More than 20,000 IS-affiliated individuals are unaccounted for, and no one has a plan for what to do about this mix of committed radicals, at-risk victims, and other escapees, write @devorahmargolin.bsky.social and Joana Cook in @foreignpolicy.com.

New Publication: Caught in the Crossfire: Islamic State Detention Sites at Risk www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...

For those that follow the D-ISIS mission, the quarterly Lead Inspector General reports to Congress for Operation Inherent Resolve are vital. In 2025, no report was released for the third quarter. In the past, the latest a Q3 report was released was Nov 19 (and that was in 2019).

📺Must-watch webcast on Thursday, December 4 at 12pm ET as Amb. James Jeffrey and @azelin.bsky.social examine the state of play in Syria one year after the fall of the Assad regime. @devorahmargolin.bsky.social will moderate the event.

Should Syria grant citizenship to foreign fighters? For @washinstitute.bsky.social I discuss how any proposal for granting citizenship must addresses complexities (external security threats, Syria’s stability, & the post-Assad accountability process). www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...

Syria today is drastically different than it has been in the past. In a video published in March, @devorahmargolin.bsky.social explains the dangers and opportunities in breaking down the detention camps like al-Hol and returning detainees to their homes. Transcript is now available:

Foreign fighters who remain in Syria can be categorized in three large groups. Any proposal for granting citizenship to such fighters must be crystal clear on the red lines and plans for this process, writes @devorahmargolin.bsky.social.

NEW: The first US repatriation from NE Syria since May 2024 (now the US has repatriated 52 citizens since 2019) www.state.gov/releases/off...

Anti-ISIS Mission: Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve transfers command to Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Lambert www.inherentresolve.mil/NEWSROOM/New...

Reuters: "US envoy urges Syria's Sharaa to revise policy or risk fragmentation" www.reuters.com/world/middle...

"Montreal woman who joined ISIS as a teen convicted of aiding a terrorist group" www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Hamas at a Crossroads by Ehud Yaari jstribune.com/yaari-hamas-...

Conceding America's soft power, this is going to have devastating consequences - NYT: "Senate Approves Trump’s Bid to Cancel Foreign Aid and Public Broadcast Funds" www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/u...

Barrack “So there’s a big sentiment that because [SDF] were our partners, we owe them. The question is what do we owe them. We don’t owe them the ability to have their own independent government within a government.” www.state.gov/briefings-fo...

Important as US funding for these programs winds down: "Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service and the Ministry of Migration and Displacement signed a cooperation agreement to coordinate the rehabilitation and reintegration of citizens returning from displacement camps in Syria" shafaq.com/en/Security/...

Tune in on Thursday at 3pm ET for a conversation with Rime Allaf, Ehud Yaari, @azelin.bsky.social, Andrew Tabler on the prospects of cooperation between Israel and the new Syrian government. @devorahmargolin.bsky.social will moderate.

SDF continues to arrest male "ISIS leaders" in al-Hol camp, which primarily holds women and minors: hawarnews.com/en/syrian-de...

AP: "Syria’s government and Kurds still at odds over merging forces after latest talks, US envoy says" apnews.com/article/syri...

"SDF leader, Syria’s al-Sharaa meet in presence of US envoy" english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-...

“Deal reached for twice-monthly return of Iraqi families from al-Hol camp” shafaq.com/en/Security/...

New piece with Noam Raydan for @washinstitute.bsky.social "Redefining and Strengthening the U.S.-Iraq Relationship Through Energy and Security" www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...

"Yazidi young man rescued 11 years after ISIS captivity" - 'As of now, nearly 2,600 Yazidis remain missing, according to the Office of Rescuing Abducted Yazidis' www.rudaw.net/english/midd...

Is the Islamic Republic Starting to Crack? The Signs to Watch www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy... @hdagres.bsky.social @washinstitute.bsky.social

"Ansar al-Sunna" claims responsibility for St. Elias Church bombing, threatens more www.hawarnews.com/en/ansar-al-...

Syrian Kurds deny plans to transfer ISIS camp control to Damascus www.rudaw.net/english/midd...

Approximately 1,000 Iraqis depart from al-Hol Camp, are repatriated back to Iraq: hawarnews.com/en/about-100...

If you want to learn more about joining this first cohort of students, check out: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/master-middl...

WSJ: A New Hope for Middle Eastern Studies Pepperdine (@pepperdine.bsky.social) and the Washington Institute (@washinstitute.bsky.social) try to salvage the field. www.wsj.com/opinion/pepp...

Reuters Exclusive: US pulls out of two more bases in Syria, worrying Kurdish forces www.reuters.com/business/med...

The cases that remain in Syria will be harder (including those who do NOT want to leave): "Iraq has requested the repatriation of 36 families from the notorious Roj camp in northeast Syria. However, the families have reportedly refused, citing fears of retaliation." www.rudaw.net/english/midd...

178 people leave al-Hol camp for Aleppo hawarnews.com/en/178-peopl...

Reuters: Islamic State reactivating fighters, eying comeback in Syria and Iraq www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Small Group sy.usembassy.gov/meeting-of-t...

CENTCOM's Gen Kurilla today: "the intelligence community continues to assess IS in Syria – exploiting the turmoil caused first by the Syrian Civil War and now the post-Assad environment – retains the ability to regenerate their fighting force and seize territorial control within 2 years."

Agreement will legitimize US military presence in Syria with approval of Damascus, but US forces will withdraw from all bases in northeastern Syria (incl. Deir Ezzor, Raqqa & Hasakah). US will maintain al-Tanf base located between Syria, Jordan & Iraq. www.newarab.com/news/us-form...

IMPORTANT STEP: for the first time "Morocco Launches Repatriation Process for Women Held in Syria" with at least 476 Moroccans remain in Syrian detention, including 103 women and 285 children 1/ www.moroccoworldnews.com/2025/06/2091...

"Canadian men, children held in Syria pursue human rights complaints against Ottawa" www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...

The US has shouldered bulk of the military & financial responsibility for the counter-IS mission, yet the mission today is not limited to kinetic counter-terrorism alone; it seeks to combat the “IS at large,” “IS in detention,” &“IS the next generation.” www.lawfaremedia.org/article/u.s....

The foreign aid freeze implemented by the Trump administration has jeopardized efforts to combat terrorism, as funding for detention camps that hold thousands of Islamic State-affiliated families is now at risk, writes ‪@devorahmargolin.bsky.social‬.

New for @lawfaremedia.org "U.S. Funding Cuts Risk Jeopardizing Counter-Islamic State Operations: The administration claims it is prioritizing efforts to combat the organization, but funding cuts threaten to undermine vital operations." www.lawfaremedia.org/article/u.s....

Azerbaijan repatriates 13 more citizens from Syria, bringing a total of 235 Azerbaijani citizens back from Syria. mfa.gov.az/az/news/no23...

A new U.S.-Syria relationship requires that Washington lays out a plan for fighting IS by setting clear and realistic timelines and implementing new security arrangements, writes @devorahmargolin.bsky.social.

DOJ: "U.S. Citizen Who Trained and Fought for ISIS Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison" www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/u...

This week, the 9th batch of Iraqis - 223 families, totaling 832 individuals - have left Al-Hol in Syria for Iraq. Almost 6000 Iraqis have left Al-Hol and Roj detention camps this year alone. www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/843...

NYT: "New U.S. Envoy Makes First and Symbolic Trip to Syria: Thomas Barrack raised the American flag over the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Damascus, amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to improve ties." www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/w...

As I wrote Iraq remains skeptical of Turkey's coalition: from aggression against SDF/anti-PKK agenda & sidelining US & Europe by proposing new coalitions, Turkey has at times undermined the fight against IS. US must make clear that this is unacceptable washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...

"Turkey, Syria, Jordan launch anti-ISIS ops center in Damascus" www.al-monitor.com/originals/20...

Washington has urged Syria President Sharaa to help prevent the resurgence of IS and assume responsibility for detention centers in the northeast. The challenge is to clarify how Damascus should respond to expectations, writes @devorahmargolin.bsky.social. 🧵1/4

As US-Syria relations reset, can't forget D-IS mission. Need 1) Syria to be able & willing to take over D-IS 2) Healthy Damascus-SDF relationship 3) Demand Turkey cease actions that risk an IS resurgence 4) Not sideline Europe 5) Set realistic timelines www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...

No Syrians have left Al-Hol in 2025: now, according to AP: Damascus and Kurds reach agreement on returning families from Al-Hol camp apnews.com/article/syri...