Syria

UAE and Syria Renew Ties as Presidents Meet in Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, welcomed Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to Abu Dhabi on Monday for a working visit. During their meeting at Al Shati Palace, the two leaders discussed the strong ties between their countries and explored ways to enhance cooperation, particularly in economic development, ...

Lebanon–Syria: Borderlines and Broken Promises

When Greater Lebanon was proclaimed on September 1, 1920, by General Henri Gouraud, a new geopolitical reality emerged. The newly formed Lebanese State extended beyond historic Mount Lebanon to include parts of the Sanjaks of Tripoli and Saida, the city of Beirut and 4 districts annexed to Lebanese territory: Baalbeck, the Beqaa, Rashaya and ...

US Revokes 'Foreign Terrorist Organization' Designation for Syria's HTS

The United States on Monday announced it was revoking its designation as a "foreign terrorist organization" of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group once linked to Al-Qaeda that toppled Syria's government in December. "In consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, I hereby revoke the designation of ...

EDL Setback in Beirut Leaves Lebanese Relying on Generators

One month after Nawaf Salam’s government took office, Lebanese citizens are facing a surprising drop in public electricity supply. In Beirut and surrounding areas, daily power from Électricité du Liban (EDL) has fallen sharply—from nine hours to just six. This sudden decline has reignited frustration among a population already exhausted by ...

Israel Says Apprehended Members of Iran-Backed Cell in Syria

Israel's military said Monday it had apprehended members of an Iran-backed cell in southern Syria, the second such operation it has announced in the past week. Since the December overthrow of Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes primarily on military sites and carried out cross-border ground ...

The Peace Riddles Between Lebanon and Syria

The destruction of the operational platforms of Iranian subversion politics in the Near East is not yet complete, as none of the concerned countries has been able to oversee a path to stabilization. Syria, with its overwhelming reconstruction and national reconciliation assignments, has a long way to go before steadying its course. Lebanon is ...

Syria Battles Wildfires for Fourth Day as Jordan and Turkey Send Help

Syrian authorities said some 100 square kilometers (40 square miles) of forest had "turned to ash" in wildfires as firefighters from neighboring Jordan arrived Sunday to battle a fourth day of blazes in the province of Latakia. Syrian emergency workers have faced tough conditions, including high temperatures, strong winds, rugged mountainous ...

Mufti Derian's First Official Visit to Syria: Prayer, Symbols and Rapprochement

Lebanon's Grand Mufti Abdel Latif Derian paid a visit to Syria, his first since taking office in 2014. Accompanied by a delegation of senior Lebanese Sunni religious leaders, he began his visit with a solemn prayer at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the most important sites of Islam and Arab-Muslim heritage. Mufti Derian and the ...

UK Re-Establishing Full Syria Ties, Lammy Says During Visit in Damascus

The UK's top diplomat, David Lammy, met Syria's leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus on Saturday, the Syrian presidency said, in his first visit since longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December. During the visit, Lammy announced that the UK is re-establishing full diplomatic ties with Syria following Assad’s ...

Syria Battles Fierce Wildfires in Latakia for Third Day as Turkey Sends Assistance

Syrian emergency workers were battling forest fires raging in the coastal province of Latakia on Saturday for a third day in tough conditions as neighboring Turkey sent assistance. An AFP correspondent saw strong winds fanning the flames in forest areas and farmland in Qastal Maaf, around a dozen kilometers (eight miles) from the Turkish border, ...

Lebanese Army Arrests 33 Syrians for Illegal Crossing and Robbery

The Lebanese Armed Forces arrested 31 Syrian nationals on Friday for illegally entering Lebanese territory, and two others for forming an armed robbery gang. According to the statement issued by the Lebanese Army Command Directorate, the 31 Syrian nationals were attempting to enter Lebanon via the Madfoun-Batroun checkpoint. A patrol from the ...