UN envoy expresses alarm and urges restraint on all sides amid clashes between security forces,
Civilians have reportedly been among the hundreds killed in news/2025/3/8/fighting-continues-as-syrias-president-calls-on-alawite-to-lay-down-arms”>violence in Syria, as government forces surge to the country’s northwest to respond to fighters loyal to the ousted leader Bashar al-Assad.
The situation represents the news/liveblog/2025/3/8/syria-live-news-fighting-between-government-forces-and-al-assad-loyalists”>greatest challenge yet to interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has promised accountability for anyone attacking civilians. The UN has expressed alarm, while appealing for calm from all sides.
So what’s the risk of escalation?
Presenter:
Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Marie Forestier – Senior adviser at the European Institute of Peace
Ammar Kahf – Executive director of the Omran Center for Strategic Studies
Hind Kabawat – Professor of conflict resolution at George Mason University and former deputy head of the Syrian Negotiation Commission
