About: Syrian war
Trump reconsiders Syria withdrawal, strongly warns Turkey against military adventures
US President Donald Trump warned Turkey Monday (6 October) against going too far in Syria, one day after giving Ankara a green light to invade its southern neighbor, sparking panic among Washington's Kurdish allies.
Turkey moves to ‘clean’ northeastern Syria from Kurds, plans to re-settle 2 million refugees
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump discussed Turkey's plans to establish a "safe zone" east of the Euphrates River in Syria in a phone call on Sunday (6 October), but the White House said US forces would not be involved.
Greek PM urges talks, rejects Turkish refugee ‘threats’
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis rejected on Sunday (8 September) Turkish "threats" to let Syrian refugees come en masse to Europe unless more international aid was provided and called for neighbourly dialogue instead.
US, Turkey launch joint patrols in northeast Syria
The United States and Turkey on Sunday (8 September) began joint patrols in northeastern Syria aimed at easing tensions between Ankara and US-backed Kurdish forces who battled the Islamic State jihadist group.
Russia says US strikes in Syria’s Idlib put ceasefire at risk
Russia's military said the United States had mounted air strikes in Syria's Idlib without forewarning Moscow or Ankara, endangering a ceasefire there, Russian news agencies reported on Sunday (1 September).
Putin, Erdogan agree steps to tackle militants in Syria’s Idlib
President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday (27 August) that Russia and Turkey had agreed steps to tackle militants in northwest Syria and “normalize” the situation there after a Syrian army offensive encircled rebel fighters and a Turkish military post.
Erdogan to meet Putin over Syrian army offensive
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Friday (23 August) that Syrian army attacks in northwest Syria are causing a humanitarian crisis and threaten Turkey’s national security, the Turkish presidency said.
Syrian offensive puts Turkish troops and border plans in peril
Syrian army advances in northwest Syria are putting Turkish troops in the firing line and threaten Ankara's hopes of preventing a new wave of refugees on its southern border.
US call for Syria troops divides German coalition
Discord broke out in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition Sunday (7 July), after the United States urged the country to send ground troops to Syria as Washington looks to withdraw from the region.
Iran condemns detention of oil supertanker in Gibraltar
Iran on Thursday (4 July) condemned the "illegal interception" of one of its oil tankers in Gibraltar where authorities said they suspected it was carrying crude to Syria in violation of EU sanctions.
Pompeo to hold talks on Iran in Brussels on way to Russia
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will cancel the Moscow leg of his Russia trip, but will meet President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Black Sea resort of Sochi as planned on Tuesday (14 May), a State Department official said.
Kazakh Minister: Growing interest for next round of Astana talks
The next round of talks under the so-called Astana Process will take place next month, and there is a growing international interest for this forum, First Deputy of the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Return of refugees to Syria timidly comes on the agenda
Key speakers at a Brussels-held conference dedicated to Syria made first timid references on Thursday (14 March) to the need to prepare for the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, as the eight-year-long war appeared to be coming to an end.
UNRWA chief: For Syrians and for Palestinians, a horizon needs to be recreated
In an exclusive interview, Pierre Krähenbühl, Commissioner General of UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, told of the challenges of the international community in the context of the Syrian war and beyond.
Here’s what the Brussels conference can do for Syria’s children
The Brussels III Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the region kicks off today in Brussels. Delphine Moralis explains why education must be top of the agenda.
IS ‘caliphate’ on brink of defeat as Trump urges Europe to take foreign fighters home
US-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture Islamic State’s last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates, the battle commander said on Saturday (16 February), bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat as US President Donald Trump spoke of “100 percent victory”.
Putin pushes Erdogan to fight Al-Nusra in Syria’s Idlib province
Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday (23 January) after which the Russian leader said the two men had discussed how they planned to stabilize the situation in Syria’s Idlib province.
Azov Sea blaze illustrates that US sanctions work
Two ships ablaze in the Black Sea region, leaving at least 10 crew members dead, caught fire while transferring fuel mid-sea after one vessel was barred from using its usual port in southern Russia due to US sanctions risk, two sources told Reuters.
Trump threatens Turkey with economic devastation if it attacks Syrian Kurd militia
President Donald Trump threatened Turkey with economic devastation if it attacks a US-allied Kurdish militia in Syria, weakening Turkey's currency and prompting sharp criticism from Ankara on Monday (13 January).
Erdogan rebukes Trump’s top security adviser over Kurds in Syria
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan rebuked Washington's national security adviser on Tuesday (8 January) for demanding that his country not attack Kurdish fighters in Syria, accusing him of complicating President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw US troops.
Defense Secretary Mattis resigns, Trump ends year in chaos
Trump’s presidency has lurched from crisis to crisis since he took office less than two years ago, but Thursday (20 December) was a landmark day of chaos that appeared to test the resolve of even senior Republican backers in Washington.
Russia’s Chechnya model for Syria will only deepen the conflict
Today, Chechnya is a police state, likely the most brutal anywhere in Europe, that rules through extreme repression. The same future is reserved to Syria, writes Neil Hauer.
US accepts Assad staying in power but won’t give aid
The United States said Monday (17 December) it was no longer seeking to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but renewed warnings it would not fund reconstruction unless the regime is "fundamentally different."