Fighting revives refugees' hopes of returning to Aleppo

After well more than a year living under wretched conditions in refugee camps, thousands of displaced residents from northern Aleppo province hope to return home soon as the Free Syrian Army fights to reclaim towns from the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Syria

Pentagon: Rebel forces taking heavy casualties in Raqqa fight

The United States confirmed today that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are taking heavy casualties in an effort to push the Islamic State out of its stronghold in Raqqa.

Syria

Turkish-YPG clashes rage around critical sites in northern Syria

Turkey and its allies among the Syrian rebel forces have intensified attacks on Syrian Kurdish fighters in northwest Syria as Turkey's buildup continues.

Syria

Syrian cease-fire a delicate balance of vastly different goals

Iran welcomes the Russian/US truce initiative in southern Syria, but will Russia be able to keep juggling the broad, and often conflicting, interests of the various players?

Syria

Abu Mazen plays losing hand badly in Gaza Strip

The Palestinian president faces a challenge from a bitter rival backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates; what is Saddam Hussein’s family doing in Qatar?; Russia and the United States wary of Turkish military intervention in Syria.

Saudi Arabia

Envoy to US says Turkey was ready to provide ‘tens of thousands of troops’ for Raqqa offensive

Ambassador Serdar Kilic tells Al-Monitor that Turkey was willing to offer broad military support to the US-led operation to liberate the Islamic State's Syrian stronghold.

Syria

Incessant scandals threaten US-Russia progress on Syria

Moscow and Washington will need to safeguard any progress in their relations against fresh controversies and those opposed to cooperation.

Syria

'Precarious calm' in southwest Syria amid cease-fire

In an interview with Al-Monitor, the spokesman for the Southern Front, Maj. Issam al-Rayes, talks about the recent cease-fire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan in southern Syria, the regime’s violations and the boycott of the Astana talks.

Jordan

Pentagon wants to build new US facilities in Iraq, Syria

The Trump administration has asked Congress for the authority to build new “small-scale,” “temporary facilities” to help defeat the Islamic State.

Iraq

Ankara-Islamic State story emerges between lines of Turkish report

A new report by Turkey’s Interior Ministry takes a kindly look at the country's fight against Islamic State.

Syria

Turkey waiting … and waiting … to intervene in Afrin

Ankara's pro-government media are blaming the United States and Russia for delaying Turkey’s move on Kurdish forces in Afrin, which was to begin July 5.

Syria

Jordan sees big gains in south Syria cease-fire

The cease-fire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan for southern Syria seems to be holding, for now.

Jordan