- 6d ago
United States removes Syria from state sponsor of terrorism list after 47 years
Washington has completed the delisting of Syria as a sponsor of terrorism following a 45-day congressional review, lifting financial curbs imposed on Damascus since 1979 to aid economic reconstruction.
- Aug 24
Damascus court sentences former Syrian grand mufti Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun to life in prison
A Damascus court has sentenced former Syrian grand mufti Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun to life in prison for inciting sectarian violence and participating in murders under the Assad regime.
- Aug 22
Syria and Israel hold direct US-mediated talks in Jordan to ease military tensions
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Mossad chief Roman Gofman met in Amman on 23 August 2026 for US-brokered talks to create a joint operations center and halt military escalation.
- Aug 21
Russian double-tap drone strike kills 16 at Kryvyi Rih mall as Ukraine targets Russian logistics
At least 16 people died and more than 130 were injured after Russian drones struck a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih in two waves, while Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery and warehouse in Samara.
- Aug 21
Syria appoints former Kurdish SDF commander Mazloum Abdi as presidential adviser
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed former Syrian Democratic Forces chief Mazloum Abdi as a presidential adviser, days after the Kurdish-led group completed its military dissolution and integration into state forces.
- Aug 18
IAEA inspectors examine tons of undeclared nuclear material discovered in Syria
UN nuclear inspectors have gained access to tons of nuclear material at an undeclared facility in Syria following formal notification by the interim government in Damascus.
- Aug 18
Israel strikes Syrian airbase as Turkey and Damascus deny troop deployment plans
Israel launched airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Syria, claiming Turkey planned a military deployment, while Ankara and Damascus rejected the allegations.
- Aug 18
Syrian court sentences Assad cousin Wassim al-Assad to death for war crimes
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus sentenced Wassim al-Assad to death for murder, torture, and militia attacks in Eastern Ghouta, one week after handing down in absentia death sentences to Bashar and Maher al-Assad.
- Aug 16
Germany revokes Syrian protection status in 23% of cases as deportations stall
Germany's migration office revoked Syrian protection status in 23.2% of reviewed cases in the first half of 2026, up from 3.7% in 2025, after the fall of Bashar al-Assad prompted a reassessment of whether refugees can safely return.
- Aug 11
Damascus court sentences ousted Assad to death in absentia for war crimes and crimes against humanity
A Damascus criminal court sentenced ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia on 11 August 2026, convicting him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country's nearly 14-year civil war. Six former officials, including his brother Maher, received the same sentence.
- Aug 9
Syria and Russia agree to convert Hmeimim and Tartus bases into joint training centers
Syria announced a memorandum of understanding with Moscow converting the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base into joint training centers, with Damascus retaking civilian facilities after 18 months of negotiations.
- Jul 27
UN chief calls for immediate lifting of all Syria sanctions after Damascus visit
Speaking in Damascus at the end of a two-day visit, António Guterres said all restrictions imposed under Bashar al-Assad must be removed to allow reconstruction.
- Jul 25
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres begins three-day Syria visit, first by a UN chief in 17 years
António Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday for a three-day trip aimed at supporting the country's political transition, more than a year after Islamist-led forces overthrew Bashar al-Assad.
- Jul 9
Syria arrests cell behind Damascus bombings that killed one during Macron visit
Syrian authorities have detained the group responsible for two explosions near the Four Seasons hotel, where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying, in the first EU leader visit since Assad's fall.
- Jul 8
Trump pledges to remove Syria from US terrorism list, opening path for reconstruction
President Trump announced the US will remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism after meeting Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the NATO summit in Ankara. The move, subject to a 45-day congressional review, aims to unlock foreign investment and reconstruction.
- Jul 5
Twin bombings near Macron's Damascus hotel wound 18; French president presses on with Syria visit
Two improvised bombs detonated near the Four Seasons hotel in Damascus on Tuesday, wounding 18 people including four police officers, as French President Emmanuel Macron began the second day of his landmark visit to Syria. Macron, who had already left for the presidential palace, was unharmed and vowed to continue his trip.
- Jul 2
Bomb hidden in Damascus cafe kills nine, injures 20 in deadliest attack since church suicide bombing a year ago
An improvised explosive device planted in a busy central Damascus cafe exploded Thursday afternoon, killing at least nine people and wounding 20, Syrian authorities said.
- Jun 17
Leaked US-Iran framework deal promises $300 billion fund, sanctions relief and Hormuz reopening within 30 days
Al-Arabija and Bloomberg published a 14-point draft framework agreement between Washington and Tehran on Tuesday evening, ahead of its expected signing in Switzerland on Friday.
- Jun 2
Austria puts former Syrian intelligence general on trial for torture in landmark universal jurisdiction case
Khaled al-Halabi, a former Syrian brigade general who ran a notorious intelligence prison in Raqqa, appeared in a Vienna court on Monday charged with torture and sexual coercion of 21 civilians between 2011 and 2013.
