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August 9, 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

Russian servicemen prepare a Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jet before a departure for a mission at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, in the northwest of Syria, on December 16, 2015.
Russia began its air war in Syria on September 30, conducting air strikes against a range of anti-regime armed groups including US-backed rebels and jihadist groups. Moscow has said it is fighting and other "terrorist groups," but its campaign has come under fire by Western officials who accuse the Kremli

How Iran views the Russian withdrawal from Syria

Iranian media and analysts speculate on Russia's sudden decision to pull some of its troops from Syria and what this means for the fate of the cease-fire.

Russian President Vladimir Putin waves to the Federal Assembly after a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow March 18, 2014. Putin and two Crimean leaders signed a treaty on Tuesday on making the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula a part of Russia. The signing in the Kremlin came two days after Crimeans voted overwhelmingly to secede from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum condemned by the Ukrainian government, the United States and the European Union as illegitimate. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov (RUSSIA - Ta

Putin to Assad: Do svidaniya

Russian President Vladimir Putin is saying "do svidaniya" — goodbye — to Syria, announcing the start of a Russian military withdrawal that Putin said he hoped would bolster Syria peace talks underway in Geneva.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Qassem Soleimani (L) stands at the frontline during offensive operations against Islamic State militants in the town of Tal Ksaiba in Salahuddin province March 8, 2015. Picture taken March 8, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer (IRAQ - Tags: CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT POLITICS) - RTR4TTZ2

Qasem Soleimani defends Hezbollah

In a rare speech, the head of Iran's Quds Force defended his country against accusations that it might be looking for trouble in the region.

Erdogan intensifies assault on independent media

US State Department calls on Turkey to respect "democratic values"; Israel considers Erdogan a "lost cause," sees Putin winning "on all counts."

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Qassem Soleimani uses a walkie-talkie at the frontline during offensive operations against Islamic State militants in the town of Tal Ksaiba in Salahuddin province March 8, 2015. Picture taken March 8, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer (IRAQ - Tags: CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT POLITICS) - RTR4TU0N

The IRGC's plan to win hearts and minds

Pro-regime culture portrays Qasem Soleimani as a brave, strong and mysterious commander as a key component in the campaign to recuperate trust in the IRGC among Iranians and to portray it as a formidable force in the region.

A Turkish Gendarme officer detains a man believed to be a smuggler as Syrian refugees who are prevented from sailing off for the Greek island of Lesbos by dinghies wait in the background near a beach in the western Turkish coastal town of Dikili, Turkey, March 5, 2016. REUTERS/Umit Bektas TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTS9EC6

Is Turkey's plan to stop flow of refugees legal?

Turkey's offer to the European Union to stop the flow of refugees to Greece is compelling — but is it legal?

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (L), European Council President Donald Tusk (C) and European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker (R) greet each other after a news conference at the end of a EU-Turkey summit in Brussels March 8, 2016. REUTERS/Yves Herman - RTS9QJI

Is the EU really ready to commit to Turkey?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is feeling his oats as he renegotiates his deal with the European Union.

Ayman Odeh (C), leader of the Joint Arab list, and Dov Khenin (L), a fellow party member and member of parliament, take part in a left-wing protest in light of recent Palestinian-Israeli violence in Tel Aviv, Israel October 9, 2015. In the past 10 days, four Israelis have been shot or stabbed to death in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, and at least a dozen have been wounded by Palestinians wielding knives or screwdrivers in stabbings in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities. Three Palestinians have also b

Have Israeli-Arab parties sided with Hezbollah?

Israeli Arab parties Balad and Hadash condemned the decision by the GCC to label Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, which leaves many Israelis puzzled by this decision.

A boy stands near a hole in the ground after a shell fell in the rebel-held town of Jarjanaz, southern Idlib countryside, Syria March 5, 2016. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTS9EO7

Will next round of Geneva talks determine Assad's fate?

The upcoming Geneva talks are once again under the spotlight as Syria approaches the end of the cease-fire.

A man walks on the rubble of damaged buildings in the rebel-controlled area of Jobar, a suburb of Damascus, Syria March 2, 2016. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh - RTS8ZZ9

Syria talks set to resume

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said he planned to resume proximity talks between the Syrian government and the opposition on a political transition starting March 14.

IRGC commander: We are not pulling troops from Syria

Following the firing of two ballistic missiles, an Iranian commander said that US pressure would only bring about more tests and said Iran would continue sending troops to Syria.

Officers of the Jordanian public security department stand guard in the northern city of Irbid, Jordan, March 2, 2016, where a manhunt conducted by Jordanian security forces resulted in the killing of several Islamist militants. REUTERS/ Muhammad Hamed - RTS8X5A

Has IS established foothold in Jordan?

A raid in Irbid on a cell affiliated with the Islamic State has Jordanians on edge.