Russian FM tells U.S. president that America could play key role in preserving security inside proposed safe zones, Syrian government media reports
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
Russian-sponsored deal will involve the forced relocation of around 8,000 people to Idleb and Aleppo provinces, 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
Serving as a battleground for countless foreign and ideological belligerents, the greatest danger facing Syria is the fragmentation and polarization of its society, Walid al-Bunni writes
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
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
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
Russian foreign minister tells European counterpart that Moscow will continue to move ahead with plans for a peaceful political solution through U.N.-approved channels, despite efforts by some players to evade negotiations in favor for regime change in Syria
Opposition members and activists decry the forced relocation of thousands of civilians from the “four Syrian towns” as part of a negotiation deal to release kidnapped Qatari businessmen, Paula Istih writes for Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat
UNSC Resolution 2254 is the only plan to settle crisis in Syria and covers all aspects of a peaceful solution, Russian foreign minister tells journalists during press conference in the breakaway republic of Abkhazia, Syrian state media reports
Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat explains that many opposition factions are still deciding whether to participate in the talks in the Kazakh capital, claiming that some parties believe Russia isn’t pulling its weight in enforcing the cease-fire deal
Donald Trump’s decision to strike the Shayrat base earlier this month was less about changing the balance of power in Syria, but instead represented a nod to his domestic rivals showing his willingness to act as a strong and decisive leader, Abdel Moneim Ali Eissa writes for loyalist outlet Al-Watan
Moscow’s behavior will further complicate the Syrian issue, opposition says, after Russia doubled down on its support for the Assad regime following the sarin gas attack earlier this month
Trump had to send a message to all parties supporting Assad that he won’t just resort to Syrian talks but will be part of the joint offensives in Syria, Tariq Alhomayed writes
Activists claim scores of people are being killed in Idleb and Hama by the Russian air force in retaliation for the U.S. missile strike on the Shayrat air base late last week, opposition media office writes
Russian military would respond with direct action in the event its units are threatened in Syria, Duma defense committee deputy tells Russian media in a warning to the Trump administration
Al-Hayat columnist Ibrahim Hamidi highlights four observations in the aftermath of the first American strike on Syrian army positions, explaining that the coming days will show which of two tracks will be taken by Russian and the U.S. in response — military escalation between the two superpowers, or a renewed interest in a military-political agreement
Vladimir Putin is a game-maker and a surprise-organizer. His counterpart in the Oval Office wants to be too
In a special op-ed for The Syrian Observer, the coordinator-general of the High Negotiations Committee explains that untying the Syrian knot will require isolating external influence on the Syrian scene, a transition with the establishment of a new political system, and the firm application of international law in order to hold war criminals to account
