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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

Waves of displacement continue amid Idlib escalation

Idlib residents continue to flee toward the border with Turkey as Syrian regime forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, advance on the country’s last opposition stronghold.

'There's no mercy': Kurdish Red Crescent perseveres in northern Syria

Heyva Sor a Kurdistane, the Kurdish Red Crescent, has been doggedly rescuing the wounded and attending to the sick in northeastern Syria since 2012.

Men, suspected of being affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group, gather in a prison cell in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh on October 26, 2019. - Kurdish sources say around 12,000 IS fighters including Syrians, Iraqis as well as foreigners from 54 countries are being held in Kurdish-run prisons in northern Syria. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

SDF benefits from letting IS prisoners go, capturing more

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are said to be releasing Islamic State prisoners in Raqqa through mediation with Arab tribes, raising concerns among locals about a resurgence of the group.

Intel: Why Russia went on counteroffensive against US criticism over Idlib

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the killing of “several Russian and Turkish military specialists” in the Idlid de-escalation zone.

A Syrian man rides his motorcycle past a damaged building following an air strike by pro-regime forces on the rebel-held town of Ariha in the northern countryside of Syria's Idlib province on February 5, 2020. - Syrian regime forces pressed on with their offensive in the northwest that has displaced half a million people, despite heightened tensions with Turkey.
Intensive aerial bombardment and ground fighting in the jihadist-dominated Idlib region since December have killed almost 300 civilians and trigger

US envoy presses Russia to halt Syrian offensive on Idlib

A top US envoy today pressed Russia to get the Syrian regime to halt a military offensive into the northwestern Syrian enclave of Idlib that has driven some half a million people to flee their homes since December.

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan adresses the audience during the official opening of the new Cambridge Central Mosque, in Cambridge, Britain, December 5, 2019. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC23PD94I1I1

Erdogan threatens Assad forces, seeks de-escalation in Idlib

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will retaliate if Syrian regime forces do not pull back from Turkish observation posts in Idlib by the end of the month.

How local activists are reviving life in Raqqa

Three years after Raqqa was liberated from the Islamic State, civil society organizations have launched a campaign to revive the city’s cultural and popular aspects.

A Syrian army soldier gestures in Maarat al-Numan, Syria, January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar - RC2GQE9GEP2D

Recent escalations in Idlib present Russia with tall order

As the situation in Idlib heats up, Russian-Turkish "marriage of convenience" gets tested, but it may be too early to call for the divorce.

Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighters are seen in action in the village of Yabisa, near the Turkish-Syrian border, Syria, October 13, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo SEARCH "GLOBAL POY" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "REUTERS POY" FOR ALL BEST OF 2019 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. - RC2GOD9M52J9

Syria clashes, Ukraine visit test Turkey-Russia relations

Despite their opposing interests, analysts expect continued Ankara-Moscow collaboration following clashes between Turkish troops and Russia-backed Syrian forces.

Kurdish people carry flags as they celebrate the spring festival of Nowruz, in al-Darbasiyah town, on the Syrian-Turkish border, Syria March 21, 2017. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RC1F25CCC510

Intel: Turkey’s invasion of northeast Syria spurs Kurdish unity

Buckling to popular and US pressure, the main Syrian Kurdish opposition umbrella group known as the Kurdish National Council has agreed to reopen its offices in northeastern Syria.

Will developments in Idlib force Ankara to turn to the West again?

Analysts say Turkey and Russia were always on a collision course in Syria due to their radically differing positions.

Escalation in Syria and Libya tests limits of Erdogan-Putin ties

The recent escalation in Libya and Syria has put on display the limits of the relationship between the Turkish and Russian presidents.