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.

Syrian migrant Masour Nassar, 42, from Aleppo, applied for asylum in Poland.

Would-be Syrian refugees flown back from Belarus despite visas

Belarus has given Syrians two options: cross the border into Poland or be deported.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad (R) receives the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen (L) in the capital Damascus, on Dec. 12, 2021.

UN envoy seeks new path forward on Syria in Damascus visit

Envoy Geir Pedersen said there is "another possibility to start to explore possible avenues" to resolve Syria's conflict politically.

This picture taken on Dec. 7, 2021, shows an aerial view of US Bradley Fighting Vehicles (BFV) during a joint military exercise.

Pentagon: Four Islamic State fighters killed in nighttime Syria raid

Conflicting accounts of the raid emerged amid renewed scrutiny of the Pentagon's oversight of civilian casualties in Syria.

A picture taken on April 23, 2019, shows a general view of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel’s Bennett strives to increase Jewish population in Golan Heights

Trying to appeal to his right-wing electoral base, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett advances plans for increased Jewish settlement in the Golan Heights.

MAXIME POPOV/AFP via Getty Images

Russian movie praises Moscow's war efforts in Syria

The Russian movie "Sky" tells the story of a pilot killed after a Turkish jet shot down his bomber over northern Syria.

Tice

Austin Tice's mother says White House a 'hurdle' to his return

Debra Tice, whose son Austin disappeared while reporting on the Syrian war in 2012, called on the White House to do more to ensure his safe return.

Gholamreza Soleimani, a senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who commands Basij forces, attends a gathering during Basij Week in Tehran Nov. 24, 2019.

Intel: US announces Iran, Syria sanctions ahead of democracy summit

The US Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Iranian and Syrian targets in the run-up to the administration’s virtual gathering of the world's democracies.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israel strikes Syrian port used by Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett appeared to make a rare admission that Israel was behind the strike.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby listens to questions from reporters during a press briefing at the Pentagon on Sept. 3, 2021, in Arlington, Virginia.

CENTCOM investigating latest Syria drone strike for civilian harm

The admission of potential civilian harm comes after the US defense secretary ordered a new review of a separate lethal strike in Syria.

Idlib horse

HTS subsidizes bread in Idlib as part of attempt to govern

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani is subsidizing the rapidly increasing cost of bread in Idlib in response to growing resentment against his organization.

A Syrian child poses atop a stack of neutralized shells at a metal scrapyard on the outskirts of Maaret Misrin town in the northwestern Idlib province, on March 10, 2021.

Idlib’s children become breadwinners amidst rising poverty

Worsening living conditions and soaring poverty rates in Idlib force more and more children to drop out of school and start working to help their families meet their basic needs.

Syria games

Gaming offers livelihood for some young Syrians

Video games have recently become a way to earn money for young Syrians amid scarce job opportunities in all fields and financial hardships.