Two recent works of @ajaltamimi.bsky.social's on Twelver Shi'ah communities in Syria, those of Damascus's Sayyida Zaynab suburb, and of the neighboring Idlib towns of Fu'ah and Kafriyah, displaced via population swap in 2018 www.syriaintransition.com/en/home/arch... www.hudson.org/terrorism/sy...

My latest interview: w/Abu Ali Sumer,who heads Alawite insurgent group 'Fawj Azra'il al-Jabal' that's recently come to attention. Discussion focuses on outlook on Syria, his group's aims, relation w/Suhayl al-Hasan's 'Tiger Forces' & views on Iran & Israel www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-alawit...

Check out my latest for Syria in Transition looking more closely at the Sayyida Zaynab shrine in Damascus (based on my visits there), its administration, & what observations tell us about the status of Syria's Twelver Shia community more broadly: www.syriaintransition.com/en/home/arch...

@ajaltamimi.bsky.social on the practicalities of accessing electricity in Syria's rural Aleppo: www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/electricit...

Hopefully of some use: a post I've done discussing my experiences in parts of northern Syria w/electricity availability, sources & usage, focused on parts of north Aleppo countryside to illustrate local contrasts. Giving a ground feel beyond big statistics www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/electricit...

I am of course delighted to take all the undeserved credit @ajaltamimi.bsky.social is willing to give me! #medievalsky

New instalment in my translation of Paul the Deacon's Roman History: Book Two, covering the Samnite Wars, Pyrrhic War & First Punic War. Dedicated to @samottewillsoulsby.bsky.social, who kindly drew attention to this project of mine for medieval historians here www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/paul-the-d...

New post:local from Qalb Lawze (one of Druze villages of Jabal al-Summaq- Idlib)on killing of 3 villagers from Kafr Maris (another Druze village) by gunmen- latest of multiple kidnappings & murders that have targeted originally Druze inhabitants since 2011 www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/guest-post...

New post: an in-depth look at a recent case of arrests carried out by Israeli forces in the Yarmouk Basin region of Deraa province near the border with the Golan Heights, adding some context that is missing in social media coverage www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/israeli-ar...

New post:local from Qalb Lawze (one of Druze villages of Jabal al-Summaq- Idlib)on killing of 3 villagers from Kafr Maris (another Druze village) by gunmen- latest of multiple kidnappings & murders that have targeted originally Druze inhabitants since 2011 www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/guest-post...

A blast from the past: an interview I recently did w/Jamal Maarouf,who led Western-backed Syrian Revolutionaries Front (SRF) that fought ISIS & was destroyed by Jabhat al-Nusra by end of 2014. Discussed SRF's history & how he views Syria under al-Sharaa www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-syrian...

New post: an in-depth look at a recent case of arrests carried out by Israeli forces in the Yarmouk Basin region of Deraa province near the border with the Golan Heights, adding some context that is missing in social media coverage www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/israeli-ar...

First academic journal review of my translation & study of the medieval text Fath al-Andalus(The Conquest of al-Andalus) is out,& it's mostly positive,particularly about how it presents a clear & readable translation from a difficult original www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

My latest: my visit to the Najaf office of the Badr Organisation (one of Iraq's major pro-Iranian factions), discussing the group's outlook on Iraq and the wider region, including the question of relations with the new Syrian government www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/a-visit-to...

First academic journal review of my translation & study of the medieval text Fath al-Andalus(The Conquest of al-Andalus) is out,& it's mostly positive,particularly about how it presents a clear & readable translation from a difficult original www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

My latest: my visit to the Najaf office of the Badr Organisation (one of Iraq's major pro-Iranian factions), discussing the group's outlook on Iraq and the wider region, including the question of relations with the new Syrian government www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/a-visit-to...

My latest: a look inside a villa in Aleppo countryside that appears to have been used as a base by an Iranian-linked militia during the war in Syria. I stumbled upon it while driving & the graffiti still remains. Took photos for historical documentation www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/inside-an-...

My latest: my visit to the Najaf office of the Badr Organisation (one of Iraq's major pro-Iranian factions), discussing the group's outlook on Iraq and the wider region, including the question of relations with the new Syrian government www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/a-visit-to...

New interview with Quwat Fursan Hamza, one of the constituent factions of the Druze 'National Guard' initiative backed by Hikmat al-Hijri. It has recently rebranded as 'Battalion 501- Special Assignments' of the National Guard www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/druze-fact...

My latest: a look inside a villa in Aleppo countryside that appears to have been used as a base by an Iranian-linked militia during the war in Syria. I stumbled upon it while driving & the graffiti still remains. Took photos for historical documentation www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/inside-an-...

Check out my latest translation project: Paul the Deacon's Roman History, starting w/book one (Rome's origins, first kings, & first sack of Rome). Paul was 8th century monk of Lombard origin & wrote a very readable Roman history www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/paul-the-d...

Check out my latest translation project: Paul the Deacon's Roman History, starting w/book one (Rome's origins, first kings, & first sack of Rome). Paul was 8th century monk of Lombard origin & wrote a very readable Roman history www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/paul-the-d...

An interesting new blog series by @ajaltamimi.bsky.social translating the Roman History of Paul the Deacon. #medievalsky www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/paul-the-d...

If you're curious what ever happened to the pro-Assad, Russian-backed 'Homeland Shield' militia on the Syria-Lebanon borders, I recently interviewed its Lebanese leader, discussing problems that arose & the situation in Syria & Lebanon after Assad's fall www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syria-and-...

“identification with the Syrian state is at its lowest point…the consolidation of over 35 Druze armed factions…a de facto autonomous zone across central, southern & eastern Suwayda” - @ajaltamimi.bsky.social on hardening anti-Damascus Druze positioning www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-druze-...

If you're curious what ever happened to the pro-Assad, Russian-backed 'Homeland Shield' militia on the Syria-Lebanon borders, I recently interviewed its Lebanese leader, discussing problems that arose & the situation in Syria & Lebanon after Assad's fall www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syria-and-...

@ajaltamimi.bsky.social for Syria in Transition on the National Guard alliance in Suwayda and its inclusion of former regime figures www.syriaintransition.com/thesubnation...

@ajaltamimi.bsky.social for @syriatransition.bsky.social on Suweida's "National Guard" and how the Syrian interim government's attack on the governorate in July consolidated local support for a Hijri-led anti-Damascus posture: www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-druze-...

My latest published interview: with a person who served in the Iranian-backed 313 Force and was subsequently transferred to the regular army under the Assad regime. He describes his experiences and how he views the current situation in Syria www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/a-veteran-...

My latest published interview: with a person who served in the Iranian-backed 313 Force and was subsequently transferred to the regular army under the Assad regime. He describes his experiences and how he views the current situation in Syria www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/a-veteran-...

Apologies for hiatus in writing, but I am back now. An in-depth interview with a local in the al-Qunaytra locality of Kudna near the border with the Golan, recounting his recent experiences w/Israelis, their 'carrot-and-stick' approach, & local sentiment www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/interactio...

Apologies for hiatus in writing, but I am back now. An in-depth interview with a local in the al-Qunaytra locality of Kudna near the border with the Golan, recounting his recent experiences w/Israelis, their 'carrot-and-stick' approach, & local sentiment www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/interactio...

Allegations of misinformation are a political (or de-politicizing) cudgel currently used by both the Syrian government and pro-government commentators to mask violence carried out in its name www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syria-the-...

@ajaltamimi.bsky.social on the "misinformation" non sequitur, as real violence against minority Syrians continues: www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syria-the-...

New post: translation and overview of the statement by various al-Suwayda' Druze factions announcing their merger into the 'National Guard' initiative declaring loyalty to spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syrian-dru...

I've written a tribute to my friend Abd al-Majid Sharif, who was from Druze village of Kaftin & long opposed to Assad regime prior to the revolution. He always stood up for his principles & was willing to speak out. Voices like his are more needed than ever www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/in-memoria...

New post: Harakat Rijal al-Karama's spokesman on events in al-Suwayda' a month on. He laments the implantation of sectarian division at the expense of national belonging and speculates on the possibility of an internationally-brokered partition of Syria www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/harakat-ri...

@ajaltamimi.bsky.social highlights new statements by Druze sheikhs aql Jarbou' and Hinnawi to illustrate how Syrian government attack on Suweida seems to have polarized the governorate against Damascus: www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/statements...

Bonus - The First Months of Post-Assad Syria w/ @ajaltamimi.bsky.social Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi returns to the program to take stock of where things are in Syria nine months into the new government under Ahmed Al-Sharaa. Link below in the replies!

Translation & overview: new statements by Hamoud al-Hanawi and Yusuf Jerbo (the other two mashaykh al-aql/senior Druze spiritual leaders alongside Hikmat al-Hijri), illustrating they too have taken a firm stance against Syrian govt's actions in al-Suwayda' www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/statements...

New interview: with a local in the Qunaytra locality of al-Rafid on the border with the Golan Heights, regarding his personal experiences with Israeli forces in the area and how he views the Israeli presence more generally www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/experience...

I would not be surprised if this is true. Just look how widely government supporters and official media misrepresented Layth al-Balous as leader of/a leader of Harakat Rijal al-Karama (one of the biggest Druze armed groups in Suwayda').

@ajaltamimi.bsky.social on the full arc of Hurras al-Din and post-Jabhat al-Nusrah al-Qaeda in Syria: ctc.westpoint.edu/hurras-al-di...

Khutout is a very pleasant bookstore in Amman that both publishes some of @ajaltamimi.bsky.social’s translations and is conveniently close to the gorgeous Mukhtar mall

An interview I conducted w/al-Suwayda' Druze faction 'Shaykh al-Karama Forces' on current situation in province & issues of relations w/Syrian central govt following the recent fighting, complaints of a 'siege' on al-Suwayda' & loss of Druze trust in govt www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-curren...

Translation & overview of new Islamic State editorial on the joint Syrian government-U.S.-led coalition raid targeting IS in al-Bab as well as the recent events in al-Suwayda'. The editorial's title is an interesting reference to medieval Iberian history www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-rearer...

I have done a general, open access piece on the common misconceptions about the fighting in al-Suwayda'. Too many crude, inaccurate talking points are being circulated among analysts and observers and contributing to the tensions. This needs to stop now www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/misconcept...

As always @ajaltamimi.bsky.social is doing excellent work, offering vital clarity on often poorly-covered situation in Suwayda www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/misconcept...

Good @ajaltamimi.bsky.social corrective on Suweida violence, including on nature of Druze armed resistance: www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/misconcept... (open access)

New: some observations from a meeting with media activist/spokesman for 'mainstream' Druze al-Suwayda' faction Liwa al-Jabal, focusing on the issue of relationship between al-Suwayda' factions and the Syrian central government/Ministry of Defence www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-druze-...