Page 4 - Syria Government

Syria, Saudi Arabia agree to resume consular services, air flights

Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed in a joint statement to resume consular services and flights, after the bilateral ties have been stranded for years

As tension peaks, Israeli warplanes and artillery strike targets in Syria

Israeli warplanes and artillery struck targets in Syria following rare rocket fire from the northeastern neighbour, as Jewish-Muslim tensions reached a peak on Sunday at a volatile Jerusalem shrine with simultaneous religious rituals. Thousands of Jewish worshippers gathered at the city's Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray, for a mass priestly benediction prayer service for the Passover holiday. At the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a walled esplanade above the Western Wall, hundreds of Palestinians performed prayers as part of observances during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Hundreds of Jews also visited the Al-Aqsa compound under heavy police guard Sunday, to whistles and religious chants from Palestinians protesting their presence. Such tours by religious and nationalist Jews have increased in size and frequency over the years, and are viewed with suspicion by many Palestinians who fear that Israel plans one day to take over the site or partition it. Israeli ...

Israeli military retaliates after rockets fired from Syria, no casualties

The Israeli military said its forces attacked targets in Syria early Sunday after six rockets were launched from Syrian territory in two batches toward Israel in a rare attack from Israel's northeastern neighbor. After the second barrage of three rockets, Israel initially said it responded with artillery fire into the area in Syria from where the rockets were fired. Later, the military said Israeli fighter jets attacked Syrian army sites, including a compound of Syria's 4th Division and radar and artillery posts. The rocket firings came after days of escalating violence on multiple fronts over tension in Jerusalem and an Israeli police raid on the city's most sensitive holy site. In the second barrage, which was launched early Sunday, two of the rockets crossed the border into Israel, with one being intercepted and the second landing in an open area, the Israeli military said. In the first attack, on Saturday, one rocket landed in a field in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. ...

United Nations says Syria agrees to open 2 new crossings for quake aid

Syria's president has agreed to open two new crossing points from Turkey to the country's rebel-held northwest to deliver desperately needed aid and equipment for millions of earthquake victims, the United Nations announced Monday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the decision by Syrian leader Bashar Assad to open crossing points at Bab Al-Salam and Al Rae for an initial period of three months. Currently, the UN has only been allowed to deliver aid to the northwest Idlib area through a single crossing at Bab Al-Hawa. Guterres said in a statement the toll from the quake continues to mount, delivering food, health, nutrition, protection, shelter, winter supplies and other life-saving supplies to all the millions of people affected is of the utmost urgency. Opening these crossing points along with facilitating humanitarian access, accelerating visa approvals and easing travel between hubs will allow more aid to go in, faster, the UN chief said. The announcement follow

Syrian Prez accuses Turkey of aggression as Iran attempts to ease tension

The pretexts Turkey uses to justify its aggression on Syrian territory are false, misleading, and have nothing to do with reality: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Syria's Assad visits UAE, 1st trip to Arab country since war

In a statement posted on its social media pages, the office says that Assad met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai

US steals Syria's resources, imposes illegitimate sanctions: Syrian FM

The US is stealing natural resources from Syria and imposing illegitimate sanctions, Syria's Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said

Syrian President Bashar Assad sworn in for fourth seven-year term

Syrian President Bashar Assad was sworn in Saturday for a fourth seven-year term in the war-torn country. The May elections were described by the West and Assad's opposition as illegitimate and a sham. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the presidential palace and attended by clergymen, members of parliament, political figures and army officers. In power since 2000, Assad's re-election in a landslide was never in doubt. His new term starts with the country still devastated by 10 years of war and sliding deeper into a worsening economic crisis. The U.N. estimates that more than 80% of Syrians live under the poverty line. The Syrian currency is in a free fall and basic services and resources have become scarce or are offered at exorbitant parallel market prices. Fighting has largely subsided, but parts of Syria remain out of government-control and foreign troops and militias are deployed in different parts of the country. Nearly half of Syria's pre-war population is either displac

Syria's Bashar al-Assad wins a fourth term in a predictable landslide

Syrian President Bashar Assad's re-election ushers in his fourth seven-year term in the war-torn country. The election was described as illegitimate and a sham by the West and his opposition

Syria to hold presidential election on May 26, nominations begin April 19

The Parliament of Syria has announced that the country will hold its presidential election on May 26, while the candidate registration is to begin on April 19

Syrian President Bashar Assad, wife Asma recover from Covid-19 infection

Syria is witnessing a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases

Turkey, Russia agree to prevent ceasefire violations in Syria's Idlib

On Monday, Turkey expressed concern to the Russian envoy in Ankara over recent attacks in Idlib

Iran says it will continue to support Syria in war against terrorism

Iran will keep supporting the Syrian government in the fight against terrorism, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a conversation with the Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad

Terrorists carry out 35 attacks on Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone

Russian military police units continued to escort civilian vehicles on the M4 highway between the Raqqa and al-Hasakah provinces

Militants attack buses in central Syria, killing 9; IS suspected culprit

Militants ambushed buses traveling down a highway in central Syria late on Sunday, killing nine people, including a 13-year-old girl, state media reported. The ambush is the second this week to target buses traveling between government-controlled areas and to be blamed on suspected Islamic State militants. Another attack Wednesday killed nearly 30 people, most of them soldiers returning home for the holidays. Islamic State militants were believed to be behind that attack. Islamic State militants have been active in the desert area south and central Syria despite losing territorial control in the country since last year. Local officials said IS militants were believed to behind the Sunday attack, which also targeted oil trucks, but they offered no details on how it was carried out. The militants ambushed three buses traveling down a highway in central Syria, immediately killing nine and wounding four, according to the governor of the central Hama province, Mohammed Tarek ...

Terrorists carry out 17 attacks on Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone

The Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group shelled Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone 17 times over the past 24 hours

At least 1 civilian killed, 3 soldiers wounded in Damascus missile attack

One person was killed and three soldiers were wounded in a missile attack on a Damascus suburb, Syria's state television reported, citing a military source

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad makes big change in military service law

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made a big change in the military service law, mainly for Syrian expatriates

European Union slaps sanctions on 7 new Syria government ministers

The European Union imposed sanctions on seven ministers recently appointed to the Syrian government, blaming them for playing a role in the continued crackdown on civilians in the war-ravaged country.

Syria government seizes town of Mayadeen, IS stronghold in east

Officials with the Kurdish-led SDF said it could be hours or days before IS is uprooted from the city, to the north of Mayadeen