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Syria

October 12, 2026

Damascus 7:19 am

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Demonstrators ride through a street while waving Syrian flags

Analysis

Why Syria and Iraq are taking different approaches to armed groups

Shelly Kittleson

By Shelly Kittleson

In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics

A view of the Great Umayyad Mosque during the reopening ceremony, Oct. 8, 2026.

Culture

Syria reopens Aleppo's 1,300-year-old Great Umayyad Mosque after 13 years

Syrian authorities are working to restore cultural landmarks and ancient sites that had been damaged or destroyed during the civil war.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Oct. 6, 2026.

Analysis

Why Syria sending troops to Yemen would be a risky bet for Sharaa

Syria insists it will not send troops to fight the Houthis alongside Saudi Arabia, but its economic dependence on Riyadh could complicate Damascus’ resistance to the idea.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

Culture

Syria's Kurds, Arabs find common cause in battle for language rights

Youths play the daf, an Iranian frame drum, during a protest demanding the right to education in the Kurdish language in Al-Qamishli, Syria, on September 22, 2026. The demonstrations follow a decision by the Syrian Interim Government to allocate only Kurdish language classes in schools. (Photo by Amjad Kurdo / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

Syria’s Sharaa in Riyadh as Saudi airports come under Houthi attacks: What to know

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Oct. 6, 2026.

UAE-Syria move ahead on $20 billion real estate mega-developments

A view of a traffic roundabout in central Latakia, Syria on June 12, 2025. The city's road network converges near the coast, forming one of the busiest urban intersections in the province. (Photo by Omar Albaw / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by OMAR ALBAW/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Syria denies meeting with Lebanon’s Hezbollah in Turkey: What to know

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 Kurdish fighter from the People's Protection Units (YPG) fires heavy machine-gun at Islamic State militants in Raqqa, Syria June 21, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic - RC13836C2800

Islamic State fight paused as Turkey invades northern Syria

As Kurdish fighters in Syria leave the fight against the Islamic State to defend against Turkey, the United States pauses the battle against the militant group.

TOPSHOT - Smoke billows following Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria with air strikes and explosions reported along the border. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the attack on Twitter, labelling it "Operation Peace Spring". (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey launches attack on Syrian Kurdish forces as US steps aside

Turkey has begun its assault in northern Syria, testing the defenses of the Syrian Kurdish forces and the limits of US tolerance for an operation that the Pentagon has fiercely opposed.

Turkish civilians look at a Turkish army's convoy driving towards the Syrian border near Akcakale in Sanliurfa province on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria on October 9 with air strikes and artillery fire reported along the border. The Turkish President announced the start of the attack on Twitter, labelling it "Operation Peace Spring". It triggered criticism from Western countries who have allied with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against th

Iran urges Turkey to show restraint as Ankara launches Syria operation

Closely monitoring the tense Turkey-Syria border situation as Ankara launches an incursion, Iran has called on Turkey to resort to dialogue and abort its military offensive there.

Syrians brace as Turkey begins operation against Kurds

After the United States withdrew troops from the Syrian-Turkish border this week, Turkey pulled the trigger on its offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

Turkish and U.S. troops return from a joint U.S.-Turkey patrol in northern Syria, as it is pictured from near the Turkish town of Akcakale, Turkey, September 8, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1246867E60

Turkey launches Syria invasion hours after informing US of plans

Turkey told the United States on Tuesday that it plans to launch an attack into northern Syria within 24 hours, Al-Monitor has learned, as some in the Donald Trump administration tried to push back against reports that the president had given a green light for the impending incursion.

Syrian refugees look at the camera as they stand in front of their homes at Azraq refugee camp, near Al Azraq city, Jordan, December 8, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Ham - RC1ACC4C9FD0

Why Syrians in Jordan refuse to return home

Not many Syrians have returned from Jordan since the Nassib-Jaber border crossing was opened last year, for fear of military conscription and arrest by government forces.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend the start of the NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium July 11, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC117DD2EDF0

Trump invites Erdogan to White House as northeast Syria shudders

US President Donald Trump announced that he will host Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in November as his move to pull US troops out of Syria continues to sow chaos along the Syrian-Turkish border.

Turkish military vehicles ride at the Bab el-Salam border crossing between the Syrian town of Azaz and the Turkish town of Kilis, in Syria January 1, 2019. Picture taken January 1, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC1AD1B9E6A0

Turkey's route into Syria full of pitfalls, uncertainties

Despite its political and military significance, US President Donald Trump’s green light for Ankara does not make Turkey’s task east of the Euphrates River any easier.

Russia has 3 messages for Turkey over operation in Syria

Russia has its eye on long-term opportunities following Turkey's operation in northeast Syria.

Protesters demand to return home to Syria's Deir ez-Zor

Displaced Syrians are calling for regime forces and Iranian-backed fighters to withdraw from Deir ez-Zor province, while the anti-regime Syrian Democratic Forces fear such protests could spiral out of control and turn against them.

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC18733A6450

Erdogan’s friendship with Trump has extra benefits

The friendship between the Turkish and American presidents thrives despite all ideological differences, so much so that elites of Turkey's ruling party view the impeachment inquiry as an act of the "deep state" or even a "coup" against Trump.

A Turkish soldier walks next to a Turkish military vehicle during a joint U.S.-Turkey patrol, near Tel Abyad, Syria September 8, 2019. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RC1CFC59FD70

Confusion reigns as Trump authorizes troop withdrawal from Turkish-Syrian border towns

US President Donald Trump's announcement catches Pentagon, State Department and Syrian Kurds off guard as Turkey assumes a primacy of sorts in the president's thinking despite the S-400 fiasco.