Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, is an Arab nation in the Middle East, situated in the Levant region. The country boasts a rich history and some of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.
In 1963, Syria's government was taken over by the Ba'ath Party, led by Hafez al-Assad. For decades, he and his son and successor, Bashar al-Assad, would rule the country in a reign that has been highly criticized for being totalitarian and for carrying out widespread human rights abuses.
In 2011, a major civil war broke out in Syria, leaving governance of the country fractured between the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad regime based in Syria's largest city and capital of Damascus, US-backed rebel groups led by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Turkey-backed forces, and Islamists under the banner of Hay'at Tahir al-Shams (HTS).
However, in December 2024, HTS and its allies carried out a major offensive from their base of operations in the Idlib province, eventually fully ousting the Assad regime and seizing control of Damascus as well as other major cities such as Homs and Aleppo. Currently, HTS has been spearheading the establishment of a new Syrian interim government. However, the country still remains fractured between them, Assad loyalists, Turkey-backed forces, and the SDF and its allies.
“Given the special status of Syria in the Middle East, Iran believes that the Syrian future should be shaped by its nation," a senior Iranian official said.
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli added that involving Qatar in negotiations was a mistake.
Jewish progressive groups that long decried Gaza as a prison now oppose US plans to relocate willing residents during reconstruction - a stance that contradicts humanitarian concerns.
The suspected perpetrator had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State and had its flag in his apartment and he was also an asylum seeker in Germany who had been radicalized online.
Ex-hostage treated for pneumonia • Israelis attack Palestinians in village near Bethlehem • ICRC local branch voices 'concern' over 'conditions of hostages'
Israel will remain in its position in Syria and the West Bank with backing from the Trump administration, amid ongoing pressure from the EU and the UN.
Israel set to stay in Syria for years to come • Gazan rocket fired at Israel lands inside Strip, IDF strikes launcher
The woman, identified as 52-year-old Swedish citizen Lina Ishaq, returned to Sweden in 2020 and is currently serving time for other offences committed in Syria.
Activists and human rights groups are demanding the prosecution of Khaled al-Fares, who is accused of aiding Syrian forces in tracking down and killing American journalist Marie Colvin in 2012.
Al-sharaa's visit to Turkey marks the highest-level meeting since 2009, signaling a potential shift in Syrian-Turkish relations.
JPOST Digital Library
