About: Syria
US call for Syria troops divides German coalition
Discord broke out in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition Sunday (7 July), after the United States urged the country to send ground troops to Syria as Washington looks to withdraw from the region.
An innovative partnership in the assistance programme for Syrian refugees in Turkey
Alper Küçük and Nils Grede provide insight into the use of the EU’s Facility for Refugees in Turkey, which enables much-needed cash transfers to one and a half million vulnerable refugees living in host communities in Turkey.
Watad: The oil company that came from nowhere and became a key player in Syria
Life in rebel-held northwest Syria has, without a doubt, been made easier by Watad Petroleum’s presence. But with no information available publicly about who owns or runs it, there is a persistent suspicion about it, writes Haid Haid.
200,000 displaced Syrians flee towards Turkey
Pressure is mounting on Turkish authorities to open their borders to more than 200,000 refugees from Syria. What prevents the refugees from entering is a 764-km wall Turkey has built along the border, in fear of Kurdish "terrorists".
As EU-Arab summit approaches, more headaches than planned
When plans for a summit between the European Union and the Arab League were first hatched last year, it was envisioned as the start of a new friendship across the Mediterranean. What a difference a few months makes.
US spy chiefs break with Trump on threat assessment
China and Russia pose the biggest risks to the United States, and are more aligned than they have been in decades as they target the 2020 presidential election and American institutions to expand their global reach, US intelligence officials told...
US troop departure from Syria can improve Turkish-Kurdish relations
Has America used the Kurds in Syria only now to dump them? Observers who believe in moral debt, rather than the cold logic of realpolitik, understandably are concerned about the implications for the Kurds of an immediate US withdrawal from Syria, writes Ömer Taşpınar.
EU counter-terrorism chief: Europe ‘may see something like Daesh 2.0’
The level of terrorist threat remains "pretty serious" in several EU countries, Gilles de Kerchove, the EU's counter-terrorism coordinator, told EURACTIV.com in an interview hours before the latest attack in Strasbourg on Tuesday night (12 December).
Cyprus helps 36 Syria migrants to come ashore as influx grows
Cypriot marine police said they escorted 36 Syrian migrants ashore on Monday (3 September), at a time the authorities have raised concerns about an influx of boat people on the island.
Russian and Syrian authorities set up centre for refugees returning to Syria
Russia's Defence Ministry said yesterday (18 July) that Russian and Syrian authorities had set up a refugee centre in Syria to help refugees return home from abroad.
Turkey reboots with masterplan for Erdogan one-man rule until 2028
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will be sworn in for a second term today (9 July), wielding hefty new constitutional powers as he oversees a radically different system of government.
Georgia cuts diplomatic ties with Syria after recognition of separatists
Georgia said on Tuesday (29 May) it had started procedures to sever diplomatic relations with Syria after Damascus recognised its breakaway regions as independent states, a move Tbilisi dubbed manipulation from Russia.
Assad accuses Erdogan of close ties to Muslim Brotherhood
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was assigned by the US government to interfere in Syria when the terrorists lost control of different areas, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad told Greek daily Kathimerini in an interview.
Macron wants to treat France’s addiction to public money
In an interview given with the Journal du Dimanche (JDD) and the Figaro, French President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to wean the French off public fund allocations, as he assessed his first year in office. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Strikes in Syria: first and foremost a political manoeuvre
The joint strikes in Syria launched by France, the UK and the US seem to have a symbolic rather than military purpose, writes Nicolas Gros-Verheyde.
The EU had a great plan for Jordan – now it’s time to make it work
In order to help Syrian refugees, the EU must improve its deal with Jordan and deliver on its promise to boost Jordanian exports and refugee hiring, write Gideon Maltz & Cindy Huang.
Putin predicts global ‘chaos’ if West hits Syria again
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Sunday (15 April) that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, as Washington prepared to increase pressure on Russia with new economic sanctions.
Hunger is no longer someone else’s problem, says WFP’s Husain
Food insecurity is on the rise globally and is unlikely to subside soon. Arif Husain, the chief economist of the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), says hunger and migration "are no longer somebody else’s problem, we have to work collectively.”
Putin must nudge Syria into UN peace deal, mediator says
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura urged Russia yesterday (13 December) to convince its ally the Syrian government of the need to clinch a peace deal to end the nearly seven-year-old war.
Need to Confront Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has been leading Iran’s hidden invasion of several Middle-Eastern countries for years. The US administration’s recent decision to put the IRGC on the terrorist list makes it imperative to confront the regime and its proxies all over the region, writes Alejo Vidal-Quadras.
We need to talk about climate refugees
Climate change is not just about polar bears, it is about all life on our planet, and it poses a threat to humanity as great – or greater – than war or terrorism. Steve Trent warns that climate change is increasingly viewed as a threat to global peace.
Baghdad piles pressure on Iraqi Kurds to reverse overwhelming independence vote
Baghdad heaped pressure on Iraq’s Kurds yesterday (27 September), demanding they cancel their overwhelming vote for independence while parliament urged the Iraqi central government to send troops to take control of vital oil fields held by Kurdish forces.
Migration and Europe: The view from Turkey
European governments seem to be treating Turkey like a game on a football pitch, pushing the ball of inclusion around, but never really having the intention of allowing it to become an equal player on their field, writes Egemen Bağış.