Syria – War Watch

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Security or justice? Syria faces post-Assad reckoning after string of arrests
ByMelvyn Ingleby in Istanbul and William Christou in Beirut May 4, 2026

New government accused of ‘performative justice’ and making deals with suspects in 2013 Tadamon massacresAhmad al-Homsi is a deep sleeper, but when he was woken last month and told that Amjad Youssef, a Syrian intelligence officer who killed civilians …

Read More Security or justice? Syria faces post-Assad reckoning after string of arrests
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Bashar al-Assad | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Syria | War crimes | World news

Syrian commission prepares war crimes case against notorious Assad official
ByMelvyn Ingleby in Istanbul and William Christou in Beirut April 30, 2026

Fadi Saqr is accused of mass killings of civilians in Tadamon, Damascus, where people say he must face justiceA Syrian rights commission is preparing a case accusing Fadi Saqr, a militia leader within the Assad regime, of involvement in crimes against …

Read More Syrian commission prepares war crimes case against notorious Assad official
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Gallows Humor Provides Respite From Mideast Wars
ByAbdi Latif Dahir April 29, 2026April 29, 2026

Arab digital creators on social media are turning out edgy material to cope with the conflicts and bring levity to a pain that often feels too raw.

Read More Gallows Humor Provides Respite From Mideast Wars
al-Shara, Ahmed (Abu Mohammad al-Jolani) (1982- ) | Assad, Bashar al- | Euphrates River | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Kurds | Politics and Government | Raqqa (Syria) | Syria | Syrian Democratic Forces | Terrorism | United States Defense and Military Forces | War and Armed Conflicts

Raqqa Showcases Syria’s Tumultuous Past
ByCarlotta Gall, Hussam Hammoud and Nanna Heitmann April 25, 2026

The city on the Euphrates, once a cradle of civilization, suffered under a succession of recent rulers. Our visit found it hoping for change.

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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Bashar al-Assad | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Syria | World news

Syria arrests suspected leader of Tadamon massacre
ByMichael Safi and Melvyn Ingleby April 24, 2026April 24, 2026

Amjad Youssef is one of most-wanted fugitives in relation to slaughter of estimated 288 civilians under AssadA Syrian former regime official suspected of leading a notorious civilian massacre revealed by the Guardian – and who became one of the country…

Read More Syria arrests suspected leader of Tadamon massacre
Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Bases and Installations | Syria | Terrorism | United States Defense and Military Forces

U.S. Completes Handover of Military Bases in Syria
ByRaja Abdulrahim April 16, 2026April 16, 2026

The transition signals the end of a formal U.S. military presence in Syria for the first time in more than a decade.

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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Europe | France | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Islamic State | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Syria | World news

French cement maker convicted of financing terror groups to keep its Syria plant working
ByAngelique Chrisafis in Paris and agencies April 13, 2026

Lafarge fined more than €1m and its former boss jailed for paying nearly €5.6m to groups including Islamic State A French court has fined the cement group Lafarge more than €1m (£870,000) and sentenced its former boss to six years in prison for paying …

Read More French cement maker convicted of financing terror groups to keep its Syria plant working
Albania | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Europe | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Islamic State | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Syria | World news

‘We waited 12 years’: escapees from Syria’s camps face an uncertain future
ByBy Arbjona Cibuku in Tirana, William Christou and Ashifa Kassam April 12, 2026

A young Albanian woman’s escape from al-Hawl offers rare hope – but as the camp empties many are left stranded, prompting urgent calls for repatriationFor weeks he hovered near Turkey’s border with Syria hoping for good news. In early February, Xhetan …

Read More ‘We waited 12 years’: escapees from Syria’s camps face an uncertain future
Assad, Bashar al- | Hezbollah | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel-Gaza War (2023- ) | Israel–Iran War | Netanyahu, Benjamin | Syria | Tehran (Iran) | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

In New War With Israel, Hezbollah Defies Notion That It Was Crippled
ByAbdi Latif Dahir April 11, 2026April 11, 2026

The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group surprised many with the intensity of its attacks on Israel in the current conflict.

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Defense and Military Forces | International Relations | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Iraq | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Pilots | Rescues | Syria | United States | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States International Relations | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

What U.S. military Pilots Are Trained to Do if Shot Down
ByPranav Baskar April 3, 2026

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