Syria

Syria’s delisting as a state sponsor of terrorism was a long time coming. The country had, after all, been on the U.S. State Department list of proscribed nations since it was created in 1979 – the only nation originally listed still on it. That was until Aug. 24, 2026, when…

Syria’s then-interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pose during a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara on Feb. 4, 2025. Photo by Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images. Yaakov Lappin is an Israel-based military affairs correspondent and analyst. He is the…

Saudi Arabia has welcomed the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syria’s military institutions, following a landmark agreement reached earlier this year. The milestone directly aligns with Riyadh’s strategic vision for a unified, sovereign Syrian state, reflected in Riyadh’s support for Damascus’ return into the Arab fold and…

For about a century, scholars studying the Assyrian Empire have treated the Assyrian King List (AKL) as the standard record of the kingdom's rulers and the order in which they reigned, particularly during the later phases of Assyrian history. A recent study in the Journal of Cuneiform Studies, titled "Three…

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, whose dissolution was announced by their leader Mazloum Abdi on Tuesday, were the Washington-backed de facto army of the Kurds' autonomous administration in Syria and spearheaded the battle against jihadists. The force was Syria's most highly trained and organised for years, until Washington dropped them…

The leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the Washington-backed group at the forefront of the battle against the Islamic State jihadist group, announced their dissolution on Tuesday under a deal with the government. After being Syria's most highly trained and organised paramilitary force for years, the SDF was promptly dropped…

DAMASCUS, Aug 25 - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has been dissolved, the armed militant group's leader said on Tuesday, a major step in the integration plan agreed on earlier this year with the Islamist-led government in Damascus. "We announce today the end of the mission of the Syrian Democratic…

The Trump administration formally removed Syria from the United States' list of state sponsors of terrorism on Monday, ending a designation that had been in place for nearly five decades as Washington moves toward closer relations with the country's new government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he had…

Logo of Perfect Presentation for Commercial Services Co. (2P) Perfect Presentation for Commercial Services Co. (2P) announced today, Aug. 25, the opening of a branch in Syria as part of its strategic direction to expand its operations and strengthen its presence in international markets. In a statement on Tadawul, the…

The big picture: The US has formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council quickly welcomed the move. All three called it a boost for the country’s fragile recovery. Why it matters: Washington’s designation blocked Damascus for 47 years.…