Conflict in Syria
Since the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, Syria has entered a fragile transition under Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). In the northeast, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to clash with Turkish-backed factions and Arab tribes, while rising sectarian tensions have fueled targeted attacks on the Alawite and Druze communities in the southwest. Meanwhile, the Islamic State is exploiting the fragmented security landscape to reestablish its foothold. Israel, viewing the new regime as a threat, has launched air and ground assaults. Although the United States has eased sanctions and Arab states have pledged aid, instability, minority tensions, and weak recovery still block large-scale refugee returns, and humanitarian conditions remain dire.
Syria’s Civil War (2011-24)
What began as protests against President Assad’s regime in 2011 quickly escalated into a full-scale war between the Syrian government—backed by Russia and Iran—and anti-government rebel groups—backed by the United States and a rotating number of U.S. allies, including France, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom. Three campaigns drove the conflict: coalition efforts to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State, violence between the Syrian government and opposition forces, and military operations against Syrian Kurds by Turkish forces.
The Islamic State began seizing control of territory in Syria in 2013. After a series of terrorist attacks coordinated by the Islamic State across Europe in 2015, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France—with the support of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other Arab partners—expanded their air campaign in Iraq to include Syria. Together, those nations have conducted over eleven thousand air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, while the U.S.-led coalition has continued its support for ground operations by the SDF. Turkish troops have been involved in ground operations against the Islamic State since 2016 and have launched attacks against armed Kurdish groups in Syria.
Meanwhile, at the request of the Syrian government in September 2015, Russia began launching air strikes against what it claimed were Islamic State targets, while Syrian government forces achieved several notable victories over the Islamic State, including the reclamation of the city of Palmyra. According to the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, Iraqi security forces and the SDF reclaimed 98 percent of the territory formerly held by the group in Iraq and Syria, including the cities of Raqqa and Deir al-Zour.
With Russian and Iranian support, the Syrian government steadily regained control of territory from opposition forces, including the opposition’s stronghold in Aleppo in 2016. The regime was accused of using chemical weapons numerous times over the course of the conflict, resulting in international condemnation in 2013, 2017, and 2018. Opposition forces maintained limited control in Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and on the Iraq-Syria border. During this period, efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution were unsuccessful. Various rounds of UN-backed peace talks in Geneva failed to reach a political resolution, while a ceasefire reached in Astana, Kazakhstan, collapsed after Syrian government forces violated its terms.
During President Donald Trump’s first term, the United States largely withdrew from Syria, leaving only about four hundred U.S. troops as a contingency force. On January 16, 2019, an attack in Manbij claimed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State killed at least nineteen people, including four Americans. Before that attack, only two Americans had been killed in action in Syria since the U.S.-led campaign began. The U.S.-led international coalition continues to carry out military operations against the remnants of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates.
By 2023, the Assad regime appeared to be reemerging from years of diplomatic isolation. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with Assad in Damascus to strengthen economic cooperation and the Arab League agreed to re-admit Syria after a twelve-year suspension. Rebel groups remained confined to Idlib for several years, leading most regional analysts to believe the threat to Assad had largely ended, even as sporadic Islamic State attacks and Israeli strikes on Iran-backed militias continued.
According to UN estimates, around 580,000 people were killed during the civil war, with millions either internally displaced or living as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and several European states. On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck northwest Syria and southeastern Turkey in one of the worst natural disasters of this century. In Syria, the disaster killed an estimated 8,400 people and caused about $5.1 billion in damages, deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Overthrow of Bashar al-Assad (2024)
Battlefield dynamics in Syria shifted significantly following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel accelerated its airstrikes in Syria, killing multiple senior officials within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and weakening Iran-backed local militias. After Israel launched a ground invasion and large-scale aerial campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September 2024, the group significantly scaled back its contingency presence in Syria. Likewise, the Russian invasion of Ukraine forced Russia to shift forces away from its bases in Syria.
By November 2024, the retrenchment of Assad’s foreign allies provided a military opening for Syrian rebel groups to renew their campaign against the Assad regime. In contrast to the declining influence of the regime’s allies, the rebels had continued receiving military support from Turkey, which maintained troops in northern Syria and aided the Syrian National Army (SNA), a key rebel group. As the November offensive began, Assad’s forces fought back with minimal firepower. After capturing Aleppo, rebel forces seized Hama on December 5, Daraa on December 6, and Homs on December 7, before overpowering Assad’s fleeing forces in Damascus on December 8. Throughout their offensive, the rebels freed thousands of political prisoners held by the Assad regime. The offensive’s speed surprised many observers, including analysts, Syrians, and even the rebels themselves.
Transition Under Ahmed al-Sharaa (2024-Present)
As Assad fled to Moscow and many Syrians celebrated the rebels’ announcement of victory on state television, a new interim administration emerged under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, then known by his nom de guerre, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. Al-Sharaa founded HTS as a successor group to Jabhat al-Nusra, which was al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate before breaking off in mid-2016. Those ties to al-Qaeda prompted the United States to designate Al-Sharaa as a terrorist. Still, the United States and many European governments cautiously welcomed the change in government, calling for the new regime to implement an inclusive political solution aligned with UN resolutions.
Since then, the Sharaa regime’s record has been mixed. His government has suggested it is committed to a secular state with equality among Syria’s diverse population, but many minority communities feel sidelined and fearful of the new regime. Women and minorities won only a few seats in recent parliamentary elections held in October, while its new interim constitution risks centralizing power without credible institutional guarantees for civil and political rights.
In March, the Sharaa regime signed an agreement with the SDF to integrate the Kurdish population into government structures. However, clashes restarted after the deal failed to materialize. Turkey’s interest in preventing Kurdish autonomy has further complicated the process, as Ankara continues to threaten military escalation.
Although the regime promised to avoid retribution against the Alawite minority, which Assad’s rule had favored, it struggled to contain a vigilante assault that killed an estimated 1,400 members of the community, predominantly civilians, in March 2025. A Reuters investigation traced much of the violence to units integrated into the new government’s security apparatus. In southern Syria, meanwhile, the Druze population accused Damascus of backing Bedouin tribes in deadly clashes over the summer of 2025, which killed at least 1,000 people.
In May 2025, President Trump announced that the United States would suspend all sanctions targeting the Syrian regime, following a more limited U.S. waiver in January 2025. Nonetheless, ongoing security threats, weak government institutions, and lingering international sanctions have limited economic recovery, keeping humanitarian conditions bleak. This has prevented most refugees from returning home, although the UN reported in September 2025 that around 1 million had returned, along with 1.8 million internally displaced individuals.
Throughout this period, Israel has continued striking regime targets. After the Israeli government declared the UN-sponsored 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement void, it initiated a ground invasion on December 8, 2024. Israel coupled the invasion with an aerial campaign targeting weapons caches throughout the country, aiming to prevent the new Islamist regime from amassing significant military power. Israel intensified this campaign during the July 2025 Druze-Bedouin clashes, striking several key government targets, including the Defense Ministry and an area adjacent to the Presidential Palace, as it echoed Druze accusations of regime support for the Bedouin tribes. Despite these clashes, Israel and Syria have maintained talks aimed at restoring the UN-backed 1974 agreement and achieving a broader regional security arrangement.
U.S. Carries Out Large Scale Strikes Against ISIS
U.S. Central Command said they were part of continued retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. and Syrian forces last month (CENTCOM). Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the U.S. and Jordanian militaries have worked with the new Syrian government to target the remnants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (NYT).
Clashes in Aleppo
Syria’s military declared a ceasefire today in three neighborhoods of Aleppo, after fighting with Kurdish forces displaced an estimated 140,000 people in recent days, per Syrian authorities (Reuters). The clashes broke out despite efforts over the past year to integrate the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces into the country’s military (CFR). The Trump administration is “working extensively” to extend the truce, its special envoy for Syria wrote on social media (X).
Israel-Syria Security Channel
The two countries agreed to establish an intelligence sharing and military de-escalation channel during U.S.-mediated talks in Paris (State Department). Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria since the arrival of the current Ahmed al-Sharaa government, citing security concerns, even as Washington has urged the countries to reconcile (NYT).
British, French Strikes on ISIS
U.S. Defense Bill Removes Congressional Sanctions on Syria
The U.S. Senate passed an annual defense bill that removes congressional sanctions on the Syrian government applied in 2019 to support the country’s reconstruction following the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad (AP).
U.S. Troops Killed in Syria
Trump pledged “very serious retaliation” on social media after two U.S. service members and one American civilian interpreter were killed in Syria; he wrote that the self-declared Islamic State was responsible and that the attack occurred in a part of the country not fully controlled by the Syrian government (Truth Social). Three other U.S. service members and two members of Syrian security forces were also wounded; a spokesperson for Syria’s Interior Ministry said the gunman, who was killed during the attack, had been part of the government’s security forces (NYT).
Israeli Druze Leader Urges U.S. Protection of Syrian Druze
Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif argued that such intervention was necessary to reduce the need for Israeli intervention to safeguard minority communities, following deadly clashes in Sweida this summer; he called for a model of internal autonomy for the Druze community (Reuters).
Shelling in Damascus
Shells landed near the Mezzah military airport, per Syria’s state news agency, following reports of explosions; no culprit has been identified, though Damascus has recently faced similar artillery attacks (Anadolu Agency).
Syria Marks One Year Since Assad’s Fall
Crowds rallied across Damascus, Aleppo, and other cities to commemorate the first anniversary of Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow, as President Ahmed al-Sharaa touted a “promising future,” although Syria continues to grapple with political and economic hurdles (BBC). In Washington, the U.S. Congress passed a defense spending bill that included a repeal of the Caesar sanctions, which were widely viewed as an obstacle to Syrian reconstruction (Reuters).
U.S. Military Praises Syria’s Anti-Hezbollah Measures
The U.S. Central Command issued a statement congratulating Syrian security forces for intercepting several weapons shipments being smuggled to Hezbollah through Syrian territory, as the United States increases coordination with Damascus in countering Iranian proxies (X). In Ottawa, meanwhile, officials removed Syria from Canada’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, as Damascus continues pushing for international relief (Al Jazeera). Finally, a Reuters investigation revealed that former Assad intelligence chief Kamal Hassan and billionaire cousin Rami Makhlouf are each financing tens of thousands of prospective Alawite fighters from exile in Moscow, competing to control a network of underground command rooms and weapons stockpiles left from Assad’s final days; both men aim to incite uprisings along Syria’s coast to restore their influence, although their efforts remain disorganized and underfunded, diminishing the plotters’ prospects (Reuters).
Landmark UN Security Council Visit to Syria
All fifteen members of the Security Council traveled to Damascus for the council’s first-ever visit to Syria, signaling international re-engagement following Assad’s ouster last year; the delegation met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and civil society figures to discuss accountability, reconstruction, and national reconciliation (AP). Additionally, Visa will begin operating in Syria as the country’s economic reconstruction progresses, the company and Syrian central bank governor Abdulkader Husrieh announced; Husrieh said Damascus aimed to make Syria a financial hub for the region (Reuters). The International Monetary Fund pledged to assist with building out its financial system following a staff visit to the country last month (Reuters).
EU Revises Asylum Policy for Syrians
The new guidance reflects changes inside Syria, concluding that some former risk groups may no longer face persecution while warning that minorities and former regime affiliates remain vulnerable; the revision could affect asylum outcomes for more than 100,000 pending cases (AP). Syria’s Central Bank head said that the return of refugees has helped economic activity rebound at a faster pace than international forecasts; he also discussed plans to introduce a redesigned Syrian currency and overhaul deficit financing as part of reintegration into the global financial system (Reuters).
Netanyahu Signals Openness to Arrangement With Syria
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that an understanding would require the creation of a broad demilitarized belt extending toward Mount Hermon; his remarks follow public concerns from the Trump administration that Israel’s continued military activity inside Syria is undermining the country’s economic and political rehabilitation (Reuters).
Joint U.S.-Syrian Operations Against the Islamic State
The U.S. military said the operations eliminated multiple arms depots linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State around Damascus, as Washington signals continued security cooperation with the Sharaa administration and weighs further sanctions repeals (Reuters).
Amnesty International Calls for Further Reforms in Syria
The group’s secretary-general said that the Sharaa regime has taken initial steps toward accountability and legal reform but has not yet established meaningful democratic structures; she also urged foreign governments to investigate recent abuses, warning that Syria’s transition risks stalling without outside backing (AP).
Clashes in Alawite Latakia
Hundreds from the Alawite community gathered in a rare protest to demand a more decentralized political system and the release of detainees, prompting government supporters to hold a counter-protest that escalated into gunfire in one of the city’s main squares; Syrian security forces fired warning shots in response (Jerusalem Post).
Sectarian Clashes in Homs
Members of the Bani Khaled tribe attacked an Alawite-majority neighborhood following the killing of a Bedouin husband and wife in the village of Zaidal, injuring multiple people and killing at least two; security forces later imposed a curfew and initiated investigations (AP).
Netanyahu Visits Israeli-Occupied Syrian Territory
Damascus blasted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to troops stationed in southern Syria, calling it a breach of sovereignty after Israel expanded its positions there following Assad’s fall; Syrian officials said the move signaled Israel’s refusal to reverse recent territorial gains, as sources report that U.S.-mediated talks on a limited security arrangement have stalled (Reuters). An Israeli news report had suggested that Jerusalem was conditioning a withdrawal of its troops in Syria on complete normalization of bilateral ties, which Damascus has rebuffed (Times of Israel). In Raqqa, meanwhile, two Syrian army soldiers were killed in clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces, as talks to implement the March deal between the two sides continue to falter (Al Arabiya).
Syrian Trial Over March Coastal Killings
Syria opened its first court proceedings related to the March massacres of Alawite civilians, trying a dozen defendants from both government-affiliated forces and pro-Assad insurgents in a public session in Aleppo; officials framed the case as an effort to demonstrate accountability in the post-Assad era, though activists and Alawite groups questioned the judiciary’s independence (Reuters). Meanwhile, senior Syrian and Russian defense officials conducted a joint visit to southern Syria following the arrival of a Russian delegation to the country; Damascus is seeking renewed Russian military support to deter expanding Israeli operations, despite continued Syrian aversion to Moscow for its support of the former Bashar al-Assad regime (The National).
Syria Detains Security Forces Over July Sweida Clashes
Damascus announced that an unspecified number of Syrian security forces and soldiers were arrested as part of the investigation into the clashes, which occurred between the Druze minority and Bedouin militias aided by government-affiliated forces (Jerusalem Post). The situation in Sweida remains tense following an exchange of fire between Druze and Syrian government units late last week (AP).
EU-Syria Meeting in Damascus
Syrian civil society groups, transitional authorities, and European Union (EU) officials held their first joint discussions inside Syria since the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, addressing communal strains and unresolved cases of missing individuals; EU officials said the event marked a step toward more inclusive political engagement (AP).
Fighting Resurfaces in Sweida
Druze armed groups and Syrian government units blamed each other for breaching a months-old ceasefire after renewed clashes around al-Majdal, which involved drone strikes and heavy weapons but caused no reported deaths; local officials warned the flare-up risks reigniting the large-scale violence that devastated Sweida earlier this year (AP). In Damascus, unknown assailants fired rockets in the Mezzeh district, injuring a civilian; explosions in Damascus have been relatively rare since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime (Al Jazeera).
Syria Reopens London Embassy
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani visited the United Kingdom and formally reopened the embassy more than ten years after its closure; al-Shibani said his talks with UK officials were constructive (AP). Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack said Damascus will support U.S. efforts to counter Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, following Syria’s entry into the coalition against the self-proclaimed Islamic State; along with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Barrack also also met Turkish and Syrian officials to discuss integrating the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into the Syrian state (Times of Israel/AFP).
Counterterror Operations in Syria
The U.S. military announced that between October 1 and November 6, U.S. forces facilitated at least twenty-two operations targeting militants from the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS); the operations killed at least five fighters and captured another nineteen (Reuters). Syria formally joined the anti-IS coalition earlier this week, although a Syrian official suggested on Wednesday that Syrian participation is currently limited to political rather than military cooperation (AP).
Sharaa at the White House
Ahmed al-Sharaa became the first Syrian president to visit the White House since 1946, eleven months after his rebel alliance ousted former leader Bashar al-Assad (WaPo). Sharaa has called for the suspension of remaining U.S. sanctions on Syria (Reuters). Following the meeting, U.S. President Donald Trump praised Sharaa and promised the United States would “do everything we can to make Syria successful,” while also minimizing the implications of Sharaa’s past ties to terror organizations (Al Jazeera). Separately, Syrian officials said security forces thwarted two plots from the self-proclaimed group to assassinate al-Sharaa in recent months, underscoring its continued activity in the country (Reuters).
Syrian Counterterrorism Operations
The Syrian Interior Ministry announced that its forces executed sixty-one nationwide operations against militants from the self-proclaimed Islamic State, arresting seventy-one fighters and seizing several weapons, as Syria prepares to join the U.S.-led coalition against the terror group (Reuters).
Britain Lifts Sanctions on Sharaa
The removal of sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa follows a UN Security Council decision to remove similar restrictions ahead of Sharaa’s planned meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump; the European Union confirmed it will also lift its measures, though other arms and security restrictions on Syria will remain (Reuters). Meanwhile, the UN reported that nearly 100 individuals have been abducted in Syria since January 2025, causing worry of continued political violence even after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last year (UN). Separately, the Syrian Foreign Ministry denied a Reuters report that the United States was planning to establish a military presence in Damascus, while the Interior Ministry suggested Russia could play a role in developing the Syrian military and other security forces (New Arab).
UN Repeals Sanctions on Sharaa
Fourteen members backed a recently proposed U.S.-drafted resolution removing Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his interior minister from an international sanctions list, clearing asset freezes and an arms embargo as talks with U.S. President Donald Trump approach; China abstained from the vote (Al Arabiya). Separately, Sipan Hamo, a senior commander in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said negotiations on integrating his group into state structures have stalled over disagreements on decentralization and the force’s status; he added the SDF is preparing for potential conflict even as it seeks to uphold a March agreement with Damascus (Al Arabiya).
Military Presence in Damascus
Sources told Reuters that Washington is planning to station personnel at a Damascus airbase to support an anticipated U.S.-brokered security deal between Syria and Israel, though Syrian officials publicly denied the report; the move would follow reconnaissance missions confirming the runway’s readiness as talks accelerate ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (Reuters).
U.S. Proposal to Lift UN Sanctions on Syria
A U.S.-drafted Security Council resolution would remove sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab as Washington pushes to ease measures in anticipation of an official Syrian visit to the United States; Sharaa is already receiving travel exemptions, allowing his planned visit even if the resolution stalls (Reuters). U.S. officials are simultaneously pushing to repeal the 2019 Caesar Act, which has strained Syrian economic reconstruction, ahead of the trip (WSJ).
Lebanon-Syria Talks in Bahrain
Syria’s foreign ministry said it sought to improve both political and security ties; the countries have a history of strained relations, as Syria occupied Lebanon from 1976 to 2005 and Hezbollah fighters participated in Syria’s civil war (The National). With relatively new governments in place in both countries, their leaders have pledged to improve bilateral relations (AP). Separately, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will visit Washington sometime around November 10, per a White House official, marking the first official visit from a Syrian president to Washington; U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack first announced the visit on November 1, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shibani confirming the visit the following day (Reuters). Ahead of the visit, al-Shibani said negotiations to merge Kurdish institutions into the state remain stalled despite U.S. mediation, a stance that contrasts with Washington’s more positive assessments (Al Monitor). Meanwhile, in Damascus, the Syrian Ministry of Interior said a months-long review of forty-two alleged kidnappings of Alawite women confirmed only one abduction, concluding that allegations of minority abuses from human rights groups were false; no independent investigations have corroborated the ministry’s claim (AP).
Syrian Corruption Crackdown
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has reportedly been warning loyalists against profiteering, ordering investigations into civil servants with luxury assets, and even shutting down a brother’s business office over concerns of influence-peddling, demonstrating an attempt to root out corruption under the new Syrian regime (Reuters).
Syrian Diplomatic Advances
A high-level Syrian delegation met with Lebanese security officials in Beirut, agreeing to boost bilateral cooperation on combating smuggling, crime, and terrorism, in the latest thaw in Lebanese-Syrian ties (New Arab). German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Damascus to discuss a range of concerns affecting Syrian reconstruction efforts (Arab News).
Israel and Syria Nearing Security Deal
An Israeli official told media outlets that talks on joint security arrangements with Syria were advancing, with the possibility of a joint presence backed by U.S. forces at strategic points; several core issues remain unresolved, although the official reiterated that the agreement would resemble the UN-backed 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement (i24NEWS).
Sharaa in Saudi Arabia
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Riyadh to attend the Future Investment Initiative and hold talks with senior Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, as Damascus seeks foreign capital to revive its economy (New Arab). Meanwhile, Russia has resumed military flights between its air bases in Syria and Libya, following a five-month suspension; the resumption comes after a recent meeting between Sharaa and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow (Libya Observer).
White House Presses Syria Sanctions Repeal
The Trump administration is urging lawmakers to repeal the Caesar Act to facilitate foreign investment, warning that executive waivers will not reassure companies; any potential repeal would likely be included in the annual defense bill, although senior Israeli officials are pushing to preserve the sanctions (Al-Monitor).
Syrian Military Officers in Turkey and Saudi Arabia
Syria’s defense minister said a group of army cadets has begun studying at military academies in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, calling the move part of efforts to modernize the Syrian army and expand defense cooperation with both countries (New Arab). Meanwhile, Social Affairs Minister Hind Qabwat met with European Union officials to discuss Syria’s plans for its transitional phase and request support for reconstruction, as a UN official advocated for increased international aid at a Security Council session on Wednesday (UN; X).
Gunmen Kill Druze Syrians
Unidentified gunmen targeted a van in the Druze village of Kafr Maris in Idlib, killing three civilians in what local residents called a deliberate sectarian attack that heightened local tensions; officials said they are boosting security measures to address targeted violence (AP). The Wall Street Journal reported that the Islamic State has been exploiting the security vacuum that has emerged following the fall of the Assad regime, carrying out 117 attacks in northeast Syria through August, up from seventy-three in all of 2024, as U.S. forces began withdrawing hundreds of troops and transferring several bases to the Syrian Democratic Forces (WSJ).
UK Delists Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
The removal of the terror designation aims to facilitate engagement with Syria’s new government, which is led by former Hayat Tahrir Al Sham chief Ahmed al-Sharaa, and to coordinate on dismantling Assad’s remaining chemical weapons program (UK Government). Syrian Economy Minister Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar reiterated his country’s desire for increased foreign recognition, including through a formal congressional repeal of U.S. sanctions (Reuters).
Turkey and Syria Cooperate Against Kurds
Ankara has agreed to send military vehicles, drones, and air defenses to the Syrian government in return for permission to expand military operations against Kurdish militias near the border; Turkish and Syrian officials are also discussing broader security coordination and limits on Kurdish control of oil fields (Jerusalem Post/Reuters).