Middle Orient

The US-backed, Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capitulated to the Syrian government in a ceasefire agreement on January 18.[1] The government compelled the SDF to agree after a combination of government operations and tribal uprisings caused the SDF to withdraw from nearly half of its territory and most of the …

Key Takeaways Iranian Information Operation: Elements of the Iranian regime leaked information about purported plans to moderate regime behavior domestically and internationally. A former regime official close to Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani told an English-language diaspora outlet that Larijani is pushing to moderate regime policies and conduct …

The President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, called for an end to the escalation in Syria and a return to dialogue and previous agreements, stressing support for political efforts and strengthening Kurdish rights in a way that serves the unity and stability of the country. The President of …

Since the outbreak of the popular uprising in 2011, Syria has become an open arena for regional and international interventions. With a political solution stalled, the conflict-ridden land has become crowded with conflicting agendas. In this landscape, Turkish-backed factions have emerged as instruments of influence on the Syrian scene, ostensibly …

The Syrian army took control of the west of the Euphrates River, after controlling the city of Tabqa and the Euphrates Dam southwest of Raqqa, after several hours of clashes, at dawn on Sunday, January 18. Enab Baladi’s correspondent, who is accompanying the operations in the vicinity of the city …

Note: CTP-ISW has resumed publishing daily Iran Updates to cover the ongoing protests in Iran. CTP-ISW’s weekend updates will only include analysis on the protests, while our weekday updates will also include analysis on Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Key Takeaways The Iranian Regime’s Securitization: The regime’s plan to limit most …

Deir ez-Zor province, eastern Syria, is witnessing clashes between tribes and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the villages controlled by the latter in the eastern part of the Euphrates River. According to Enab Baladi correspondent in Deir ez-Zor, the tribes took control of the points of the “SDF” in …

Deir ez-Zor province, eastern Syria, is witnessing clashes between tribes and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the villages controlled by the latter in the eastern part of the Euphrates River. According to Enab Baladi correspondent in Deir ez-Zor, the tribes took control of the points of the “SDF” in …

Renewed clashes between local factions in Sweida, and between the internal security forces, affiliated to the Syrian Ministry of Interior, in the western countryside of Sweida, on Saturday, January 17. Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Daraa reported that the clashes between the two parties began on Friday evening, January 16, and …

A member of the National Guard forces was killed in Sweida, following renewed clashes between the National Guard of the spiritual head of the Druze community, Hekmat al-Hijri, and the internal security forces of the Syrian Ministry of Interior, in the western countryside of the city, on Friday morning, January …