Tillerson says US troops to stay in Syria to counter Assad and Iran
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday that US troops will remain in Syria not just to fight jihadists but also to counter the power of Bashar al-Assad and his ally Iran.
Syria
Russian, Iranian Foreign Ministers Discuss Syria and Iran Nuclear Deal
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed the conflict in Syria and the Iran nuclear deal in a phone conversation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
Turkey’s Erdogan vows to destroy U.S.-backed ‘terror army’ in Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to destroy a 30,000-man border security force in Syria, trained and equipped by Washington, characterizing it as a ‘terror army’ designed to infringe on the country’s sovereignty in the region.
Iranian FM in Russia for talks on nuclear deal, Syria
Iran’s foreign minister is visiting Moscow for talks focusing on the future of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and the situation in Syria, where both nations support President Bashar Assad.
Through a War, God Brings Revival to Syria
For years, Syrian Christians had been praying for a revival. ‘But never did we imagine it would come because of war,’ said one church leader. Seven years of civil war has left Syria in ruins. Many of those who came from Christian families left early on in the war, a cause of great despair as church leaders watched their congregants slowly disappear.
Israeli jets and rockets hit Syria overnight, Syrian army claims
The Syrian army claimed Tuesday that Israeli fighter jets and rockets targeted positions inside the war-torn nation overnight, marking a potential uptick in tensions between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants operating there.
Security cabinet holds ‘extremely significant’ meetings about northern border
Israel’s security cabinet has convened several times in recent days, holding ‘extremely significant’ meetings to discuss developments on the northern border and Iran’s presence in Syria.
Battle looms for rebel-held Syrian province after IS defeat
Syrian government forces and allied militiamen are advancing on the largest remaining rebel-held territory in the country’s north, forcing thousands of civilians to flee toward the border with Turkey in freezing winter temperatures.
Putin tells Assad Russia will help defend Syrian sovereignty
Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad in a new year’s greeting that Russia will continue supporting Syria’s efforts to defend its sovereignty, the Kremlin said on Saturday.
Assad may have retaken the Syrian Golan, but Iran is pulling the strings
The evacuation of several hundred Syrian rebels from the Beit Jinn area on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights over the weekend puts Israel in an old-new position on the border. Assad’s army is once again at the fences, just like it was from 1967 to 2011.
Hezbollah, Syrian forces advance on rebels 7 miles from Israel
Hezbollah and Syrian army forces have reportedly launched an assault on a besieged Syrian rebels’ stronghold some 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from Israel’s border, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel will not accept Iranian proxies on its frontier.
Russia establishing permanent presence at two Syrian bases
Russia has begun forming a ‘permanent presence’ at two military bases in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said.
Syrian, Iranian backed forces advance in border area near northern Israel
Syrian army forces backed by Iranian-backed militias pushed deeper into the last rebel-held enclave near a strategic border area with Israel and Lebanon in a new expansion of Tehran’s influence in the war-torn country.
In a New Challenge to Israel, Syria’s Assad Sets His Sights on Golan Border Area
The Assad regime is gearing up to expand the area it controls in southern Syria, near the border with Israel.
Assad Hopeful About Upcoming Russian-Sponsored Talks on Syria
yrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed regret for the stalemate of U.N.-brokered intra-Syrian talks in Geneva last week but says he expects better results during the Russian-sponsored Sochi peace process to be held in February.
Islamic State got U.S. weapons meant for Syrian rebels: study
Sophisticated weapons the U.S. military secretly provided to Syrian rebels ended up with the Islamic State, a study said Thursday.
US jets fire warning flares as Russian planes enters Syria buffer zone
Two US fighter jets on Wednesday fired warning flares after two Russian jets entered a buffer zone intended to keep Russian and US-led coalition forces operating over Syria apart.
‘We are one’: Palestinian Christians and Muslims unite against Trump’s Jerusalem call
Less than an hour after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Palestinians protested by turning off the lights on the Christmas tree outside Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus.
Russia not withdrawing forces from Syria, Pentagon says
The United States said on Tuesday it has not observed any meaningful withdrawal of Russian combat forces from Syria, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement on Monday of a significant pullout.
Putin declares victory against ‘terrorists’ in Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory against ‘terrorists’ in Syria on Monday during a surprise visit to a Russian military base in the county, where he also announced a partial pullout of Russian troops.