Following clashes with local Bedouin tribes that resulted in over 100 deaths, Syrian government soldiers entered Sweida on Tuesday with the claimed goal of enforcing a truce that was agreed upon with leaders of the Druze community. Witnesses, however, claimed that during a violent rampage across the city, government forces allied with the Bedouin to target Druze combatants and civilians. Earlier this evening, it was reported that the death toll had topped 300.
Archiv: Al Nusra Front / Jabhat Fatah al-Sham / Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) / Al Kaida / Syria regime ruler from Dezember 2024 on
Turkey says ceasefire in Syria may take place within hours
16 July 2025 20:05 BST
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that a ceasefire could take hold in Syria within the next three to four hours, as Israeli military strikes continue to target Syrian government forces in Sweida and Damascus.
“By working together with the Americans, I hope that
US calls upon Syria to pull out troops in southern border
16 July 2025 19:23 BST
The statements were made after fighting between Syrian government troops and local Druze fighters resumed in the southern city of Sweida hours following a ceasefire agreement.
Israel bombs Damascus, stoking conflict with Syria’s new government
Israel on Wednesday launched what it said were “dozens” of strikes across Syria, including in the capital, escalating a conflict with a fledgling government that was already grappling with domestic unrest in which scores of people have been killed.
Israel tied Wednesday’s strikes and others this week to that internal conflict, saying it was attacking forces of the new Islamist government to protect the Druze minority.
Syria announces ceasefire after latest outbreak of deadly sectarian violence
Syria’s Interior Ministry said Monday that more than 30 people had been killed, but has not updated the figures since. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitor, said Tuesday that 166 people had been killed since Sunday, including five women and two children.
Trump meets with Syria‘s new leader, a former Islamist militant, after announcing sanctions to be lifted
In a readout on the two leaders‘ meeting in Saudi Arabia, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr. Trump had told the Syrian leader that „he has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country,“ and urged him to join Saudi Arabia in signing onto the U.S.-backed Abraham Accords, to normalize ties with Israel.
Israel launches new strikes on Syria amid Druze tensions
The strikes came after Druze clerics and armed factions reaffirmed their loyalty to Damascus. They urged the new authorities to appoint local officials to government posts in Sweida province, heartland of the Druze religious group.
Their statement followed fighting between Druze fighters and Syrian forces, including government-affiliated groups that killed more than 100 people in Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus and in Sweida, the Observatory said.
Second attack in two days: Israel hits target near Syrian presidential palace in Damascus
The conflict ignited around midnight Monday following the circulation of an audio recording on social media containing criticism of Islam‘s Prophet Muhammad, attributed to a Druze cleric. However, cleric Marwan Kiwan denied responsibility for the controversial audio in a social media video.
Over 100 Killed as Sectarian Fighting Surrounding Syrian Druze Community Rages
(May 1, 2025)
The anti-Druze sentiment started overnight Monday into Tuesday. An audio recording was released online insulting the Prophet Muhammad and quickly went viral. It was attributed to an unnamed Druze leader in Suwayda, though that has not been confirmed, and it has been speculated it was specifically released to inflame sectarian violence.
If that was the purpose, mission accomplished, because attacks on the Druze in Jaramana were happening the very next day.
Fatal clashes on Lebanon-Syria border: Lebanese army responds to rising violence – what are the details?
The experiences of residents in the border villages highlight a delicate and dangerous reality, particularly after the discovery of the bodies of Ahmed and Mohammad Medlej in Fadeliyeh, inside Syrian territory.
The Medlej brothers, who were married to Syrian women, were part of the minority groups that remained in the area after receiving assurances. Their deaths remain a mystery.
Clashes renewed on Lebanese-Syrian border in northern Hermel
National News Agency correspondent in Hermel reported that clashes have renewed on the Lebanese-Syrian border north of Hermel, after the town of Hawsh al-Sayyid Ali was subjected to shelling from the Syrian side.
Lebanon says it was hit by cross-border attack from Syria as tensions escalate
In response, Lebanon’s presidency said Monday that tensions on the country’s frontier with Syria “cannot go on.”
“What is happening on the eastern and northeastern borders cannot go on, and we will not accept its continuation,” the presidency said on X, adding that President Joseph Aoun has instructed the military to respond “to the source of fire.”
‘The streets are empty, no one dares go outside’: Syria’s Alawites terrorised by revenge killings
Hayan was lucky – they chose merely to scare not kill him – but by the time the rampage finally ended, 25 residents of the Alawite town of Salhab, northwest Syria, were dead. They included a 90-year-old local religious figure whom militants killed after forcing him to watch them murder his son.
Such massacres had become a feature of Syria’s 14-year civil war, but Salhab’s violence last week took place during some of the country’s deadliest days since the beginning of the war itself. Besides the high death toll, what marked these killings as different — and a dark omen for the country’s future — is that many were carried out by militants nominally a part of the new Syrian army created by the country’s new president.
Syria’s government signs a breakthrough deal with Kurdish-led authorities in the northeast
The deal is a major breakthrough that would bring most of Syria under the control of the government, which is led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that led the ouster of President Bashar Assad in December.
The deal was signed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Kurdish Rights Group Demands Probe into Syria Mass Killings
(March 11, 2025)
The Kurdish Human Rights Network and its allied organizations have issued an urgent appeal for immediate action to prevent further atrocities. The coalition has demanded the following:
1- Immediate cessation of military operations in Syria’s coastal region, Kobani, and the Tishreen Dam area.
2- An end to all forms of ethnic cleansing and racial persecution against Syria’s diverse communities.
3- Withdrawal of military forces and armed factions from towns, villages, and residential areas, returning them to their bases.
4- The establishment of independent civilian bodies to maintain security, free from military coercion.
5- Revelation of the fate of missing persons and an end to the alarming increase in enforced disappearances.
6- Formation of an independent international investigation committee, with the participation of Syrian human rights organizations and direct oversight from the United Nations, to uncover the truth behind the violence.
7- Accountability for all parties involved in war crimes and sectarian-based violence.
8- Prosecution of individuals and entities spreading hate speech, while advocating for a comprehensive national dialogue that includes all Syrian factions, aiming to build a future based on justice and peace.
Syria’s HTS Say Security Operation Against Alawites Over, More Than 1,300 Killed
The fighting against militias is only a fraction of the story though, as Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry forces carried out mass executions of Alawite civilians in the area. There are also reports they killed some members of the Christian minority, and Greek MEP Nikolas Faratouris, who was visiting Damascus this weekend claimed to have seen “reliable data” that over 7,000 Christians and Alawites were killed, though this is far higher than any other reports yet available.
The executions are broadly confirmed to have happened, though the exact toll is yet to be determined. More than 10,000 Syrian Alawites have fled into northern Lebanon in the past two days trying to escape the violence.
Over 1,000 Reported Killed, Mostly Civilians, as HTS Syrian Forces Attack Alawites
Some of the militias may indeed hold loyalty to former Assad-era Maj. Gen. Suhayl al-Hassan, but the claim of the hundreds of civilians being loyalists stretches credibility. Indications are that the executions aren’t being done on the basis of any loyalty test, but rather that any Alawites in the Alawite-heavy region are the target.
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International reaction has been mixed. The UN has urged calm and the Red Cross have emphasized the need to ensure access to health facilities in the effected areas, while Kuwait and Bahrain have both offered statements of support for the HTS, condemning the Alawite militias as “outlaws” and accusing them of threatening the stability of the Syrian state.
Beobachtungsstelle meldet mehr als 1.000 Tote in Syrien
Die neuen Machthaber erklärten, sie hätten auf Angriffe von Überresten der Assad-Truppen reagiert und machten „individuelle Aktionen“ für die ausufernde Gewalt verantwortlich.
Laut anderen Berichten sind bewaffnete Unterstützer der Übergangsregierung dafür verantwortlich. Sie sollen sich Befehlen aus Damaskus widersetzt haben. Das syrische Staatsfernsehen berichtete dagegen, Unbekannte hätten sich mit Uniformen der Regierungstruppen verkleidet und die Taten begangen, um einen Bürgerkrieg anzustiften.
2 days of clashes and revenge killings in Syria leave more than 1,000 people dead
“It was very very bad. Bodies were on the streets,” as he was fleeing, Sheha said, speaking by phone from nearly 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from the city. He said the gunmen were gathering less than 100 meters from his apartment building, firing randomly at homes and residents and in at least one incident he knows of, asked residents for their IDs to check their religion and their sect before killing them. He said the gunmen also burned some homes and stole cars and robbed homes.
Hundreds of Alawite civilians killed in ‘executions’ by Syria’s security forces, war monitor says
At least 745 civilians belonging to Syria’s Alawite minority have been killed execution-style by the country’s security forces and their allies in the past two days, a war monitor said Saturday. Witnesses recount horrifying scenes, saying bodies lay strewn on the streets in some areas.
Netanyahu demands ‘complete demilitarization’ of southern Syria
The same day al-Assad was ousted, Israel announced that its troops were entering a UN-patrolled buffer zone that has separated Israeli and Syrian forces on the strategic Golan Heights since 1974.
Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria in a war in 1967, later annexing the area in a move largely unrecognized by the international community.
Netanyahu said that Israeli forces will remain in the buffer zone “for an indefinite period to protect our communities and thwart any threat.”
Israel won‘t allow HTS forces in southern Syria, Netanyahu says
„We will not allow forces of the HTS or the new Syrian army to enter the territory south of Damascus. We demand full demilitarization of southern Syria, in the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa and Sweida,“ Netanyahu said at a military graduation ceremony.
Gunmen kill 10 in Syria village ‚massacre‘ – monitor
The Britain-based monitor, which has a large network of sources on the ground in Syria, said gunmen „rapped on the doors of houses in the village and shot at people using handguns equipped with silencers“ before fleeing.
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Syrian newspaper Al-Watan, quoting a security source in Hama, said security forces „are surrounding the Arzah area to hunt the criminals“ behind the killings.
Syria: Manbij car bomb attack suspends SDF-Damascus talks
The attack on Monday killed at least 20 people, most of them women working in agricultural fields.
The area was captured from the SDF by Turkey-backed armed groups in the Syrian National Army (SNA) coalition in December. Fighting has been ongoing between the factions around the Tishreen Dam to the east.
There have been seven car bombings in and around Manbij since December. No one has claimed responsibility.
U.S. Relies Heavily on Saudi Money to Support Syrian Rebels
(January 23, 2016)
In addition to Saudi Arabia’s vast oil reserves and role as the spiritual anchor of the Sunni Muslim world, the long intelligence relationship helps explain why the United States has been reluctant to openly criticize Saudi Arabia for its human rights abuses, its treatment of women and its support for the extreme strain of Islam, Wahhabism, that has inspired many of the very terrorist groups the United States is fighting. The Obama administration did not publicly condemn Saudi Arabia’s beheading this month of a dissident Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who had challenged the royal family.
‘People in Our Government Supported Al-Qaeda’: Gabbard in Heated Exchange With Sen. Kelly
(January 30,2025)
“It was shocking and a betrayal to me and every person who was killed on 9/11, their families, and my brothers and sisters in uniform.” She continued, “When as a member of Congress, I learned about President Obama’s, dual programs that he had begun, really to overthrow the regime of Syria and being willing to, through the CIA’s Timber Sycamore program that has now been made public, of working with and arming and equipping Al Qaeda in an effort to overthrow that regime, starting yet another regime change war in the Middle East.”
Syrien-Krieg: Ist Russland ein Lakai der N.A.T.O.? Will es noch ein Blutbad in Asien?
(December 13, 2012)
Die neuesten Äußerungen von Sergej Lawrows Stellvertreter, Mikhail Bogdanov, sind ein weiteres, unleugbares Anzeichen dafür, dass die derzeitige Regierung in Moskau, wenn nicht sogar Russlands Präsident Wladimir Putin, bei der laufenden Invasion und Zerschlagung Syriens durch Proxy-Armeen einfallender Militärmächte – namentlich der Türkei, Frankreich, U.S.A., Großbritannien, sowie diverser asiatischer Kirchenstaaten und Monarchien – aktiv oder passiv kollaboriert.
Russian government delegation makes first official visit to Syria since Assad‘s fall
Following Assad’s downfall, Russia relocated its troops and assets from all over Syria to its main hub at the Hmeimim air base near Latakia. There has been no indication that Moscow was preparing to evacuate the Hmeimim base or the naval facility in Tartus altogether.
US-backed Syrian authorities conduct dozens of sectarian executions
SOHR reported earlier this month that at least 150 Alawites have been killed since the new government came to power. Heavy media censorship is being imposed, and the numbers are expected to remain on the rise. Alongside Alawites, members of the Christian community in Syria and their holy sites have been targeted.
In January, over 190 people were killed – including five women – in field executions or revenge killings, according to SOHR.
HTS raids and forced disappearances fuel fear in Syria’s Alawi heartlands
MEE is not aware of any evidence linking Assad’s departure to a deal with Israel. However, there have been reports suggesting that the former president shared sensitive military information with Israel in exchange for a guarantee of safe passage out of Syria.
Since the government collapsed, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syrian military positions nationwide and launched a ground invasion, capturing the entire buffer zone along the occupied Golan Heights and beyond.
The government, Hussem said, had the means to resist but chose not to, opting instead to flee and leave their officers to fend for themselves.
Syria: Mayor accused of Assad association executed
A photo was circulated of what was said to be Kneneh’s body tied to a tree trunk with what appeared to be a gunshot wound on his forehead and blood on the ground.
A video was circulated showing children beating him with a stick and kicking him in the head while he was tied to the tree trunk.
Peace with Israel Tops the Agenda for Syria’s New Leaders
(January 3. 2025)
Although the majority of high-ranking officials in the HTS-led administration refrain from making categorical claims about Israel, they constantly stress that Iran and Hezbollah, not Israel, are Syria’s main enemies.
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Ayman Al-Asimi, a senior member of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) and former spokesperson for the Syrian opposition delegations during the Astana talks, made headlines with his remarks to BBC Arabic. He stated unequivocally that Syria’s only opponent is Iran.
From ‘Terrorist’ to ‘Freedom Fighter’: How the West Rebranded Al-Qaeda’s Jolani as Syria’s ‘Woke’ New Leader
(December 12, 2024)
In 2003, he went to Iraq to fight against American forces. After three years of war, he was captured by the U.S. military and spent over five years in prison, including a stint at the notorious Abu Ghraib torture center.
While in Iraq, Jolani fought with ISIS and was even a deputy to its founder. Immediately upon release in 2011, ISIS sent him to Syria with a rumored $1 billion to found the Syrian wing of al-Qaeda and participate in the armed protest movement against Assad that arose out of the Arab Spring.