Local officials claim Ankara — alongside a number of defected judges and lawyers — is backing the overhaul of the judiciary in Jarablus after Turkish-led forces pushed ISIS out of the northern Syrian city last year, opposition outlet writes
Well informed sources claim authorities are keeping humanitarian groups under surveillance after the government stopped operations of 370 NGOs for alleged ties to terrorism, including some major international organizations, opposition Sada al-Sham writes
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
President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to Croatian newspaper Vecernji List published Thursday, in which he reflects on six years of conflict, the negotiation process and the fight against terrorism. The following is the full text as published by government news agency SANA
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
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
Syrian rebel commander tells opposition media that FSA fighters which participated in Turkey’s Euphrates Shield operation will join U.S. and Kurdish forces for upcoming battle to liberate Raqqa
Coalition media office reports on paneled discussion in Istanbul covering ways to strengthen the health sector in opposition-held areas amid continued assaults on medical facilities by regime and allied forces
As key players look to fill the vacuum after the expected fall of ISIS’ capital of Raqqa, Al-Hayat columnist Ibrahim Hamidi breaks down the serpentine motivations behind the recent surge in international action on Syrian soil
Fate of crew remains unknown after key rebel group claims responsibility for hitting a possible regime helicopter near the Suffiyat area in Kurds Mountain, opposition media Zaman al-Wasl reports
Turkish deputy prime minister announces between 20,000 and 22,000 families have been identified to obtain citizenship, opposition website Alsouria Net reports, adding that about 35,000 refugees have so far returned to their homes in northern Syria after Turkish-backed forces cleared the area of ISIS militants
News outlet ARA quotes Turkey’s deputy PM during speech in the capital, in which he warns that handing control of the ISIS stronghold over to a Kurdish-led administration will compromise peace and security in the region
Syria’s forceful response to the recent Israeli aggression is a Russian message that U.S. hegemony is ending in the region
Head of government delegation calls the Astana talks a major achievement, as the issue of terrorism was resolved satisfactorily with the world acknowledging its existence in Syria
In a conference held in Turkey, plans for reestablishment of the Army of Tribes are discussed, with the specific aim of delegitimizing other groups in control of the area such as PYD
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.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says that Turkey is bent on striking PYD-led Kurdish militas if they remain in Manbij, as Euphrates Shield forces advance toward the city
Kurdish displays of multi-directional alliances with Russia, Iran and the U.S. come as no surprise, as all sides, united in curtailing Turkey’s influence in the region, contemplate the preservation of an Alawite state
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
