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Terror Attacks in Damascus: Embarrassment and a Growing Challenge for al-Sharaa’s Regime | An original article by Avi Melamed.
The detonation of two explosive devices in Damascus near the hotel hosting the French president during his official visit to Syria presents a significant embarrassment—and a serious challenge—for President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government. The attacks came only days after a bomb exploded in a Damascus café, killing six people and injuring dozens.
The timing of the attacks during the visit of the French president is unlikely to be coincidental. Beyond the immediate security implications, they threaten one of the regime’s most important strategic interests: Syria’s economic rehabilitation.
In recent months, Syria has been discussed as a potential partner in a regional trade corridor linking Southeast Asia with Europe through the Arabian Peninsula. For a regime struggling with a shattered economy and severe socioeconomic hardship, participation in such a project offers the prospect of economic recovery, investment, and greater stability.
However, Syria’s integration into such a corridor depends on one essential prerequisite: the regime’s ability to provide security and stability. At present, al-Sharaa’s government is struggling to meet that challenge.
Several factors continue to undermine stability, including tensions between the regime and minority communities such as the Kurds and Druze, the widespread availability of weapons, Syria’s difficult geography, which complicates effective state control, and the continued subversive activities of Assad loyalists.
These challenges are compounded by growing tensions within the regime itself. A growing number of reports suggest that some of al-Sharaa’s former ideological allies within the militant Sunni Islamist camp are increasingly frustrated by his pragmatic approach. In their eyes, he has abandoned—or even betrayed—the ideology and partnership they once shared. Against this backdrop, reports of several assassination attempt against al-Sharaa are particularly noteworthy.
Syria has the potential to become a critical link in the emerging trade corridor connecting Southeast Asia and Europe. Yet unless the regime can establish lasting security and stability, that potential is likely to remain unrealized.
This article is also available as a Podcast: the AiTME Podcast. This Podcast was written and created by Avi Melamed, Middle East Intelligence Analyst and Founder of Inside The Middle East [ITME], an institute dedicated to apolitical, non-partisan education about the Middle East.
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Terror Attacks in Damascus: Embarrassment and a Growing Challenge for al-Sharaa’s Regime | An original article by Avi Melamed.
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