ISTANBUL: T&uuml;rkiye on Friday appointed an ambassador to Syria, whose new rulers it has supported since they came to power in December, a diplomatic source told AFP. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan named his deputy, Nuh Yilmaz, as T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s ambassador to Damascus, the source said. Until now, T&uuml;rkiye had been represented in its southern neighbour by a charge d&#39;affaires. The appointment of a close associate of the foreign minister is being interpreted as an important diplomatic signal. Yilmaz has served as deputy foreign minister since May 2024, said the ministry. Like Fidan, Yilmaz hails from the National Intelligence Organization and is fluent in English, having held several posts in Washington and taught in the United States. Ankara and Damascus had severed diplomatic ties under Syria&#39;s toppled ruler Bashar al-Assad Since December, the two countries have been strengthening their ties and cooperation, both economically and militarily.&nbsp;

Middle East

Türkiye has appointed an ambassador to Syria, whose new rulers it has supported since they came to power in December

Türkiye appoints ambassador to Syria

DAMASCUS: Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed a ceasefire in Aleppo, state media reported Tuesday, after tensions between the two sides escalated into bombardments on the northern city. At least one member of Syria&#39;s domestic security forces and a civilian were killed Monday in bombardments on Aleppo attributed to Kurdish forces, Syrian state television reported. Tensions heightened&nbsp;Tensions have heightened between Damascus and the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in north and northeast Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based watchdog, separately said Syrian government forces used drones in two Aleppo neighborhoods with Kurdish majority residents, Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. It said communications in those districts had been cut, and they were surrounded by Syrian army reinforcements. Since the toppling of former leader Bashar al-Assad in December, Aleppo has been ruled by Syria&#39;s new authorities. Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, however, remain under the control of Kurdish units linked to the SDF, the de facto army of the Kurdish administration. According to the Syrian News Channel, citing a security official, &quot;a member of the domestic security forces was killed and three others wounded in an SDF attack near the Sheikh Maqsoud district in Aleppo.&quot; It also reported that a civilian was killed in a Kurdish bombardment. It said &quot;dozens of families&quot; had fled Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh because of heavy machine-gun and mortar barrages by the SDF in that area. &lsquo;Stay indoors&rsquo;&nbsp;Aleppo&#39;s governor, Azzam al-Gharib, called on residents to stay indoors and as far away as possible from &quot;the zones with clashes&quot;. State news agency SANA said several wounded civilians had been taken to the hospital. It was later reported that the two sides had reached a ceasefire agreement in both neighborhoods, but no further details were provided. The SDF denied attacking government security forces and accused pro-Damascus factions of mounting a siege of Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo, and trying to push forward &quot;with tanks&quot;. It said that residents had taken up weapons to help the Asayish, the Kurds&#39; domestic security forces, to defend the districts.

Syrian government forces and Kurdish-led SDF reached a ceasefire in Aleppo after deadly clashes. Bombardments killed at least two people, displaced families, and escalated tensions in Kurdish-majority neighborhoods Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh.

Ceasefire reached in Syria's Aleppo after deadly flare-up: state media

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">BEIRUT:&nbsp;Syrian government fighters entered the city of Sweida over the summer in an apparent bid to assert control over the enclave of the Druze minority that for years had operated in semi-autonomy. It backfired. Sectarian attacks on Druze civilians during the ensuing fighting have hardened Sweida&rsquo;s stance against the government, pushed it toward Israel, and led some in the minority sect to go as far as calling for secession. Now Druze groups have set up a de facto military and governmental body in Sweida, similar to the Kurdish-led authorities in the country&rsquo;s northeast. It is a major setback for Damascus, struggling to exert its authority across the country following a 13-year civil war and to win the support of minorities. When former President Bashar Assad was brought down by Islamist-led insurgents in December, many Druze celebrated, welcoming a new era after over 50 years of autocratic rule. They were willing to give interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaida-linked militant who promised a democratic and inclusive political transition, a chance. Among them was Omar Alkontar, a 21-year-old biology student. Then his village outside the city of Sweida was burned to the ground in July&rsquo;s clashes. Now, he said, &ldquo;The main idea is that we have to separate (from Damascus) to prevent another massacre.&rdquo; <h4 style="line-height: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A de facto Druze administration</h4>While many Druze were initially willing to work with the new authorities, a notable exception was Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, a divisive figure who had flip-flopped between support for Assad and anti-government protests, and now opposed dealing with the new government. In July, armed groups affiliated with al-Hijri clashed with local Bedouin clans, spurring intervention by government forces who effectively sided with the Bedouins. Hundreds of civilians, mostly Druze, were killed, many by government fighters. Videos surfaced online showing armed men killing Druze civilians kneeling in squares and shaving the mustaches off elderly men in an act of humiliation. The sectarian violence changed the minds of many Druze about the new authorities &mdash; and about al-Hijri, who has emerged as the dominant Druze figure in Syria. In August, he established a government-like body called the Supreme Legal Council. Dozens of armed factions originally formed to counter drug gangs and Islamic State group extremists have banded together under the National Guard. Critics say it includes former Assad loyalists and allied militias trafficking the amphetamine known as Captagon. It also includes former opponents of al-Hijri, most notably the Men of Dignity, a prominent group that had endorsed cooperation with Damascus before the July violence. &ldquo;We urge all the honorable in the world &hellip; to stand with the Druze sect in southern Syria to declare a separate region that keeps us protected until the end of time,&rdquo; al-Hijri said in August, upon welcoming the Men of Dignity into the National Guard. Al-Hijri did not respond to interview requests, and it is unclear exactly what kind of system he envisions. Many in Sweida want some form of autonomy in a federal system. A smaller group is calling for total partition. Local Druze figures who still back al-Sharaa are now widely seen as traitors. The attacks in Sweida sounded &ldquo;strong alarm bells among the Druze&rdquo; as well as other minority groups, said Mazen Ezzi, a Syrian researcher from Sweida now based in Paris. &ldquo;The Druze realized that to stay part of this new political status quo under the new authorities will be extremely difficult,&rdquo; he said.

A man waves an Israeli flag over a picture of Sheikh Mowafak Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze in Israel, during a weekly rally in Sweida, southern Syria, on Sept. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Fahd Kiwan)

Syrian government fighters entered the city of Sweida over the summer in an apparent bid to assert control over the enclave of the Druze minority that for years had operated in semiautonomy.

Druze seek Sweida autonomy, turn to Israel amid Syria tensions

UNITED NATIONS: Turning the page on decades of distance, Syria&rsquo;s president addressed the UN General Assembly, marking the first time any president from his country has done so in almost 60 years.&nbsp;Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Wednesday that Syria is returning to the international community after six decades of dictatorship that killed 1 million people and tortured hundreds of thousands.&nbsp;&ldquo;Syria is reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world,&rdquo; he told the assembly&rsquo;s annual gathering of world leaders.&nbsp;Al-Sharaa became the first Syrian head of state to speak at the United Nations since Noureddine Attasi gave a speech in 1967 shortly after the Arab-Israeli war, during which Damascus lost control of the Golan Heights that Israel later annexed in 1981.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Assad family dynasty&rsquo;s autocratic, repressive 50-year rule in Syria abruptly collapsed in December, when then-President Bashar Assad was ousted in a lightning insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa. Assad&rsquo;s fall ended nearly 14 years of civil war.&nbsp;Al-Sharaa blasted Israel in his speech, saying that it did not stop its threats to his country since the fall of President Bashar Assad in December, adding that its policies &ldquo;contradict with the international community&rsquo;s support to Syria and its people&rdquo; and endanger the region.&nbsp;Negotiations have been underway for a security deal that al-Sharaa has said he hopes will bring about a withdrawal of Israeli forces and return to a 1974 disengagement agreement. While al-Sharaa said last week that a deal could be reached in a matter of days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in remarks Sunday, appeared to downplay the odds of a breakthrough.

Syria interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Syria’s president addressed the UN General Assembly for the first time in nearly 60 years, marking the country’s return after Assad’s ouster. Ahmad al-Sharaa condemned Israel and called for regional stability talks.

Syrian president addresses UN for first time in six decades

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced Monday that Syria and Israel have entered &quot;advanced stages&quot; of discussions concerning a return to the 1974 armistice line, calling it a non-negotiable first step before any broader peace agreement can be considered.&nbsp;Al-Sharaa made the statement during the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit in New York, coinciding with his official visit to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, held from September 23 to 29.&nbsp;The Syrian leader firmly ruled out Syria joining the Abraham Accords, citing key differences between Syria and the current signatory nations. &ldquo;There is a big difference between Syria and the countries that joined the Abraham Accords,&rdquo; he stated.&nbsp;Appointed president on January 29, 2025, by the Syrian General Command during the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference, al-Sharaa was formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda in Iraq in the early 2000s.&nbsp;He presented three primary reasons for Syria&rsquo;s stance:&nbsp;<ul><li>Israel&rsquo;s continued occupation of the Golan Heights, which he described as Syrian land under international law.</li><li>The fact that Abraham Accords members do not have land occupied by Israel.</li><li>The lack of shared borders between Israel and those signatory states.</li></ul>&nbsp;Despite expressing willingness to de-escalate tensions, al-Sharaa accused Israel of repeated aggression since his administration took power, claiming nearly 1,000 airstrikes and 400 ground incursions, including two bombings of the presidential palace.&nbsp;Still, he confirmed Syria is engaged in a multi-phase negotiation process. The first phase centers on a security agreement that would see Israel return to the 1974 disengagement lines established after the Yom Kippur War.&nbsp;&ldquo;If this succeeds,&rdquo; al-Sharaa said, &ldquo;perhaps this scene will evolve to discuss other issues related to the occupied Golan and the future of the relationship.&rdquo;&nbsp;He concluded, &ldquo;Discussions are underway regarding the 1974 security or armistice agreement, and I believe we have reached advanced stages.&rdquo;

Ahmed al-Sharaa stated peace with Israel requires returning to the 1974 armistice line, rejecting the Abraham Accords and accusing Israel of ongoing aggression, while confirming advanced talks on a phased negotiation process.

Israel must return to 1974 armistice line before peace talks: Syrian president

Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The US military reportedly killed a senior Islamic State (ISIS) militant in a raid on Syria early on Saturday. The operation coincides with the first official visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Washington in more than 25 years.&nbsp;Friday night, US forces conducted a raid in Syria that killed Omar Abdul Qader, also known as Abdul Rahman Al-Halabi. The Iraqi counterterrorism service, working in coordination with the US-led international coalition, confirmed the operation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Abdul Qader was identified as the Islamic State group&rsquo;s head of external operations and security.&nbsp;He was accused of overseeing attacks across several countries, including the bombing of Iran&rsquo;s embassy in Lebanon. He also planned other attacks in Europe and the United States that were foiled through intelligence efforts.&nbsp;&nbsp;The US military said Abdul Qader was actively seeking to launch attacks against the United States. The statement did not specify if any civilians were killed in the raid.&nbsp;The operation forms part of a series of US strikes against ISIS figures in Syria. US officials have warned that the group is seeking to stage a resurgence following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.&nbsp;US ends protected status for Syrian migrants Meanwhile, the US Department of Homeland Security confirmed it will terminate temporary protected status (TPS) for more than 6,000 Syrians currently living in the US with legal protections granted since 2012. The DHS cited improvements in conditions in Syria and described it as &ldquo;a hotbed of terrorism and extremism for nearly two decades,&rdquo; stating it was against US national interests to allow Syrians to remain in the country. Syrian nationals under TPS have 60 days to voluntarily leave the US and return home. Failure to do so could result in arrest and deportation. This move is part of President Donald Trump&rsquo;s wider effort to rescind deportation protections he says were overused, including for migrants who have legally lived and worked in the US for many years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Critics, including US Democrats and migrant advocates, argue that forced returns could send Syrians back into dangerous circumstances and that many US employers depend on their labour.&nbsp;Diplomatic breakthrough&nbsp; Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani arrived in Washington on 18 September for high-level talks, marking the first visit by a Syrian foreign minister in over 25 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;He is scheduled to meet US lawmakers to discuss lifting the remaining US sanctions on Syria, Senator Lindsey Graham was quoted as saying by Axios. Two sources familiar with the trip confirmed the visit to Reuters.&nbsp;The visit follows the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by forces loyal to President Ahmed al-Sharaa in December 2024. The US is seeking to integrate its longtime Syrian Kurdish allies with Sharaa&rsquo;s administration in Damascus and is mediating talks between Syria and Israel.&nbsp;The Syrian President is expected to attend the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York, where he and President Trump reportedly plan to meet. Negotiations aiming to secure a security pact between Syria and Israel could yield results &ldquo;in the coming days,&rdquo; according to officials.&nbsp;The US has imposed harsh sanctions on Syria since 2011 in response to Assad&rsquo;s violent suppression of protests that ignited a nearly 14-year civil war. The current thaw between Washington and Damascus, including Trump&rsquo;s announcement in May to lift sanctions after meeting Sharaa, signals a substantial shift in policy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Articles tagged with "Syria"

Türkiye appoints ambassador to Syria

Ceasefire reached in Syria's Aleppo after deadly flare-up: state media

Druze seek Sweida autonomy, turn to Israel amid Syria tensions

Syrian president addresses UN for first time in six decades

Israel must return to 1974 armistice line before peace talks: Syrian president

US kills alleged ISIS militant as Syrian FM visits Washington