White earth: Soil salinization threatens farming in Raqqa’s Euphrates river basin
Soil salinization is a complex and expanding crisis in rural Raqqa, where fields are becoming unusable and farmers have limited means to respond.
26
05, 2026
3
02, 2026
After the SDF: How can Raqqa mend its social fabric?
As Raqqa embarks on a future without the SDF, the northeastern Syrian city faces the delicate work of reintegrating former fighters and repairing social fractures left by years of shifting rule.
22
01, 2026
‘They left overnight’: Along the Euphrates, SDF withdrawal marks a turning point
The SDF’s sudden withdrawal has ushered in a new reality for Syrians in Deir e-Zor and Raqqa, where many are optimistic despite uncertainty about the days ahead.
21
01, 2026
Agreement under fire: Can the latest SDF-Damascus ceasefire hold?
A four-day ceasefire marks the latest effort to integrate SDF and Syrian government forces and avoid a dangerous military showdown, but its success hinges on each side’s willingness and ability to commit to the political process.
18
12, 2025
Seeds against bombs: Scenes from Syria’s agricultural resistance and revival
Once scattered and safeguarded abroad, Syria’s native seeds are taking root once more, part of an organic revival aimed at restoring the country’s agricultural heritage.
5
12, 2025
A year after Assad’s fall, arbitrary arrests cast a shadow over northeastern Syria
Nearly a year after the fall of the Assad regime, some in SDF-held northeastern Syria await a “liberation” of their own amid an uptick in arbitrary arrests, including for supporting the new government.
31
03, 2025
Can the SDF-Damascus deal withstand internal divisions and geopolitical shifts?
Three weeks on, little tangible progress has been made towards implementing the SDF-Damascus agreement, which faces a range of internal and external challenges.
11
03, 2025
‘Day of unity’ and the ‘devil in the details’: Syrians welcome landmark SDF deal
Syrians welcomed news of a landmark agreement to integrate Kurdish-led forces into state institutions on Monday, hoping it would prevent bloodshed and prevent any partition of the country, while “the devil is in the details” of its implementation.
26
12, 2024
A city apart: Raqqa residents fear ‘separatism’ and the ‘IS card’
SDF-held Raqqa city is tense, its nights under curfew punctuated by gunfire and arrests. Residents feel cut off from the rest of Syria, fearing the possibility of partition and a return of IS.
13
12, 2024
Protests and SDF defections: Discontent simmers in eastern Deir e-Zor
Several commanders defected from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Deir e-Zor in recent days, amid demonstrations and simmering anger in the SDF-held countryside.