syria

Syria Urges Banks to Provision Their Claims on Lebanon

The Central Bank of Syria has given domestic banks a six-month deadline to fully provision their claims on the Lebanese banking sector, estimated at $1.6 billion, according to a circular cited by Reuters. The directive does not specify the exact nature of these claims – whether deposits, placements or financial investments – making their ...

LAF Arrests Four in Raids Targeting Drug Traffickers

The Lebanese Army (LAF) announced on Wednesday that it had arrested four individuals in separate raids as part of its ongoing efforts to maintain security and combat drug trafficking. In its statement, the LAF said the operations were carried out with support from Intelligence Directorate patrols. According to the statement, an army unit, also ...

Syria Launches Operation Against Jihadists

Syria government forces launched an operation Wednesday against jihadists holed up in a camp in the northwest, in a push to capture French fighters wanted by their government, a monitor and a French jihadist told AFP. Security forces "launched a vast operation against the camp... to arrest French fighters wanted by their government," ...

UK Removes Syria's HTS from 'Terrorist' Organizations List

The UK on Tuesday removed Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of banned "terrorist" organizations after the group ousted Bashar al-Assad last December and took control of the government. The move comes after the United States announced in July it would revoke HTS's "terrorist" designation. HTS was proscribed by the UK in 2017 over ...

Syria: 12 Million Captagon Pills Seized

Nearly 12 million Captagon pills were seized in Al-Dumayr, near Damascus. The smuggling ring leader was arrested and the drugs will be destroyed. Despite ongoing crackdowns, Captagon – Syria’s main export during the civil war – continues to flood the region.  

Jews in Damascus: A Historic Return

In the heart of the Old City, the Faranj synagogue reopens after decades. Prayers, ceremonies and gatherings bring life back to a long-forgotten community. This symbolic return marks a historic turning point for Syria and reflects the revival of a community erased for generations.  

Syria: Arrest of Nemir al-Assad and Qossay Ibrahim

Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab announced the arrest of Nemir al-Assad and Qossay Wajih Ibrahim, the former commander of the Mountain Brigade under the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad. In a post on X, Khattab said, “Nemir al-Assad and his terrorist group, as well as the criminal Qossay Wajih Ibrahim, former commander of the Mountain ...

SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi Announces Preliminary Deal to Join Syrian Army

The commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, has announced a “preliminary agreement” with the Syrian government to integrate SDF fighters into a unified military structure within the Syrian army, according to Al Hadath. In an interview with the Associated Press (AP) on Thursday, Abdi discussed what could be a ...

Syria Bus Blast Kills Five Defense Ministry Personnel

A blast targeting a bus in Syria's eastern province of Deir Ezzor on Thursday killed at least five defense ministry personnel, an official from the ministry told AFP. "An explosive device detonated as a bus carrying oil facility guards affiliated with the defense ministry passed by, killing five of them and wounding 13 others, including civilian ...

More than 400 Syrian Refugees Voluntarily Return Home from Lebanon

More than 400 Syrian refugees departed Lebanon on Wednesday morning as part of the fifth convoy of the voluntary repatriation plan organized by the Lebanese government, in coordination with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Lebanese Red Cross, and several humanitarian partners. The group ...

Syrian Prisoners in Lebanon: One of Many Unresolved Cases

A high-level Syrian delegation arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to address a long-neglected issue in strained bilateral relations: the case of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons. Officially, the meeting aimed to finalize a judicial agreement to organize the transfer of Syrian nationals incarcerated in Lebanon back to Syria within a legal framework ...

Extradition Treaties and the Assad Case

This Wednesday, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is visiting Moscow to meet Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. According to Reuters, he may request the extradition of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been taking refuge in Russia since fleeing Damascus in December 2024. Behind this politically charged episode lies a longstanding and ...