Conflicts have been continuing in Syria, leading to concerns. Last month, bomb attacks were carried out in Damascus —the capital city of Syria — that killed nine people. Moreover, conflicts and attacks often take place in several other regions, including Aleppo, Raqqa province, Hasakah province, Deir ez-Zor province and Sweida province in Syria, which has been undergoing a transition since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime with an 11-day opposition offensive, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in 2024. But despite hopes among the masses, there is no indication of ending conflicts and ensuring stability in Syria, even if they have significantly reduced now compared to the past.
Despite the end of the large-scale civil war, sectarian clashes, localized armed conflicts, and regional flare-ups persist in several regions of Syria that continue to cause deaths, civilian displacement, and instability in a fragmented political and security landscape. Various reasons are responsible for the continuation of conflicts in Syria. But the inadequate and flawed efforts of the transitional government to end conflicts, continued ethnic and sectarian tensions involving different parties, including Druze, Alawite, and Bedouin, and opportunistic threats from ISIS cells, which have utilized the shifting national security focus since 2024, and Syria’s transition often carries out strikes, especially in the central and eastern regions like Deir ez-Zor province and Hasakah province, are some of the vital reasons for continued conflicts.
Moreover, the military strikes and influence of external powers have been complicating local stability in several ways, including military positioning, cross-border operations, and proxy leverage. Once heavily active, Russia — the Assad regime’s strongest supporter — maintains a drastically scaled-back military footprint centering on two strategic strongholds like Hmeimim and Tartous, and Iran has a far diminished footprint in Syria now. Israel carries out occasional airstrikes and enforces security buffers in the southwestern region, Turkey keeps a heavy military presence and supports its allied opposition elements in the northern region, and the US conducts coalition operations targeting remaining ISIS cells.
Various government measures have led to reduced armed conflicts. The government has reached peace agreements and ceasefires with several parties, including a 14-point agreement with the SDF. The deal with the SDF, reached in January 2026, has become largely successful and led to active integration of the armed group. But various reasons, including splintered local leadership, disputes over who manages local infrastructure and resources, and ongoing retaliatory clashes, have led to a failure of peace efforts, especially several ceasefires. Moreover, there is a lack of adequate efforts to reach a lasting settlement with local militias and tribal groups, leading to limited outcomes of peace initiatives of the transitional government.
Measures are needed to end conflicts with remaining armed groups, sectarian groups, and local militias to ensure stability and peace. More emphasis needs to be given to talks-based solutions and addressing the unresolved concerns of minority rights — rather than the heavy-handed use of force. Foreign forces can be effective in dealing with certain challenges, especially ISIS. Talks-based solutions are needed with external powers, too, for stability, and Syria needs to continue talks to restore the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement of Forces with Israel. But establishing peace in Syria also depends on constitutional reform and a successful political transition.
Emphasis needs to be given to the political and religious inclusion of all ethnic and sectarian groups for a successful transition in Syria. But agreement needs to be sought to politically and militarily integrate several factions, including Druze and Bedouin. For this, various challenges, including deep-seated local conflicts, the distrust of the transitional authorities, and divergent political goals of such parties, need to be addressed. But a strong commitment of the interim government is vital.
Amir M Sayem
Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
