Dan Wilkofsky Dan Wilkofsky is a Syria analyst and former editor at Syria Direct. On Twitter: @Dwilkofsky1 Turkish-backed rebels leave trail of abuse, criminality in Syria’s Afrin The serene topography of the Syrian enclave of Afrin belies the power vacuum and violence now afflicting many of the territories under the control of Turkish-backed forces in the war-torn country’s northeast. Dan Wilkofsky, Amberin Zaman, Mohammed Hardan | Syria | Jul 22, 2021 In Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, SDF conscription ‘severs livelihoods’ The Syrian Democratic Forces' recent campaign to conscript youth for military service is compounding economic hardship in Deir ez-Zor province, one of the poorest areas of Syria. In villages where the campaign is most active, young men are staying home for fear of arrest, forgoing daily wages and delaying grocery purchases to avoid passing by checkpoints. Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Feb 22, 2021 Child recruitment casts shadow over Syrian Kurds' push for global legitimacy Failed efforts to secure the return of a recent spate of Kurdish youth recruited to fight in northeast Syria shows the delicate path the region's autonomous administration must navigate in its relations with the PKK. Amberin Zaman, Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Dec 7, 2020 For Syria’s opposition activists, Turkey 'best of the bad' While initially welcoming millions of refugees and supporting opposition activists after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, the Turkish government has since shifted positions to further its own interests in a manner that dismays many Syrians living in the country. Amberin Zaman, Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Sep 10, 2020 US troops 'secure' northeast Syria oil, as contamination from it imperils lives Dilapidated pipelines and oil waste coat polluted rivers and streams in Kurdish-run northeast Syria. Dan Wilkofsky, Amberin Zaman | Syria | Jun 30, 2020 US-led coalition ally targets State Department-funded Syrian Arab activists Syrian civil society activists in the country's largely Kurdish northeast are being arrested and held by the Syrian Democratic Forces, possibly as part of a campaign of intimidation. Amberin Zaman, Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Apr 7, 2020 Profit, necessity spur trade across conflict lines in north Aleppo The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and Turkish-backed rebels have reopened trade crossings in northern Aleppo, bringing a sigh of relief to residents. Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Mar 20, 2020 Following Russian expansion, roadblocks in northeast Syria delineate zones of US control US forces have been preventing Russian patrols from advancing along the M4 highway and around al-Malikiyya in northeastern Syria near the Turkish and Iraqi borders. Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Feb 9, 2020 Residents in northeast Syria brace for winter as oil smugglers thrive While Deir ez-Zor is shipping oil other places thanks in part to a man named Hyena, many of its residents are suffering from poverty and the cold. Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Dec 16, 2019 Israel’s love of Kurds weaponized by their foes Israel's support of Kurdish autonomy in Syria is not always welcomed — at least publicly — by Syria's Kurds. Amberin Zaman, Dan Wilkofsky | Israel | Dec 13, 2019 Pagination Show more Popular Articles Netflix series awakens ghosts of past for Turkey's Jews Nazlan Ertan | Turkey | Nov 16, 2021 Egypt weighs impact of Ethiopia's civil war Baher al-Kady | Egypt | Nov 20, 2021 Oman invests in ports with eye to becoming Gulf gateway Sebastian Castelier | Gulf | Nov 19, 2021 AI played 'big role' in approach to pandemic, says UAE artificial intelligence minister Week in Review | Gulf | Nov 19, 2021 Turkey's war of attrition against Syria's Kurds Amberin Zaman | Syria | Nov 17, 2021 Recent Podcasts Michael Kofman explains why Moscow backs the Iran nuclear deal and why Iran-Russia tensions in Syria are overstated Digital entrepreneur Yonatan Adiri: Israel could double GDP with startup advancement Don’t rule out eventual Erdogan-Assad reconciliation over shared fear of Kurds, says Amberin Zaman Israeli environment minister: Country at high risk over climate change Trump administration’s former Syria envoy Jim Jeffrey says Turkey unlikely to invade northeastern Syria in immediate future
Turkish-backed rebels leave trail of abuse, criminality in Syria’s Afrin The serene topography of the Syrian enclave of Afrin belies the power vacuum and violence now afflicting many of the territories under the control of Turkish-backed forces in the war-torn country’s northeast. Dan Wilkofsky, Amberin Zaman, Mohammed Hardan | Syria | Jul 22, 2021
In Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, SDF conscription ‘severs livelihoods’ The Syrian Democratic Forces' recent campaign to conscript youth for military service is compounding economic hardship in Deir ez-Zor province, one of the poorest areas of Syria. In villages where the campaign is most active, young men are staying home for fear of arrest, forgoing daily wages and delaying grocery purchases to avoid passing by checkpoints. Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Feb 22, 2021
Child recruitment casts shadow over Syrian Kurds' push for global legitimacy Failed efforts to secure the return of a recent spate of Kurdish youth recruited to fight in northeast Syria shows the delicate path the region's autonomous administration must navigate in its relations with the PKK. Amberin Zaman, Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Dec 7, 2020
For Syria’s opposition activists, Turkey 'best of the bad' While initially welcoming millions of refugees and supporting opposition activists after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, the Turkish government has since shifted positions to further its own interests in a manner that dismays many Syrians living in the country. Amberin Zaman, Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Sep 10, 2020
US troops 'secure' northeast Syria oil, as contamination from it imperils lives Dilapidated pipelines and oil waste coat polluted rivers and streams in Kurdish-run northeast Syria. Dan Wilkofsky, Amberin Zaman | Syria | Jun 30, 2020
US-led coalition ally targets State Department-funded Syrian Arab activists Syrian civil society activists in the country's largely Kurdish northeast are being arrested and held by the Syrian Democratic Forces, possibly as part of a campaign of intimidation. Amberin Zaman, Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Apr 7, 2020
Profit, necessity spur trade across conflict lines in north Aleppo The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and Turkish-backed rebels have reopened trade crossings in northern Aleppo, bringing a sigh of relief to residents. Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Mar 20, 2020
Following Russian expansion, roadblocks in northeast Syria delineate zones of US control US forces have been preventing Russian patrols from advancing along the M4 highway and around al-Malikiyya in northeastern Syria near the Turkish and Iraqi borders. Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Feb 9, 2020
Residents in northeast Syria brace for winter as oil smugglers thrive While Deir ez-Zor is shipping oil other places thanks in part to a man named Hyena, many of its residents are suffering from poverty and the cold. Dan Wilkofsky | Syria | Dec 16, 2019
Israel’s love of Kurds weaponized by their foes Israel's support of Kurdish autonomy in Syria is not always welcomed — at least publicly — by Syria's Kurds. Amberin Zaman, Dan Wilkofsky | Israel | Dec 13, 2019
AI played 'big role' in approach to pandemic, says UAE artificial intelligence minister Week in Review | Gulf | Nov 19, 2021
Michael Kofman explains why Moscow backs the Iran nuclear deal and why Iran-Russia tensions in Syria are overstated
Trump administration’s former Syria envoy Jim Jeffrey says Turkey unlikely to invade northeastern Syria in immediate future
