The Latest Breaking News from Damascus

Crushed by war, Syrian tourism eyes expat uptick

Somar Hazim had high hopes when he opened a hotel in Damascus in 2009, adding to a growing number of boutique guest houses in the Old City that were proving to be a hit with tourists, before war broke out and forced him to close down.

Reuters · Aug 9, 2022

Syria's Kurds Face US, Russian 'Betrayals'

A few days ago, an Arab official asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about the secret behind the unique cooperation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Lavrov answered that Putin and Erdogan enjoyed a "special personal relationship." Putin believes that Erdogan keeps his promises…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Aug 7, 2022

Syrian Air Runs Third Flight Between Damascus, Kuwait

Syrian Airlines is set to run its third regular flight to Kuwait on Saturday August 20. “As of August 20, flights to Kuwait will be three per week periodically,” according to the Syrian Transport Ministry. Syria's Cham Wings announced additional flights from Damascus to Kuwait on August 14-28. The first…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Aug 5, 2022

Chinese Movie Production Team Takes over Syria’s Hajar al-Aswad

Bustling noise is heard in the far northeast of Syria's town of Hajar al-Aswad, which was a major stronghold for ISIS. The racket is made by a Chinese film crew shooting a Jackie Chan-produced action movie, called “Home Operation.” Hajar al-Aswad, which means “black rock” in Arabic, was once a…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Jul 23, 2022

Israeli raid kills three soldiers: Syrian defence ministry

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says three non-Syrians were also killed in the Israeli attack.

Al Jazeera · Jul 22, 2022

Israeli Airstrike in Syria Kills 3 Soldiers, Wounds 7

Israel launched airstrikes targeting Syrian military positions around Damascus overnight, killing three soldiers, wounding seven others, and causing material damage, state media reported Thursday. Syrian state media quoted a military official as saying the missiles were fired from Syria's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights just past midnight, adding that the Syrian army…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Jul 22, 2022

Israeli attack on Syria's Damascus kills three -Syrian state media

An Israeli attack on Syria's capital, Damascus, has killed three soldiers and injured seven others, Syrian state media said early on Friday, citing a military statement.

Reuters · Jul 21, 2022

Can Russia Revive the Adana Agreement between Syria and Turkey?

Whenever Turkey threatens to launch a military operation in northern Syria to establish a “safe zone,” Russia puts on the mediation table the revival of the Sochi Agreement on the east of the Euphrates, in preparation for the implementation of the Adana Agreement.

Asharq Al-Awsat · Jul 20, 2022

Why Does Russia Want to Remove the Syrian Political Process from Geneva?

Damascus has informed United Nations envoy Geir Pedersen that it would not send its delegation to Geneva to participate in the ninth round of the Constitutional Committee on July 25, which means freezing the Syrian political process that is held under the auspices of the UN. The actual reason is…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Jul 18, 2022

Iran, Russia, Turkey Presidents to Talk Syria War in Tehran

With the war in Ukraine still raging, Russian President Vladimir Putin travels Tuesday to Tehran for talks with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts on the Syria conflict. Russia, Turkey and Iran have in recent years met to discuss Syria as part of the so-called "Astana peace process" to end more…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Jul 18, 2022