Middle Orient

Current Syrian interim government counterinsurgency operations are insufficient to defeat pro-Assad insurgent cells across Syria. Interim government forces launched major counterinsurgent operations in former regime strongholds between March 7 and 10.[1] These operations have coincided with a decrease in insurgent activity but insurgent cells have continued attacks on interim government …

Operation Iron Wall comes as an advanced episode of the war in the Gaza Strip, and part of the Israeli Prime Minister’s previous promises to redraw the features of the Middle East. This is evident through a series of Israeli measures aimed at re-engineering the Palestinian and Syrian geography, spatially …

Any talk of negotiating a new nuclear agreement—before Iran meets strict preconditions—is a dangerous mistake. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington marked an important moment in US-Israel relations. As the first foreign leader received by President Trump in this new phase of his presidency, Netanyahu was welcomed with …

Syrian security forces are fighting pro-Assad insurgents in what have been described as the ‘most violent’ clashes since the dictator’s ouster Syria is witnessing what has been described as the “most violent” clashes since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, as government forces battle with a militia loyal to the former regime. The …

Amid an insurgency of pro-Assad forces in the coastal regions of Syria, the new government’s security forces have been accused of massacring civilians. Syrian security forces are fighting an insurgency by pro-Assad groups across the country [Getty] Clashes in coastal areas of Syria between government security forces and groups loyal …

In-depth: Israel is instrumentalising Syria’s Druze to maintain military influence in the south, but the community has rejected Netanyahu’s bid to protect them. Dozens of Druze residents gathered in the Seyouf Square of Jaramana, a Damascus suburb, last Tuesday, holding banners denouncing comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu …

Analysis: While PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan’s historic call raises hopes of ending 40 years of conflict with Turkey, peace is by no means guaranteed. After four decades of fighting the Turkish state, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan has urged the group that he founded to abandon its armed …

The National Dialogue Conference in Damascus, which brought together hundreds of participants to discuss Syria’s political future, ended last week in a mix of optimism and criticism. The first national-level event since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime presented a long-awaited opportunity for Syrians to come together and deliberate on …

After more than a decade of brutal civil war, it took Islamist militants just 11 days to sweep through Syria and topple the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The offensive, which has been driven by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has forced many residents in …

More than a month has passed since Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militant group, became the de facto leader of Syria. Since then, he has dropped his nom de guerre in favour of his real name, Ahmed al-Shara, and has swapped his military attire …