Since the fall of its self-proclaimed caliphate in 2019, ISIS remains a persistent threat in Syria. As of 2025, according to US estimates, more than 2,500 active fighters continue to operate in Syria and Iraq, while thousands of battle-hardened ISIS militants are held in Syrian prisons – posing a serious risk if released, especially through orchestrated prison breaks. Additionally, thousands of ISIS-affiliated individuals remain in detention camps, where they are vulnerable to radicalization and recruitment. Following the fall of the Bashar Al-Assad Ba’ath regime, the tenuous control of the new Syrian government, combined with ongoing violence, could further strengthen ISIS’s capabilities, allowing jihadists to regroup, sustain their presence, and potentially expand their influence once again.
Schlagwort: Syria
Rojava Under Pressure After the Fall of Dictator Al-Assad: Turkey and Islamist Allies Threaten the Kurdish Autonomous Region in Syria
After the long-awaited fall of the brutal dictator Bashar Al-Assad on December 8, 2024, through a swift offensive by Islamist rebels, many Syrians initially found hope. However, for the Kurds, this brought a different reality. Turkey and its Islamist allies have been putting immense pressure on the Autonomous Administration. Around 100,000 Kurds have already fled, and a Turkish invasion seems increasingly likely. The dream of democratic self-governance now faces an existential threat.
Syrien: Blitzoffensive der islamistischen Rebellenallianz stürzt Assad
Eine Blitzoffensive der islamistischen Rebellenallianz markiert das Ende des Assad-Regimes. Ende November 2024 erobern die Rebellen mit rasantem Tempo große Städte, und Anfang Dezember fällt auch Damaskus. Der Zusammenbruch der Ba’ath-Regime-Truppen erfolgt wie ein Dominoeffekt, und Baschar Al-Assad ist im russischen Exil – ein Wendepunkt im syrischen Bürgerkrieg. Der Beitrag beleuchtet die Hintergründe der dramatischen Ereignisse in Syrien und wirft einen Blick auf die Zukunft des Landes.
The French Arrest Warrant for Assad – Breaking New Ground in the Prosecution of Chemical Weapons Use?
On November 14, 2023, a French Magistrate Judge issued an arrest warrant for Syria´s President, Bashar al-Assad. The Court found sufficient evidence to initiate proceedings against Assad for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity, specifically the use of chemical weapons. Yet, as this blog post will point out, Heads of State enjoy certain immunities under international law, which the French arrest Warrant thereby violates. This warrant could, however provide a necessary impetus to re-evaluate how states view immunities.
