Manbij

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

After SDF-Damascus deal, a spotlight on US forces in Syria

On March 10, Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), signed an agreement with Syria’s interim President Ahmad al Sharaa. The deal outlines a plan to integrate the SDF and other...

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...

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....

‘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...

Expect Turkey To Be the Decisive Foreign Player in Post-Assad Syria

The ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other rebel groups have created an opening for Turkey to assert itself as the primary external...

‘Unfriendly Takeover’: Turkey Offers to Train New Syrian Army While Maintaining Threat Against Kurds

Turkey’s ‘Unfriendly Takeover’ in Syria: Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said on December 15 that Turkey is willing to provide military training for Syria’s army if...

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.

Why are Iran and Turkey moving to condemn Israel’s role in Syria?

It is interesting how quickly Iran, Turkey and also voices in Qatar have mobilized to single out Israel for critique regarding Syria.

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...

America Must Stand with Syria’s Kurds

Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan is playing with and stoking fires in Syria. Following the major military offensive mounted by the Salafi-jihadist forces of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in...

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.

Collusion or Collision?

Turkey-Russia Relations Under Erdogan and Putin

U.S. designates al Qaeda financial facilitator based in Turkey

The U.S. Treasury Department announced today that two money men working for al Qaeda and Hay’at Tahrir al Sham (HTS) have been designated. The designations are part of a broader U.S. effort to sanction...

Time to Act on Human Shields

Turkey Plans a Safe Zone on Syria Border

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced this week his plans to create a “safe zone” in no...

Turkey Plans Fresh Offensive in Syria

On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned of an impending...

Get Serious About Human Shields

“Given the kind of precision weaponry you are using,” a French TV reporter...

Erdogan Threatens to Expand War Against U.S. Partners in Syria

A bomb blast near the city of Manbij in northern Syria...