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-...

New photo essay from the town of Tel Refaat in north Aleppo countryside, which was once a frontline between the SDF/regime on one side & Turkish-backed insurgents on the other. Since the fall of the regime, many displaced inhabitants have begun to return www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/photo-essa...

Thrilled to announce that my forthcoming book for Manchester University Press is now available for pre-order: manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526189646/

Thrilled to announce that my forthcoming book for Manchester University Press is now available for pre-order: manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526189646/

New photo essay from the town of Tel Refaat in north Aleppo countryside, which was once a frontline between the SDF/regime on one side & Turkish-backed insurgents on the other. Since the fall of the regime, many displaced inhabitants have begun to return www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/photo-essa...

New report by me on the recent killing of a Twelver Shi'a individual in the al-Hamdaniya neighbourhood of Aleppo city: an incident suspected in his hometown of being a sectarian murder www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/a-sectaria...

Interview w/a resident of Tel Aghar (one of Twelver Shi'a villages of Homs province) regarding the village & general situation of Homs Twelver Shi'a, incl. issues like security, confiscation of property, services provision & general assessment of new govt www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-twelve...

Interview w/a resident of Tel Aghar (one of Twelver Shi'a villages of Homs province) regarding the village & general situation of Homs Twelver Shi'a, incl. issues like security, confiscation of property, services provision & general assessment of new govt www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-twelve...

My latest post: full transcript & overview of press conference Syrian Interior Ministry held on Mar Elias church bombing in Damascus.Closer scrutiny shows press summaries didn't represent all of what was said & government's narrative has some inconsistency www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-syrian...

Two very informative posts on Saraya Ansar al-Sunna, a little-known group that attacks Syrian religious minorities, including through the recent Damascus church bombing. Probably an IS front. @ajaltamimi.bsky.social www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/saraya-ans... www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/saraya-ans...

A group called 'Saraya Ansar al-Sunna' has claimed responsibility for Mar Elias Church bombing in Damascus. My new post is a translation of the statement & has exclusive information on the group's origins & relation to Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham & Islamic State www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/saraya-ans...

New post surveying various Syrian reactions to the ongoing war between Israel and Iran amid official silence from the new Syrian government www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syrian-rea...

Includes a rare driveby insult of the Japanese Red Army.

The hot-take on the Israel-Iran war that you were all waiting for and wanted to read: the Islamic State's editorial 😃😃 www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/islamic-st...

New post surveying various Syrian reactions to the ongoing war between Israel and Iran amid official silence from the new Syrian government www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syrian-rea...

Brief analysis I did of the Saudi reaction to Israel's strikes on Iran, highlighting the need to understand the reaction within the framework of a proper appreciation of how Saudi relations with Iran have developed since 2023 www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-saudi-...

New interview exploring the issue of intra-Sunni Arab tensions surrounding matters of 'transitional justice' and former Assad regime supporters, examining the case of recent tensions in the town of Huraytan in north Aleppo countryside near border w/Turkey www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/intra-sunn...

In case you’re planning to go swimming in Syria, here are the Ministry of Tourism’s new rules for beach behavior and culturally appropriate clothing, translated by Aymenn al-Tamimi. @ajaltamimi.bsky.social www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syrian-min...

Full translation and overview of the Syrian Ministry of Tourism's rules and guidelines on the use of pools, beaches and clothing for tourists and visitors, including the stipulation on more modest clothing for public beaches and pools www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/syrian-min...

So happy to say I won Swansea University's James Callaghan prize this year for best doctoral thesis! My thesis discussed the role of historical narratives in Islamic State propaganda.

Interview with me conducted by a Spanish-Basque newspaper, which I have translated into English. The interview concerns Syria, focusing in particular on the Druze community, Israel's role, the SDF, Ahmad al-Sharaa and the Islamic State www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/interview-...

An interview w/a local in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana (which has a notable Druze population) on the situation since the violence in late April and early May. What is the relationship between Jaramana and the central state, esp. in matters of security? www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-damasc...

An interview w/a local in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana (which has a notable Druze population) on the situation since the violence in late April and early May. What is the relationship between Jaramana and the central state, esp. in matters of security? www.aymennaltamimi.com/p/the-damasc...

Six months since Assad fell and I have now tied the knot. Just saying it would have not been possible if Assad had remained in power.