Global Faultlines podcast | Syria after the war: How the civil war redrew power in the Country

By 2015, Syria’s civil war had reached a turning point. Russian military intervention reversed the regime’s fortunes, Iran entrenched itself through militias and economic networks, and the armed opposition steadily lost ground. ISIS was eventually defeated territorially, but its presence did not disappear.

As active frontlines stabilised, Syria entered a new and uneasy phase. Large parts of the country remained fragmented, millions of refugees were unable to return, and sanctions deepened an already collapsing economy. Regional powers that once backed rival sides began recalibrating, reopening diplomatic channels with Damascus and adjusting to a war that had no clear end.

At the same time, Syria witnessed a dramatic political shift. The fall of the Ba’athist order and the rise of a new leadership — shaped by years of jihadist conflict and international isolation — raised urgent questions about legitimacy, governance, and the country’s future. Who holds power in Syria today? And what kind of state has emerged from more than a decade of war?

In this second part of our Syria series, Global Faultlines examines the post-2015 phase of the conflict — from foreign intervention and the defeat of ISIS to economic collapse and a profound reordering of political power.

Expert: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Research, Script & Production: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
Camera: Shivaraj S