Bashar al Assad
- Middle East
UN: Syria government, opposition to begin drafting charter
Beirut: Syria’s government and opposition in the war-torn country have agreed to start drafting constitutional reforms, the U.N. Syria envoy announced Sunday, a major step after a nine-month hiatus of talks and…
- Middle East
US does not support normalisation of relations with Syria
Beirut: The United States does not support efforts to normalise relations with the government of President Bashar Assad or lift sanctions imposed on Damascus until there is progress in the political process…
- Middle East
UN tallies 350K dead in Syria war, admits toll likely higher
Geneva: The United Nations human rights chief said Friday that her office has documented the deaths of 350,209 people civilians and combatants in Syria’s civil war over the last decade, while admitting…
- World
Putin slams presence of foreign troops in Syria
Damascus: Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised the presence of foreign troops in Syria, saying they are there against the will of the Syrian government and are blocking the consolidation of the war-torn…
- Middle East
Iran and Syria vow to confront US sanctions
Damascus: Iran and Syria vowed on Sunday to take mighty steps to confront U.S. sanctions imposed on the two regional allies, saying their relations will strengthen under Iran’s new leadership. The announcement…
- Middle East
Syrian President asks PM to form new cabinet
Damascus: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday renamed Hussein Arnous as Prime Minister and ordered him to form a new government, state news agency SANA reported. The order came after Assad took…
- Middle East
UN envoy calls for new international talks on Syrian war
United Nations: With no progress toward ending the 10-year Syrian conflict, the United Nations special envoy for Syria called Friday for new international talks on concrete steps like exchanging prisoners and a…
- Middle East
Parliament speaker: Syria presidential election on May 26
Damascus: Syria’s parliament speaker announced Sunday that presidential elections in the war-ravaged country will be held on May 26. Speaker Hammoud Sabbagh said the window for nominations will be open for 10 days…
- World
US urges UN to stop making aid to Syria a political issue
United Nations: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the divided UN Security Council on Monday to stop making humanitarian aid to war-torn Syria a political issue and open more border crossings to…
- Middle East
Russian helicopter crash-lands in northern Syria
Beirut: A Russian military helicopter made an emergency landing for technical reasons in northeast Syria on Sunday, Russia’s Defence Ministry said. Syria’s state media said there were casualties among the crew. Russia joined…
- Middle East
In ruins, Syria marks 50 years of Assad family rule
Beirut: On November 13, 1970, a young air force officer from the coastal hills of Syria launched a bloodless coup. It was the latest in a succession of military takeovers since independence…