Friday Essay: How the West Betrayed Syria

In early 2011, the Arab Spring tore through Tunisia, then Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, and Jordan. Syria stood at the precipice as people rose up against the dictatorship of President Bashar al-Assad, who had ruled since 2000.

The status of America’s forever wars in the Middle East

The Middle East continues to be a hotbed of violence and conflict. U.S. troops have been fighting, advising, and training in the region for almost 20 years. While there will always be U.S. troops deployed to the Middle East under the jurisdiction of the Central Command (CENTCOM), many are questioning how much longer the U.S. […]

Assad fires prime minister as Syria edges closer to becoming a failed state

With Syria’s economy on the verge of collapse, the country’s currency is plunging to record lows. Although Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has thus far survived the decade-long civil war, his hold on the country now seems more tenuous than ever. Assad, on Thursday, fired prime minister Imad Khamis, state media reported. They did not give […]

Russian and Turkish troops begin joint patrols in Syria

In one of the first, albeit small signs of the de-escalation of violence in the Idlib province of Syria, Russian and Turkish troops carried out joint patrols along the all-important M4 highway. The northwestern part of Syria has been a bloody, violent place since late last year.  “Within the framework of the Moscow agreement, the […]

Turkish, Syrian and Russian Forces about to clash in Syria

The fighting in Syria is threatening to draw the forces of Turkey, Syria, and Russia into open conflict, making an already volatile situation even worse. Syrian troops, backed by Russian fighter jets, have recaptured the al-Nairab village in Idlib province from Syrian opposition rebels as the fighting in northwestern Syria teeters back and forth. Meanwhile, […]

SOFREP’s exclusive interview with President Assad of Syria

“There is nothing personal, I’m just a headline,” President Bashar Al-Assad said when questioned about how he feels being called a war criminal in the western media. “The bad president, the bad guy is killing the good guys. It is black and white like George Bush’s narrative. The real reason for wanting to topple this […]

Iraq’s Air Force will begin bombing ISIS in Syria

As the United States begins its draw-down of combat forces in Syria, Iraq’s air force has been given permission by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to commence combat operations against the remaining ISIS terrorists in the Levant. With this agreement, Iraqi air commanders will be able to plan and execute their own missions without seeking Syrian […]

Iraq’s Air Force will begin bombing ISIS in Syria

As the United States begins its draw-down of combat forces in Syria, Iraq’s air force has been given permission by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to commence combat operations against the remaining ISIS terrorists in the Levant. With this agreement, Iraqi air commanders will be able to plan and execute their own missions without seeking Syrian […]

Trump: Mission accomplished — all US troops to immediately withdraw from Syria

“We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,” he said in a tweet. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that all American troops currently in Syria will be withdrawn. There are currently around 2,000 U.S. troops inside Syria fighting ISIS alongside the Kurds and Syrian rebels. “We’ve […]

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s wife diagnosed with breast cancer

The Syrian presidential office reported this week that President Bashar al-Assad’s wife has been diagnosed and started treatment for the early stages of breast cancer. The presidential social media accounts publicly stated that, “Asma al-Assad is beginning the first stage of treatment for a malignant tumor in the breast that was discovered at an early stage.” The […]