Ahmed al-Sharaa: the next battle

As the new leader of Syria, President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces an uphill battle in shaping the future of the nation. Following the downfall of the Assad regime in 2024, al-Sharaa must tackle a myriad of daunting challenges to stabilize the country. These challenges include rebuilding the economy, restoring state institutions, securing borders, and ensuring the sovereignty of Syria.

However, the task is made even more complex by the volatile regional backdrop, which has been further inflamed by the recent US-led war on Iran on February 28.

On Syria's borders with Lebanon and Iraq, the country is grappling with smuggling networks, arms trafficking, and militias that are often linked to Iran. At home, al-Sharaa is striving to uncover and dismantle sleeper cells while simultaneously working on rebuilding an army that has been significantly depleted by years of conflict.

While initial reactions from observers were skeptical about the prospect of a Syrian confrontation with Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, the likelihood of such a scenario is now increasingly conceivable.

Moreover, Israel's pressure on Syria is also growing, most recently exemplified by the bombing of the Abu al-Duhur airport in the north, near the Turkish border. Balancing the interests of various regional and global stakeholders—such as Türkiye, Russia, the US, Israel, and Iran—is an arduous task, and the challenges ahead for al-Sharaa are undeniably daunting.

This is precisely why Al Majalla has selected "Ahmed al-Sharaa: the next battle" as this week's cover story. The question now is which battle awaits the president first, and whether he can effectively prevent Syria from becoming a breeding ground for regional conflict. Our writers have shared their analyses from the perspectives of Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, offering diverse viewpoints on the situation.