Latest news with #northeasternSyria
Associated Press
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Fresh clashes break out in Syria as the interim government struggles to ease tensions
BEIRUT (AP) — New outbreaks of violence overnight into Sunday rocked Syria at two distinct flashpoints, straining a fragile ceasefire and calling into question the ability of the transitional government to exert its authority across the whole country. In the north, government-affiliated fighters confronted Kurdish-led forces who control much of the region, while in the southern province of Sweida, they clashed with Druze armed groups. The outbreaks come at a time when Syria's interim authorities are trying to maintain a tense ceasefire in Sweida province after clashes with Druze factions last month, and to implement an agreement with the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that would reintegrate large swaths of northeastern Syria with the rest of the country. The Syrian government under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been struggling to consolidate control since he led a surprise insurgency that ousted former President Bashar Assad in December, ending the Assad family's decades-long autocratic rule. Political opponents and ethnic and religious minorities have been suspicious of Sharaa's de facto Islamist rule and cooperation with affiliated fighters that come from militant groups. State state television said clashes between government forces and militias belonging to the Druze religious minority rocked the southern province of Sweida on Saturday after Druze factions attacked Syrian security forces, killing at least one member. The state-run Alikhbaria channel cited an anonymous security official who said the ceasefire has been broken. The Defense Ministry has not issued any formal statement. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said in addition to the member of the security forces killed, one Druze was killed and at least nine others were wounded in the clashes that took place in the in the western part of Sweida province. The Observatory said the clashes took place at the strategic Tal al-Hadeed heights that overlook Daraa province next door. Difficult conditions in Sweida State media says that aid convoys continue to enter Sweida city as a part of a tense truce after over a week of violent clashes in July between Druze militias and armed Bedouin clans backed by government forces. However, humanitarian conditions remain dire, and residents of Sweida have called for the road into the city to be fully opened, saying the aid that has come in is not enough. The clashes that displaced tens of thousands of people came after months of tensions between Damascus and Sweida. The fighting led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze minority, who are now skeptical of peaceful coexistence. Druze militias retaliated against Bedouin communities who largely lived in western areas of Sweida province, displacing many to neighboring Daraa. Elsewhere, in the northern Aleppo province, government-affiliated fighters clashed with the SDF. The Defense Ministry said three civilians and four soldiers were wounded after the SDF launched a barrage of rockets near the city of Manbij 'in an irresponsible way and for unknown reasons.' SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami on the other hand said the group was responding to shelling by 'undisciplined factions' within government forces on Deir Haffar, an eastern city in the same province. The eastern part of Aleppo province straddles areas controlled by the government and by the SDF. Though the two are slowly trying to implement a ceasefire and agreement that would integrate the areas under Damascus, tensions remain. 'The Ministry of Defense's attempts to distort facts and mislead public opinion do not contribute to security or stability,' Shami said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Israeli forces carry out raids bordering annexed Golan Heights In Quneitra province, in the south, the Israeli military announced it conducted another ground operation in the area that borders the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. It said its troops questioned several suspects they accuse of involvement in weapons trafficking in the village of Hader, and raided four areas where they found weapons being trafficked. Since Assad's ouster, Israel has conducted numerous strikes and military operations in southern Syria, saying its forces are taking out militant groups that they suspect could harm Israelis and residents in the Golan Heights. Damascus has been critical of Israel's military activity, and the two sides have been trying to reach a security arrangement through U.S.-mediated talks. Syria has repeatedly said it does not intend to take military action against Israel. Those talks intensified after Israel backed the Druze in Sweida during the earlier clashes. Israel struck military personnel near the southern city and most notably launched an airstrike targeting the Defense Ministry headquarters in the heart of Damascus.
CBS News
30-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
U.S. repatriates a child from sprawling camp in northeastern Syria holding families of ISIS fighters
The United States has repatriated an American child separated from their family from a sprawling camp in northeastern Syria that houses tens of thousands of people with alleged ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the State Department said Tuesday. The department estimates that some 30,000 people from 70 countries remain in al-Hol Camp and one other similar camp, most of them wives and children of ISIS fighters as well as supporters of the extremist group. They include Iraqis as well as nationals of Western countries who traveled to join the U.S.-designated foreign terrorist group. Human rights groups for years have cited poor living conditions and pervasive violence in the al-Hol camp, which the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have administered for years. The SDF are Washington's key ally in combating ISIS in Syria and its sleeper cells, and for years have run large swaths of northeastern Syria. CBS News' senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams visited the al-Hol camp in 2019 and spoke with the camp's residents. Many of them expressed remorse for their prior ties to ISIS and said they wanted to return to their home countries — often in Western Europe — but some others defended the group's terror attacks. The State Department did not give any details about the repatriation, except to say in a statement that the child "has known nothing of life outside of the camps" and will be reunified with their family. The U.S. military for years has been pushing for countries to repatriate their citizens from al-Hol and the smaller, separate Roj Camp. Iraq has taken back an increasing number in recent years, but many other countries have remained reluctant. "The only durable solution to the humanitarian and security crisis in these displaced persons camps in northeast Syria is for countries of origin to repatriate, rehabilitate, reintegrate, and where appropriate, ensure accountability for their nationals," the State Department statement read. "The same goes for former ISIS fighters held in detention centers in northeast Syria," it said, using a different abbreviation for IS. Despite difficult talks to formally merge with the country's new rulers under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Damascus and the SDF in May reached an agreement to repatriate Syrians in the camp. Since the ouster of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December, Washington has been pushing for the two sides to implement their deal and unify Syrian territory, which would ultimately put the camp under the control of the government. Last year, shortly after Assad's government fell, CBS News was taken inside the al-Hol camp. Guards said the security situation had deteriorated since word had spread about Assad's ouster, raising optimism that they could leave the camp. The SDF did not immediately comment to the Associated Press on the repatriation.
The Independent
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
US repatriates a child from sprawling camp in northeastern Syria
The United States repatriated an American child separated from their family from a sprawling camp in northeastern Syrian that houses tens of thousands of people with alleged ties to the militant Islamic State group, the State Department said Wednesday. The department estimates that some 30,000 people from 70 countries remain in al-Hol Camp, most of them wives and children of IS fighters as well as supporters of the extremist group. They include Iraqis as well as nationals of Western countries who traveled to join IS. Human rights groups for years have cited poor living conditions and pervasive violence in the camp, which the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have administered for years. The SDF are Washington 's key ally in combating IS in Syria and its sleeper cells, and for years have run large swaths of northeastern Syria. The State Department did not give any details about the repatriation, except to say in a statement that the child 'has known nothing of life outside of the camps" and will be reunified with their family. The U.S. military for years has been pushing for countries to repatriate their citizens from al-Hol and the smaller, separate Roj Camp. Iraq has taken back an increasing number in recent years, but many other countries have remained reluctant. 'The only durable solution to the humanitarian and security crisis in these displaced persons camps in northeast Syria is for countries of origin to repatriate, rehabilitate, reintegrate, and where appropriate, ensure accountability for their nationals,' the State Department statement read. 'The same goes for former ISIS fighters held in detention centers in northeast Syria," it said, using a different abbreviation for IS. Despite difficult talks to formally merge with the country's new rulers under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Damascus and the SDF in May reached an agreement to repatriate Syrians in the camp. Since the ouster of Bashar Assad in December, Washington has been pushing for the two sides to implement their deal and unify Syrian territory, which would ultimately put the camp under the control of the government. The SDF did not immediately comment on the repatriation.
Washington Post
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
US repatriates a child from sprawling camp in northeastern Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria — The United States repatriated an American child separated from their family from a sprawling camp in northeastern Syrian that houses tens of thousands of people with alleged ties to the militant Islamic State group, the State Department said Wednesday. The department estimates that some 30,000 people from 70 countries remain in al-Hol Camp, most of them wives and children of IS fighters as well as supporters of the extremist group. They include Iraqis as well as nationals of Western countries who traveled to join IS.
CNN
09-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Wildfires spread in northeastern Syria
Hundreds of people have been forced to flee as wildfires spread in northeastern Syria, according to civil defense officials. Emergency crews are battling to contain the fast-moving flames which have been fuelled by intense heat and strong winds. Thousands of hectares of forest and farmland have burned in the country's northwest Latakia province. The fires, which have been burning for nearly a week, come as Syria's new government tries to push forward the country's recovery after more than a decade of war and crippling sanctions, with basic services non-existent in many areas. The country is also in the grip of a long-running drought.
