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?
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?
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.
Syrian relief organizations have raced to respond to needs on the ground following the collapse of the Assad regime, while international organizations and major donors remain largely paralyzed.
For US policy on Syria, this year’s election is largely a choice between a continued status quo under Vice President Kamala Harris and a return to the unpredictable foreign policy of former President Donald Trump.
Bombardment by Syrian regime forces and affiliated militias has killed and injured dozens of people in SDF-controlled villages and towns in Deir e-Zor since Iran-backed Arab tribal forces launched an attack on the eastern countryside six days ago.
Iran-backed Arab tribal forces attacked the US-backed SDF in Deir e-Zor this week, briefly overrunning security positions and sparking heightened security measures in neighboring Hasakah province amid fears of further escalation.
US support for the SDF in 2023 clashes in Deir e-Zor has provided Iran with a critical opportunity to expand its influence in Syria, researcher Ömer Özkizilcik writes.
Millions of Syrians face hunger with the suspension of all in-kind WFP food aid this month, in part due to major cuts to US funding. US aid cuts of up to 50 percent are expected across all humanitarian sectors in 2024, senior humanitarian sources said.
Syria’s fronts with Israel remain relatively quiet, while intensified Israeli strikes and mobilization by Iran-linked forces in the country leave the door open to increased escalation.
Damascus continues to outwardly ignore Suwayda’s uprising—the longest, most organized and widespread protests in the southern province’s recent history—while demonstrators believe their movement can hold strong.