Damascus
Syria’s limited Kurdish election exposes limits of Damascus’s democratic transition - analysis
Syria had already held types of limited elections in other areas of Syria last year. However, areas outside government control did not hold a vote.
WATCH: Car bomb explodes near Defense Ministry building in Damascus
Kurdish families return to Afrin, Syria after years of displacement
Who gets to belong? Palestinians in Syria confront old suspicions under new rule
Damascus says it took over Ash Shaddadi base as part of US-coordination framework
In a short statement, the defense authority in Damascus said its army assumed control of the facility south of Al Hasakah city. The announcement did not specify when the transfer took place.
Moving suspected ISIS prisoners to Iraq shows Washington doesn’t fully trust Damascus, expert says
Professor Eytan Gilboa warned that Tehran may pressure Iraq to allow the country to become a ground to challenge the Sharaa regime.
Iraq's Kurds emerge as Middle East's key diplomatic players at Munich Security Council - analysis
The KRG has helped smooth the transition in eastern Syria by working with Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces, also hosting US forces and other anti-ISIS coalition forces.
Why the fall of Kurdish autonomy is Israel’s strategic nightmare - opinion
Israel must now prepare for a reality where its northern border is contested by a regime that seeks to prove its Islamist credentials by succeeding where Assad failed.
Why is Saudi Arabia investing billions in Syria’s economy? - analysis
Syrian officials described the move as the largest influx of investment since the US sanctions were lifted.
Syria’s Sunni Islamist regime consolidates power, ending Kurdish autonomy
BEHIND THE LINES: The arrival of Syrian forces to Qamishli sets the seal on the effective demise of the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
In potential game-changer, Syria moves ahead on oil deal with Chevron, Qatar - analysis
This could be a major game-changer for Syria as it begins to regrow its economy after decades of sanctions and isolation.
New security accord between Syria, SDF points to structural realignment, implementation uncertain
The new agreement, described as a “qualitative shift,” differs in both form and substance from previous understandings reached in recent years.
ISIS numbers grow as Syrian instability continues, Iraq warns
In the rare interview, al-Shatri said Iraqi intelligence estimates suggest that ISIS’s presence in Syria has grown from roughly 2,000 fighters a year ago to as many as 10,000 terrorists today.
Kobane under siege: Humanitarian corridors open amid Syria's Kurdish crackdown
A resident of Kobane said, “We are in a dire condition. We are melting snow through fire, but we do not have [enough] fire to melt the snow with."
