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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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In the News

Jun 23, 2015

Itani on Kurdish Victories

By Faysal Itani

The Telegraph quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on how the Kurds’ rapid advance into Raqqa province has defied expectations of a protracted battle between Kurdish and ISIS fighters:

Syria

MENASource

Jun 22, 2015

The Implications of a Kurdish Victory Over ISIS in Tal Abyad

By Aaron Stein

Last week, Kurdish forces fighting for the Syria-based Democratic Union Party (PYD) wrested control of the border town of Tel Abyad from the Islamic State. The seizure of the town cut off a key supply line to the Islamic State’s de-facto capital in Raqqa and allowed for the unification of two Kurdish controlled cantons, Kobane […]

Syria Turkey

MENASource

Jun 17, 2015

Protecting Refugees in Protracted Emergencies in the Middle East

By Bill Frelick

Um Ghassan was eleven in 1948 when her family fled Haifa. They joined the Palestinian exodus to Jordan, and later moved to Syria. “They welcomed us like we were their relatives,” she said. Decades later, when fighting broke out in Syria in 2011, Um Ghassan initially stayed in her house. “I would never leave my […]

Iraq Libya

MENASource

Jun 17, 2015

Fading Christianity in Syria and Iraq

By Knox Thames

The quagmires of Syria and Iraq have forced millions to flee, both internally displaced people and new refugees escaping across borders. The international community is failing to meet their needs, with UN agencies announcing cuts in food programs due to a lack of funds.

Iraq Syria

SyriaSource

Jun 16, 2015

The Limits of ISIS Expansion

By Faysal Itani

Shortly after losing Tikrit to Iraqi security forces and militia, the Islamic State seized Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s Anbar province, and captured the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria just a few days later.

Iraq Syria

SyriaSource

Jun 12, 2015

An Opportunity Emerges in Syria

By Faysal Itani

June 9 brought some rare good news from Syria, for both the Syrian insurgency and the country’s future writ large. On June 9, an insurgent offensive led by the rebel Southern Front’s 1st Army, a coalition of nationalist units, overran a major regime position in the southern province of Deraa.

Syria

MENASource

Jun 12, 2015

ISIL, Iraq, and Syria: The Strategy Challenge

By Frederic C. Hof

Once again, President Barack Obama is taking grief for having committed truth on the subject of strategy: this time acknowledging the incompleteness thereof in the context of training the Iraqi national army.

Iraq Syria

MENASource

Jun 12, 2015

Why Iran’s Plan B in Syria Will Not Work

By Hanin Ghaddar

Earlier this month, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (ICRG) Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani made a surprise visit to Syria near the frontlines outside Latakia, where he vowed that upcoming developments in Syria will soon “surprise” the world.

Iran Syria

In the News

Jun 11, 2015

Hof on the Nusra Front

By Frederic C. Hof

The Wall Street Journal quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic Hof on the Nusra Front, an al Qaeda affiliate, as a potential ally in the fight against ISIS:

Syria

SyriaSource

Jun 11, 2015

How the United States Can Help Save Palmyra

By Matthew Hall

If the United States and its partners are serious about defeating the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) they must deny the terror group a major source of its funding: proceeds from the illegal antiquities trade.

Syria

Experts