Syria - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Palmyra

Syria

July 26, 2026

Damascus 5:26 am

24°C

Tourism students and visitors visit the ruins of the ancient city of Apamea in the Hama countryside, Syria, on July 8, 2026.

Syria arrivals surge 111% as government bets on tourism revival

The country welcomed 3.52 million visitors during the first half of 2026, more than double the figure recorded a year earlier, as the government pushes to reconnect to the world and promote tourism as a pillar of economic recovery.

Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP via Getty Images

Syria seizes arms shipment on Iraq border destined for Hezbollah

The operation comes as part of the Syrian authorities' efforts to curb illicit arms smuggling through its territory, namely intended for Hezbollah.

A man holds a Syrian flag across the street from the White House after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with President Donald Trump at White House in Washington, on Nov. 10, 2025.

Syria, US hold first business forum since sanctions relief: What to know

The one-day forum in Damascus was organized by Syria’s Ministry of Economy and Industry and the US-Syria Business Council, which was established in Washington last June to advance trade and investment between the two nations.

Latest News

Explainer

How Macron seeks to carve out France's role in new Syria

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) welcomes France's President Emmanuel Macron for a joint press conference in Damascus on July 7, 2026.

US to drop Syria from terror blacklist

US President Donald Trump meets Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) on the sidelines of the NATO Summit at Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, on July 8, 2026.

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 woman dressed in traditional clothing poses for a picture while standing on a rock in the Mazqaft water reservoir in the countryside of the town of Qahtaniyah in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province close to the border with Turkey, during Syrian Kurdish celebrations on the second day of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on March 21, 2021. (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Culture

A decade into Kurdish autonomous rule, what changed for northeast Syria's women?

Since 2013, the province of Hasakah in northeastern Syria has been ruled by an autonomous administration guided by overtly feminist principles. Ten years later, what has changed for rural women? What challenges remain?

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey, Syria, Iran to hold 'technical talks' in Russia next week

The technical meeting is aimed at achieving progress in the stalled high-level dialogue process between Ankara and Damascus.

AFP via Getty Images

Syria's Aleppo airport out of service after Israel's airstrike

Israel is suspected of carrying out several attacks on Syria this year as the Netanyahu government continues military planning related to Iran.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) is welcomed by US Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake as he arrives at Incirlik Air Base near Adana on February 19, 2023, for an official visit after a 7,8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey's south-east. - The death toll on February 18 rose to more than 44,000 from the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria in the early hours of February 6, 2023. (Photo by CLODAGH KILCOYNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey summons US ambassador over top general's Syria visit

Washington's top general Mark Milley met with senior American commanders, but not with Kurdish officials, US officials said.

LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images

US slaps visa sanction on Syrian military officer over Tadamon massacre

The State Department hit Amjad Yousef and his family with visa bans for his alleged involvement in the 2013 killing of 41 unarmed Syrian civilians.

Passengers are seen at Moscow's Domodedovo airport, the day S7 Airlines canceled all its international flights due to sanctions imposed on Russia over the country's invasion of Ukraine, March 5, 2022.

Russia to add Gulf countries to visa-free travel list

Russia stated that it was preparing visa-free travel agreements with a total of 17 countries, which include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Syria.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a press briefing after a virtual Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at the Pentagon on Nov. 16, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia.

Top US general Mark Milley makes surprise visit to Syria

Gen. Mark Milley's visit to US troops fighting the Islamic State came as Pentagon officials warn Russia's arms transfers to Iran will embolden the IRGC and its proxies in the Middle East.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey arrests senior Islamic State figure, police say

The arrest came after a series of security warnings by several foreign diplomatic missions in Turkey about potential attacks on Westerners last month.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (L) and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (R) give a press conference at the Foreign Ministry headquarters, Damascus, Syria, Feb. 27, 2023.

Egypt's FM Shoukry visits Syria, Turkey in renewed earthquake diplomacy

The top Egyptian diplomat's visit to Syria and Turkey marks a first after almost a decade.

Turkey quake refugee

A Syrian exodus: Some 30,000 refugees return home after Turkey's earthquake

The UN's refugee agency stresses that Syrian refugees who visit their homeland can return to Turkey later.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan attends a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart following their talks in Yerevan on June 9, 2022.(Photo by KAREN MINASYAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Armenia’s FM in Syria as Turkey’s opposition declares solidarity with Assad

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Munich Security Conference and others, called for "urgent action to overcome the political obstacles that are blocking humanitarian assistance" to Syria.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad gets a red carpet reception on a rare visit to Oman on Feb. 20, 2023. (Photo: Foreign Ministry of Oman)

After Syria earthquake, Saudi Arabia is linchpin to Assad's normalization

If Assad’s earthquake diplomacy succeeds in improving relations with Saudi Arabia, the path to Syria's normalization in Arab politics will be wide open.