SyriaSource

SyriaSource followed the dynamics in Syria through in-depth analysis of the impact of the conflict on Syria, its neighbors and the international community. Amplifying a diverse range of Syrian and regional voices—to reach both English—and Arabic-speaking audiences, SyriaSource transforms their words from strong but distant ideas to resounding perspectives not often heard among Washington and international policymakers. For the latest work on Syria, please visit MENASource.

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The latest on Syria


MENASource

Jun 26, 2025

Dispatch from Damascus: Church attack shows transition’s fragility

By
Ibrahim al-Assil

The bombing at Mar Elias Church is more than an isolated tragedy. It is a signal that Syria’s transition remains vulnerable to sabotage.

Democratic Transitions
Middle East


MENASource

Jun 20, 2025

On World Refugee Day, complexities persist for Syrian returnees

By
Sinan Hatahet

While Syria’s political shift brings new hope, it also highlights the complex realities that still define the Syrian landscape.

Middle East
Migration


MENASource

Jun 10, 2025

Why DDR programs are the missing link to Syrian stability

By
Muhsen al-Mustafa

With the end of Western sanctions, Syria faces a rare opportunity to address the imbalances of the post-conflict period.

Middle East
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding


MENASource

Jun 4, 2025

Why Iraq should build bridges with its ‘new’ neighbor, Syria

By
Shermine Serbest

Iraq’s position on the Syria transition is split between two camps: the official government, and that of the powerful non-state actors.

Iraq
Middle East


MENASource

May 28, 2025

Sectarianism, social media, and Syria’s information blackhole

By
Gregory Waters and Kayla Koontz

Since Assad’s December ousting, Syrians have struggled to sift the truth from fake claims about security incidents across the country.

Civil Society
Middle East


MENASource

May 22, 2025

Lebanon’s 1982 war reverberates in Israel’s Syria campaign

By
Sinan Hatahet

Israel’s ongoing intervention in Syria appears different from its 1982 invasion of Lebanon—but beneath the surface, parallels are striking.

Israel
Lebanon


MENASource

May 19, 2025

Could Trump be ‘mediator-in-chief’ for Turkey and Israel in Syria?

By
Rachel Bradenburg

If Trump wants to achieve the Middle East’s “deal of a century,” its important that Netanyahu and Erdogan resolve their differences in Syria.

Israel
Middle East


New Atlanticist

May 13, 2025

Experts react: Trump just announced the removal of all US sanctions on Syria. What’s next? 

By
Atlantic Council experts

Our experts provide their insights on how the removal of US sanctions on Syria would affect the country and the wider region.

Civil Society
Economic Sanctions


MENASource

May 8, 2025

From rubble to rebirth: A model for Syria’s reconstruction

By
Mahmood Alhosain

Almost six months since Assad regime collapse, four key pillars will determine whether this new Damascus can seize the opportunity.

Civil Society
Democratic Transitions


MENASource

Apr 29, 2025

Why the US must not let Syria slip away

By
Luke Wagner

Reconsidering the uneasy US-Syria relationship amid reports that Trump and al-Sharaa will meet during the US president’s Saudi Arabia visit.

Economic Sanctions
Middle East

Content

SyriaSource

Mar 27, 2017

Challenges and Successes of Jordan’s Work Permit Program for Syrian Refugees After One Year

By Vicky Kelberer and Denis Sullivan

There are currently 656,000 Syrians registered with the UNHCR in Jordan, and the Jordanian government estimates the total number of Syrians in Jordan at 1.26 million. These estimates make Jordan one of the most refugee-dense host states per capita in the world. 

Syria

SyriaSource

Mar 27, 2017

How Russia beat Turkey in Syria

By Aaron Stein

Turkish-Russian relations have been poor for years because of conflicting agendas in Syria. The Russian decision to intervene in late September 2015 directly challenged Turkish interests. At the outset of the Russian military operation, the goal appeared to be point defense of core regime areas, including the Latakia coast and the road to Damascus. Turkey, […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Mar 23, 2017

Will American Ground Forces Fight in Syria?

By Frederic C. Hof

Since 2014 there have been two loosely connected wars destroying the Syrian state and creating humanitarian and geopolitical disasters: the battle in western Syria between the regime of President Bashar al-Assad (aided by Iran and Russia) and a diverse collection of armed opposition groups; and the battle to the east between the so-called Islamic State […]

Syria

Rebuilding Syria

Mar 22, 2017

Rebuilding Syria: Opening Statement by Omar Shawaf

By Omar Shawaf

Below are remarks by Omar Shawaf and audio of the event on Rebuilding Syria: Reconstruction and Legitimacy hosted by the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council in Washington on March 21, 2017:

Syria

SyriaSource

Mar 22, 2017

Unseen Casualties of Syrian Sanctions

By Rhys Dubin

In a little-noticed news item, on March 8, security forces in Beirut raided several money transfer shops accused of sending upward of $20 million to militant groups in Syria. Lebanese security forces arrested at least six Lebanese nationals and closed 16 stores in several neighborhoods throughout the city.

Syria

Rebuilding Syria

Mar 22, 2017

The Economic Case for Syria’s Stabilization

By Rashad al-Kattan

It is fairly easy to consider Syria as a hopeless case, as the country seems trapped in a vicious cycle of nihilistic violence and colossal destruction. The economy is now completely shattered and fragmented, with each party building its own independent entities. The systematic – but imbalanced – collapse of economic foundations is seen across […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Mar 20, 2017

Six Years of War: Is Assad Still Relevant?

By Frederic C. Hof

Six years ago, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad betrayed his country by authorizing lethal fire on peaceful protesters. As war in Syria enters its seventh year, the price for the political preservation of one man, one family, and one entourage has been staggering, in Syria and far beyond. Observers numbed by the enormity of a humanitarian […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Mar 17, 2017

The Side Conflict to the Liberation of Raqqa

By Feras Hanoush

Statements from American officials about the possibility of an increase in US military presence in Syria escalated with talks of increasing special operations forces, fighter jets, and supplies for local combat forces. This comes as battles surrounding the city of Raqqa, the capital of the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh), draw closer. Reports indicate […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Mar 17, 2017

Six Years

By Frederic C. Hof

Six years ago, I was in the US State Department, serving as a deputy to Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell. Having met in late February and early March 2011 with President Bashar al-Assad and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu respectively, I was advancing a Syrian-Israeli peace mediation that was gaining momentum and showing […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Mar 16, 2017

The Unavoidable Reality of the Geneva Process

By Daniel DePetris

Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for Syria, was blunt in his remarks on February 23, 2016 during the first day of renewed Syrian peace talks in ten months. Sitting between the Syrian government delegation and the group of opposition politicians under the High Negotiations Committee, de Mistura implored the parties to start exhibiting […]

Syria
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