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January 14, 2026

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Members of the Kurdish forces hold a portrait of Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler which reads "Shame on the killers of innocents in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood" during a protest by Syrian Kurds against violence they say was committed by Syrian government forces during recent clashes in Aleppo's Kurdish neighbourhoods, in the Kurdish-controlled northeastern city of Qamishli on Jan. 13, 2026.

Syria declares 'closed military zone' east of Aleppo as Kurds protest

The Syrian government accused the Kurdish-led SDF of mobilizing in the area, reflecting ongoing turmoil following a ceasefire.

President of Syria Ahmed al-Shara arrives for the 80th session of the UN’s General Assembly (UNGA) at UN Headquarters on Sept. 23, 2025 in New York City. — Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

Syria’s Sharaa heads to Davos, ending years of global isolation

The World Economic Forum begins on January 19 and ends on January 23, hosting a cohort of around 400 political leaders.

Sheikh Hikmat Salman al-Hijri is pictured at Qanawat, the headquarters of the Druze spiritual presidency, on Dec. 28, 2024, in Suwayda, Syria.

Syria Druze leader Hijri calls for independent entity, says country ‘heading toward partition’

Controversial Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri, in Syria’s southern province of Suwayda, praised Israel as the only party he said intervened to stop the killing of Druze during a wave of unrest last summer.

Israel military vehicles drive along the border fence into Israel, near the town of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on July 17, 2025. Syrian government forces have withdrawn from the whole of Sweida province after days of sectarian bloodshed in the heartland of the Druze minority, a war monitor and witnesses said July 17, 2025. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP) (Photo by JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

What Syria and Israel’s new communications cell really signals

The deal reached in Paris under US mediation reflects a rare step toward managing tensions but stops short of halting Israeli military strikes or producing a broader security pact.

Rina Bassist

By Rosaleen Carroll , Rina Bassist

Latest News

Exclusive

Closed-door breakdown in Syria-Kurdish talks foreshadowed Aleppo clashes

Bakr ALKASEM / AFP via Getty Images

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Sharaa tells Iraq's Barzani Kurds integral to Syria amid fears of Aleppo spillover

Safin HAMID / AFP via Getty Images

Interview

Top Syrian Kurdish official Foza Yusuf says war with Damascus lose-lose for all

An undated image of Foza Yusif.

Foza Yusuf

Foza Yusuf

Turkey's Fidan says Israel ties harden SDF stance as Syria clashes grow

ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images

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 picture shows destruction following Syrian government shelling in Idlib, Syria's last major rebel stronghold, Sept. 8, 2021.

Syrian jihadist group, Turkish-backed opposition reportedly consider merger

Turkish-backed Syrian opposition factions have reportedly received instructions to deploy in Idlib soon, amid reports that a merger with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is imminent.

A Syrian man walks past destruction in the northern city of Aleppo on March 22, 2013.

Syrian opposition chief: US sanctions a deterrent for Turkish proxy fighters

During an interview with Al-Monitor, Syrian National Coalition President Salem al-Meslet discussed recent US sanctions on Ahrar al-Sharqiya, the human rights situation in northern Syria and the US military presence in the war-torn country.

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Germany, Denmark repatriate Islamic State-linked women, children

Eleven women and 37 children were flown to Germany and Denmark from Roj camp in northeast Syria, which holds thousands of family members of Islamic State fighters.

AFP via Getty Images

Russia ramps up strikes on Islamic State in Syrian desert

Moscow is intensifying its airstrikes on Islamic State targets in the Syrian desert.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) listens to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad delivering a speech during their press conference at Ciragan Palace on June 7, 2010 in Istanbul.

After Jordan, will Turkey take the plunge with Assad?

After the Jordanian king spoke by phone with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the first time since the Syrian conflict began over 10 years ago, Turks are now asking if Ankara will be next to reconcile.

Erdogan Putin

Is US-Turkey alliance at a breaking point?

After meeting with Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slams US (again), but ties between Turkey and Russia have their own strains and limits.

Syrian food shortage

Humanitarian agency reduces food aid to displaced Syrians in Idlib

The World Food Program reduced the content of aid baskets delivered to the displaced camps in northwestern Syria, which concerns camp residents who fully rely on UN aid.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi on Sept. 29, 2021.

Putin, Erdogan hold closed-door summit in Sochi

Few details were released about the substance of the relatively brief meeting, but progress on Syria will be difficult to achieve.

Idlib children

Syrian jihadist group won't reconcile with al-Qaeda affiliate in Idlib

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which controls Idlib, is refusing to sit down with al-Qaeda-affiliated Hurras al-Din leaders to resolve pending disputes.

A doctor examines a Syrian refugee baby at the Kahramanmaras refugee camp's hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey, Sept. 19, 2019.

Turkey suspends free medical treatment for Syrians

New measures restrict the entry of Syrian patients to Turkey by canceling free treatment in its state hospitals and forcing them to pay the full cost of treatment.

Mourners gather by the grave of one of fighters from the pro-Turkish "Hamza Division" Syrian rebel group killed in Russian air raids, at the Muhamadiya camp near Jindayris in the countryside of Aleppo in the Afrin region of northwestern Syria, on Sept. 26, 2021.

Russia bombs Turkey's allies in Syria ahead of Putin-Erdogan summit

Russian jets shelled a camp for the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army in Afrin, north of Aleppo, and intensified its airstrikes against the areas controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib ahead of the meeting between the Turkish and Russian presidents on Sept. 29.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrive to hold a joint press statement following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 5, 2020.

Syria to be key topic in Erdogan-Putin summit

The Turkish and Russian presidents are expected to discuss Syria in Sochi, as well as Ukraine, anti-missile batteries and natural gas.