Syria

Syrian President Bashar Assad is not prepared to normalize ties with the Syrian opposition and, by extension, with Türkiye, the Turkish foreign minister has stated, warning that deeper instability could ensue if Damascus avoids efforts to resolve its internal problems.

Two people were killed and three others wounded today in Israeli shelling of a vehicle in the Mazeh neighborhood of Damascus, where the UN headquarters as well as embassies are located, the Syrian Defense Ministry said today.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 struck eastern Turkey's Malatya province on Wednesday, the country's disaster and emergency management authority (AFAD) said, adding that there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

AFAD said the quake occurred at 10.46 a.m.(0746 GMT) with its epicentre in the district of Kale, some 40 km (25 miles) east of the city of Malatya.

Defense sources have said Türkiye's military presence in northern Syria is essential to preventing the formation of a "terror corridor" along its border.

"We, as Türkiye, want to see a democratic and prosperous Syria, not one plagued by instability and where terrorist organizations are running rampant," the sources told local media on Aug. 29.

The man arrested for a knife attack in Solingen, Germany, was a Syrian refugee who was scheduled to be deported to Bulgaria, according to reports from DPA and Die Welt. The deportation, planned for last year, was ultimately unsuccessful.

Germany on Tuesday ruled out normalization of relations with Syria as eight EU states urged a reassessment of strategy towards Damascus.

A total of 15 PKK members have been "neutralized" in Iraq and Syria, the Defense Ministry said on July 26.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to indicate that the individuals in question have surrendered, been killed or captured.

According to a statement from the ministry, 11 of them were "neutralized" in northern Iraq's Qandil, Assos, Gara and Hakurk regions.

The European Union will convene donors next week to keep Syria on the global agenda, but as the economic and social burden of refugees on neighboring countries mounts the bloc is divided and unable to find solutions to tackle the issue, diplomats say.

Member states that have agreed on a series of points regarding migration policy with an emphasis on Syria 

The governments of eight European Union member states said Friday the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland.