Germany: Merz and al-Sharaa hope that most Syrians will return home
Following talks in Berlin, Friedrich Merz and Ahmed al-Sharaa expressed hopes that many Syrians living in Germany may return to Syria within three years. Nearly one million Syrians sought refuge in Germany during…
Syria: Christians cancel Easter celebrations after sectarian violence
Sectarian violence erupted on 28 March in Suqaylabiyah, a predominantly Christian town in Syria, following tensions involving two Muslim young men from the nearby town of Qalaat al-Madiq. Reports indicate that they started…
Syria: Alawite women living with fear after targeted violence and kidnapping
In western Syria, families live with fear after reports of kidnappings targeting women from the Alawite minority. Survivors describe being seized by armed men, beaten, threatened, and sometimes assaulted while held in secret…
Syria: US moves 150 IS prisoners, thousands to follow
US forces have begun transferring IS prisoners out of Syria, moving 150 detainees to Iraq under plans that could see up to 7,000 relocated. The move follows growing instability after Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic…
Syria: government tells Kurdish forces to leave Aleppo after deadly clashes
Syria’s army has moved reinforcements to areas east of Aleppo after ordering Kurdish forces to withdraw, following deadly clashes which have killed over 100 and displaced as many as 150,000. The Islamist-led government…
Syria: why al Sharaa’s visit to Washington is so important
In a stunning U-turn of diplomacy, Syrian president Ahmed al Sharaa - once known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, former leader of the al-Qaeda affiliate Nusra Front - has arrived in Washington for…
Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction to cost at least $216B: World Bank
The World Bank has estimated Syria’s post-war reconstruction will cost at least $216 billion, with possible totals ranging from $140 billion to $345 billion. Its ‘Syrian Conflict: Physical Damage and Reconstruction Assessment (2011–2024)’…
Syria: worst drought in decades pushes millions to the brink
Syria is facing its worst drought in 36 years, devastating wheat production and deepening a nationwide hunger crisis. Farmer Maher Haddad has harvested barely a third of his normal yield, reflecting a 40%…
Israel bombs Syrian forces attacking a Druze area, then Damascus
Deadly violence has erupted in Suweida between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes, resulting in at least two hundred deaths, including children and civilians. The fighting, which began after the abduction of a Druze…
Syria: attack on Damascus church shakes Christian community
A deadly attack on the Mar Elias Church in Damascus on 22 June has shaken Syria, especially its Christian community. At least 25 people were killed when an armed man opened fire and…
