As Syria embarks on fragile transition, sanctions stand in the way
The Assad regime is gone, but sanctions on Syria remain. As the country embarks on a long and costly road to recovery, should they be lifted?
What comes next for Syria’s White Helmets?
The Syrian Civil Defense, once only able to operate in opposition-held territory, deployed its 3,300 volunteers across most of the country as the Assad regime fell. What comes next for the rescue organization?
‘To send a message’: What happened to the Tishreen Dam protest convoy?
Twenty people were killed and injured when an AANES-sponsored protest convoy approached an area of active fighting around Syria’s Tishreen Dam on Wednesday and was targeted by Turkish aircraft. What happened, and why?
With new authorities in Damascus, Daraa communities monitor local governance
Communities in Daraa have taken care of themselves for years, fundraising to provide services and even paying teacher salaries to compensate for an absent state. With new authorities in Damascus, local initiatives arise to monitor local governance and root out corruption.
Zaatari camp’s economy collapses with the fall of the Assad regime
The Zaatari refugee camp’s bustling economy ground to a halt when the Assad regime fell. Local shopkeepers say the value of their businesses has collapsed as residents uncertain about their future in Jordan save money and only buy necessities.
As Idlib becomes a tourist destination, business booms and prices soar
Business is booming in post-Assad Idlib, as travel offices across Syria organize daily “shopping trips” for curious visitors seeking diverse goods at low prices. Meanwhile, increased demand means higher costs for locals.
Tens of thousands return to Afrin while fear of abuses keeps others away
Since Turkish-backed factions took control of northern Aleppo at the start of December, more than 70,000 displaced people have returned to Afrin and its countryside, while others fled to northeastern Syria fearing abuses.
Relatively few Syrians in Jordan risk one-way trip home
Only 3,106 Syrian refugees out of 717,000 registered with the UN in Jordan have returned to Syria since Assad fell, as crossing the border is a one-way trip to a country that is not yet stable.
Suwayda’s movement endures post-Assad
With Assad gone, Suwayda’s protest movement endures, turning a watchful eye towards the new government in Damascus and planning for the future.
Syrian Kurdish parties struggle to unify and negotiate with Damascus
Longstanding disputes between the two largest Syrian Kurdish political blocs stymie efforts to form a unified political vision and send a delegation to negotiate with the transitional government in Damascus.