Fadi Saqr to The NYT: I Am Innocent
THE SYRIAN OBSERVER
June 12, 2025
In a statement to The New York Times, Saqr denied any role in wartime atrocities, including the 2013 Tadamon massacre.
In a statement to The New York Times, Saqr denied any role in wartime atrocities, including the 2013 Tadamon massacre.
Barrack, who met twice with Sharaa in recent weeks, including during President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to Riyadh, underscored the fragility of Syria’s transition.
Though a National Commission for Transitional Justice has been established, the dissonance between its mandate and the actions of parallel bodies raises questions about the government’s sincerity
Hassan Soufan, member of the High Committee for Civil Peace, affirmed that the state remains committed to pursuing individuals implicated in serious crimes, al-Hal writes.
As this pivotal chapter in Syria’s history unfolds, evidenced by the international community’s positive engagement with the current leadership, many Syrians are calling on the government not to rely solely on external gains.
The families of victims expressed deep frustration over the public rehabilitation of a figure still under accusation, describing the event as an “insult to the blood of the martyrs” and a signal that war criminals could enjoy impunity, Shaam writes.
The council also directed a strong message to public officials and policymakers, urging them to take responsibility for holding criminals accountable and restoring rights to victims, Zaman al-Wasl writes.
Political researcher Sarkis Qassarjian sees U.S. policy in Syria as part of a wider effort to deconflict regional rivalries and create space for long-term economic projects, Ultra Syria writes.
In the uneasy interstice between war and peace, Syria grapples with a question striking at the heart of national sovereignty, social cohesion, and institutional legitimacy:
The Dutch government’s report does not offer policy recommendations but presents a clear-eyed assessment of Syria’s volatile new reality
The transitional government carries a national responsibility to ensure inclusive governance, particularly through the integration of the Druze community at all levels, Fadel Abdul Ghany writes for Ultra Syria.
The visit is anticipated to include a series of official engagements, with the UN address serving as the centrepiece, Syria TV writes.
Ahmad al-Sharaa’s administration may have succeeded the Assad regime, but it has yet to dismantle the political architecture of fear, fragmentation and mistrust that it inherited
While the transitional Syrian government has taken steps to contain and restrict the movements of foreign combatants, the issue has proven deeply complex, al-Hal writes.
The SNHR said that the persistence of civilian deaths, even in the post-Assad phase, underscores the fragility of Syria’s transition.
Sharaa revealed that the Investment Law, discussed around ten days ago, has now been finalised with the necessary amendments and is awaiting formal approval before issuance in the near future, 963 writes.
This development comes amid a broader campaign by Syria’s Drug Enforcement Administration, which continues to announce significant narcotics seizures across multiple provinces, al-Modon writes.
Sanctions played a decisive role in the collapse of the Assad regime, Ernest Khoury, according to al-Araby al-Jadeed.
A delegation from the AANES is expected to travel to Damascus soon to continue talks with the central government, al-Hal writes.
Hafez al-Assad won by ensuring that his logic of domination, fear, and tribal loyalty would outlive him, Shukri Rayan writes in Daraj.
