Syria

Woman Killed as Gunmen Attack Damascus Nightclub

Armed men opened fire inside a club in Damascus on Monday, killing a woman, according to a witness and a war monitor, the second attack in a week targeting the Syrian capital's nightlife. The perpetrators or their motives were unknown. Some Syrians have expressed fears that the country's new Islamist authorities would seek to impose restrictions ...

Israeli Army Destroys Former Syrian Regime Outpost on Mount Hermon

The Israeli army declared that it had located and demolished a former Syrian regime military headquarters situated on the summit of Mount Hermon in southern Syria. The operation was conducted over the past week by troops from the recently established HeHarim, or “Mountain Brigade.” Formed in 2024, the HeHarim Brigade is tasked with securing ...

Syrians' Asylum Requests in Europe Drop to Decade Low

Asylum applications filed by Syrians in the European Union dropped to their lowest in over a decade in February following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, the EU's asylum agency said Wednesday. Data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) showed Syrians lodged 5,000 requests in the 27-nation bloc plus Switzerland and Norway in February, ...

Syria: Ethno-National Imbroglios and State Formation 

The recent clashes between the Syrian Druze community and the newly formed government in Damascus betray the inconsistencies of the current transition in Syria and its pitfalls. However positive the ongoing political evolutions in Syria are, they are still thwarted by major ideological and strategic hurdles that have prevented the actual ...

Jumblatt Condemns Israeli Strikes on Syria, Urges Support for Political Resolution

Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt strongly condemned the latest Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory, including areas near Damascus, calling them a “flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty” and warning that they “do not contribute to the political resolution” currently underway with Syrian President Ahmad ...

More Than 20 Israeli Strikes on Syria's Territory

Israel launched more than 20 air strikes inside Syria late Friday, a war monitor said, following up an attack near the presidential palace in Damascus which was condemned as a "dangerous escalation" by the country's Islamist rulers. The strikes came amid Israeli warnings to the Damascus government not to harm the Druze minority, ...

Joumblatt Meets Al-Sharaa, Calls for Accountability Over Tensions in Syria

In a surprise visit to the Syrian capital on Friday, former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the People’s Palace. The private meeting marks a notable shift in regional political dynamics and comes amid rising tensions in southern Syria. Joumblatt left the palace without making any ...

Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna Urges Unity and Regional Stability Amidst Tensions in Syria

In a recent meeting at the Druze Unitarian Community House on Friday, Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna, the Grand Mufti of the Druze community, addressed a gathering of Arab ambassadors and accredited officials, emphasizing the importance of unity in the face of mounting tensions in Syria. He denounced the recent bloody events in Syria, labeling them as ...

Israel Strikes Near Damascus Presidential Palace Over Druze Violence

Israel's military said Friday it launched air strikes near the presidential palace in Damascus after the country's defence minister threatened intervention if Syrian authorities failed to protect the Druze minority. Syria's Druze spiritual leader has condemned a "genocidal campaign" against his community after sectarian ...

A Preliminary Reconciliation Agreement Reached Between Syrian Authorities and Jaramana Residents

A preliminary agreement was reached on Thursday between the Syrian government and Druze leaders from the towns of Suwayda and Jaramana. The two parties are set to engage in further discussions to establish peaceful measures aimed at resolving the tensions between them.​ The announcement was made on Thursday evening by the Progressive Socialist ...

Abi al-Muna Urges Arab Action to Stop Violations Against Druze in Syria

Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna, the spiritual leader of Lebanon’s Druze community, spoke over the phone with Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari on Thursday. Abi al-Muna briefed him on the alarming developments in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya and surrounding areas near Damascus, Syria, where clashes are still ongoing between Druze and Sunni ...