Turkey Recap, February 23, 2026
The guest of Turkey recap today (February 23) is Amy Austin Holmes, a professor at Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service in Washington DC, and author of the book, “Statelet of Survivors: The Making of a Semi-Autonomous Region in Northeast Syria.”
Together with Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo, she outlined developments before and after Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached a ceasefire deal on Jan. 30 to integrate their forces.
Also covered are the security concerns regarding Islamic State-affiliated detainees that escaped prison camps during and after the January offensive as well as the changing US military role in Syria and also women’s changing role in the Syria transition.
Referenced in this talk:
Syria, Kurdish-led SDF reach integration deal after weeks of clashes (AFP)
Syria’s New Order: Centralization by External Consent (Arab Center)
US Intelligence Says at Least 15,000 at Large After ISIS Detention Camp Collapses in Syria (WSJ)
Disarmament Without Safeguards Is a Death Sentence for Syria’s Minorities (Defense Post)
Introduction to Leahy Vetting Policy (US State Dept)
Syria’s Minorities Need American Help — by Sam Brownback (WSJ)
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