Articles

Russia has occupied parts of Ukraine for over ten years. CIR and Detector Media explore the tactics used by the occupying authorities to mobilise and recruit.

CIR’s Sudan Witness project supported the New York Times with its reporting on the conflict in Sudan. Pulitzer’s recognition of the coverage shines a vital spotlight on one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

One month on from the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, open source analysis conducted by Myanmar Witness reveals how the Myanmar Air Force (MAF) continued to conduct airstrikes in the earthquake’s aftermath, despite the State Administration Council (SAC) calling a temporary ceasefire and national mourning period.

After our recent videos on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in Ethiopia were flooded with online hate speech, we decided to investigate what was being said, and why.

Driven to leave Ethiopia by relentless online abuse, wellness expert and influencer Lella Misikir’s story exposes the harsh reality of technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Ethiopia.

In March 2025, a wave of extreme violence and revenge killings swept through Alawite strongholds of Syria. Unarmed civilians, including women and children, were among the victims.

One month ago extreme sectarian violence engulfed the Syrian coast. Assad loyalists attacked the new Syrian government security forces, looking for revenge for the ousting of Assad. Government security forces and affiliated armed groups in return descended on the area. The Alawite community, to which Assad belonged, was blamed for the attempted uprising. Countless videos of mass killings emerged. CIR collaborated with Syrian Archive to investigate what happened.

Satellite imagery shows how fire, shelling and airstrikes have wrecked towns, cities and villages in resistance strongholds throughout the country.

Satellite imagery and videos shared on social media lay bare the scale of damage to croplands, fishing vessels, markets and the Port of Gaza, while analysis uncovers potential signs of siege tactics, aid disruption, and starvation as a means of warfare.

Satellite image analysis reveals how a rapid expansion of mining sites in the country’s northeast has altered the region’s physical landscape. The impacts are devastating – for both the environment and local communities.

Designed as a resource for researchers, journalists, and the public, the new hub aims to raise awareness and increase access to gender-focused, open source research on a range of countries and contexts.

Journalists face immense challenges reporting on women’s rights inside Afghanistan. But newsrooms and researchers are leveraging open source techniques to investigate topics such as gender-based violence – shining a light on a range of underreported issues.