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)
Bus Explosion in Deir ez-Zor
An explosive device struck a Syrian Energy Ministry bus traveling between Deir ez-Zor and al-Mayadin, killing four security personnel and injuring nine others, according to state media, in an area that witnessed heavy clashes during the civil war; the slain personnel were guards at the Teim oilfield (Al Jazeera)
Sharaa in Moscow
Syria will honor past deals with Russia, Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa told Russian President Vladimir Putin; Russia has sought to retain control of its military bases in Syria following the ouster of its ally, Bashar al-Assad (Reuters)
Sharaa’s visit was particularly sensitive given that Russia is harboring Assad; the two leaders also discussed potential energy and infrastructure projects (NYT)
Mass Graves Found in Damascus
A Reuters investigation revealed that from 2019 to 2021, Bashar al-Assad’s regime conducted a covert operation to transfer tens of thousands of bodies from the Qutayfah mass grave near Damascus to a secret site in the Dhumair desert, aiming to erase evidence of war crimes; satellite imagery and testimonies suggest the new site included at least thirty-four trenches and spanned two kilometers, making it one of Syria’s largest mass graves (Reuters)
UN Weighs Syria Sanctions Repeal
The UN Security Council is reviewing a U.S.-proposed resolution to remove Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from the UN sanctions list, easing restrictions on financial flows to Damascus and permitting limited arms transfers for demining and chemical weapons disposal; China has reportedly shown support, marking a rare consensus among major powers (The National)
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi confirmed he has reached a preliminary deal with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to integrate SDF forces into the central government’s Defense and Interior Ministries, building on the U.S.-brokered March 10 agreement (Al Jazeera)
Following the announcement, an SDF security delegation arrived in Damascus to discuss the deal’s implementation, as control of oil infrastructure and Turkey’s role in the talks remain uncertain (AFP)
Syrian Foreign Minister in Lebanon
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met Lebanese leaders in Beirut in the first high-level visit since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, as both countries work to reset relations after decades of tension; the two sides agreed to suspend the long-inactive Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council and handle bilateral issues through formal diplomatic channels while advancing talks on border demarcation, detainees, and refugee returns (AP)
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate approved a repeal of the 2019 Caesar Act, which imposed sweeping sanctions on the former Assad regime; lawmakers cited the act’s punitive effects on post-war reconstruction, with the bill now heading to the House of Representatives before final presidential approval (New Arab)
Government and SDF Reach Truce in Part of Aleppo Following Armed Clashes
Each side blamed the other for the fighting that cast doubt on a U.S.-brokered March deal to integrate the SDF into Syrian state institutions (Reuters)
The United States partnered with the SDF to fight the Islamic State group during Syria’s civil war, but is currently withdrawing its forces (Al Arabiya)
Results of Syria’s First Parliamentary Election Since Fall of Bashar al-Assad
The election determined about half of Syria’s new legislature; interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa is due to appoint some remaining members, while others will be chosen in future elections that were delayed due to logistical challenges (Reuters)
Many Syrians remain displaced after more than thirteen years of war (Al Jazeera)
Seats largely went to men from the Sunni Muslim majority, with few women or religious minorities elected; elections were delayed in Kurdish-held territory in northeast Syria, where militia fighters clashed with government forces in recent days (NYT)
Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack and CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper met Syrian Democratic Forces chief Mazloum Abdi as friction grows between the Kurdish-led group and Damascus; talks focused on political integration and the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (Al Arabiya)
Syria Holds First Parliamentary Elections Since Fall of Bashar al-Assad
A limited group of electoral college members from across the country voted for representatives that will account for two-thirds of the legislature, while the interim government will directly appoint the remaining third (AP)
Areas not controlled by the government did not participate in the vote, nor did some minority groups; many Syrians remain displaced and lack identity documents after years of civil war (NYT)
Trump Extends Syria State of Emergency
President Donald Trump extended the national emergency on Syria for another year under Executive Order 13894, citing the ongoing threat to U.S. national security; the order, which was further expanded in subsequent executive orders, seeks to address ongoing threats from the self-proclaimed Islamic State and achieve accountability for abuses linked to the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad (U.S. Federal Register)
Erdoğan Backs Centralized Syrian State
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that Ankara will not permit Syria’s territorial breakup or the emergence of a Kurdish-led entity if ongoing diplomacy to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces into Damascus’s state apparatus fails (Reuters)
Meanwhile, local leaders in Sweida have formed a de facto administration and “National Guard” militia, with some calling for secession, in response to the attacks against the Druze community last summer; Druze officials also remain in contact with counterparts in Israel, as the community continues pushing for closer ties with the state (AP)
Israel-Syria Security Talks Stall Over Aid Corridor Demand
Israel revived a rejected proposal to open a “humanitarian corridor” to Syria’s Druze-majority Sweida province, prompting Damascus to halt U.S.-brokered negotiations on a broader de-escalation pact meant to end Israeli strikes and demilitarize southern Syria, sources tell Reuters (Reuters)
Trump Promises “Major Announcement” on Syria
U.S. President Donald Trump made the statement at the White House but provided no further details, noting that he had previously eased sanctions to give the country “room to breathe” (Reuters)
Syrian President Presses United States to Repeal Sanctions
President Ahmed al-Sharaa, in New York for the UN General Assembly, urged Washington to formally repeal the Caesar Act sanctions, arguing they unfairly target Syrians; Al-Sharaa met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss sanctions relief, counterterrorism cooperation, missing Americans, and Israel-Syria relations (Al Jazeera)