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Welcome to the archives of Syria Deeply. While we paused regular publication of the site on May 15, 2018, and transitioned some of our coverage to Peacebuilding Deeply, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on the Syrian conflict. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors contributors.
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Wladimir van Wilgenburg is an analyst of Kurdish politics for the Jamestown Foundation and a freelance journalist. He is currently reporting from Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan and is currently co-writing a book on Syrian Kurds based on months of field research in northern Syria.
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In the second of a two-part series, we report on Kurdish-led forces’ rigorous security screening procedures at the Ain al-Issa IDP camp that aim to weed out potential ISIS fighters from the thousands of civilians fleeing militant-held territory every day.
Thousands of internally displaced Syrians arrived in Ain al-Issa camp nearly 11 months ago, when the Syrian Democratic Forces began its anti-ISIS campaign. In the first of a two-part series, we report on the struggles of those who live in the camp in Raqqa province.
Kurdish political officials in Syria are taking an increasingly anti-Iranian and pro-Saudi Arabia stance amid the rising tensions between Washington, Tehran and their proxies, and the rift between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, writes journalist Wladimir van Wilgenburg.
With the caliphate crumbling under the swift advances of U.S.-backed forces, the Syrian Democratic Forces have put forth a plan for local governance after ISIS. Yet, without a financial backer, the city may have to rely on the state to restore services.
The U.S. decision to directly arm Kurdish units of the Syrian Democratic Forces fighting ISIS could harm U.S. relations with Ankara and cause further instability within Syria and Turkey, but it was a “necessary” step against ISIS, Kurdish politicians and fighters said.
The Kurds in Syria have called for a U.S. no-fly zone in the wake of a Turkish air strike on Kurdish fighters. The Kurds say Turkish attacks could threaten the ongoing U.S.-backed operation to take Raqqa, the de facto capital of ISIS in Syria.
The YPG has taken advantage of military support from the U.S. and a wave of Russian bombardment to make advances on the ground in recent weeks, drawing concern and artillery shelling from Turkey. But with a Syria agenda focused on defeating ISIS, the U.S. isn’t likely to renounce its support for the Kurds.
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