For the past two decades, Lebanon has been of limited strategic importance for Türkiye, notwithstanding Turkish development projects—especially in Beirut and the North—and efforts to foster diplomatic ties with the Lebanese state and balanced relations with Lebanon’s various political factions. Türkiye has not viewed Lebanon as a primary sphere of influence, in contrast to Syria,… Continue reading Türkiye’s Calculus in Lebanon: A Cautious Strategic Presence

On August 11, 2026, a Syrian court sentenced former president Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia for crimes including murder, torture, arbitrary detention, and crimes against humanity committed during the country’s nearly 14-year conflict. Assad’s cousin and former security official, Atef Najib, was tried in person and sentenced to death, while… Continue reading To Provide Justice, Syria Must Pursue Accountability and Not Revenge

On July 30, approximately 72,000 people attempted to cross from Morocco into Ceuta, an enclave of Spain on the North African coast. People seeking to migrate to Europe have long sought to breach Ceuta’s heavily fortified borders, but this was the largest and deadliest crossing in the territory’s history, with 88 people perishing in the… Continue reading The Pressures Behind Morocco’s Ceuta Crisis