Can Iraq Stop the Iranian-Backed Drone Attacks?
Recent drone attacks in Kurdistan are once again bringing the issue of Iraq’s Iran-backed militias to the fore.
Kurds
Choose the Druze
Syria’s endangered minorities deserve protection
Op-eds
Syria’s Parliamentary “Elections” Are a Charade
Parliamentary elections in Syria will take place in September, Damascus announced on July 27 — but the people will not vote and presidential appointees will choose the winners. Interim President Ahmad...
Policy Briefs
Syrian Druze are not entitled to self-determination, and Kurds cannot yet pursue secession
Syria is a patchwork of identities, par for the course in a region where novel nationalities vie with tribe and religion for the citizenry’s loyalty. For most of the country’s history, the Assad family...
Op-eds
US expresses concern over Iraqi legislation enshrining militias as independent security force
Iraq has revived legislation regarding the Popular Mobilization Authority (PMA), the government agency that oversees the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The PMF, while legally an Iraqi government...
Op-eds
U.S. Must Apply Pressure to Prevent Turkish Military Intervention in Syria
Syria after Bashar al-Assad is a country in chaos, but that does not mean it cannot get worse. One way that could happen would be a direct Turkish military intervention. Unfortunately, that is exactly...
Policy Briefs
Erdogan and Shara’s “Sunnification” Project
The recent sectarian violence shows that the Syrian government and its Turkish backers share a dangerous vision of a Sunni-dominant state.
Op-eds
Turkey’s Kurds and the Making of Erdoğan’s Autocracy
Turkey’s Kurdish political movement is unexpectedly emerging as a crucial partner in President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ongoing drive to consolidate power and entrench autocratic rule. On...
Op-eds
‘Firm and Supportive Stance’: Saudi Arabia to Invest $6.4 Billion in Syria
Billions From Riyadh: Saudi Arabia announced on July 24 new investments in Syria totaling $6.4 billion. The deal was confirmed at a conference in Damascus by Saudi Investment Minister...
Flash Briefs
Druze-American Executed in Syria Amidst Sectarian Violence
American Citizen Murdered: The State Department confirmed on July 22 that a Druze Syrian-American citizen was executed in Syria alongside seven of his family members, amidst sectarian clashes involving Druze and Bedouin factions along with Syrian government forces. Hosam Saraya, 35, was identified by relatives after video emerged of masked men in military uniforms shooting eight Druze captives on July 17 while shouting “God is great.” Though one friend of the Saraya family stated that he believed the gunmen were aligned with the Syrian government, their identities could not be confirmed.
Flash Briefs
Why No States for the Druze or the Kurds?
Self-determination in the Middle East is inconsistent. For Muslim Palestinians, statehood is seen as an unfulfilled destiny. Yet for religious minorities like the Druze or ethnic groups like the Kurds,...
Op-eds
Ceasefire Holds in Syria’s Suwayda as Israel Delivers Aid to Druze
Syrian Government Imposes ‘Security Cordon’ for Suwayda: Syria’s government began evacuating Bedouin families from Suwayda and deployed security forces around its perimeter...
Flash Briefs
US, UK condemn drone attacks targeting energy sites in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region
Drone attacks targeting the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq increased in July, leading to condemnations by the US, UK, and various officials. “The United States condemns the recent drone attacks...
Op-eds
The Druze Test: A Deep Dive into Why Israel is Bombing Syria Again
Israel’s Druze Test in Syria On July 16, the Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes in the heart of Damascus. The IDF said it had targeted Syria’s military headquarters and...
Op-eds
At Least 30 People Killed in Clashes Between Druze, Bedouin Militias in Syria
Druze-Bedouin Clashes Erupt After Merchant Abducted: At least 30 people have been killed in ongoing clashes in southern Syria between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze militias after...
Flash Briefs
Dismissal of Kurdish Concerns Threatens Syrian Unity Deal
“One Syria, One Army, One Government,” declared Damascus following a July 9 meeting between Syrian Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, and Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the Kurdish-led...
Policy Briefs
U.S. Replaces Comprehensive Sanctions on Syria With More Targeted Tools
The United States rolled back decades-old comprehensive sanctions on Syria on June 30, but the story is not as simple as either media reports or the administration itself makes it seem. The executive order...
Policy Briefs
‘Enmity Against God’: Iran Arrests Hundreds and Executes 3 for Allegedly Spying for Israel
Mass Detentions Unfold: The Iranian authorities have arrested more than 700 people since the conflict with Israel began on June 13, Iranian state media reported this week. The Fars...
Flash Briefs
Islamic State Resurfaces in Damascus With Deadly Bombing
The Islamic State (IS) has returned to the spotlight in Damascus. According to the Syrian Ministry of Interior, the group conducted a suicide bombing on June 22 at a Greek Orthodox church in the Syrian...
Policy Briefs
Iranian-backed militias threaten US amid rising tensions in Iraq over Iran-Israel conflict
The Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq has threatened to target “US interests” in the Middle East if the US intervenes in the Israel-Iran conflict, according to several regional Arabic reports. The...