United States

Syria

China

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Politics

Science & Technology

The U.S. State Department warned Syria's Communications Minister Abdulsalam Haykal in San Francisco earlier the week of Feb. 23 to avoid relying on Chinese telecommunications technology, Reuters reported on Feb. 27.

U.S., Syria: U.S. Warns Syria Against Chinese Telecoms

Iran

Iraq

Jordan

Turkey

Military & Security

U.S. forces began to withdraw from Syria's Qasrak military base in the northeast, though the United States still maintains a military presence at the Rmelan base near the Syria-Iraq border, Reuters reported on Feb. 23.

Syria, U.S.: U.S. Forces Withdraw From Qasrak, Islamic State Calls for 'New Phase' Against Syria

The Syrian government announced that its forces had taken control of the al-Tanf military base in the east of the country following U.S. troops' withdrawal from the base, AP reported on Feb. 12.

Syria: U.S. Withdraws From al-Tanf Base in Syria

Syrian Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab issued a Jan. 28 decree granting citizenship to all Syrian Kurds and those listed as stateless, Al Jazeera reported on Jan. 29.

Syria: Interim Government Grants Citizenship to Kurds

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he would introduce the Save the Kurds Act, which would impose sanctions on those threatening Syria's Kurdish population, and criticized the Syrian government and Turkey for their lightning offensive against the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, The National reported on Jan. 27.

U.S., MENA: Sen. Graham Warns Against Anti-Kurdish Actions in Syria, Saudi-UAE Rivalry in Yemen

Syria's Ministry of Defense announced a 15-day extension of the current ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces, though violations continued near the Kurdish-held city of Kobani and al-Hasaka in the enclaves still held by the SDF, Al Jazeera reported on Jan. 25.

Syria: Government, SDF Extend Ceasefire by Over Two Weeks

The United States is once more looking to withdraw from Syria, over a year after the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad and almost a decade after the defeat of the Islamic State's last major urban holdout at al-Bukamal in 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported on Jan. 22.

U.S., Syria: Washington Again Considers Exiting Syria

Syria's provisional government said 11 soldiers were killed in a blast it attributed to a drone attack conducted by the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, not long after the SDF itself accused the Syrian government of breaking a fresh four-day truce with attacks in the northeast, Reuters reported on Jan. 21.

Syria: SDF Reportedly Kills Syrian Troops, Despite Ceasefire

Columns

On Geopolitics

Somalia

Sudan

Egypt

Israel

Lebanon

Libya

A dark earth map of the Middle East with glowing details of cities and human population density areas.

Two blocs are emerging in the Middle East: one focused on preserving existing states and institutions, and the other on creating new ones.

Preservation vs. Fragmentation: Two Paths Toward a New Order in the Middle East

Assessments

Palestinian Territories

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) inspect the honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022.

After years of discord, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are finding common ground as they increasingly position themselves against Emirati- and Israeli-backed regional initiatives. 

Saudi Arabia and Turkey's New Regional Alignment

A fighter of the Syrian Democratic Forces stands on a road between the Syrian villages of Safa and Tell Brak on Jan. 24, 2026.

The government's deal with the Kurdish-led SDF will reduce sectarian tensions, accelerate a U.S. withdrawal and open space for a Syria-Israel security pact, though risks from local violence and the Islamic State remain.

What a Kurdish Integration Deal Means for Syria's Stability

A Syrian flag flutters above crowds gathering in central Hama, Syria, during celebrations on Dec. 5, 2025, marking one year since the fall of former President Bashar al Assad's regime.

The third Syrian state, under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, will likely emerge as a Turkish-aligned, authoritarian regime that prioritizes internal stability, reconstruction and regional neutrality, as it tries to avoid its predecessors' mistakes and excesses.

The Third Syrian State: Autocracy, Alignment and Al-Sharaa's Unique Neutrality

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Residents wave Somali flags as they attend a rally denouncing Israel's recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland at Mogadishu Stadium in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Dec. 30, 2025. 

Two regional alignments are coalescing along the Red Sea and in the Horn of Africa, risking the escalation of proxy conflicts and longstanding rivalries.

The Unfolding Regional Realignments Along the Red Sea and Their Implications

Citizens gather to welcome the arrival of vehicles transporting Kurdish fighters from the northern city of Aleppo to the Kurdish-controlled northeastern city of Qamishli on Jan. 11, 2026.

The government's success in forcing the Kurdish-backed militia out of the city will likely reduce fighting there, but it may also lead to a larger localized conflict in the northeast that disrupts Kurdish integration and potentially oil exports.

In Syria, the SDF's Withdrawal From Aleppo Will Complicate Kurdish Integration Efforts

Soldiers ride atop an armored vehicle during a military parade in Idlib, Syria, on Dec. 8, 2025. 

Domestic political maneuvering and limits on foreign military support will constrain Syria's ability to rebuild its military following the end of the country's civil war.

Internal Divisions Will Hinder Syria's Military Modernization

Snapshots

Israeli troops patrol the border fence with Syria near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on July 23, 2025. 

While the new U.S.-backed intelligence-sharing agreement will help temporarily ease cross-border tensions, unresolved security issues and structural constraints undermine the prospects for deeper normalization.

Syria-Israel Deal Paves Way for Broader Security Coordination, but Constraints Remain

Saudi-backed forces are seen on the outskirts of Yemen's Hadramawt province, where the UAE-backed secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) recently launched an offensive, on Jan. 3, 2026. 

Social Issues

The Gulf nations' growing battle for influence is straining bilateral ties and fueling proxy conflicts in places like Yemen and Sudan, though both sides will likely avoid any escalation that could harm their economies.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE Pursue Divergent Paths in a Multipolar World

Benin

Burkina Faso

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Madagascar

Mali

Niger

Nigeria

Rwanda

Canada

Paraguay

Venezuela

Morocco

Qatar

Australia

Cambodia

Timor-Leste

Indonesia

Japan

Mongolia

Myanmar

Philippines

South Korea

Thailand

Vietnam

Europe

Bulgaria

Ukraine

Russia

Afghanistan

India

Nepal

Pakistan

Flight routes.

Cyber

As 2026 approaches, we look back at the previous year and consider the top five patterns and trends as measured by geopolitical impact.

2025: A Geopolitical Review

Sub-Saharan Africa

Mozambique

Republic of the Congo

A destroyed church is seen in Mosul, Iraq.

The Islamic State's main threat to the West in 2026 will remain its ability to inspire lone-actor violence, though in the coming years the group's African, Afghan and Syrian branches may become increasingly capable of directing mass casualty attacks in Western countries.

The Islamic State's Enduring Threat to the West

Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa delivers a speech in Damascus on July 3, 2025, during the unveiling of the "New Visual Identity of the Syrian Arab Republic." 

The transitional government's decision will boost reconstruction and counter-terrorism efforts, but it will also risk alienating internal hard-liners and could eventually fuel an Islamic State resurgence if Syria's economic recovery stalls.

The Implications of Syria Joining the U.S.-Led Fight Against the Islamic State

<p>Modern Syria is located along the eastern Mediterranean Sea, bordering Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraq. Syria&rsquo;s main geographic challenge is uniting its diverse ethnic groups under one domestic power. This is the result of mountainous terrain and ethnic cores that contradict the state&rsquo;s current borders. Syria&rsquo;s population is composed of Sunni Arabs, Alawites, Kurds, Druze, and Christians, among others. The traditional core of Syria&#39;s ruling Alawite minority sits on the northern coastal plain to the west of the Jabal an Nusayriya mountains and to the north of the Anti-Lebanon mountains. Between these two ranges, the Homs Gap has often been the point of invasions from the Mediterranean Sea. The interior region is dominated by the majority Sunni Arab peoples. The Syrian Desert divides this area into two competing regions with strong local identities. The first, Damascus, is the historical capital and the modern seat of power for the Alawites. The other, Aleppo, is situated in the agricultural heartlands of the Aleppo plateau. The Euphrates river divides this plateau from the much more arid Jazirah plateau and allows for irrigation in an otherwise desert region. Syria&rsquo;s modern boundaries fall short of the historical concept of Greater Syria&mdash;spanning from Lebanon to the west and Jordan and Israel to the south. Its current borders were set by the League of Nations&#39; French Mandate, following the dismantling of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. Lebanon, especially Beirut, has always been important to Syria because of its trade ports and access to Mediterranean markets. Syria&rsquo;s recent civil unrest is the latest example of its geographic challenge. Maintaining unity remains difficult so long as its current boundaries continue to overlap regional and ethnic fault lines.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., Syria: U.S. Warns Syria Against Chinese Telecoms

Syria, U.S.: U.S. Forces Withdraw From Qasrak, Islamic State Calls for 'New Phase' Against Syria

Syria: U.S. Withdraws From al-Tanf Base in Syria

Syria: Interim Government Grants Citizenship to Kurds

U.S., MENA: Sen. Graham Warns Against Anti-Kurdish Actions in Syria, Saudi-UAE Rivalry in Yemen

Syria: Government, SDF Extend Ceasefire by Over Two Weeks

U.S., Syria: Washington Again Considers Exiting Syria

Syria: SDF Reportedly Kills Syrian Troops, Despite Ceasefire

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support