Dec 13 Watch 7:29 Former ambassador outlines role Syria's neighbors could play in its future By Amna Nawaz Turkey announced it would reopen its embassy in Damascus after closing it 12 years ago as Bashar al-Assad began the murderous campaign against his own people. Turkey and Syria's other neighbors could play a critical role in rebuilding the country. Continue watching
Dec 13 Analysis: How does Assad's ouster in Syria affect Iran's influence over the region? By Ray Takeyh, Council on Foreign Relations The Bashar al-Assad regime’s rapid collapse deals a heavy blow to Iran’s “axis of resistance” and its ability to project power in the region, and it raises fears Iran will focus more on developing its nuclear program. Continue reading
Dec 12 Watch 5:47 Daily life in Syria begins to return as new leaders work on building a functioning nation By Simona Foltyn Days after Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow, Syria's capital appears to be functioning. Streets are getting busier by the day and shops and government institutions are slowly returning to work. Apart from the joy and relief, the mundane but vital work of… Continue watching
Dec 12 Watch 8:20 Freed Syrian prisoners describe the horrors they faced under Assad By Leila Molana-Allen, Eric O'Connor, Sonia Kopelev The Assad legacy is one of horror with hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced or in exile. Perhaps nothing illustrates the depths of the depravity more than the archipelago of prisons and torture centers where tens of thousands were… Continue watching
Dec 11 Watch 3:25 Syria's new leaders promise unity while also holding Assad facilitators accountable By Nick Schifrin, Zeba Warsi Syria's new leaders vowed to create unity, but also hold to account the people who facilitated a half-century of Assad rule. Those calls for revenge added to the unease of many Syrian minorities, including U.S. partners in the fight against… Continue watching
Dec 11 Watch 5:14 Fall of Assad sparks new hope in Syria but minority groups remain concerned By Amna Nawaz, Leila Molana-Allen, Sonia Kopelev The sea change toward tenuous hope in Syria over the last two weeks has been tempered with a grim accounting of the last 14 years of war and a half a century of authoritarian rule under the Assad family. Special… Continue watching
Dec 11 Syrians search morgues for signs of loved ones who died in Assad's prisons By Hussein Mallah, Omar Albam, Associated Press Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Continue reading
Dec 10 Watch 6:27 Syria's new leaders work to keep rebel factions united after overthrow of common enemy By Simona Foltyn After 14 years of war, Syria is seeking stability. The country's caretaker prime minister, appointed by the fighters who overthrew Bashar al-Assad, said the government transition process is expected to last until March. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn reports from Damascus. Continue watching
Dec 10 Trump's pick for intel chief, Tulsi Gabbard, faces questions about 2017 visit to Syria By Lisa Mascaro, Farnoush Amiri, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, is making her case on Capitol Hill. Continue reading
Dec 10 U.S. airstrikes in Syria meant to prevent Islamic State from taking power in leadership void By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Officials say that while the group is vastly weaker than in 2014, it still has thousands of militants in Syria. Continue reading