Exclusive Rubio said 'no meeting' with Syria’s Shibani in Munich unless Kurdish commander included Rubio’s insistence was aimed at satisfying lawmakers demanding stronger US support for the SDF. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Syria begins prisoner exchange with Druze militia in south: What to know The Suwayda area has seen significant instability since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, complicating government efforts to address sectarian factionalism. Syria
Turkey to repatriate its ISIS fighters from Iraq as jihadis escalate Syria attacks Ankara will repatriate its nationals from among thousands of fighters transferred from Syria, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said. Turkey
Canada becomes latest Western country to lift Syria sanctions: What to know Like the US, Canada had strained relations with Syria during the civil war but is now showing signs of engagement. Syria
Feature After SDF-Damascus truce, is Kurdish haven still safe for Syria's Alawites? By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
US military pulls out of Syria’s Al-Tanf garrison in major shift By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Biden administration not trading Syrian oil for aid corridors with Moscow The Biden administration said Syrian oil is for the people of Syria, not for the United States. Syria
Islamic State revives religious police in northeast Syria The Islamic State's religious police are back at work in the areas under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria. Syria
Uzbek jihadis destroy antiquities in Idlib Museum Hayat Tahrir al-Sham tries to manage the even more radical groups under its rule. Syria
Turkey wild card in US-Russia conflict over Syria aid The US administration might be open to a position shift on the Syrian file to secure the flow of cross-border international aid to Syria, a prospect that may spoil Turkey's calculations in Syria and particularly in Idlib. Turkey
Is Islamic State rebuilding in Syrian desert? Hardly a day passes without the Islamic State carrying out an attack against government forces and their allied militias in the Syrian desert. Syria
Syrian refugees in Jordan use donkey-drawn carts amid lockdown Donkey-drawn carts have become the main means of transportation inside the Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan after Jordanian authorities prevented cars from entering and leaving the camp since March 2020 as part of its coronavirus measures. Jordan
Syria's internal border crossing key to power, revenues for government and opposition groups The internal crossings in Syria are used to prove control and sway, and they are a key source of income for the warring sides. Syria
The Takeaway: Pragmatism is the new watchword in US-Turkey relations Plus: A fresh start for Israel; Iran’s hard-line front-runner on the issues; Egypt’s faltering Palestinian mediation; Saudi-Syria talks; Golani’s makeover. Turkey
Biden discusses imperiled Syrian aid at high-stakes Putin summit The two leaders met ahead of a looming UN Security Council deadline to renew a massive cross-border aid operation that Russia is intent on shutting down. Syria
HTS posts infographic on life and times of Syrian jihadist leader The fallout continues over the PBS documentary on Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which controls Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib. Syria
All-women's cafe in opposition-held Idlib stirs controversy Syria’s northwestern city of Idlib, which is under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, witnessed the opening of its first female coffee shop in what some deemed a type of discrimination against women. Others saw it as an outlet for women to escape the prevailing patriarchy in the Syrian opposition areas. Syria
Canadian parliament calls on government to repatriate citizens from northeast Syria Few Canadians have been brought home from camps for Islamic State families in northeast Syria, and many remain there. News Brief
