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.

Bishop Ephraim Maalouli (R) speaks at a ceremony, after he was appointed as the new metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox archieparchy of Aleppo and Alexandretta, at Saint Elias Cathedral, Aleppo, Syria, Dec. 10, 2021.

Syrian government loosens travel restrictions on Christian clergy

The Syrian government has waived border fees for Christian church leaders entering the country.

Syria Idlib

Currency crisis threatens Turkey's Syria strategy

Turkey’s economic turmoil might challenge Ankara's grip over opposition-held areas in Syria, where in-house rivalries among the armed factions over financial resources have escalated.

Syrian Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabash (R) and the Chinese Ambassador in his country Feng Biao (L) take part in a ceremony upon the arrival of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, in the capital, Damascus, on Nov. 14, 2021.

China provides grant to Syrian nonprofit

The grant followed a phone conversation between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his counterpart, Xi Jinping, about China's global economic initiatives and reconstruction in Syria.

A member of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham holds the group's flag as others parade with their flags and those of the Taliban's declared "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" through the rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria, Aug. 20, 2021.

Syrian jihadi group sees wave of defections in Idlib

Schisms within Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are widening as its leader shifts to convey a moderate image and eliminate more radical rival groups.

A Syrian airline plane is pictured on the tarmac at the Damascus International Airport in the Syrian capital on Oct. 1, 2020.

Syrian Airlines adds more flights to Dubai

The United Arab Emirates and Syria continue to improve their relationship after years of Gulf states shunning the Assad government.

A Syrian man holds the Iranian flag as a convoy carrying aid provided by Iran arrives in Deir ez-Zor, Syria, Sept. 20, 2017.

Iran expands economic reach into oil-rich region of Syria

Iran exports to Syria are increasing, a sign of an improving economic relation between the two countries.

AFP reporter Sammy Ketz hits the ground as a Syrian soldier runs past during sniper fire in the ancient Christian Syrian town of Maalula, on Sept. 18, 2013.

Middle East sees most hostage-taking of journalists in 2021, report says

Reporters Without Borders said of the 65 journalists held by nonstate actors worldwide, nearly all were abducted in Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

Meeks

Intel: Final defense bill gives Congress more oversight of US Syria policy

Lawmakers are grabbing the reins on the Biden administration’s dormant approach to Syria’s conflict.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, at the Pentagon on Sept. 3, 2021, in Arlington, Virginia.

UK warplane shoots down 'hostile' drone near US base in Syria

The latest drone incursion comes as indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran are on thin ice.

A Cham Wings plane, a private Syrian airline, is pictured taking off from Erbil airport Iraq's autonomous northern Kurdish region, on Sept. 28, 2017.

Syrian airline launches flights to Pakistani city

An official from Cham Wings Airlines said he hopes the flights to Karachi will help boost trade between Syria and Pakistan.

Israel Syria

Israel focused on Syria as well as Iran

A report by the Washington Post has attributed two attacks to Israel in the past year and a half against Syrian military facilities linked to its past chemical weapons program.

Bomber

Washington Post says Israeli air raids targeted Syrian chemical sites

The newspaper reports that June 8 airstrikes in Damascus and Homs targeted military sites linked to Syria's former chemical weapons program.