syria

Qatar Warns No Military Solution to Syria Civil War

Qatar said Tuesday that there was no military solution to the Syrian civil war, as the Damascus government scrambled to contain a rebel offensive now nearing its second week. The gas-rich Gulf state, which has remained an outspoken critic of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad even after his rehabilitation by most other Arab countries, called for a ...

Islamist-Led Rebels Battle Syrian Troops and Advance in Hama

Islamist-led rebels battled army troops on Tuesday as they advanced towards the city of Hama in central Syria, a war monitor said. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies fought some of the "most violent" clashes with troops in the area since launching a lightning offensive last week, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. Since ...

Israel Strikes Car on Damascus Airport Road: State Media

An Israeli airstrike hit a car on the Damascus airport road on Tuesday, causing it to explode, Syria's official news agency SANA reported. "A car exploded after it was targeted in an Israeli aggression on the road to Damascus International Airport," SANA reported, citing a police source. It did not say who was targeted or if there were any ...

UN Secretary-General "Alarmed" by Syria Fighting

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday he was "alarmed" by the escalation of violence in Syria and called for an immediate end to fighting that his organization says has displaced nearly 50,000 people. "All parties must do their utmost to protect civilians and civilian objects, including by allowing safe passage to civilians who are ...

Who Are Syria's Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham?

The Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which seized Aleppo in a shock offensive over the weekend, is an Islamist movement that has long ruled swathes of the country's northwest. The group has sought to moderate its image in recent years, including by cutting ties with its one-time sponsor Al-Qaeda, but it faces an uphill battle ...

Changes in Lebanon and Syria Redefine Regional Dynamics

Regional developments are unfolding at an unprecedented pace. From Lebanon to Syria, a surge of violence is sweeping through the region, igniting multiple fronts targeting Iran’s proxies in its self-declared spheres of influence. Iraq risks being drawn in unless it distances itself and aligns with a broader international effort that appears ...

Armed Factions in Syria: Identity, Affiliations, and Strategic Positioning

Over thirteen years since the beginning of the war, Syria remains a stage for complex conflicts, with numerous factions vying for control over different zones of influence. Last Wednesday, following the establishment of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Syrian opposition forces led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Cham launched an offensive from their ...

Iraq Deploys Armored Vehicles to Border With Syria

Iraq sent armoured vehicles on Monday to reinforce its long border with Syria, in a bid to ease concerns after a surprise offensive in the neighboring country by Islamist-led insurgents. The lightning offensive by Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allied factions saw government forces lose full control of Syria's second city ...

Assad Claims Rebels Attempting to 'Redraw' Regional Map

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Monday branded an Islamist-led offensive that has captured swathes of territory an attempt to redraw the regional map in line with US interests. His comments in a phonecall with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian came as Syria's military and its ally Russia launched deadly air raids on areas under ...

Embattled Assad Seeks Support Amid Aleppo Setback

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sought to shore up support from his allies Sunday, after a monitor said a shock rebel offensive saw government forces lose control of Aleppo for the first time since the start of the country's civil war. The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allied factions now "control Aleppo city, except the ...

Kurdish-Led Force in Syria Seeks to Evacuate Kurds from Aleppo

A US-backed, Kurdish-led force in Syria said on Monday it is seeking to evacuate Kurds around Aleppo to safe areas under its control, after pro-Turkey factions seized a town where tens of thousands of Kurds were living. Syria's Kurds have suffered multiple waves of displacement since 2011 and have again found themselves on the frontlines in the ...

Syria and the Domino Effect

Benjamin Netanyahu has warned in his speech announcing the ceasefire in Lebanon: "Assad is playing with fire." Less than a week later, the Syrian regime is collapsing on all fronts. This time, Turkey is taking the lead. Erdogan has successfully brought together a diverse coalition of militias, from Islamists to Kurds, for the operation. His goal: ...