Cian Ward

Lebanon is trapped between Israel's unachievable military and political objectives, the Lebanese state's inability to act, and Hezbollah's refusal to disarm

Attacks in Al-Suqaylabiyah illustrate how Syria's local grievances can erupt into violence in a context of weak security and a lack of transitional justice

Amid a Syrian troop buildup and Israeli military operations, the border with Lebanon is becoming a source of friction as regional tensions escalate

What do Syrians think 14 months after Assad's fall? A new poll offers one of the first detailed looks at public attitudes during the country's transition

Al-Hol is largely empty after weeks of unrest and mass escapes, leaving Syria to grapple with the security and political fallout of closing IS camps

Syria's oil fields in the northeast have returned to the state from the SDF, but the recovery of the country's energy sector will take time, energy, and money

The government's push into the northeast is reshaping Syria's balance of power, leaving the SDF's future and the country's reunification hanging in the balance

The deadly clashes in Aleppo expose the fragility of the post-Assad order, highlighting the challenges of integrating the northeast and the risk of renewed war

If the new government can deliver justice, contain sectarian tensions, and foster equitable rebuilding, Syria will begin charting a path towards a better future

Ahmed Al-Sharaa's embrace of the US could reshape Syria's fragile power balance, with both national and regional consequences