Syria Conflict

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Kobane speaks during a press conference in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakeh on Dec. 6, 2024.

Explainer

SDF chief Kobane’s Damascus visit a high wire act for Syria’s Kurds

The SDF says its integration with Damascus is complete, but major questions remain over its fighters, weapons and the future of Kurdish self-rule.

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 08: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) meets with Ahmed al-Sharaa, President of Syria (L) for bilateral talks at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 08, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

US lifts Syria's terror designation after 47 years

The Trump administration also took Hayat Tahrir al-Sham off its blacklist of Specially Designated Global Terrorist organizations.

A Turkish soldier from the 1st Border Regiment Command looks out over the border wall to Syria during alert drills at a military outpost on the Turkey/Syria border on March 2, 2017 in Kilis, Turkey.

Analysis

Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact

Ankara views Israel’s latest strikes in Syria as part of a broader effort to curb Turkey’s military influence in Damascus and a challenge to its regional defense partnerships.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Turkey/Syria border

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

As Washington pushes a new deconfliction mechanism between Turkey and Israel, the Jewish state shows little incentive to accept tighter constraints on its freedom of action in Syria, experts say.

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

Latest News

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Turkey signals restraint as war of words with Israel escalates over Syria

Burhaanettin Duran

Syria’s FM pays Pakistan first visit in 19 years amid new regional alignments

Islamabad

Turkey looks to expand Syria energy footprint into oil, gas

President Ahmad al-Sharaa meets Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar at the People’s Palace in Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 19, 2026.

IDLIB, SYRIA - JULY 16 : Smoke rises after airstrikes by Assad Regime hit the de-escalation zone of Maar Shurin village in Idlib, Syria on July 16, 2019. At least 9 civilians were killed and 14 injured. (Photo by Izeddin Idilbi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

While the world focuses on Iran, a tragedy is ‘unfolding before our eyes’ in Idlib

Trump asks Putin to protect Idlib; Putin seeks options to capitalize on impasse in Syria safe zone talks; Russia wins on S-400 sale to Turkey.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses his supporters during a ceremony marking the third anniversary of the attempted coup at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, July 15, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1C09129690

Will Erdogan risk an operation in Syria?

Turkish media reports suggest that an incursion by the Turkish army east of the Euphrates is imminent.

A general a view of the Rumaila oil field in Basra, Iraq, November 28, 2017. Picture taken November 28, 2017. REUTERS/Essam Al-Sudani - RC13A041D7F0

Iraq plans to launch pipelines to export oil through Jordan, Syria

Iraq plans to diversify its oil exports via new pipelines through Jordan and Syria.

People walk past by a Syrian jewelry shop in Istanbul's Kucukcekmece district, Turkey, July 5, 2019. Picture taken July 5, 2019. REUTERS/Kemal Aslan - RC1445C61E60

Turkey removes Arabic shop signs as refugee problem simmers

Arabic shopfronts have fallen prey to growing popular resentment over Syrian refugees in Turkey, fueled by the country’s economic downturn and cultural wars.

Turkish soldiers stand on a watch tower at the Atmeh crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border, as seen from the Syrian side, in Idlib governorate, Syria May 31, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC1525F30880

Turkish-US talks on northern Syria stall as S-400 crisis peaks

US envoy for Syria Jim Jeffrey tells the German Marshall Fund that a residual force of US troops will be staying in northeastern Syria for an "indeterminate time"; this decision appears to have been made in part to protect the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units from Turkey.

Gun control coming to Syria's Aleppo province

Tired of the dangers of widespread, unregulated gun ownership, civilians in some areas of Aleppo province are demanding relief.

A boy holds the Free Syrian army flag during a protest calling for an end to the strikes and for Ankara to open the frontier at the Atmeh crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border, in Idlib governorate, Syria May 31, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC1746D6BD80

Escalation in Idlib may force Turkey to review its position

Confrontations between Turkish forces and the Syrian army are becoming more frequent in and around Idlib, the last stronghold of the Syrian opposition.

IDLIB, SYRIA - MAY 15: A military convoy of Turkish Armed Forces moves to the 12th observation point in Istabraq village near the Jisr al-Shughour in southwestern rural of Idlib, Syria on May 15, 2018, which is set up in a de-escalation zone in accordance with the Astana agreement. (Photo by Barae el Cisir/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Russia, Turkey still defending own interests in Syria

Fighting goes on in Idlib and Hama provinces between opposition forces and the Syrian regime, and recently Turkey and Russia seem more involved in the confrontations.

A driver unloads wheat grains from a truck at a mill in Qamishli, Syria June 3, 2019. Picture taken June 3, 2019. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RC11132FBEF0

Turkey buys grain from Syrian farmers

Al-Rai's local council in Aleppo’s countryside announced its decision to buy crops from local farmers to help them market their products.

Damascus vies with Saudi-Kurd union for tribal support

Saudi Arabia is backing Kurdish efforts to win over Syrian tribes' loyalty from the regime.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S national security adviser John Bolton, Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, and Israeli national security adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, shake hands during opening statements of a trilateral meeting between the American, Israeli and Russian top security advisers in Jerusalem June 25, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC19617B1520

Israeli, Russian, US interests converge on Iran in Syria

At a trilateral meeting in Jerusalem, the national security advisers of Israel, Russia and the United States confirmed their common interest in limiting the presence of Iranian forces in Syria when peace finally comes.

Turkish soldiers stand on a watch tower at the Atmeh crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border, as seen from the Syrian side, in Idlib governorate, Syria May 31, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC1525F30880

The Other Big Story: With world’s eyes on Iran, Putin moves to avert conflict between Turkey and Syria

A "disaster unfolding" in Idlib; for now, Putin has Assad’s back; exhausted Syrian Army seeks to take the highways; eyes on Osaka.