2018 (Subscription)

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

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In the past month, Syria's rebels have lost one of their biggest enclaves of control - "Zone 2" near the city of Homs, including their oldest stronghold in Rastan. Meanwhile, the national capital has been completely cleared of rebel and "Islamic State" control pockets.

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 April, with sources cited.

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• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
• Markers showing the approximate locations of Russian-Turkish-Iranian "de-escalation zones" and the one known US "deconfliction zone".
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the US-backed SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Rastan, Yarmouk, Baghuz, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since April 25, 2018, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources. 
• Brief summary of the current situation and of major changes to the configuration of territorial boundaries and de facto enclaves and exclaves.

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Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: Kurdish, Rebel Enclaves Evaporate - April 2018 (Subscription)

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

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In the last six weeks, Turkey-led forces have expelled the Kurdish YPG from its stronghold in Afrin, while the three major pockets of rebel control near Damascus have all been wiped off the map.

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 March, with sources cited.

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

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• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
• Markers showing the approximate locations of Russian-Turkish-Iranian "de-escalation zones" and the one known US "deconfliction zone".
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the US-backed 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 Afrin, Douma, Dumayr, Sabaa Biyar, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since March 16, 2018, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources. 
• Brief summary of current situation, as well as major changes to the configuration of territorial boundaries and de facto enclaves and exclaves.

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Yemen Control Map & Report - April 2018 (Subscription)

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

In the past three months, the civil war in Yemen has been marked by infighting within the Saudi-led coalition, while those forces have made only small progress against the Houthis and Al Qaeda.

See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's Yemen territorial control map, which includes a timeline of changes and important events since our previous Yemen map report in January.

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• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Yemen, color-coded for the pro-Hadi coalition, Houthi/Saleh forces, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL).
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for recent areas of fighting, including Hays, Kirsh, Nihm, Ketaf, and more
• Timeline of changes to the situation since January 6, 2018, with links to sources

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - March 2018 (Subscription)

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

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Since last summer, Al Qaeda's Al Shabaab affiliate has lost some key towns in Somalia, but also had some victories - all this amid increasing US military involvement. Meanwhile, two pairs of rival governments farther north are moving towards unification.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of August 2017, with sources cited.

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

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Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness and unclear control also clearly marked. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions, plus control lines for the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, ASWJ, and Khatumo.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Bariire, Basra, Sablale, Torotorow, Tukaraq, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since August 25, 2017, with sources indicated. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation, as well as major changes to the alignment of autonomous administrations, over the past seven months.

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Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: Afrin Separated from Turkey - March 2018 (Subscription)

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

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Over the past month, fighting has raged in three major flashpoints in Syria, with the Turkish invasion of Afrin, Assad's new ground war against rebels near Damascus, and heavy infighting between rebel groups in the north.

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 February, with sources cited.

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

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Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration 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.
• Markers showing the approximate locations of Russian-Turkish-Iranian "de-escalation zones" and the one known US "deconfliction zone".
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the 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 Kurdish Afrin, the Eastern Ghouta rebel zone near Damascus, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since February 13, 2018, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources. 
• Brief summary of current situation, as well as major changes to the configuration of territorial boundaries and de facto enclaves and exclaves.

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Gambia Rejoins the Commonwealth (Map)

Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic. Visit our Commonwealth of Nations page to check for newer versions, or contact us for permission to use this map.

Commonwealth Readmits Gambia as Member

Last month the Republic of the Gambia was accepted back into the Commonwealth of Nations, a club of countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. The tiny West African country left the organization in 2013 under pressure from other members to improve its democracy and human rights record.

What Are the Commonwealth Countries? Map of the Commonwealth of Nations

This map and explainer will be updated whenever there's a change in Commonwealth membership, including suspensions and reinstatements. You can find articles on each change by scrolling to the bottom of this page, or by viewing all Commonwealth articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic. Contact us for permission to use this map.

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

What is the Commonwealth of Nations?

The Commonwealth of Nations - formerly the "British Commonwealth", but now usually just called "the Commonwealth" - is a loose association of countries that grew out of the British Empire as its colonies transitioned into independent countries during the 20th Century. It more or less took its modern form in 1949, but its history goes back at least to 1926, when the most Westernized colonies of the British Empire were transitioning towards independence. It's mostly a casual forum for cooperation between countries that used to be British colonies or dependencies (though some other countries have joined), and it has a charter promoting values like world peace, democracy, and human rights.

Iraq Control Map & Timeline - February 2018 (Subscription)

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

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Since November, pro-government forces in Iraq have nearly, but not entirely, cleared the country of control by the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), with the group still reportedly holding out in parts of the western desert.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional map of control in Iraq's civil war, including a timeline of changes since our previous Iraq map report of November 2017.

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Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Iraq, color-coded for the Iraqi government, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces, and Yezidi militias. Colorblind accessible.
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including all major cities and many smaller ones, as well as terrain, major roads, and provincial boundaries
• Timeline of changes to the situation since the end of November, compiled by our Iraq-Syria specialist, with links to sources.

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