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Syria Project

Our work on Syria sheds light on the ongoing struggle of Syrians to fulfill their desire for democratic self-governance as the United States and the international community grapple with the aftermath of a devastating civil war, millions of refugees across the Middle East and Europe, and ongoing security and political challenges spilling over Syria’s borders.


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Syria Strategy Project

The Atlantic Council, Middle East Institute, and European Institute of Peace collaborate with subject matter experts and policymakers in the US, Europe, and the Middle East to develop a holistic strategy to sustainably forge a pathway to resolving Syria’s crisis.

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Middle East Programs

Working with our allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

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Content

In the News

Feb 24, 2016

Brynen Joins CBC Radio to Discuss Syrian Civil War

By Rex Brynen

Read the full transcript here.

Syria

MENASource

Feb 24, 2016

Mitigating US-Turkish Disagreement over the PYD

By Francis Ricciardone and Aaron Stein

Turkey and the United States share strategic interests regarding Syria, not least defeating the threat posed by the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). However, they remain at odds over their definitions of their full strategic purposes. One element is ripe for resolution: clarifying their respective intents toward the Kurdish communities of Syria, while revising their […]

Syria Turkey

SyriaSource

Feb 23, 2016

Afrin and the Race for the Azaz Corridor

By Thomas Schmidinger

For the last five years Afrin (Kurdish: Efrîn) was the most tranquil of the three Kurdish enclaves in Syria. As in the other two Kurdish cantons, Kobane and Jazira (Kurdish: Kobanê, Cizîrê), the Syrian regime army pulled back from the region in spring 2012 and left it to the control of Democratic Union Party (PYD) […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Feb 23, 2016

Cessation of Hostilities: Urgent, But Not Likely

By Frederic C. Hof

The cessation of hostilities in Syria originally scheduled to take effect on or about February 19 is now slated—per a Russia-United States joint statement—to take effect on February 27. Although Syrian rebel groups are being invited (along with the Assad regime and its external supporters) to signal acceptance of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and […]

Syria

In the News

Feb 23, 2016

Cohen Quoted by Gazeta.ru on Syrian Ceasefire

By Ariel Cohen

Read the full article here.

Syria

In the News

Feb 23, 2016

Itani in Newsweek: Could the Syrian Conflict Spread to Lebanon and Russia?

By Faysal Itani

Read the full article here.

Middle East Russia

SyriaSource

Feb 23, 2016

Aleppo, Azaz, and Failed US Syria Policy

By Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff

Aleppo and Azaz are two cities in northern Syria that represent the result of US Syria policy. After five years of half measures, false starts, broken red lines, and bouts of funding for Syrian aid and development projects, we have now entered a new phase: uncoordinated pieces of the US intelligence and defense community supporting […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Feb 23, 2016

Top News: February 23, 2016

By SyriaSource

– Experts identify new cases of Syria chemical attacks– UN says major powers feeding ‘military escalation’ in Syria– UK, Turkey, Assad, and opposition skeptical over ceasefire – Assad sets April 13 for parliamentary elections – Russia, with Turkey in mind, announces big weapons deal with Armenia

Syria

SyriaSource

Feb 22, 2016

Cynicism and Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

As noted repeatedly in these pages, Secretary of State John Kerry has spared no effort to reduce violence, increase humanitarian aid, and promote negotiations for political transition in Syria. That he does so with leverage amounting to a smile and a shoeshine is not his fault. That he relies totally on the goodwill, decency, and […]

Syria

In the News

Feb 22, 2016

Hof Quoted by Reuters on Humanitarian Aid to Syria During the Ceasefire

By Frederic C. Hof

Read the full article here.

Russia Syria

Experts