Russia’s Scramble for Africa and What It Means for the Middle East

The collapse of Syria has struck a serious blow to Russia’s position in the Middle East and on the world stage, depriving it of its only naval base outside its own territory and reducing its reputation and sphere of influence. But Moscow still retains an extensive military presence, and the accompanying diplomatic clout, in many parts of Africa. Al-Qaeda and Islamic State have important offshoots in these areas, and their fate is entangled with that of the Middle East. Take, for instance, the case of Libya, where, as Zineb Riboua explains in this country-by-country survey,