All articles tagged with #syria
A Damascus court sentenced Ahmed Hassoun, the Assad-era grand mufti, to life in prison for inciting civil war and complicity in killings, ruling that the official religious establishment aided regime military and security operations during Syria’s long civil war.
The US has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism after 47 years, claiming progress in distancing from international terrorism and opening a path to private investment and reintegration into the global economy; HTS was also removed from the terrorist list as Washington seeks closer alignment with the Damascus government, though security concerns and regional tensions remain.
Syria’s former grand mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun, who served under ousted President Bashar al-Assad, was sentenced to life in prison by a Damascus court at the Palace of Justice, with Judge Fakhreddine al-Aryan reading the ruling.
A Damascus court sentenced Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, Syria’s former grand mufti, to life in prison for incitement to violence, justifying killings and abusing his office, ruling that he used religious authority to back military operations and to advocate destruction of civilian areas tied to the war; he received 20 years for inciting killings and 10 more for prolonging them, must pay restitution, and is barred from amnesty with assets confiscated for the public treasury. This marks a rare transitional-justice case targeting a top religious official in Assad’s regime.
US envoy Tom Barrack walked back his remark that Syria’s Golan Heights are occupied, reaffirming that Washington’s policy—set by Trump in 2019—recognizes Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan and remains unchanged, despite initial criticism from allies.
A live blog tracks ongoing cross-border violence and regional diplomacy: Israeli strikes in Gaza kill a Hamas weapons operative and a terrorist in the West Bank; the IDF conducts manhunts and arrests in the West Bank; Israel warns Hamas over drones, balloons, and kites; Mossad chief and the Syrian foreign minister meet to ease tensions; Iran’s leadership backs the June MoU as a path forward; and Greece moves a Patriot missile battery amid heightened tensions with Iran.
A U.S. envoy said Israel did not warn the United States before a Syria-based airstrike, as reports surfaced of Turkish delegation visits to the base and mounting regional tensions involving Israel, the U.S., Turkey, and Syria.
Israel conducted a drone strike targeting a vehicle near Beit Jinn in Syria’s Damascus countryside, injuring a civilian; Damascus condemned the attack as a sovereignty violation. Israel said it hit a terrorist in southern Syria. US envoy Tom Barrack suggested the earlier Abu al-Duhur airbase strike could have been intended to bait Turkey before Israel’s elections and said Washington was not warned. The strikes reflect ongoing Israeli operations in Syria and broader tensions over Turkish military presence, drawing regional condemnation.
US envoy Tom Barrack says Israel did not warn the United States before its strikes on Syria’s Abu Duhur base, calling the action an “unnecessary escalation,” while Israeli officials say intelligence was shared with authorized US parties; the dispute underscores tensions with Turkey and comes as Washington seeks de-escalation in the region.
Syria condemned an Israeli strike on the village of Beit Jinn near Damascus that wounded civilians, calling it a violation of sovereignty and international law; the attack was the second strike in about a week, with Israel saying it targeted a terrorist in the final stages of planning an imminent attack. The incident follows reports of another strike near the Turkish border and a rare U.S. rebuke, with comments about Turkey's involvement adding regional tension.
Live blog covers regional flashpoints: IDF strikes Syria targeting a Hamas cell, Iran reports 70% repair of the South Pars refinery with full restoration by year’s end, and Iran’s Ghalibaf accuses the US of endangering allies for Israel; a drone strike injures a person near Damascus; Iran allows Iraqi tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, while Gulf-Israel diplomacy and Gaza ISF movements continue and oil shipments flow through Hormuz.
Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi announced that the Kurdish administration has fully integrated its military, security, and civil institutions into Syria’s state structures, following months of negotiations with Damascus. The move ends a self-governing framework backed by the US and ushers in a new phase of cooperation with the Syrian government.
Syrian Foreign Minister says Damascus has no plans to host Turkish forces at the Abu al-Duhur airbase after an Israeli strike, noting Turkish officials visited only for training; Ankara denies any permanent deployment and Syria says de-escalation talks must address security concerns for both sides.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told Erdoğan not to test Israel’s resolve after an Israeli strike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur Airbase, as the U.S. works on a trilateral deconfliction mechanism among Turkey, Israel, and Syria to prevent a broader clash amid rising regional tensions and ongoing NATO dynamics.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani told Axios that Damascus did not plan to host a Turkish base at Abu al-Duhur and that Israel’s strike—damaging refurbished runways—was unjustified; Turkish officers had visited for training, but there was no Turkish buildup. Israel said the attack aimed to prevent such a buildup, while Syria insists the base was largely empty and not fully operational. The interview also notes US-mediated security talks with Israel, Syria’s push for de-escalation and sovereignty, and that Trump was briefed but did not publicly criticize the strike.