Topic: Damascus (Syria)
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
-
Five things international community must give Syria after Bashar al-Assad
Transition in Syria after Bashar al-Assad will be impossible without constructive international support. From outsiders, Syria will need these five key things:
-
Five reasons why Syria may be at a tipping point
Since the start of the conflict in Syria, international observers have been watching the government of President Bashar al-Assad for signs that the once-feared regime might be vulnerable to overthrow. Despite Syrian efforts to crush the rebels and to stifle news out of the country, this past week has shown the strongest evidence yet that the end of the Assad regime may be near. Here are five signs that the Syrian conflict may finally be tipping in favor of the rebels.
-
Hezbollah 101: Who is the militant group, and what does it want?
The Shiite militant group and political party is a player not just in Lebanon, where it is based, but across the broader Middle East. It remains a staunch opponent of Israel, which it fought to a standstill in 2006, and a close ally of Iran and Syria – despite both regimes' crackdowns on citizens Hezbollah purports to champion.
-
Diplomacy or military intervention in Syria? 7 opinions from around the globe.
After 15 months of violence in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad announced yesterday that the country was facing a full-on civil war, a conflict he would do everything in his power to win.This adds increased pressure to the ongoing international question du jour: Is the answer to Syria’s conflict diplomacy or military intervention? Or something else entirely? From Thailand to Jordan, here are some opinions around the globe.
-
Briefing
Syria conflict: 5 warring factions
Syria is at the nexus of some of the Middle East's most central problems, meaning that fallout from its uprising is likely to ripple, in unpredictable ways, through the region. Here's a brief guide to the actors in the conflict.
All Content
-
With Hezbollah's help, Syrian troops push to regain Lebanese border areas
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 people, including 16 rebel fighters and one woman, were killed in Qusair in morning fighting, but that the death toll was expected to rise.
-
Car drives into a crowd at Appalachian Trail hikers' parade
Car drives into a crowd at a parade in Virginia Saturday. The car, driven by an elderly man, injured 50 to 60 people, but there were no fatalities in the crowd.
-
Israel, US try full-court press to stop Russian weapons sale to Syria
The US and Israel argue the introduction of Russia's S-300 antiaircraft missile system could be a 'game changer' for the regime.
-
Focus Excitement fades to despair in rebel-held Syria as war grinds on
Early rebel optimism in Syria has given way to a grim realization that victory may still be years away. For the past two months, civilians have been fleeing Syria at a rate of 8,000 per day.
-
Turkey nabs nine bombing suspects with alleged ties to Syria's spy agency
Twin car bombings on the Turkey-Syria border left 46 dead this weekend. But Turkey insisted it would not be provoked into a war with Syria.
-
Terrorism & Security US and Russia team up to make fresh diplomatic push on Syria
US Secretary of State Kerry and Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov say they hope to convene an international conference on Syria later in May. The US has also stepped up humanitarian aid.
-
Opinion: Syria – another sign that US needs to recalibrate Middle East policy
As the US backs into Syria and other Mideast crises, China is proactively and strategically engaging in the region. Its actions point out what America has to lose if it continues to hesitate in the Middle East.
-
Syria civil war: This week could be decisive for US involvement
Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Moscow to discuss international pressure on Syria, following Israel’s targeted airstrikes on Damascus over the weekend.
-
Israeli airstrike in Syria brings Iran onstage, raising risk of proxy war
Iran dismissed Israeli claims that yesterday's airstrike in Syria targeted Iranian weapons destined for Hezbollah, accusing Israel of looking for an excuse to hammer the 'Axis of Resistance.'
-
Opinion: US intervention in Syria must be legitimate in eyes of international law (+video)
Israeli air strikes on Damascus and the conflicting reports on the use of chemical weapons (sarin gas) may complicate President Obama's decision on intervention in Syria. The US must consider the international laws of war before taking any action.
-
Terrorism & Security Israel tries to tamp down Syrian anger after killing dozens of its elite soldiers (+video)
Israel is straining to arrest a slide toward regional conflict after staging an airstrike on a military facility outside Damascus, reportedly to stop a transfer of weapons to Hezbollah.
-
Israeli attacks inside Syria risk widening war
Israel, as well as Syria and its Lebanese-ally Hezbollah, has little interest in a wider conflict. But as Israel grows more assertive across its borders, the chance of a miscalculation is on the rise.
-
Thousands of Sunnis flee Syrian coastal region after mass killings
British human rights activists say about 4,000 people have fled the predominantly Sunni Mediterranean city of Banias. At least 62 people, including children were killed Friday by pro-government gunmen and troops.
-
Terrorism & Security Why Israel bombed Syria, again (+video)
Israeli aircraft bombed a warehouse in Syria Friday that reportedly held Iran-made Fateh-110 missiles bound for Hezbollah. It's the second time in four months that Israeli aircraft have hit targets in Syria.
-
US considering arming Syrian rebels, says Hagel
The Obama administration is rethinking its decision not to arm Syrian rebels, said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today, while emphasizing that 'rethinking' mean no decision has been made.
-
Emboldened by military gains, Assad regime shows resilience
Syrian President Assad has frustrated predictions of his imminent downfall for more than two years. A string of recent Army successes has rolled back some rebel gains and disrupted rebel plans.
-
Terrorism & Security Buoyed by successes, Syrian regime pushes to retake rebel-held city of Homs
Homs lies along a key highway that connects Damascus with the coastal city of Latakia, a regime stronghold.
-
Twitter-hacking Syrian Electronic Army: How much state support does it have?
The Twitter hacks by the Syrian Electronic Army – the most recent hit The Guardian – reflect a shift toward disseminating propaganda and attacking Syria’s perceived enemies in the media.
-
Terrorism & Security Site of assassination attempt on Syrian prime minister sends warning to regime
The Syrian prime minister escaped the bombing unharmed, but the attack – in one of Damascus's wealthiest neighborhoods – shows the safe zone for regime members is shrinking.
-
Syria chemical weapons: Where did they come from? (+video)
The roots of Syria's chemical weapons program lie decades in the past, perhaps back to the 1970s. Other countries were early suppliers. What's uncertain now is if Syria can make its own chemical weapons.
-
White House all but sure Syria used chemical weapons – but needs to be sure
Since August, President Obama has laid down use or transfer of Syria’s chemicals weapons as a 'red line.' The White House letter puts the US closer to acknowledging such a line has been crossed.
-
Israel shoots down drone, Hezbollah denies it's theirs
The Shiite militant group in Lebanon has sent drones over Israel in the past, linking their use to Israeli violations of Lebanon's airspace.
-
Could chemical weapons in Syria force Obama's hand?
President Obama last August declared that any use or transport of Syria's chemical weapons would constitute a 'red line' for US policy toward the country. Now Israel, Britain, and France say they have evidence that Syria has crossed that line.
-
Terrorism & Security Israel charges Syria with lethal chemical weapons use
The Israeli military says its evidence shows that the Syrian regime used sarin gas during a March clash with rebels, reversing earlier reports that no such weapons had been used.
-
Syrian rebels intensify rocket attacks into Lebanon
Rebels fighting the Syrian government are shelling villages on the Lebanese side of the border in order to curb a Lebanese group's efforts to help the Syrian regime.
Become part of the Monitor community