Syria Conflict

Zaidi

Iraq's Zaidi meets Sharaa on first Syria visit: What to know

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has sought to assuage concerns about his past militant activity in Iraq, whose oil trade and security cooperation with his two country is rising.

Mourners attend the funeral of those who were killed in airstrikes carried out by Jordan the night before on the village of Al-Taf in the Al-Lajat region, located in the northeastern countryside of Daraa, on Oct. 27, 2026.

Syria slams Jordan over crossborder strikes, denies coordination: What to know

Jordan said its airstrikes targeted ISIS fighters, while Syria said civilians were killed, sparking outrage.

New female cadets from the new women's police academy attend the first cohort graduation ceremony after completing a six-month training program, in al-Tal on the northern outskirts of Damascus, on Sept. 22, 2026.

Culture

Syrian women easy target in Sharaa’s drive to consolidate power

Syria’s interim president is balancing Western demands for inclusion with pressure from Islamist hard-liners as he seeks to consolidate power and shed his jihadi past.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan receives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Turkish House in New York, on Sept. 19, 2023.

Analysis

What’s at stake for Turkey as Israel heads to the polls?

Israel’s Oct. 27 election could offer a chance to ease tensions with Ankara, but competing ambitions in Syria and beyond threaten to push the two US allies toward a dangerous confrontation.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

Analysis

How Israel’s elections could bring thaw with Syria

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrives for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly gathering, UN Headquarters, New York, Sept. 22, 2026.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Analysis

'The problem and the solution': Netanyahu-Sharaa call exposes Israel's Syria dilemma

Israeli troops stand guard on the dividing line between the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and Syrian, near Majdal Shams, July 16, 2025.

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

Syria to rejoin Arab group at IMF, leaving Russian-led constituency

An attendee walks past signage displayed inside the venue for the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok on October 14, 2026. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

Syria arrests Mihrac Ural, ex-Assad militia head also wanted by Turkey

Mihrac Ural, who was also known as Ali Kayali, was arrested

Turkey's Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman and Presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu speaks during a rally in Canakkale, western Turkey, on April 11, 2023.

Turkey’s opposition foreign policy promises gradual departure from Erdogan’s

Turkey’s opposition alliance vows to prioritize diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in Ankara’s foreign ties, yet it might adhere to policy continuity on many issues should it win the elections next month.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (left) meets with Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Jeddah on April 12, 2023.

Arab initiative offers best chance for Syria in years

The Saudi-brokered meeting and Jordanian road map could boost the long stalled Syrian political process; Turkey is still key to settlement; Assad also has his cards to play.

This picture shows a view of the Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees, near the Jordanian city of Mafraq.

Jordan proposes Syria peace plan during Arab FM Saudi meeting

The plan includes steps to tackle the refugee crisis and smuggling across borders.

(L-R) Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose for a photo before a trilateral meeting on Syria in Tehran on July 19, 2022. (Photo by Sergei SAVOSTYANOV / SPUTNIK / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI SAVOSTYANOV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey hopes Iran will play constructive role in Syria thaw

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu acknowledged difficulties so far but called on Iran to make a constructive contribution to the high-level talks between Turkey, Syria and Russia.

A vendor arranges truffles at his road side stall in Damascus on March 1, 2023.

Islamic State kills three truffle hunters in Syria

Truffle hunting is potentially profitable for Syrians amid the bleak economic situation in the country, but the activity is also dangerous due to targeting by the Islamic State.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks.

Turkey accuses Iraqi Kurdish party of being under ‘full control’ of PKK

Turkey's top diplomat tore into an Iraqi Kurdish group following an April 8 drone strike targeting the US-led coalition’s top ally in Syria, saying the PKK had taken “full control” of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.

Flags of Arab League nations are set up at the convention center slated to host the league's Heads of State summit, in Algeria capital Algiers, on October 30, 2022. - Arab leaders are to meet in the Algerian capital on November 1 for their first summit since a string of normalisation deals with Israel that have divided the region. (Photo by Fethi Belaid / AFP) (Photo by FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images)

US softens rhetoric on Arab outreach to Syria’s Assad

The Biden administration says "real steps to improve the situation for the people in Syria" should be part of any engagement with the long-boycotted regime.

Turkish coast guard

3 Syrians dead, 3 missing as Ukraine-bound ship sinks off Turkey's coast

Rescuers are trying to reach three missing crew members of the Joe 2 ship, which had 14 crew on board.

Mourners attend the funeral procession for two of Iran's revolutionary guard forces killed by Israel in Syria, held in Tehran on April 4, 2023. - The two Iranian fighters, identified as Milad Heidari and Meghdad Mahghani, were killed on March 31, 2023 when Israel launched several missiles from the occupied Golan Heights against pro-regime positions near Damascus. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran vows revenge against Israel after deadly Syria strikes

As tensions escalated, Iran's promise of vengeance was also coupled with a pledge to further bolster Syria's defenses against Israel.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) shakes hands.

Russia looks to reconcile Turkey, Syria as talks kick off in Moscow

Russia seeks to normalize relations between Ankara and Damascus amid four-way talks in Moscow.

Members of the Syrian army deploy in the al-Rashidin 1 district, in Aleppo's southwestern countryside, on Feb. 16, 2020.

Three Assad advisers indicted in France for Syria war crimes

Sending a strong signal to the Assad regime, a French court decided to indict three senior intelligence advisers for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

US army soldiers stand near an armoured military vehicle on the outskirts of Rumaylan in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province, bordering Turkey, on March 27, 2023. (Photo by Delil souleiman / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

US strike kills senior Islamic State leader in Syria

US Central Command accused Khalid ‘Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri of plotting attacks in Europe and Turkey.