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.

Abdullah

Jordan’s king, Syria’s leader speak by phone for first time in decade

Jordan is emerging as a chief advocate of restoring ties with Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) listens to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad delivering a speech during their press conference at Ciragan Palace on June 7, 2010 in Istanbul.

After Jordan, will Turkey take the plunge with Assad?

After the Jordanian king spoke by phone with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the first time since the Syrian conflict began over 10 years ago, Turks are now asking if Ankara will be next to reconcile.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi on Sept. 29, 2021.

Erdogan's personalized diplomacy with Putin may have been point of Sochi summit

The latest summit between the Turkish and Russian presidents in Sochi may have been more about style than substance.

The empty seat of Syria is seen during an emergency representatives meeting to discuss the conflict in Libya, at the Arab League headquarters, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 5, 2015.

Egypt steps up efforts to 'restore Syria's position in the Arab world'

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met his Syrian counterpart during the UN General Assembly meetings in New York last week, the first such meeting since the outbreak of the Syrian war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi on Sept. 29, 2021.

Putin, Erdogan hold closed-door summit in Sochi

Few details were released about the substance of the relatively brief meeting, but progress on Syria will be difficult to achieve.

Iran's President's Ebrahim Raisi remotely addresses the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly on Sept. 21, 2021, in New York.

The Takeaway: What will it take to jumpstart Iran nuclear talks?

Jihadi spat in Idlib; Palestinians’ fashion feud; Lapid pivots left; Palestinians reject Armenian land sale in Jerusalem; Turkey’s generals and Syria; Qatari artist bemoans plastic pollution; and more! In less than 1,200 words.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Top generals step down in ominous sign for Turkish military in Syria

Top generals in charge of Turkey’s military operations in Syria have sought retirement amid escalating tensions in Idlib, fueling questions over Ankara’s Syria policies.

Mourners gather by the grave of one of fighters from the pro-Turkish "Hamza Division" Syrian rebel group killed in Russian air raids, at the Muhamadiya camp near Jindayris in the countryside of Aleppo in the Afrin region of northwestern Syria, on Sept. 26, 2021.

Russia bombs Turkey's allies in Syria ahead of Putin-Erdogan summit

Russian jets shelled a camp for the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army in Afrin, north of Aleppo, and intensified its airstrikes against the areas controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib ahead of the meeting between the Turkish and Russian presidents on Sept. 29.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrive to hold a joint press statement following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 5, 2020.

Syria to be key topic in Erdogan-Putin summit

The Turkish and Russian presidents are expected to discuss Syria in Sochi, as well as Ukraine, anti-missile batteries and natural gas.

A vehicle arrives at the Jaber border crossing between Jordan and Syria (Nassib crossing on the Syrian side) on the day of its reopening on Oct. 15, 2018 in the Jordanian Mafraq governorate.

Jordan to reopen border crossing with Syria

Jordan closed the Jaber border crossing in August due to security concerns amid fighting in southern Syria. Jordan originally supported the Syrian opposition in the civil war but has moved closer to the government recently.

KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images

Syrian Kurds, opposition take cases to Washington

Delegations from Kurdish-held northeast Syria and the Turkey-backed Syrian National Coalition will meet separately with US officials this week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Kremlin in Moscow on Sept. 13, 2021.

Syrian officials, SDF look to Russia for support against Turkey

Opposition group granted 'positive' meeting in Moscow as all sides wait to learn next US move in the region.