Why Moscow now sees value in Syrian local councils

Russia has come to realize that some opponents of the Syrian regime are actually moderates rather than terrorists and that a move to empower local governments could help resolve the conflict.

Syria

Will Turkey get its way in Raqqa?

Turkey is trying to balance its precarious relationships with the United States and Russia while still getting what it wants in Syria.

Iraq

Erdogan banks on motley crew of Syrian armed groups

Turkey’s Syria partners seen as "ill-disciplined, untrained and inexperienced"; Erodgan links opposition to referendum to coup plotters; Mattis rules out US-Russia military cooperation "for now."

Syria

Is Erdogan promising a ghost army in Syria?

Erdogan promises to set up a “national army” in the area to be cleansed from the Islamic State in northern Syria, but with the combat assets available to him, never mind a national army, even a force to secure the cleansed area will not be easy.

Syria

Washington quietly rebuffs Turkish delegation’s anti-YPG efforts

A high-level delegation of Turkish Foreign Ministry, military and intelligence officials has failed to persuade the United States to exclude the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units from a planned offensive to liberate Raqqa.

Syria

Will major opposition groups face off in Syria?

The new formation of Tahrir al-Sham, which is comprised of several Syrian opposition factions including Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, raises questions about the goals of this new group.

Syria

Will Raqqa be site for clash of titan generals?

Two admired military heroes of Iran and Turkey, both commanding elite military units in Iraq and Syria, could wind up confronting each other in northern Syria.

Syria

Are Russia, US ready to cooperate on Syria and beyond?

Moscow is taking a wait-and-see position as the new US administration takes shape, but Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to see the potential for military and political cooperation with the US not witnessed since World War II.

Syria

Congress preparing new round of Syria sanctions

The House and Senate are ready to take on Russia's support for Damascus but differ on timing.

Syria

Can Turkey take on Raqqa before concluding al-Bab?

Turkey is expanding its targets by proposing to partner with the United States at Raqqa before ending its al-Bab operation, a course that is laden with traps.

Iraq

Can fragile Ankara-Moscow friendship survive Russian strike?

Though Turkey and Russia are working ever more closely together in Syria, the two cautious allies are holding back over their policy disconnects and incidents like the Russian airstrike that killed four Turkish soldiers near al-Bab.

Syria

Erdogan caught between Trump, Putin in Syria war

The Turkish government's spokesman says al-Bab will be the last stop of the Turkish army in Syria, while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkish forces will march on to Raqqa.

Syria