In recent weeks, international media has been flooded with stories of foreign ISIS members who are attempting to return to their home countries in Europe and North America. Ensuring that these individuals receive fair trials and are not threatened with statelessness via de-naturalization should be a priority for the international community. However, these stories […]

  On February 13, prosecutors in Germany announced that they, in conjunction with their French counterparts, arrested three Syrians accused of crimes against humanity. One of these suspects, identified only as Anwar R., is alleged to have been involved in the torture and ill-treatment of prisoners in a government detention center in Damascus. Soon reports […]

The US Congress has recently taken up a series of bills regarding the Syrian conflict. Ultimately, most foreign policy decision-making power resides in the Executive Branch. However, Congress also has some foreign policy influence, such as the ability to call for sanctions and appropriate funds including setting restrictions on foreign funding that can be signed […]

A tent near the Lebanese town of Zahle, winter 2015. Source: EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations   In early January, Lebanon’s refugee camps were devastated by a winter storm named “Norma.” Though Syrian refugees in Lebanon have been forced to cope with difficult winter conditions in the past, this winter has been particularly […]

  As the Syrian government continues to promote its narrative that the conflict is winding down, truces that the government refers to as “reconciliation agreements” have become an increasingly common method to reassert control over opposition-held areas. Such agreements supposedly provide a method for peaceful reintegration of communities into government control. However, an ongoing campaign […]