On Monday, Syrian troops reportedly encircled the southwestern city of Daraa, one of the first centers of the 2011 rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad. It’s another military success for Assad’s regime, which has in recent weeks continued its steady recapture of territory once lost to rebels. For months, the area had been subject to a “de-escalation” agreement between Russia, Jordan … Continue reading Russia stays in the driver’s seat in Syria