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Foreign actors

Moscow Warns of ‘Preparations for Chemical Show’ in Damascus

Russia’s head of arms control claims new ‘chemical theater’ could take place in the Damascus countryside, Saudi-owned Al-Hayat reports, weeks after Putin pointed to the possibility of ‘fake’ gas attacks to justify further U.S. strikes on the Syrian regime

Warplanes Kill 12 People in Idleb Hospital Strike

A dozen people killed and hospital damaged by airstrikes on opposition-held Kafr Takharim, in yet another case of medical facilities being targeted by Syrian or Russian warplanes, Alsouria reports

Opinion: Trump Is Forced to Be Serious

The Assad regime is scrambling to receive assurances from allies and make sense of U.S. policy after the Trump administration’s surprise strike on a Syrian air base. But Damascus is failing to see that rules of the game have already changed, Yahya Al-Aridi writes for opposition outlet All4Syria

Syrian Consulates in Istanbul, Amman Halt Passport Renewal Service

Opposition outlet Alsouria Net reports on surprise decision from two major regime consulates in Jordan and Turkey to discontinue passport and travel document renewals for citizens following announcement on official websites

Possible Russian Airstrike Targets Main Market in Khan Sheikhoun

Civilians reported dead and wounded after central market is struck in Khan Sheikhoun, the site of this month’s chemical attack which preceded the first U.S. military strikes on Syria, opposition media Alsouria Net writes

Chinese Envoy: Political Settlement is Only Way to Solve Syria Crisis

China’s envoy to Syria urges parties to continue efforts to secure a political settlement through negotiations, adding that recent chemical attacks in Idleb’s countryside should be investigated through an independent commission, state news agency reports

The Battle for Tabqa – ISIS Besieged as SDF Prepares to Take City

Opposition outlet Ain al-Medina reports on the preparations for the upcoming battle for control of Tabqa, explaining that around 650 ISIS fighters are holed up inside the city awaiting close-range fighting with the Western-backed forces

Assad Regime, Allies Intensify Attacks on Damascus and its Countryside

Opposition media center reports that Syrian government forces and allied militias continue to target rebel-held areas with heavy bombardment, now for the 40th day in a row, as the death toll rises in some residential districts

What the Rest of the World Knows, and Doesn’t Know, About Syrians

‘We as Syrians abroad undergo many situations that show how low the bar is for other people’s expectations of us.’ Enab Baladi speaks with four refugees living in Germany and Turkey about the common misconceptions of Syrians voiced by locals on a day to day basis

Did Iran Order the Clearing of Umayyad Mosque’s Historic Shops?

Opposition outlet All4Syria reports on a recent decision to remove the old stalls from the grounds of the Umayyad Mosque, one of the most important Shiite pilgrimage sites in Damascus, with local council citing ‘abuse of antiquities’ as reason for action

Tehran Meeting Strengthened Syria Cease-Fire Deal: De Mistura

U.N. envoy tells reporters in Switzerland that cease-fire guarantors Russia, Turkey and Iran worked actively to ensure the success of a possible political settlement during trilateral meetings in Tehran, state news media reports

Hama Battles Intensify Amid Reports of Shiite, Regime and Russian Deaths

Activists and monitoring groups claim FSA troops kill over 50 Shiite militants in four weeks of fighting throughout Hama province, meanwhile a rebel missile attack kills Russian and regime personnel in the province’s northern countryside, opposition website Zaman al-Wasl reports