SyriaSource

SyriaSource

SyriaSource provided on-the-ground coverage from local, regional, and international experts with timely news and analysis.

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

Sep 21, 2026

The Syria policy the US got wrong—and the bittersweet moment Washington finally got right

By
Wa’el Alzayat

A former State Department official dissects how the US helped defeat ISIS but didn't protect the Syrian people.


Conflict

Democratic Transitions


MENASource

Sep 21, 2026

Don’t talk about optimism in Syria, talk about action

By
Arwa Damon

It’s been twenty months since Bashar al-Assad’s fall. People expect more, and patience is wearing thin.


Democratic Transitions

Inclusive Growth


MENASource

Jul 27, 2026

Syria’s new parliament can build institutions and trust

By
Nanar Hawach

The People's Assembly is not designed to check the presidency’s power, but it could help democratize the new political order.


Democratic Transitions

Politics & Diplomacy


MENASource

Jul 6, 2026

New Middle East corridors are about more than just bypassing the Strait of Hormuz

By
Allison Minor

A recent Atlantic Council gathering reveals how initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) must evolve.


Economy & Business

Infrastructure


MENASource

Jul 1, 2026

The US is sending Syrian asylees back. Syria isn’t ready.

By
Diana Rayes 

The US Supreme Court's recent decision to uphold the Trump administration's decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status programs crates a troubling global precedent.


Migration

Syria


MENASource

May 8, 2026

New avenues for Syria-EU cooperation are forming amid conflict in the Middle East

By
Marie Forestier 

The May 11 EU-Syria High-Level Political Dialogue marks a step toward a closer partnership.


Energy & Environment

European Union


MENASource

May 4, 2026

Syria needs a trustworthy digital ecosystem to support its revival

By
Nadia Farra

Robust digital infrastructure, digital literacy, and cybersecurity are no longer luxuries for high-income nations but fundamental requirements for national stability and economic resilience.


Freedom and Prosperity

Inclusive Growth


MENASource

Feb 20, 2026

Syria is not Libya, but it could become one if the world looks away

By
Kurt Davis Jr.

There are lessons from Libya's fragmentation and collapse that can be applied now as Syria sits at a similar inflection point.


Conflict

Libya


MENASource

Jan 29, 2026

Why Syria’s government must turn inward in 2026

By
Gregory Waters

Necessary domestic reforms include continued security reforms, economic development, and writing a new constitution.


Civil Society

Democratic Transitions


MENASource

Jan 28, 2026

Syria’s Kurds could be al-Sharaa’s partners in rebuilding. Why did Damascus assault them instead?

By
Amy Austin Holmes

The offensive on Kurdish neighborhoods was the third wave of sectarian violence after the targeting of Druze and Alawites.


Democratic Transitions

Middle East

Content

SyriaSource

Aug 29, 2016

A Bad Defense for a Mistaken Policy

By Frederic C. Hof

More than half of Syria’s pre-war population now falls into one of the following categories: dead; dying; disabled; tortured; terrorized; traumatized; sick; hungry; homeless. The regime of Bashar al-Assad is responsible for the bulk of this rampant, remorseless criminality. The administration of Barack Obama, if it stays on its present course, will make it through […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 26, 2016

ISIS Spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnani

By Feras Hanoush

Editor’s Update, August 30, 2016: On August 30, new reports began circulating that al-Adnani had been killed while monitoring fighting in Aleppo. Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, designated by the United States as terrorist, gained notoriety for his threats and statements against countries around the world. As the official spokesman for the Islamic State group (ISIS) and the group’s […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 25, 2016

Kurdistan: Exile or Displacement

By Jiwan Soz

In recent years, thousands of Syrian Kurds have managed to reach Europe, fleeing like other Syrians from the war at home that started with popular protests in mid-March 2011. Some Kurdish activists refer ironically to “European Kurdistan,” the Kurdish community made up of those exiled to those countries. A closer look at Kurdish emigration sheds […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 25, 2016

The PYD’s Dream of Unifying the Cantons Comes to an End

By Aaron Stein & Michael Stephens

It has been a busy week for Syria’s Kurds. After engaging in a fierce battle with forces loyal to Bashar al Assad in the northeastern town of Hasaka, they removed all but a few vestiges of Assad support in the area to leave Kurdish rule largely assured.

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 24, 2016

The SDF takes Manbij but Life is Slow to Return

By Aleppo 24

Local factions in Manbij, in cooperation with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of local forces dominated by Kurdish forces, succeeded on August 11 in ousting the Islamic State (ISIS) from the city after intense fighting that began on May 28 and forced the group to withdraw from the last areas it controlled in al-Sirb, […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 22, 2016

The Nusra Front’s Trap for the Syrian Opposition

By Abdullah al-Ghadawi

On July 31, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as the Nusra Front) launched the battle to break the siege on Aleppo with two suicide bomb operations, a common tactic for the extremist group that, though costly, has won it many battles and the support of other groups. That same day, Abu Yusif al-Muhajir, Ahrar al-Sham’s […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 19, 2016

The Islamist Factions’ Judicial System in Idlib

By Tirwada Abd al-Haqq

The judiciary system in Idlib is akin to jungle law, in which the powerful use it to impose their rule on the others. Examining the judicial system shows how the role of the military factions use the judiciary to encroach on civilian affairs. Some traditional Islamic concepts like Sharia and ijtihad (freedom for judges to […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 19, 2016

Syria: Will a Child Lead?

By Frederic C. Hof

As Aleppo writhes in torment under bombs dropped by Russian aircraft launched from an Iranian airbase, one wonders if it occurs to anyone in the White House that something has gone horribly wrong. One wonders if anyone in the executive mansion cares. As a blackened and bleeding five-year-old boy testifies with his befuddled gaze to […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 18, 2016

The Nusra Front’s Victory

By Saleem al-Omar

Syrian opposition websites and publications no longer make any mention of the Nusra Front or al-Qaeda; Jabhat Fateh al-Sham is now the most referenced group. Syrian opposition military and political circles have welcomed it, and the Syrian Opposition Coalition and the High Negotiations Council both issued statements supporting its break. The Muslim Brotherhood also welcomed […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Aug 15, 2016

Aleppo: A Chance to Save US Syria Policy

By Feras Hanoush

For years, the White House administration has focused its Syria policy on fighting terrorism, even as it reluctantly remains a main player in efforts to negotiate a settlement. To this end, the White House has offered to cooperate with the Russian military in Syria, to exchange information and set strategic goals to coordinate strikes on […]

Syria
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