Europe is writing itself out of the Middle East
The case for suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement on grounds of human rights is a powerful argument – as long as one doesn't look at what else Europe is doing in the region
Aleppo
Syria reports neutralizing Hezbollah plot to assassinate senior officials
On May 5, the Syrian Ministry of Interior and the General Intelligence Directorate announced that security forces thwarted a major terrorist attack aiming to destabilize the country. In a series...
Op-eds
Blacklisting the Brotherhood
The Trump administration made history on November 24, 2025, when it issued an executive order calling for the U.S. government to designate “certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters as Foreign Terrorist...
Op-eds
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...
Op-eds
Fighting intensifies between Damascus and Syrian Democratic Forces as diplomatic talks resume
Despite a US-mediated ceasefire, clashes continued between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria. On January 29, Syrian military drones carried...
Op-eds
Over the Barrel of a Gun: Syria’s Deal With the SDF
“Our Kurdish people, descendants of Saladin, beware of believing claims that we seek harm against you,” Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said in a televised address on January 16 to Syria’s...
Op-eds
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces withdraw from Aleppo province after clashes with Syrian government
In the wake of intense fighting between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government forces, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi ordered the withdrawal of his personnel from contested areas...
Op-eds
Damascus Poised To Attack Kurdish-Held Towns in Northern Syria
Syrian Troops Ready Offensive on Kurdish-Held Areas: Syrian government troops are preparing to launch an offensive against Kurdish-held towns in the north and east of the country...
Flash Briefs
Syria Risks a New War as Damascus Moves Against the Kurdish-Led SDF
War looms amid intensifying clashes between government troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the country’s second-largest city, Aleppo. On January 7, Syrian army units encircled...
Policy Briefs
Syrian army besieges Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo following clashes
Units of the Syrian army have surrounded the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo, marking the latest escalation after a series of clashes between Syrian...
Op-eds
A Deal to Help Bring Syria Together Nears Collapse
In just a little more than a week, Syria could return to the civil strife its people suffered under for 13 years. A March deal to unify the militaries of President Ahmad al-Sharaa and the Kurdish-led Syrian...
Policy Briefs
Syrian Government and Kurdish-Led SDF Agree to De-escalation of Violence Following Aleppo Clashes
Latest Developments Aleppo Fighting Leads to Casualties: Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed on December 22 to reduce tensions after at least two civilians...
Flash Briefs
Turkey Puts Fragile Deal Between Damascus and Kurdish Forces at Greater Risk
If the agreement collapses, violence may be imminent. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have spent months negotiating with the government in Damascus how to implement their March agreement...
Policy Briefs
Histories of Hezbollah’s assassinated top military commander, likely candidates to replace him
On Sunday, September 23, 2025, an Israeli airstrike targeted the third and fourth floors of a residential building on Al Arid Street in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut’s southern Dahiyeh suburbs...
Op-eds
Clashes erupt between Syrian government troops and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces
On November 19, the government-controlled Syrian army and the predominantly Kurdish, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battled in the area of Maadan, east of Raqqa. According to Syrian...
Op-eds
Kurdish-Led SDF Reportedly Reaches Agreement to Merge With Syrian Armed Forces
Integration Agreement Reached: The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main military force in northeastern Syria, has agreed in principle to integrate into the Syrian...
Flash Briefs
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa Meets With Putin in Moscow
Sharaa in Russia: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on October 15, aiming to “restore and define the nature of this relationship”...
Flash Briefs
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...
Op-eds
Erdogan Demands SDF Complete Integration With Syrian Government
Erdogan Demanding Full Kurdish Integration: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Syrian Kurds to integrate with the Syrian government following a ceasefire between the Kurdish-led...
Flash Briefs
Ceasefire Gives Breathing Room to Syrian Government and Kurdish-Led Forces
A ceasefire between the government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), agreed to on October 7, pulls Syria back from the brink of bloodshed. Tensions, already high, rose the...