“The Butcher of Hama” Dies at 88: Who Was Rifaat al-Assad?
AL-THAWRA
January 22, 2026
His name became inseparable from the 1982 Hama massacre, when regime forces crushed an Islamist uprising, al-Thawra writes.
His name became inseparable from the 1982 Hama massacre, when regime forces crushed an Islamist uprising, al-Thawra writes.
Many analysts contend that the March Agreement has already lost much of its substance, Ultra Syria writes.
““We have all found ourselves in the same boat. Either we survive together or we sink together”
Axios also reported that Israel has proposed establishing buffer security zones south-west of Damascus and imposing a no-fly zone on Syrian aircraft near the border, in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from most territory it recently entered.
While courting external support is crucial to ending Syria’s isolation, this strategy has come at the expense of domestic affairs, Malek Wannous writes in Al-Modon.
The currency change has come without the level of national consultation that a decision of this magnitude requires, Wael Sawah argues.
Public Prosecution Demands Eight-Year Sentence for Syrian Businessman Firas Tlass
Both the capital and the SDF face mounting pressure from their respective patrons to reach political settlements that would finally close the eastern file and open the region to the international investment.
The delegation’s primary aim is to address longstanding bilateral issues and establish practical frameworks of cooperation, Syria TV writes.
The departure of Christians cannot be viewed as an internal matter alone. It signals the erosion of centuries-old cultural bridges between East and West, and the loss of a vital interlocutor in Syria’s intellectual, economic and diplomatic engagement with the wider world, Mohammed Berro writes.
Since 2020, French judicial authorities have persistently investigated the activities of this organisation
France’s caution in Syria should not be mistaken for a reversal of policy, but rather as a by-product of declining relevance in open arenas of competition, Syria TV writes.
Now owned by the Swiss multinational Holcim, Lafarge is charged with “financing terrorism” and “violating international sanctions.”
During his visit to Riyadh, Sharaa reportedly met with executives from Hilton, Accor, and Bombardier to explore opportunities in tourism and infrastructure.
Over the past ten months, since this new phase of governance began, the state’s approach to the foreign fighter dossier has become increasingly visible—marked by several key patterns:
French courts have issued a new international arrest warrant for the ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in connection with chemical attacks carried out in 2013, Ultra Syria writes.
Whether the Harem operation succeeds or spirals into wider conflict will be a crucial test for Sharaa’s leadership, Daraj argues.
A confidential source from the General Security Directorate told Ultra Syria that reconnaissance drones known as “Shaheen” were used overnight to track the leader of an armed group.
Tom Barrack announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria, framing it not as an act of charity but a strategic decision to catalyse the most significant reconstruction initiative since the Second World War, Syria TV writes.
Earlier on Tuesday, Syrian Defence Minister Lieutenant General Murhaf Abu Qasra also met Mazloum Abdi in Damascus, where the two agreed on a comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts.
