Feature After SDF-Damascus truce, is Kurdish haven still safe for Syria's Alawites? Thousands of Alawites who fled violence in western Syria now face uncertainty as the Syrian government and Kurdish forces reach a tentative truce. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Exclusive 100 non-Syrian Kurds return to PKK’s Qandil stronghold under SDF-Damascus deal The transfer of non-Syrian PKK fighters to Iraq’s Qandil Mountains follows a US-brokered SDF-Damascus deal aimed at easing tensions and preserving Kurdish forces under national army oversight. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Feature Syrian Kurds say US ignored pleas for help as ISIS detainees turned on them in al-Hol Chaos at al-Hol during clashes between Kurdish forces and Damascus underscored the widening security vacuum amid Kurdish claims of US abandonment. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
France's role in Syria-SDF agreement: What to know French diplomatic sources highlight the role played by Paris in recent months in reaching an agreement between the Sharaa government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Syria
Analysis Kurds, Damascus step back from brink as SDF signs fresh deal with Syrian government By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Interview YPG spokesman: Syrian forces' strategy is to isolate Kurdish towns and cities Siyamend Ali YPG spokesman
Feature ISIS brides face uncertain future as Damascus clashes with Syria’s Kurds By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Kurdish forces in northeast Syria conduct security raid in al-Hol camp The United Nations said the operation in al-Hol interfered with humanitarian services, but the US military, which supported the operation, said the disruption was minimal. Violence has increased greatly in the camp this year. News Brief
Authorities in northeast Syria struggle to impose Kurdish curriculum The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has been sanctioning private schools and institutes in its areas of control in northeast Syria and arresting teachers for not following the Kurdish curriculum in their educational systems. Syria
Erbil court convicts journalists, activists of spying, organizing armed groups Five defendants, including journalists and activists, were sentenced to prison in Erbil in a decision that international rights groups say is an attack on press freedoms. Iraq
Militia attacks on US forces in Erbil challenges Iraqi government A rocket attack on a US base in northern Iraq is putting pressure on the Iraqi government and challenging the Biden administration's policy in Iraq. Iraq
57 nations hit for failure to repatriate women, children from Syrian camps UN human rights experts are pressing Great Britain, France, Iran, Russia, Turkey, the United States and 51 other countries to repatriate nearly 10,000 of their citizens associated with the Islamic State. Syria
Intel: US unsatisfied with Turkey's response to Syria rights abuses The US government continues to raise reports of human rights abuses in Syria with Turkey, according to a new watchdog report. Originals
Syrian government, SDF trade accusations of violations of Russian-mediated cease-fire No sooner had an agreement been reached between the Syrian regime and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces to lift the mutual sieges imposed in northeast Syria that accusations were traded about violations of the Russian-sponsored deal. Syria
Syrian Kurds hoping for lifeline from Biden administration Damascus, Ankara and Moscow turn up the heat on US-backed group; UN Syria envoy says, "We can’t continue like this." Syria
Will Turkish defense minister’s Iraq visit yield concrete results? Although Turkey's defense minister seems to be satisfied with the outcome of his recent visit to Baghdad and Erbil, there are several impediments to Turkey's security demands. Iraq
Syria’s Kurdish-led administration calls on Biden for political recognition SDF commander Mazlum Kobane told Al-Monitor last month he hopes the Biden administration will double the US troop presence in northeast Syria. Syria
Arabs in Syrian Kurdish-controlled region on edge following assassinations Al-Monitor conducted a rare reporting trip to Syria’s eastern Deir ez-Zor region to discuss the situation with the chief of the part of the Arab-majority governorate under Kurdish-led SDF control in the oil-rich and insurgent-prone area. Syria
Europe human rights court calls on Turkey to release Demirtas Europe’s top human rights court ruled Wednesday for the "immediate release" of Selahattin Demirtas, former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who has been imprisoned for more than four years in Turkey on terror-related charges. Turkey
