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May 12, 2026

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Turkish Red Crescent's cars and trucks cross the Turkish border as they leave the Syrian city of Tel Abyad on Oct. 19, 2019, in Akcakale, Turkey.

Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria

Turkey reopened the Akcakale-Tell Abyad crossing on Monday, ending an 11-year closure along the Syria border.

Kaja Kallas

EU restores economic pact to pursue fuller trade ties with Syria

The move marks a major economic step for Syria's recovery after its 13-year civil war and the fall of the Assad regime.

Crops of wheat and barley in Terbol village on May 10, 2022, in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

Analysis

MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers

Home to many of the world's largest wheat importers, the Middle East and North Africa face acute food security risks as the US-Israel-Iran war disrupts global fertilizer flows and pushes up prices.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A young man stands in the entrance of tunnels that were used by the ISIS and the Assad's regime for fighting. Tadamon, Syria, February 7, 2025. (Photo by Raghed Waked / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by RAGHED WAKED/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Syria arrests Amjad Youssef, Tadamoun massacre perpetrator: What to know

Amjad Youssef appeared on video, allegedly killing dozens of civilians in 2013; he is the latest member of the Assad regime to be captured by the new Syrian government.

Latest News

Analysis

'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance

President of Syria Ahmed al-Shara arrives for the 80th session of the UN’s General Assembly (UNGA) at UN Headquarters on Sept. 23, 2025 in New York City.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Syria’s Sharaa makes fourth visit to Saudi Arabia, first since Iran war: What to know

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrives ahead of a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in central London on March 31, 2026.

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

Members of Iraq's security forces stand guard on the the al-Rabia border crossing with Syria on April 20, 2026.

EU to restore Syria cooperation pact ahead of May talks: What to know

Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP via Getty Images

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Danny Makki

In London, reporting on Syrian politics and culture

Ali Hashem

In Doha, reporting on Iran, regional politics, conflict

Cagatay Cebe

In Istanbul, reporting on security and counterterrorism

People inspect a site hit by airstrikes in the rebel held town of Atareb in Aleppo province, Syria, July 25, 2016. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah - RTSJHBF

US rebukes Russia Aleppo plan as 'demand for surrender'

The United States criticized a Russian Defense Ministry announcement of “humanitarian corridors” for civilians to leave rebel-held eastern Aleppo, but US-Russian negotiations on deeper cooperation continue as the city is steadily falling to the regime.

Fighters of the Syria Democratic Forces take an overwatch position in northern province of Raqqa, Syria May 27, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RTX2EIZ3

Is new strategy needed for fighting IS in Syria?

In an interview with Al-Monitor, a senior member of the New Syrian Army, Abdulsalam Muzil, talks about his force’s achievements and what's to come in the battle against the Islamic State.

An Israeli air force drone is seen flying over Gaza as seen from the northern Gaza strip border April 9, 2011. Israel killed four Palestinian militants and wounded half a dozen others as it pursued air raids in Gaza for a third day on Saturday, responding to increased rocket fire out of the territory, local medics said.

REUTERS/Darren Whiteside (ISRAEL - Tags: MILITARY SOCIETY IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR2L11O

Who sent mystery drone into Israeli airspace?

Israel's air force is investigating a triple failure to bring down a drone that flew over the Golan Heights and is still unidentified.

Israeli soldiers from the 605 Combat Engineering Corps battalion take part in a training session on the Israeli side of the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights June 1, 2016.REUTERS/Baz Ratner - RTX2F6VN

Will Israel create safe zone in southern Syria?

According to Syrian opposition figures, Israel is increasingly interested in creating a safe zone in southern Syria, and actions on the ground suggest that such a project may be underway.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, July 17, 2016. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis - RTSIEMM

Erdogan's crackdown on enemies just getting started after failed coup

Is the Turkish military "infested" with Gulenists? Iran expects shift in Turkey’s Syria policies after standing by Erdogan; Turkish documents detail Islamic State operations.

Graves of unidentified refugees and migrants who drowned at sea during an attempt to cross a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast are seen at a cemetery near the village Kato Tritos on the Greek island of Lesbos, February 4, 2016. Picture taken February 4, 2016. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis - RTX26UW1

Nameless graves leave grim reminders of refugee plight on Turkey's coasts

Nameless refugee graves on the Turkish and Greek coasts remain as grim reminders of the deadly refugee flow across the Aegean Sea, which has been largely stemmed since the Turkey-EU deal in March.

Bureau members of a preparatory conference to announce a federal system discuss a "Democratic Federal System for Rojava - Northern Syria" in the Kurdish-controlled town of Rmeilan, Hasaka province, Syria March 16, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RTSARA8

After approving constitution, what's next for Syria's Kurds?

The Kurds have declared a federation in northern Syria despite continuing objections by the Syrian opposition, while the Syrian Democratic Forces are about to finish the battle to liberate the city of Manbij.

Iraqi security forces wait for vehicles travelling to Mosul to fight against militants of Islamic State at an Iraqi army base in Camp Taji in Baghdad, February 21, 2016. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad/File Photo - RTSIUAD

Planning for the 'day after' Mosul

As preparations advance to retake Mosul from IS, defense and foreign ministers from some 30 nations met in Washington to plan how to provide humanitarian relief and services for hundreds of thousands of people expected to be displaced.

Members of Turkish police special forces take part in a security operation in Diyarbakir, Turkey, October 26, 2015. Two Turkish policemen and seven Islamic State militants were killed in a firefight after police raided more than a dozen houses in Turkey's southeast early on Monday, security sources and government spokesman Numan Kurtulmus said on Monday. The clash took place in the Kayapinar district of the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir. It was the first such shoot-out between Turkish security forces an

Turkish court documents reveal new details about IS operations

Official correspondence sent to courts in Diyarbakir has exposed formerly unknown aspects about the Islamic State's human resources, intelligence methods and logistics.

Syrian families, who fled the assault launched by Arab and Kurdish forces against Islamic State (IS) group fighters in the town of Manbij, arrive at an encampment on the outskirts of the town, 20km away from the center, on June 4, 2016.
Arab and Kurdish fighters backed by Washington have launched an assault on the strategic Manbij pocket further up the Euphrates on the Turkish border, regarded as a key entry point for foreign jihadists.
The Syrian Democratic Forces's offensive against the Manbij pocket is

Syrians displaced from Manbij recount horror

Following the Syrian Democratic Forces' announcement of the battle to restore the city of Manbij, the number of displaced from the IS-controlled areas continues to increase.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey in this December 1, 2014 file photo. Putin signed a decree imposing economic sanctions against Turkey on Saturday, four days after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian-Turkish border. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/Files - RTX1W9MO

Will failed coup push Erdogan toward Iran, Russia?

The foiled coup in Turkey could lay the groundwork for closer ties with Russia and Iran, resulting in a Turkish turnabout in Syria.

Residents walk near damaged buildings in the rebel held area of Old Aleppo, Syria May 5, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail/File Photo - RTX2FSH5

Half a million people in Aleppo stuck inside regime’s siege

The Syrian regime forces have imposed a blockade on the city of Aleppo, where food is becoming scarce.