Explainer SDF chief Kobane’s Damascus visit a high wire act for Syria’s Kurds The SDF says its integration with Damascus is complete, but major questions remain over its fighters, weapons and the future of Kurdish self-rule. Syria
US lifts Syria's terror designation after 47 years The Trump administration also took Hayat Tahrir al-Sham off its blacklist of Specially Designated Global Terrorist organizations. Syria
Analysis Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact Ankara views Israel’s latest strikes in Syria as part of a broader effort to curb Turkey’s military influence in Damascus and a challenge to its regional defense partnerships. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines As Washington pushes a new deconfliction mechanism between Turkey and Israel, the Jewish state shows little incentive to accept tighter constraints on its freedom of action in Syria, experts say. By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist
Analysis Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Can Turkey fit into the Biden administration’s Syria policy? The gnarliest problem: Pentagon report says Syrian, Iranian proxies are "most significant" threats to US mission, but the Islamic State isn’t dead yet, and Turkey and the United States still disagree on the Kurds. Syria
Does ‘Syrian trio’ of Russia, Iran and Turkey have a future? There are signs that the Astana talks on the Syrian war — which began in 2017 and are sponsored by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran — have little prospect of making progress going forward. Syria
Is HTS reining in or expanding jihadist network in Idlib? Ansar al-Tawhid recently attacked a Russian operations room in the south of Idlib governate, killing and injuring several soldiers on the site, raising questions about the group’s identity and affiliations. Syria
Damascus scrambles for more control in southern Syria As the Russian-brokered Tafas agreement in the western countryside of Daraa between the Syrian regime and the Central Committee enters into force, the regime is now seeking to take over the towns outside its control in southern Syria before the upcoming 2021 presidential elections. Syria
Islamic State escalates attacks in Syrian desert The Islamic State organization (IS) kills a large number of regime forces on an almost daily basis in the Syrian Desert, which has turned into a black hole draining the regime forces. Syria
Syrian livestock depleted by war, failing economy Syrian cattle owners and breeders are no longer able to look after their livestock in light of the soaring prices of oil derivatives, fodder and other necessary means for animal husbandry, not to mention the large number of animals that perished in the shelling. Syria
Russia plays up ties to Syrian Christians Russia declares its support for the Orthodox Christian militias fighting alongside the Syrian regime, as it shows great interest in the ideological factor within its expansion and domination strategy in Syria Syria
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
Who benefits from attacks on Turkish forces in Idlib? Repeated attacks on Turkish posts and soldiers in Idlib are obstructing Turkish efforts to reopen the M4 international highway and cement the cease-fire, raising questions about the parties behind the attacks. 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
Islamic State kills two dozen pro-regime fighters in Syria A firefight in the Deir ez-Zor desert is the latest sign of the Islamic State terror network's lingering presence. Syria
Syrians in Kurdish-administered regions struggle with price of bread Should Syria’s economy and currency continue to deteriorate, it is likely that the cost of wheat will also rise, further straining the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in its efforts to maintain bread subsidies and keep basic goods affordable in northeast Syria. Syria