Featured reading

Itani on Recruiting Syrian Rebels

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

Itani on Recruiting Syrian Rebels

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

Itani on Recruiting Syrian Rebels

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

Itani on Recruiting Syrian Rebels

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

Itani on Recruiting Syrian Rebels

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

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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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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

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Public Event
Mon, March 18, 2024 • 1:00 pm ET

The Syria Strategy Project: A public launch

Civil Society
Conflict
Freedom and Prosperity
Human Rights

Online Event
Mon, February 12, 2024 • 12:00 pm ET

One year on: Assessing the February 6th earthquake response in Syria

Civil Society
Economy & Business
Human Rights
International Organizations

Online Event
Fri, May 31, 2024 • 9:30 am ET

Serving communities with disability in conflict contexts

Civil Society
Conflict
Crisis Management
Human Rights

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Content

In the News

Jul 9, 2015

Itani on Recruiting Syrian Rebels

By Faysal Itani

The National quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on the vetting process involved in US recruitment of Syrian rebels to combat ISIS:

Syria

SyriaSource

Jul 7, 2015

Syria’s Hidden Crisis (Part I)

By Valerie Szybala

The conflict in Syria has trapped hundreds of thousands of civilians in parts of Homs and Damascus, besieged by their own government for years. They struggle to survive, facing shortages of basic goods including food, water, and medicine while continuing to endure violent aerial attacks.

Syria

SyriaSource

Jul 6, 2015

US Human Rights Report on Syria Portends a Merciless 2015

By Andrea Taylor

The 2014 Syria Report on Human Rights Practices released on June 25, 2015 describes at length—and sometimes in graphic detail—the egregious violations taking place in Syria.

Syria

In the News

Jul 5, 2015

Khoury: The Rise of the ISIS

By Nabeel Khoury

Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Nabeel Khoury writes for The Cairo Review of Global Affairs, reviewing journalist Patrick Cockburn’s book which records his observations on the ground in Syria and Iraq:

Iraq Syria

MENASource

Jul 2, 2015

A Unilateral Turkish Intervention in Syria?

By Aaron Stein and Faysal Itani

In recent weeks, Syrian Kurdish fighters made substantial territorial gains in northern Syria, along the Turkish border.

Syria Turkey

In the News

Jul 2, 2015

Itani on US Trained Fighters in Syria

By Faysal Itani

The Washington Post quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on the possible impact of US trained fighters in Syria:

Syria

MENASource

Jul 2, 2015

Washington-Ankara: Same Page for Syria and ISIL?

By Frederic C. Hof

The inability of two NATO allies to get on the same page strategically with respect to Syria has grave consequences for the battle against the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). It also aggravates bilateral relations between two countries whose cooperation in a troubled region is essential.

Syria Turkey

MENASource

Jul 2, 2015

Ankara Moves to Counter the PYD

By Aaron Stein

On June 25, a number of Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) fighters penetrated deep into the Kurdish-controlled city of Kobani to detonate two vehicle-born improvised explosive devices.

Syria Turkey

MENASource

Jul 1, 2015

Arab-Kurdish Gains in Syria Provide an Opportunity to Defeat ISIS

By Wladimir Van Wilgenburg

An operation launched by a joint coalition of Kurdish and Arab rebels in May 2015 culminated in the capture of roughly 4,000 square kilometers from Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) militants, including the important Tal Abyad crossing on June 15, depriving ISIS of one of the logistics and supply routes from Raqqa from Turkey.

Syria Turkey

In the News

Jun 29, 2015

al-Kattan in Aljazeera: The Dilemma of the Syrian Opposition: Military Gains Without a Political Horizon

By Rashad al-Kattan

Read the full article here.

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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