The Latest Breaking News from Damascus

Head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) revealed that Israel targeted this week military sites in the vicinity of Damascus countryside. The strikes hit military targets for groups loyal to Iran and the Palestinian Liberation Army in Rakhla town, and near al-Madajen between the towns of Ambiya and…

Israel late Thursday carried out air strikes on government positions near the capital Damascus, the state news agency SANA said, without reporting any casualties. "An Israeli air raid targeted certain positions near Damascus," it said, adding that many explosions were heard in the area. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights…

Hundreds of ceramic doves are suspended over the streets of the Old City of Damascus, part of an art installation that had been set to debut before the start of Syria's war. The lifelike figurines crafted by Buthaina al-Ali, a professor at Damascus University's faculty of arts, had been gathering…

Fredric C. Hof, the American diplomat, was "living the dream" between 2009 and 2011 of achieving peace between Syria and Israel. The idea first occurred to him when he visited Damascus as an exchange student when he was 16. Forty-five years later, he had the opportunity to turn the idea…

Ramadan drummers who awaken the faithful for their pre-dawn meal are dying out across the Muslim world but the tradition lives on in Syria's capital despite growing reliance on smart phones. Around one hour before the call to prayer rings out at dawn, Ramadan drummers, known as Musaharati, walk through…

Humanitarian and relief aid for the Syrian people has often been the subject of official and international attention, but the lengthy Syrian crisis provided the regime in Damascus with “skills and tools” to exploit the aid and prolong the crisis, according to a recent US report. It stated that the…

At the children’s cancer ward in a hospital in the Syrian capital of Damascus, children walk down brightly painted corridors, hooked up to IV needles delivering critical treatment into their bloodstream. Nurses tend to babies and teenagers getting chemotherapy sit in reclining chairs. Other children, in a nearby playroom, draw…

“You are neither my friend nor my brother, you are just a colleague,” said one of the members of the Damascus delegation to a representative from the “other party” during the meetings of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva, which concluded on Friday evening. These verbal comments do not reflect the…

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Friday that Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed Iran’s readiness to contribute in building two power plants in Lebanon, linking their realization with reaching a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. During his second day visit to Beirut, the Iranian Minister separately…

The Russian Ambassador to Damascus, Alexander Efimov has expressed appreciation to Damascus for its support over its “special military operation” in Ukraine. “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” Efimov affirmed. He made the remarks during a special meeting hosted by the Arab Writers Union. According to the Russian…

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian expressed on Thursday his country’s readiness to contribute in building two power plants in Lebanon, each with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts. The minister said he had discussed the offer during his meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati on the sidelines of the Munich Security…