Suwayda

Trump Shouldn’t Delist Syria Without Conditions

The inclusion of Syria on the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list is important leverage the U.S. should not give up easily.

Syria appoints new parliament as Israel tensions continue

On July 1, Syria’s government said that the country’s Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections had announced the final list of names for the country’s new parliament.  The...

A Parliament Without Real Opposition in Syria

A year and a half after the overthrow of former dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Syria’s new parliament is finally taking shape. On July 1, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa appointed 70 lawmakers,...

Deploying Syrian Troops in Lebanon Would Help, Not Hurt, Hezbollah

“I told Israel it should let Syria handle Hezbollah because, frankly, I think Syria would do a better job,” President Donald Trump said during the G7 summit in Paris. Trump’s comment was the second...

Don’t Invite Syria Back Into Lebanon

Washington is contemplating the one thing that could rally Lebanese around Hezbollah.

Syria holds elections in Kurdish-majority areas, finds Assad-era chemical weapons

Syria held elections in Kurdish-majority areas of the country on May 24, with some politicians and commentators criticizing them for not being representative. Days after the local elections,...

Political Exclusion of Syrian Kurds Threatens SDF-Damascus Deal

A dispute over Kurdish political representation and cultural rights is emerging as the primary fault line in the Syrian government’s process of integration with the Kurdish-run semi-autonomous region...

Jordanian Warplanes Strike Drug Traffickers in Southern Syria, Where Damascus Exerts Little Control

In an operation codenamed “Jordanian Deterrence,” Amman’s fighter jets carried out strikes on at least five separate locations in the Syrian governorate of Suwayda on May 2, targeting “sites belonging...

Qatar Influence Operations: Unmasking a Suspected Network

Prisoner Exchange Between Central Government and Druze Factions is an Opportunity To Cement Stability in Syria

After the July 2025 Syrian government offensive in the south of the country that resulted in the deaths of at least 1,000 members of the Druze minority, reconciliation between Damascus and the Druze appeared...

A Month of Crisis in Syria and Its Regional Ramifications

Syria has experienced another dramatic transformation. After a month of clashes that began in Aleppo and spread to eastern Syria, Damascus announced on January 30 that it had reached an agreement with...

Third Time Lucky? Syrian Government and Kurdish-Led SDF Announce Latest Agreement

An escalation of conflict in northeastern Syria has been averted, at least for now. But questions persist over whether the disputes that sparked the recent offensive by Syrian government troops against...

Jordan carries out airstrikes in Syria against drug smugglers

The Kingdom of Jordan conducted airstrikes in Syria that targeted drug smugglers between December 23 and 25. The strikes came days after reports at the Jordan News Agency, a state media...

Preventing Violence in Southern Syria Depends on Damascus and Jerusalem Reaching an Agreement

“Israel must maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria,” President Donald Trump said on December 1, amid rising tensions between the two countries. On November 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)...

Instability grows in Syria’s Druze heartland as ‘National Guard’ militia arrests opponents

On November 29, members of Suwayda’s National Guard, a militia affiliated with Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al Hijri that describes itself as the “official military institution that represents...

Sharaa in Washington: A Turning Point for Syria

The question for Damascus is what comes next, with Sharaa showing that he is ready for the global prime time.   Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa visited the White House on Monday for a historic...

After Gaza’s Deal, A Momentum in the Region for More Peace Stability in Syria, Lebanon?

U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for a peace deal to end the Gaza war has proven to be initially successful. He was able to bring together delegations from Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, and Hamas in...

After sectarian clashes in Aleppo, US, SDF, and Syrian government officials meet in Damascus

Several rounds of meetings between US and Syrian leaders over the last two days reflect a push for integrating eastern Syria with Damascus and an attempt to reduce tensions between the Syrian...

New Syrian Parliament Takes Shape as Local Bodies Appoint Legislators Under Post-Assad Interim Constitution

Syria Announces First Results: The Syrian authorities announced preliminary results of the first parliamentary selection process since the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad’s...

The New Syrian Regime’s Dilemma

On September 24, Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara’a addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, where he is still on the UN sanctions list for his leadership of an al-Qa’ida affiliate (though...