Analysis Why Syria and Iraq are taking different approaches to armed groups By Shelly Kittleson In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics
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. Syria
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. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Israel's Oct. 7 accountability debate Houthis strike Yemen airport, claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia; How language barriers are bringing Syria’s Kurds and Arabs closer; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Jilted Kurds ignore Western hand-wringing over Syria gas attack The Syrian Kurds have been notably silent on US President Donald Trump’s threat to punish Damascus over a suspected chemical attack on Douma, likely disillusioned and choosing to focus on condemning Turkey's ongoing offensive in Afrin. Syria
Turkey's running out of time to pick a partner in Syria Turkey's been playing the field in Syria, but as the crisis escalates, Ankara may have to make a commitment to either its NATO allies or Moscow. Syria
Syrian refugees find support, hope in Turkey's peaceful Kilis A vocational training center is helping Syrian refugees build new lives in the peaceful Turkish border town of Kilis, but more funding is needed to keep it going. Syria
Netanyahu invokes Holocaust to sow fear, hate As Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day April 12, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is shamelessly exploiting the tragedy against whomever objects to his policies. Israel
Turkey squeezed as US-Russia tensions rise in Syria Since the suspected chemical weapons attack by Syrian regime forces in Douma, Turkey has been producing conflicting messages, visibly torn between its strategic interests in Syria and ties to NATO and the West. Syria
Have Iran, Russia and Turkey reached agreement on future Syrian state? The second trilateral summit between the presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey appears to have ushered further movement toward an understanding on the political endgame in Syria. Syria
Iranian conservatives predict limited US strike on Syria Iranian conservatives believe that a limited US attack on Syria is likely. Syria
Israel's reluctance to embrace lessons of the Holocaust Against the backdrop of Holocaust Memorial Day, Israelis are debating whether the state should act to defend Syrian citizens from chemical attacks and how it has responded in the past toward genocides and ethnic cleansing. Israel
Israel ‘alone in fight’ against Iran in Syria Although Netanyahu failed to convince Trump to back down on his decision to withdraw US forces from Syria, it won’t change Israel’s policy on Syria. Israel
Erdogan rebuffs Moscow’s call to hand Afrin to Syrian government Russia wants Turkey to hand control of Afrin province to Damascus, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the territory will be returned to local residents at Ankara’s discretion. Syria
How will Sinjar crisis end as tensions mount between Baghdad, Ankara? Ankara's insistence on combating the Kurdistan Workers Party may push Baghdad to take the lead on cleansing northern Iraq of the Kurdish militia, a scenario that presents a new internal crisis in Iraq's Kurdistan Region. Iraq
Iran condemns chemical weapons attacks, denies Syria’s role Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said that it was not logical for the Syrian army to use chemical weapons while it had the upper hand in the field of battle. Syria