Umar Farooq

Umar Farooq is a journalist who covered the Middle East and South and Central Asia for outlets such as Reuters, Al Jazeera English, and the Los Angeles Times.

Follow Umar Farooq:
On X
Articles by Umar Farooq
Dozens of men stand in a crowd outdoors with serious expressions on their faces. Some of them hold up computer-printed posters with messages such as "Why was Ayatollah Khamenei killed? America and Israel must answer." Another sign says "Muslim world unite!"
Dozens of men stand in a crowd outdoors with serious expressions on their faces. Some of them hold up computer-printed posters with messages such as "Why was Ayatollah Khamenei killed? America and Israel must answer." Another sign says "Muslim world unite!"

An Ayatollah for the Aggrieved This article has an audio recording

Essay
Umar Farooq
Masked fighters in camouflage stand in lines holding guns.
Masked fighters in camouflage stand in lines holding guns.

What Are Uyghurs Doing in Syria?

Dispatch
Umar Farooq
Afghan men walk along the highway between the Turkish cities of Dogubayazit and Agri, in eastern Turkey, near the border with Iran on April 22, 2019. After crossing the border, they were unable to obtain proper documentation that would allow them to ride public transportation, forcing them to walk for hours or days as they travel toward Istanbul on their way to Europe.
Afghan men walk along the highway between the Turkish cities of Dogubayazit and Agri, in eastern Turkey, near the border with Iran on April 22, 2019. After crossing the border, they were unable to obtain proper documentation that would allow them to ride public transportation, forcing them to walk for hours or days as they travel toward Istanbul on their way to Europe.

As America Shuts Its Doors, Afghan Refugees Are Stuck in Turkey

Dispatch
Umar Farooq
Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu

Erdogan’s Attacks on His Old Ally Could Backfire

Dispatch
Umar Farooq
Turkish riot police clash with demonstrators protesting Turkey's crackdown on Kurdish mayors, in Istanbul on Aug. 24.
Turkish riot police clash with demonstrators protesting Turkey's crackdown on Kurdish mayors, in Istanbul on Aug. 24.

Turkey’s Crackdown on Kurdish Mayors Could Backfire

Argument
Umar Farooq
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2

The Hunted

Dispatch
Umar Farooq
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2

The Afghan Roots of Pakistan’s Zarb-e-Azb Operation

The South Asia Channel
Umar Farooq
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2

Willful Ignorants

Argument
Umar Farooq
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2

Mission creep? The scope of Obama’s drone war

The South Asia Channel
Umar Farooq
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2
fp-placeholder-social-share-3-2

Civilians bear brunt of Pakistan’s war in the northwest

The South Asia Channel
Umar Farooq
Return to staff list

Latest

See All Stories

Trending

  1. 1
    I Was the Russian Commander in a War Game. This Is How I Defeated NATO. This article has an audio recording
  2. 2
    What Does Putin Want From Xi?
  3. 3
    The World Keeps Asking Iran the Wrong Question
  4. 4
    Ukraine Has a New War Strategy—and It's Working
  5. 5
    The Trump-Xi Summit