Destroyed church outside of Tabqa, 2021 In Washington, I hear a familiar argument these days: violence in Syria is down, internal security has improved, and that means the country is stabilizing. I understand why people want to believe that. After so many years of war, collapse, and fear, everyone isContinue Reading
I wish Ambassador Tom Barrack’s optimism were enough to heal Syria. In his essay last month, “Syria and Lebanon Are the Next Pieces for Levant Peace,” he imagines a region turning from conflict to commerce, from war to wealth. That vision speaks to all who have suffered through years ofContinue Reading
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the rise of President Ahmad al-Shar’a has opened a new chapter for Syria — marked by opportunity, but also fragility. While political change has taken place in form, enduring stability — particularly in the realm of security — remains elusive. The facts onContinue Reading
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, Syria has entered a sensitive and complex transitional period, led by interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa. This new phase has raised urgent questions about Syria’s future after Assad. How can a new Syria emerge that avoids repeating the mistakes ofContinue Reading
Christians in Syria and Iraq have faced severe persecution in recent years, particularly from extremist groups like ISIS. In Syria, the ongoing civil war has left Christian communities vulnerable to violence, forced conversions, and displacement. The rise of ISIS in 2014 led to widespread destruction of Christian homes, churches, andContinue Reading
Using violence and deadly drone attacks to force a Syriac Christian community into diaspora amounts to active ethnic cleansing of a historical community indigenous to the region.Continue Reading
“We might come suddenly one night.” These are the words President Erdogan has used many times when referring to the renewed ground invasion of North and East Syria he has long sought after. They are essential in understanding that he has not been waiting for a pretext to attack ourContinue Reading
As a persecuted religious and ethnic minority in Syria, they are now uniting around constitutional recognition of universal principles — ethnic and identity rights.Continue Reading
I found true democracy in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and the Syrian Democratic Council… None of this was apparent in 2011, when the Syrian civil uprising caused me to become a political refugee, fleeing my home with only a laptop and the clothes on my back.Continue Reading
Our people survived the authoritarian Syrian regime for decades. We withstood the past decade of war and instability. We battled the invading armies of ISIS. We have weathered a crushing economic collapse in the past year. With our inspiring democratic model, and with our unity and persistence, we can bring water and life back to Hasakah.Continue Reading
Six years ago, the Assyrian Christians of the Khabour villages in Syria were undergoing a brutal attack by ISIS. The villagers were brutalized, detained, and held for ransom. Many doubted they would survive the ordeal.Continue Reading
Despite the many accolades that would position the SDC as a serious partner at the table for any negotiations on the future of Syria, they have been excluded from all discussions — including the constitutional committee to be hosted in Geneva.Continue Reading
We need a counter ideology and a counter moral vision.Continue Reading