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August 8, 2026

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Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani meets with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Ankara, Aug. 6, 2026.

Syria's Shibani updates Turkey on Kurds' integration, slams Israel during Ankara visit

The visit highlighted Ankara's growing influence in post-Assad Syria, with the two neighbors expanding strategic coordination on security and regional affairs.

A Syrian Air passenger jet lands at Aleppo airport on March 18, 2025, the first aircraft to land after it was shut during the offensive that toppled president Bashar al-Assad. "The Syrian Civil Aviation Authority announced the resumption of operations at Aleppo International Airport starting Tuesday, March 18," the official news agency SANA reported. The reopening of the airport in the northern city will see the arrival of domestic and international flights, the authority said, adding that it welcomes all a

Explainer

Syria launching Moscow, Medina flights as aviation momentum builds

Damascus and Aleppo are adding a growing number of international flights in 2026, with activity in Syria's airspace already doubling so far this year amid fallout from the US-Israel-Iran war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday appointed veteran diplomat Dmitry Dogadkin, pictured here, as Russia's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Syria, succeeding Alexander Yefimov.

Russia names Dmitry Dogadkin new ambassador to Syria amid thaw: What to know

The appointment of the new ambassador, who previously served as Russia’s envoy to Qatar, comes as Moscow recalibrates its ties with the new Syrian authorities to maintain its strategic foothold in the Mediterranean country.

Latest News

Iraqi Kurdish president’s meeting with Syria’s Sharaa signals shift in SDF dynamics

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Damascus, Aug. 3, 2026. IKRPresident/X

On eighth visit, Israel’s Netanyahu seeks to repair ties with Trump

Trump Netanyahu

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

Israeli soldiers stand atop tanks in the Golan Heights near Israel's border with Syria March 19, 2014. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo - RTX2JLDC

Russian dominance in Syria is a double-edged sword for Israel

In an interview with Al-Monitor, an Israeli security official discussed the effects of Russia now setting the tone in Syria and explained Israel's complex relations with Russia in its northern front.

Supporters of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad carry their national flags as they celebrate what they say is the Syrian army's victory against the rebels, in Aleppo, Syria December 12, 2016. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki - RTX2UQKE

Fighting in Aleppo makes headlines in Tehran

Conservative news outlets in Iran celebrate victories of the Syrian army in Aleppo.

Rebel fighters gather during their advance towards the Islamic State-held city of al-Bab, northern Syria October 26, 2016. Picture taken October 26, 2016. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RTX2TKNV

Al-Bab shaping up as more trouble for Turkey

Islamic State fighters have dug in around al-Bab, reportedly digging trenches and preparing suicide bombers, as Turkish forces bombard their positions.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan arrives for the funeral ceremony for police officer Hasim Usta who was killed in Saturday's blasts, in Istanbul, Turkey, December 12, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal - RTX2UMSP

Turkish state 'out for revenge' after Istanbul bombings

Ankara promises revenge after the deadly twin bombing attacks hit Istanbul last weekend.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad speaks during an interview with Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda, in this handout picture provided by SANA on October 14, 2016. SANA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTSS7BS

Is Turkey’s fight against Syrian Kurds enabling Assad?

Ankara’s constantly evolving intentions in Syria have eased the minds of Russia and the Syrian regime as they continue to consolidate their position in Aleppo and beyond.

Protesters hold flags showing jailed PKK leader (Kurdistan Workers' Party) Abdullah Ocalan during a demonstration against Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in central Brussels, Belgium, November 17, 2016. REUTERS/Yves Herman - RTX2U3V0

Iranian-Turkish tug-of-war over Kurds

Allegations of Iranian support for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have created fresh tension in the region as Turkey faces new violence from Kurdish militants.

Can Syrian Democratic Council play unifier in postwar Syria?

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Ilham Ahmed, Kurdish co-president of the Syrian Democratic Council, discussed the reasons behind the council's establishment and its aspirations for Syria.

A member of Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad carries his weapon as he walks past damaged buildings in a government held area of Aleppo, Syria December 9, 2016. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki - RTSVEBH

Turkey scrambles to cut its losses in Syria

Turkey’s Syria policies "lie in shreds"; Syrian Kurds coordinate with government forces in Aleppo; would Russia support federalism in Syria?

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during his annual state of the nation address at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 1, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov - RTSU5AA

Putin lays out Moscow’s new Mideast strategy

A new foreign policy strategy document released by Russia includes a comprehensive section on the Middle East — but will there be a shift in Moscow’s priorities in the region?

Syrian refugee Reem al-Sawaa, 28, originally from Daraa in southern Syria, sits with her one-year-old son Khaled at their home in the Helwaan district of the Egyptian capital of Cairo on November 1, 2013. Reem fled Syra with her four children and husband Yussef al-Talha, who works as a computer technician. AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Why some Egyptians prefer Syrian wives

Syrian women in Egypt are sought after by some Egyptian men who think they are preferable to their Egyptian counterparts, amid fears of exploitation of their financial status.

People sit in the back of a truck as they celebrate what they said was the liberation of villages from Islamist rebels near the city of Ras al-Ain in the province of Hasakah, after capturing it from Islamist rebels November 6, 2013. Redur Xelil, spokesman for the armed wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), said Kurdish militias had seized the city of Ras al-Ain and all its surrounding villages. Syrian Kurdish fighters have captured more territory from Islamist rebels in northeastern Syria

Where do Kurds fit in Syria conflict?

The future of the Syrian Kurds hinges on the policies of US President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin toward Turkey.

People, who evacuated the eastern districts of Aleppo, carry their belongings as they arrive in a government held area of Aleppo, Syria, in this handout picture provided by SANA on December 7, 2016. SANA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RTSV3U9

US presidential transition adds turmoil to Syria diplomacy

As the Syrian regime makes rapid gains to retake rebel-held eastern Aleppo, renewed diplomatic efforts to try to broker a pause in the fighting remain uncertain.