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Could Syria Become the Next Afghanistan?

Rebel fighters holds weapons at the Citadel of Aleppo, after Syrian rebels announced that they have ousted Bashar al-Assad, in Aleppo, Syria, Dec. 9, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Karam al-Masri

As a high school student, I’m constantly reminded of the threats posed to me and my peers. Whether it’s the devastating reality of school shootings or the fear of a subway attack in New York, our schools and media make us hyper-aware of the dangers lurking in the world today.

But amidst all this fear, one question lingers: Why is the world so silent about the obvious and growing threat of terrorism?

The recent New Year’s Eve attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas are stark reminders of this danger. Both incidents, now being investigated as acts of terrorism, have cast a shadow over what should have been a celebration of hope and renewal. For me and my peers, these events reinforce the reality of living in a world where such threats feel constant and inescapable.

These attacks are not isolated incidents — but part of a chilling new wave of terrorism. And there is now the potential for more instability, with the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. The instability in Syria is eerily reminiscent of Afghanistan’s past — ungoverned spaces where extremist ideologies take root and flourish. Yet, while the global community acknowledges the lessons of Afghanistan, it seems reluctant to confront the threat brewing in Syria with the same urgency.

As students, we’re taught history to avoid repeating its mistakes. But the parallels between Syria’s current state and Afghanistan’s history are undeniable. Afghanistan’s instability in the 1980s and 1990s led to the Taliban coming to power, which allowed Al-Qaeda to rise, culminating in the devastating 9/11 attacks. Today, groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria could represent a similar threat, using ungoverned territories to grow their influence and recruit from vulnerable populations.

HTS, an offshoot of Al-Qaeda, has rebranded itself to appear more moderate, but its core ideology remains rooted in global jihadism. In the past, the group has capitalized on the despair and instability in refugee camps, particularly in Jordan, where over 1.3 million displaced Syrians reside. These camps, marked by poverty and trauma, provide fertile ground for extremist narratives to take hold. HTS’ recruitment strategies often use propaganda, social media, and local networks to spread its ideology far beyond Syria.

As a student living in constant fear of the next potential attack, I wonder why these realities aren’t discussed more openly. We’re bombarded with stories about personal safety — lockdown drills, active shooter training — but global terrorism feels like a distant, ignored threat.

Unlike Al-Qaeda or the Taliban, HTS has diversified its funding, making it more resilient and adaptable. The group sustains itself through local taxation, private donations, and control over trade routes. It even collects fees from humanitarian aid deliveries in areas under its influence. This financial independence allows HTS to evade traditional counterterrorism measures and extend its reach globally. If it decides to pursue a malign influence in the Middle East, the entire world could soon feel the consequences.

History has shown us the cost of ignoring instability in regions like Afghanistan and Iraq. The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has plunged Syria into chaos, creating conditions perfect for the growth of extremist groups like HTS. This is not just a Middle Eastern problem — it’s a global one. The international community must act decisively to stabilize the region by providing humanitarian aid, countering extremist narratives, and fostering diplomatic solutions. Failure to act risks turning Syria into the next Afghanistan, with devastating consequences for the entire world.

The time to act is now. If the global community remains silent, we risk allowing history to repeat itself — at a cost we cannot afford.

The writer is a high school student from Great Neck, New York, passionate about advocacy and government. Through his writing and activism, he engages others in meaningful conversations about U.S. politics, international relations, and Israel’s significance as both a homeland for the Jewish people and a key ally of the United States.

The post Could Syria Become the Next Afghanistan? first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Kurdish-led SDF Say Five Members Killed During Attack by Islamic State in Syria

Islamic State slogans painted along the walls of the tunnel was used by Islamic State militants as an underground training camp in the hillside overlooking Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Photo: via Reuters Connect.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Sunday that five of its members had been killed during an attack by Islamic State militants on a checkpoint in eastern Syria’s Deir el-Zor on July 31.

The SDF was the main fighting force allied to the United States in Syria during fighting that defeated Islamic State in 2019 after the group declared a caliphate across swathes of Syria and Iraq.

The Islamic State has been trying to stage a comeback in the Middle East, the West and Asia. Deir el-Zor city was captured by Islamic State in 2014, but the Syrian army retook it in 2017.

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Armed Groups Attack Security Force Personnel in Syria’s Sweida, Killing One, State TV Reports

People ride a motorcycle past a burned-out military vehicle, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes, and government forces, in Syria’s predominantly Druze city of Sweida, Syria, July 25, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

Armed groups attacked personnel from Syria’s internal security forces in Sweida, killing one member and wounding others, and fired shells at several villages in the violence-hit southern province, state-run Ekhbariya TV reported on Sunday.

The report cited a security source as saying the armed groups had violated the ceasefire agreed in the predominantly Druze region, where factional bloodshed killed hundreds of people last month.

Violence in Sweida erupted on July 13 between tribal fighters and Druze factions. Government forces were sent to quell the fighting, but the bloodshed worsened, and Israel carried out strikes on Syrian troops in the name of the Druze.

The Druze are a minority offshoot of Islam with followers in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Sweida province is predominantly Druze but is also home to Sunni tribes, and the communities have had long-standing tensions over land and other resources.

A US-brokered truce ended the fighting, which had raged in Sweida city and surrounding towns for nearly a week. Syria said it would investigate the clashes, setting up a committee to investigate the attacks.

The Sweida bloodshed last month was a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, after a wave of sectarian violence in March that killed hundreds of Alawite citizens in the coastal region.

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Netanyahu Urges Red Cross to Aid Gaza Hostages

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference, in Jerusalem, May 21, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/Pool

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he spoke with the International Red Cross’s regional head, Julien Lerisson, and requested his involvement in providing food and medical care to hostages held in Gaza.

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