Operations by the U.S.-led coalition to liberate Raqqa will not be enough as long as Assad and his regime continue their abuse against their own people, the real source of resentment which allows terrorism to thrive, Randa Taqi al-Din writes for Saudi-owned Al-Hayat newspaper
Residents in the loyalist coastal regions are expressing concerns over the increase in military activity in the area, amid greater efforts by Moscow to secure strong footing at the negotiating table, opposition outlet Zaman al-Wasl writes
Contributing to Saudi-owned Al-Hayat, Elias Harfoush writes that the U.S.’ recent change in tone toward the removal of Assad from power ignores important facts about the source of true terror in Syria and the regime’s manipulative strategy for survival
With the power balance in northern Syria looking as if it could tip the way of the Kurds, will Syria’s previously neglected community repeat the mistakes of Assad’s dominant minority experience, Eyed al-Jaafari asks in Lebanese Al-Modon
As the battle for Raqqa city draws closer, a rebel spokesperson laments Kurdish domination of upcoming operations, also predicting that American forces will remain in Raqqa for years at the airbase they seized from ISIS last week, Alsouria Net writes
Opposition figure and Syrian personality says he has tasked delegations at Geneva with providing their take on four key issues, including governance, the constitution, elections and security, also adding that meetings with Kurdish and women’s groups were successful
As ISIS prepares for urban warfare, Kurdish YPG boasts of superior fighting forces ahead of the looming battle for ISIS’ stronghold in Syria, as residents and U.S. defense officials voice skepticism over the likelihood the battle will be swift and decisive
Syria’s forceful response to the recent Israeli aggression is a Russian message that U.S. hegemony is ending in the region
The Islamic State’s members, imams and Shariah judges are taking their wrath out on Raqqa residents as the militant group suffers heavy losses from all sides and awaits its imminent defeat
Assad says U.S. forces in Syria are ‘invaders’ and he has yet to see ‘anything concrete’ emerge from President Donald Trump’s vow to prioritize the fight against ISIS. Below is the full interview as published by SANA.
Assad’s political and media advisor highlighted the importance of reuniting Arab armies in the fight against terrorism and Zionism, in a bid to foil American and Israeli plots to divide Arab states
Kurdish militias ally with Assad forces to try and thwart Turkish-backed FSA groups’ advance toward Manbij, because of the importance the city holds in the battle against ISIS
As the results of Geneva talks divide the opposition delegation into parties of optimists and pessimists, the regime is swiftly extending its control, leaving little doubt that the revolution is nearing its end
The latest Astana talks mark a regression from the first round as the US returns to the scene, spurring a series of regional and international developments which undermine earlier achievements
The international body, along with its influence, has been compromised by the Russian veto which on several occasions stood to thwart any attempt at salvaging Syria today
De Mistura must try and unite the opposition delegations if the Geneva talks are to be successful, and any future solution will require UN member states to stop funding terrorism and collaborate with the Syrian government, writes Samer Dahi for loyalist Al-Watan
De Mistura expresses reservations over success of Geneva 4 if a political solution is not reached and states that US position is still unknown
The decline of Iran’s dominance is inevitable due to its diverging interests with Russia in Syria and the emergence of an American policy shift
The Trump administration’s opposition to the US-Iranian nuclear agreement is not shared by its allies among European countries and in the UN
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad denied Amnesty reports on mass killing in a Syrian prison and said President Donald Trump’s ban on Syrians targeted terrorists, not the Syrian people. Below is the full interview he gave to French TF1 TV and EUROPE 1 Radio as appeared in SANA, the Syrian news agency
