Page 2 - Syria Crisis

US push for stability in post-Assad Syria: Here's all you need to know

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has wrapped up perhaps his last Middle East as America's top diplomat, with the aim of preventing Syria from spiralling out of control after the sudden ouster of President Bashar Assad. Blinken was one of several senior U.S. officials travelling across the region in the Biden administration's final weeks amid deep uncertainty in Washington and abroad over how Donald Trump will approach the Mideast when he takes office on Jan. 20, 2025. Blinken held meetings Jordan, Turkey and Iraq with the aim of trying to shape the future of post-Assad Syria by forging consensus among regional partners and allies whose interests often diverge. We know that what happens inside of Syria can have powerful consequences well beyond its borders, from mass displacement to terrorism," he told reporters Saturday in Aqaba, Jordan. "And we know that we can't underestimate the challenges of this moment. Here are some takeaways from Blinken's trip: Charting a new course

Top diplomats from US, Arab League, Turkey discuss Syria's power transition

Top diplomats from the United States, the Arab League and Turkey met in Jordan on Saturday to discuss how to assist Syria 's transition after the fall of Bashar Assad's government a week ago. No Syrian representatives attended. The collapse of the Assad family's more than half-century of rule has sparked new fears of instability in a region already shaken by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and hostilities between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah despite a tenuous ceasefire. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said American officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian insurgent group that led the overthrow of Assad's government, but the group continues to be designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and others. The insurgent leader in an interview with Syrian TV didn't mention contact with the US, but he warned Israel about the hundreds of airstrikes it has carried out in Syria in the past week. The US is also making a renewed push for a ceasefire

Indian nationals return from crisis-hit Syria, recall panic situation

A batch of Indian nationals, who returned to their homeland on Saturday after being evacuated from crisis-hit Syria, recalled the panic situation they faced in that country but praised the Indian Embassy there for being in "constant touch" with them. Some of the returnees, soon after landing at the Delhi airport late evening, shared with media their experiences of the last week. Sunil Dutt, a native of Chandigarh, and a mechanical engineer, alleged that there were some "anti-social elements" too in the streets who were also "looting stuff". It was a very bad situation and sights of fire and sounds of bombarding made it worse, he said. However, the Indian Embassy was in "constant touch with us" and its personnel" asked us to be calm, not open doors" to ensure safety, Dutt told reporters at Delhi airport. India has evacuated from Syria all its nationals who wished to return home after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad's authoritarian government in the Arab nation. The S

Syrian rebel leader urges Israel to end airstrikes after Assad's overthrow

The head of the Syrian insurgent group that led the overthrow of Bashar Assad's government says they are not about to enter a conflict with Israel. But Ahmad al-Sharaa in his first public comments on Israel in the week since Assad's fall said "the pretexts that Israel uses have ended" for its airstrikes inside Syria in recent days. Al-Sharaa said the Israelis have crossed the rules of engagement in his interview with Syrian TV on Saturday. About 400 Israeli airstrikes in the past days have destroyed much of the Syrian army's assets. Al-Sharaa leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. The excerpts released from his interview did not address contact with the United States, which on Saturday said had been in direct communication with HTS, which it designated a foreign terrorist organisation years ago. The HTS leader did say the new authorities in Damascus are in contact with Western embassies, and that authorities have a plan to start reconstruction and development in Syria. He did not give

US in direct contact with Syrian rebel group that ousted Assad: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday that American officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that spearheaded the overthrow of President Bashar Assad's government but is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and others. Blinken is the first US official to publicly confirm contacts between the Biden administration and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which led a coalition of armed opposition groups that ousted Assad from power last Sunday. Speaking at a news conference in Aqaba, Jordan, Blinken would not discuss details of the contacts but said it was important for the US to convey messages to the group about its conduct and how it intends to govern in a transition period. Yes, we have been in contact with HTS and with other parties, Blinken said. He added that our message to the Syrian people is this: We want them to succeed and we're prepared to help them do so. HTS, which was once an affiliate of al-Qaida, has been ...

Blinken meets Iraqi PM to discuss Syria's future, threat of 'Islamic State'

The Secretary of State underscored the US' commitment to Iraq's security, stability, and sovereignty

Turkey to reopen its embassy in Syria for the first time since 2012

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that Turkey's Embassy in Syria's capital of Damascus will reopen on Saturday, for the first time since 2012. In an interview with Turkey's NTV television Fidan said a newly appointed interim charge d'affaires had left for Damascus on Friday together with his delegation. "It will be operational as of tomorrow," he said. The Embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security conditions during the Syrian civil war. All embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. Earlier on Friday, thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus' historic main mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, while giant crowds celebrated in the capital's largest square and across the country. The gatherings were a major symbolic moment for the dramatic change of power in Syria, nearly a week after insurgents swept into Damascus, ousting the Assad-led state that had ruled the country

India has evacuated all nationals who wished to return from Syria: MEA

India has evacuated from Syria all its nationals who wished to return home after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad's authoritarian government in the Arab nation. The Syrian government collapsed on Sunday as the rebels seized control of capital Damascus after capturing several other prominent cities and towns. India evacuated its nationals from Syria on Tuesday. "We have evacuated all Indian nationals in Syria who wished to return home following recent developments in that country. So far, 77 Indian nationals from Syria have been evacuated," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday. Our embassy personnel in Damascus accompanied them to the border, after which our mission in Lebanon received them and facilitated their immigration, he said. He was replying to a question at his weekly media briefing. Jaiswal said the embassy made arrangements for their boarding and lodging in Beirut and for their travel back home. "Most of our nationals have

Deception, despair marked Syrian Prez Assad's final hours before fleeing

Assad told his presidential office manager on Saturday when he finished work he was going home but instead headed to the airport, according to an aide in his inner circle

Israeli forces to 'temporarily' remain in seized Syrian buffer zone

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited border security concerns for the deployment following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime and subsequent HTS takeover

Syrians in Germany show no rush to leave as their labour is in demands

Syrian employers, trade unions and business associations are now speaking up to stress how much they are needed in a German economy facing deep labour shortages

Global chemical weapons watchdog holds emergency meeting on Syria's stock

The global chemical weapons watchdog opened an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation in Syria over concerns about the country's stockpile of toxic chemicals in the wake of the overthrow of President Bashar Assad. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons told Syria on Monday the country is under obligations to comply with rules to safeguard and destroy dangerous substances, such as chlorine gas, after rebels entered the capital, Damascus, at the weekend. Assad's regime denied using chemical weapons but the OPCW found evidence indicating their repeated use by Syria in the grinding civil war. Earlier this year, the organisation found the Islamic State group had used mustard gas against the town of Marea. In a rare move, the OPCW's executive council called the meeting, hoping that under a new government, some of its 80 inspectors may be allowed to pursue investigations into Syria's chemical weapons program. Members of the ousted Syrian government plan t

Nations should not take advantage of fissures in Syrian society: Singapore

Singapore's foreign ministry has said international powers should not take advantage of the fissures in Syrian society to pursue their own strategic objectives. "All parties must ensure the safety and well-being of Syrian civilians who have already suffered so much," the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that Singapore is closely monitoring developments in Syria. The complex situation in Syria can only be resolved definitively through an inclusive, Syrian-led political process as affirmed in the UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Any meaningful political solution must respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Syria, it said. Since the outbreak of the civil war in 2011, more than 3,00,000 Syrians have been killed and more than 13 million have been displaced with many seeking refuge in other countries. "We hope they can return safely to their homes when peace is restored," the ministry said. Given the current volatile situation, Singaporean

Syria's interim PM Bashir vows to rebuild country amid financial crisis

Two senior U.S. congressmen, a Republican and a Democrat, wrote a letter calling for Washington to suspend some sanctions on Syria. The most punishing war-time U.S. sanctions are up for renewal this

'You'll end up like Assad': How Israel backed its warning to Syrian rebels

Israel Defence Forces have carried out over 350 strikes in Syria, reportedly eliminating up to 80 per cent of the ousted Assad regime's strategic military capabilities under operation 'Bashan Arrow'

From book on Russian military to pills: What rebels found in Assad's palace

During their invasion of Bashar al-Assad's palace, Syrian rebel fighters made several discoveries, including luxury cars, all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, and an armoured truck

Syrians, in a triumph of hope, turn the page on horrors of Assad's regime

Some analysts trace how Assad's main backers - Iran, Hezbollah and Russia, became too weakened or preoccupied to come to his aid as in the past

Refugees return to Syria as rebels appoint caretaker prime minister

In a brief address on state television on Tuesday, Mohammed al-Bashir, a figure little known across most of Syria, said he would lead the interim authority until March 1

Rebel-backed Mohammed al-Bashir takes charge as Syria's interim PM

In a brief address on state television, Mohammed al-Bashir said he would lead the interim authority until March 1

Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, and what his rise means for Syria's future?

Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has long sought to distance himself from his extremist roots as the 42-year-old leader of HTS, the group that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assa