In areas like Daraa and Sweida, local groups are elbowing their way into some of the smuggling voids left by Assad's army and pro-Iranian groups like Hezbollah. That means more to fight over.
Damascus is getting help from abroad, but it needs to set its economic stall out with a plan to rebuild its economy. An organised and disciplined fiscal and monetary policy will keep bankruptcy at bay
Damascus fell into a trap when it sent its troops racing south as fighting erupted between Druze and Bedouins. Why? Because in Israel's arc of fragmentation, Syria is the last piece of the puzzle.
For more than a century, Druze soldiers and politicians have made their mark on today's Syria. They are still writing their own history, as the recent Sweida violence shows.
The guns may have fallen silent but in Syria's Druze-dominated southern city, they have enforced the status quo. That is dangerous, since it fails to recognise that Syria has now fundamentally changed
The second instalment of a two-part investigation into the unprecedented looting of Syria's archaeological sites, Al Majalla uncovers the destruction of a rich archaeological landscape
Al Majalla spoke to a seasoned diplomat who helped shape American policy on the Middle East during Joe Biden's presidency, asking her about Syria, US engagement, Iran, and Palestine.
The first instalment of a two-part investigation into the unprecedented looting of Syria's archaeological sites, Al Majalla uncovers the destruction of a rich archaeological landscape
In an interview with Al Majalla, the prominent French jurist discusses Israeli and Western duplicity, their violation of international law, and why Israel bears the cost of Gaza's reconstruction
Tehran's elite have few friends, but regional states fear the consequences of a disorderly transition. If Iran's 92 million people turn on one another, it could cause millions to flee abroad.
Going forward, the international community needs to reduce dependence on the US without upsetting the world's largest military and economic power. It will be a shaky tightrope to walk.
Scrapping foreign ownership caps and qualifying criteria will bring in more capital, with markets reacting positively to the latest reforms that build towards a more open country
Pressure builds on Venezuela after Trump appoints himself 'acting president'. With Colombia, Mexico and Cuba seemingly also in the line of fire, they will be closely watching what happens in Caracas.