Haid Haid, Syndication Bureau

The writer is a Syrian columnist and a consulting associate fellow of Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa program. Syndication Bureau.

Airstrikes on Syrian Drug Trade Send Clear Message

Two airstrikes this month targeting drug trafficking operations inside the border region between Syria and Jordan sent a clear message that the region’s war on drugs was entering a new phase.

US Middle East policy emboldens Iran-Backed militias in Syria

A recent uptick in attacks against US troops in Syria has raised questions over the effectiveness of the Biden administration’s Iran policy as well as concerns that a new conflict could erupt in the region.

US-Russia tensions flare high over Syria

A recent spike in aggressive behavior by the Russian military over Syria, coupled with the downing of an American drone by a Russian fighter jet in the Black Sea, is prompting fears that Moscow and Washington are on a collision course to confrontation.

Drugs and politics keep Syrian exports out of Iraq

Syrian freight trucks containing everything from food to clothes destined for Iraq are languishing at Al-Qaim border crossing despite a deal having been reached to settle a long-running dispute more than two months ago.

Assad’s rule complicates Syrian earthquake recovery

The human toll of the massive earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria this month has been devastating. Combined, more than 46,000 people have perished, millions of children are now homeless, and entire communities have been obliterated.

The end of the road for Syria’s opposition?

Turkey’s efforts to normalize diplomatic relations with the Syrian regime have fueled unease among Syria’s armed opposition groups, leading some opponents of President Bashar Al-Assad’s government to fear the end of their decade-long cause.

Nothing to celebrate in Syria's new budget

Last month, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad approved a 2023 draft budget of 16.5 trillion Syrian pounds. Official media celebrated the figure, a 24 percent increase from the previous year. But viewing the budget based on its value in local currency is misleading.

In Syria’s northwest, rebel infighting threatens a fragile calm

Infighting between rebel forces has been a recurring theme throughout the Syrian civil war, with shifting alliances between armed factions producing a trail of destruction throughout the country’s north.

Women are fueling Daesh’s comeback

On August 28, Syrian Kurdish security forces backed by the US launched an operation targeting Daesh sleeper cells in Al-Hol camp, in northeast Syria. The mission was intended to stabilize the detention facility, which holds thousands of internally displaced people and families of suspected Daesh members.

As living costs surge, Syria’s civil servants head for the exits

Since the start of the year, hundreds of Syrian civil servants have reportedly resigned from their jobs, angered over meager pay that is barely enough to cover the cost of their commute.