Syria - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Palmyra

Syria

May 4, 2026

Damascus 5:04 am

12°C

Crops of wheat and barley in Terbol village on May 10, 2022, in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

Analysis

MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers

Home to many of the world's largest wheat importers, the Middle East and North Africa face acute food security risks as the US-Israel-Iran war disrupts global fertilizer flows and pushes up prices.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A young man stands in the entrance of tunnels that were used by the ISIS and the Assad's regime for fighting. Tadamon, Syria, February 7, 2025. (Photo by Raghed Waked / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by RAGHED WAKED/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Syria arrests Amjad Youssef, Tadamoun massacre perpetrator: What to know

Amjad Youssef appeared on video, allegedly killing dozens of civilians in 2013; he is the latest member of the Assad regime to be captured by the new Syrian government.

President of Syria Ahmed al-Shara arrives for the 80th session of the UN’s General Assembly (UNGA) at UN Headquarters on Sept. 23, 2025 in New York City.

Analysis

'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance

Backlash erupts after dancers perform to Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” exposing the tightrope between Sharaa’s outreach to the West and pressure from his Islamist base.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrives ahead of a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in central London on March 31, 2026.

Syria’s Sharaa makes fourth visit to Saudi Arabia, first since Iran war: What to know

The visit comes in light of the deepening economic relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia post-Assad.

Latest News

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

Members of Iraq's security forces stand guard on the the al-Rabia border crossing with Syria on April 20, 2026.

EU to restore Syria cooperation pact ahead of May talks: What to know

Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP via Getty Images

Sharaa distances Syria from Iran war, says Israel talks ongoing: What to know

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish Presient Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum in Turkey April 17, 2026.

Analysis

Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds?

Kurdish people waving Kurdistan flags gather to celebrate Nowruz on the hill of Urkesh in the countryside of Amuda in northeastern Syria on March 18, 2026. Nowruz, meaning "new day," is an ancient festival that marks the start of spring and the new year on the vernal equinox, which usually falls on March 20 or 21. It is celebrated by more than 300 million people worldwide and has been observed for over 3,000 years across regions including the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus and parts of Eastern Euro

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

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

Flowers and candles are placed near the scene of a shooting the day after a series of deadly attacks in Paris, France, November 14, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman - RTS72LB

How to defeat the Islamic State

To defeat the Islamic State, the world powers need a clear-cut, unified strategy to guide the war on terrorism.

What will control over Aleppo’s military base mean for Assad?

An expert on the situation in Syria talks to Al-Monitor about the repercussions of the Syrian army’s recent operation, where it succeeded in lifting the siege of the Kuweires military air base east of Aleppo.

Has the Islamic State returned to Lebanon?

Details of the twin explosions that hit Beirut’s southern suburb — Hezbollah’s stronghold — still need to be revealed, while the Islamic State has already claimed responsibility for it.

Are Syria’s Salafi movements witnessing a split?

The creation of Jaish al-Sham might be indicative of widening ideological fissures inside Ahrar al-Sham and other Salafi movements in Syria.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks during a news conference in Moscow, Russia, September 22, 2015. Amir-Abdollahian said on Tuesday his country had no troops or military advisers in Syria or Yemen, the RIA news agency reported. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev - RTX1RTQL

Iran doubts US goals in Syria talks

Iran's deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said Iran will decide whether to participate in the next round of Vienna II talks on Syria after reviewing whether the United States is working behind the scenes to push its own agenda.

Kurdish infighting complicates Sinjar offensive

In the wake of a massive assault on the Islamic State for the city of Sinjar, Iraq, there is speculation about how disagreements among Kurdish factions will play out.

Lebanon continues to struggle under weight of Syrian refugee crisis

Lebanon is struggling to cope with the Syrian displacement crisis amid weak international action.

Has Syria been a military success for Iran?

Iran was willing to negotiate its nuclear situation with world powers, but it wants everyone to know it is far from ready to abandon its strategic interests in the region.

'Under 50' Iranians killed in Syria

An Iranian security official has addressed several hot-button topics in the media, including the implementation of the nuclear deal and the rising Iranian death toll in Syria.

A driver stands next to the trucks lined at the Oncupinar borger crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern city of Kilis January 13, 2012. Since Turkey late last year took the side of anti-government demonstrators seeking the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad, truckers plying the route between the border and the Syrian city of Aleppo have made an easy target for Assad loyalists. Picture taken January 13, 2012. To match feature TURKEY-SYRIA/TRADE REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: TRANS

Despite ongoing war, is trade between Turkey, Syria rebounding?

As the number of Syrian companies set up in Turkey increases, the trade between the two countries is returning to prewar levels.

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu addresses the audience during a conference in Ankara, Turkey, September 4, 2015. Davutoglu said on Friday a new perspective was needed to achieve global growth given dwindling dynamism in emerging market countries. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RTX1R2CK

Will G-20 summit improve Erdogan’s international image?

Europe’s need for Turkey’s cooperation in the refugee crisis is forcing EU leaders to moderate their tone against Erdogan’s undemocratic ways.

Selahattin Demirtas, co-chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), talks to the media before casting his ballot at a polling station during a general election in Istanbul, Turkey November 1, 2015. Turks began voting on Sunday amid worsening security and economic worries in a snap parliamentary election that could profoundly impact the divided country's trajectory and that of President Tayyip Erdogan. The parliamentary poll is the second in five months, after the ruling AK Party founded by

Kurds in postelection Turkey: Silver lining or tough times?

The Kurdish peace process, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once described as frozen but not dead, is not likely to thaw soon.