This is Beirut - damascus

Syrian, Israeli Ministers Meet US Envoy in Paris: Senior Diplomat

This is Beirut, 25/07 08:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

The US special envoy for Syria said he held talks with Syrian and Israeli officials in Paris on Thursday on de-escalating sectarian violence in Syria. "I met this evening with the Syrians and Israelis in Paris. Our goal was dialogue and de-escalation, and we accomplished precisely that," said the envoy, Tom Barrack, on X. "All parties reiterated ...

Syrian Government Rejects Kurdish Armed Autonomy Ahead of Integration Talks

This is Beirut, 24/07 21:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus Washington

A Syrian government source said Thursday that it rejected allowing the Kurds — who control vast territories in the north and east of the country — to keep their weapons, as a new round of negotiations on their integration into the Syrian state was scheduled, according to state media. The Kurds are engaged in negotiations with central ...

Saudi Arabia Commits $6.4 Billion to Syria in Reconstruction Deals

This is Beirut, 24/07 16:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia Damascus United Nations

Saudi Arabia on Thursday signed major investment and partnership deals with Syria, valued at $6.4 billion, to help rebuild the war-ravaged country's infrastructure, telecommunications and other major sectors. Saudi Arabia has been a major backer of the new Syrian government, which seized power after an Islamist-led offensive toppled longtime ...

The Druze of Syria: A Minority Seeking Stability in the Post-Assad Transition

Natasha Metni Torbey, 24/07 13:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Damascus Israel Druze Minority

Since July 13, deadly clashes in Syria’s southern province of Sweida have left more than 1,300 people dead, including at least 630 local residents, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence erupted after the abduction of a merchant from the Druze community, triggering a wave of bloodshed that underscores the region’s ...

Turkey: A Global Power Broker

This is Beirut, 23/07 21:50 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Turkey Volodymyr Zelensky Damascus Europe Israel

From Ukraine to Syria, including Iran, Turkey has emerged in recent years as a pivotal diplomatic force, multiplying its mediation efforts across a spectrum of regional crises. This active, multi-front diplomacy serves both to safeguard its national security and to solidify its position as a key player on the global stage. Turkey’s strategic ...

Saudi Announces $5 Billion in Syria Investments

This is Beirut, 23/07 20:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus Syria Saudi Arabia

A Saudi delegation visiting Damascus on Wednesday inked investment and partnership deals valued at $5 billion to help rebuild war-battered Syria, the oil-rich Gulf kingdom announced. Saudi Arabia has been a major backer of the new Syrian government, which seized power after Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December ...

Syria Identifies 298 Suspects in Alawite Heartland Killings

This is Beirut, 22/07 15:37 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus Syria Alawite

A Syrian committee investigating sectarian violence in the country's Alawite heartland said Tuesday it identified 298 suspects implicated in serious violations that left at least 1,426 Alawites dead in March. The violence unfolded over three days in early March on Syria's predominantly Alawite coast, where government forces and allied ...

Lebanon Finalizes Response to US Proposal as Tom Barrack Requests Clarifications

This is Beirut, 20/07 20:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Damascus Hezbollah Israel

Lebanon is nearing completion of its official response to the US proposal addressing the disarmament of Hezbollah. According to reports by “Al-Jadeed” TV, the tripartite presidential committee convened Sunday evening at Baabda Palace to finalize the Lebanese remarks before handing them over to US envoy Tom Barrack. Barrack, for his part, has ...

Cross Our Heart

Fady Noun, 20/07 10:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu United Nations Damascus Hezbollah

Lebanon faces an existential threat, warns Tom Barrack. He suggests the country could be absorbed into one of those large regional blocs the United States dreams of building for energy, commercial or security reasons. The diplomat likely had a slip of the tongue. He should have read the letter addressed in 1989 by Pope John Paul II to all Catholic ...

Rubio Demands Syrian Government Forces Intervene To Prevent Jihadist Attacks

This is Beirut, 20/07 05:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Syria Washington Damascus

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday called on the Syrian government's security forces to prevent jihadists from entering and "carrying out massacres" in the conflict-stricken south of the country. "If authorities in Damascus want to preserve any chance of achieving a unified, inclusive and peaceful Syria... they must ...

Crisis in Sweida: Syrian President Denounces Foreign Interference

This is Beirut, 19/07 12:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Damascus Druzes Syria

In a televised address this morning, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa described the recent clashes in the Sweida province as "a dangerous turning point in Syria’s security and political situation," while accusing foreign powers of fueling instability. The president stated that "the violent clashes between armed groups nearly spiraled out of ...

Erdogan Accuses Israel of Using Druze as Pretext to Expand Into Syria

This is Beirut, 17/07 20:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus Israel Erdogan Druze Syria Sweida

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused Israel of using the Druze minority in Syria as a pretext for expanding into the war-torn country. "Israel, using the Druze as an excuse, has been expanding its banditry into neighboring Syria over the past two days," Erdogan said in a televised speech after the weekly cabinet meeting. "I ...

damascus