Why do Iraqi Shiites hate the new Syria and its leader?
One might assume that the most unpopular individuals in Iraq are US President Donald Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Alawites
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem’s Quds Day speeches
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem delivered two speeches to commemorate Quds Day last week. This annual event, begun by Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is held on...
Op-eds
Syrian Interim President Announces New Transitional Government
President Announces Cabinet: Syrian transitional government leader Ahmad al-Sharaa announced a new government cabinet on March 29, filling 22 ministerial positions over the weekend....
Flash Briefs
Turkey increasing military assistance to Syria
Reports circulating on Syrian social media claim that Syrian interim President Ahmad al Sharaa is planning a visit to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to finalize a defense and military agreement between the two countries.
Op-eds
‘No Blank Check’: European Envoys Press Syrian Leader Al-Sharaa to Hold Violent Jihadists Accountable
Message Comes After Alawite Massacre: Three European envoys told Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa that he has limited time to rein in violent jihadists in his country, according...
Flash Briefs
Turkey’s Kurdish peace talks: A genuine effort or Erdoğan’s power play?
Erdoğan is arguably negotiating with the Kurds mainly as a means of securing Kurdish parliamentarians’ votes to extend his rule as president
Op-eds
Can Syria and Lebanon Rein In Hezbollah?
If Hezbollah continues to clash with the new Syrian government, this could encourage the government to lean on other extremist militias.
Op-eds
Syria’s New Leader Is an Autocrat; Will That Be Good or Bad for Israel and Turkey?
Islamist or not, Syria’s self-proclaimed interim president, Ahmad Sharaa, seems like he will do anything to keep power.
Op-eds
Profiles of commanders in the new Syrian army’s regional divisions
On January 29, Syria’s new leadership announced the dissolution of the Assad regime’s Syrian Arab Army and launched a unification process to integrate various armed militias into a single national...
Op-eds
Israel strikes Palestinian Islamic Jihad command center in Damascus
The state-owned Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that Israel targeted a building in the Mashoura Dummar neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, with an airstrike on March 13. The attack wounded...
Op-eds
Massacres in Syria Expose New President’s Struggle to Govern
Hundreds of fighters and hundreds more civilians are dead following the bloodiest clashes yet between the new Syrian government and militias loyal to the fallen regime of Bashar al-Assad. On March 6,...
Policy Briefs
What Does Israel Want With Syria?
As Syria faces continued conflict, Israel may be planning a wider confrontation with the new government.
Op-eds
Why did Syria’s Kurds sign a deal with the new regime?
On March 10, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) signed an agreement with Syria’s interim government, integrating the SDF’s 100,000-strong, predominantly Kurdish force into the new Syrian...
Op-eds
Hundreds Killed in Syria as Transitional Government Clashes With Alawite Insurgency
Massive Fighting on Syrian Coast: At least 400 people including 300 civilians have reportedly been killed in three days of intense fighting between Syria’s transitional government...
Flash Briefs
Fierce clashes erupt between Assad loyalists and government forces in western Syria
On March 6, Syria witnessed the most intense and bloodiest clashes between the new Syrian government and loyalists to dictator Bashar al Assad since the Assad regime’s downfall on December 8. These battles...
Op-eds
Netanyahu calls for the demilitarization of southern Syria
On February 23, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for southern Syria to remain demilitarized in the wake of the collapse of the Bashar al Assad regime. “We will not allow forces from the...
Op-eds
10 Things to Know About Turkey’s Interventions and Influence in Syria
Turkey intends to position itself as the most influential foreign actor in Syria. Following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Turkey built close ties with jihadist militias fighting Bashar...
Insights
Syria’s National Dialogue Committee: A Facade of Inclusivity
Syria’s new president pledged to champion inclusivity, yet he has stacked a key transition committee with like-minded Islamists. The seven-member National Dialogue Committee will organize the National...
Policy Briefs
Syria’s crackdown on smuggling sparks tensions with Hezbollah and Lebanon
The border between Lebanon and Syria has witnessed intense clashes in recent days as the newly formed Syrian army deployed reinforcements to Al Qusayr in the western Homs Governorate.
Op-eds
Syria gets a new autocrat as Sharaa styles himself ‘president’
If the economy tanks, it’s likely Sharaa will return to his Islamic roots and produce a state similar to ISIS