Syrian government, Russia escalate attacks in Idlib amid looming Turkish operation

Syrian and Russian forces are intensifying their bombing campaign in Syria’s Idlib before the tripartite summit between the Russian, Turkish and Iranian leaders in Tehran, further worrying the Syrian factions.

Syria

Culture

Syrian children in Turkey lose touch with Arabic language

The new generation of Syrian refugees in Turkey prefer to speak Turkish rather than Arabic in order not to be discriminated against.

Syria

HTS arrests members of little-known Syrian group behind attacks against Turkish army in Idlib

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham announced that it arrested most members of the Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Brigade, a small, little-known jihadist group that is hostile to HTS and has repeatedly targeted Turkish forces in Idlib.

Syria

Is Syrian government withdrawing from Tal Rifaat in favor of Turkey?

FSA forces are carrying out military maneuvers in preparation for the battle against Kurdish forces in Tal Rifaat, while Turkey is bringing in more reinforcements.

Syria

US kills top Islamic State leader in Syria, Pentagon says

Syria's Kurdish-led forces alleged Maher al-Aghal was also affiliated with Turkey-backed opposition group Ahrar al-Sharqiya.

Syria

UN Security Council extends Syria cross-border aid for six months

Aid agencies say the short-term extension puts more than 4 million Syrian lives on the line.

Syria

Culture

Syrian musicians carve out small space in Istanbul’s live music scene 

Istanbul’s Syrian-run small art spaces have become a conduit of connection between locals and the refugee population through music amid high running anti-refugee sentiment across the country.

Syria

Energy company touts oil-for-food scheme as Syrian aid route tightens

With Syria's sole remaining route for cross-border aid in peril, a London-based oil company is lobbying for an initiative that would see the proceeds of Syrian oil being used for aid, with the money going to the UN rather than Damascus.

Syria

Russia vetoes UN measure renewing aid to northwest Syria

"People will die because of this vote," US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said of the Security Council's failure to reauthorize the cross-border mechanism.

Syria

4 million Syrians on brink of starvation as UN aid mechanism draws to close

Millions of Syrians are helplessly waiting in desperation as UN aid entry into Syria draws to an end amid expectations that Russia will veto a resolution authorizing cross-border aid into the war-torn country.

Syria

Culture

Women in north Syria collect wild plants, medicinal herbs to sell

Women in northern Syria, especially those who became the sole breadwinners for their children after losing their husbands during the war, are collecting wild plants and medicinal herbs to make ends meet.

Syria

Syrians adapt to tumultuous Turkish environment

In the decade-old Turkish diaspora, thousands of Syrians have started businesses that fill niches in Turkey and open up new export markets — but economic and political challenges are rising.

Turkey