My book on the Syrian conflict, From Jihad to Politics, is now out (for free!) online, before its publication in paperback in September. You can download the pdf there: I answer two key questions: -Why have Jihadis, or groups close to them, took over the Syrian armed opposition? -Why, in contrast with other conflicts dominated by al-Qaeda and IS, have Syrian Jihadis rejected both both organisations, global jihad, and became more pragmatic over the years? This work is based on several years of field research, including multiple trips to northwest Syria, and interviews with the main leaders of the armed opposition, especially Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat al-Nusra / HTS I focus on Ahrar al-Sham, and to some extent Jabhat al-Nusra, though the book also covers armed groups' mobilisation, alliance systems, relations to foreign states, and governance. I quote many interviewees in the book to present a more ethnographic feel to this research that goes beyond armed groups’ own publications The book’s official page at Oxford University Press: And a direct link to the pdf: You can also get a paperback copy in the US ( and UK ( You can also get my previous book on Jihadis in Egypt there: And the pdf:

RT @jeromedrev: Five years in the making, based on dozens of travel to Idlib under HTS control, multiple interviews with Ahmad al-Sharaa, h…

Five years in the making, based on dozens of travel to Idlib under HTS control, multiple interviews with Ahmad al-Sharaa, his closest associates, other factions, ministers, dissidents, opponents, civil society, diplomats, and more

RT @GregoryPWaters: Finished another few days in #Salamiyah which is really a bright spot of inter-faith dialogue & Civil Society-Political…

RT @shashj: Not easy to find examples of clearly unlawful orders, but this is one. “President Trump declared on Tuesday that the United Sta…

RT @sebnemisback: My book’s paperback edition is now out! Democracy or Authoritarianism explores incumbents’ commitment (or lack thereof) t…

RT @LSEMiddleEast: Missed our book launch on 'How Syrian Jihadis Embraced Politics' with @jeromedrev, @HaidHaid22 and @ismail_raih? 🎧 List…

"Hts aligned" for a group that literally refers to al wala wal bara to distance itself from hts, which they probably excommunicate too.

RT @jeromedrev: 1/8 This @ForeignAffairs piece on engaging HTS justifies a dangerous claims that foreign assistance (which is more than ne…

@r_aldoughli @ForeignAffairs @NafeesHamid @lock_nils @BroderickM_ Then some could think that it's best to avoid this outcome, maintain some leverage over the new authorities, and impose some changes before supporting it economically. I get that. but time is of the essence to stabilise the country

Again no offence against the authors, but this is an influential outlet, and these policies are falacious. Large survey data are good and useful, but they should not justify wrong takes