Featured reading

Hof Quoted by Reuters on McGurk’s Visit to Kurdish-Held Territory

New Atlanticist
Dec 8, 2024

Experts react: Rebels have toppled the Assad regime. What’s next for Syria, the Middle East, and the world?

By
Atlantic Council experts

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has been ousted as opposition forces quickly took the Syrian capital. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on the developments.

Conflict
Corruption

Hof Quoted by Reuters on McGurk’s Visit to Kurdish-Held Territory

Fast Thinking
Dec 8, 2024

Assad has fallen. Now what?

By
Atlantic Council

The power shift in Syria will reverberate across the Middle East and the world. Our experts explain what’s next.

Conflict
Iran

Hof Quoted by Reuters on McGurk’s Visit to Kurdish-Held Territory

New Atlanticist
Dec 9, 2024

Dispatch from Doha: Assad’s fall, Iran’s weakness, and the impact of unintended consequences

By
Jonathan Panikoff

In just six months, Iran has slid from a position of strength to perhaps the weakest it has been since 1979.

Conflict
Iran

Hof Quoted by Reuters on McGurk’s Visit to Kurdish-Held Territory

MENASource
Dec 10, 2024

Where Syria goes next after the fall of Assad

By
Frederic C. Hof

With the Assad family agone, Syria, at long last, has a chance to achieve the kind of political transition envisioned by the 2012 Geneva Final Communique and UNSCR 2254.

Conflict
Middle East

Hof Quoted by Reuters on McGurk’s Visit to Kurdish-Held Territory

New Atlanticist
Dec 10, 2024

A blueprint for bringing about a new Syria

By
Kirsten Fontenrose

For a reconstruction strategy in Syria to be effective, all parties must adopt a unified approach that is clear-eyed about the country’s new leaders.

Crisis Management
International Organizations

Explore our Syria work

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.


Group of world leaders sitting around table set up.

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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Featured experts

Leadership

Fellow


Qutaiba Idlbi


Resident Senior Fellow, Syria

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economic Sanctions
Entrepreneurship

Fellows

Fellow


Michel Duclos


Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Conflict
Crisis Management

Fellow


Arwa Damon


Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
Civil Society

Fellow


Ömer Özkizilcik


Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
English

Fellow


Sinan Hatahet


Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
Economic Sanctions

Former fellow


Hind Kabawat


Former Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
Civil Society

Fellow


Diana Rayes 


Nonresident Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic
Civil Society

Past events

Online Event
Thu, December 19, 2024 • 12:30 pm ET

Putin loses in Syria. Is Russia in retreat?

Conflict
Europe & Eurasia
Middle East
Russia

Online Event
Tue, May 21, 2024 • 10:30 am ET

Exploring investment opportunities in northwest Syria

Conflict
Economic Sanctions
Economy & Business
Financial Regulation


Event Recap

Mar 29, 2024

Launching the Syria Strategy Project

By
JP Reppeto and Charles Johnson

On March 18, 2024, the Atlantic Council’s Syria Project, the Middle East Institute’s Syria Program, the European Institute of Peace, and Madaniya Civil Society Network launched the Syria Strategy, an intensive process of engagement with subject matter experts and policymakers in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East to develop a holistic strategy to […]

Civil Society
Conflict

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Learn more about the Middle East Programs

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.

EXPLORE THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S MIDDLE EAST PROGRAMS

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Content

In the News

Feb 2, 2016

Hof Quoted by Reuters on McGurk’s Visit to Kurdish-Held Territory

By Frederic C. Hof

Read the full article here.

Syria

SyriaSource

Feb 2, 2016

Top News: February 2, 2016

By SyriaSource

– Islamist groups to participate in Syria talks on individual basis– Syria regime forces advance in north Aleppo– US envoy meets PYD in Syria– Syria condemns Turkey cross-border shelling– Syria approves aid deliveries to 3 besieged villages– Italy drops objections to EU migration fund to Turkey

Syria

SyriaSource

Feb 1, 2016

Going Slow on ISIL in Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

The horrific Islamic State (ISIL, ISIS, Daesh) suicide bombing near the Sayyida Zaynab mosque outside of Damascus is “caliph” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s calling card—his way of reminding people that the peace talks being organized in Geneva represent only one facet of the struggle for Syria. As Washington tries, in the face of long odds, to […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Feb 1, 2016

The Regime Advances with Russian Support

By Saleem al-Omar

With Russian air support, the Syrian regime retook Salma from the opposition. After blocking all exits from the city to trap opposition members within and heavily bombing them, regime and Russian forces took the city within several hours. The Assad fighters were not alone this time in the direct combat—Russian soldiers participated in the assault […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Feb 1, 2016

Top News: February 1, 2016

By SyriaSource

– Syria peace talks hit trouble after Damascus blast kills 60– Syria’s indirect peace talks likely to be delayed– Russian air force continues bombing ‘terrorists’ in Syria– Jordan PM links Syrian refugee admissions to foreign aid– Turkey warns Russia after alleging new airspace breach

Syria

SyriaSource

Jan 30, 2016

Geneva: Pulling in the Same Direction

By Frederic C. Hof

If talks in Geneva under UN auspices between Syrian opposition and regime delegations are to be productive, the United States and its partners simply cannot act as even-handed, disinterested mediators and purveyors of diplomatic good offices, urging—as Secretary of State John Kerry does repeatedly—both sides to negotiate in good faith. This is not the time […]

Syria

In the News

Jan 30, 2016

Itani Quoted by Bloomberg on Syria Peace Talks Start

By Faysal Itani

Read the full article here.

Syria

In the News

Jan 30, 2016

Hof Quoted by Reuters on Jabhat al-Nusra Threat in Syria

By Fred Hof

Read the full article here.

Syria

In the News

Jan 29, 2016

Slavin in Voice Of America: Peace in Syria Still Looks Like Mission Impossible

By Barbara Slavin

Read the full article here.

Syria

In the News

Jan 29, 2016

Slavin Hosts ‘Issues In The News’ on Iran’s Engagement with Europe and Syria Peace Talks

By Barbara Slavin

Iran Syria
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Experts

Fellow

Amany Qaddour 

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Diana Rayes 

Nonresident Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Staff

Elise Baker

Senior Staff Lawyer, Strategic Litigation Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Nicholas Blanford

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Conflict

Fellow

Alia Brahimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society
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