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Syria

May 18, 2026

Damascus 9:46 pm

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Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrives to attend the second day of the first Syrian-Emirati (United Arab Emirates) Investment Forum, at the People's Palace in Damascus on May 12, 2026. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Ports and infrastructure: UAE embraces new economic order in Syria

UAE-Syrian ties have moved faster than expected, with Abu Dhabi embracing President Ahmad al-Sharaa and relations shifting from normalization to investment opportunities.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A Syrian citizen exchanges old banknotes for new notes released and distributed by the central bank, at a bank in the capital, Damascus, on Jan. 3, 2026.

Interview

UK fintech brings foreign currency accounts to Syrians at home

The launch comes as Syria’s new government attempts to stabilize the country’s shattered economy following the January 2025 rise to power of President Ahmed al-Sharaa after the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad.

Mazloum Kobane, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks during the pan-Kurdish "Unity and Consensus" conference in Qamishli in northeastern Syria on April 26, 2025.

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander Kobane says Turkey visit ‘in the making,’ Ocalan meeting possible

The SDF commander-in-chief reflected on a fragile integration deal with Damascus, growing Kurdish backlash and ongoing talks with Turkey as questions mount over Rojava’s political future.

Mazloum Kobane

Mazloum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

Latest News

Lebanon authorities release Salafist cleric Khaled Hablas: What to know

Khaled Hablas

Syria restores Raqqa oil field in former ISIS stronghold: What to know

Pictured in this undated image is the Al-Thawra oil field in Raqqa governorate, as rehabilitation works continue to restore production capacity.

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

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.

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

A man walks through a damaged street beside a frontline in Old Aleppo January 4, 2015. REUTERS/Hosam Katan (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTR4K1CI

Bombs, shells mark Aleppo’s new year

There were no signs of New Year's Eve celebrations in Aleppo’s rebel-held areas, as locals expressed their desire for the war to end.

A member of the Jordanian Bedouin force stands guard at the Karameh border crossing on the Jordanian-Iraqi border near Ruweished city June 25, 2014. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed (JORDAN - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY CIVIL UNREST) - RTR3VOQ0

Jordan to arm Sunni tribes in Iraq, Syria

Jordan is concerned airstrikes alone will not defeat the Islamic State threat, and is considering arming Sunni tribes in Iraq and Syria to prevent the jihadists from reaching its borders.

Syrian charities battle corruption

Roughly 2,000 Damascenes participated in a marathon to raise funds for Syrian cancer patients, to make up for a significant drop in available medication due to corruption in the Syrian Health Ministry.

Hundreds of trucks bringing in diesel from Iran line up on a road as they head to the eastern province of Van in Turkey November 30, 2005. In the shadows of mountains bordering Iraq and Iran, Turkey's Hakkari province may one day be an outpost of the European Union. But for now, it feels cut off from the world. Picture taken November 30, 2005. To match feature Turkey-Southeast REUTERS/Fatih Saribas - RTR1AGOX

Turkey, Iran at war over trucking

A 1994 transportation accord has fueled Turkish-Iranian rivalry for economic and political influence in Central Asia.

Turkey registers Syrian refugees

Turkey has collected the biometric data of at least 1.4 million Syrians as the refugees move closer to citizenship.

Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (R) meets with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in this handout picture released by the Hezbollah Media office and received by Reuters on December 23, 2014. REUTERS/Hezbollah Media Office/Handout via Reuters (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS) 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. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING O

Hezbollah, Future Movement eye presidency

Hezbollah and the Future Movement have begun a dialogue on filling Lebanon's presidency, offering some reason for hope.

Scabies, lice ravage Aleppo neighborhoods

The residents of rebel-held Aleppo are suffering from outbreaks of communicable diseases as garbage piles up in neighborhoods lacking water and electricity.

Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani (L)and Iraqi parliament speaker Salim al-Jabouri speak during a news conference in Baghdad December 24, 2014. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR4J5WG

Larijani offers Iran's support in visit to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq

Head of Iran's parliament Ali Larijani traveled to Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, where he met with top religious and political officials.

Kurds draw pride from defense of Kobani

Al-Monitor's visit to the besieged Syrian Kurdish border town of Kobani found Kurdish fighters optimistic about their chances of reclaiming the town and expelling Islamic State forces.

Masked Spanish police officers lead a detained woman in Melilla, December 16, 2014. Spanish and Moroccan police have arrested seven people in a ongoing joint swoop on suspected efforts to recruit women to go to Syria and Iraq to support Islamic State insurgents, the Spanish Interior Ministry said on Tuesday. REUTERS/Jesus Blasco de Avellaneda (SPAIN - Tags: CRIME LAW CIVIL UNREST TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR4I81E

Islamic State's female bloggers draw European women to Syria

Posts about dinners, travel routes and Kalashnikovs are designed to encourage women to join up as teachers, nurses and wives.

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY SAMMY KETZ
A Syrian man walks past a wall bearing the portraits of soldiers from the city of Tartus, who died during the Syrian conflict, in the city northwest of Damascus on May 18, 2014. Tartus has itself largely escaped the conflict in Syria, but posters of its sons killed fighting for the regime elsewhere in the country line the western city's main road. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)

Syrian regime pursues draft dodgers

The Syrian regime is imposing tough new measures to prevent young men in regime-held areas from avoiding military conscription.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini at the Kremlin in Moscow July 9, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Shipenkov/Pool (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3XUXK

EU decision boosts Russian, UN diplomacy on Syria

Russia, the United Nations and Iran lead diplomatic initiative in Syria; Iran and Turkey discuss counterterrorism; al-Qaeda-linked group advances in Syria; Aleppo’s radicalization; Hamas seeks to rebuild ties with Iran.