The Cynical Ploy in Hezbollah Taking Charge of Repatriating Refugees to Syria By Haid Haid - Jul 12, 2018
The head of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, recently announced that his party will take the lead in repatriating Syrians refugees from Lebanon. While the group hinted that its efforts will be coordinated with Lebanese security forces, it may in fact be in sole charge. Either way, the announcement sent a clear message: Hezbollah is increasing its … Continue reading “The Cynical Ploy in Hezbollah Taking Charge of Repatriating Refugees to Syria”
ISIS’s Military and Economic Roots Start to Take Hold Again in Syria By Haid Haid - Jul 1, 2018
The recent surge in ISIS attacks in Syria clearly indicates the group’s ability to return, in some form, to some of its former territories. Most recent assaults have focused on previous strongholds in the governorates of Deir ez-Zor and Homs, particularly in the eastern cities of Mayadin and Al Bukamal in the former and Al … Continue reading “ISIS’s Military and Economic Roots Start to Take Hold Again in Syria”
After the Fighting, Turkey Confronts the Real Struggle for Afrin By Haid Haid - May 20, 2018
Having won the battle for the northern Syrian city of Afrin, Turkey now faces the much more daunting task of winning the peace. Motivated first by the priority to drive the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) from its southern border, Turkey has been left with a governance vacuum that it will struggle to fill. There … Continue reading “After the Fighting, Turkey Confronts the Real Struggle for Afrin”
Who and What Is Behind the Surge of Assassinations in Rebel-held Syria? Those are the Wrong Questions By Haid Haid - May 14, 2018
In a country at war with itself, death is tragically the norm in the battle for territorial domination. But even by the standards of the seven-year-long civil war in Syria, the spate of assassinations witnessed recently is unheard of. For while assassinations are not uncommon, the intensity, apparent coordination and timing of these incidents make … Continue reading “Who and What Is Behind the Surge of Assassinations in Rebel-held Syria? Those are the Wrong Questions”
In Syria, Al Nusra’s Reincarnation Has Been Crippled on the Battlefield by Divided Al Qaeda Loyalties By Haid Haid - Apr 22, 2018
The former Al Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), is experiencing its most significant battlefield setback since its emergence in Syria in late 2011. In the space of a week, the formidable faction lost control of at least 36 strategically valuable towns and cities across northwestern Syria. Perhaps even more importantly, the force has … Continue reading “In Syria, Al Nusra’s Reincarnation Has Been Crippled on the Battlefield by Divided Al Qaeda Loyalties”