World

Syria Army Says 'Redeploying' in Southern Daraa, Sweida Provinces
Syria Army Says 'Redeploying' in Southern Daraa, Sweida Provinces

Syria's army said it was redeploying in two southern provinces on Saturday, after a war monitor reported government forces had lost control of most of Daraa province, the cradle of the country's 2011 uprising. "Our forces operating in Daraa and Sweida are redeploying and repositioning, and establishing a... security cordon in that direction after ...

Iran, Iraq Join Syria in Warning Rebel Advance Threatens Whole Region
Iran, Iraq Join Syria in Warning Rebel Advance Threatens Whole Region

Iran and Iraq issued a joint statement with Syria on Friday warning that sweeping rebel gains at the expense of President Bashar al-Assad's forces posed a danger to the whole region. "Threats against Syria's security constitute a danger for the stability of the region," said the statement issued after a meeting of the three countries' foreign ...

Syria's Jolani: From Jihadist to Pragmatist
Syria's Jolani: From Jihadist to Pragmatist

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the Islamist rebel alliance that has captured swathes of Syria in a lightning offensive, is an extremist who has adopted a more moderate posture to try to achieve his goals. At the head of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is rooted in Syria's branch of Al-Qaeda, Jolani says the goal of his offensive is to ...

Unholy Alliance: The Dark Forces of Iran and Russia Undermining the Middle East
AnalysisUnholy Alliance: The Dark Forces of Iran and Russia Undermining the Middle East

The relationship between Russia and Iran has always piqued interest, often characterized as a unique alliance shaped by the complex geopolitics of the Middle East. This partnership has been notably reinforced through their mutual support for the Assad regime in Syria, enabling both nations to strengthen their military and economic connections. ...

Syrian Rebels Take Control of Key City Daraa
Syrian Rebels Take Control of Key City Daraa

Syrian government forces have lost control of Daraa city, a war monitor said, in another stunning blow for President Bashar al-Assad's rule after rebels wrested other key cities from his grip. Daraa was dubbed "the cradle of the revolution" early in Syria's civil war, after activists accused the government of detaining and ...

Syria: Government Forces Retreat on All Fronts
Syria: Government Forces Retreat on All Fronts

According to a security source in Damascus, rebels have taken control of three army and police posts in Sweida, and most of Deraa is no longer in the hands of the regime. Rebel forces pressing a lightning offensive in Syria aim to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's rule, their Islamist leader said in an interview published on Friday. The ...

Statue of Former Syrian President Toppled in Hama Amid Cheering Crowd
Statue of Former Syrian President Toppled in Hama Amid Cheering Crowd

The image is particularly symbolic: A statue of former President Hafez al-Assad, the father of Syria's current ruler Bashar, was toppled in Hama after Islamist-led rebels overran the country's fourth-largest city, a video authenticated by AFP showed. A machine's long mechanical arm tipped the towering statue over to cheers and cries of "Allahu ...

Syria: Despite Assad's Appeal, Russian and Iranian Support Remains Shy
Syria: Despite Assad's Appeal, Russian and Iranian Support Remains Shy

As Islamist rebel forces from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) approach the city of Homs, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad desperately needs the help of his Russian and Iranian allies. However, Moscow and Tehran's military resources are already stretched thin due to the war in Ukraine and numerous conflicts in the Middle East. According to experts ...

France's Unprecedented Political and Institutional Crisis
France's Unprecedented Political and Institutional Crisis

Since Wednesday, France has been experiencing its most severe political and institutional crisis in over six decades. For the first time since 1962, a motion of censure passed in the National Assembly resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister Michel Barnier. President Emmanuel Macron, who “acknowledged” the gravity of the ...

Romania's Top Court Scraps Presidential Election
Romania's Top Court Scraps Presidential Election

Romania's constitutional court announced on Friday that it had annulled the presidential election following allegations of Russian interference, effectively cancelling the second-round run-off that had been due to take place this weekend. Romanian authorities had cried foul after far-right outsider Calin Georgescu topped the first round of ...

EU and S.America Countries Conclude Mercosur Trade Deal
EU and S.America Countries Conclude Mercosur Trade Deal

The EU and four South American countries have concluded a huge, but controversial trade deal that is opposed by France and many European farmers, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday. "This is a win-win agreement," von der Leyen said in Uruguay, where she was attending a summit of the Mercosur bloc involved ...

Gaza Civil Defense Says 29 Dead in Israeli Strikes Around Key Hospital
Gaza Civil Defense Says 29 Dead in Israeli Strikes Around Key Hospital

Gaza's civil defense agency said 29 people were killed on Friday by Israeli strikes around a major hospital in the northern city of Beit Lahia. Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of northern Gaza's last functioning health centers, was hit by several strikes in the morning, the agency and the hospital director said. "There was a series of air strikes on ...