Department of State

This photo shows a car belonging to the US delegation parked outside a hotel in Damascus on Dec. 20, 2024

The first U.S. diplomats to visit Syria since President Bashar Assad's ouster earlier this month are in Damascus on Dec. 20 to hold talks with the country's new leaders and seek information on the whereabouts of missing American journalist Austin Tice.

American envoys have arrived in Syria to talk directly to the new Islamist leaders, the State Department says, in the most official U.S. diplomatic mission to the country since the start of the long-running civil war.

Putting aside the hyperbole and simplistic comments, let alone the sexist ones, concerning the newly designated US ambassador to Athens, Kimberly Guilfoyle, the informed observer who has followed Greek-American relations over the years knows that what's important in an ambassador in a post like Athens is the ability to influence policy at the highest levels.

There is no talk of a ceasefire deal between Turkey and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, contrary to a US announcement on the issue, a Turkish Defense Ministry official said on Thursday.

The Defense Ministry has rejected claims of a ceasefire agreement with PKK or YPG, operating under the label SDF, following a statement from the U.S. State Department.

The Pentagon has described the situation in Syria as "fragile" while confirming that discussions with Türkiye are ongoing, particularly regarding U.S. support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is led by the PKK/YPG terrorists.

A memorial ceremony was held around the White House in Washington for activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, who was killed by Israeli soldiers during a peaceful protest in the occupied West Bank.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced yesterday, Saturday, his intention to assign another of his loyalists, Richard Grenell, to the nascent post of presidential envoy for “special missions.”

“Rick will work in some of the hottest spots in the world, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Mr. Trump said via Truth Social.

The future is uncertain for Bashar al-Assad and his family, who fled to Russia after his overthrow ended more than 50 years of ruling Syria by the same family.