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July 14, 2026

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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.

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

Explainer

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

French President Emmanuel Macron became the first Western leader to visit Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, showcasing Paris' support for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa while seeking to secure a share of the country's emerging reconstruction market.

Latest News

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.

Explainer

French energy, shipping giants explore Syria deals during Macron visit

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shakes hands with France's President Emmanuel Macron following a joint press conference in Damascus on July 7, 2026.

Macron's Syria visit eyes to boost France's economic role: What to know

Ludovic MARIN / 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

Can Ankara’s sudden change of heart on NATO save the day in Idlib?

Ankara’s abrupt U-turn to reembrace NATO appears driven by conjunctural necessity to balance Russia in Idlib and Libya rather than a new realization of structural dependency between Turkey and NATO.

Idlib exposes Erdogan's untenable policies

Turkey’s predicament in Idlib has laid bare its weaknesses and the longstanding inconsistencies in its foreign and security policy as never before, boding adverse repercussions for the government, both at home and abroad.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands during a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC1A050005F0

The urgent conversation Trump, Putin need to have about Syria

As Idlib refugee crisis grows, US risks superpower confrontation over missiles.

Specialist Tevin Howe and Specialist Eduardo Martinez take part in training on a U.S. Army Patriot surface-to-air missile launcher at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, January 12, 2019. Picture taken January 12, 2019. U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady/Handout via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY - RC1CE04C3590

Turkey asks US for missile defense amid Syria standoff

Turkey has asked the United States to deploy Patriot batteries to its southern border, a US official told Al-Monitor.

Turkish-backed Syrian rebels ride their vehicle on a street in the Turkish border town of Akcakale in Sanliurfa province, Turkey, October 16, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov - RC1FAB8C4260

Turkey tests limits of Moscow-Damascus alliance

Turkey’s attempt to test the waters by leading a push by the Syrian rebels has shown that Russia is apparently strongly determined to support the regime.

Arabs need leadership role in Deir ez-Zor, says council chief

Eastern Deir ez-Zor continues to experience frequent attacks, presumably by the Islamic State, and locals mistrust the Syrian Democratic Forces' control over it.

Damascus brushes off Ankara's threats as Assad's forces make gains in Aleppo

Syrian forces have expelled opposition factions 12 miles from the vicinity of the city of Aleppo, opening the highway between Aleppo and Damascus at a time when Ankara is stepping up its rhetoric and threatening to launch a military attack.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz meets with Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 27, 2019. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1909E0CC40

Saudi Arabia steps up role in Libya

Saudi Arabia is reported to be providing greater financing to forces associated with Libyan strongman Khalifa Hifter in order to counter Turkey's intervention on the side of Libya's Government of National Accord.

Russian and Syrian national flags flutter on military vehicles near Manbij, Syria October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki - RC1E8CFB81C0

Is Russia cozying up to Syria's Kurds amid rift with Turkey?

The United States has reportedly cautioned the Kurds not to fight Turkey in any potential escalation in Syria, but Russia appears to have moved closer to the Kurds, as suggested by Kurdish collaboration with the Syrian army in areas along Idlib’s boundaries with Afrin.

The Manbij Military Council members are seen during a news conference in Manbij, Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RC119372D1F0

Will Manbij fighters heed the call to return home?

The Manbij Military Council has called on rebel fighters from Manbij to desert their militias and return to their cities and villages.

TOPSHOT - A US armoured vehicle drives past a billboard for the Syrian Kurdish Women's Protection Units (YPJ), during a patrol of the Syrian northeastern town of Qahtaniyah at the border with Turkey, on October 31, 2019. - US forces accompanied by Kurdish fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) patrolled part of Syria's border with Turkey, in the first such move since Washington withdrew troops from the area earlier this month, an AFP correspondent reported. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by

SDF avoids fight with Trump over budget cut

The Trump administration's proposed 2021 budget would diminish the SDF's ability to effectively fight IS, but the coalition is unlikely to protest the steep cuts out of fear of angering Trump.

Turkish military vehicles are pictured in the town of Binnish in Syrias northwestern province of Idlib, near the Syria-Turkey border on February 12, 2020. - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed de-escalation of the Syrian crisis, saying Russian-Turkish agreements should be implemented in full, the Kremlin said."The importance was noted of the full implementation of existing Russian-Turkish agreements," the Kremlin said in a statement after the Putin-Erdogan phon

What a Russian-Turkish compromise on Idlib may look like

Although a new round of Russia-Turkey talks on Idlib failed, there are still ways to settle the conflict.