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.
A confluence of circumstances has presented an opportunity for a voluntary border realignment.
Syria’s new government will relocate ISIS families from camps, with Kurdish and US support.
Some are skeptical about a $200 million tower in Damascus with the Trump name, while others believe it could herald a new era of stability and economic development in Syria.
America’s new envoy, who is also the ambassador to Turkey, has vowed to bring home Americans who have been missing in Syria.
Other Syrian opposition groups will reportedly take action against the leadership of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the report added, noting feelings of discontent rising among residents in the area.
The Treasury Department's OFAC said that it "issued Syria to provide immediate sanctions relief for Syria in line with the President’s announcement for the cessation of all sanctions."
Kara, a senior figure in the Druze community, is no longer a politician and holds no official Israeli role.
The lifting of sanctions is said to come into effect on Sunday.
Israelis report receiving calls from alleged hostages • IDF strikes Hamas, PIJ office, will expand Gaza ops.
The Treasury Department issued a general license that authorizes transactions involving the interim Syrian government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
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