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Syria

Syria
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Syria. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Capital
Damascus
Head of State
President Bashar al-Assad
Head of Government
Prime Minister Hussein Arnous
Police apprehend a suspect at the scene where a person was stabbed near Berlin’s Holocaust memorial in Berlin on February 21, 2025. Photo: AFP
Germany

Berlin jails man for 13 years over stabbing at Holocaust memorial

The man, 20, said he had been motivated by his radicalisation and belief he was acting with a religious mission.

US, Israel war on Iran

A guide to how the Iran war has ricocheted across the Middle East and beyond

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Ukraine war

Trump’s Iran attack sparks calls in Russia to abandon Ukraine talks

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US, Israel war on Iran

US and Kurds discuss potential Iran military operation: sources

The prospect of Kurdish groups operating inside Iran signals US consideration for a ground uprising.

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The presidential complex in Tehran following air strikes. Photo: Vantor via AFP
Cathay Pacific

432 Hongkongers stranded in Middle East and 47 flights cancelled

Cathay Pacific also suspends Dubai and Riyadh flights, as attacks force countries to close airspace.

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US-Iran tensions

Airspace closed, flights cancelled amid US-Israel-Iran conflict

Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Syria and the UAE all announced at least partial closures of their skies.

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Middle East

US presses Syria to shift from Chinese telecoms systems

Washington warned Damascus, which is considering buying Chinese telecoms technology, to buy from US or allied states.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Photo: Reuters
Middle East

US ambassador says Israel has right to much of Middle East, sparking uproar

Mike Huckabee’s comments were condemned by Arab and Muslim nations as ‘extremist rhetoric’.

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Middle East

US pulls forces from Syria as new government exerts control

The Syrian army has already taken control of Al-Tanf military base, ending an American military presence that lasted for a decade.

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Australia

Australian citizen in Syria with alleged Isis ties banned from returning home

This is the first known use of a temporary exclusion order introduced in 2019 to prevent high-risk citizens from returning to Australia.

Australian family members of suspected Isis militants walk toward a van bound for the airport during the first repatriation operation of the year at Roj Camp in eastern Syria on Monday. Photo: AP
United States

US civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at 84: ‘my constituency is the damned’

The Baptist minister’s two presidential runs helped lay the groundwork for the election of America’s first black president, Barack Obama.

Jesse Jackson addresses the “Fairness in Democracy” rally on December 6, 2000. Photo: AFP
Middle East

US pulls out of strategic military base and hands it over to Syria

Syria says its forces have taken over al-Tanf base, ending an American military presence that lasted for more than a decade.

Lebanon

Lebanon’s Tripoli called a ‘disaster-stricken city’ after deadly collapse

Tripoli’s mayor warns that thousands of people remain at risk in unsafe buildings due to years of neglect.

Russia

Russia says suspect in shooting of top general detained in Dubai

Moscow says Russian Lyubomir Korba was held in Dubai for a shooting, with two accomplices identified – one in Moscow, while one fled to Ukraine.

Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev was hospitalised after being shot several times on Friday. Photo: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP
Middle East

Saudi Arabia, Syria sign telecom and airline deals as sanctions lift

Saudi Arabia has been a major backer of Syria’s Islamist authorities who took power after toppling long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (right) greeting Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa as US President Donald Trump looks on, in Riyadh on May 14 last year. Photo: AFP
Russia

Deputy chief of Russia’s military intelligence wounded in Moscow shooting

Several senior Russian officers have been assassinated since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Middle East

Putin hosts Syrian leader in Moscow with Russian bases on agenda

Russian president hails progress in ties with Syria as Ahmad al-Sharaa visits Moscow for talks.

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Saudi Arabia

‘Anything can happen’: Saudi-UAE rift risks tearing Middle East apart

The Gulf neighbours have turned from friends to foes, fighting proxy wars across the region and forcing global powers to pick a side.

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Yemeni separatists wave South Yemen and UAE flags during a protest against Saudi Arabia in Aden on December 30. Photo: EPA
US-China relations

Opinion | Why China’s response to Trump’s chaos will be to wait and watch

Although the US president’s destabilising actions might seem like an opportunity for Beijing, it is likely to opt for strategic patience.

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Middle East

Syria gives Kurds 4 days to accept integration as US signals end of support

The government announced a new truce after seizing swathes of territory from the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Islamic State

Syrian deal unravels as sides clash and Isis prisoners escape

Integration agreement with the SDF falters amid reports that hundreds of militants fled prison as government forces moved in.

Syrian government forces stand guard outside al-Aqtan prison on the outskirts of Raqqa. Photo: AP
Middle East

Syrian government forces take Al-Omar oilfield as Kurds withdraw

Al-Omar was home to the largest US base in Syria. It had been controlled by Kurdish-led forces since 2017 after Islamic State group was pushed out.

People destroy a statue representing the PKK and Kurdish service against the Islamic State group, in Raqa after its capture by the Syrian army, on Sunday. Photo: dpa
Middle East

US strike in Syria kills leader tied to Isis ambush that left 3 Americans dead

Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was allegedly ‘directly connected’ to the incident, which has sparked a series of retaliatory attacks by US forces.

Pakistan

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia plan defence deal to counter chaos in Middle East

Iran’s neighbours are worried that the US’ increasingly erratic behaviour may pose a risk to regional power balance and trade, analysts say.

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Vladimir Putin

How Putin’s focus on Ukraine war leaves allies Venezuela, Iran and Cuba exposed

Russia’s war in Ukraine leaves allies Venezuela, Iran and Cuba vulnerable, exposing security failures and eroding trust in Moscow’s global influence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the Kremlin during their May 2025 meeting in Moscow. Photo: Reuters
Middle East

US says it carried out new ‘large-scale’ strikes against Isis in Syria

The attack is the latest response to a shooting by a lone militant that killed two American soldiers and a US civilian interpreter.

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US airmen load GBU-31 munition systems onto an F-15E Strike Eagle in support of Operation Hawkeye Strike in December. Photo: US Air Force via AFP
Middle East

Kurdish fighters refuse to leave Syria’s Aleppo after truce

Kurdish fighters defy Aleppo truce, sparking fears of wider conflict amid civilian evacuations and international pressure.

Middle East

Deadly clashes in Aleppo shatter Syria’s fragile peace as thousands flee

Fierce fighting between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led SDF exposes the failure of a year-long plan to merge the two militaries.

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