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August 10, 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.

Latest News

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

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.

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

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

Unraveling Islamic State’s Turkish recruitment scheme

The recent Ankara bombing is being blamed on a suicide bomber unit of the Islamic State, known as Dokumacilar, recruited from Turkey’s southeastern province of Adiyaman.

Smoke rises after what activists said was shelling by the forces of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Old Aleppo's Kadi Askar area, Syria, August 1, 2015. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail - RTX1MOEZ

What the Aleppo offensive hides

The battle for Aleppo may be a long and costly battle for Syrian regime forces due to the size of the city, the remaining large civil population and the multitude of players.

Could Egypt be key to political solution in Syria?

The Russian air operation in Syria, the US suspension of its training program for new Syrian rebels and its rapprochement with Iran call for an Egyptian mediation to end the war in Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu talks during an interview with Reuters in Istanbul, Turkey, October 14, 2015. Davutoglu told Reuters on Wednesday some of the suspects in a suicide bombing that killed 97 people in Ankara had spent months in Syria and that they could be linked to Islamic State or to Kurdish militants. "We are working on (investigating) two terrorist organisations, Daesh (Islamic State) and PKK, because we have certain evidence regarding the suicide bombers having links with Daesh, but

Would you like your terror straight up or as a cocktail?

Turkey's Justice and Development Party hopes to boost its image by casting aspersions and creating terror conspiracies.

How Turkey is planning for Assad-led transition in Syria

Ankara, still blurry, now agrees to name Bashar al-Assad ‘honorary president’ for six months.

Tajammu Al-Ezza brigade fighters on an anti-aircraft weapon inspect the sky for helicopters loyal to Syria's president Bashar Al-Assad located in Hama countryside May 6, 2015. Picture taken May 6, 2015. REUTERS/Mohamad Bayoush
- RTX1BX2T

How the Syrian regime forces are attacking opposition under Russian cover

It seems the Syrian regime forces are trying to undermine the opposition’s presence on the Syrian coast, as they attacked the Free Syrian Army’s strongholds under a Russian air cover.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (L) talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 21, 2015. Moscow and Baghdad are expanding military cooperation, Putin said on Thursday during talks with al-Abadi in the Kremlin. REUTERS/Kirill Kudryavtsev/Pool - RTX1DYWB

Can Iraq meet US, Russia halfway?

As political forces have called for Russia to intervene in Iraq, as it has in Syria, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has been cautious about what steps to take regarding Russia and the United States.

Ankara’s PYD headache

There is little Turkey can do at this stage to prevent Kurdish advances in northern Syria as they receive munitions to battle the Islamic State.

At a cost of $500 million each month, Turkey staggers under growing refugee burden

Turkey’s spending on refugees has soared by an astonishing $1.5 billion in three months, and that figure doesn't include many other related costs.

Syrian Christian militias liberate Hasakah

Syrian Christian militia leader Ahiqar Issa talks to Al-Monitor about the reasons why Christians have taken up arms against terrorist groups in Syria.

How Turkey is leveraging the Kurds

By threatening Syrian Kurds, Turkey is settling accounts with its ally, the United States, and trade partner Russia.

Are we witnessing ‘Syrianization’ of Turkey?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims “no difference” between Islamic State and Syrian Kurdish group backed by the United States; Syrian opposition groups reject UN talks; did Netanyahu ignore warnings about an intifada?