Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Syrian Uprising: Map Update 5

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

Political Geography Now presents an updated map of territorial division in Syria, where escalating violence is now referred to by the U.N. as a full-scale civil war. Read on for a rundown of recent events.
Map of rebel control in Syria's Civil War, updated for July 2012
Activity by rebel groups in Syria, marking areas of armed conflict as well as towns and cities held. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this blank map by German Wikipedia user NordNordWest. License: CC BY-SA

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Kosovo Recognized by Chad (Total: 91/193)

Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as independent, updated for June 2012
Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, with the most recent, Chad, in lighter green (click to enlarge). Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain wiki map (source).

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Yemen Conflict: Map Update 3

Fighting between Yemen's transitional government and Al Qaeda branch Ansar al-Sharia reached a climax this week, as government forces captured the militants' strongholds in Abyan province. This article gives a rundown of recent events and the current situation in divided Yemen.

Map of division in Yemen, including control by Al Qaeda or Ansar al-Sharia, the Houthi rebels, and the Southern Movement. Update for June 2012.
Presence of anti-government forces in Yemen in June 2012. Ansar al-Sharia is part of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Map by Evan Centanni, using this blank map by NordNordWest/Wikipedia (license: CC BY-SA).




Friday, June 1, 2012

Syrian Uprising: Update 4

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

Full Story: See Syria Divided by Armed Conflict

Map of Syria's uprising, marking cities and towns under control of the Free Syrian Army rebels as of June 2, 2012. Includes the site of the recent Houla massacre.
Known areas of armed activity for the rebel "Free Syrian Army" (click to enlarge). My own work, starting from this blank map by NordNordWest. License: CC BY-SA
Wondering what's been going on in Syria since our last map update? There have been few, if any, major changes in territorial control, but here's a brief status update. 

Despite the U.N. brokered ceasefire between the Syrian military and the rebel Free Syrian Army, which was to enter in effect on April 10, armed clashes have continued in many parts of the country, including recent heavy fighting in Rastan. Bloodshed reached a horrific peak a week ago, as over one hundred civilians - nearly half of them children - were massacred in the Houla area of Homs province. Witnesses told the U.N. that the murders were committed by militias loyal to President Assad, though the Syrian government attempted to blame the atrocity on the rebels. In the aftermath, one commander of the Free Syrian Army threatened to call off the ceasefire altogether, which could mean increased fighting in the coming weeks.

Country Name:  
• Syria (English)
• Sūriyya/Sūryā (Arabic)
Official Name:  
• Syrian Arab Republic (English)
• al-Jumhūriyyah al-‘Arabīyah  as-Sūriyyah (Arabic)
Capital: Damascus
Territorial control by the government and rebels has remained mostly the same since April. The only change made to the map is the addition of Houla in red, as at least one source indicates the area was under rebel control both before and after the massacre. Note that the Free Syrian Army is also reported to control much of the northwestern Idlib province outside of the main cities, though the situation is fluid and information is scarce, making it difficult to mark anything definitively on the map. 

Friday, May 25, 2012

Map: Sudan & South Sudan's Disputed Territories

Countries: South Sudan, Sudan
Official Names: Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Sudan
Summary: After South Sudan declared independence from Sudan last year, much of the border between the neighbors is still hotly disputed, with recent violent clashes around the Heglig oil field and other areas. Read on for a full list of Sudan and South Sudan's eight major border flashpoints.

Map of the border between Sudan and South Sudan, marking selected territorial disputes and border clashes in 2012. Includes inset map of April fighting in region of Heglig oil field.
Border map of Sudan and South Sudan, showing disputed areas and fighting since the beginning of 2012. Aerial bombings and attacks by rebel groups not shown. My own work, using blank Sudan and South Sudan maps by NordNordWest / Wikipedia. License: CC BY-SA.