Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
As Syria’s protracted conflict evolves, Middle East Forum host Lauri Regan speaks with journalist Sirwan Kajjo about the shifting dynamics shaping the country’s political and military landscape.
The discussion examines the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) central role in countering ISIS, the Druze community’s pursuit of autonomy, and the Kurdish struggle to maintain influence amid Turkish military pressure. Kajjo and Regan assess Russia’s deepening military presence, U.S. strategic constraints, and Israel’s cautious approach toward a fractured Syrian regime.
Drawing on field reporting and regional expertise, the conversation explores how Syria’s future will be defined by competing interests — local, regional, and global — and what that means for U.S. policy and Middle Eastern stability.
As Syria’s protracted conflict evolves, Middle East Forum host Lauri Regan speaks with journalist Sirwan Kajjo about the shifting dynamics shaping the country’s political and military landscape.
The discussion examines the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) central role in countering ISIS, the Druze community’s pursuit of autonomy, and the Kurdish struggle to maintain influence amid Turkish military pressure. Kajjo and Regan assess Russia’s deepening military presence, U.S. strategic constraints, and Israel’s cautious approach toward a fractured Syrian regime.
Drawing on field reporting and regional expertise, the conversation explores how Syria’s future will be defined by competing interests — local, regional, and global — and what that means for U.S. policy and Middle Eastern stability.
