Erdogan touts grand plans to resettle Syrian refugees in safe zone

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims a safe zone in northeast Syria could be used to resettle up to three million refugees currently in Turkey and Europe, but critics doubt his proposal is feasible.

Syria

Has Erdogan revealed Ankara’s occupational goals?

Syrian Kurds and Armenians fear a Turkish-run safe zone east of the Euphrates, particularly since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had threatened to establish a military safe zone east of the Euphrates and labels the Kurdish People's Protection Units as terrorists.

Syria

What the latest Astana summit tells us about Iran’s position on Syria

Russia, Iran and Turkey continue to negotiate a settlement to the Syrian war that works to their advantage.

Syria

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham loses third leader in Syria this year

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a coalition of Islamist groups fighting against regime forces in Idlib, Syria, is facing dissent within its ranks and accusations of corruption by one of its own leaders.

Syria

How latest Astana talks between Turkey, Russia, Iran went beyond Syria

What the Astana guarantors agreed upon in Ankara will have implications for Syria but the way the leaders communicated past each other each is even more telling.

Saudi Arabia

As Israel’s anti-Iran strategy shifts into higher gear, worries of fresh conflict grow

Israel's escalated campaign to contain Iran and its Hezbollah allies has provoked fear that a new conflict may erupt among neighbors.

Iraq

Can trade dialogue help improve Turkish-US ties?

Amid the lingering threat of US sanctions on Turkey over its purchase of Russian missiles, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross paid a long visit to Turkey, leading many to believe bilateral trade will be set apart from the political rows between the two countries.

Syria

Can new Turkish posts calm Idlib?

The Turkish army is preparing to build more observation posts in Syria’s Idlib, where a fragile cease-fire is violated daily.

Syria

Netanyahu tries to bring 'Iran threat' home to Russia

In the last four years Sochi has become a key Russian decision-making center on issues related to the Middle East; Netanyahu has now come there to have a say.

Israel

Regional, international actors risk making matters worse in Iraq's Sinjar

The conflict over controlling the strategic area of Sinjar along Iraq's borders with Turkey and Syria has made the Yazidis' situation worse.

Iraq

Can Turkey escape the fireball in Idlib?

Protesters in Idlib are calling Turkey traitorous, but that’s only a small part of the big picture, in which radical jihadi groups emerge as a fireball in all scenarios for Ankara, entertaining menacing ambitions.

Syria

Is Belarus scheming against Russia's reconstruction policies in Syria?

Belarus is tacitly promoting its own businesses in Syria, but not all of them are necessarily to the detriment of the Russians.

Syria