Assad, not Islamic State, in Ankara’s crosshairs

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is trying to convince Washington that the real enemy is the Syrian regime, but appears to be failing to do so as the US-led coalition keeps its focus on the Islamic State.

Syria

Can PKK transform military might into political power?

As regional developments open new military and political arenas to the PKK, it is unlikely that the Turkish peace process will end with the Kurds disarming.

Iraq

Syrian Kurdish refugees struggle to find affordable housing

The violence in Iraq has prompted many Syrian Kurdish refugees who took refuge in northern Iraq to return to their homes in Syria.

Iraq

Syrian army closes in on Douma after Adra victory

Syrian regime forces have scored an important victory by securing the strategic town of Adra in the Damascus countryside, increasing pressure on rebel strongholds in eastern Ghouta.

Syria

Erdogan's slow turnaround on foreign fighters in Syria

US Vice President Joe Biden says "our biggest problem is our allies" in combating foreign fighters; Aleppo battle lines so far unaffected by airstrikes; Israel considers threat from Islamic State.

Israel

AKP base divided on Turkey's vote to join coalition

Pro-government commentators have raised questions over Turkey’s participation in a US-led coalition, while the latest polls show Turks are split on what their country's role should be in fighting the Islamic state.

Iraq

Supporters accuse Syrian regime of cooperating on airstrikes

The Syrian government’s supporters are divided in their views on the US-led strikes against the Islamic State in Syria, with many believing it violates Syria’s national sovereignty and humiliates the country.

Syria

Theater returns to Aleppo amid war

Locals in rebel-held Aleppo defied air raids and artillery shells to see the first play to be held in the area since the Syrian uprising began.

Syria

Syrian rebels unhappy with coalition airstrikes

Rebels in northern Aleppo say the US-led airstrikes have made no difference on their front lines against the Islamic State, and they have yet to see an increase in arms supplies.

Syria

Hama maintains its calm amid Syrian storm

Hama, a hotbed of opposition against the Syrian regime, has learned from its experience in the 1980s and stayed out of the armed rebellion, so far sparing the city the destruction witnessed elsewhere.

Syria

Are Turkish troops trapped at Syrian tomb?

Turkish troops guarding the Tomb of Suleiman Shah, a Turkish enclave in Syria, are facing increased risks as Ankara refuses to evacuate them.

Syria

High stakes for Erdogan in fight against IS

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan turns hawkish on the Islamic State, but he is aware that the stakes are high if Ankara joins the war against the group.

Syria