Syria

Read recent Syrian news stories and current events on Newser.com

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Syrian Opposition Tries to Unify

Talks go into the morning, but no deal is in sight

(Newser) - Syria's various opposition groups met in Doha, Qatar, yesterday and argued into this morning about a plan to form one unified government that could present a plausible alternative to that of Bashar al-Assad. Western governments say they want one group they can work with, instead of the hodgepodge that...

Red Cross on Syria: We 'Can't Cope'

Its operation is increasing in scope, but the situation is worsening

(Newser) - The situation in Syria has deteriorated to the point that the International Committee of the Red Cross "can't cope," its president announced today. "The humanitarian situation is getting worse despite the scope of the operation increasing," said Peter Maurer, who outlined the obstacles, as per...

Turkey: We Want Missiles on Syria's Border

And Western officials engage in flurry of diplomatic moves

(Newser) - With President Obama's victory in the bag, the world is moving to resolve Syria's increasingly bitter civil war, the AP reports. Among the flurry of moves:
  • Turkey is having an ongoing discussion with its allies—the US included—about creating a safe zone inside Syria with Patriot missiles.
...

Syrian Rebels Capture Contested Oilfield

Win after 3-day battle could mean serious revenue

(Newser) - Activists say Syrian rebels have captured an oilfield in the country's east after three days of fierce fighting with government troops protecting the facility. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights' chief Rami Abdul-Rahman says rebels overran the al-Ward oilfield in the province of Deir el-Zour near the border with...

Video May Show Rebels Executing Syria Soldiers

If it's legit, Amnesty International calls it a war crime

(Newser) - Syrian rebels have killed 28 soldiers at three army checkpoints, including about 10 who were reportedly shot after surrendering, Reuters reports. The latter executions, apparently caught in a (graphic) video , are a "potential war crime," says an Amnesty International spokeswoman, reports the New York Times . The incident "...

China Peddles Own Syrian Peace Plan

As Clinton, US focus on unifying fractious opposition groups

(Newser) - Might China succeed where the UN has failed at brokering a peace in Syria? China said today it's pushing for a peace plan that would include a regional ceasefire around Syria and a transitional government, reports Reuters . "More and more countries have come to realize that a military...

UN 'Deeply Disappointed' By Failed Syria Ceasefire

But attacks wear on

(Newser) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he's "deeply disappointed" in the failed Syria ceasefire, which has seen bombings despite plans to halt attacks over a four-day holiday. "This crisis cannot be solved with more weapons and bloodshed," Ban said, according to Reuters . Special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi,...

Syrian Army Agrees to Holiday Truce

Ceasefire in effect for Eid al-Adha

(Newser) - The Syrian military says it will cease military operations for four days starting tomorrow in observance of a major Muslim holiday. In the announcement read on state TV today, however, the army said it would still respond to gunfire or roadside bombs and keep rebels from bolstering their positions or...

UN: Syria, Rebels Agree to 4-Day Eid Truce

There will be a truce for the upcoming Muslim holiday

(Newser) - Bashar al-Assad's regime and Syrian rebels have agreed to a temporary truce that coincides with the four-day Eid al-Adha holiday, a UN mediator tells Reuters . Lakhdar Brahimi said that various rebel groups had agreed to the ceasefire "in principle," but CNN notes that Assad's side says...

Troops Quell Lebanon Protests
 Troops Quell Lebanon Protests 
Oct 23, 2012 12:10 PM CDT

Troops Quell Lebanon Protests

FBI to send team to help investigate assassination

(Newser) - Calm returned to the streets of Lebanon's capital today, a day after troops launched a major security operation to quell fighting touched off by the assassination of a top anti-Syrian intelligence chief. The country's police chief last night released details of the investigation into the killing of Brig....

Lebanese Protesters Riot at Funeral for Slain Official

Beirut unrest escalates amid funeral of intel chief

(Newser) - Lebanese soldiers have fired machine guns and rifles into the air and lobbed volleys of tear gas at hundreds of angry protesters who are trying to storm the Lebanese government headquarters in Beirut. The chaotic scene in Lebanon's capital today comes in the midst of a funeral for a...

Damascus Blast Kills 10
 Damascus Blast Kills 10 
Oct 21, 2012 5:52 AM CDT

Damascus Blast Kills 10

Explosion in Christian area comes as UN envoy visits

(Newser) - An explosion hit the Old City of Damascus today, killing at least 10 people and wounding dozens of other civilians, Syrian activists said. It came as President Bashar al-Assad discussed the civil war in his country with visiting UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. The blast targeted a police station in...

Syria Booby-Traps Rebels&#39; Ammo
Syria Booby-Traps
Rebels' Ammo
Oct 20, 2012 10:39 AM CDT

Syria Booby-Traps Rebels' Ammo

New York Times reports on 'dirty trick' of war

(Newser) - Syria has resorted to what the New York Times calls "one of the dirty tricks of the modern battlefield"—booby-trapping ammunition used by rebels. As war correspondent CJ Chivers explains, the government puts the sabotaged ammo on the black markets where the rebels get their weaponry. It's...

Captured Syrian Pilot: I Just Followed Orders

Video: He says pilots were unaware they were hitting civilians

(Newser) - A Syrian fighter pilot shot down by rebels has a simple explanation for why he and other pilots have had no qualms about bombing civilian targets: He swears they didn't know civilians were present. The imprisoned Roni Ibrahim, who got shot down outside al-Bab, tells Al Jazeera that the...

Now Syrian Rebels Have Missiles

Meanwhile, war reaches Damascus, the wealthy

(Newser) - This could change things: Some Syrian rebels now have antiaircraft missiles, rebels and regional officials say. Video footage appears to show the rebels using such weapons, which have been smuggled into the country, the Wall Street Journal reports. Rebels say they downed a military helicopter yesterday, one of at least...

Forget Libya. Syria Is Obama's Top Screw-Up

President's miscues have created a strategic disaster, Jackson Diehl argues

(Newser) - The Romney campaign is eager to attack President Obama over the attack on the US consulate in Libya. But that was ultimately the result of "poor security decisions by mid-level State Department officials, not policy choices by Obama," writes Jackson Diehl of the Washington Post . If you want...

Turkey Forces Another Plane Bound for Syria to Land

And White House finds most arms sent to rebels end up in jihadists' hands

(Newser) - Turkey forced another Syria-bound plane to land today, but the Armenian plane was allowed to continue to Syria after its cargo—humanitarian aid—was searched, Reuters reports. Last week, Turkey forced down a jet en route to Syria from Russia, claiming it held weapons for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's...

Rights Group: Syria Dropping Cluster Bombs in Civilian Areas

Widely banned munitions pose long-term risk

(Newser) - Human Rights Watch today blasted Syria, saying it has new evidence that the Assad regime is dropping cluster bombs into populated areas, reports the AP . "Syria's disregard for its civilian population is all too evident in its air campaign, which now apparently includes dropping these deadly cluster bombs...

Turkey Bans Syrian Civil Flights

Suspects regime smuggling military equipment

(Newser) - Turkey's foreign minister says the country has barred its airspace to Syrian civilian flights. Ahmet Davutoglu said today that Turkey had made the decision because the Syrian regime, which is battling an insurgency, was "abusing" civilian flights by transporting military equipment. He says Syria's government was notified...

Turkey Deploys Tanks as Syria Tension Continues

PM accuses UN of repeating Bosnia mistakes

(Newser) - Tension between Turkey and Syria continues to increase, and yesterday Turkey moved tanks and missile-defense systems to the border hills overlooking Syria, Bloomberg reports, citing state-run media. Turkey had earlier scrambled jet fighters when a Syrian helicopter got close to the border. "Turkey will retaliate if Syria violates its...

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