Latest Articles about Syria
For Moscow, Talks Are About Sowing Discord, not Solving Conflicts
A ceasefire in Syria, which appeared possible if not probable in early February, has again turned out to be unreachable. And in hindsight, it is rather obvious that it never had a chance. The deal that was negotiated on the side lines of the Munich... MORE
The Battle for the Euphrates: Turkey’s Response to Kurdish Expansion
In an unexpected move on December 26, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is dominated by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), captured the Tishreen Dam close to Manbijin, Syria (YPGrojava, December 30, 2015). This operation, conducted with support of the U.S.-led coalition against the... MORE
Are Chechen Special Forces Fighting in Syria?
After the Kremlin denied having ground troops in Syria, the Russian leadership was surprised by Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement that Chechen special forces were fighting in the Middle East against the Islamic State (IS). A trailer for a program produced by the Russian federal TV channel... MORE
Russia Raises the Stakes in Aleppo
Russia’s air campaign in Syria initially provoked critical remarks and skepticism from Western governments and commentators. However, the intervention, which involves targeted air strikes and close air support (CAS) for Syrian regime and allied forces, has made dramatic advances in recent days. The Russian defense... MORE
Russian-Led forces Advance to Secure Syrian Borders With Turkey and Jordan
The Syria peace talks in Geneva, which are sponsored by the United Nations, have been postponed for three weeks by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. The talks between the Damascus government of President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian rebels collapsed during preliminary contacts between de... MORE
Russia’s Air Operations in Syria Expose Problems
Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine and Syria expose a fundamental distinction in approach: trying to extract itself from the former while showing no sign of applying that strategy to the latter. Officially, an “all is well” message is promulgated by the Russian political-military leadership concerning... MORE
Unwanted Ally: Hezbollah’s War Against the Islamic State
“There is no future for ISIS. Not in war and not in peace.” These words were spoken not by Barack Obama or Vladimir Putin, but rather by Hezbollah leader Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, whose Lebanese Shia supporters are engaged in a growing battle against the Sunni... MORE
Turkey’s Dance with the Islamic State
Turkey’s relationship with terrorism is entrenched with history. The country fell victim to the actions of different terrorist groups with different motivations. The most popular terrorist organization in Turkey’s history is the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been active for almost 40 years. Another... MORE
Russia’s Muslims Increasingly Critical of Moscow’s Actions in the Middle East
Russia’s Muslims are slowly realizing that they have a voice in the country’s foreign policy in the Middle East. President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly launched a military campaign in Syria in the fall of 2015, apparently giving little consideration to Russia’s Muslim population. Indeed, Moscow threw... MORE
Growing Islamic State Influence in North Caucasus Casts Shadow on Local Salafists
In 2015, Russia changed its assessment of threats, shifting its focus from the Caucasus Emirate to members of the so-called Islamic State (IS). The Russian government’s concern is not so much about the numbers of people who went to Syria and may return, but rather... MORE