The story of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham's rise to prominence and what it means for Syria

Its name has changed and so have the ambitions of the terror group

Doha must negotiate its way back into the fold or face years of isolation

The quartet are comfortable for the current crisis to drag on, because Qatar is unwilling to truly compromise

The fate of ISIL does not depend on the survival of Al Baghdadi

The reported death of the extremist group's leader matters little to ISIL, except to the rank and file

What ISIL really thinks about the future

There is still a long way for Iraq and Syria to go before they can properly claim to have defeated the group, writes Hassan Hassan

The complex conundrum at play in Idlib

Turkey’s role in Idlib remains a delicate one

Ankara has deployed troops to keep the peace in northwestern Syria - but their presence has become a source of controversy, writes Hassan Hassan

Appointment of new crown prince ushers in a new, dynamic Saudi Arabia

The appointment of Mohammad bin Salman as crown prince of Saudi Arabia goes beyond the defining promotion of an ambitious prince, writes Hassan Hassan

ISIL’s discourse is more common than you think

Islamist discourse provides ideological logistics to terrorists and reluctance to speak about extremism helps radicals, writes Hassan Hassan

The question now is how - not if - Qatar will change

Although the Qatari emir’s immediate concern is to demonstrate strength before his people, Qatar’s priority will no doubt be to seek a de-escalation, writes Hassan Hassan

Qatar’s troubles are rooted in its support for Islamists

The tension between Qatar and its neighbours shows that the old geopolitical lines can no longer explain the Middle East, says Hassan Hassan