Syria HTS gain foothold in Syria ten days after toppling Bashar al-Assad The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group is looking to restore life in Syria to pre-civil war times. The rebel group, which orchestrated the stunning downfall of President Bashar al-Assad, is continuing to push out messages of unity to a population severely scarred by decades of domestic division. 18/12/2024
Travel News UK Foreign Office lifts advice against travel to Israel Travel advisories have been lifted after they were imposed 15 months ago in October 2023. 17/12/2024
Europe News Erdoğan seizes meeting with von der Leyen to demand EU-Turkey upgrade During her meeting with President Erdoğan, Ursula von der Leyen announced an additional €1 billion to support Syrian refugees in Turkey, which can be adapted "as things evolve on the ground." 17/12/2024
Syria Syria's HTS leader says rebel groups will be 'disbanded' to join army HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa pushed a message of unity in Syria as he sought to reassure minorities in the war-torn country. 17/12/2024
Syria Syria's new government says Russia should 'reconsider' its troops Syria’s new transitional government says there is no place for Russian presence in Syria a week after the country’s long-time President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. The new government also says it is open to engage in contacts with all countries to pave Syria’s new future. 16/12/2024
Lebanon Greek PM in Lebanon: 'Syria needs to be inclusive' Kyriakos Mitsotakis became the first European leader to visit Lebanon following the ceasefire with Israel. 16/12/2024
Syria Israeli airstrikes in Syria 'most violent' since 2012, monitor says The Israeli military says it is only hitting military targets in Syria after the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's rule last weekend following a stunning rebel advance. 16/12/2024
Europe News EU takes first step to make contact with Syrian rebels, Kallas says The EU has taken the first step to directly engage with HTS, the Syrian rebel force, while maintaining its designation of a terrorist organisation. 16/12/2024
Radio Schuman Are conservatives set to take back power in Germany? On Monday, the German parliament will hold a confidence vote on Chancellor Olaf Scholz amid the rise of the far-right in the country. 16/12/2024
Israel Israel plans to expand into Golan Heights in a 'new front' in Syria Israel's "demographic development" plan to increase settler numbers only applies to the area of the Golan Heights that Israel seized during the Six Day War in 1967 and later annexed in 1981 and not to territory taken since al-Assad's ouster. 15/12/2024
Syria Syria's Kurds fearful of the future after Islamist rebels seized power One week after President Bashir al-Assad's regime was toppled the Kurdish region in the north is neither as calm nor as relieved as the rest of Syria. 15/12/2024
Syria Damascus is surprisingly calm a week after Syria's rebels took over A week of transition has been surprisingly smooth: Reports of reprisals, revenge killings sectarian violence and looting have all been minimal. 15/12/2024
Lebanon Najib Mikati calls for Syrian refugees in Lebanon to return home With a population of 5.8 million, the two million Syrian refugees in the country means Lebanon is home to the largest number of refugees per capita. 15/12/2024
World News Blinken says US has had 'direct contact' with Syria's HTS rebels Speaking at a press conference in the Jordanian city Aqaba, Blinken said that America and its allies 'have an important stake in helping the Syrian people chart this new path.' 14/12/2024
Europe News Turkey reopens its embassy in Syria for the first time in 12 years The embassy reopening happened just days after rebels overthrew the government of Bashar al-Assad. 14/12/2024
Europe News Austria offers Syrian refugees €1,000 'return bonus' The EU's executive branch, the European Commission, said that currently 'the conditions are not met for safe, voluntary, dignified returns to Syria.' 13/12/2024
World News Syrians celebrate al-Assad fall as interim leaders map future Amid the scenes of jubilation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an ‘inclusive and non-sectarian’ interim government. 13/12/2024
No Comment WATCH: Families search Saydnaya prison for missing loved ones Thousands of Syrians have flocked to Saydnaya prison, infamous for mass executions and torture under Assad’s regime, seeking news of missing relatives. Known as the "Human Slaughterhouse," Saydnaya was taken over by rebel forces on 8 December 2024, leading to the release of surviving inmates. 13/12/2024
World News First Friday prayers held in Syria since fall of al-Assad HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa called on Syrians to celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad peacefully in the squares, asking them to refrain from using gunfire. 13/12/2024
Europe News Russia seeks to retain influence and relations with new Syrian regime Russia left Bashir Al-Assad’s regime in the lurch last week, merely offering the dictator sanctuary, but the Kremlin remains keen to maintain its interest in the country and has established relations with new Syrian government, MEPs and experts tell Euronews. 13/12/2024