Policy Analysis

Efforts to counter Iran in Syria are solely focused on Iran’s military presence in the country, and have ignored the soft-power, cultural spheres of influence being developed by Iran as a long-term strategy.

Although establishing ties between Turkey and the Syrian regime may seem like a smart move by Erdogan, the decision represents a betrayal of the Syrian people and its success is not guaranteed for the Turkish government.

The involvement of Turkish military forces in Northern Syria could allow thousands of Syrians to return to their homes after being forced out by the YPG, the SDF, and other entities for many years.

Saudi Arabia has worked with Syrian tribes in the past to bolster their involvement in Northeastern Syria, but tribal frustrations with the SDF and shifting geopolitical realities are impacting this relationship.

A Turkish attack on northern Syria would bring new waves of internal displacement and increased humanitarian suffering, weaken the SDF and the Autonomous Administration, and erode these institutions’ the trust of the United States.

With the threat of a Turkish incursion into Northeast Syria, the SDF weighs their options while the area’s civilians express their frustrations and concerns about all parties involved.

More than two months into the faltering invasion of Ukraine, Russia appears to be recalculating its approach, resorting to a tactic Syrians are all too familiar with: 'Ants Crawl', or a scorched earth policy.

Political and military developments in Syria ensure that the country faces a fragmented future.

While the world reacted with shock to Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine since the February 24 invasion, understanding Russia’s role in Syria makes Putin’s actions in Ukraine look more like a pattern than an anomaly.

Mapping Syrians’ attitudes towards Russia’s presence in the country demonstrates a variety of perspectives, indicating the mixed record of Russia’s soft power efforts.

Erdogan's plan to build residential villages in Syria is an important step for Syrian refugees. Relevant parties should help bring the project to fruition and ensure its longevity.

While Arabs polled in March see Russia as responsible for spiking food prices, frustration with prior governance failures and economic challenges are also evident in certain Arab states with struggling economies.

Russia is using its presence in Syria to defend its interests in Europe. This shift, and the global impact of the war in Ukraine, have important implications for on-the-ground dynamics in Syria.

Despite the January 26 announcement by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that they had taken full control of al-Sinaa prison in Hasaka, the security situation in this northeastern city is still not completely stable.

With the war on Ukraine in its fourth week, many features of how the conflict will play out are still unknown. However, with the first wave of Ukrainian refugees already within its borders, European Union policymakers should be looking to learn lessons now from over a decade of conflict in Syria to help address and mitigate the fallout from the war on Ukraine.

A decade after disaster struck Syria and its people, Syrian children have suffered immeasurable losses. They are highly vulnerable, cannot protect themselves from surrounding dangers, and will likely experience the effects of these circumstances for their entire lives.

The Syrian governorate of Deir Ezzor is currently a heavily militarized area, where militias and armed forces patrol and pursue their varied interests at the expense of local civilians.

In 1974, the UN defined food security as “availability at all times of adequate . . . food supplies.” According to this definition, Syria is facing a major crisis in food insecurity, while the standard of living continues to decline in the face of ongoing conflict.

The Islamic State’s attack on the Hasakah prison, and ongoing fighting surrounding the facility, is creating a humanitarian disaster for the region’s residents.

Two years after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the IRGC general’s name still holds a lot of power for many Syrians as one of the Iranian officials directly responsible for the ongoing Iranian efforts to change the culture in the country’s southeastern region of Deir Ezzor.