Syria arrivals surge 111% as government bets on tourism revival The country welcomed 3.52 million visitors during the first half of 2026, more than double the figure recorded a year earlier, as the government pushes to reconnect to the world and promote tourism as a pillar of economic recovery. Syria
Syria seizes arms shipment on Iraq border destined for Hezbollah The operation comes as part of the Syrian authorities' efforts to curb illicit arms smuggling through its territory, namely intended for Hezbollah. Lebanon
Syria, US hold first business forum since sanctions relief: What to know The one-day forum in Damascus was organized by Syria’s Ministry of Economy and Industry and the US-Syria Business Council, which was established in Washington last June to advance trade and investment between the two nations. Syria
Explainer How Macron seeks to carve out France's role in new Syria French President Emmanuel Macron became the first Western leader to visit Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, showcasing Paris' support for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa while seeking to secure a share of the country's emerging reconstruction market. Syria
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
