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July 15, 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

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi takes part in a press conference about the College Affordability Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis - RC183C21BFA0

Congress noncommittal on Turkey sanctions

The House and several Republican senators are ready to move on a harsh Turkey sanctions package, but Senate leadership is more cautious.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrive for the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 24, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - HP1EF9O13M651

Anger pushes sanctions in Washington as Pence, Pompeo visit Ankara

Following an initial delay, multiple sanctions targeting Turkey are emerging from the White House, Congress and Justice Department as a US delegation visits Ankara to negotiate a cease-fire in Syria.

Turkey’s military operation turning into diplomatic war

As the military front becomes perceptibly static in Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring, the center of gravity shifts to diplomatic front, seemingly catching Ankara underprepared.

Erdogan says he does not mind presence of Syrian troops as long as Kurds leave

The Syrian Democratic Forces forged a deal with the Syrian government to hold off the Turkish attack in northern Syria.

Is US redesigning southern flank?

Amid Turkey’s rapprochement with Russia, the United States has stepped up military cooperation with Greece, Turkey’s traditional regional rival, heralding shifts in geostrategic balances in the Balkans, the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean.

Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG) fire rifles at a drone operated by Islamic State militants in Raqqa, Syria, June 16, 2017. Goran Tomasevic: "ISIS uses drones to monitor Kurdish fighters and drop bombs at their positions. On a few occasions I ran into a house with fighters because of drones. On one occasion a bomb from a drone landed near a house where I was hiding with the rest of our team and YPG fighters. The biggest challenge in Raqqa was very limited access and the heat. The te

Pentagon to stay in Islamic State fight from Iraq

The Pentagon expects to fight the Islamic State from Iraq, a senior defense official said today, as American troops are set to leave northern Syria under pressure from a deepening Turkish offensive.

Russian and Syrian national flags flutter on military vehicles near Manbij, Syria October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki - RC134A208F00

Putin goes for broke to negotiate Turkey cease-fire

US withdrawal created some opportunites for Russia but also had it face new challenges with Turkey.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends a joint press conference with Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic after their meeting in Belgrade, Serbia, October 7, 2019. REUTERS/Djordje Kojadinovic - RC1C7D7FF7D0

Erdogan defies international outcry over Syria incursion

Turkey has faced a barrage of recrimination for launching a military operation against Syrian Kurdish militants, but its president vows to maintain the “struggle for survival,” even as the death toll mounts and a humanitarian crisis looms.

Syrian army soldiers are seen in the town of Tel Tamer in northeast Syria, in this handout released by SANA on October 14, 2019. SANA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. - RC18459B82D0

Kurdish deal with Syrian regime against Turkey a boon for Iran

As the Kurds sic Syria's army on Turkey, Iran offers to assume the high-profile role of mediator in the crisis.

U.S. and Turkish military forces conduct a joint ground patrol inside the security mechanism area in northeast, Syria, September 8, 2019. Picture taken September 8, 2019. U.S. Army/Spc. Alec Dionne/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC1A2BD04270

Some US forces to remain in northeastern Syria, SDF sources say

Residual US forces will remain inside Syria despite President Donald Trump's Monday announcement that an estimated 1,000 US service members would be withdrawn from the Kurdish-controlled zone, Kurdish sources told Al-Monitor.

Syrian Kurds demonstrate in front of the United Nations offices in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeast Syria on October 2, 2019 over their exclusion from the UN-backed constitutional committee. - The United Nations on September 23 announced the long-awaited formation of the committee which includes the government and opposition, but it remained to be seen if the step could finally end the civil war. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Are Kurds underrepresented in the new Syrian constitutional committee?

The Syrian national committee was announced by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Kurds are not satisfied.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attend a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 14, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1D85D15B10

In Riyadh, Putin receives czar-like reception

Russia and Saudi Arabia sign a dozen business deals but it is unclear whether Syria disagreements were resolved.