Reinoud Leenders
@leendersreinoud.bsky.social
Reader in International Politics and Middle East Studies, King's College London, Department of War Studies. https://www.reinoudleenders.org All views expressed are my own.
🧅 Breaking news *** In a symbolic but significant move, the UK and the Netherlands say they will stop delivering spare parts of the F-55 in protest against Israel’s onslaught on Gaza. www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/...
Is Trump’s ‘F-55’ fighter jet real?
One former defense official said the president is “very confused.”
www.defenseone.com
May 17, 2025 at 8:05 AM
🧅 Breaking news *** In a symbolic but significant move, the UK and the Netherlands say they will stop delivering spare parts of the F-55 in protest against Israel’s onslaught on Gaza. www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/...
Brussels, today. Stop the genocide in Gaza. Those who like demos and don’t like genocide say 80,000 people. Those who don’t like demos and don’t mind genocide say 20,000.
May 11, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Brussels, today. Stop the genocide in Gaza. Those who like demos and don’t like genocide say 80,000 people. Those who don’t like demos and don’t mind genocide say 20,000.
Josep Borrell, you are kindly invited to join the umpteenth demonstration in Brussels tomorrow against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. You know, one of these demos that used to pass by your office. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
Israel committing genocide in Gaza, says EU’s former top diplomat
Josep Borrell also criticises EU response to what he calls largest ethnic cleansing operation since second world war
www.theguardian.com
May 10, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Josep Borrell, you are kindly invited to join the umpteenth demonstration in Brussels tomorrow against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. You know, one of these demos that used to pass by your office. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
My paper together with Ali Aljasem in a collection of wonderful contributions on state and regime violence in the Middle East: “Revisiting Counter-revolutionary Repression and Mass Regime Violence in Syria, 2011-2012” pomeps.org/revisiting-c...
Revisiting Counter-revolutionary Repression and Mass Regime Violence in Syria, 2011-2012 - Project on Middle East Political Science
Reinoud Leenders, King’s College London & Ali Aljasem, Utrecht University When Syria witnessed largely peaceful mass protests and revolutionary mobilization between March 2011 and the end of 2012, the...
pomeps.org
May 1, 2025 at 5:40 PM
My paper together with Ali Aljasem in a collection of wonderful contributions on state and regime violence in the Middle East: “Revisiting Counter-revolutionary Repression and Mass Regime Violence in Syria, 2011-2012” pomeps.org/revisiting-c...
After all the chatter there will be facts, the positivist in me likes to think. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
US economy shrinks in first quarter of Trump 2.0 amid sweeping tariffs
Drop comes amid a huge fall in consumer sentiment which in April dropped 32% to its lowest level since the 1990 recession
www.theguardian.com
April 30, 2025 at 8:05 PM
After all the chatter there will be facts, the positivist in me likes to think. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Is this some weird proposal for a deal and a threat at the same time? Either way, far from credible. What a total idiot drama queen. www.newarab.com/news/assads-...
Assad’s cousin Makhlouf claims new army to defend Syria’s coast
Rami Makhlouf, the billionaire cousin of Bashar al-Assad, has claimed to have regrouped former Assad regime forces in Syria’s coastal regions.
www.newarab.com
April 28, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Is this some weird proposal for a deal and a threat at the same time? Either way, far from credible. What a total idiot drama queen. www.newarab.com/news/assads-...
🧅? Trump administration scraps entire categories of abuses from all State Department human rights country reports. E.g. prison conditions and corruption no longer a concern. www.npr.org/2025/04/18/n...
The State Department is changing its mind about what it calls human rights
The agency's annual human rights reports are being purged of references to prison conditions, political corruption and other abuses.
www.npr.org
April 23, 2025 at 2:11 PM
🧅? Trump administration scraps entire categories of abuses from all State Department human rights country reports. E.g. prison conditions and corruption no longer a concern. www.npr.org/2025/04/18/n...
Syrians plan protests coming “Friday of Anger”, demanding transitional justice and the start of trials against former regime officials and militiamen. An earlier “Friday of Anger” was on 29 April 2011. www.zamanalwsl.net/news/article...
جمعة الغضب .. دعوات للتظاهر في سوريا تحت شعار العدالة الانتقالية وبدء المحاكمات
أطلق ناشطون سوريون دعوة عامة للخروج في مظاهرات ووقفات احتجاجية يوم الجمعة، الموافق 25 نيسان/أبريل 2025، عقب صلاة الجمعة، في مختلف المناطق السورية،
www.zamanalwsl.net
April 23, 2025 at 6:34 AM
Syrians plan protests coming “Friday of Anger”, demanding transitional justice and the start of trials against former regime officials and militiamen. An earlier “Friday of Anger” was on 29 April 2011. www.zamanalwsl.net/news/article...
When the current 'transitional' government in Syria is not doing enough (anything?) about transitional justice, citizens will take take their own measures. From there to renewed civil war is an eerily small step. www.facebook.com/ZAMANALWSL.s...
زمان الوصل
🔴 تصاعد أعمال "العدالة الانتقامية" في سوريا: إخفاق الحكومة في محاسبة رموز النظام السابق يفتح الباب للثأر الفردي
#زمان_الوصل
كشف معهد دراسة الحرب في واشنطن في أحدث تحديث له، عن تصاعد لافت في وتيرة...
www.facebook.com
April 22, 2025 at 8:12 PM
When the current 'transitional' government in Syria is not doing enough (anything?) about transitional justice, citizens will take take their own measures. From there to renewed civil war is an eerily small step. www.facebook.com/ZAMANALWSL.s...
After years of verbal violence defending and denying Syrian regime atrocities and mass destruction, diplomat wants his two houses back citing sacrosanctity of property rights. 🧅?
April 22, 2025 at 7:59 AM
After years of verbal violence defending and denying Syrian regime atrocities and mass destruction, diplomat wants his two houses back citing sacrosanctity of property rights. 🧅?
Rahif Aldoughli on Syria’s new technocrats and experts: They “function as a legitimizing frame that maintains elite male control while appearing modern, inclusive and efficient. It enables men like al-Sharaa to perform distance from jihadist or militarized pasts..” merip.org/2025/04/syri...
Syria's New Men - MERIP
Gender and the post-Asad political order.
merip.org
April 22, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Rahif Aldoughli on Syria’s new technocrats and experts: They “function as a legitimizing frame that maintains elite male control while appearing modern, inclusive and efficient. It enables men like al-Sharaa to perform distance from jihadist or militarized pasts..” merip.org/2025/04/syri...
When law firms fail to catch up with justice. Bridges claims that when it provided services to Rifaat al-Assad between 1999-2008 that it had been presented with evidence contradicting the allegations made against him. www.theguardian.com/law/2025/apr...
Queen Elizabeth II’s solicitor managed offshore wealth for Assad’s uncle
Exclusive: Mark Bridges of Farrer & Co was trustee for Rifaat al-Assad, later charged with war crimes in 2024
www.theguardian.com
April 19, 2025 at 4:34 AM
When law firms fail to catch up with justice. Bridges claims that when it provided services to Rifaat al-Assad between 1999-2008 that it had been presented with evidence contradicting the allegations made against him. www.theguardian.com/law/2025/apr...
32,000$ for Syria's new president’s roundtrip per private jet to Antalya. I always assumed Salafis to be more stingy. www.facebook.com/reinoud.leen...
Facebook
www.facebook.com
April 18, 2025 at 7:15 PM
32,000$ for Syria's new president’s roundtrip per private jet to Antalya. I always assumed Salafis to be more stingy. www.facebook.com/reinoud.leen...
However one looks at this and even when expected, this is outrageous. After babbling on for years about the diktat of 'state sovereignty' Russia denies the Syrian state to prosecute its own criminal-in-chief and that after whizzing him out of the country. www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250418-rus...
Russia refuses to extradite Assad to Syria, diplomat says
The Russian government is refusing to extradite former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad to Syria, despite ongoing talks between Moscow and the new authorities in Damascus for a reset in relations....
www.middleeastmonitor.com
April 18, 2025 at 10:55 AM
However one looks at this and even when expected, this is outrageous. After babbling on for years about the diktat of 'state sovereignty' Russia denies the Syrian state to prosecute its own criminal-in-chief and that after whizzing him out of the country. www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250418-rus...
Reposted by Reinoud Leenders
At least 6,000 Syrian doctors work in Germany.
Now many are going to help rebuild Syria’s shattered health system. German hospitals worry they won’t return.
By @omaralbam.bsky.social and @cathrinschaer.bsky.social.
www.dw.com/en/syrian-do...
Now many are going to help rebuild Syria’s shattered health system. German hospitals worry they won’t return.
By @omaralbam.bsky.social and @cathrinschaer.bsky.social.
www.dw.com/en/syrian-do...
Syrian doctors leave Germany to work for free at home – DW – 04/15/2025
After working in Germany, Syrian doctors are returning to their homeland to help rebuild Syria's shattered health system. German hospitals worry they won't return.
www.dw.com
April 18, 2025 at 7:21 AM
At least 6,000 Syrian doctors work in Germany.
Now many are going to help rebuild Syria’s shattered health system. German hospitals worry they won’t return.
By @omaralbam.bsky.social and @cathrinschaer.bsky.social.
www.dw.com/en/syrian-do...
Now many are going to help rebuild Syria’s shattered health system. German hospitals worry they won’t return.
By @omaralbam.bsky.social and @cathrinschaer.bsky.social.
www.dw.com/en/syrian-do...
#EU lifted assets freeze of 4 #Syrian state-owned banks that don’t have foreign reserves while other banks that do are still sanctioned. Jihad Yazigi of @syriareport.bsky.social
‘US sanctions remain the biggest obstacle’
Jihad Yazigi on the partial lifting of EU sanctions, the remaining US sanctions, and the impact on Syria’s economy and reconstruction efforts
www.ips-journal.eu
April 18, 2025 at 7:29 AM
#EU lifted assets freeze of 4 #Syrian state-owned banks that don’t have foreign reserves while other banks that do are still sanctioned. Jihad Yazigi of @syriareport.bsky.social
The new government in Syria seems either incapable or unwilling to take transitional justice seriously. Major General Mahmoud Younis Ammar: released by a judge due to "advanced age" despite confessing to extortion of families of detainees who died under torture in prison. shaam.org/news/syria-n...
فضيحة قضائية: لواء سابق متهم بالنصب على أهالي معتقلين يُخلى سبيله رغم الاعترافات
في سابقة قضائية أثارت موجة غضب واسعة بين أهالي ضحايا الاعتقال والتعذيب في سوريا، كشف موقع زمان الوصل عن إفراج قاضية في دمشق عن اللواء المتقاعد محمود يونس ع
https://shaam.org/news/syria-news/فضيحة-قضائية-لواء-سابق-متهم-بالنصب-على-أهالي-معتقلين-يخلى-سبيله-رغم-الاعترافات
April 17, 2025 at 3:06 PM
The new government in Syria seems either incapable or unwilling to take transitional justice seriously. Major General Mahmoud Younis Ammar: released by a judge due to "advanced age" despite confessing to extortion of families of detainees who died under torture in prison. shaam.org/news/syria-n...
Regime officials, cash, sensitive data smuggled out of Syria when the regime fell, and the UAE having its fingerprints all over. Great reporting by Feras Dalatey and colleagues at Reuters. www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Operation Assad: the air mission to smuggle the Syrian despot's valuables
As his enemies closed in on Damascus, Bashar al-Assad, who ruled over Syria with an iron fist for 24 years, used a private jet to spirit away cash, valuables and confidential documents mapping the corporate web behind his wealth.
www.reuters.com
April 17, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Regime officials, cash, sensitive data smuggled out of Syria when the regime fell, and the UAE having its fingerprints all over. Great reporting by Feras Dalatey and colleagues at Reuters. www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Ali Aljasem and Mohammad Kanfash on Europe (once again) falling asleep as Israel goes on a rampage, now in Syria (in Dutch). www.trouw.nl/opinie/opini...
Opinie: Israëls razernij in Syrië vraagt om een Europese reactie
Israël voert een zeer gevaarlijke campagne in Syrië. Dat vraagt om duidelijker optreden, vinden Mohammad Kanfash en Ali Aljasem.
www.trouw.nl
April 11, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Ali Aljasem and Mohammad Kanfash on Europe (once again) falling asleep as Israel goes on a rampage, now in Syria (in Dutch). www.trouw.nl/opinie/opini...
This is impressive and so recognizable. edition.cnn.com/2025/03/21/T...
‘The worst things human beings can do to one another’: How the war in Gaza made this author disillusioned with the West | CNN
Christiane Amanpour speaks with Omar El-Akkad, the author of “One Day, Everyone Will Always Have Been Against This,” about his disappointment in the West’s reaction to the war between Israel and Hamas...
edition.cnn.com
April 9, 2025 at 5:42 AM
This is impressive and so recognizable. edition.cnn.com/2025/03/21/T...
“Their wrongful detention of you is a testament to the fact that you have struck a nerve. You’ve disrupted the false narratives they’ve worked so hard to maintain, and spoken a truth that they are too terrified to acknowledge.”
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘We will persist’: Mahmoud Khalil’s wife says pro-Palestinian voices won’t be silenced
Exclusive: Noor Abdalla attacks Columbia officials alongside Trump administration in letter to husband
www.theguardian.com
April 8, 2025 at 7:29 PM
“Their wrongful detention of you is a testament to the fact that you have struck a nerve. You’ve disrupted the false narratives they’ve worked so hard to maintain, and spoken a truth that they are too terrified to acknowledge.”
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
After their no-show in Syria, one is inclined to believe there is some truth to this story. www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Exclusive: Iran-backed militias in Iraq ready to disarm to avert Trump wrath
Several powerful Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq are prepared to disarm for the first time to avert the threat of an escalating conflict with the U.S. Trump administration, 10 senior commanders and Iraqi officials told Reuters.
www.reuters.com
April 8, 2025 at 2:52 PM
After their no-show in Syria, one is inclined to believe there is some truth to this story. www.reuters.com/world/middle...
"Ashraf Abu Labda, Raed Al-Sharif, Mohammed Bahloul, Mohammed Hilieh, Mustafa Khafaja, Saleh Muammar, Rifaat Radwan and Ezzedine Shaat, and their colleagues whose names I haven’t been able to find were heroes." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Israel executes unarmed Red Crescent paramedics with the west’s blessing | Ahmed Moor
American and European leaders are the authors of this latest atrocity by their Israeli colleagues in Gaza
www.theguardian.com
April 2, 2025 at 10:02 PM
"Ashraf Abu Labda, Raed Al-Sharif, Mohammed Bahloul, Mohammed Hilieh, Mustafa Khafaja, Saleh Muammar, Rifaat Radwan and Ezzedine Shaat, and their colleagues whose names I haven’t been able to find were heroes." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Reinoud Leenders
Just out with @brookingslib.bsky.social on development and governance post-2011 in MENA and troubling implications for human security, voice, and accountability.
www.brookings.edu/articles/eco...
www.brookings.edu/articles/eco...
Economic development, governance, and human security after the Arab uprisings
Regime responses have disempowered societies, insulating Arab autocrats from citizen demands for economic inclusion, accountability, and responsive governance.
www.brookings.edu
March 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Just out with @brookingslib.bsky.social on development and governance post-2011 in MENA and troubling implications for human security, voice, and accountability.
www.brookings.edu/articles/eco...
www.brookings.edu/articles/eco...