Kurdish leaders scrabble for footing as Ankara pounds war drums

Turkey says it has completed preparations to intervene in Syria's Manbij and the Kurdish-controlled area east of the Euphrates River.

Syria

Ankara’s planned operation in northeast Syria remains murky

Whether Ankara will stage an operation east of Euphrates depends on diplomatic efforts with Washington and Moscow.

Iraq

Russia keeps plugging away at cooperation with North Africa

During his tour around the Maghreb, Foreign Minister Lavrov showed Russia has a genuine interest in developing stronger ties with regional states, but the number of roadblocks in the way raise questions about Moscow's ability to go past "strategic declarations" anytime soon.

Egypt

Turkey pledges to enter Syria so refugees can return

Frustrated by the slow progress on a proposed buffer zone in northeast Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signaled Turkey could do it alone, saying it would allow some of the millions of Syrians sheltering in Turkey to go home.

Syria

Putin proposes old yet novel idea for Turkey-Syria crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested reactivating the 1998 Adana Accord to prevent Turkey from intervening east of the Euphrates River in Syria.

Syria

Putin guides Erdogan along the Road to Damascus

The Russian and Turkish presidents agree to rekindle 1998 Adana agreement.

Syria

US-Gulf tensions mount over restrictions on Syria reconstruction

Gulf states are seeking to become major economic players in post-war Syria, but US sanctions are causing some states to proceed with caution.

United Arab Emirates

Erdogan-Putin summit highlights differences over Syria

Ankara gets little out of Moscow regarding its plans for northern Syria.

Syria

Will the US renege on its promises to protect SDF in Syria?

Turkey is pushing ahead with the idea of a safe zone along its border with Syria.

Syria

PA opens new TV station in Damascus

The Palestinian Authority’s official TV station inaugurated its new headquarters in Damascus, a move that was seen as paving the way for normalizing ties with the Syrian regime.

Palestine

Putin, Erdogan agree on Idlib but maneuver on Kurds

While Moscow and Ankara agreed to reinforce cooperation on Idlib to fight Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Putin's proposal on the "buffer zone" in Syria's northeast sent Erdogan home thinking, at least until the next round of Astana talks

Syria

Erdogan-Putin Syria meeting commences in Moscow

Talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia's Vladimir Putin appeared to start out on a warm note today and are likely centering on the future of Idlib as well as US plans to create a safe zone in Kurdish-dominated northeastern Syria.

Syria