Hayat Tahrir

Syria's new administration is set to convene a national conference this week, aiming to foster discourse and dialogue on a multitude of pressing issues, ranging from constitutional reform to the dissolution of fractions, according to sources.

Christians attend Christmas mass at the Lady of Damascus Church in the Syrian capital, on December 24, following the ousting of the country's president Bashar al-Assad. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the former al-Qaeda affiliate that led the rebel campaign against Assad, has preached religious coexistence and pledged to protect minority groups.

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told Al Arabiya TV on Sunday that elections could take four years, noted the importance of ties with Iran and Russia, and called for the United States to lift sanctions.

"The election process could take four years," Sharaa told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya.

"We need to rewrite the constitution" which could take "two or three years", added Sharaa.

Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed regional defense and security issues, especially Syria, in a phone call on Tuesday, Türkiye's Defense Ministry said on X.

Güler and Austin also discussed bilateral ties during the call, the ministry added.

The burning of a Christmas tree near Hama has sparked protests across Syria, with thousands taking to the streets to demand protection for religious minorities from the country’s new rulers.

Israel has confirmed its involvement in the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, marking a significant escalation in the region. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz made the acknowledgment during a speech on Monday, issuing a direct warning to the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Soldiers and security personnel of the ousted regime in Syria have responded to calls by the interim government to lay down their arms and register with the authorities, with scores of former members of the armed forces waiting at the centers every day.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has emphasized the need for international cooperation in rebuilding Syria and ensuring stability during a phone call with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.

Syrians wait to cross into Syria from Türkiye at the Öncüpınar border gate, near the town of Kilis, southern Türkiye, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.

Approximately 100,000 refugees have returned to Syria from neighboring countries since opposition fighters overthrew Syria's strongman Bashar al-Assad, the head of the U.N. migration agency estimated on Dec. 18.

TOPSHOT - The leader of Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group that headed a lightning rebel offensive snatching Damascus from government control, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, addresses a crowd at the capital's landmark Umayyad Mosque on Dec. 8, 2024.