The number of US troops in Syria has regularly surged higher than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed since at least 2020, and in recent months increased to more than double the roughly 900 troops the US has long said are in Syria,

Tensions in northeast Syria between Kurdish-led authorities and Turkish-backed groups should be resolved politically or risk "dramatic consequences" for all of Syria, the United Nations envoy for the country Geir Pedersen told Reuters on Monday.

Syrian church leaders are advising Christians to scale back Christmas celebrations this year, despite assurances from the Islamists who have just taken power that they are free to practise their religion.

Two African states are frustrating Moscow's efforts to establish a stronger military presence in the continent following the fall of Assad.

Thousands of women rallied in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli on Monday to demand the new Islamist rulers in Damascus respect women's rights and to condemn Turkish-backed military campaigns in Kurdish-led regions of the north.

That was his reference to an illegal narcotic that has flooded the Middle East over the past 10 years. "Syria has become the biggest producer of Captagon on earth," he said. "And today, Syria is going to be purified by the grace of God." Mostly unknown ...

Will he walk the walk and not just talk the talk? And if he doesn’t win in the elections, will he peacefully stand aside for whoever does win?” one analyst said.

The toppling of Bashar Assad has raised tentative hopes that Syrians might live peacefully and as equals after a half century of authoritarian rule.

With Syria’s long civil war over and many countries hoping that Syrian refugees return home, the path forward is not so simple. Syria still lacks many basic resources and poverty is high. David Miliband,

Syria’s leadership isn’t the only aspect of the country to be changing as a result of this month’s toppling of longtime dictator, Bashar al-Assad. The blurring of its borders is also underway — from Israel to the southwest and Turkey to the north.

Years of strife ruined the energy sector, battered the currency and strangled growth. The West must ease financial controls to help the economy, experts say.

As those in the lucrative Captagon network move aside, how will the new leaders stop any criminals waiting in the wings to replace them?