Syrian authorities made a rare arrest of two senior members of the Palestinian armed faction Islamic Jihad, the group said on Tuesday, a move that signaled the shifting of alliances in the Middle East. The group, Islamic Jihad, is an…
Tag: Syria
How Violence Erupted On Syria’s Coast
Massacres have spread across once-quiet towns on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, in the deadliest outbreak of sectarian violence since rebels toppled the dictator Bashar al-Assad. Christina Goldbaum, The New York Times’s bureau chief in Syria, traveled to the area to get…
Ancient Syrian Town Seeks Interfaith Peace After Long War
Inside a centuries-old monastery atop a mountain in western Syria, a priest swung an incense holder on a chain, led his flock in melodic chants and delivered a timeless sermon on the importance of loving one’s neighbor. But when the…
Turkey and Israel Aim to Avoid Clashes in Syria as Tensions Rise
Turkey and Israel have started talks to prevent conflicts between their troops in Syria, as an Israeli military campaign and a growing rivalry for influence have raised tensions. The Turkish and Israeli governments said in statements that a meeting took…
Islamic State Regains Strength in Syria
The Islamic State has been showing renewed vigor in Syria, attracting new fighters and increasing the number of its attacks last year, according to the United Nations and U.S. officials, further raising the threat of instability in a country that…
Syria Likely Has Over 100 Chemical Weapons Sites, Inspectors Say
More than 100 chemical weapons sites are suspected to remain in Syria, left behind after the fall of the longtime president, Bashar al-Assad, according to the leading international organization that tracks these weapons. That number is the first estimate of…
Israel Hits Syria With New Strikes and Ground Raid as Tensions Soar
Syria accused Israel on Thursday of trying to destabilize the country after intense airstrikes on military bases and a deadly raid in southern Syria, part of a deepening incursion that is sharply raising tensions in the region. Since the Assad…
Surprising Allies for Syria’s New Leaders: Some Jews Who Fled Long Ago
Now, his relatives are making the rounds in Washington with Mr. Moustafa, who said they had met with people at the National Security Council, the State Department and on Capitol Hill. A State Department spokeswoman confirmed that a meeting took…
Druse Militia Refuse to Join Syria’s New Army
The trainer paced the grounds of a mountain enclave in southwestern Syria, shouting at dozens of new recruits as they drilled sprints between barricades made from old car tires. “You have to practice as if it’s real,” screamed the instructor,…
Syrians Wake Up to a New Government
Syrians on Sunday were digesting the overnight announcement of a caretaker government that will be in power for the next five years, accepting with some resignation the continued dominance of the rebel group that seized power in December but welcoming…