While Calm Reigns in Damascus, Battles in Syria’s Northeast Rage On

In the Syrian capital, Damascus, the country’s new leader has hosted a national unity conference and welcomed foreign dignitaries as crowds gather at cafes, speaking out freely for the first time in decades. But 400 miles away in northeastern Syria,…

Kurdish Insurgent Group Declares Cease-Fire in Conflict With Turkey

The Kurdish guerrilla group that has been fighting a long-running insurgency against Turkey declared a cease-fire on Saturday, days after a call from its jailed leader to disarm and disband the organization raised hopes of ending a conflict that has…

Ahmed al-Shara: The Evolution of Syria’s New Leader

As the commander of a rebel group allied with Al Qaeda during Syria’s long civil war, the man known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, welcomed foreign jihadists, dispatched suicide bombers to blow up military posts and vowed…