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Although political considerations are the main drivers of Iran’s policy toward Syria, economic interests are playing an ever greater role.
After several setbacks outside of Damascus, Assad’s regime has turned to fighting terrorists operating near or inside Yarmouk refugee camp, while its residents are trapped between the two assaults.
The international community has heavily invested in the armed forces of Syria’s neighbors, but hard security cannot be achieved without more robust humanitarian aid.
As the Syrian war approaches its fourth year, the Assad regime may finally be losing a critical tool in its arsenal—bread subsidies.
New rules restricting the entry of Syrians into Lebanon are only a stopgap measure in the government’s effort to curb and ultimately control the refugee population.
The inability of the Lebanese state to figure out where Arsal stands has made public and state perceptions increasingly hostile toward the town.
Realpolitik, rather than ethics, provides the most powerful arguments against the growing calls to forge a deal with the Syrian regime.
Although Kobani has spurred a KRG-PYD strategic rapprochement, Kurdish unity across borders remains elusive.
Regardless of whether Kurds can successfully defend Kobani, the PKK stands to gain support for its nationalist claims in Turkey.
Airstrikes against ISIS will provide the Syrian opposition an opportunity to work alongside countries that long doubted its ability to rule a post-Assad Syria.
Although the Islamic State gained access to significant resources in Syria and Iraq, budgetary constraints will hinder the group’s expansionist aims.
Fears of a potential shift in Lebanon’s confessional balance are driving power brokers to enact harsher restrictions on incoming Syrian refugees.
The Islamic State is trying to consolidate its presence in Syria and gain territory using new strategies during its latest push.
The return of Shia fighters to Iraq has left Hezbollah overstretched in Syria and vulnerable at home.
The Syrian regime’s institutionalization of local militias bolsters their loyalty and ensures the regime’s hold on the militias’ communities.
The growing number of radicalized Moroccan fighters in Syria will complicate the resolution of the Salafi detainees issue in Morocco.
Drawn into the Syrian conflict, Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk are turning to social media to generate support and to hold their divided leadership and the international community accountable.
The outcome of their engagement in Syria will define the future vision and goals of the rising generation of Jordanian Salafi-jihadis.
Regional Shia support for the Assad regime is more geopolitical than religious in nature.
Left with a tattered economy after nearly three years of war, an effective economic recovery plan should be a cornerstone of Syria’s reconciliation.