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
Over 280 medical centers were destroyed and 150 staff members killed in 2016, according to Syrian interim government report
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
Syria’s foreign minister voices approval of Russian plan to establish de-escalation zones but rejects role of U.N.-led international forces in monitoring cease-fire, state media reports
Young Syrians hide in fear of forced recruitment as the regime scrambles to replace its fallen soldiers on the fighting fronts, opposition outlet writes
Rebel leader Abou Ammar says the international community’s disregard for Tehran and Moscow’s role in Syria will result in an expansion of the conflict beyond Syria’s borders, Alsouria Net writes
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
Russian-authored memorandum will enforce weapons-free zones in four areas of the country in order to restore infrastructure and services while allowing for the return of displaced people
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
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
Russian president stresses importance of U.N. role during meeting with Merkel in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, government media reports
Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub says Iran, Russia and Hezbollah are the only forces who can foil the conspiracy against Syria, government outlet reports
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
British-based group singles out regime and Russian forces for their human rights violations in report documenting the deaths of more than a thousand non-combatants in 30 days, Madar al-Youm reports
Army of Islam accused of firing on civilians protesting against the ongoing clashes between powerful rebel groups, opposition media reports
Syrian state media reports Israeli attack targeted area southwest of Damascus airport, as opposition sources claim strike destroyed weapons cache for Lebanese Hezbollah militants fighting inside Syria
Loyalist commentator Maysoon Yousef accuses Syria’s southern neighbor Jordan of participating in a U.S.-Israeli plot to annex southern parts of Syria in order to hold leverage over the Assad regime in future peace negotiations
