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Syria

A Federal Syria: Kurdish Initiatives

On 17 March, 2016, the “federal democratic system of Rojava” (a Kurdish term for northern Syria) was proclaimed officially.  Some 150 representatives of Kurdish, Arab, and Assyrian (largely Christian) groups met in the city of Rmelan in north-east Syria and…

How narratives killed the Syrian people

On March 23, 2011, at the very start of what we now call the ‘Syrian conflict,’ two young men – Sa’er Yahya Merhej and Habeel Anis Dayoub – were gunned down in the southern Syrian city of Daraa.  Merhej and…

The Great Game & the partition of Syria

Russia’s decision to greatly reduce its military presence in Syria, coming as it did with little warning, has left the world struggling for explanations. Russia is to maintain a military presence at its naval base in Tartous and at the…

Russia to withdraw from Syria: The beginning of the end?

Russia to withdraw from Syria: The beginning of the end? By Dr. Farhang Jahanpour Oxford University & TFF Board member On Monday 14 March, in a surprise move and without any warning to Western leaders, President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal…

Refugee crisis 2016: 410 people drowned or missing in the Aegean

The UNHCR have published figures for the first two months of 2016, giving details of some 138,280 people who came by sea to Greece and Italy, 36% of whom are children while 410 deaths or missing people in the Aegean…

Denmark to attack in Syria – too

On March 4, 2016 a large majority of Danish political parties agreed to send F16s and special forces to Syria. The decision is likely to soon be confirmed by the Danish parliament. It’s important that intellectuals criticise the policies of…

Can we give meaning to Syria’s destruction?

Five years ago In 2012 when it all started, an educated conflict analyst or otherwise conflict competent person would have said about the conflict in Syria that it was a very complex thing, caused by history, environment, traumas, external factors,…

‘One must be blind not to realize that Russia is defending Europe in Syria’

 The threat to European interests in the Middle East comes not from Russia, but from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, says French Middle East expert Roland Lombardi. Ankara in particular has a great deal to lose, and in its desperation might…

Syria: Medvedev warns USA-Saudi-Turkey against ground troop moves

“If Arab forces entered the Syrian war they could spark a new world war,” Medvedev warned – speaking to Handelsblatt February 11, 2016, adding, “Ground offensives usually lead to wars becoming permanent”. ZeroHedge reported his further comments on its website.…

Will Geneva talks lead right back to Assad’s 2011 reforms?

Syrian peace talks have already stalled. The opposition refused to be in the same room as the government delegation, while the latter blamed opposition ‘preconditions’ and the organizers’ inability to produce a ‘list of designated terrorists’. The UN’s special envoy…

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