Martin Chulov

IS militants have destroyed countless irreplaceable artefacts and heritage sites, leading to comparisons to the atrocities of Mao Zedong and Pol Pot.

An obscure prophecy fuels its fundamentalism, foretelling an ultimate showdown with Christians.

A shocking report about the systematic killing of detainees Syrian jails is just the tip of the iceberg, experts say.

Thousands of refugees are continuing to stream into the Lebanese border town of Arsal as clashes intensify in the nearby Qalamoun mountains.

The assassination of the regime’s top military strategists has led to mass defections from the Syrian army, writes Martin Chulov.

A presenter from the Syrian regime’s main television channel has defected to the opposition and revealed he has been providing intelligence to rebels.

An 11-year-old boy’s calm account of the cold-blooded slaughter of his family reveals the horror of the Syrian assault.

A colleague pays tribute to Anthony Shadid, whose reporting from troubled regions won admiration for its insight and humanity.

How peace-loving Syrians finally took up arms against the regime and fought back.

Giving Saudi women the right to vote is a giant step for the conservative Islamic society.

Rebel leader sheds new light on the UK’s collaboration with Libyan intelligence forces.

A series of co-ordinated explosions killed at least 74 people and wounded 250 more across Iraq on Monday.

The Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughour was besieged by columns of government tanks as the army massed for what is feared will be an all-out assault.

Westerners have been filmed in central Libya in the first apparent confirmation that Nato has sent ­military advisers to train anti-government forces.

Tripoli’s anti-Gaddafi movement has been reduced to painting pigeons in rebel colours and tying balloons to cats.