As imminent battle approaches, the uncertainty of ISIS control over the city has resulted in severe economic hardship and an exodus of many businesses and work opportunities, opposition website writes
Opposition group establishes new body as exchange rate takes hit in liberated areas following political momentum in wake of Russia’s proposed ‘safe zones,’ Enab Baladi reports
We should be wary of placing too much hope on the outcome of the most recent Astana talks, as the three previous rounds in the Kazakh capital produced little results, Walid al-Bunni writes
Loyalist social media pages expose scandal involving theft of canned food rations from Assad forces serving in Daraa and its countryside, Alsouria Net writes
Souriatna speaks to female reporters about their experiences in the field, hiding the truth from family members, and what it was that drove them to work in the most dangerous country for journalists in the world
New Coalition president backs opposition negotiators in demands for the formation of a transitional government, the removal of Assad and the prosecution of war criminals
Abdulnasser Al-Ayed explains that for Russia’s ‘safe zone’ proposal to work, Moscow will need to consider U.S. concerns despite attempts to sideline Washington in the Syrian peace process
Parliament Speaker Hadiyeh Abbas urges greater joint efforts to reject extremism and Zionist plans to weaken the region, government outlet reports
Education directorate says teaching Russian will help bolster the educational system due to the language’s prominence on the internet, loyalist newspaper Al-Watan writes
Young Syrians hide in fear of forced recruitment as the regime scrambles to replace its fallen soldiers on the fighting fronts, opposition outlet writes
Saudi-owned Al-Hayat reports rebel delegation approves plan but chooses to walk out of negotiations in protest at Assad regime’s continued bombardment of opposition areas
New recruits in the Turkish-trained force receiving 600 Turkish lira a month according to sources, opposition website reports
Russian delegation also holds bilateral meetings in the Kazakh capital with Iranians and the United States, Syrian state media reports
Armed opposition gives preliminary approval of Russian plan involving the establishment of “tension reduction” zones in Idleb province, north of Homs city, Eastern Ghouta and the country’s south
The flooding of the labor market in southern Turkish cities has resulted in widespread exploitation of Syrian refugees, who sometimes work for $3 a day, opposition outlet writes
Opposition website speaks to source who claims first batch of detainees – which include those sentenced for violent crimes – will be sent to fight on the Deir-ez-Zor front against ISIS
Moscow hails phone call between leaders as constructive and ‘business-like,’ with the Russian president also urging caution on U.S. policy toward North Korea, Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reports
Syrian human rights lawyer says evidence exists tying members of the ruling family to war crimes, opposition site Sada al-Sham writes
Large numbers of Syrians and Turks are supporting theater work performed in Arabic in the southern Turkish province of Urfa, as artists strive to encourage a space for peace amid hatred and ignorance, Enabl Baladi reports
Although major hard-line Sunni groups are witnessing significant military blows on the ground in Syria and Iraq, more local, regional and international efforts must be made to ensure the ideas that gave birth to groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda are also defeated, Walid al-Bunni writes for All4Syria
