Turkiye FM meets Syria’s new leader, calls for lifting of global sanctions Meeting comes two days after Turkiye’s Erdogan says his minister will visit Damascus to discuss new structure in Syria. Al Jazeera · Dec 22, 2024
Syria's New Leader Vows Not To Negatively Interfere In Lebanon Two weeks after seizing power in a sweeping offensive, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has stepped up regional contacts, vowing in a meeting Sunday not to "negatively" interfere in neighbouring Lebanon. International Business Times · Dec 22, 2024
Syrian authorities appoint HTS figures as foreign, defence ministers Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani appointed foreign minister, and Murhaf Abu Qasra named defence minister. Al Jazeera · Dec 21, 2024
‘I feared I would end up in the trench’: Digging Assad’s mass graves in Syria IN FOCUS: Bel Trew reports from the site of a mass grave at Qutayfah, about 25 miles from the Syrian capital Damascus. There, she speaks to someone who dug the trenches before realising the true horror of what was happening at the site – while others warn of the scale… The Independent UK · Dec 21, 2024
Syrian soldiers distance themselves from Assad in return for promised amnesty Hundreds of former Syrian soldiers are reporting to the country’s new rulers for the first time since Bashar Assad was ousted to answer questions about whether they may have been involved in crimes against civilians in exchange for a promised amnesty The Independent UK · Dec 21, 2024
US lifts $10m bounty on HTS leader after talks in Syrian capital In face-to-face meeting, Ahmed al-Sharaa gave assurances IS would not be allowed to operate in Syria, US official says The Guardian - UK · Dec 20, 2024
US drops $10M terrorism bounty offered for capture of Syrian rebel leader who ousted Assad The Biden administration says it has decided not to pursue a $10 million reward it had offered for the capture of a Syrian rebel leader whose forces led the ouster of President Bashar Assad The Independent UK · Dec 20, 2024
No Longer Assad's Mouthpiece, Syrian Media Face Uncertainty Syrian media outlets which trumpeted the glories of Bashar al-Assad's oppressive rule quickly adopted revolutionary fervour after his ouster, but uncertainty shadows the sector. International Business Times · Dec 20, 2024
US Diplomats Meet With Syria's New Ruler US diplomats met with Syria's new ruler on Friday, an official told AFP, as outside powers seek assurances the country's Islamist-led authorities will be moderate and inclusive. International Business Times · Dec 20, 2024
Middle East latest: 2 journalists working for Kurdish media killed in clashes in northern Syria A journalists association says two reporters working for Kurdish media outlets have been killed in clashes between Syrian Kurdish militia and Turkish-backed fighters in northern Syria The Independent UK · Dec 20, 2024
OPINION - What is Israel doing in Syria? Benjamin Netanyahu may be about to overplay his hand Three days ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defence Minister Israel Katz visited forward positions of the Israel Army at the peak of snow-capped Mount Hermon. Evening Standard · Dec 20, 2024
Iran scrambles to build ties with Syrian leaders as regional influence wanes Loss of authority in Syria after fall of Bashar al-Assad adds to domestic and international crises facing Iranian leaders The Guardian - UK · Dec 20, 2024
US Diplomats Visit Syria To Meet New Rulers US diplomats have arrived in Syria to speak directly to the new Islamist-led rulers, hoping to encourage a moderate, inclusive path and to find clues on missing Americans, the State Department said Friday. International Business Times · Dec 20, 2024
The road back to Damascus: Syria’s new rulers face challenges in de-weaponizing supply chains The collapse of the Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad on Dec. 8, 2024 marked a historic moment in the Middle East. It still remains to be fully understood how the rebel coalition — a diverse assembly of political and ideological groups backed by regional powers — swiftly overpowered government… The Conversation · Dec 19, 2024
Evening Standard · Dec 19, 2024 Starmer: Diplomatic contact with Syria needed so ‘what comes next is better’ UK officials met with HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Mohammed al-Golani, in Damascus earlier this week.
The Independent UK · Dec 19, 2024 Syria’s de facto new leader says it is not a threat to the West Abu Mohammed al-Golani urges the West to lift sanctions on Syria and delist his group as terrorist organisation
Al Jazeera · Dec 18, 2024 First Syria flight takes off from Damascus airport since Assad’s downfall As efforts get under way to restart economy, UN envoy calls for ‘free and fair elections’ after transition.
International Business Times · Dec 18, 2024 Syrians Face Horror, Fearing Loved Ones May Be In Mass Graves After losing hope of finding his two brothers among those freed from Syrian jails, Ziad Alaywi was filled with dread, knowing there was only one place they were likely to be: a mass grave.
International Business Times · Dec 18, 2024 Syria's First Flight Since Assad's Fall Takes Off The first commercial flight since the ouster of president Bashar al-Assad took off from Damascus airport on Wednesday, offering Syrians a glimmer of hope after years of war and decades of oppression.
The Independent UK · Dec 18, 2024 Middle East latest: UN migration agency head says interim Syria leaders recognize challenges ahead The head of the U.N. migration agency says she is reassured by commitments she heard from Syria’s new caretaker government in meetings in Damascus, as the country seeks to rebuild after more than a half-century of rule under the Assad family
Evening Standard · Dec 18, 2024 Bashar al-Assad will face justice within four years for his Syria regime horrors, says war crimes investigator Lawyer Bill Wiley believes Russia will eventually hand over Assad as he has ‘no value’
The Independent UK · Dec 17, 2024 After Assad's fall, the task of unearthing the dead from Syria's mass graves is just beginning Tens of thousands of Syrians are believed to be buried in mass graves scattered around the country, victims of the security agencies of ousted President Bashar Assad
The Guardian - UK · Dec 17, 2024 ‘Ankara is getting what it wants’: how Erdoğan’s balancing act in Syria paid off Turkey tried to stall the HTS rebels’ offensive but has now become Syria’s ‘gateway to the outside world’
The Independent UK · Dec 17, 2024 Could Syria return as a tourism destination? What to consider after years of devastation under Assad Exclusive: While Damascus airport is currently closed, daily flights connect the UK with Beirut, which is only 60 miles from the Syrian capital
Al Jazeera · Dec 17, 2024 Corpses, men who don’t know their names: Scenes from a Damascus hospital Over 100,000 Syrians were disappeared by the Assad regime. At a hospital in Damascus, their families search desperately.