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Syria

July 26, 2026

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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

OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images

Syria to allow cross-border aid into areas outside government control

Delivering assistance to Syria after the deadly earthquakes is complicated by the government's diplomatic isolation and tight control over aid access.

The photo was taken Feb. 9, 2023, after the earthquake in the town of Jindires in the countryside of Afrin, in the north of Aleppo, Syria. - Khaled al-Khateb

'We are forced to dig our mass graves': Syrians fend for themselves after earthquake

Al-Monitor has toured devastated towns in Syria, following the deadly earthquake that has killed over 3,000 Syrians. International humanitarian aid has yet to reach the area.

Assad earthquake

Analysis

Can Syria's Assad leverage earthquake to come in from the cold?

Aid for disaster recovery could provide an excuse for some countries in the region to resume normal relations with the Syrian regime.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

A Palestinian relief team poses for a picture before their departure to Syria and Turkey.

Palestinians join earthquake rescue efforts in Syria, Turkey

The Palestinian Authority joins more than 60 countries sending rescue teams to Turkey and Syria in response to the earthquake.

Turkey earthquake

The Takeaway: Syria's neglected northwest pleads for earthquake aid

Plus, a roundup of Al-Monitor's on-the-ground coverage of the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey.

Syrians, displaced as a result of the deadly earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria two days ago, arrive to an open area on the outskirts of the rebel-held town of Jindayris on February 8, 2023. - A leading United Nations official called for the facilitation of aid access to rebel-held areas in Syria's northwest, warning that relief stocks will soon be depleted. Rebel-held areas near Turkey's border -- hard hit by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck on Monday -- cannot receive aid from government-held pa

Earthquake death toll nears 20,000 as Turkey, Syria seek help

Hundreds of thousands more are injured or displaced as rescue workers race against time to free those who are trapped.

A photograph taken on February 8, 2023 shows tents at a camp set up by the government in the southeastern Turkish city of Kahramanmaras, two days after a strong earthquake struck the region.

Earthquake deaths pass 11,000 in Turkey, Syria as anger, desperation mount: Live Updates

Desperation is growing in the aftermath of the massive earthquakes that rocked Turkey, Syria and beyond as international rescue efforts pour into the region.

Residents and rescuers search for victims and survivors amidst the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Rescuers pour into Turkey, but aid slow to arrive in earthquake-hit Syria

The disaster response in northern Syria is stymied by supply chain issues, logistical hurdles and diplomatic disputes over accessing the country's rebel-held territory.

The village of Bibsna, located on the Syrian-Turkish border, was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake, and rescue teams are trying to recover the victims and treat the wounded, Feb. 6, 2023.

Already displaced by war, Syrians search earthquake rubble for loved ones

Residents of northwest Syria, most of whom found refuge in the area after fleeing the bombing in their hometowns during the war, found themselves facing a new catastrophe following Monday's magnitude 7.8 earthquake.

This aerial view shows residents helped by bulldozers, searching for victims and survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings, following an earthquake in the town of Sarmada in the countryside of the northwestern Syrian Idlib province, early on February 6, 2023. Over 1,500 people have been killed in the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. (Photo by MUHAMMAD HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Gulf countries rush earthquake aid to Turkey, Syria

Countries in the Gulf have announced aid for Turkey and Syria after Monday's devastating earthquakes.

Middle East corruption rankings: Syria most corrupt, UAE least, Turkey slipped

Corruption remains rampant across the Middle East and North Africa, Transparency International reports, with the region’s average score in combating corruption hitting a new low of 38.

OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey faces tough options on Syrian rebel allies amid Damascus thaw

Ankara’s quest to restore ties with Damascus has left its Syrian rebel allies confused as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the jihadi group controlling Idlib, seeks to raise its profile and lure the disenchanted to its ranks.