🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 102 (from laksa102)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa102.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-syria\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-syria\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/conflict-syria","crawl_time":1775700900,"first_indexed_time":1650860651,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,cfr!www,\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/conflict-syria s443","src_root_hash":"18151292984642721902","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Conflict in Syria | Global Conflict Tracker","meta_descriptions":["Learn how the war in Syria began, how it impacts the region, and track the latest news with CFR’s Global Conflict Tracker."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Updated February 18, 2026\nSince the ouster of the\nBashar al-Assad regime\nin December 2024, Syria has entered a fragile transition under Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). In the northeast, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to\nclash\nwith Turkish-backed factions and Arab tribes, while rising sectarian tensions have\nfueled\ntargeted attacks on the Alawite and Druze communities in the southwest. Meanwhile, the Islamic State is exploiting the fragmented security landscape to\nreestablish\nits foothold. Israel, viewing the new regime as a threat, has\nlaunched\nair and ground assaults. Although the United States has\neased\nsanctions and Arab states have\npledged\naid, instability, minority tensions, and weak recovery still\nblock\nlarge-scale refugee returns, and humanitarian conditions remain\ndire\n. \nSyria’s Civil War (2011-24)\nWhat began as protests against President Assad’s regime in 2011 quickly \nescalated \ninto a full-scale war between the Syrian government—backed by Russia and Iran—and anti-government rebel groups—backed by the United States and a rotating number of U.S. allies, including France, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom. Three campaigns drove the conflict: coalition efforts to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State, violence between the Syrian government and opposition forces, and military operations against Syrian Kurds by Turkish forces.\nThe Islamic State began seizing control of territory in Syria in 2013. After a series of terrorist attacks coordinated by the Islamic State across Europe in 2015, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France—with the support of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other Arab partners—expanded their air campaign in Iraq to include Syria. Together, those nations have \nconducted \nover eleven thousand air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, while the U.S.-led \ncoalition \nhas continued its \nsupport \nfor ground operations by the SDF. Turkish troops have been \ninvolved \nin ground operations against the Islamic State since 2016 and have launched attacks against \narmed Kurdish groups\n in Syria.\nMeanwhile, at the request of the Syrian government in September 2015, Russia \nbegan launching\n air strikes against what it \nclaimed \nwere Islamic State targets, while Syrian government forces achieved several notable victories over the Islamic State, including the reclamation of the city of \nPalmyra\n. According to the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, Iraqi security forces and the SDF\nreclaimed \n98 percent of the territory \nformerly held\n by the group in Iraq and Syria, including the cities of \nRaqqa\n and \nDeir al-Zour\n.\nWith Russian and Iranian support, the Syrian government steadily regained control of territory from opposition forces, including the \nopposition’s stronghold\n in Aleppo in 2016. The regime was accused of using chemical weapons numerous times over the course of the conflict, resulting in international condemnation in \n2013\n, \n2017\n, and \n2018\n. Opposition forces maintained \nlimited control\n in Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and on the Iraq-Syria border. During this period, efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution were unsuccessful. Various rounds of UN-backed\npeace\ntalks\nin Geneva failed to reach a political resolution, while a ceasefire\nreached\nin Astana, Kazakhstan, collapsed after Syrian government forces\nviolated\nits terms.\nDuring President Donald Trump’s first term, the United States largely withdrew from Syria, \nleaving\n only about four hundred U.S. troops as a contingency force. On January 16, 2019, \nan attack\n in Manbij claimed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State killed at least nineteen people, including four Americans. Before that attack, \nonly two Americans\n had been killed in action in Syria since the U.S.-led campaign began. The U.S.-led international coalition continues to carry out military operations against the\nremnants of the Islamic State\nand\nal-Qaeda affiliates\n.\nBy 2023, the Assad regime appeared to be reemerging from years of diplomatic isolation. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi\nmet with\nAssad in Damascus to strengthen economic cooperation and the Arab League\nagreed\nto re-admit Syria after a twelve-year suspension. Rebel groups remained\nconfined\nto Idlib for several years, leading most regional analysts\nto believe\nthe threat to Assad had largely ended, even as sporadic\nIslamic State attacks\nand\nIsraeli strikes\non Iran-backed militias continued.\nAccording to\nUN estimates\n, around 580,000 people were killed during the civil war, with\nmillions\neither internally displaced or living as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and several European states. On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake\nstruck\nnorthwest Syria and southeastern Turkey in\none of the worst\nnatural disasters of this century. In Syria, the disaster killed an estimated\n8,400\npeople and\ncaused\nabout $5.1 billion in damages, deepening the humanitarian crisis.\nOverthrow of Bashar al-Assad (2024)\nBattlefield dynamics in Syria shifted significantly following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel\naccelerated\nits airstrikes in Syria, killing multiple senior officials within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and weakening Iran-backed local militias. After Israel\nlaunched\na ground invasion and large-scale aerial campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September 2024, the group significantly\nscaled back\nits contingency presence in Syria. Likewise, the Russian invasion of Ukraine\nforced\nRussia to shift forces away from its bases in Syria.\nBy November 2024, the retrenchment of Assad’s foreign allies provided a\nmilitary opening\nfor Syrian rebel groups to renew their campaign against the Assad regime. In contrast to the declining influence of the regime’s allies, the rebels had continued\nreceiving military support\nfrom Turkey, which maintained troops in northern Syria and aided the Syrian National Army (SNA), a key rebel group. As the November offensive began, Assad’s forces fought back with\nminimal firepower\n. After capturing Aleppo, rebel forces\nseized\nHama on December 5, Daraa on December 6, and Homs on December 7, before overpowering Assad’s fleeing forces in Damascus on December 8. Throughout their offensive, the rebels\nfreed\nthousands of political prisoners held by the Assad regime. The offensive’s speed\nsurprised\nmany observers, including analysts, Syrians, and even the rebels themselves.\nTransition Under Ahmed al-Sharaa (2024-Present)\nAs Assad\nfled\nto Moscow and many Syrians\ncelebrated\nthe rebels’ announcement of victory on state television, a new interim administration emerged under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, then known by his\nnom de guerre\n, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. Al-Sharaa\nfounded\nHTS as a successor group to Jabhat al-Nusra, which was al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate before breaking off in mid-2016. Those ties to al-Qaeda prompted the United States to\ndesignate\nAl-Sharaa as a terrorist. Still, the\nUnited States\nand many\nEuropean governments\ncautiously welcomed the change in government, calling for the new regime to implement an inclusive political solution aligned with UN resolutions.\nSince then, the Sharaa regime’s record has been mixed. His government has suggested\nit is committed\nto a secular state with equality among Syria’s diverse population, but many minority communities\nfeel sidelined\nand fearful of the new regime. Women and minorities won\nonly a few seats\nin recent parliamentary elections held in October, while its new interim constitution risks\ncentralizing power\nwithout credible institutional guarantees for civil and political rights.\nIn March, the Sharaa regime\nsigned\nan agreement with the SDF to integrate the Kurdish population into government structures. However, clashes\nrestarted\nafter the deal failed to materialize. Turkey’s interest in preventing Kurdish autonomy has further complicated the process, as Ankara continues to\nthreaten\nmilitary escalation.\nAlthough the regime promised to avoid retribution against the Alawite minority, which Assad’s rule\nhad favored\n, it\nstruggled\nto contain a vigilante assault that killed an\nestimated 1,400\nmembers of the community, predominantly civilians, in March 2025. A Reuters investigation\ntraced\nmuch of the violence to units integrated into the new government’s security apparatus. In southern Syria, meanwhile, the Druze population\naccused\nDamascus of backing Bedouin tribes in deadly clashes over the summer of 2025, which killed at least\n1,000 people\n.\nIn May 2025, President Trump\nannounced\nthat the United States would suspend all sanctions targeting the Syrian regime, following a more\nlimited U.S. waiver\nin January 2025. Nonetheless, ongoing security threats,\nweak\ngovernment institutions, and lingering\ninternational sanctions\nhave limited economic recovery, keeping humanitarian conditions bleak. This has\nprevented\nmost refugees from returning home, although the UN\nreported\nin September 2025 that around 1 million had returned, along with 1.8 million internally displaced individuals.\nThroughout this period, Israel has continued striking regime targets. After the Israeli government declared the UN-sponsored 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement void, it initiated a ground\ninvasion\non December 8, 2024. Israel coupled the invasion with an\naerial campaign\ntargeting weapons caches throughout the country, aiming to\nprevent\nthe new Islamist regime from amassing significant military power. Israel intensified this campaign during the July 2025 Druze-Bedouin clashes, striking several key\ngovernment targets\n, including the Defense Ministry and an area adjacent to the Presidential Palace, as it\nechoed\nDruze accusations of regime support for the Bedouin tribes. Despite these clashes, Israel and Syria have\nmaintained talks\naimed at restoring the UN-backed 1974 agreement and achieving a broader regional security arrangement.\nMore on Conflict in Syria\nNearby Conflicts\nAlleged Syrian Militia Member Denies Crimes Against Humanity Charges\nApril 8, 2026\nA Syrian man known as Rafik A. went on trial in The Hague, denying twenty-five charges including torture, rape, and sexual violence as crimes against humanity, allegedly committed while he led an interrogation unit for a pro-Assad militia in Syria from 2013 to 2014; the case is the first in the Netherlands to address atrocity crimes committed by pro-government forces in Syria, with a verdict expected June 9 and a potential life sentence if convicted\n(Reuters)\n.\nZelenskyy in Syria\nApril 5, 2026\nUkraine and Syria agreed to cooperate on security and economic issues during Zelenskyy’s trip to Damascus\n(President of Ukraine)\n. Turkey’s foreign minister also attended a portion of the talks\n(Reuters)\n. It was Zelenskyy’s first visit to Syria since the two countries restored diplomatic ties; Syria’s former Assad regime was a close ally of Russia\n(Al Jazeera)\n.\nAl-Sharaa Says Syria Will Not Get Involved in Iran War\nMarch 31, 2026\nSyrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stated that Syria would not get involved in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran unless Syria faces aggression and does not have any diplomatic solutions\n(Reuters)\n.\nDrones Strike Syrian Military Bases Near Iraqi Border\nMarch 30, 2026\nThe Syrian army reported that drones targeted several bases near the Iraqi border; in a statement posted on Syrian state media, the army, which did not specify the origin of the drones, noted that most of the drones were successfully shot down\n(Reuters)\n. Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that the two countries will coordinate to speed the return of Syrian refugees living in Germany; both leaders said Syrians who wish to stay in Germany would be allowed to, but Merz said that 80 percent of Syrians in Germany are expected to repatriate in the next three years\n(DW)\n.\nSectarian Attacks Erupt in Suqaylabiyah\nMarch 28, 2026\nAn interpersonal dispute between two men escalated into sectarian attacks in the Christian town of Suqaylabiyah, Hama province, when scores of armed men from a neighboring Sunni community descended on motorcycles, damaging homes, shops, and vehicles throughout the night; there were no immediate reported casualties in the attacks\n(AP)\n.\nUN: July 2025 Violence Killed Over 1,700 Syrians\nMarch 27, 2026\nA UN investigation found that more than 1,700 people were killed and nearly 200,000 displaced during a week of violence in southern Syria in July 2025, with Syrian government forces, tribal fighters, and Druze armed groups potentially committing war crimes; the report said most of the 1,707 deaths in Sweida Governorate were Druze civilians, along with members of the Bedouin community and at least 225 government personnel\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyrians Protest Alcohol Restrictions in Damascus\nMarch 22, 2026\nLarge crowds rallied to protest recent efforts by authorities to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol in Damascus; the demonstration, which reflected fears that the new government may threaten secular freedoms, was surrounded by heavily armed security forces and passed without any incident\n(AP)\n. Authorities slightly walked back the ban, saying that alcohol sales would be allowed in hotels and other designated sites\n(MEE)\n.\nUkrainian, U.S. Negotiators Meet in Florida\nMarch 21, 2026\nUkrainian and U.S. negotiators began the latest round of talks in Florida to move towards a settlement; the White House described the talks as productive, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that talks would continue on Sunday\n(Reuters)\n.\nIsrael Strikes Syrian Military Sites\nMarch 20, 2026\nIsrael struck Syrian government military infrastructure in southern Syria overnight in response to attacks against Druze civilians in Sweida, targeting command centers and weapons sites; Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and warned Israel would bear responsibility for further escalation\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyria’s Alcohol Restrictions\nMarch 17, 2026\nMunicipal authorities in Damascus banned alcohol in bars and restaurants except in the city’s predominantly Christian neighborhoods; it marks a step toward more conservative legal mores following the country’s takeover by Islamist rebels led by current President Ahmed al-Sharaa\n(AFP)\n. Some critics argue the move violates parts of Syria’s constitution, which Sharaa approved last year\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyria Accuses Hezbollah of Cross-Border Shelling\nMarch 10, 2026\nSyria’s army accused Hezbollah of shelling targets inside Syria, west of Damascus, from across the Lebanese border\n(Times of Israel)\n. Meanwhile, Damascus appointed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo as deputy defense minister for the country’s eastern territories; the move is seen as part of the implementation of a U.S.-brokered integration agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government\n(Reuters)\n.\nTurkey Allegedly Asks MI6 to Help Protect Syrian President\nMarch 6, 2026\nTurkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, reportedly asked Britain’s MI6 to take a larger role in protecting Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa following recent assassination plots; however, after Reuters published the story, Turkey denied making any such request\n(Reuters)\n.\nBorder Crossing With Lebanon Temporarily Closed\nMarch 4, 2026\nThe Syrian land and sea ports authority briefly closed its border crossing with Lebanon for all departures; the closure came as Israel warned that it may target the crossing in its operations\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyria Reinforces Border With Lebanon\nMarch 3, 2026\nSyria sent rocket units and thousands of troops to its border with Lebanon; the move reportedly was aimed at preventing the infiltration of Hezbollah or other militant groups into Syria, as well as to stop cross-border arms and drug smuggling\n(Reuters)\n.\nFour Killed by Iranian Missile in Sweida\nFebruary 28, 2026\nAn Iranian missile hit a building in Sweida, killing four people and wounding several others; other missile debris fell in parts of southern Syria as residents reported hearing interceptor missiles in the skies of Damascus\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyria, Druze Factions Hold First Prisoner Exchange Since July Clashes\nFebruary 27, 2026\nThe Syrian government and Druze factions controlling the southern city of Sweida conducted their first prisoner exchange on Thursday since deadly sectarian clashes last July\n(Reuters)\n.\nU.S. Military Withdrawing From Largest Base in Northeastern Syria\nFebruary 23, 2026\nThe Syrian military and security sources stated that U.S. forces began withdrawing from their largest base in Qasrak; the base was the main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State\n(Reuters)\n. While U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment, it confirmed earlier this month that U.S. troops had withdrawn from different base in southeastern Syria\n(CENTCOM)\n.\nSelf-Proclaimed Islamic State Militants Kill Four\nFebruary 23, 2026\nSelf-proclaimed Islamic State militants killed four security personnel in northern Syria, marking the deadliest attack on government forces since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad\n(Reuters)\n.\nSelf-Proclaimed Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Two Attacks\nFebruary 22, 2026\nThe self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian army personnel in eastern and northern Syria; this came as the group announced it had entered a “new phase” in operations\n(Reuters)\n.\nMilitant Attack Kills One Security Officer\nFebruary 19, 2026\nThe self-proclaimed Islamic State took responsibility for an attack that killed one security officer and injured another in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province\n(Reuters)\n.\nUnited States to Withdraw All Forces\nFebruary 18, 2026\nAmerican officials stated that the United States is in the process of withdrawing all its troops from Syria; the removal will be “conditions-based” and will occur over the next two months\n(\nWSJ\n)\n.\nAustralians Released From Roj Camp Returned\nFebruary 16, 2026\nThirty-four Australians released from Roj camp were later returned due to “technical problems” between families and the Damascus government\n(Reuters)\n. This comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the Australian government will provide “absolutely no support” towards repatriation efforts\n(AP)\n.\nSyrian Army Takes Control of Shaddadi Base\nFebruary 15, 2026\nThe Syrian Army announced that it had taken control of the Shaddadi base in northwestern Syria in coordination with the United States\n(Reuters)\n.\nU.S. Conducts Strikes on ISIS Targets\nFebruary 14, 2026\nThe United States Central Command announced that it conducted ten airstrikes against at least thirty self-proclaimed Islamic State infrastructure and weapons storage targets between February 3 and February 12\n(Reuters)\n.\nU.S. Military Completes Prison Transfers\nFebruary 13, 2026\nThe United States Central Command announced that U.S. forces successfully completed their mission of transferring self-proclaimed Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq; the transfers included moving over 5,700 self-proclaimed IS militants\n(Reuters).\nSaudi Arabian and U.S. Firms to Partner on Energy Project\nFebruary 10, 2026\nThree U.S.-based and two Saudi-based firms are to form a consortium for an energy production and oil and gas exploration project in northeast Syria; the move reflects Damascus’s need for energy investments after fourteen years of war\n(Reuters)\n.\nSaudi Investments in Syria\nFebruary 7, 2026\nA new Saudi fund will invest around $2 billion to develop two airports in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Saudi Arabia’s investment minister Khalid al-Falih said\n(Reuters)\n. The Saudi Telecom Company also said it will invest $800 million in a telecommunications infrastructure project in the country\n(Communications Today)\n. These and other new investments represent a “qualitative leap” in their bilateral relations, Al-Falih said, following more than $6 billion in Saudi investment pledges in Syria last year\n(\nNYT\n)\n.\nSyrian Government Blocks Al-Qaeda Affiliated Book\nFebruary 4, 2026\nThe Syrian government blocked a book containing multiple audio addresses by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq before his death in 2006, from being displayed at a book fair in Damascus; officials stated the book would dampen relation-building efforts between Baghdad and Damascus\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyrian Government Security Forces Enter Qamishli\nFebruary 3, 2026\nSyrian security forces continued deployments to Kurdish-led regions and entered Qamishli to engage in talks with senior Kurdish officials\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyrian State Forces Enter Al-Hasakah\nFebruary 2, 2026\nSyrian government forces entered Al-Hasakah as part of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces that plans to merge Kurdish-led regions with Damascus\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyrian Government and Kurds Agree on Integration Deal\nJanuary 30, 2026\nThe Syrian government and Kurdish forces agreed to a ceasefire that outlines a phased plan to absorb Kurdish fighters into state institutions, garnering praise from the United States; the deal follows recent advances by Damascus this month, which pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces back into a reduced northeastern enclave\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyria to Close Al-Hol and Roj Camps\nJanuary 30, 2026\nSyria announced plans to close Al-Hol and Roj displacement camps that held civilians and foreigners linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State\n(Reuters)\n.\nPutin Hosts Al-Sharaa\nJanuary 28, 2026\nRussian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin to discuss Moscow’s future military presence in Syria\n(Reuters)\n.\nSyria Seeks U.S.-Backed Talks With SDF as Tensions Persist\nJanuary 27, 2026\nThe Syrian government said it plans to hold a new round of U.S-backed talks with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to define how the group will merge into the central state following a January 18 integration deal\n(Reuters)\n. In Qamishli, Kurdish residents have organized nighttime volunteer patrols as government forces press closer, underscoring fears despite a ceasefire and continued negotiations\n(Reuters)\n.\nRussia Begins Withdrawing From Qamishli Airport\nJanuary 26, 2026\nRussian forces have begun evacuating equipment and personnel from bases around Qamishli airport in northeast Syria as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces territory shrinks\n(AP)\n. Russian troops started a gradual withdrawal last week, transferring forces and heavy equipment from the airport to the Hmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, Syrian sources said\n(Reuters)\n.\nDamascus Extends Truce With SDF\nJanuary 24, 2026\nSyria’s military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces extended a truce that was set to expire on Saturday, both parties said; the Syrian defense ministry said the extension will last fifteen days and facilitate a U.S. operation to transfer prisoners linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq\n(AP)\n.\nUN Role in Syria\nJanuary 22, 2026\nThe United Nations is assuming responsibility for large refugee and detention camps in northeast Syria that were previously guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a senior UN official said; the SDF retreated from the area this week amid an armed offensive by Syria’s government, which aims to integrate SDF forces into its own\n(Reuters)\n.\nDetainee Transfer From Syria\nJanuary 21, 2026\nThe U.S. military began transferring detainees linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq, U.S. Central Command said in a statement; the announcement said 150 detainees had already been transported to Iraqi-controlled facilities, with up to 7,000 in total eligible for transfers\n(CENTCOM)\n. The move comes after dozens of detainees escaped from a Syrian prison in recent days during clashes between government forces and Kurdish rebels\n(\nWaPo\n)\n.\nISIS Detainees Escape Prison\nJanuary 20, 2026\nSyria’s interior ministry said today that around 120 detainees had escaped and at least 81 had been recaptured, while a Kurdish website reported that roughly 1,500 had escaped; each side blamed the other for the incident\n(Al Jazeera)\n. The renewed clashes are testing a freshly-minted truce between Syria’s military and Kurdish forces; they had announced a truce and plans to merge on Sunday, following a Syrian military offensive against the Kurdish group\n(\nNYT\n)\n. The Syrian government gave Kurdish forces a four-day deadline to accept the integration offer\n(Reuters)\n. The U.S. special envoy for Syria urged Kurdish forces to accept the integration deal in a social media post; he wrote that the U.S. military partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was less necessary now that the new Syrian government has committed to fighting the self-declared Islamic State\n(X)\n.\nU.S. Carries Out Large Scale Strikes Against ISIS\nJanuary 10, 2026\nU.S. Central Command said they were part of continued retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. and Syrian forces last month\n(CENTCOM)\n. Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the U.S. and Jordanian militaries have worked with the new Syrian government to target the remnants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State\n(\nNYT\n)\n.\nSign Up for Our Newsletter\nReceive the Center for Preventive Action's quarterly snapshot of global hot spots with expert analysis on ways to prevent and mitigate deadly conflict.","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/conflict-syria#main-content)\n\n[Global Conflict Tracker](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker)\n\n## Main navigation\n- [Methodology](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/methodology)\n- [Center for Preventive Action](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/programs\/center-preventive-action)\n\n[Global Conflict Tracker](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker)\n\n## Main navigation\n- [Methodology](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/methodology)\n- [Center for Preventive Action](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/programs\/center-preventive-action)\n\n[Back to Map](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker)\n\n# Conflict in Syria\n*By the*\n\n[Center for Preventive Action](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/programs\/center-preventive-action)\n\nUpdated February 18, 2026\n\n[![icon\\_expand](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/images\/icons\/expand.svg)]()\n\n![A soldier waves his fist in the air surrounded by people](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct_w1200\/v1755542657\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad202\/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad202.jpg?_i=AA)\n\nIslamist-led Syrian rebel fighters celebrate in the streets of Homs in the early hours of December 8, 2024, after entering Syria's third city overnight.\n\nAbdulaziz Ketaz\/AFP via Getty Images\n\n![A woman wearing a head covering waves a flag outside.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct_w1200\/v1755542652\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad203\/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad203.jpg?_i=AA)\n\nA woman waves a Syrian opposition flag as she celebrates at Umayyad Square in Damascus on December 8, 2024.\n\nBakr Al Kassem\/AFP via Getty Images\n\n![People stand outside a building next to a toppled statue.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct_w1200\/v1755542646\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad\/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad.jpg?_i=AA)\n\nPeople stand atop a toppled statue of Syria's late president Hafez al-Assad in Damascus on December 8, 2024.\n\nLouai Beshara\/AFP via Getty Images\n\n![A woman in a black veil walks past a black vintage car parked in front of a demolished building.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct_w1200\/v1755542663\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria_04\/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria_04.jpg?_i=AA)\n\nA woman walks past a vehicle parked near damaged buildings near Douma, in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, on March 9, 2021.\n\nOmar Sanadiki\/Reuters\n\n![A fighter from the Jaish al-Islam runs to avoid sniper fire, in the village in the Tal al-Siwan area of the rebel-held stronghold of Douma, on the outskirts of Damascus, on September 5, 2016. ](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct_w1200\/v1755542669\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-in-Syria-600984262_SyriaFighterRunning\/Conflict-in-Syria-600984262_SyriaFighterRunning.jpg?_i=AA)\n\nA fighter from the Jaish al-Islam runs to avoid sniper fire, in the village in the Tal al-Siwan area of the rebel-held stronghold of Douma, on the outskirts of Damascus, on September 5, 2016.\n\nSameer al-Doumy\/AFP\/Getty Images\n\n![A Syrian mourns as members of the Syrian civil defense volunteers, also known as the White Helmets, and people search for survivors from the rubble following reported air strikes on the rebel-held town of Saqba in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria on April 4, 2017. ](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct_w1200\/v1755542637\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-in-Syria-664518810_SyriaRubble\/Conflict-in-Syria-664518810_SyriaRubble.jpg?_i=AA)\n\nA Syrian mourns as members of the Syrian civil defense volunteers, also known as the White Helmets, and people search for survivors from the rubble following reported air strikes on the rebel-held town of Saqba in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria on April 4, 2017.\n\nAmer Almohibany\/AFP\/Getty Images\n\n![An explosion rocks the Syrian town of Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by Islamic State militants on a People’s Protection Unit (YPG) position in the city center of Kobani, as seen from the outskirts of Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border, on October 20, 2014. ](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct_w1200\/v1755542629\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-in-Syria-457546572_SyriaSmoke_0\/Conflict-in-Syria-457546572_SyriaSmoke_0.jpg?_i=AA)\n\nAn explosion rocks the Syrian town of Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by Islamic State militants on a People’s Protection Unit (YPG) position in the city center of Kobani, as seen from the outskirts of Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border, on October 20, 2014.\n\nGokhan Sahin\/Getty Images\n\nPrevious\n\nNext\n\nSince the ouster of the [Bashar al-Assad regime](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/articles\/syrias-civil-war) in December 2024, Syria has entered a fragile transition under Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). In the northeast, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to [clash](https:\/\/www.fdd.org\/analysis\/2025\/08\/15\/sunni-arab-tribes-mobilize-against-the-syrian-democratic-forces\/) with Turkish-backed factions and Arab tribes, while rising sectarian tensions have [fueled](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/sectarian-violence-risks-dividing-syria-despite-sharaas-diplomacy-2025-09-15\/) targeted attacks on the Alawite and Druze communities in the southwest. Meanwhile, the Islamic State is exploiting the fragmented security landscape to [reestablish](https:\/\/www.foreignaffairs.com\/syria\/return-isis) its foothold. Israel, viewing the new regime as a threat, has [launched](https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/blogs\/new-atlanticist\/five-questions-and-expert-answers-on-israels-strikes-against-syria\/) air and ground assaults. Although the United States has [eased](https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2025\/06\/termination-of-syria-sanctions) sanctions and Arab states have [pledged](https:\/\/english.aawsat.com\/gulf\/5190172-saudi-arabia-qatar-pledge-support-syria%E2%80%99s-public-sector) aid, instability, minority tensions, and weak recovery still [block](https:\/\/www.rescue.org\/press-release\/irc-urges-caution-one-million-syrian-refugees-are-reported-have-returned-home) large-scale refugee returns, and humanitarian conditions remain [dire](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ua5wvoAtd20).\n\n## Syria’s Civil War (2011-24)\nWhat began as protests against President Assad’s regime in 2011 quickly [escalated](https:\/\/www.vox.com\/2017\/4\/8\/15218782\/syria-trump-bomb-assad-explainer) into a full-scale war between the Syrian government—backed by Russia and Iran—and anti-government rebel groups—backed by the United States and a rotating number of U.S. allies, including France, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom. Three campaigns drove the conflict: coalition efforts to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State, violence between the Syrian government and opposition forces, and military operations against Syrian Kurds by Turkish forces.\n\nThe Islamic State began seizing control of territory in Syria in 2013. After a series of terrorist attacks coordinated by the Islamic State across Europe in 2015, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France—with the support of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other Arab partners—expanded their air campaign in Iraq to include Syria. Together, those nations have [conducted](https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/OIR\/Airstrikes\/) over eleven thousand air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, while the U.S.-led [coalition](http:\/\/www.inherentresolve.mil\/About-Us\/Coalition\/) has continued its [support](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/backgrounder\/whos-who-syrias-civil-war) for ground operations by the SDF. Turkish troops have been [involved](http:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2016\/08\/24\/why-turkey-finally-went-to-war-in-syria-jarablus-invasion-kurds\/) in ground operations against the Islamic State since 2016 and have launched attacks against [armed Kurdish groups](http:\/\/www.cfr.org\/interactives\/global-conflict-tracker#!\/conflict\/conflict-between-turkey-and-armed-kurdish-groups) in Syria.\n\nMeanwhile, at the request of the Syrian government in September 2015, Russia [began launching](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2015\/09\/russian-carries-air-strikes-syria-150930133155190.html) air strikes against what it [claimed](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-strikes\/four-fifths-of-russias-syria-strikes-dont-target-islamic-state-reuters-analysis-idUSKCN0SF24L20151021) were Islamic State targets, while Syrian government forces achieved several notable victories over the Islamic State, including the reclamation of the city of [Palmyra](http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/04\/05\/world\/middleeast\/palmyra-syria-isis.html). According to the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, Iraqi security forces and the SDF [reclaimed](http:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/MEDIA\/Transcripts\/) 98 percent of the territory [formerly held](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-27838034) by the group in Iraq and Syria, including the cities of [Raqqa](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2017\/10\/20\/middleeast\/raqqa-syria-isis-total-liberation\/index.html) and [Deir al-Zour](https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/syria-deir-el-zour-liberated-from-islamic-state\/4098276.html).\n\nWith Russian and Iranian support, the Syrian government steadily regained control of territory from opposition forces, including the [opposition’s stronghold](https:\/\/www.vox.com\/world\/2016\/12\/16\/13974780\/aleppo-explained-4-minutes) in Aleppo in 2016. The regime was accused of using chemical weapons numerous times over the course of the conflict, resulting in international condemnation in [2013](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/nearly-1500-killed-in-syrian-chemical-weapons-attack-us-says\/2013\/08\/30\/b2864662-1196-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_story.html), [2017](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/04\/04\/world\/middleeast\/syria-gas-attack.html), and [2018](http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-43697084). Opposition forces maintained [limited control](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/indepth\/interactive\/2015\/05\/syria-country-divided-150529144229467.html) in Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and on the Iraq-Syria border. During this period, efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution were unsuccessful. Various rounds of UN-backed [peace](http:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/international\/archive\/2016\/03\/syria-geneva-peace-talks\/476034\/) [talks]() in Geneva failed to reach a political resolution, while a ceasefire [reached](http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2017\/05\/04\/middleeast\/syria-ceasefire-talks-deescalation-zones\/index.html) in Astana, Kazakhstan, collapsed after Syrian government forces [violated](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/11\/18\/world\/middleeast\/syria-de-escalation-zones-atarib.html) its terms.\n\nDuring President Donald Trump’s first term, the United States largely withdrew from Syria, [leaving](https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/us-troops-peacekeepers-to-remain-in-syria\/) only about four hundred U.S. troops as a contingency force. On January 16, 2019, [an attack](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2019\/01\/16\/politics\/syria-attack-us-patrolled-city\/index.html) in Manbij claimed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State killed at least nineteen people, including four Americans. Before that attack, [only two Americans](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2019\/01\/16\/politics\/syria-attack-us-patrolled-city\/index.html) had been killed in action in Syria since the U.S.-led campaign began. The U.S.-led international coalition continues to carry out military operations against the [remnants of the Islamic State](https:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/MEDIA\/PRESS-RELEASES\/Press-Release-View\/Article\/4309972\/us-forces-kill-syria-based-isis-external-operations-planner\/) and [al-Qaeda affiliates](https:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/MEDIA\/PRESS-RELEASES\/Press-Release-View\/Article\/4321849\/us-forces-kill-al-qaeda-affiliated-terrorist-planner-in-syria\/).\n\nBy 2023, the Assad regime appeared to be reemerging from years of diplomatic isolation. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi [met with](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2023\/5\/3\/irans-raisi-in-syria-visit-hailed-as-strategic-victory) Assad in Damascus to strengthen economic cooperation and the Arab League [agreed](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-arab-egypt-saudi-qatar-jordan-f0298c40488470eb28274b2ffb859396) to re-admit Syria after a twelve-year suspension. Rebel groups remained [confined](https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/middle-east_syrian-war-10-years-idlib-battle-frozen-unfinished\/6203329.html) to Idlib for several years, leading most regional analysts [to believe](https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/welcome-back-bashar-assad-has-the-syrian-dictator-won\/a-64343136) the threat to Assad had largely ended, even as sporadic [Islamic State attacks](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/attack-bus-kills-23-syrian-troops-war-monitor-2023-08-11\/#:~:text=Islamic%20State%20claims%20responsibility%20for%20attack%20on%20bus%20that%20kills%2023%20Syrian%20troops,-Reuters&text=BEIRUT%2C%20Aug%2011%20\$Reuters\$,war%20monitor%20said%20on%20Friday.) and [Israeli strikes](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/world\/israeli-airstrikes-on-syria-intensify-raise-tensions-with-iran) on Iran-backed militias continued.\n\nAccording to [UN estimates](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/12\/11\/world\/middleeast\/syria-civil-war-death-toll.html), around 580,000 people were killed during the civil war, with [millions](https:\/\/reporting.unhcr.org\/syriasituation) either internally displaced or living as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and several European states. On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake [struck](https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/turkiye-syria-earthquake-response) northwest Syria and southeastern Turkey in [one of the worst](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/environment\/turkey-quake-other-major-natural-disasters-this-century-2023-02-09\/) natural disasters of this century. In Syria, the disaster killed an estimated [8,400](https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/report\/turkiye\/devastating-earthquakes-southern-turkiye-and-northern-syria-april-6th-2023-situation-report-20-entr) people and [caused](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/earthquakes-caused-51-bln-damage-syria-world-bank-estimates-2023-03-03\/) about \\$5.1 billion in damages, deepening the humanitarian crisis.\n\n## Overthrow of Bashar al-Assad (2024)\nBattlefield dynamics in Syria shifted significantly following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel [accelerated](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/irans-guards-pull-officers-syria-after-israeli-strikes-2024-02-01\/) its airstrikes in Syria, killing multiple senior officials within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and weakening Iran-backed local militias. After Israel [launched](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/czxgyzq7z2ro) a ground invasion and large-scale aerial campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September 2024, the group significantly [scaled back](https:\/\/www.inss.org.il\/publication\/syria-rebels\/) its contingency presence in Syria. Likewise, the Russian invasion of Ukraine [forced](https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/is-russia-able-to-fight-in-both-ukraine-and-syria\/a-70973239) Russia to shift forces away from its bases in Syria.\n\nBy November 2024, the retrenchment of Assad’s foreign allies provided a [military opening](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/11\/28\/europe\/syria-rebels-government-iran-analysis-intl) for Syrian rebel groups to renew their campaign against the Assad regime. In contrast to the declining influence of the regime’s allies, the rebels had continued [receiving military support](https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/blogs\/menasource\/syrian-national-army-turkey-reform\/) from Turkey, which maintained troops in northern Syria and aided the Syrian National Army (SNA), a key rebel group. As the November offensive began, Assad’s forces fought back with [minimal firepower](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2024\/12\/8\/what-happened-in-syria-has-al-assad-really-fallen). After capturing Aleppo, rebel forces [seized](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/12\/09\/middleeast\/timeline-syria-assad-regime-toppled-intl) Hama on December 5, Daraa on December 6, and Homs on December 7, before overpowering Assad’s fleeing forces in Damascus on December 8. Throughout their offensive, the rebels [freed](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c2dx3ekpr59o) thousands of political prisoners held by the Assad regime. The offensive’s speed [surprised](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-fall-of-assad-photo-gallery-f4862a7f801eae711a69482f04b88c8a) many observers, including analysts, Syrians, and even the rebels themselves.\n\n## Transition Under Ahmed al-Sharaa (2024-Present)\nAs Assad [fled](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-rebels-celebrate-captured-homs-set-sights-damascus-2024-12-07\/) to Moscow and many Syrians [celebrated](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/live\/2024\/12\/08\/world\/syria-war-damascus) the rebels’ announcement of victory on state television, a new interim administration emerged under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, then known by his [nom de guerre](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/12\/06\/middleeast\/syria-rebel-forces-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-al-jolani-intl-latam), Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. Al-Sharaa [founded](https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2024\/12\/11\/syria-rebel-leader-jolani-hts-al-qaeda-islamic-state-isis\/) HTS as a successor group to Jabhat al-Nusra, which was al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate before breaking off in mid-2016. Those ties to al-Qaeda prompted the United States to [designate](https:\/\/www.washingtoninstitute.org\/policy-analysis\/how-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-landed-us-terrorist-lists-and-why-it-should-stay-there-now) Al-Sharaa as a terrorist. Still, the [United States](https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/trump-urges-us-stay-syria-mess-biden-speak\/story?id=116570293) and many [European governments](https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/syria-bashar-assad-eu-welcomes-collapse\/) cautiously welcomed the change in government, calling for the new regime to implement an inclusive political solution aligned with UN resolutions.\n\nSince then, the Sharaa regime’s record has been mixed. His government has suggested [it is committed](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-leader-sharaa-pledges-form-inclusive-government-2025-01-30\/) to a secular state with equality among Syria’s diverse population, but many minority communities [feel sidelined](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2025\/08\/23\/syria-minorities-druze-alawites-kurds-sharaa\/) and fearful of the new regime. Women and minorities won [only a few seats](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/first-results-syrias-new-parliament-show-low-share-minorities-women-2025-10-06\/) in recent parliamentary elections held in October, while its new interim constitution risks [centralizing power](https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2025\/03\/25\/syria-constitutional-declaration-risks-endangering-rights) without credible institutional guarantees for civil and political rights.\n\nIn March, the Sharaa regime [signed](https:\/\/www.mei.edu\/publications\/damascus-sdf-agreement-two-months-fragile-progress-or-delayed-collapse) an agreement with the SDF to integrate the Kurdish population into government structures. However, clashes [restarted](https:\/\/www.fdd.org\/analysis\/2025\/08\/14\/stalled-syria-sdf-deal-risks-sparking-wider-conflict\/) after the deal failed to materialize. Turkey’s interest in preventing Kurdish autonomy has further complicated the process, as Ankara continues to [threaten](https:\/\/english.aawsat.com\/arab-world\/5182947-t%C3%BCrkiye-warns-force-if-sdf-defies-deal-join-syrian-army) military escalation.\n\nAlthough the regime promised to avoid retribution against the Alawite minority, which Assad’s rule [had favored](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/12\/27\/world\/middleeast\/syria-alawites-assad.html), it [struggled](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/features\/2025\/3\/20\/dont-trust-anyone-are-syrias-alawis-losing-faith-in-the-new-government) to contain a vigilante assault that killed an [estimated 1,400](https:\/\/news.un.org\/en\/story\/2025\/10\/1166226) members of the community, predominantly civilians, in March 2025. A Reuters investigation [traced](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/investigations\/syrian-forces-massacred-1500-alawites-chain-command-led-damascus-2025-06-30\/) much of the violence to units integrated into the new government’s security apparatus. In southern Syria, meanwhile, the Druze population [accused](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c0m87d4p9gvo) Damascus of backing Bedouin tribes in deadly clashes over the summer of 2025, which killed at least [1,000 people](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/world\/over-1400-mostly-civilians-were-killed-in-sectarian-violence-in-coastal-syria-in-march-government-says).\n\nIn May 2025, President Trump [announced](https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/fact-sheets\/2025\/06\/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-provides-for-the-revocation-of-syria-sanctions\/) that the United States would suspend all sanctions targeting the Syrian regime, following a more [limited U.S. waiver](https:\/\/home.treasury.gov\/news\/press-releases\/jy2770) in January 2025. Nonetheless, ongoing security threats, [weak](https:\/\/www.nextcenturyfoundation.org\/rebuilding-syria-hopes-and-hurdles\/) government institutions, and lingering [international sanctions](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/9\/22\/syrias-al-sharaa-renews-call-for-us-to-formally-drop-sanctions) have limited economic recovery, keeping humanitarian conditions bleak. This has [prevented](https:\/\/arabcenterdc.org\/resource\/refugees-return-to-syria-challenges-and-uncertainties\/) most refugees from returning home, although the UN [reported](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/9\/24\/one-million-syrian-refugees-returned-home-since-al-assads-fall-un-says) in September 2025 that around 1 million had returned, along with 1.8 million internally displaced individuals.\n\nThroughout this period, Israel has continued striking regime targets. After the Israeli government declared the UN-sponsored 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement void, it initiated a ground [invasion](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/12\/10\/middleeast\/israel-syria-assad-strikes-intl) on December 8, 2024. Israel coupled the invasion with an [aerial campaign](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/6\/4\/mapping-israels-expanding-air-attacks-across-syria) targeting weapons caches throughout the country, aiming to [prevent](https:\/\/www.washingtoninstitute.org\/policy-analysis\/israel-and-fall-assad-rejoice-repel-reach-out-reload) the new Islamist regime from amassing significant military power. Israel intensified this campaign during the July 2025 Druze-Bedouin clashes, striking several key [government targets](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/07\/16\/nx-s1-5469794\/israel-strikes-damascus-syria), including the Defense Ministry and an area adjacent to the Presidential Palace, as it [echoed](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c70xyv4z74go) Druze accusations of regime support for the Bedouin tribes. Despite these clashes, Israel and Syria have [maintained talks](https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/09\/16\/israel-syria-security-agreement-dermer) aimed at restoring the UN-backed 1974 agreement and achieving a broader regional security arrangement.\n\nMore on Conflict in Syria\n\n[Making Sense of Syria’s Surge in Violence CFR Expert Brief March 12, 2025](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/expert-brief\/syrias-surge-violence-does-not-signal-new-civil-war-now)\n\n[Pivotal U.S. Summit Could Help Mend a Fractured Syria CFR Expert Brief November 6, 2025](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/expert-brief\/pivotal-us-summit-could-help-mend-fractured-syria)\n\n[Will Syria's Transition Undermine the Fight Against ISIS? CFR Expert Brief January 9, 2025](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/expert-brief\/will-shake-syria-undermine-fight-against-isis)\n\n[After Fall of Assad Dynasty, Syria’s Risky New Moment CFR Expert Brief December 8, 2024](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/expert-brief\/after-fall-assad-dynasty-syrias-risky-new-moment)\n\n[Syria After Assad: HTS, Hezbollah, and Iran CFR Expert Brief December 9, 2024](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/in-brief\/syria-normalizing-relations-arab-countries-who-will-benefit)\n\n[What Role Is Turkey Playing in Syria’s Civil War? CFR Expert Brief December 6, 2024](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/expert-brief\/what-role-turkey-playing-syrias-civil-war)\n\n[Syria’s Civil War: The Descent Into Horror CFR Article December 20, 2024](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/article\/syrias-civil-war)\n\n[Syria and U.S. Policy Congressional Research Service February 24, 2023](https:\/\/crsreports.congress.gov\/product\/pdf\/IF\/IF11930)\n\n[Timeline: Since the Uprising Against Assad U.S. Institute of Peace January 1, 2021](https:\/\/www.usip.org\/syria-timeline-uprising-against-assad)\n\n[The Aftermath of Earthquakes in Syria Center for Strategic and International Studies February 21, 2023](https:\/\/www.csis.org\/analysis\/aftermath-earthquakes-syria)\n\nNearby Conflicts\n\n- [![A man waves a Lebanese red and green flag as smoke rises from a street.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct-400x266\/v1755592439\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-With-Hezbollah-in-Lebanon_19981f3571\/Conflict-With-Hezbollah-in-Lebanon_19981f3571.jpeg?_i=AA)](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/political-instability-lebanon)\n  \n  [![A man waves a Lebanese red and green flag as smoke rises from a street.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct-100x100\/v1755592439\/globalconflicttracker\/Conflict-With-Hezbollah-in-Lebanon_19981f3571\/Conflict-With-Hezbollah-in-Lebanon_19981f3571.jpeg?_i=AA)](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/political-instability-lebanon)\n  \n  [Conflict With Hezbollah in Lebanon](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/political-instability-lebanon)\n- [![A man inspects the site a day after a bomb attack in Baghdad.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct-400x266\/v1755542948\/globalconflicttracker\/Instability-in-Iraq\/Instability-in-Iraq.jpg?_i=AA)](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/political-instability-iraq)\n  \n  [![A man inspects the site a day after a bomb attack in Baghdad.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct-100x100\/v1755542948\/globalconflicttracker\/Instability-in-Iraq\/Instability-in-Iraq.jpg?_i=AA)](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/political-instability-iraq)\n  \n  [Instability in Iraq](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/political-instability-iraq)\n- [![A man stands facing a burning building next to a white car.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct-400x266\/v1755543068\/globalconflicttracker\/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict\/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict.jpg?_i=AA)](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/israeli-palestinian-conflict)\n  \n  [![A man stands facing a burning building next to a white car.](https:\/\/assets.cfr.org\/images\/t_gct-100x100\/v1755543068\/globalconflicttracker\/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict\/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict.jpg?_i=AA)](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/israeli-palestinian-conflict)\n  \n  [Israeli-Palestinian Conflict](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/conflict\/israeli-palestinian-conflict)\n\nLatest News\n\n##### Alleged Syrian Militia Member Denies Crimes Against Humanity Charges\nApril 8, 2026\n\nA Syrian man known as Rafik A. went on trial in The Hague, denying twenty-five charges including torture, rape, and sexual violence as crimes against humanity, allegedly committed while he led an interrogation unit for a pro-Assad militia in Syria from 2013 to 2014; the case is the first in the Netherlands to address atrocity crimes committed by pro-government forces in Syria, with a verdict expected June 9 and a potential life sentence if convicted [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/alleged-syrian-militia-member-tells-trial-he-did-not-torture-prisoners-2026-04-08\/).\n\n##### Zelenskyy in Syria\nApril 5, 2026\n\nUkraine and Syria agreed to cooperate on security and economic issues during Zelenskyy’s trip to Damascus [(President of Ukraine)](https:\/\/x.com\/ZelenskyyUa\/status\/2040802391054786600?s=20). Turkey’s foreign minister also attended a portion of the talks [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/zelenskiy-syria-meet-president-sharaa-sources-say-2026-04-05\/). It was Zelenskyy’s first visit to Syria since the two countries restored diplomatic ties; Syria’s former Assad regime was a close ally of Russia [(Al Jazeera)](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2026\/4\/5\/ukraine-syria-agree-to-exchange-military-and-security-experience).\n\n##### Al-Sharaa Says Syria Will Not Get Involved in Iran War\nMarch 31, 2026\n\nSyrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stated that Syria would not get involved in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran unless Syria faces aggression and does not have any diplomatic solutions [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/europe\/syria-will-stay-out-iran-conflict-unless-it-faces-aggression-president-says-2026-03-31\/).\n\n##### Drones Strike Syrian Military Bases Near Iraqi Border\nMarch 30, 2026\n\nThe Syrian army reported that drones targeted several bases near the Iraqi border; in a statement posted on Syrian state media, the army, which did not specify the origin of the drones, noted that most of the drones were successfully shot down [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-army-says-drone-attacks-targeted-its-bases-near-iraq-2026-03-30\/). Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that the two countries will coordinate to speed the return of Syrian refugees living in Germany; both leaders said Syrians who wish to stay in Germany would be allowed to, but Merz said that 80 percent of Syrians in Germany are expected to repatriate in the next three years [(DW)](https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-merz-and-syrian-president-talk-refugee-returns\/live-76588579#liveblog-post-76595271).\n\n##### Sectarian Attacks Erupt in Suqaylabiyah\nMarch 28, 2026\n\nAn interpersonal dispute between two men escalated into sectarian attacks in the Christian town of Suqaylabiyah, Hama province, when scores of armed men from a neighboring Sunni community descended on motorcycles, damaging homes, shops, and vehicles throughout the night; there were no immediate reported casualties in the attacks [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-christians-sectarian-attacks-suqaylabiyah-d3c66fd9713084c1fbab0c307c77bcf9).\n\n##### UN: July 2025 Violence Killed Over 1,700 Syrians\nMarch 27, 2026\n\nA UN investigation found that more than 1,700 people were killed and nearly 200,000 displaced during a week of violence in southern Syria in July 2025, with Syrian government forces, tribal fighters, and Druze armed groups potentially committing war crimes; the report said most of the 1,707 deaths in Sweida Governorate were Druze civilians, along with members of the Bedouin community and at least 225 government personnel [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/un-says-1700-killed-syrias-suweida-violence-cites-possible-war-crimes-2026-03-27\/).\n\n##### Syrians Protest Alcohol Restrictions in Damascus\nMarch 22, 2026\n\nLarge crowds rallied to protest recent efforts by authorities to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol in Damascus; the demonstration, which reflected fears that the new government may threaten secular freedoms, was surrounded by heavily armed security forces and passed without any incident [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-alsharaa-alcohol-ban-christians-ed5f71c33b444b6be791644a915da9a7). Authorities slightly walked back the ban, saying that alcohol sales would be allowed in hotels and other designated sites [(MEE)](https:\/\/www.middleeasteye.net\/news\/syria-walks-back-damascus-alcohol-ban-after-outcry-residents).\n\n##### Ukrainian, U.S. Negotiators Meet in Florida\nMarch 21, 2026\n\nUkrainian and U.S. negotiators began the latest round of talks in Florida to move towards a settlement; the White House described the talks as productive, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that talks would continue on Sunday [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/ukraine-says-talks-resolving-war-continue-us-sunday-2026-03-21\/).\n\n##### Israel Strikes Syrian Military Sites\nMarch 20, 2026\n\nIsrael struck Syrian government military infrastructure in southern Syria overnight in response to attacks against Druze civilians in Sweida, targeting command centers and weapons sites; Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and warned Israel would bear responsibility for further escalation [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/israeli-military-says-it-struck-syrian-government-targets-after-attacks-druze-2026-03-20\/).\n\n##### Syria’s Alcohol Restrictions\nMarch 17, 2026\n\nMunicipal authorities in Damascus banned alcohol in bars and restaurants except in the city’s predominantly Christian neighborhoods; it marks a step toward more conservative legal mores following the country’s takeover by Islamist rebels led by current President Ahmed al-Sharaa [(AFP)](https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/liveblog_entry\/syrias-damascus-restricts-sale-of-alcohol-under-new-islamist-rulers\/). Some critics argue the move violates parts of Syria’s constitution, which Sharaa approved last year [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-authorities-ban-alcohol-damascus-2026-03-17\/).\n\n##### Syria Accuses Hezbollah of Cross-Border Shelling\nMarch 10, 2026\n\nSyria’s army accused Hezbollah of shelling targets inside Syria, west of Damascus, from across the Lebanese border [*(Times of Israel)*](https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/liveblog_entry\/syria-accuses-hezbollah-of-firing-shells-into-its-territory\/). Meanwhile, Damascus appointed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo as deputy defense minister for the country’s eastern territories; the move is seen as part of the implementation of a U.S.-brokered integration agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-appoints-kurdish-ypg-commander-sipan-hamo-deputy-defence-minister-2026-03-10\/).\n\n##### Turkey Allegedly Asks MI6 to Help Protect Syrian President\nMarch 6, 2026\n\nTurkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, reportedly asked Britain’s MI6 to take a larger role in protecting Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa following recent assassination plots; however, after Reuters published the story, Turkey denied making any such request [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/turkey-asks-britains-mi6-step-up-protection-syrias-sharaa-sources-say-2026-03-06\/).\n\n##### Border Crossing With Lebanon Temporarily Closed\nMarch 4, 2026\n\nThe Syrian land and sea ports authority briefly closed its border crossing with Lebanon for all departures; the closure came as Israel warned that it may target the crossing in its operations [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-closes-its-border-crossing-with-lebanon-after-warning-it-being-targeted-by-2026-03-04\/).\n\n##### Syria Reinforces Border With Lebanon\nMarch 3, 2026\n\nSyria sent rocket units and thousands of troops to its border with Lebanon; the move reportedly was aimed at preventing the infiltration of Hezbollah or other militant groups into Syria, as well as to stop cross-border arms and drug smuggling [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/aerospace-defense\/syria-sends-thousands-troops-lebanon-border-sources-say-2026-03-03\/).\n\n##### Four Killed by Iranian Missile in Sweida\nFebruary 28, 2026\n\nAn Iranian missile hit a building in Sweida, killing four people and wounding several others; other missile debris fell in parts of southern Syria as residents reported hearing interceptor missiles in the skies of Damascus [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/four-people-killed-syria-after-an-iranian-missile-falls-building-state-media-2026-02-28\/).\n\n##### Syria, Druze Factions Hold First Prisoner Exchange Since July Clashes\nFebruary 27, 2026\n\nThe Syrian government and Druze factions controlling the southern city of Sweida conducted their first prisoner exchange on Thursday since deadly sectarian clashes last July [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-government-forces-druze-factions-exchange-prisoners-sweida-2026-02-26\/).\n\n##### U.S. Military Withdrawing From Largest Base in Northeastern Syria\nFebruary 23, 2026\n\nThe Syrian military and security sources stated that U.S. forces began withdrawing from their largest base in Qasrak; the base was the main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/us-military-begins-withdrawing-main-base-northeast-syria-syrian-sources-say-2026-02-23\/). While U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment, it confirmed earlier this month that U.S. troops had withdrawn from different base in southeastern Syria [(CENTCOM)](https:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/MEDIA\/PRESS-RELEASES\/Press-Release-View\/Article\/4404940\/us-forces-depart-base-in-syria-during-orderly-transition\/).\n\n##### Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Militants Kill Four\nFebruary 23, 2026\n\nSelf-proclaimed Islamic State militants killed four security personnel in northern Syria, marking the deadliest attack on government forces since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/islamic-state-kills-four-security-personnel-syria-state-news-agency-says-2026-02-23\/).\n\n##### Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Two Attacks\nFebruary 22, 2026\n\nThe self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian army personnel in eastern and northern Syria; this came as the group announced it had entered a “new phase” in operations [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/islamic-state-claims-two-attacks-syrian-army-announces-new-phase-operations-2026-02-21\/).\n\n##### Militant Attack Kills One Security Officer\nFebruary 19, 2026\n\nThe self-proclaimed Islamic State took responsibility for an attack that killed one security officer and injured another in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/one-security-officer-killed-another-wounded-is-attack-eastern-syria-2026-02-19\/).\n\n##### United States to Withdraw All Forces\nFebruary 18, 2026\n\nAmerican officials stated that the United States is in the process of withdrawing all its troops from Syria; the removal will be “conditions-based” and will occur over the next two months [(*WSJ*)](https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-us-troops-withdraw-a97a2665?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqc3WekE7DAvXzoPwiXrGZgvNKiJKi6VjeeTX0idWVp4qpTdANZdgzjzKyonZZA%3D&gaa_ts=699877b0&gaa_sig=_x73147EU3fzEHwa-GzM0J1NbIUJ5RceF2JXOZXP85rj6SV2sjzeeYhM4MpDh0QbiONwrTRQ710WRDZeu9UT5w%3D%3D).\n\n##### Australians Released From Roj Camp Returned\nFebruary 16, 2026\n\nThirty-four Australians released from Roj camp were later returned due to “technical problems” between families and the Damascus government [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/thirty-four-australians-released-syrian-camp-holding-is-affiliated-families-2026-02-16\/). This comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the Australian government will provide “absolutely no support” towards repatriation efforts [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/australia-syria-islamic-state-repatriate-9014cd9b72d4c3121a648cbe0f8b8df4).\n\n##### Syrian Army Takes Control of Shaddadi Base\nFebruary 15, 2026\n\nThe Syrian Army announced that it had taken control of the Shaddadi base in northwestern Syria in coordination with the United States [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-army-says-it-took-control-shaddadi-base-after-coordination-with-us-agency-2026-02-15\/).\n\n##### U.S. Conducts Strikes on ISIS Targets\nFebruary 14, 2026\n\nThe United States Central Command announced that it conducted ten airstrikes against at least thirty self-proclaimed Islamic State infrastructure and weapons storage targets between February 3 and February 12 [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/us-conducts-strikes-more-than-30-islamic-state-targets-syria-military-says-2026-02-14\/).\n\n##### U.S. Military Completes Prison Transfers\nFebruary 13, 2026\n\nThe United States Central Command announced that U.S. forces successfully completed their mission of transferring self-proclaimed Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq; the transfers included moving over 5,700 self-proclaimed IS militants [(Reuters).](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/us-military-says-it-completed-syria-mission-transfer-isis-members-iraq-2026-02-13\/)\n\n##### Saudi Arabian and U.S. Firms to Partner on Energy Project\nFebruary 10, 2026\n\nThree U.S.-based and two Saudi-based firms are to form a consortium for an energy production and oil and gas exploration project in northeast Syria; the move reflects Damascus’s need for energy investments after fourteen years of war [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/saudi-us-firms-partner-northeast-syria-energy-project-2026-02-10\/).\n\n##### Saudi Investments in Syria\nFebruary 7, 2026\n\nA new Saudi fund will invest around \\$2 billion to develop two airports in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Saudi Arabia’s investment minister Khalid al-Falih said [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/saudi-arabia-announces-major-new-syria-investments-2026-02-07\/). The Saudi Telecom Company also said it will invest \\$800 million in a telecommunications infrastructure project in the country [(Communications Today)](https:\/\/www.communicationstoday.co.in\/saudi-telecom-wins-800m-syria-infrastructure-project\/). These and other new investments represent a “qualitative leap” in their bilateral relations, Al-Falih said, following more than \\$6 billion in Saudi investment pledges in Syria last year [(*NYT*)](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/07\/world\/middleeast\/saudi-arabia-investment-syria-al-sharaa.html).\n\n##### Syrian Government Blocks Al-Qaeda Affiliated Book\nFebruary 4, 2026\n\nThe Syrian government blocked a book containing multiple audio addresses by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq before his death in 2006, from being displayed at a book fair in Damascus; officials stated the book would dampen relation-building efforts between Baghdad and Damascus [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-blocks-display-al-qaeda-linked-text-book-fair-iraqi-official-says-2026-02-04\/).\n\n##### Syrian Government Security Forces Enter Qamishli\nFebruary 3, 2026\n\nSyrian security forces continued deployments to Kurdish-led regions and entered Qamishli to engage in talks with senior Kurdish officials [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-security-convoy-heads-key-kurdish-city-under-us-backed-deal-2026-02-03\/).\n\n##### Syrian State Forces Enter Al-Hasakah\nFebruary 2, 2026\n\nSyrian government forces entered Al-Hasakah as part of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces that plans to merge Kurdish-led regions with Damascus [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-government-forces-deploy-towards-kurdish-run-city-after-ceasefire-deal-2026-02-02\/).\n\n##### Syrian Government and Kurds Agree on Integration Deal\nJanuary 30, 2026\n\nThe Syrian government and Kurdish forces agreed to a ceasefire that outlines a phased plan to absorb Kurdish fighters into state institutions, garnering praise from the United States; the deal follows recent advances by Damascus this month, which pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces back into a reduced northeastern enclave [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-kurdish-led-sdf-agree-ceasefire-phased-integration-deal-with-government-2026-01-30\/).\n\n##### Syria to Close Al-Hol and Roj Camps\nJanuary 30, 2026\n\nSyria announced plans to close Al-Hol and Roj displacement camps that held civilians and foreigners linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-close-camps-housing-thousands-linked-islamic-state-2026-01-30\/).\n\n##### Putin Hosts Al-Sharaa\nJanuary 28, 2026\n\nRussian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin to discuss Moscow’s future military presence in Syria [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/putin-sharaa-will-discuss-future-russian-military-presence-syria-kremlin-says-2026-01-28\/).\n\n##### Syria Seeks U.S.-Backed Talks With SDF as Tensions Persist\nJanuary 27, 2026\n\nThe Syrian government said it plans to hold a new round of U.S-backed talks with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to define how the group will merge into the central state following a January 18 integration deal [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-hopes-hold-new-integration-talks-with-kurdish-forces-tuesday-2026-01-27\/). In Qamishli, Kurdish residents have organized nighttime volunteer patrols as government forces press closer, underscoring fears despite a ceasefire and continued negotiations [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/media-telecom\/syrian-kurdish-enclave-alert-amid-shaky-ceasefire-2026-01-27\/).\n\n##### Russia Begins Withdrawing From Qamishli Airport\nJanuary 26, 2026\n\nRussian forces have begun evacuating equipment and personnel from bases around Qamishli airport in northeast Syria as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces territory shrinks [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-russia-sdf-qamishli-bd34938a4ce46b48b669b43b3247184f). Russian troops started a gradual withdrawal last week, transferring forces and heavy equipment from the airport to the Hmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, Syrian sources said [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/russia-withdrawing-troops-airport-northeast-syria-sources-say-2026-01-26\/).\n\n##### Damascus Extends Truce With SDF\nJanuary 24, 2026\n\nSyria’s military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces extended a truce that was set to expire on Saturday, both parties said; the Syrian defense ministry said the extension will last fifteen days and facilitate a U.S. operation to transfer prisoners linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-kurds-islamic-state-truce-hassakeh-ceasefire-67f5d1f2e90d9a45fb6be1c246fd8d40).\n\n##### UN Role in Syria\nJanuary 22, 2026\n\nThe United Nations is assuming responsibility for large refugee and detention camps in northeast Syria that were previously guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a senior UN official said; the SDF retreated from the area this week amid an armed offensive by Syria’s government, which aims to integrate SDF forces into its own [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/iraq-says-it-will-prosecute-islamic-state-detainees-transferred-syria-2026-01-22\/).\n\n##### Detainee Transfer From Syria\nJanuary 21, 2026\n\nThe U.S. military began transferring detainees linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq, U.S. Central Command said in a statement; the announcement said 150 detainees had already been transported to Iraqi-controlled facilities, with up to 7,000 in total eligible for transfers [(CENTCOM)](https:\/\/x.com\/CENTCOM\/status\/2014007338437341436). The move comes after dozens of detainees escaped from a Syrian prison in recent days during clashes between government forces and Kurdish rebels [(*WaPo*)](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2026\/01\/21\/isis-detainees-syria-iraq\/).\n\n##### ISIS Detainees Escape Prison\nJanuary 20, 2026\n\nSyria’s interior ministry said today that around 120 detainees had escaped and at least 81 had been recaptured, while a Kurdish website reported that roughly 1,500 had escaped; each side blamed the other for the incident [(Al Jazeera)](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2026\/1\/20\/syria-sdf-ceasefire-hangs-in-balance-after-renewed-clashes-faltering-talks). The renewed clashes are testing a freshly-minted truce between Syria’s military and Kurdish forces; they had announced a truce and plans to merge on Sunday, following a Syrian military offensive against the Kurdish group [(*NYT*)](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/18\/world\/middleeast\/syria-kurds-ceasefire.html). The Syrian government gave Kurdish forces a four-day deadline to accept the integration offer [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/kurdish-rudaw-website-reports-around-1500-islamic-state-members-escaped-syrias-2026-01-19\/). The U.S. special envoy for Syria urged Kurdish forces to accept the integration deal in a social media post; he wrote that the U.S. military partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was less necessary now that the new Syrian government has committed to fighting the self-declared Islamic State [(X)](https:\/\/x.com\/USAMBTurkiye\/status\/2013635851570336016).\n\n##### U.S. Carries Out Large Scale Strikes Against ISIS\nJanuary 10, 2026\n\nU.S. Central Command said they were part of continued retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. and Syrian forces last month [(CENTCOM)](https:\/\/x.com\/CENTCOM\/status\/2010089772120002721). Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the U.S. and Jordanian militaries have worked with the new Syrian government to target the remnants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(*NYT*)](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/10\/us\/politics\/us-strikes-islamic-state-syria.html).\n\n### Sign Up for Our Newsletter\n#### Receive the Center for Preventive Action's quarterly snapshot of global hot spots with expert analysis on ways to prevent and mitigate deadly conflict.\n[Sign Up]()\n\n## Footer\n- [About](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/about)\n- [Member Programs](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/member-programs)\n- [Contact](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/contact-us)\n- [Support](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/support-cfr)\n- [For Media](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/media)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/link.cfr.org\/join\/66n\/signup&hash=2d4c5929e9e04cc42f5cd375fb8dcfb1)\n- [Membership](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/membership)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/career-opportunities)\n\n## Social Nav\n©2025 Council on Foreign Relations. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/privacy-policy) and [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/terms-use).","attrs_readable_markdown":"Updated February 18, 2026\n\n[![icon\\_expand](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/global-conflict-tracker\/images\/icons\/expand.svg)]()\n\nSince the ouster of the [Bashar al-Assad regime](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/articles\/syrias-civil-war) in December 2024, Syria has entered a fragile transition under Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). In the northeast, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to [clash](https:\/\/www.fdd.org\/analysis\/2025\/08\/15\/sunni-arab-tribes-mobilize-against-the-syrian-democratic-forces\/) with Turkish-backed factions and Arab tribes, while rising sectarian tensions have [fueled](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/sectarian-violence-risks-dividing-syria-despite-sharaas-diplomacy-2025-09-15\/) targeted attacks on the Alawite and Druze communities in the southwest. Meanwhile, the Islamic State is exploiting the fragmented security landscape to [reestablish](https:\/\/www.foreignaffairs.com\/syria\/return-isis) its foothold. Israel, viewing the new regime as a threat, has [launched](https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/blogs\/new-atlanticist\/five-questions-and-expert-answers-on-israels-strikes-against-syria\/) air and ground assaults. Although the United States has [eased](https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2025\/06\/termination-of-syria-sanctions) sanctions and Arab states have [pledged](https:\/\/english.aawsat.com\/gulf\/5190172-saudi-arabia-qatar-pledge-support-syria%E2%80%99s-public-sector) aid, instability, minority tensions, and weak recovery still [block](https:\/\/www.rescue.org\/press-release\/irc-urges-caution-one-million-syrian-refugees-are-reported-have-returned-home) large-scale refugee returns, and humanitarian conditions remain [dire](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ua5wvoAtd20).\n\n## Syria’s Civil War (2011-24)\nWhat began as protests against President Assad’s regime in 2011 quickly [escalated](https:\/\/www.vox.com\/2017\/4\/8\/15218782\/syria-trump-bomb-assad-explainer) into a full-scale war between the Syrian government—backed by Russia and Iran—and anti-government rebel groups—backed by the United States and a rotating number of U.S. allies, including France, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom. Three campaigns drove the conflict: coalition efforts to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State, violence between the Syrian government and opposition forces, and military operations against Syrian Kurds by Turkish forces.\n\nThe Islamic State began seizing control of territory in Syria in 2013. After a series of terrorist attacks coordinated by the Islamic State across Europe in 2015, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France—with the support of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other Arab partners—expanded their air campaign in Iraq to include Syria. Together, those nations have [conducted](https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/OIR\/Airstrikes\/) over eleven thousand air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, while the U.S.-led [coalition](http:\/\/www.inherentresolve.mil\/About-Us\/Coalition\/) has continued its [support](https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/backgrounder\/whos-who-syrias-civil-war) for ground operations by the SDF. Turkish troops have been [involved](http:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2016\/08\/24\/why-turkey-finally-went-to-war-in-syria-jarablus-invasion-kurds\/) in ground operations against the Islamic State since 2016 and have launched attacks against [armed Kurdish groups](http:\/\/www.cfr.org\/interactives\/global-conflict-tracker#!\/conflict\/conflict-between-turkey-and-armed-kurdish-groups) in Syria.\n\nMeanwhile, at the request of the Syrian government in September 2015, Russia [began launching](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2015\/09\/russian-carries-air-strikes-syria-150930133155190.html) air strikes against what it [claimed](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-strikes\/four-fifths-of-russias-syria-strikes-dont-target-islamic-state-reuters-analysis-idUSKCN0SF24L20151021) were Islamic State targets, while Syrian government forces achieved several notable victories over the Islamic State, including the reclamation of the city of [Palmyra](http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/04\/05\/world\/middleeast\/palmyra-syria-isis.html). According to the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, Iraqi security forces and the SDF [reclaimed](http:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/MEDIA\/Transcripts\/) 98 percent of the territory [formerly held](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-27838034) by the group in Iraq and Syria, including the cities of [Raqqa](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2017\/10\/20\/middleeast\/raqqa-syria-isis-total-liberation\/index.html) and [Deir al-Zour](https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/syria-deir-el-zour-liberated-from-islamic-state\/4098276.html).\n\nWith Russian and Iranian support, the Syrian government steadily regained control of territory from opposition forces, including the [opposition’s stronghold](https:\/\/www.vox.com\/world\/2016\/12\/16\/13974780\/aleppo-explained-4-minutes) in Aleppo in 2016. The regime was accused of using chemical weapons numerous times over the course of the conflict, resulting in international condemnation in [2013](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/nearly-1500-killed-in-syrian-chemical-weapons-attack-us-says\/2013\/08\/30\/b2864662-1196-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_story.html), [2017](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/04\/04\/world\/middleeast\/syria-gas-attack.html), and [2018](http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-43697084). Opposition forces maintained [limited control](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/indepth\/interactive\/2015\/05\/syria-country-divided-150529144229467.html) in Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and on the Iraq-Syria border. During this period, efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution were unsuccessful. Various rounds of UN-backed [peace](http:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/international\/archive\/2016\/03\/syria-geneva-peace-talks\/476034\/) [talks]() in Geneva failed to reach a political resolution, while a ceasefire [reached](http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2017\/05\/04\/middleeast\/syria-ceasefire-talks-deescalation-zones\/index.html) in Astana, Kazakhstan, collapsed after Syrian government forces [violated](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/11\/18\/world\/middleeast\/syria-de-escalation-zones-atarib.html) its terms.\n\nDuring President Donald Trump’s first term, the United States largely withdrew from Syria, [leaving](https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/us-troops-peacekeepers-to-remain-in-syria\/) only about four hundred U.S. troops as a contingency force. On January 16, 2019, [an attack](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2019\/01\/16\/politics\/syria-attack-us-patrolled-city\/index.html) in Manbij claimed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State killed at least nineteen people, including four Americans. Before that attack, [only two Americans](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2019\/01\/16\/politics\/syria-attack-us-patrolled-city\/index.html) had been killed in action in Syria since the U.S.-led campaign began. The U.S.-led international coalition continues to carry out military operations against the [remnants of the Islamic State](https:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/MEDIA\/PRESS-RELEASES\/Press-Release-View\/Article\/4309972\/us-forces-kill-syria-based-isis-external-operations-planner\/) and [al-Qaeda affiliates](https:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/MEDIA\/PRESS-RELEASES\/Press-Release-View\/Article\/4321849\/us-forces-kill-al-qaeda-affiliated-terrorist-planner-in-syria\/).\n\nBy 2023, the Assad regime appeared to be reemerging from years of diplomatic isolation. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi [met with](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2023\/5\/3\/irans-raisi-in-syria-visit-hailed-as-strategic-victory) Assad in Damascus to strengthen economic cooperation and the Arab League [agreed](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-arab-egypt-saudi-qatar-jordan-f0298c40488470eb28274b2ffb859396) to re-admit Syria after a twelve-year suspension. Rebel groups remained [confined](https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/middle-east_syrian-war-10-years-idlib-battle-frozen-unfinished\/6203329.html) to Idlib for several years, leading most regional analysts [to believe](https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/welcome-back-bashar-assad-has-the-syrian-dictator-won\/a-64343136) the threat to Assad had largely ended, even as sporadic [Islamic State attacks](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/attack-bus-kills-23-syrian-troops-war-monitor-2023-08-11\/#:~:text=Islamic%20State%20claims%20responsibility%20for%20attack%20on%20bus%20that%20kills%2023%20Syrian%20troops,-Reuters&text=BEIRUT%2C%20Aug%2011%20\$Reuters\$,war%20monitor%20said%20on%20Friday.) and [Israeli strikes](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/world\/israeli-airstrikes-on-syria-intensify-raise-tensions-with-iran) on Iran-backed militias continued.\n\nAccording to [UN estimates](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/12\/11\/world\/middleeast\/syria-civil-war-death-toll.html), around 580,000 people were killed during the civil war, with [millions](https:\/\/reporting.unhcr.org\/syriasituation) either internally displaced or living as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and several European states. On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake [struck](https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/turkiye-syria-earthquake-response) northwest Syria and southeastern Turkey in [one of the worst](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/environment\/turkey-quake-other-major-natural-disasters-this-century-2023-02-09\/) natural disasters of this century. In Syria, the disaster killed an estimated [8,400](https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/report\/turkiye\/devastating-earthquakes-southern-turkiye-and-northern-syria-april-6th-2023-situation-report-20-entr) people and [caused](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/earthquakes-caused-51-bln-damage-syria-world-bank-estimates-2023-03-03\/) about \\$5.1 billion in damages, deepening the humanitarian crisis.\n\n## Overthrow of Bashar al-Assad (2024)\nBattlefield dynamics in Syria shifted significantly following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel [accelerated](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/irans-guards-pull-officers-syria-after-israeli-strikes-2024-02-01\/) its airstrikes in Syria, killing multiple senior officials within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and weakening Iran-backed local militias. After Israel [launched](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/czxgyzq7z2ro) a ground invasion and large-scale aerial campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September 2024, the group significantly [scaled back](https:\/\/www.inss.org.il\/publication\/syria-rebels\/) its contingency presence in Syria. Likewise, the Russian invasion of Ukraine [forced](https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/is-russia-able-to-fight-in-both-ukraine-and-syria\/a-70973239) Russia to shift forces away from its bases in Syria.\n\nBy November 2024, the retrenchment of Assad’s foreign allies provided a [military opening](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/11\/28\/europe\/syria-rebels-government-iran-analysis-intl) for Syrian rebel groups to renew their campaign against the Assad regime. In contrast to the declining influence of the regime’s allies, the rebels had continued [receiving military support](https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/blogs\/menasource\/syrian-national-army-turkey-reform\/) from Turkey, which maintained troops in northern Syria and aided the Syrian National Army (SNA), a key rebel group. As the November offensive began, Assad’s forces fought back with [minimal firepower](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2024\/12\/8\/what-happened-in-syria-has-al-assad-really-fallen). After capturing Aleppo, rebel forces [seized](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/12\/09\/middleeast\/timeline-syria-assad-regime-toppled-intl) Hama on December 5, Daraa on December 6, and Homs on December 7, before overpowering Assad’s fleeing forces in Damascus on December 8. Throughout their offensive, the rebels [freed](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c2dx3ekpr59o) thousands of political prisoners held by the Assad regime. The offensive’s speed [surprised](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-fall-of-assad-photo-gallery-f4862a7f801eae711a69482f04b88c8a) many observers, including analysts, Syrians, and even the rebels themselves.\n\n## Transition Under Ahmed al-Sharaa (2024-Present)\nAs Assad [fled](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-rebels-celebrate-captured-homs-set-sights-damascus-2024-12-07\/) to Moscow and many Syrians [celebrated](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/live\/2024\/12\/08\/world\/syria-war-damascus) the rebels’ announcement of victory on state television, a new interim administration emerged under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, then known by his [nom de guerre](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/12\/06\/middleeast\/syria-rebel-forces-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-al-jolani-intl-latam), Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. Al-Sharaa [founded](https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2024\/12\/11\/syria-rebel-leader-jolani-hts-al-qaeda-islamic-state-isis\/) HTS as a successor group to Jabhat al-Nusra, which was al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate before breaking off in mid-2016. Those ties to al-Qaeda prompted the United States to [designate](https:\/\/www.washingtoninstitute.org\/policy-analysis\/how-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-landed-us-terrorist-lists-and-why-it-should-stay-there-now) Al-Sharaa as a terrorist. Still, the [United States](https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/trump-urges-us-stay-syria-mess-biden-speak\/story?id=116570293) and many [European governments](https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/syria-bashar-assad-eu-welcomes-collapse\/) cautiously welcomed the change in government, calling for the new regime to implement an inclusive political solution aligned with UN resolutions.\n\nSince then, the Sharaa regime’s record has been mixed. His government has suggested [it is committed](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-leader-sharaa-pledges-form-inclusive-government-2025-01-30\/) to a secular state with equality among Syria’s diverse population, but many minority communities [feel sidelined](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2025\/08\/23\/syria-minorities-druze-alawites-kurds-sharaa\/) and fearful of the new regime. Women and minorities won [only a few seats](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/first-results-syrias-new-parliament-show-low-share-minorities-women-2025-10-06\/) in recent parliamentary elections held in October, while its new interim constitution risks [centralizing power](https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2025\/03\/25\/syria-constitutional-declaration-risks-endangering-rights) without credible institutional guarantees for civil and political rights.\n\nIn March, the Sharaa regime [signed](https:\/\/www.mei.edu\/publications\/damascus-sdf-agreement-two-months-fragile-progress-or-delayed-collapse) an agreement with the SDF to integrate the Kurdish population into government structures. However, clashes [restarted](https:\/\/www.fdd.org\/analysis\/2025\/08\/14\/stalled-syria-sdf-deal-risks-sparking-wider-conflict\/) after the deal failed to materialize. Turkey’s interest in preventing Kurdish autonomy has further complicated the process, as Ankara continues to [threaten](https:\/\/english.aawsat.com\/arab-world\/5182947-t%C3%BCrkiye-warns-force-if-sdf-defies-deal-join-syrian-army) military escalation.\n\nAlthough the regime promised to avoid retribution against the Alawite minority, which Assad’s rule [had favored](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/12\/27\/world\/middleeast\/syria-alawites-assad.html), it [struggled](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/features\/2025\/3\/20\/dont-trust-anyone-are-syrias-alawis-losing-faith-in-the-new-government) to contain a vigilante assault that killed an [estimated 1,400](https:\/\/news.un.org\/en\/story\/2025\/10\/1166226) members of the community, predominantly civilians, in March 2025. A Reuters investigation [traced](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/investigations\/syrian-forces-massacred-1500-alawites-chain-command-led-damascus-2025-06-30\/) much of the violence to units integrated into the new government’s security apparatus. In southern Syria, meanwhile, the Druze population [accused](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c0m87d4p9gvo) Damascus of backing Bedouin tribes in deadly clashes over the summer of 2025, which killed at least [1,000 people](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/world\/over-1400-mostly-civilians-were-killed-in-sectarian-violence-in-coastal-syria-in-march-government-says).\n\nIn May 2025, President Trump [announced](https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/fact-sheets\/2025\/06\/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-provides-for-the-revocation-of-syria-sanctions\/) that the United States would suspend all sanctions targeting the Syrian regime, following a more [limited U.S. waiver](https:\/\/home.treasury.gov\/news\/press-releases\/jy2770) in January 2025. Nonetheless, ongoing security threats, [weak](https:\/\/www.nextcenturyfoundation.org\/rebuilding-syria-hopes-and-hurdles\/) government institutions, and lingering [international sanctions](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/9\/22\/syrias-al-sharaa-renews-call-for-us-to-formally-drop-sanctions) have limited economic recovery, keeping humanitarian conditions bleak. This has [prevented](https:\/\/arabcenterdc.org\/resource\/refugees-return-to-syria-challenges-and-uncertainties\/) most refugees from returning home, although the UN [reported](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/9\/24\/one-million-syrian-refugees-returned-home-since-al-assads-fall-un-says) in September 2025 that around 1 million had returned, along with 1.8 million internally displaced individuals.\n\nThroughout this period, Israel has continued striking regime targets. After the Israeli government declared the UN-sponsored 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement void, it initiated a ground [invasion](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/12\/10\/middleeast\/israel-syria-assad-strikes-intl) on December 8, 2024. Israel coupled the invasion with an [aerial campaign](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/6\/4\/mapping-israels-expanding-air-attacks-across-syria) targeting weapons caches throughout the country, aiming to [prevent](https:\/\/www.washingtoninstitute.org\/policy-analysis\/israel-and-fall-assad-rejoice-repel-reach-out-reload) the new Islamist regime from amassing significant military power. Israel intensified this campaign during the July 2025 Druze-Bedouin clashes, striking several key [government targets](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/07\/16\/nx-s1-5469794\/israel-strikes-damascus-syria), including the Defense Ministry and an area adjacent to the Presidential Palace, as it [echoed](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c70xyv4z74go) Druze accusations of regime support for the Bedouin tribes. Despite these clashes, Israel and Syria have [maintained talks](https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/09\/16\/israel-syria-security-agreement-dermer) aimed at restoring the UN-backed 1974 agreement and achieving a broader regional security arrangement.\n\nMore on Conflict in Syria\n\nNearby Conflicts\n\n##### Alleged Syrian Militia Member Denies Crimes Against Humanity Charges\nApril 8, 2026\n\nA Syrian man known as Rafik A. went on trial in The Hague, denying twenty-five charges including torture, rape, and sexual violence as crimes against humanity, allegedly committed while he led an interrogation unit for a pro-Assad militia in Syria from 2013 to 2014; the case is the first in the Netherlands to address atrocity crimes committed by pro-government forces in Syria, with a verdict expected June 9 and a potential life sentence if convicted [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/alleged-syrian-militia-member-tells-trial-he-did-not-torture-prisoners-2026-04-08\/).\n\n##### Zelenskyy in Syria\nApril 5, 2026\n\nUkraine and Syria agreed to cooperate on security and economic issues during Zelenskyy’s trip to Damascus [(President of Ukraine)](https:\/\/x.com\/ZelenskyyUa\/status\/2040802391054786600?s=20). Turkey’s foreign minister also attended a portion of the talks [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/zelenskiy-syria-meet-president-sharaa-sources-say-2026-04-05\/). It was Zelenskyy’s first visit to Syria since the two countries restored diplomatic ties; Syria’s former Assad regime was a close ally of Russia [(Al Jazeera)](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2026\/4\/5\/ukraine-syria-agree-to-exchange-military-and-security-experience).\n\n##### Al-Sharaa Says Syria Will Not Get Involved in Iran War\nMarch 31, 2026\n\nSyrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stated that Syria would not get involved in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran unless Syria faces aggression and does not have any diplomatic solutions [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/europe\/syria-will-stay-out-iran-conflict-unless-it-faces-aggression-president-says-2026-03-31\/).\n\n##### Drones Strike Syrian Military Bases Near Iraqi Border\nMarch 30, 2026\n\nThe Syrian army reported that drones targeted several bases near the Iraqi border; in a statement posted on Syrian state media, the army, which did not specify the origin of the drones, noted that most of the drones were successfully shot down [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-army-says-drone-attacks-targeted-its-bases-near-iraq-2026-03-30\/). Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that the two countries will coordinate to speed the return of Syrian refugees living in Germany; both leaders said Syrians who wish to stay in Germany would be allowed to, but Merz said that 80 percent of Syrians in Germany are expected to repatriate in the next three years [(DW)](https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-merz-and-syrian-president-talk-refugee-returns\/live-76588579#liveblog-post-76595271).\n\n##### Sectarian Attacks Erupt in Suqaylabiyah\nMarch 28, 2026\n\nAn interpersonal dispute between two men escalated into sectarian attacks in the Christian town of Suqaylabiyah, Hama province, when scores of armed men from a neighboring Sunni community descended on motorcycles, damaging homes, shops, and vehicles throughout the night; there were no immediate reported casualties in the attacks [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-christians-sectarian-attacks-suqaylabiyah-d3c66fd9713084c1fbab0c307c77bcf9).\n\n##### UN: July 2025 Violence Killed Over 1,700 Syrians\nMarch 27, 2026\n\nA UN investigation found that more than 1,700 people were killed and nearly 200,000 displaced during a week of violence in southern Syria in July 2025, with Syrian government forces, tribal fighters, and Druze armed groups potentially committing war crimes; the report said most of the 1,707 deaths in Sweida Governorate were Druze civilians, along with members of the Bedouin community and at least 225 government personnel [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/un-says-1700-killed-syrias-suweida-violence-cites-possible-war-crimes-2026-03-27\/).\n\n##### Syrians Protest Alcohol Restrictions in Damascus\nMarch 22, 2026\n\nLarge crowds rallied to protest recent efforts by authorities to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol in Damascus; the demonstration, which reflected fears that the new government may threaten secular freedoms, was surrounded by heavily armed security forces and passed without any incident [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-alsharaa-alcohol-ban-christians-ed5f71c33b444b6be791644a915da9a7). Authorities slightly walked back the ban, saying that alcohol sales would be allowed in hotels and other designated sites [(MEE)](https:\/\/www.middleeasteye.net\/news\/syria-walks-back-damascus-alcohol-ban-after-outcry-residents).\n\n##### Ukrainian, U.S. Negotiators Meet in Florida\nMarch 21, 2026\n\nUkrainian and U.S. negotiators began the latest round of talks in Florida to move towards a settlement; the White House described the talks as productive, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that talks would continue on Sunday [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/ukraine-says-talks-resolving-war-continue-us-sunday-2026-03-21\/).\n\n##### Israel Strikes Syrian Military Sites\nMarch 20, 2026\n\nIsrael struck Syrian government military infrastructure in southern Syria overnight in response to attacks against Druze civilians in Sweida, targeting command centers and weapons sites; Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and warned Israel would bear responsibility for further escalation [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/israeli-military-says-it-struck-syrian-government-targets-after-attacks-druze-2026-03-20\/).\n\n##### Syria’s Alcohol Restrictions\nMarch 17, 2026\n\nMunicipal authorities in Damascus banned alcohol in bars and restaurants except in the city’s predominantly Christian neighborhoods; it marks a step toward more conservative legal mores following the country’s takeover by Islamist rebels led by current President Ahmed al-Sharaa [(AFP)](https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/liveblog_entry\/syrias-damascus-restricts-sale-of-alcohol-under-new-islamist-rulers\/). Some critics argue the move violates parts of Syria’s constitution, which Sharaa approved last year [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-authorities-ban-alcohol-damascus-2026-03-17\/).\n\n##### Syria Accuses Hezbollah of Cross-Border Shelling\nMarch 10, 2026\n\nSyria’s army accused Hezbollah of shelling targets inside Syria, west of Damascus, from across the Lebanese border [*(Times of Israel)*](https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/liveblog_entry\/syria-accuses-hezbollah-of-firing-shells-into-its-territory\/). Meanwhile, Damascus appointed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo as deputy defense minister for the country’s eastern territories; the move is seen as part of the implementation of a U.S.-brokered integration agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-appoints-kurdish-ypg-commander-sipan-hamo-deputy-defence-minister-2026-03-10\/).\n\n##### Turkey Allegedly Asks MI6 to Help Protect Syrian President\nMarch 6, 2026\n\nTurkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, reportedly asked Britain’s MI6 to take a larger role in protecting Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa following recent assassination plots; however, after Reuters published the story, Turkey denied making any such request [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/turkey-asks-britains-mi6-step-up-protection-syrias-sharaa-sources-say-2026-03-06\/).\n\n##### Border Crossing With Lebanon Temporarily Closed\nMarch 4, 2026\n\nThe Syrian land and sea ports authority briefly closed its border crossing with Lebanon for all departures; the closure came as Israel warned that it may target the crossing in its operations [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-closes-its-border-crossing-with-lebanon-after-warning-it-being-targeted-by-2026-03-04\/).\n\n##### Syria Reinforces Border With Lebanon\nMarch 3, 2026\n\nSyria sent rocket units and thousands of troops to its border with Lebanon; the move reportedly was aimed at preventing the infiltration of Hezbollah or other militant groups into Syria, as well as to stop cross-border arms and drug smuggling [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/aerospace-defense\/syria-sends-thousands-troops-lebanon-border-sources-say-2026-03-03\/).\n\n##### Four Killed by Iranian Missile in Sweida\nFebruary 28, 2026\n\nAn Iranian missile hit a building in Sweida, killing four people and wounding several others; other missile debris fell in parts of southern Syria as residents reported hearing interceptor missiles in the skies of Damascus [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/four-people-killed-syria-after-an-iranian-missile-falls-building-state-media-2026-02-28\/).\n\n##### Syria, Druze Factions Hold First Prisoner Exchange Since July Clashes\nFebruary 27, 2026\n\nThe Syrian government and Druze factions controlling the southern city of Sweida conducted their first prisoner exchange on Thursday since deadly sectarian clashes last July [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-government-forces-druze-factions-exchange-prisoners-sweida-2026-02-26\/).\n\n##### U.S. Military Withdrawing From Largest Base in Northeastern Syria\nFebruary 23, 2026\n\nThe Syrian military and security sources stated that U.S. forces began withdrawing from their largest base in Qasrak; the base was the main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/us-military-begins-withdrawing-main-base-northeast-syria-syrian-sources-say-2026-02-23\/). While U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment, it confirmed earlier this month that U.S. troops had withdrawn from different base in southeastern Syria [(CENTCOM)](https:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/MEDIA\/PRESS-RELEASES\/Press-Release-View\/Article\/4404940\/us-forces-depart-base-in-syria-during-orderly-transition\/).\n\n##### Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Militants Kill Four\nFebruary 23, 2026\n\nSelf-proclaimed Islamic State militants killed four security personnel in northern Syria, marking the deadliest attack on government forces since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/islamic-state-kills-four-security-personnel-syria-state-news-agency-says-2026-02-23\/).\n\n##### Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Two Attacks\nFebruary 22, 2026\n\nThe self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian army personnel in eastern and northern Syria; this came as the group announced it had entered a “new phase” in operations [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/islamic-state-claims-two-attacks-syrian-army-announces-new-phase-operations-2026-02-21\/).\n\n##### Militant Attack Kills One Security Officer\nFebruary 19, 2026\n\nThe self-proclaimed Islamic State took responsibility for an attack that killed one security officer and injured another in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/one-security-officer-killed-another-wounded-is-attack-eastern-syria-2026-02-19\/).\n\n##### United States to Withdraw All Forces\nFebruary 18, 2026\n\nAmerican officials stated that the United States is in the process of withdrawing all its troops from Syria; the removal will be “conditions-based” and will occur over the next two months [(*WSJ*)](https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-us-troops-withdraw-a97a2665?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqc3WekE7DAvXzoPwiXrGZgvNKiJKi6VjeeTX0idWVp4qpTdANZdgzjzKyonZZA%3D&gaa_ts=699877b0&gaa_sig=_x73147EU3fzEHwa-GzM0J1NbIUJ5RceF2JXOZXP85rj6SV2sjzeeYhM4MpDh0QbiONwrTRQ710WRDZeu9UT5w%3D%3D).\n\n##### Australians Released From Roj Camp Returned\nFebruary 16, 2026\n\nThirty-four Australians released from Roj camp were later returned due to “technical problems” between families and the Damascus government [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/thirty-four-australians-released-syrian-camp-holding-is-affiliated-families-2026-02-16\/). This comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the Australian government will provide “absolutely no support” towards repatriation efforts [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/australia-syria-islamic-state-repatriate-9014cd9b72d4c3121a648cbe0f8b8df4).\n\n##### Syrian Army Takes Control of Shaddadi Base\nFebruary 15, 2026\n\nThe Syrian Army announced that it had taken control of the Shaddadi base in northwestern Syria in coordination with the United States [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-army-says-it-took-control-shaddadi-base-after-coordination-with-us-agency-2026-02-15\/).\n\n##### U.S. Conducts Strikes on ISIS Targets\nFebruary 14, 2026\n\nThe United States Central Command announced that it conducted ten airstrikes against at least thirty self-proclaimed Islamic State infrastructure and weapons storage targets between February 3 and February 12 [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/us-conducts-strikes-more-than-30-islamic-state-targets-syria-military-says-2026-02-14\/).\n\n##### U.S. Military Completes Prison Transfers\nFebruary 13, 2026\n\nThe United States Central Command announced that U.S. forces successfully completed their mission of transferring self-proclaimed Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq; the transfers included moving over 5,700 self-proclaimed IS militants [(Reuters).](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/us-military-says-it-completed-syria-mission-transfer-isis-members-iraq-2026-02-13\/)\n\n##### Saudi Arabian and U.S. Firms to Partner on Energy Project\nFebruary 10, 2026\n\nThree U.S.-based and two Saudi-based firms are to form a consortium for an energy production and oil and gas exploration project in northeast Syria; the move reflects Damascus’s need for energy investments after fourteen years of war [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/saudi-us-firms-partner-northeast-syria-energy-project-2026-02-10\/).\n\n##### Saudi Investments in Syria\nFebruary 7, 2026\n\nA new Saudi fund will invest around \\$2 billion to develop two airports in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Saudi Arabia’s investment minister Khalid al-Falih said [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/saudi-arabia-announces-major-new-syria-investments-2026-02-07\/). The Saudi Telecom Company also said it will invest \\$800 million in a telecommunications infrastructure project in the country [(Communications Today)](https:\/\/www.communicationstoday.co.in\/saudi-telecom-wins-800m-syria-infrastructure-project\/). These and other new investments represent a “qualitative leap” in their bilateral relations, Al-Falih said, following more than \\$6 billion in Saudi investment pledges in Syria last year [(*NYT*)](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/07\/world\/middleeast\/saudi-arabia-investment-syria-al-sharaa.html).\n\n##### Syrian Government Blocks Al-Qaeda Affiliated Book\nFebruary 4, 2026\n\nThe Syrian government blocked a book containing multiple audio addresses by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq before his death in 2006, from being displayed at a book fair in Damascus; officials stated the book would dampen relation-building efforts between Baghdad and Damascus [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-blocks-display-al-qaeda-linked-text-book-fair-iraqi-official-says-2026-02-04\/).\n\n##### Syrian Government Security Forces Enter Qamishli\nFebruary 3, 2026\n\nSyrian security forces continued deployments to Kurdish-led regions and entered Qamishli to engage in talks with senior Kurdish officials [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-security-convoy-heads-key-kurdish-city-under-us-backed-deal-2026-02-03\/).\n\n##### Syrian State Forces Enter Al-Hasakah\nFebruary 2, 2026\n\nSyrian government forces entered Al-Hasakah as part of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces that plans to merge Kurdish-led regions with Damascus [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-government-forces-deploy-towards-kurdish-run-city-after-ceasefire-deal-2026-02-02\/).\n\n##### Syrian Government and Kurds Agree on Integration Deal\nJanuary 30, 2026\n\nThe Syrian government and Kurdish forces agreed to a ceasefire that outlines a phased plan to absorb Kurdish fighters into state institutions, garnering praise from the United States; the deal follows recent advances by Damascus this month, which pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces back into a reduced northeastern enclave [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syrian-kurdish-led-sdf-agree-ceasefire-phased-integration-deal-with-government-2026-01-30\/).\n\n##### Syria to Close Al-Hol and Roj Camps\nJanuary 30, 2026\n\nSyria announced plans to close Al-Hol and Roj displacement camps that held civilians and foreigners linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-close-camps-housing-thousands-linked-islamic-state-2026-01-30\/).\n\n##### Putin Hosts Al-Sharaa\nJanuary 28, 2026\n\nRussian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin to discuss Moscow’s future military presence in Syria [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/putin-sharaa-will-discuss-future-russian-military-presence-syria-kremlin-says-2026-01-28\/).\n\n##### Syria Seeks U.S.-Backed Talks With SDF as Tensions Persist\nJanuary 27, 2026\n\nThe Syrian government said it plans to hold a new round of U.S-backed talks with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to define how the group will merge into the central state following a January 18 integration deal [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/syria-hopes-hold-new-integration-talks-with-kurdish-forces-tuesday-2026-01-27\/). In Qamishli, Kurdish residents have organized nighttime volunteer patrols as government forces press closer, underscoring fears despite a ceasefire and continued negotiations [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/media-telecom\/syrian-kurdish-enclave-alert-amid-shaky-ceasefire-2026-01-27\/).\n\n##### Russia Begins Withdrawing From Qamishli Airport\nJanuary 26, 2026\n\nRussian forces have begun evacuating equipment and personnel from bases around Qamishli airport in northeast Syria as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces territory shrinks [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-russia-sdf-qamishli-bd34938a4ce46b48b669b43b3247184f). Russian troops started a gradual withdrawal last week, transferring forces and heavy equipment from the airport to the Hmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, Syrian sources said [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/russia-withdrawing-troops-airport-northeast-syria-sources-say-2026-01-26\/).\n\n##### Damascus Extends Truce With SDF\nJanuary 24, 2026\n\nSyria’s military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces extended a truce that was set to expire on Saturday, both parties said; the Syrian defense ministry said the extension will last fifteen days and facilitate a U.S. operation to transfer prisoners linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq [(AP)](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/syria-kurds-islamic-state-truce-hassakeh-ceasefire-67f5d1f2e90d9a45fb6be1c246fd8d40).\n\n##### UN Role in Syria\nJanuary 22, 2026\n\nThe United Nations is assuming responsibility for large refugee and detention camps in northeast Syria that were previously guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a senior UN official said; the SDF retreated from the area this week amid an armed offensive by Syria’s government, which aims to integrate SDF forces into its own [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/iraq-says-it-will-prosecute-islamic-state-detainees-transferred-syria-2026-01-22\/).\n\n##### Detainee Transfer From Syria\nJanuary 21, 2026\n\nThe U.S. military began transferring detainees linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq, U.S. Central Command said in a statement; the announcement said 150 detainees had already been transported to Iraqi-controlled facilities, with up to 7,000 in total eligible for transfers [(CENTCOM)](https:\/\/x.com\/CENTCOM\/status\/2014007338437341436). The move comes after dozens of detainees escaped from a Syrian prison in recent days during clashes between government forces and Kurdish rebels [(*WaPo*)](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2026\/01\/21\/isis-detainees-syria-iraq\/).\n\n##### ISIS Detainees Escape Prison\nJanuary 20, 2026\n\nSyria’s interior ministry said today that around 120 detainees had escaped and at least 81 had been recaptured, while a Kurdish website reported that roughly 1,500 had escaped; each side blamed the other for the incident [(Al Jazeera)](https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2026\/1\/20\/syria-sdf-ceasefire-hangs-in-balance-after-renewed-clashes-faltering-talks). The renewed clashes are testing a freshly-minted truce between Syria’s military and Kurdish forces; they had announced a truce and plans to merge on Sunday, following a Syrian military offensive against the Kurdish group [(*NYT*)](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/18\/world\/middleeast\/syria-kurds-ceasefire.html). The Syrian government gave Kurdish forces a four-day deadline to accept the integration offer [(Reuters)](https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/kurdish-rudaw-website-reports-around-1500-islamic-state-members-escaped-syrias-2026-01-19\/). The U.S. special envoy for Syria urged Kurdish forces to accept the integration deal in a social media post; he wrote that the U.S. military partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was less necessary now that the new Syrian government has committed to fighting the self-declared Islamic State [(X)](https:\/\/x.com\/USAMBTurkiye\/status\/2013635851570336016).\n\n##### U.S. Carries Out Large Scale Strikes Against ISIS\nJanuary 10, 2026\n\nU.S. Central Command said they were part of continued retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. and Syrian forces last month [(CENTCOM)](https:\/\/x.com\/CENTCOM\/status\/2010089772120002721). Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the U.S. and Jordanian militaries have worked with the new Syrian government to target the remnants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(*NYT*)](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/10\/us\/politics\/us-strikes-islamic-state-syria.html).\n\n### Sign Up for Our Newsletter\nReceive the Center for Preventive Action's quarterly snapshot of global hot spots with expert analysis on ways to prevent and mitigate deadly conflict.","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-syria
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Meta Title	Conflict in Syria \| Global Conflict Tracker
Meta Description	Learn how the war in Syria began, how it impacts the region, and track the latest news with CFR’s Global Conflict Tracker.
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Boilerpipe Text	Updated February 18, 2026 Since the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, Syria has entered a fragile transition under Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). In the northeast, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to clash with Turkish-backed factions and Arab tribes, while rising sectarian tensions have fueled targeted attacks on the Alawite and Druze communities in the southwest. Meanwhile, the Islamic State is exploiting the fragmented security landscape to reestablish its foothold. Israel, viewing the new regime as a threat, has launched air and ground assaults. Although the United States has eased sanctions and Arab states have pledged aid, instability, minority tensions, and weak recovery still block large-scale refugee returns, and humanitarian conditions remain dire . Syria’s Civil War (2011-24) What began as protests against President Assad’s regime in 2011 quickly escalated into a full-scale war between the Syrian government—backed by Russia and Iran—and anti-government rebel groups—backed by the United States and a rotating number of U.S. allies, including France, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom. Three campaigns drove the conflict: coalition efforts to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State, violence between the Syrian government and opposition forces, and military operations against Syrian Kurds by Turkish forces. The Islamic State began seizing control of territory in Syria in 2013. After a series of terrorist attacks coordinated by the Islamic State across Europe in 2015, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France—with the support of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other Arab partners—expanded their air campaign in Iraq to include Syria. Together, those nations have conducted over eleven thousand air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, while the U.S.-led coalition has continued its support for ground operations by the SDF. Turkish troops have been involved in ground operations against the Islamic State since 2016 and have launched attacks against armed Kurdish groups in Syria. Meanwhile, at the request of the Syrian government in September 2015, Russia began launching air strikes against what it claimed were Islamic State targets, while Syrian government forces achieved several notable victories over the Islamic State, including the reclamation of the city of Palmyra . According to the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, Iraqi security forces and the SDF reclaimed 98 percent of the territory formerly held by the group in Iraq and Syria, including the cities of Raqqa and Deir al-Zour . With Russian and Iranian support, the Syrian government steadily regained control of territory from opposition forces, including the opposition’s stronghold in Aleppo in 2016. The regime was accused of using chemical weapons numerous times over the course of the conflict, resulting in international condemnation in 2013 , 2017 , and 2018 . Opposition forces maintained limited control in Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and on the Iraq-Syria border. During this period, efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution were unsuccessful. Various rounds of UN-backed peace talks in Geneva failed to reach a political resolution, while a ceasefire reached in Astana, Kazakhstan, collapsed after Syrian government forces violated its terms. During President Donald Trump’s first term, the United States largely withdrew from Syria, leaving only about four hundred U.S. troops as a contingency force. On January 16, 2019, an attack in Manbij claimed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State killed at least nineteen people, including four Americans. Before that attack, only two Americans had been killed in action in Syria since the U.S.-led campaign began. The U.S.-led international coalition continues to carry out military operations against the remnants of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates . By 2023, the Assad regime appeared to be reemerging from years of diplomatic isolation. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with Assad in Damascus to strengthen economic cooperation and the Arab League agreed to re-admit Syria after a twelve-year suspension. Rebel groups remained confined to Idlib for several years, leading most regional analysts to believe the threat to Assad had largely ended, even as sporadic Islamic State attacks and Israeli strikes on Iran-backed militias continued. According to UN estimates , around 580,000 people were killed during the civil war, with millions either internally displaced or living as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and several European states. On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck northwest Syria and southeastern Turkey in one of the worst natural disasters of this century. In Syria, the disaster killed an estimated 8,400 people and caused about $5.1 billion in damages, deepening the humanitarian crisis. Overthrow of Bashar al-Assad (2024) Battlefield dynamics in Syria shifted significantly following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel accelerated its airstrikes in Syria, killing multiple senior officials within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and weakening Iran-backed local militias. After Israel launched a ground invasion and large-scale aerial campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September 2024, the group significantly scaled back its contingency presence in Syria. Likewise, the Russian invasion of Ukraine forced Russia to shift forces away from its bases in Syria. By November 2024, the retrenchment of Assad’s foreign allies provided a military opening for Syrian rebel groups to renew their campaign against the Assad regime. In contrast to the declining influence of the regime’s allies, the rebels had continued receiving military support from Turkey, which maintained troops in northern Syria and aided the Syrian National Army (SNA), a key rebel group. As the November offensive began, Assad’s forces fought back with minimal firepower . After capturing Aleppo, rebel forces seized Hama on December 5, Daraa on December 6, and Homs on December 7, before overpowering Assad’s fleeing forces in Damascus on December 8. Throughout their offensive, the rebels freed thousands of political prisoners held by the Assad regime. The offensive’s speed surprised many observers, including analysts, Syrians, and even the rebels themselves. Transition Under Ahmed al-Sharaa (2024-Present) As Assad fled to Moscow and many Syrians celebrated the rebels’ announcement of victory on state television, a new interim administration emerged under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, then known by his nom de guerre , Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. Al-Sharaa founded HTS as a successor group to Jabhat al-Nusra, which was al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate before breaking off in mid-2016. Those ties to al-Qaeda prompted the United States to designate Al-Sharaa as a terrorist. Still, the United States and many European governments cautiously welcomed the change in government, calling for the new regime to implement an inclusive political solution aligned with UN resolutions. Since then, the Sharaa regime’s record has been mixed. His government has suggested it is committed to a secular state with equality among Syria’s diverse population, but many minority communities feel sidelined and fearful of the new regime. Women and minorities won only a few seats in recent parliamentary elections held in October, while its new interim constitution risks centralizing power without credible institutional guarantees for civil and political rights. In March, the Sharaa regime signed an agreement with the SDF to integrate the Kurdish population into government structures. However, clashes restarted after the deal failed to materialize. Turkey’s interest in preventing Kurdish autonomy has further complicated the process, as Ankara continues to threaten military escalation. Although the regime promised to avoid retribution against the Alawite minority, which Assad’s rule had favored , it struggled to contain a vigilante assault that killed an estimated 1,400 members of the community, predominantly civilians, in March 2025. A Reuters investigation traced much of the violence to units integrated into the new government’s security apparatus. In southern Syria, meanwhile, the Druze population accused Damascus of backing Bedouin tribes in deadly clashes over the summer of 2025, which killed at least 1,000 people . In May 2025, President Trump announced that the United States would suspend all sanctions targeting the Syrian regime, following a more limited U.S. waiver in January 2025. Nonetheless, ongoing security threats, weak government institutions, and lingering international sanctions have limited economic recovery, keeping humanitarian conditions bleak. This has prevented most refugees from returning home, although the UN reported in September 2025 that around 1 million had returned, along with 1.8 million internally displaced individuals. Throughout this period, Israel has continued striking regime targets. After the Israeli government declared the UN-sponsored 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement void, it initiated a ground invasion on December 8, 2024. Israel coupled the invasion with an aerial campaign targeting weapons caches throughout the country, aiming to prevent the new Islamist regime from amassing significant military power. Israel intensified this campaign during the July 2025 Druze-Bedouin clashes, striking several key government targets , including the Defense Ministry and an area adjacent to the Presidential Palace, as it echoed Druze accusations of regime support for the Bedouin tribes. Despite these clashes, Israel and Syria have maintained talks aimed at restoring the UN-backed 1974 agreement and achieving a broader regional security arrangement. More on Conflict in Syria Nearby Conflicts Alleged Syrian Militia Member Denies Crimes Against Humanity Charges April 8, 2026 A Syrian man known as Rafik A. went on trial in The Hague, denying twenty-five charges including torture, rape, and sexual violence as crimes against humanity, allegedly committed while he led an interrogation unit for a pro-Assad militia in Syria from 2013 to 2014; the case is the first in the Netherlands to address atrocity crimes committed by pro-government forces in Syria, with a verdict expected June 9 and a potential life sentence if convicted (Reuters) . Zelenskyy in Syria April 5, 2026 Ukraine and Syria agreed to cooperate on security and economic issues during Zelenskyy’s trip to Damascus (President of Ukraine) . Turkey’s foreign minister also attended a portion of the talks (Reuters) . It was Zelenskyy’s first visit to Syria since the two countries restored diplomatic ties; Syria’s former Assad regime was a close ally of Russia (Al Jazeera) . Al-Sharaa Says Syria Will Not Get Involved in Iran War March 31, 2026 Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stated that Syria would not get involved in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran unless Syria faces aggression and does not have any diplomatic solutions (Reuters) . Drones Strike Syrian Military Bases Near Iraqi Border March 30, 2026 The Syrian army reported that drones targeted several bases near the Iraqi border; in a statement posted on Syrian state media, the army, which did not specify the origin of the drones, noted that most of the drones were successfully shot down (Reuters) . Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that the two countries will coordinate to speed the return of Syrian refugees living in Germany; both leaders said Syrians who wish to stay in Germany would be allowed to, but Merz said that 80 percent of Syrians in Germany are expected to repatriate in the next three years (DW) . Sectarian Attacks Erupt in Suqaylabiyah March 28, 2026 An interpersonal dispute between two men escalated into sectarian attacks in the Christian town of Suqaylabiyah, Hama province, when scores of armed men from a neighboring Sunni community descended on motorcycles, damaging homes, shops, and vehicles throughout the night; there were no immediate reported casualties in the attacks (AP) . UN: July 2025 Violence Killed Over 1,700 Syrians March 27, 2026 A UN investigation found that more than 1,700 people were killed and nearly 200,000 displaced during a week of violence in southern Syria in July 2025, with Syrian government forces, tribal fighters, and Druze armed groups potentially committing war crimes; the report said most of the 1,707 deaths in Sweida Governorate were Druze civilians, along with members of the Bedouin community and at least 225 government personnel (Reuters) . Syrians Protest Alcohol Restrictions in Damascus March 22, 2026 Large crowds rallied to protest recent efforts by authorities to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol in Damascus; the demonstration, which reflected fears that the new government may threaten secular freedoms, was surrounded by heavily armed security forces and passed without any incident (AP) . Authorities slightly walked back the ban, saying that alcohol sales would be allowed in hotels and other designated sites (MEE) . Ukrainian, U.S. Negotiators Meet in Florida March 21, 2026 Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators began the latest round of talks in Florida to move towards a settlement; the White House described the talks as productive, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that talks would continue on Sunday (Reuters) . Israel Strikes Syrian Military Sites March 20, 2026 Israel struck Syrian government military infrastructure in southern Syria overnight in response to attacks against Druze civilians in Sweida, targeting command centers and weapons sites; Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and warned Israel would bear responsibility for further escalation (Reuters) . Syria’s Alcohol Restrictions March 17, 2026 Municipal authorities in Damascus banned alcohol in bars and restaurants except in the city’s predominantly Christian neighborhoods; it marks a step toward more conservative legal mores following the country’s takeover by Islamist rebels led by current President Ahmed al-Sharaa (AFP) . Some critics argue the move violates parts of Syria’s constitution, which Sharaa approved last year (Reuters) . Syria Accuses Hezbollah of Cross-Border Shelling March 10, 2026 Syria’s army accused Hezbollah of shelling targets inside Syria, west of Damascus, from across the Lebanese border (Times of Israel) . Meanwhile, Damascus appointed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo as deputy defense minister for the country’s eastern territories; the move is seen as part of the implementation of a U.S.-brokered integration agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government (Reuters) . Turkey Allegedly Asks MI6 to Help Protect Syrian President March 6, 2026 Turkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, reportedly asked Britain’s MI6 to take a larger role in protecting Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa following recent assassination plots; however, after Reuters published the story, Turkey denied making any such request (Reuters) . Border Crossing With Lebanon Temporarily Closed March 4, 2026 The Syrian land and sea ports authority briefly closed its border crossing with Lebanon for all departures; the closure came as Israel warned that it may target the crossing in its operations (Reuters) . Syria Reinforces Border With Lebanon March 3, 2026 Syria sent rocket units and thousands of troops to its border with Lebanon; the move reportedly was aimed at preventing the infiltration of Hezbollah or other militant groups into Syria, as well as to stop cross-border arms and drug smuggling (Reuters) . Four Killed by Iranian Missile in Sweida February 28, 2026 An Iranian missile hit a building in Sweida, killing four people and wounding several others; other missile debris fell in parts of southern Syria as residents reported hearing interceptor missiles in the skies of Damascus (Reuters) . Syria, Druze Factions Hold First Prisoner Exchange Since July Clashes February 27, 2026 The Syrian government and Druze factions controlling the southern city of Sweida conducted their first prisoner exchange on Thursday since deadly sectarian clashes last July (Reuters) . U.S. Military Withdrawing From Largest Base in Northeastern Syria February 23, 2026 The Syrian military and security sources stated that U.S. forces began withdrawing from their largest base in Qasrak; the base was the main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State (Reuters) . While U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment, it confirmed earlier this month that U.S. troops had withdrawn from different base in southeastern Syria (CENTCOM) . Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Militants Kill Four February 23, 2026 Self-proclaimed Islamic State militants killed four security personnel in northern Syria, marking the deadliest attack on government forces since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad (Reuters) . Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Two Attacks February 22, 2026 The self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian army personnel in eastern and northern Syria; this came as the group announced it had entered a “new phase” in operations (Reuters) . Militant Attack Kills One Security Officer February 19, 2026 The self-proclaimed Islamic State took responsibility for an attack that killed one security officer and injured another in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province (Reuters) . United States to Withdraw All Forces February 18, 2026 American officials stated that the United States is in the process of withdrawing all its troops from Syria; the removal will be “conditions-based” and will occur over the next two months ( WSJ ) . Australians Released From Roj Camp Returned February 16, 2026 Thirty-four Australians released from Roj camp were later returned due to “technical problems” between families and the Damascus government (Reuters) . This comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the Australian government will provide “absolutely no support” towards repatriation efforts (AP) . Syrian Army Takes Control of Shaddadi Base February 15, 2026 The Syrian Army announced that it had taken control of the Shaddadi base in northwestern Syria in coordination with the United States (Reuters) . U.S. Conducts Strikes on ISIS Targets February 14, 2026 The United States Central Command announced that it conducted ten airstrikes against at least thirty self-proclaimed Islamic State infrastructure and weapons storage targets between February 3 and February 12 (Reuters) . U.S. Military Completes Prison Transfers February 13, 2026 The United States Central Command announced that U.S. forces successfully completed their mission of transferring self-proclaimed Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq; the transfers included moving over 5,700 self-proclaimed IS militants (Reuters). Saudi Arabian and U.S. Firms to Partner on Energy Project February 10, 2026 Three U.S.-based and two Saudi-based firms are to form a consortium for an energy production and oil and gas exploration project in northeast Syria; the move reflects Damascus’s need for energy investments after fourteen years of war (Reuters) . Saudi Investments in Syria February 7, 2026 A new Saudi fund will invest around $2 billion to develop two airports in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Saudi Arabia’s investment minister Khalid al-Falih said (Reuters) . The Saudi Telecom Company also said it will invest $800 million in a telecommunications infrastructure project in the country (Communications Today) . These and other new investments represent a “qualitative leap” in their bilateral relations, Al-Falih said, following more than $6 billion in Saudi investment pledges in Syria last year ( NYT ) . Syrian Government Blocks Al-Qaeda Affiliated Book February 4, 2026 The Syrian government blocked a book containing multiple audio addresses by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq before his death in 2006, from being displayed at a book fair in Damascus; officials stated the book would dampen relation-building efforts between Baghdad and Damascus (Reuters) . Syrian Government Security Forces Enter Qamishli February 3, 2026 Syrian security forces continued deployments to Kurdish-led regions and entered Qamishli to engage in talks with senior Kurdish officials (Reuters) . Syrian State Forces Enter Al-Hasakah February 2, 2026 Syrian government forces entered Al-Hasakah as part of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces that plans to merge Kurdish-led regions with Damascus (Reuters) . Syrian Government and Kurds Agree on Integration Deal January 30, 2026 The Syrian government and Kurdish forces agreed to a ceasefire that outlines a phased plan to absorb Kurdish fighters into state institutions, garnering praise from the United States; the deal follows recent advances by Damascus this month, which pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces back into a reduced northeastern enclave (Reuters) . Syria to Close Al-Hol and Roj Camps January 30, 2026 Syria announced plans to close Al-Hol and Roj displacement camps that held civilians and foreigners linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (Reuters) . Putin Hosts Al-Sharaa January 28, 2026 Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin to discuss Moscow’s future military presence in Syria (Reuters) . Syria Seeks U.S.-Backed Talks With SDF as Tensions Persist January 27, 2026 The Syrian government said it plans to hold a new round of U.S-backed talks with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to define how the group will merge into the central state following a January 18 integration deal (Reuters) . In Qamishli, Kurdish residents have organized nighttime volunteer patrols as government forces press closer, underscoring fears despite a ceasefire and continued negotiations (Reuters) . Russia Begins Withdrawing From Qamishli Airport January 26, 2026 Russian forces have begun evacuating equipment and personnel from bases around Qamishli airport in northeast Syria as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces territory shrinks (AP) . Russian troops started a gradual withdrawal last week, transferring forces and heavy equipment from the airport to the Hmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, Syrian sources said (Reuters) . Damascus Extends Truce With SDF January 24, 2026 Syria’s military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces extended a truce that was set to expire on Saturday, both parties said; the Syrian defense ministry said the extension will last fifteen days and facilitate a U.S. operation to transfer prisoners linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq (AP) . UN Role in Syria January 22, 2026 The United Nations is assuming responsibility for large refugee and detention camps in northeast Syria that were previously guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a senior UN official said; the SDF retreated from the area this week amid an armed offensive by Syria’s government, which aims to integrate SDF forces into its own (Reuters) . Detainee Transfer From Syria January 21, 2026 The U.S. military began transferring detainees linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq, U.S. Central Command said in a statement; the announcement said 150 detainees had already been transported to Iraqi-controlled facilities, with up to 7,000 in total eligible for transfers (CENTCOM) . The move comes after dozens of detainees escaped from a Syrian prison in recent days during clashes between government forces and Kurdish rebels ( WaPo ) . ISIS Detainees Escape Prison January 20, 2026 Syria’s interior ministry said today that around 120 detainees had escaped and at least 81 had been recaptured, while a Kurdish website reported that roughly 1,500 had escaped; each side blamed the other for the incident (Al Jazeera) . The renewed clashes are testing a freshly-minted truce between Syria’s military and Kurdish forces; they had announced a truce and plans to merge on Sunday, following a Syrian military offensive against the Kurdish group ( NYT ) . The Syrian government gave Kurdish forces a four-day deadline to accept the integration offer (Reuters) . The U.S. special envoy for Syria urged Kurdish forces to accept the integration deal in a social media post; he wrote that the U.S. military partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was less necessary now that the new Syrian government has committed to fighting the self-declared Islamic State (X) . U.S. Carries Out Large Scale Strikes Against ISIS January 10, 2026 U.S. Central Command said they were part of continued retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. and Syrian forces last month (CENTCOM) . Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the U.S. and Jordanian militaries have worked with the new Syrian government to target the remnants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State ( NYT ) . Sign Up for Our Newsletter Receive the Center for Preventive Action's quarterly snapshot of global hot spots with expert analysis on ways to prevent and mitigate deadly conflict.
Markdown	[Skip to main content](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-syria#main-content) [Global Conflict Tracker](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker) ## Main navigation - [Methodology](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/methodology) - [Center for Preventive Action](https://www.cfr.org/programs/center-preventive-action) [Global Conflict Tracker](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker) ## Main navigation - [Methodology](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/methodology) - [Center for Preventive Action](https://www.cfr.org/programs/center-preventive-action) [Back to Map](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker) # Conflict in Syria By the [Center for Preventive Action](https://www.cfr.org/programs/center-preventive-action) Updated February 18, 2026 [![icon\_expand](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/images/icons/expand.svg)]() ![A soldier waves his fist in the air surrounded by people](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct_w1200/v1755542657/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad202/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad202.jpg?_i=AA) Islamist-led Syrian rebel fighters celebrate in the streets of Homs in the early hours of December 8, 2024, after entering Syria's third city overnight. Abdulaziz Ketaz/AFP via Getty Images ![A woman wearing a head covering waves a flag outside.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct_w1200/v1755542652/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad203/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad203.jpg?_i=AA) A woman waves a Syrian opposition flag as she celebrates at Umayyad Square in Damascus on December 8, 2024. Bakr Al Kassem/AFP via Getty Images ![People stand outside a building next to a toppled statue.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct_w1200/v1755542646/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria20Fall20of20Assad.jpg?_i=AA) People stand atop a toppled statue of Syria's late president Hafez al-Assad in Damascus on December 8, 2024. Louai Beshara/AFP via Getty Images ![A woman in a black veil walks past a black vintage car parked in front of a demolished building.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct_w1200/v1755542663/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria_04/Conflict-in-Syria-Syria_04.jpg?_i=AA) A woman walks past a vehicle parked near damaged buildings near Douma, in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, on March 9, 2021. Omar Sanadiki/Reuters ![A fighter from the Jaish al-Islam runs to avoid sniper fire, in the village in the Tal al-Siwan area of the rebel-held stronghold of Douma, on the outskirts of Damascus, on September 5, 2016. ](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct_w1200/v1755542669/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-in-Syria-600984262_SyriaFighterRunning/Conflict-in-Syria-600984262_SyriaFighterRunning.jpg?_i=AA) A fighter from the Jaish al-Islam runs to avoid sniper fire, in the village in the Tal al-Siwan area of the rebel-held stronghold of Douma, on the outskirts of Damascus, on September 5, 2016. Sameer al-Doumy/AFP/Getty Images ![A Syrian mourns as members of the Syrian civil defense volunteers, also known as the White Helmets, and people search for survivors from the rubble following reported air strikes on the rebel-held town of Saqba in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria on April 4, 2017. ](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct_w1200/v1755542637/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-in-Syria-664518810_SyriaRubble/Conflict-in-Syria-664518810_SyriaRubble.jpg?_i=AA) A Syrian mourns as members of the Syrian civil defense volunteers, also known as the White Helmets, and people search for survivors from the rubble following reported air strikes on the rebel-held town of Saqba in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria on April 4, 2017. Amer Almohibany/AFP/Getty Images ![An explosion rocks the Syrian town of Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by Islamic State militants on a People’s Protection Unit (YPG) position in the city center of Kobani, as seen from the outskirts of Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border, on October 20, 2014. ](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct_w1200/v1755542629/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-in-Syria-457546572_SyriaSmoke_0/Conflict-in-Syria-457546572_SyriaSmoke_0.jpg?_i=AA) An explosion rocks the Syrian town of Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by Islamic State militants on a People’s Protection Unit (YPG) position in the city center of Kobani, as seen from the outskirts of Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border, on October 20, 2014. Gokhan Sahin/Getty Images Previous Next Since the ouster of the [Bashar al-Assad regime](https://www.cfr.org/articles/syrias-civil-war) in December 2024, Syria has entered a fragile transition under Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). In the northeast, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to [clash](https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/08/15/sunni-arab-tribes-mobilize-against-the-syrian-democratic-forces/) with Turkish-backed factions and Arab tribes, while rising sectarian tensions have [fueled](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/sectarian-violence-risks-dividing-syria-despite-sharaas-diplomacy-2025-09-15/) targeted attacks on the Alawite and Druze communities in the southwest. Meanwhile, the Islamic State is exploiting the fragmented security landscape to [reestablish](https://www.foreignaffairs.com/syria/return-isis) its foothold. Israel, viewing the new regime as a threat, has [launched](https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/five-questions-and-expert-answers-on-israels-strikes-against-syria/) air and ground assaults. Although the United States has [eased](https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/06/termination-of-syria-sanctions) sanctions and Arab states have [pledged](https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5190172-saudi-arabia-qatar-pledge-support-syria%E2%80%99s-public-sector) aid, instability, minority tensions, and weak recovery still [block](https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-urges-caution-one-million-syrian-refugees-are-reported-have-returned-home) large-scale refugee returns, and humanitarian conditions remain [dire](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua5wvoAtd20). ## Syria’s Civil War (2011-24) What began as protests against President Assad’s regime in 2011 quickly [escalated](https://www.vox.com/2017/4/8/15218782/syria-trump-bomb-assad-explainer) into a full-scale war between the Syrian government—backed by Russia and Iran—and anti-government rebel groups—backed by the United States and a rotating number of U.S. allies, including France, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom. Three campaigns drove the conflict: coalition efforts to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State, violence between the Syrian government and opposition forces, and military operations against Syrian Kurds by Turkish forces. The Islamic State began seizing control of territory in Syria in 2013. After a series of terrorist attacks coordinated by the Islamic State across Europe in 2015, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France—with the support of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other Arab partners—expanded their air campaign in Iraq to include Syria. Together, those nations have [conducted](https://www.defense.gov/OIR/Airstrikes/) over eleven thousand air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, while the U.S.-led [coalition](http://www.inherentresolve.mil/About-Us/Coalition/) has continued its [support](https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/whos-who-syrias-civil-war) for ground operations by the SDF. Turkish troops have been [involved](http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/08/24/why-turkey-finally-went-to-war-in-syria-jarablus-invasion-kurds/) in ground operations against the Islamic State since 2016 and have launched attacks against [armed Kurdish groups](http://www.cfr.org/interactives/global-conflict-tracker#!/conflict/conflict-between-turkey-and-armed-kurdish-groups) in Syria. Meanwhile, at the request of the Syrian government in September 2015, Russia [began launching](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/russian-carries-air-strikes-syria-150930133155190.html) air strikes against what it [claimed](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-strikes/four-fifths-of-russias-syria-strikes-dont-target-islamic-state-reuters-analysis-idUSKCN0SF24L20151021) were Islamic State targets, while Syrian government forces achieved several notable victories over the Islamic State, including the reclamation of the city of [Palmyra](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/05/world/middleeast/palmyra-syria-isis.html). According to the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, Iraqi security forces and the SDF [reclaimed](http://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/Transcripts/) 98 percent of the territory [formerly held](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27838034) by the group in Iraq and Syria, including the cities of [Raqqa](https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/20/middleeast/raqqa-syria-isis-total-liberation/index.html) and [Deir al-Zour](https://www.voanews.com/a/syria-deir-el-zour-liberated-from-islamic-state/4098276.html). With Russian and Iranian support, the Syrian government steadily regained control of territory from opposition forces, including the [opposition’s stronghold](https://www.vox.com/world/2016/12/16/13974780/aleppo-explained-4-minutes) in Aleppo in 2016. The regime was accused of using chemical weapons numerous times over the course of the conflict, resulting in international condemnation in [2013](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nearly-1500-killed-in-syrian-chemical-weapons-attack-us-says/2013/08/30/b2864662-1196-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_story.html), [2017](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/world/middleeast/syria-gas-attack.html), and [2018](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43697084). Opposition forces maintained [limited control](https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2015/05/syria-country-divided-150529144229467.html) in Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and on the Iraq-Syria border. During this period, efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution were unsuccessful. Various rounds of UN-backed [peace](http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/03/syria-geneva-peace-talks/476034/) [talks]() in Geneva failed to reach a political resolution, while a ceasefire [reached](http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/04/middleeast/syria-ceasefire-talks-deescalation-zones/index.html) in Astana, Kazakhstan, collapsed after Syrian government forces [violated](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/18/world/middleeast/syria-de-escalation-zones-atarib.html) its terms. During President Donald Trump’s first term, the United States largely withdrew from Syria, [leaving](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-troops-peacekeepers-to-remain-in-syria/) only about four hundred U.S. troops as a contingency force. On January 16, 2019, [an attack](https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/syria-attack-us-patrolled-city/index.html) in Manbij claimed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State killed at least nineteen people, including four Americans. Before that attack, [only two Americans](https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/syria-attack-us-patrolled-city/index.html) had been killed in action in Syria since the U.S.-led campaign began. The U.S.-led international coalition continues to carry out military operations against the [remnants of the Islamic State](https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4309972/us-forces-kill-syria-based-isis-external-operations-planner/) and [al-Qaeda affiliates](https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4321849/us-forces-kill-al-qaeda-affiliated-terrorist-planner-in-syria/). By 2023, the Assad regime appeared to be reemerging from years of diplomatic isolation. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi [met with](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/3/irans-raisi-in-syria-visit-hailed-as-strategic-victory) Assad in Damascus to strengthen economic cooperation and the Arab League [agreed](https://apnews.com/article/syria-arab-egypt-saudi-qatar-jordan-f0298c40488470eb28274b2ffb859396) to re-admit Syria after a twelve-year suspension. Rebel groups remained [confined](https://www.voanews.com/a/middle-east_syrian-war-10-years-idlib-battle-frozen-unfinished/6203329.html) to Idlib for several years, leading most regional analysts [to believe](https://www.dw.com/en/welcome-back-bashar-assad-has-the-syrian-dictator-won/a-64343136) the threat to Assad had largely ended, even as sporadic [Islamic State attacks](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/attack-bus-kills-23-syrian-troops-war-monitor-2023-08-11/#:~:text=Islamic%20State%20claims%20responsibility%20for%20attack%20on%20bus%20that%20kills%2023%20Syrian%20troops,-Reuters&text=BEIRUT%2C%20Aug%2011%20$Reuters$,war%20monitor%20said%20on%20Friday.) and [Israeli strikes](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israeli-airstrikes-on-syria-intensify-raise-tensions-with-iran) on Iran-backed militias continued. According to [UN estimates](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/world/middleeast/syria-civil-war-death-toll.html), around 580,000 people were killed during the civil war, with [millions](https://reporting.unhcr.org/syriasituation) either internally displaced or living as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and several European states. On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake [struck](https://www.un.org/en/turkiye-syria-earthquake-response) northwest Syria and southeastern Turkey in [one of the worst](https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/turkey-quake-other-major-natural-disasters-this-century-2023-02-09/) natural disasters of this century. In Syria, the disaster killed an estimated [8,400](https://reliefweb.int/report/turkiye/devastating-earthquakes-southern-turkiye-and-northern-syria-april-6th-2023-situation-report-20-entr) people and [caused](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/earthquakes-caused-51-bln-damage-syria-world-bank-estimates-2023-03-03/) about \$5.1 billion in damages, deepening the humanitarian crisis. ## Overthrow of Bashar al-Assad (2024) Battlefield dynamics in Syria shifted significantly following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel [accelerated](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-guards-pull-officers-syria-after-israeli-strikes-2024-02-01/) its airstrikes in Syria, killing multiple senior officials within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and weakening Iran-backed local militias. After Israel [launched](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxgyzq7z2ro) a ground invasion and large-scale aerial campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September 2024, the group significantly [scaled back](https://www.inss.org.il/publication/syria-rebels/) its contingency presence in Syria. Likewise, the Russian invasion of Ukraine [forced](https://www.dw.com/en/is-russia-able-to-fight-in-both-ukraine-and-syria/a-70973239) Russia to shift forces away from its bases in Syria. By November 2024, the retrenchment of Assad’s foreign allies provided a [military opening](https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/28/europe/syria-rebels-government-iran-analysis-intl) for Syrian rebel groups to renew their campaign against the Assad regime. In contrast to the declining influence of the regime’s allies, the rebels had continued [receiving military support](https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/syrian-national-army-turkey-reform/) from Turkey, which maintained troops in northern Syria and aided the Syrian National Army (SNA), a key rebel group. As the November offensive began, Assad’s forces fought back with [minimal firepower](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/8/what-happened-in-syria-has-al-assad-really-fallen). After capturing Aleppo, rebel forces [seized](https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/09/middleeast/timeline-syria-assad-regime-toppled-intl) Hama on December 5, Daraa on December 6, and Homs on December 7, before overpowering Assad’s fleeing forces in Damascus on December 8. Throughout their offensive, the rebels [freed](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2dx3ekpr59o) thousands of political prisoners held by the Assad regime. The offensive’s speed [surprised](https://apnews.com/article/syria-fall-of-assad-photo-gallery-f4862a7f801eae711a69482f04b88c8a) many observers, including analysts, Syrians, and even the rebels themselves. ## Transition Under Ahmed al-Sharaa (2024-Present) As Assad [fled](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-rebels-celebrate-captured-homs-set-sights-damascus-2024-12-07/) to Moscow and many Syrians [celebrated](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/08/world/syria-war-damascus) the rebels’ announcement of victory on state television, a new interim administration emerged under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, then known by his [nom de guerre](https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/06/middleeast/syria-rebel-forces-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-al-jolani-intl-latam), Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. Al-Sharaa [founded](https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/11/syria-rebel-leader-jolani-hts-al-qaeda-islamic-state-isis/) HTS as a successor group to Jabhat al-Nusra, which was al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate before breaking off in mid-2016. Those ties to al-Qaeda prompted the United States to [designate](https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/how-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-landed-us-terrorist-lists-and-why-it-should-stay-there-now) Al-Sharaa as a terrorist. Still, the [United States](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-urges-us-stay-syria-mess-biden-speak/story?id=116570293) and many [European governments](https://www.politico.eu/article/syria-bashar-assad-eu-welcomes-collapse/) cautiously welcomed the change in government, calling for the new regime to implement an inclusive political solution aligned with UN resolutions. Since then, the Sharaa regime’s record has been mixed. His government has suggested [it is committed](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-leader-sharaa-pledges-form-inclusive-government-2025-01-30/) to a secular state with equality among Syria’s diverse population, but many minority communities [feel sidelined](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/08/23/syria-minorities-druze-alawites-kurds-sharaa/) and fearful of the new regime. Women and minorities won [only a few seats](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/first-results-syrias-new-parliament-show-low-share-minorities-women-2025-10-06/) in recent parliamentary elections held in October, while its new interim constitution risks [centralizing power](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/25/syria-constitutional-declaration-risks-endangering-rights) without credible institutional guarantees for civil and political rights. In March, the Sharaa regime [signed](https://www.mei.edu/publications/damascus-sdf-agreement-two-months-fragile-progress-or-delayed-collapse) an agreement with the SDF to integrate the Kurdish population into government structures. However, clashes [restarted](https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/08/14/stalled-syria-sdf-deal-risks-sparking-wider-conflict/) after the deal failed to materialize. Turkey’s interest in preventing Kurdish autonomy has further complicated the process, as Ankara continues to [threaten](https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5182947-t%C3%BCrkiye-warns-force-if-sdf-defies-deal-join-syrian-army) military escalation. Although the regime promised to avoid retribution against the Alawite minority, which Assad’s rule [had favored](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/world/middleeast/syria-alawites-assad.html), it [struggled](https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/3/20/dont-trust-anyone-are-syrias-alawis-losing-faith-in-the-new-government) to contain a vigilante assault that killed an [estimated 1,400](https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166226) members of the community, predominantly civilians, in March 2025. A Reuters investigation [traced](https://www.reuters.com/investigations/syrian-forces-massacred-1500-alawites-chain-command-led-damascus-2025-06-30/) much of the violence to units integrated into the new government’s security apparatus. In southern Syria, meanwhile, the Druze population [accused](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0m87d4p9gvo) Damascus of backing Bedouin tribes in deadly clashes over the summer of 2025, which killed at least [1,000 people](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/over-1400-mostly-civilians-were-killed-in-sectarian-violence-in-coastal-syria-in-march-government-says). In May 2025, President Trump [announced](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/06/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-provides-for-the-revocation-of-syria-sanctions/) that the United States would suspend all sanctions targeting the Syrian regime, following a more [limited U.S. waiver](https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2770) in January 2025. Nonetheless, ongoing security threats, [weak](https://www.nextcenturyfoundation.org/rebuilding-syria-hopes-and-hurdles/) government institutions, and lingering [international sanctions](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/22/syrias-al-sharaa-renews-call-for-us-to-formally-drop-sanctions) have limited economic recovery, keeping humanitarian conditions bleak. This has [prevented](https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/refugees-return-to-syria-challenges-and-uncertainties/) most refugees from returning home, although the UN [reported](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/24/one-million-syrian-refugees-returned-home-since-al-assads-fall-un-says) in September 2025 that around 1 million had returned, along with 1.8 million internally displaced individuals. Throughout this period, Israel has continued striking regime targets. After the Israeli government declared the UN-sponsored 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement void, it initiated a ground [invasion](https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/10/middleeast/israel-syria-assad-strikes-intl) on December 8, 2024. Israel coupled the invasion with an [aerial campaign](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/4/mapping-israels-expanding-air-attacks-across-syria) targeting weapons caches throughout the country, aiming to [prevent](https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/israel-and-fall-assad-rejoice-repel-reach-out-reload) the new Islamist regime from amassing significant military power. Israel intensified this campaign during the July 2025 Druze-Bedouin clashes, striking several key [government targets](https://www.npr.org/2025/07/16/nx-s1-5469794/israel-strikes-damascus-syria), including the Defense Ministry and an area adjacent to the Presidential Palace, as it [echoed](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70xyv4z74go) Druze accusations of regime support for the Bedouin tribes. Despite these clashes, Israel and Syria have [maintained talks](https://www.axios.com/2025/09/16/israel-syria-security-agreement-dermer) aimed at restoring the UN-backed 1974 agreement and achieving a broader regional security arrangement. More on Conflict in Syria [Making Sense of Syria’s Surge in Violence CFR Expert Brief March 12, 2025](https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/syrias-surge-violence-does-not-signal-new-civil-war-now) [Pivotal U.S. Summit Could Help Mend a Fractured Syria CFR Expert Brief November 6, 2025](https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/pivotal-us-summit-could-help-mend-fractured-syria) [Will Syria's Transition Undermine the Fight Against ISIS? CFR Expert Brief January 9, 2025](https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/will-shake-syria-undermine-fight-against-isis) [After Fall of Assad Dynasty, Syria’s Risky New Moment CFR Expert Brief December 8, 2024](https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/after-fall-assad-dynasty-syrias-risky-new-moment) [Syria After Assad: HTS, Hezbollah, and Iran CFR Expert Brief December 9, 2024](https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/syria-normalizing-relations-arab-countries-who-will-benefit) [What Role Is Turkey Playing in Syria’s Civil War? CFR Expert Brief December 6, 2024](https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/what-role-turkey-playing-syrias-civil-war) [Syria’s Civil War: The Descent Into Horror CFR Article December 20, 2024](https://www.cfr.org/article/syrias-civil-war) [Syria and U.S. Policy Congressional Research Service February 24, 2023](https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11930) [Timeline: Since the Uprising Against Assad U.S. Institute of Peace January 1, 2021](https://www.usip.org/syria-timeline-uprising-against-assad) [The Aftermath of Earthquakes in Syria Center for Strategic and International Studies February 21, 2023](https://www.csis.org/analysis/aftermath-earthquakes-syria) Nearby Conflicts - [![A man waves a Lebanese red and green flag as smoke rises from a street.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct-400x266/v1755592439/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-With-Hezbollah-in-Lebanon_19981f3571/Conflict-With-Hezbollah-in-Lebanon_19981f3571.jpeg?_i=AA)](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/political-instability-lebanon) [![A man waves a Lebanese red and green flag as smoke rises from a street.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct-100x100/v1755592439/globalconflicttracker/Conflict-With-Hezbollah-in-Lebanon_19981f3571/Conflict-With-Hezbollah-in-Lebanon_19981f3571.jpeg?_i=AA)](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/political-instability-lebanon) [Conflict With Hezbollah in Lebanon](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/political-instability-lebanon) - [![A man inspects the site a day after a bomb attack in Baghdad.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct-400x266/v1755542948/globalconflicttracker/Instability-in-Iraq/Instability-in-Iraq.jpg?_i=AA)](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/political-instability-iraq) [![A man inspects the site a day after a bomb attack in Baghdad.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct-100x100/v1755542948/globalconflicttracker/Instability-in-Iraq/Instability-in-Iraq.jpg?_i=AA)](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/political-instability-iraq) [Instability in Iraq](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/political-instability-iraq) - [![A man stands facing a burning building next to a white car.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct-400x266/v1755543068/globalconflicttracker/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict.jpg?_i=AA)](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict) [![A man stands facing a burning building next to a white car.](https://assets.cfr.org/images/t_gct-100x100/v1755543068/globalconflicttracker/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict.jpg?_i=AA)](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict) [Israeli-Palestinian Conflict](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict) Latest News ##### Alleged Syrian Militia Member Denies Crimes Against Humanity Charges April 8, 2026 A Syrian man known as Rafik A. went on trial in The Hague, denying twenty-five charges including torture, rape, and sexual violence as crimes against humanity, allegedly committed while he led an interrogation unit for a pro-Assad militia in Syria from 2013 to 2014; the case is the first in the Netherlands to address atrocity crimes committed by pro-government forces in Syria, with a verdict expected June 9 and a potential life sentence if convicted [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/alleged-syrian-militia-member-tells-trial-he-did-not-torture-prisoners-2026-04-08/). ##### Zelenskyy in Syria April 5, 2026 Ukraine and Syria agreed to cooperate on security and economic issues during Zelenskyy’s trip to Damascus [(President of Ukraine)](https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2040802391054786600?s=20). Turkey’s foreign minister also attended a portion of the talks [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/zelenskiy-syria-meet-president-sharaa-sources-say-2026-04-05/). It was Zelenskyy’s first visit to Syria since the two countries restored diplomatic ties; Syria’s former Assad regime was a close ally of Russia [(Al Jazeera)](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/5/ukraine-syria-agree-to-exchange-military-and-security-experience). ##### Al-Sharaa Says Syria Will Not Get Involved in Iran War March 31, 2026 Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stated that Syria would not get involved in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran unless Syria faces aggression and does not have any diplomatic solutions [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/syria-will-stay-out-iran-conflict-unless-it-faces-aggression-president-says-2026-03-31/). ##### Drones Strike Syrian Military Bases Near Iraqi Border March 30, 2026 The Syrian army reported that drones targeted several bases near the Iraqi border; in a statement posted on Syrian state media, the army, which did not specify the origin of the drones, noted that most of the drones were successfully shot down [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-army-says-drone-attacks-targeted-its-bases-near-iraq-2026-03-30/). Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that the two countries will coordinate to speed the return of Syrian refugees living in Germany; both leaders said Syrians who wish to stay in Germany would be allowed to, but Merz said that 80 percent of Syrians in Germany are expected to repatriate in the next three years [(DW)](https://www.dw.com/en/germany-news-merz-and-syrian-president-talk-refugee-returns/live-76588579#liveblog-post-76595271). ##### Sectarian Attacks Erupt in Suqaylabiyah March 28, 2026 An interpersonal dispute between two men escalated into sectarian attacks in the Christian town of Suqaylabiyah, Hama province, when scores of armed men from a neighboring Sunni community descended on motorcycles, damaging homes, shops, and vehicles throughout the night; there were no immediate reported casualties in the attacks [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/syria-christians-sectarian-attacks-suqaylabiyah-d3c66fd9713084c1fbab0c307c77bcf9). ##### UN: July 2025 Violence Killed Over 1,700 Syrians March 27, 2026 A UN investigation found that more than 1,700 people were killed and nearly 200,000 displaced during a week of violence in southern Syria in July 2025, with Syrian government forces, tribal fighters, and Druze armed groups potentially committing war crimes; the report said most of the 1,707 deaths in Sweida Governorate were Druze civilians, along with members of the Bedouin community and at least 225 government personnel [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-says-1700-killed-syrias-suweida-violence-cites-possible-war-crimes-2026-03-27/). ##### Syrians Protest Alcohol Restrictions in Damascus March 22, 2026 Large crowds rallied to protest recent efforts by authorities to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol in Damascus; the demonstration, which reflected fears that the new government may threaten secular freedoms, was surrounded by heavily armed security forces and passed without any incident [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/syria-alsharaa-alcohol-ban-christians-ed5f71c33b444b6be791644a915da9a7). Authorities slightly walked back the ban, saying that alcohol sales would be allowed in hotels and other designated sites [(MEE)](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-walks-back-damascus-alcohol-ban-after-outcry-residents). ##### Ukrainian, U.S. Negotiators Meet in Florida March 21, 2026 Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators began the latest round of talks in Florida to move towards a settlement; the White House described the talks as productive, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that talks would continue on Sunday [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-says-talks-resolving-war-continue-us-sunday-2026-03-21/). ##### Israel Strikes Syrian Military Sites March 20, 2026 Israel struck Syrian government military infrastructure in southern Syria overnight in response to attacks against Druze civilians in Sweida, targeting command centers and weapons sites; Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and warned Israel would bear responsibility for further escalation [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-military-says-it-struck-syrian-government-targets-after-attacks-druze-2026-03-20/). ##### Syria’s Alcohol Restrictions March 17, 2026 Municipal authorities in Damascus banned alcohol in bars and restaurants except in the city’s predominantly Christian neighborhoods; it marks a step toward more conservative legal mores following the country’s takeover by Islamist rebels led by current President Ahmed al-Sharaa [(AFP)](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/syrias-damascus-restricts-sale-of-alcohol-under-new-islamist-rulers/). Some critics argue the move violates parts of Syria’s constitution, which Sharaa approved last year [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-authorities-ban-alcohol-damascus-2026-03-17/). ##### Syria Accuses Hezbollah of Cross-Border Shelling March 10, 2026 Syria’s army accused Hezbollah of shelling targets inside Syria, west of Damascus, from across the Lebanese border [(Times of Israel)](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/syria-accuses-hezbollah-of-firing-shells-into-its-territory/). Meanwhile, Damascus appointed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo as deputy defense minister for the country’s eastern territories; the move is seen as part of the implementation of a U.S.-brokered integration agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-appoints-kurdish-ypg-commander-sipan-hamo-deputy-defence-minister-2026-03-10/). ##### Turkey Allegedly Asks MI6 to Help Protect Syrian President March 6, 2026 Turkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, reportedly asked Britain’s MI6 to take a larger role in protecting Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa following recent assassination plots; however, after Reuters published the story, Turkey denied making any such request [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-asks-britains-mi6-step-up-protection-syrias-sharaa-sources-say-2026-03-06/). ##### Border Crossing With Lebanon Temporarily Closed March 4, 2026 The Syrian land and sea ports authority briefly closed its border crossing with Lebanon for all departures; the closure came as Israel warned that it may target the crossing in its operations [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-closes-its-border-crossing-with-lebanon-after-warning-it-being-targeted-by-2026-03-04/). ##### Syria Reinforces Border With Lebanon March 3, 2026 Syria sent rocket units and thousands of troops to its border with Lebanon; the move reportedly was aimed at preventing the infiltration of Hezbollah or other militant groups into Syria, as well as to stop cross-border arms and drug smuggling [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/syria-sends-thousands-troops-lebanon-border-sources-say-2026-03-03/). ##### Four Killed by Iranian Missile in Sweida February 28, 2026 An Iranian missile hit a building in Sweida, killing four people and wounding several others; other missile debris fell in parts of southern Syria as residents reported hearing interceptor missiles in the skies of Damascus [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/four-people-killed-syria-after-an-iranian-missile-falls-building-state-media-2026-02-28/). ##### Syria, Druze Factions Hold First Prisoner Exchange Since July Clashes February 27, 2026 The Syrian government and Druze factions controlling the southern city of Sweida conducted their first prisoner exchange on Thursday since deadly sectarian clashes last July [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-government-forces-druze-factions-exchange-prisoners-sweida-2026-02-26/). ##### U.S. Military Withdrawing From Largest Base in Northeastern Syria February 23, 2026 The Syrian military and security sources stated that U.S. forces began withdrawing from their largest base in Qasrak; the base was the main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-military-begins-withdrawing-main-base-northeast-syria-syrian-sources-say-2026-02-23/). While U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment, it confirmed earlier this month that U.S. troops had withdrawn from different base in southeastern Syria [(CENTCOM)](https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4404940/us-forces-depart-base-in-syria-during-orderly-transition/). ##### Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Militants Kill Four February 23, 2026 Self-proclaimed Islamic State militants killed four security personnel in northern Syria, marking the deadliest attack on government forces since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/islamic-state-kills-four-security-personnel-syria-state-news-agency-says-2026-02-23/). ##### Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Two Attacks February 22, 2026 The self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian army personnel in eastern and northern Syria; this came as the group announced it had entered a “new phase” in operations [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/islamic-state-claims-two-attacks-syrian-army-announces-new-phase-operations-2026-02-21/). ##### Militant Attack Kills One Security Officer February 19, 2026 The self-proclaimed Islamic State took responsibility for an attack that killed one security officer and injured another in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/one-security-officer-killed-another-wounded-is-attack-eastern-syria-2026-02-19/). ##### United States to Withdraw All Forces February 18, 2026 American officials stated that the United States is in the process of withdrawing all its troops from Syria; the removal will be “conditions-based” and will occur over the next two months [(WSJ)](https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/syria-us-troops-withdraw-a97a2665?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqc3WekE7DAvXzoPwiXrGZgvNKiJKi6VjeeTX0idWVp4qpTdANZdgzjzKyonZZA%3D&gaa_ts=699877b0&gaa_sig=_x73147EU3fzEHwa-GzM0J1NbIUJ5RceF2JXOZXP85rj6SV2sjzeeYhM4MpDh0QbiONwrTRQ710WRDZeu9UT5w%3D%3D). ##### Australians Released From Roj Camp Returned February 16, 2026 Thirty-four Australians released from Roj camp were later returned due to “technical problems” between families and the Damascus government [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thirty-four-australians-released-syrian-camp-holding-is-affiliated-families-2026-02-16/). This comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the Australian government will provide “absolutely no support” towards repatriation efforts [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/australia-syria-islamic-state-repatriate-9014cd9b72d4c3121a648cbe0f8b8df4). ##### Syrian Army Takes Control of Shaddadi Base February 15, 2026 The Syrian Army announced that it had taken control of the Shaddadi base in northwestern Syria in coordination with the United States [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-army-says-it-took-control-shaddadi-base-after-coordination-with-us-agency-2026-02-15/). ##### U.S. Conducts Strikes on ISIS Targets February 14, 2026 The United States Central Command announced that it conducted ten airstrikes against at least thirty self-proclaimed Islamic State infrastructure and weapons storage targets between February 3 and February 12 [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-conducts-strikes-more-than-30-islamic-state-targets-syria-military-says-2026-02-14/). ##### U.S. Military Completes Prison Transfers February 13, 2026 The United States Central Command announced that U.S. forces successfully completed their mission of transferring self-proclaimed Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq; the transfers included moving over 5,700 self-proclaimed IS militants [(Reuters).](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-military-says-it-completed-syria-mission-transfer-isis-members-iraq-2026-02-13/) ##### Saudi Arabian and U.S. Firms to Partner on Energy Project February 10, 2026 Three U.S.-based and two Saudi-based firms are to form a consortium for an energy production and oil and gas exploration project in northeast Syria; the move reflects Damascus’s need for energy investments after fourteen years of war [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/saudi-us-firms-partner-northeast-syria-energy-project-2026-02-10/). ##### Saudi Investments in Syria February 7, 2026 A new Saudi fund will invest around \$2 billion to develop two airports in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Saudi Arabia’s investment minister Khalid al-Falih said [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-announces-major-new-syria-investments-2026-02-07/). The Saudi Telecom Company also said it will invest \$800 million in a telecommunications infrastructure project in the country [(Communications Today)](https://www.communicationstoday.co.in/saudi-telecom-wins-800m-syria-infrastructure-project/). These and other new investments represent a “qualitative leap” in their bilateral relations, Al-Falih said, following more than \$6 billion in Saudi investment pledges in Syria last year [(NYT)](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-investment-syria-al-sharaa.html). ##### Syrian Government Blocks Al-Qaeda Affiliated Book February 4, 2026 The Syrian government blocked a book containing multiple audio addresses by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq before his death in 2006, from being displayed at a book fair in Damascus; officials stated the book would dampen relation-building efforts between Baghdad and Damascus [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-blocks-display-al-qaeda-linked-text-book-fair-iraqi-official-says-2026-02-04/). ##### Syrian Government Security Forces Enter Qamishli February 3, 2026 Syrian security forces continued deployments to Kurdish-led regions and entered Qamishli to engage in talks with senior Kurdish officials [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-security-convoy-heads-key-kurdish-city-under-us-backed-deal-2026-02-03/). ##### Syrian State Forces Enter Al-Hasakah February 2, 2026 Syrian government forces entered Al-Hasakah as part of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces that plans to merge Kurdish-led regions with Damascus [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-government-forces-deploy-towards-kurdish-run-city-after-ceasefire-deal-2026-02-02/). ##### Syrian Government and Kurds Agree on Integration Deal January 30, 2026 The Syrian government and Kurdish forces agreed to a ceasefire that outlines a phased plan to absorb Kurdish fighters into state institutions, garnering praise from the United States; the deal follows recent advances by Damascus this month, which pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces back into a reduced northeastern enclave [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-kurdish-led-sdf-agree-ceasefire-phased-integration-deal-with-government-2026-01-30/). ##### Syria to Close Al-Hol and Roj Camps January 30, 2026 Syria announced plans to close Al-Hol and Roj displacement camps that held civilians and foreigners linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-close-camps-housing-thousands-linked-islamic-state-2026-01-30/). ##### Putin Hosts Al-Sharaa January 28, 2026 Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin to discuss Moscow’s future military presence in Syria [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/putin-sharaa-will-discuss-future-russian-military-presence-syria-kremlin-says-2026-01-28/). ##### Syria Seeks U.S.-Backed Talks With SDF as Tensions Persist January 27, 2026 The Syrian government said it plans to hold a new round of U.S-backed talks with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to define how the group will merge into the central state following a January 18 integration deal [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-hopes-hold-new-integration-talks-with-kurdish-forces-tuesday-2026-01-27/). In Qamishli, Kurdish residents have organized nighttime volunteer patrols as government forces press closer, underscoring fears despite a ceasefire and continued negotiations [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/syrian-kurdish-enclave-alert-amid-shaky-ceasefire-2026-01-27/). ##### Russia Begins Withdrawing From Qamishli Airport January 26, 2026 Russian forces have begun evacuating equipment and personnel from bases around Qamishli airport in northeast Syria as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces territory shrinks [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/syria-russia-sdf-qamishli-bd34938a4ce46b48b669b43b3247184f). Russian troops started a gradual withdrawal last week, transferring forces and heavy equipment from the airport to the Hmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, Syrian sources said [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-withdrawing-troops-airport-northeast-syria-sources-say-2026-01-26/). ##### Damascus Extends Truce With SDF January 24, 2026 Syria’s military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces extended a truce that was set to expire on Saturday, both parties said; the Syrian defense ministry said the extension will last fifteen days and facilitate a U.S. operation to transfer prisoners linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/syria-kurds-islamic-state-truce-hassakeh-ceasefire-67f5d1f2e90d9a45fb6be1c246fd8d40). ##### UN Role in Syria January 22, 2026 The United Nations is assuming responsibility for large refugee and detention camps in northeast Syria that were previously guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a senior UN official said; the SDF retreated from the area this week amid an armed offensive by Syria’s government, which aims to integrate SDF forces into its own [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iraq-says-it-will-prosecute-islamic-state-detainees-transferred-syria-2026-01-22/). ##### Detainee Transfer From Syria January 21, 2026 The U.S. military began transferring detainees linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq, U.S. Central Command said in a statement; the announcement said 150 detainees had already been transported to Iraqi-controlled facilities, with up to 7,000 in total eligible for transfers [(CENTCOM)](https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2014007338437341436). The move comes after dozens of detainees escaped from a Syrian prison in recent days during clashes between government forces and Kurdish rebels [(WaPo)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/21/isis-detainees-syria-iraq/). ##### ISIS Detainees Escape Prison January 20, 2026 Syria’s interior ministry said today that around 120 detainees had escaped and at least 81 had been recaptured, while a Kurdish website reported that roughly 1,500 had escaped; each side blamed the other for the incident [(Al Jazeera)](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/20/syria-sdf-ceasefire-hangs-in-balance-after-renewed-clashes-faltering-talks). The renewed clashes are testing a freshly-minted truce between Syria’s military and Kurdish forces; they had announced a truce and plans to merge on Sunday, following a Syrian military offensive against the Kurdish group [(NYT)](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/world/middleeast/syria-kurds-ceasefire.html). The Syrian government gave Kurdish forces a four-day deadline to accept the integration offer [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/kurdish-rudaw-website-reports-around-1500-islamic-state-members-escaped-syrias-2026-01-19/). The U.S. special envoy for Syria urged Kurdish forces to accept the integration deal in a social media post; he wrote that the U.S. military partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was less necessary now that the new Syrian government has committed to fighting the self-declared Islamic State [(X)](https://x.com/USAMBTurkiye/status/2013635851570336016). ##### U.S. Carries Out Large Scale Strikes Against ISIS January 10, 2026 U.S. Central Command said they were part of continued retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. and Syrian forces last month [(CENTCOM)](https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2010089772120002721). Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the U.S. and Jordanian militaries have worked with the new Syrian government to target the remnants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(NYT)](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/10/us/politics/us-strikes-islamic-state-syria.html). ### Sign Up for Our Newsletter #### Receive the Center for Preventive Action's quarterly snapshot of global hot spots with expert analysis on ways to prevent and mitigate deadly conflict. [Sign Up]() ## Footer - [About](https://www.cfr.org/about) - [Member Programs](https://www.cfr.org/member-programs) - [Contact](https://www.cfr.org/contact-us) - [Support](https://www.cfr.org/support-cfr) - [For Media](https://www.cfr.org/media) - [Newsletters](https://link.cfr.org/join/66n/signup&hash=2d4c5929e9e04cc42f5cd375fb8dcfb1) - [Membership](https://www.cfr.org/membership) - [Careers](https://www.cfr.org/career-opportunities) ## Social Nav ©2025 Council on Foreign Relations. All rights reserved. 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Readable Markdown	Updated February 18, 2026 [![icon\_expand](https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/images/icons/expand.svg)]() Since the ouster of the [Bashar al-Assad regime](https://www.cfr.org/articles/syrias-civil-war) in December 2024, Syria has entered a fragile transition under Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). In the northeast, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to [clash](https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/08/15/sunni-arab-tribes-mobilize-against-the-syrian-democratic-forces/) with Turkish-backed factions and Arab tribes, while rising sectarian tensions have [fueled](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/sectarian-violence-risks-dividing-syria-despite-sharaas-diplomacy-2025-09-15/) targeted attacks on the Alawite and Druze communities in the southwest. Meanwhile, the Islamic State is exploiting the fragmented security landscape to [reestablish](https://www.foreignaffairs.com/syria/return-isis) its foothold. Israel, viewing the new regime as a threat, has [launched](https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/five-questions-and-expert-answers-on-israels-strikes-against-syria/) air and ground assaults. Although the United States has [eased](https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/06/termination-of-syria-sanctions) sanctions and Arab states have [pledged](https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5190172-saudi-arabia-qatar-pledge-support-syria%E2%80%99s-public-sector) aid, instability, minority tensions, and weak recovery still [block](https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-urges-caution-one-million-syrian-refugees-are-reported-have-returned-home) large-scale refugee returns, and humanitarian conditions remain [dire](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua5wvoAtd20). ## Syria’s Civil War (2011-24) What began as protests against President Assad’s regime in 2011 quickly [escalated](https://www.vox.com/2017/4/8/15218782/syria-trump-bomb-assad-explainer) into a full-scale war between the Syrian government—backed by Russia and Iran—and anti-government rebel groups—backed by the United States and a rotating number of U.S. allies, including France, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom. Three campaigns drove the conflict: coalition efforts to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State, violence between the Syrian government and opposition forces, and military operations against Syrian Kurds by Turkish forces. The Islamic State began seizing control of territory in Syria in 2013. After a series of terrorist attacks coordinated by the Islamic State across Europe in 2015, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France—with the support of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other Arab partners—expanded their air campaign in Iraq to include Syria. Together, those nations have [conducted](https://www.defense.gov/OIR/Airstrikes/) over eleven thousand air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, while the U.S.-led [coalition](http://www.inherentresolve.mil/About-Us/Coalition/) has continued its [support](https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/whos-who-syrias-civil-war) for ground operations by the SDF. Turkish troops have been [involved](http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/08/24/why-turkey-finally-went-to-war-in-syria-jarablus-invasion-kurds/) in ground operations against the Islamic State since 2016 and have launched attacks against [armed Kurdish groups](http://www.cfr.org/interactives/global-conflict-tracker#!/conflict/conflict-between-turkey-and-armed-kurdish-groups) in Syria. Meanwhile, at the request of the Syrian government in September 2015, Russia [began launching](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/russian-carries-air-strikes-syria-150930133155190.html) air strikes against what it [claimed](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-strikes/four-fifths-of-russias-syria-strikes-dont-target-islamic-state-reuters-analysis-idUSKCN0SF24L20151021) were Islamic State targets, while Syrian government forces achieved several notable victories over the Islamic State, including the reclamation of the city of [Palmyra](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/05/world/middleeast/palmyra-syria-isis.html). According to the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, Iraqi security forces and the SDF [reclaimed](http://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/Transcripts/) 98 percent of the territory [formerly held](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27838034) by the group in Iraq and Syria, including the cities of [Raqqa](https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/20/middleeast/raqqa-syria-isis-total-liberation/index.html) and [Deir al-Zour](https://www.voanews.com/a/syria-deir-el-zour-liberated-from-islamic-state/4098276.html). With Russian and Iranian support, the Syrian government steadily regained control of territory from opposition forces, including the [opposition’s stronghold](https://www.vox.com/world/2016/12/16/13974780/aleppo-explained-4-minutes) in Aleppo in 2016. The regime was accused of using chemical weapons numerous times over the course of the conflict, resulting in international condemnation in [2013](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nearly-1500-killed-in-syrian-chemical-weapons-attack-us-says/2013/08/30/b2864662-1196-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_story.html), [2017](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/world/middleeast/syria-gas-attack.html), and [2018](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43697084). Opposition forces maintained [limited control](https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2015/05/syria-country-divided-150529144229467.html) in Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and on the Iraq-Syria border. During this period, efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution were unsuccessful. Various rounds of UN-backed [peace](http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/03/syria-geneva-peace-talks/476034/) [talks]() in Geneva failed to reach a political resolution, while a ceasefire [reached](http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/04/middleeast/syria-ceasefire-talks-deescalation-zones/index.html) in Astana, Kazakhstan, collapsed after Syrian government forces [violated](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/18/world/middleeast/syria-de-escalation-zones-atarib.html) its terms. During President Donald Trump’s first term, the United States largely withdrew from Syria, [leaving](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-troops-peacekeepers-to-remain-in-syria/) only about four hundred U.S. troops as a contingency force. On January 16, 2019, [an attack](https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/syria-attack-us-patrolled-city/index.html) in Manbij claimed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State killed at least nineteen people, including four Americans. Before that attack, [only two Americans](https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/syria-attack-us-patrolled-city/index.html) had been killed in action in Syria since the U.S.-led campaign began. The U.S.-led international coalition continues to carry out military operations against the [remnants of the Islamic State](https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4309972/us-forces-kill-syria-based-isis-external-operations-planner/) and [al-Qaeda affiliates](https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4321849/us-forces-kill-al-qaeda-affiliated-terrorist-planner-in-syria/). By 2023, the Assad regime appeared to be reemerging from years of diplomatic isolation. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi [met with](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/3/irans-raisi-in-syria-visit-hailed-as-strategic-victory) Assad in Damascus to strengthen economic cooperation and the Arab League [agreed](https://apnews.com/article/syria-arab-egypt-saudi-qatar-jordan-f0298c40488470eb28274b2ffb859396) to re-admit Syria after a twelve-year suspension. Rebel groups remained [confined](https://www.voanews.com/a/middle-east_syrian-war-10-years-idlib-battle-frozen-unfinished/6203329.html) to Idlib for several years, leading most regional analysts [to believe](https://www.dw.com/en/welcome-back-bashar-assad-has-the-syrian-dictator-won/a-64343136) the threat to Assad had largely ended, even as sporadic [Islamic State attacks](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/attack-bus-kills-23-syrian-troops-war-monitor-2023-08-11/#:~:text=Islamic%20State%20claims%20responsibility%20for%20attack%20on%20bus%20that%20kills%2023%20Syrian%20troops,-Reuters&text=BEIRUT%2C%20Aug%2011%20$Reuters$,war%20monitor%20said%20on%20Friday.) and [Israeli strikes](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israeli-airstrikes-on-syria-intensify-raise-tensions-with-iran) on Iran-backed militias continued. According to [UN estimates](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/world/middleeast/syria-civil-war-death-toll.html), around 580,000 people were killed during the civil war, with [millions](https://reporting.unhcr.org/syriasituation) either internally displaced or living as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and several European states. On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake [struck](https://www.un.org/en/turkiye-syria-earthquake-response) northwest Syria and southeastern Turkey in [one of the worst](https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/turkey-quake-other-major-natural-disasters-this-century-2023-02-09/) natural disasters of this century. In Syria, the disaster killed an estimated [8,400](https://reliefweb.int/report/turkiye/devastating-earthquakes-southern-turkiye-and-northern-syria-april-6th-2023-situation-report-20-entr) people and [caused](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/earthquakes-caused-51-bln-damage-syria-world-bank-estimates-2023-03-03/) about \$5.1 billion in damages, deepening the humanitarian crisis. ## Overthrow of Bashar al-Assad (2024) Battlefield dynamics in Syria shifted significantly following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel [accelerated](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-guards-pull-officers-syria-after-israeli-strikes-2024-02-01/) its airstrikes in Syria, killing multiple senior officials within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and weakening Iran-backed local militias. After Israel [launched](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxgyzq7z2ro) a ground invasion and large-scale aerial campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September 2024, the group significantly [scaled back](https://www.inss.org.il/publication/syria-rebels/) its contingency presence in Syria. Likewise, the Russian invasion of Ukraine [forced](https://www.dw.com/en/is-russia-able-to-fight-in-both-ukraine-and-syria/a-70973239) Russia to shift forces away from its bases in Syria. By November 2024, the retrenchment of Assad’s foreign allies provided a [military opening](https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/28/europe/syria-rebels-government-iran-analysis-intl) for Syrian rebel groups to renew their campaign against the Assad regime. In contrast to the declining influence of the regime’s allies, the rebels had continued [receiving military support](https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/syrian-national-army-turkey-reform/) from Turkey, which maintained troops in northern Syria and aided the Syrian National Army (SNA), a key rebel group. As the November offensive began, Assad’s forces fought back with [minimal firepower](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/8/what-happened-in-syria-has-al-assad-really-fallen). After capturing Aleppo, rebel forces [seized](https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/09/middleeast/timeline-syria-assad-regime-toppled-intl) Hama on December 5, Daraa on December 6, and Homs on December 7, before overpowering Assad’s fleeing forces in Damascus on December 8. Throughout their offensive, the rebels [freed](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2dx3ekpr59o) thousands of political prisoners held by the Assad regime. The offensive’s speed [surprised](https://apnews.com/article/syria-fall-of-assad-photo-gallery-f4862a7f801eae711a69482f04b88c8a) many observers, including analysts, Syrians, and even the rebels themselves. ## Transition Under Ahmed al-Sharaa (2024-Present) As Assad [fled](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-rebels-celebrate-captured-homs-set-sights-damascus-2024-12-07/) to Moscow and many Syrians [celebrated](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/08/world/syria-war-damascus) the rebels’ announcement of victory on state television, a new interim administration emerged under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, then known by his [nom de guerre](https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/06/middleeast/syria-rebel-forces-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-al-jolani-intl-latam), Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. Al-Sharaa [founded](https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/11/syria-rebel-leader-jolani-hts-al-qaeda-islamic-state-isis/) HTS as a successor group to Jabhat al-Nusra, which was al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate before breaking off in mid-2016. Those ties to al-Qaeda prompted the United States to [designate](https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/how-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-landed-us-terrorist-lists-and-why-it-should-stay-there-now) Al-Sharaa as a terrorist. Still, the [United States](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-urges-us-stay-syria-mess-biden-speak/story?id=116570293) and many [European governments](https://www.politico.eu/article/syria-bashar-assad-eu-welcomes-collapse/) cautiously welcomed the change in government, calling for the new regime to implement an inclusive political solution aligned with UN resolutions. Since then, the Sharaa regime’s record has been mixed. His government has suggested [it is committed](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-leader-sharaa-pledges-form-inclusive-government-2025-01-30/) to a secular state with equality among Syria’s diverse population, but many minority communities [feel sidelined](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/08/23/syria-minorities-druze-alawites-kurds-sharaa/) and fearful of the new regime. Women and minorities won [only a few seats](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/first-results-syrias-new-parliament-show-low-share-minorities-women-2025-10-06/) in recent parliamentary elections held in October, while its new interim constitution risks [centralizing power](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/25/syria-constitutional-declaration-risks-endangering-rights) without credible institutional guarantees for civil and political rights. In March, the Sharaa regime [signed](https://www.mei.edu/publications/damascus-sdf-agreement-two-months-fragile-progress-or-delayed-collapse) an agreement with the SDF to integrate the Kurdish population into government structures. However, clashes [restarted](https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/08/14/stalled-syria-sdf-deal-risks-sparking-wider-conflict/) after the deal failed to materialize. Turkey’s interest in preventing Kurdish autonomy has further complicated the process, as Ankara continues to [threaten](https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5182947-t%C3%BCrkiye-warns-force-if-sdf-defies-deal-join-syrian-army) military escalation. Although the regime promised to avoid retribution against the Alawite minority, which Assad’s rule [had favored](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/world/middleeast/syria-alawites-assad.html), it [struggled](https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/3/20/dont-trust-anyone-are-syrias-alawis-losing-faith-in-the-new-government) to contain a vigilante assault that killed an [estimated 1,400](https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166226) members of the community, predominantly civilians, in March 2025. A Reuters investigation [traced](https://www.reuters.com/investigations/syrian-forces-massacred-1500-alawites-chain-command-led-damascus-2025-06-30/) much of the violence to units integrated into the new government’s security apparatus. In southern Syria, meanwhile, the Druze population [accused](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0m87d4p9gvo) Damascus of backing Bedouin tribes in deadly clashes over the summer of 2025, which killed at least [1,000 people](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/over-1400-mostly-civilians-were-killed-in-sectarian-violence-in-coastal-syria-in-march-government-says). In May 2025, President Trump [announced](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/06/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-provides-for-the-revocation-of-syria-sanctions/) that the United States would suspend all sanctions targeting the Syrian regime, following a more [limited U.S. waiver](https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2770) in January 2025. Nonetheless, ongoing security threats, [weak](https://www.nextcenturyfoundation.org/rebuilding-syria-hopes-and-hurdles/) government institutions, and lingering [international sanctions](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/22/syrias-al-sharaa-renews-call-for-us-to-formally-drop-sanctions) have limited economic recovery, keeping humanitarian conditions bleak. This has [prevented](https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/refugees-return-to-syria-challenges-and-uncertainties/) most refugees from returning home, although the UN [reported](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/24/one-million-syrian-refugees-returned-home-since-al-assads-fall-un-says) in September 2025 that around 1 million had returned, along with 1.8 million internally displaced individuals. Throughout this period, Israel has continued striking regime targets. After the Israeli government declared the UN-sponsored 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement void, it initiated a ground [invasion](https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/10/middleeast/israel-syria-assad-strikes-intl) on December 8, 2024. Israel coupled the invasion with an [aerial campaign](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/4/mapping-israels-expanding-air-attacks-across-syria) targeting weapons caches throughout the country, aiming to [prevent](https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/israel-and-fall-assad-rejoice-repel-reach-out-reload) the new Islamist regime from amassing significant military power. Israel intensified this campaign during the July 2025 Druze-Bedouin clashes, striking several key [government targets](https://www.npr.org/2025/07/16/nx-s1-5469794/israel-strikes-damascus-syria), including the Defense Ministry and an area adjacent to the Presidential Palace, as it [echoed](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70xyv4z74go) Druze accusations of regime support for the Bedouin tribes. Despite these clashes, Israel and Syria have [maintained talks](https://www.axios.com/2025/09/16/israel-syria-security-agreement-dermer) aimed at restoring the UN-backed 1974 agreement and achieving a broader regional security arrangement. More on Conflict in Syria Nearby Conflicts ##### Alleged Syrian Militia Member Denies Crimes Against Humanity Charges April 8, 2026 A Syrian man known as Rafik A. went on trial in The Hague, denying twenty-five charges including torture, rape, and sexual violence as crimes against humanity, allegedly committed while he led an interrogation unit for a pro-Assad militia in Syria from 2013 to 2014; the case is the first in the Netherlands to address atrocity crimes committed by pro-government forces in Syria, with a verdict expected June 9 and a potential life sentence if convicted [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/alleged-syrian-militia-member-tells-trial-he-did-not-torture-prisoners-2026-04-08/). ##### Zelenskyy in Syria April 5, 2026 Ukraine and Syria agreed to cooperate on security and economic issues during Zelenskyy’s trip to Damascus [(President of Ukraine)](https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2040802391054786600?s=20). Turkey’s foreign minister also attended a portion of the talks [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/zelenskiy-syria-meet-president-sharaa-sources-say-2026-04-05/). It was Zelenskyy’s first visit to Syria since the two countries restored diplomatic ties; Syria’s former Assad regime was a close ally of Russia [(Al Jazeera)](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/5/ukraine-syria-agree-to-exchange-military-and-security-experience). ##### Al-Sharaa Says Syria Will Not Get Involved in Iran War March 31, 2026 Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stated that Syria would not get involved in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran unless Syria faces aggression and does not have any diplomatic solutions [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/syria-will-stay-out-iran-conflict-unless-it-faces-aggression-president-says-2026-03-31/). ##### Drones Strike Syrian Military Bases Near Iraqi Border March 30, 2026 The Syrian army reported that drones targeted several bases near the Iraqi border; in a statement posted on Syrian state media, the army, which did not specify the origin of the drones, noted that most of the drones were successfully shot down [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-army-says-drone-attacks-targeted-its-bases-near-iraq-2026-03-30/). Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that the two countries will coordinate to speed the return of Syrian refugees living in Germany; both leaders said Syrians who wish to stay in Germany would be allowed to, but Merz said that 80 percent of Syrians in Germany are expected to repatriate in the next three years [(DW)](https://www.dw.com/en/germany-news-merz-and-syrian-president-talk-refugee-returns/live-76588579#liveblog-post-76595271). ##### Sectarian Attacks Erupt in Suqaylabiyah March 28, 2026 An interpersonal dispute between two men escalated into sectarian attacks in the Christian town of Suqaylabiyah, Hama province, when scores of armed men from a neighboring Sunni community descended on motorcycles, damaging homes, shops, and vehicles throughout the night; there were no immediate reported casualties in the attacks [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/syria-christians-sectarian-attacks-suqaylabiyah-d3c66fd9713084c1fbab0c307c77bcf9). ##### UN: July 2025 Violence Killed Over 1,700 Syrians March 27, 2026 A UN investigation found that more than 1,700 people were killed and nearly 200,000 displaced during a week of violence in southern Syria in July 2025, with Syrian government forces, tribal fighters, and Druze armed groups potentially committing war crimes; the report said most of the 1,707 deaths in Sweida Governorate were Druze civilians, along with members of the Bedouin community and at least 225 government personnel [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-says-1700-killed-syrias-suweida-violence-cites-possible-war-crimes-2026-03-27/). ##### Syrians Protest Alcohol Restrictions in Damascus March 22, 2026 Large crowds rallied to protest recent efforts by authorities to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol in Damascus; the demonstration, which reflected fears that the new government may threaten secular freedoms, was surrounded by heavily armed security forces and passed without any incident [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/syria-alsharaa-alcohol-ban-christians-ed5f71c33b444b6be791644a915da9a7). Authorities slightly walked back the ban, saying that alcohol sales would be allowed in hotels and other designated sites [(MEE)](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-walks-back-damascus-alcohol-ban-after-outcry-residents). ##### Ukrainian, U.S. Negotiators Meet in Florida March 21, 2026 Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators began the latest round of talks in Florida to move towards a settlement; the White House described the talks as productive, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that talks would continue on Sunday [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-says-talks-resolving-war-continue-us-sunday-2026-03-21/). ##### Israel Strikes Syrian Military Sites March 20, 2026 Israel struck Syrian government military infrastructure in southern Syria overnight in response to attacks against Druze civilians in Sweida, targeting command centers and weapons sites; Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and warned Israel would bear responsibility for further escalation [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-military-says-it-struck-syrian-government-targets-after-attacks-druze-2026-03-20/). ##### Syria’s Alcohol Restrictions March 17, 2026 Municipal authorities in Damascus banned alcohol in bars and restaurants except in the city’s predominantly Christian neighborhoods; it marks a step toward more conservative legal mores following the country’s takeover by Islamist rebels led by current President Ahmed al-Sharaa [(AFP)](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/syrias-damascus-restricts-sale-of-alcohol-under-new-islamist-rulers/). Some critics argue the move violates parts of Syria’s constitution, which Sharaa approved last year [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-authorities-ban-alcohol-damascus-2026-03-17/). ##### Syria Accuses Hezbollah of Cross-Border Shelling March 10, 2026 Syria’s army accused Hezbollah of shelling targets inside Syria, west of Damascus, from across the Lebanese border [(Times of Israel)](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/syria-accuses-hezbollah-of-firing-shells-into-its-territory/). Meanwhile, Damascus appointed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo as deputy defense minister for the country’s eastern territories; the move is seen as part of the implementation of a U.S.-brokered integration agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-appoints-kurdish-ypg-commander-sipan-hamo-deputy-defence-minister-2026-03-10/). ##### Turkey Allegedly Asks MI6 to Help Protect Syrian President March 6, 2026 Turkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, reportedly asked Britain’s MI6 to take a larger role in protecting Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa following recent assassination plots; however, after Reuters published the story, Turkey denied making any such request [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-asks-britains-mi6-step-up-protection-syrias-sharaa-sources-say-2026-03-06/). ##### Border Crossing With Lebanon Temporarily Closed March 4, 2026 The Syrian land and sea ports authority briefly closed its border crossing with Lebanon for all departures; the closure came as Israel warned that it may target the crossing in its operations [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-closes-its-border-crossing-with-lebanon-after-warning-it-being-targeted-by-2026-03-04/). ##### Syria Reinforces Border With Lebanon March 3, 2026 Syria sent rocket units and thousands of troops to its border with Lebanon; the move reportedly was aimed at preventing the infiltration of Hezbollah or other militant groups into Syria, as well as to stop cross-border arms and drug smuggling [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/syria-sends-thousands-troops-lebanon-border-sources-say-2026-03-03/). ##### Four Killed by Iranian Missile in Sweida February 28, 2026 An Iranian missile hit a building in Sweida, killing four people and wounding several others; other missile debris fell in parts of southern Syria as residents reported hearing interceptor missiles in the skies of Damascus [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/four-people-killed-syria-after-an-iranian-missile-falls-building-state-media-2026-02-28/). ##### Syria, Druze Factions Hold First Prisoner Exchange Since July Clashes February 27, 2026 The Syrian government and Druze factions controlling the southern city of Sweida conducted their first prisoner exchange on Thursday since deadly sectarian clashes last July [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-government-forces-druze-factions-exchange-prisoners-sweida-2026-02-26/). ##### U.S. Military Withdrawing From Largest Base in Northeastern Syria February 23, 2026 The Syrian military and security sources stated that U.S. forces began withdrawing from their largest base in Qasrak; the base was the main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-military-begins-withdrawing-main-base-northeast-syria-syrian-sources-say-2026-02-23/). While U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment, it confirmed earlier this month that U.S. troops had withdrawn from different base in southeastern Syria [(CENTCOM)](https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4404940/us-forces-depart-base-in-syria-during-orderly-transition/). ##### Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Militants Kill Four February 23, 2026 Self-proclaimed Islamic State militants killed four security personnel in northern Syria, marking the deadliest attack on government forces since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/islamic-state-kills-four-security-personnel-syria-state-news-agency-says-2026-02-23/). ##### Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Two Attacks February 22, 2026 The self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian army personnel in eastern and northern Syria; this came as the group announced it had entered a “new phase” in operations [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/islamic-state-claims-two-attacks-syrian-army-announces-new-phase-operations-2026-02-21/). ##### Militant Attack Kills One Security Officer February 19, 2026 The self-proclaimed Islamic State took responsibility for an attack that killed one security officer and injured another in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/one-security-officer-killed-another-wounded-is-attack-eastern-syria-2026-02-19/). ##### United States to Withdraw All Forces February 18, 2026 American officials stated that the United States is in the process of withdrawing all its troops from Syria; the removal will be “conditions-based” and will occur over the next two months [(WSJ)](https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/syria-us-troops-withdraw-a97a2665?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqc3WekE7DAvXzoPwiXrGZgvNKiJKi6VjeeTX0idWVp4qpTdANZdgzjzKyonZZA%3D&gaa_ts=699877b0&gaa_sig=_x73147EU3fzEHwa-GzM0J1NbIUJ5RceF2JXOZXP85rj6SV2sjzeeYhM4MpDh0QbiONwrTRQ710WRDZeu9UT5w%3D%3D). ##### Australians Released From Roj Camp Returned February 16, 2026 Thirty-four Australians released from Roj camp were later returned due to “technical problems” between families and the Damascus government [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thirty-four-australians-released-syrian-camp-holding-is-affiliated-families-2026-02-16/). This comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the Australian government will provide “absolutely no support” towards repatriation efforts [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/australia-syria-islamic-state-repatriate-9014cd9b72d4c3121a648cbe0f8b8df4). ##### Syrian Army Takes Control of Shaddadi Base February 15, 2026 The Syrian Army announced that it had taken control of the Shaddadi base in northwestern Syria in coordination with the United States [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-army-says-it-took-control-shaddadi-base-after-coordination-with-us-agency-2026-02-15/). ##### U.S. Conducts Strikes on ISIS Targets February 14, 2026 The United States Central Command announced that it conducted ten airstrikes against at least thirty self-proclaimed Islamic State infrastructure and weapons storage targets between February 3 and February 12 [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-conducts-strikes-more-than-30-islamic-state-targets-syria-military-says-2026-02-14/). ##### U.S. Military Completes Prison Transfers February 13, 2026 The United States Central Command announced that U.S. forces successfully completed their mission of transferring self-proclaimed Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq; the transfers included moving over 5,700 self-proclaimed IS militants [(Reuters).](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-military-says-it-completed-syria-mission-transfer-isis-members-iraq-2026-02-13/) ##### Saudi Arabian and U.S. Firms to Partner on Energy Project February 10, 2026 Three U.S.-based and two Saudi-based firms are to form a consortium for an energy production and oil and gas exploration project in northeast Syria; the move reflects Damascus’s need for energy investments after fourteen years of war [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/saudi-us-firms-partner-northeast-syria-energy-project-2026-02-10/). ##### Saudi Investments in Syria February 7, 2026 A new Saudi fund will invest around \$2 billion to develop two airports in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Saudi Arabia’s investment minister Khalid al-Falih said [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-announces-major-new-syria-investments-2026-02-07/). The Saudi Telecom Company also said it will invest \$800 million in a telecommunications infrastructure project in the country [(Communications Today)](https://www.communicationstoday.co.in/saudi-telecom-wins-800m-syria-infrastructure-project/). These and other new investments represent a “qualitative leap” in their bilateral relations, Al-Falih said, following more than \$6 billion in Saudi investment pledges in Syria last year [(NYT)](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-investment-syria-al-sharaa.html). ##### Syrian Government Blocks Al-Qaeda Affiliated Book February 4, 2026 The Syrian government blocked a book containing multiple audio addresses by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq before his death in 2006, from being displayed at a book fair in Damascus; officials stated the book would dampen relation-building efforts between Baghdad and Damascus [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-blocks-display-al-qaeda-linked-text-book-fair-iraqi-official-says-2026-02-04/). ##### Syrian Government Security Forces Enter Qamishli February 3, 2026 Syrian security forces continued deployments to Kurdish-led regions and entered Qamishli to engage in talks with senior Kurdish officials [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-security-convoy-heads-key-kurdish-city-under-us-backed-deal-2026-02-03/). ##### Syrian State Forces Enter Al-Hasakah February 2, 2026 Syrian government forces entered Al-Hasakah as part of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces that plans to merge Kurdish-led regions with Damascus [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-government-forces-deploy-towards-kurdish-run-city-after-ceasefire-deal-2026-02-02/). ##### Syrian Government and Kurds Agree on Integration Deal January 30, 2026 The Syrian government and Kurdish forces agreed to a ceasefire that outlines a phased plan to absorb Kurdish fighters into state institutions, garnering praise from the United States; the deal follows recent advances by Damascus this month, which pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces back into a reduced northeastern enclave [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-kurdish-led-sdf-agree-ceasefire-phased-integration-deal-with-government-2026-01-30/). ##### Syria to Close Al-Hol and Roj Camps January 30, 2026 Syria announced plans to close Al-Hol and Roj displacement camps that held civilians and foreigners linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-close-camps-housing-thousands-linked-islamic-state-2026-01-30/). ##### Putin Hosts Al-Sharaa January 28, 2026 Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin to discuss Moscow’s future military presence in Syria [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/putin-sharaa-will-discuss-future-russian-military-presence-syria-kremlin-says-2026-01-28/). ##### Syria Seeks U.S.-Backed Talks With SDF as Tensions Persist January 27, 2026 The Syrian government said it plans to hold a new round of U.S-backed talks with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to define how the group will merge into the central state following a January 18 integration deal [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-hopes-hold-new-integration-talks-with-kurdish-forces-tuesday-2026-01-27/). In Qamishli, Kurdish residents have organized nighttime volunteer patrols as government forces press closer, underscoring fears despite a ceasefire and continued negotiations [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/syrian-kurdish-enclave-alert-amid-shaky-ceasefire-2026-01-27/). ##### Russia Begins Withdrawing From Qamishli Airport January 26, 2026 Russian forces have begun evacuating equipment and personnel from bases around Qamishli airport in northeast Syria as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces territory shrinks [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/syria-russia-sdf-qamishli-bd34938a4ce46b48b669b43b3247184f). Russian troops started a gradual withdrawal last week, transferring forces and heavy equipment from the airport to the Hmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, Syrian sources said [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-withdrawing-troops-airport-northeast-syria-sources-say-2026-01-26/). ##### Damascus Extends Truce With SDF January 24, 2026 Syria’s military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces extended a truce that was set to expire on Saturday, both parties said; the Syrian defense ministry said the extension will last fifteen days and facilitate a U.S. operation to transfer prisoners linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq [(AP)](https://apnews.com/article/syria-kurds-islamic-state-truce-hassakeh-ceasefire-67f5d1f2e90d9a45fb6be1c246fd8d40). ##### UN Role in Syria January 22, 2026 The United Nations is assuming responsibility for large refugee and detention camps in northeast Syria that were previously guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a senior UN official said; the SDF retreated from the area this week amid an armed offensive by Syria’s government, which aims to integrate SDF forces into its own [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iraq-says-it-will-prosecute-islamic-state-detainees-transferred-syria-2026-01-22/). ##### Detainee Transfer From Syria January 21, 2026 The U.S. military began transferring detainees linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq, U.S. Central Command said in a statement; the announcement said 150 detainees had already been transported to Iraqi-controlled facilities, with up to 7,000 in total eligible for transfers [(CENTCOM)](https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2014007338437341436). The move comes after dozens of detainees escaped from a Syrian prison in recent days during clashes between government forces and Kurdish rebels [(WaPo)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/21/isis-detainees-syria-iraq/). ##### ISIS Detainees Escape Prison January 20, 2026 Syria’s interior ministry said today that around 120 detainees had escaped and at least 81 had been recaptured, while a Kurdish website reported that roughly 1,500 had escaped; each side blamed the other for the incident [(Al Jazeera)](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/20/syria-sdf-ceasefire-hangs-in-balance-after-renewed-clashes-faltering-talks). The renewed clashes are testing a freshly-minted truce between Syria’s military and Kurdish forces; they had announced a truce and plans to merge on Sunday, following a Syrian military offensive against the Kurdish group [(NYT)](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/world/middleeast/syria-kurds-ceasefire.html). The Syrian government gave Kurdish forces a four-day deadline to accept the integration offer [(Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/kurdish-rudaw-website-reports-around-1500-islamic-state-members-escaped-syrias-2026-01-19/). The U.S. special envoy for Syria urged Kurdish forces to accept the integration deal in a social media post; he wrote that the U.S. military partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was less necessary now that the new Syrian government has committed to fighting the self-declared Islamic State [(X)](https://x.com/USAMBTurkiye/status/2013635851570336016). ##### U.S. Carries Out Large Scale Strikes Against ISIS January 10, 2026 U.S. Central Command said they were part of continued retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. and Syrian forces last month [(CENTCOM)](https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2010089772120002721). Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the U.S. and Jordanian militaries have worked with the new Syrian government to target the remnants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State [(NYT)](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/10/us/politics/us-strikes-islamic-state-syria.html). ### Sign Up for Our Newsletter Receive the Center for Preventive Action's quarterly snapshot of global hot spots with expert analysis on ways to prevent and mitigate deadly conflict.
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