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
Turkish-backed armed groups clash in northern Syria Since the Turkish-backed FSA took control of areas north of Aleppo and some areas of the countryside of Raqqa and Hasakah, the bombings that claimed hundreds of civilian lives never stopped, nor did the kidnappings and assassinations, while clashes erupted among some factions allied with Turkey. Syria
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham arrests US citizen Bilal Abdul Kareem in Syria’s Idlib The State Department has yet to publicly acknowledge the activist's disappearance Syria
Syria's Assad halts parliament speech over low blood pressure: state TV President Bashar al-Assad said he needed to sit down before suddenly exiting the room full of lawmakers. Syria
Can Erdogan reciprocate Macron’s Beirut stunt? Macron’s call for a “new order” in Lebanon conflicts with Erdogan’s regional ambitions, but the climate in Lebanon is no longer as welcoming to Turkey’s president as it was a decade ago. Lebanon
What are vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris' views on the Middle East? Joe Biden's running mate has views on Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Syria that fall in line with the Democratic party establishment. Saudi Arabia
Archive Upfront from Aug 11, 2020 How HTS leader in Syria's Idlib is attempting a makeover The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria’s Idlib has been making appearances in the streets and public places among the people in a bid to present himself as a political leader. Syria
First COVID-19 case among residents reported in Syrian IS camp Three health workers in the notorious al-Hol camp also tested positive for the coronavirus last week. Syria
State Department remains concerned by Turkey’s proxy fighters in northern Syria Turkey-allied fighters have faced widespread accusations of arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings and other abuses in northern Syria. Syria
Full-fledged military escalation looms large in Idlib Developments in southern Idlib suggest that a five-month truce could soon come to an end with a fresh regime offensive to capture Syria’s last rebel stronghold. Syria
Parents of detained journalist Austin Tice urge Trump to talk directly with Syrian regime The new plea from Marc and Debra Tice comes on the heels of John Bolton's allegations that he and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thought it was a bad idea for President Trump to engage with his Syrian counterpart. Syria
Turkey joins Syria in slamming oil agreement between US firm, Syrian Kurds Ankara has spoken out against a new oil agreement between an American-based company and the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. Syria
Moscow, Damascus shadowbox in Syria’s grey zones The newest twist in Syria involves a Russian-backed military group working to carve out an autonomous zone for itself in the southwest and even clashing with regime forces, perhaps paradoxically seeking to boost regime's legitimacy. Syria
