Kobanî

February 18, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syrian government and SDF continue transition, US strikes Islamic State and withdraws from Tanf

The Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued transitioning control of portions of Syria as US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had carried out strikes on the Islamic...

February 10, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syria joins anti-Islamic State coalition meeting as territory transition with SDF continues

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al Shaibani took part in a meeting of the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition in Saudi Arabia on February 9. Syria joined the coalition in November as its...

February 10, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syria Looks to Offshore Oil and Gas for Economic Renewal

Damascus’ entrance into the energy market will require it to update its dilapidated infrastructure.

February 4, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

After Damascus-SDF deal, Syrian security forces deploy in northeastern Syria

Syrian government forces began deploying to cities in northeastern Syria after an agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the interim government on January 30. Syrian...

February 1, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

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...

January 29, 2026 | Ahmad Sharawi |

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...

January 20, 2026 | Ahmad Sharawi |

Syrian Offensive Against Kurdish-Led SDF Risks Escape of ISIS Prisoners

The ongoing conflict between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) risks unleashing tens of thousands of ISIS-linked detainees, reviving a threat that the United States and the SDF...

September 26, 2025 | Ahmad Sharawi, Sinan Ciddi

When Erdoğan Shifted Focus to the Kurds in Syria

2015 marked a change in the Syria policy of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He began to walk back his initial goal of toppling the Asad regime and turned towards Syria’s surging Kurdish forces....

September 3, 2025 | Sinan Ciddi |

Turkey’s Quiet Relationship with ISIS

On June 29, 2014, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State in al-Sham (ISIS), was recorded on video speaking at the al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul, Iraq. (“Al-Sham” is the traditional Arabic...

March 28, 2025 | Jonathan Schanzer, Sinan Ciddi, Melissa Sacks, Michael Rubin

Hamas and Turkey: Partners in Terror

March 26, 2025 | Sinan Ciddi, Meghan Bodette

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

January 26, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

The strategic Tishrin Dam has become a flashpoint in post-Assad Syria

The Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River in Syria has become a key point of conflict in the country’s post-Assad era. Since the fall of dictator Bashar al Assad’s regime on December 8, the dam has been...

January 8, 2025 | Sinan Ciddi |

Trump can’t leave Syria to others

After the fall of Bashar Assad‘s regime in Syria, the incoming Trump administration faces a complex set of challenges. Despite President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to reduce U.S....

December 23, 2024 | Ahmad Sharawi |

Can Syria’s New Leader Unite Armed Factions Into One Army? 

Syria’s new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa – who also uses the nom-de-guerre Abu Mohammad al Jolani — has pledged to dissolve existing armed factions and integrate their fighters into a newly formed...

December 20, 2024 | Sinan Ciddi |

Turkey’s Overreach in Syria: Erdogan Is ‘Playing with Fire’

In a recent Foreign Policy article, Steven Cook and I highlighted how Turkey may be overplaying its hand in Syria. With events evolving rapidly, it seems that Turkish President Recep...

December 20, 2024 | |

‘Slip of the Tongue’: Turkey Denies Ceasefire Deal with Kurds, as Erdogan Teases Expansionism

Turkey Denies Ceasefire With U.S.-Backed Syrian Forces: Turkey’s Defense Ministry denied on December 19 that it had agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal with the Kurdish-led...

December 16, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Al-Hol camp is a test for future of Syria

In eastern Syria, there is a camp called Al-Hol, sometimes spelled al-Hawl, where many former ISIS members reside.

December 14, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Turkey moves to isolate the Kurds in Syria, and prepares a way for new attacks

The main group in Ankara's cross-hairs is the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which was formed in 2015 with US backing.

December 10, 2024 | |

Turkish-Backed Syrian National Army Seizes Manbij from U.S. Allied, Kurdish-Led Forces

Turkish-Backed Forces Advance on SDF Territory: On November 30, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) launched “Operation Dawn of Freedom” targeting the Manbij region...

December 1, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Are Kurds under threat amid civil war resurgence in Syria?

Many wheels are in motion in Syria, which could leave Kurds and other minorities exposed.