The logic of military and security appointments in post-conflict Syria reflects an effort to transition from the logic of networks and factions to that of the state and its institutions. Yet this transition remains governed by a delicate balance between the imperatives of rapid control and organizational trust on the one hand, and the requirements of competence, representation, and legal discipline on the other.
The first year after the regime’s fall reflected a dangerous phase in the nature of Israeli intervention in Syria. It can no longer be understood as a traditional extension of earlier “deterrence” patterns, but rather as part of a broader approach toward Syria in general and the shaping of its southern security sphere in particular.
The fall of the Assad regime reopened the question of the army as a state institution rather than an instrument of authoritarian rule, at a moment defined by a security vacuum and military fragmentation that compelled the state to rebuild centralized military decision-making and a legal monopoly over force
With the military balance shifting and regional dynamics realigning, Syria’s Kurds face a rare opening: shift decisively from armed militias to political engagement and pluralism within a constitutional framework. They should seize the opportunity or risk further reversals.
The discipline demonstrated during the execution of recent military operations represents a strategic opportunity to redefine the relationship between the army and society on the basis of law rather than fear. It must be sustained and carried forward, evolving into an institutional culture
With sanctions lifted and trade routes reopening, Aleppo can once again become Syria’s industrial and business hub. But the promise of recovery remains fragile so long as the city is governed by a volatile security situation that tolerates armed enclaves beyond state control
Syria’s new government faces growing attacks not for what it does, but for who it is: a Sunni-majority leadership.
Summary Introduction The Military Intelligence Division formed a cornerstone in the machinery of repression and subjugation in the Syrian state from the post-independence period until the fall of the Assad regime at the end of 2024. Its most decisive role,…
Summary The liberation of Sednaya Military Prison marks more than just the end of a notorious facility. It represents the collapse of a peak in the repressive system and a rare opportunity to rebuild justice from the ground up. It…
The Syrian landscape after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime faces a web of complex and interrelated political, security, economic, and social challenges. The transitional government is striving to build a fundamentally different state and to launch a comprehensive reconstruction…
