In this excerpt from the latest ECFR policy briefing on Syria, the authors argue that a rare moment of opportunity has emerged following the US-Russian agreement to launch peace initiative, Geneva II. Europ...

Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have unleashed their heaviest artillery and rocket barrage yet in a week-long battle to dislodge rebels from a strategic western town, activists say. Pro-Assad troops, including fighters from the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, have been trying to push rebels out of al-Qusayr. They have gained ground, but rebels have [...]

Artists and activists have handed out 10,000 pink balloons to residents in Afghanistan's war-weary capital, bringing smiles to surprised Kabul residents a day after a major Taliban siege on an international compound in the city.

The take-away is that Syria's war is not a sectarian war, and that western visions of a new post-Assad government under the leadership of the gangs of 'secular' and 'jihadi' militants, assuming they could tell them apart at this point, is not a formula that would be accepted by Syrians who see themselves as "caught between two devils". Bringing down the regime (rather than the narrower goal of replacing Assad) is more likely to lead to a failed Syrian state run by jihadist mobs somewhat in the mould of Somalia, rather than a stable, liberal, rebel-led government. It didn't work in Iraq or Libya, why would we expect it to work in Syria?

Authorities in eastern Afghanistan say explosives transported by suspected Taliban fighters accidentally detonated while they were stopped at a mosque, killing 12 people.

En 2030, dans à peine dix-sept ans, la Chine, l’Inde, et l’Afrique compteront chacune un milliard et demi d’habitants. Et le monde sera différent. Partant de ce constat, Jean-Joseph Boillot, économiste, et Stanislas Dembinski, journaliste éco...

After the stray bullets from Syria turned into intentional fire, and while Israel is increasing its alert level, Hezbollah's deputy leader appears to be fanning the flames. "Opening the Golan front is a serious matter on the part of the Syrian...

Four Abu Sayyaf militants have been killed in a clash amid an offensive against al-Qaida-linked gunmen.