The formation of various paramilitary structures has undermined the stability of the regime
2017 marked a turning point in the Syrian conflict. With the full support of Russia and Iran, the Bashar al-Assad regime was able to neutralize the “domestic threat” completely. Throughout 2017, Damascus used the situation to carry out “outlying” operations, manipulating the ceasefire ...
The Military Conflict in Syria has Reshaped the Inner Circle
Ever since Hafez al-Assad came to power in 1971, the three pillars of the Syrian regime have been the Ba’ath Party, the Alawite minority and the army. The current Syrian elites were formed around these three forces....
In the run-up to the next round of talks on Syria scheduled for late January 2016, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov and the United States Secretary of State John Kerry have had far more contact than usual. The results of their meetings and telephone conversations ...
... importance, as it indicates Riyadh’s serious intention to improve relations with Russia. As is widely known, Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the Saudi king’s invitation to visit Riyadh.
An impressive number of leaders of various Syrian opposition groups also visited Moscow this month. The consultations did not reveal any fundamental change in the Kremlin’s Syria policy, but they did reveal the willingness of Russian diplomacy to have more frequent contact with the opposition....
Interview with Mark N. Katz, George Mason University professor and Middle East Policy Council senior fellow
Interview
Reports from Syria show no sign of improvement of the situation there. According to the United Nations over 70,000 people have perished, at least 2 million people have been displaced, about 1 million have fled to neighboring countries as a result of the conflict that ...