All Policy Analysis by Aaron Y. Zelin

Amid fears of Uyghur militancy and hopes of expanding business ties with Syria, Beijing has been rapidly adapting to the new reality in Damascus.

An in-depth look at how the new rulers tackled these counterterrorism issues in Idlib province for years prior to Assad’s fall, and what steps they are taking at the national level today.

Amid mounting civilian deaths and rampant disinformation, the conduct of Syria’s fact-finding committee will either make or break the new government’s legitimacy and the prospects for a stable transition.

Activists and experts from Syria, Europe, and Washington share on-the-ground insights about how the post-Assad transition is going and where local grievances might erupt into bigger problems.

A terrorism expert discusses what U.S. policymakers and tech companies can do to stem the proliferation of jihadist activity online, including greater attention to multilingual content moderation, cryptocurrency abuse, and other evolving factors.

With the clock ticking on the post-Assad honeymoon period, Washington still has time to acknowledge the realities on the ground by providing crucial U.S. know-how and strategic support to the international aid, recovery, and counterterrorism missions.

Ankara and Washington should offer incentives to the new leadership in Damascus to encourage an inclusive governance process and make Syria work.

While the new government’s relative stability is a success, more details are needed on developing and implementing a national dialogue, a new constitution, and inclusivity measures.

What are the risks and potential rewards for Washington and its partners working with the new government of Syria, which is led by members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)?

The delegation’s findings on key political and security issues will have a major impact on future U.S. engagement with Syria’s new leaders, including the decision on whether or not to remove sanctions.

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani has worked for years to rebrand himself, but has he truly broken from his extremist past?

The director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force joins three Washington Institute experts to discuss the stunning rebel advances in the west.

Despite the group's expansion in other parts of the world, its original base in Iraq and Syria remains relevant due to the area's uncertain status quo and the looming prospect of U.S. military withdrawals.

The former jihadist affiliate has changed tremendously in the past few years, and understanding this new reality is crucial to identifying how its current offensive might unfold.

As the group consolidates control in newly seized Aleppo, its leader is seeking to allay fears among minorities, pro-Assad residents, and skeptical Western officials alike.

A terrorism expert assesses how Washington and its partners can best counter—and in some cases engage—jihadist actors in Afghanistan and the Sahel amid growing limitations on U.S. influence in such locales.

Although the former jihadist standard-bearer has failed to inspire attacks during the Gaza war, its efforts to exploit rising anti-Israel sentiment and train a new generation of terrorists in Afghanistan should not be taken lightly.

Three experts discuss the findings of a new Washington Institute compilation on jihadist governance, highlighting several of the case studies and data points explored in the book.

The group has sought to build legitimacy and prepare for a postwar role in Gaza by engaging with various countries since October, but the death of Ismail Haniyeh will complicate those efforts.

In this chapter from the Jihadist Governance and Statecraft compilation, Aaron Y. Zelin explores how Afghanistan's one-time insurgents are making greater use of key instruments of state.