Syrian civil war

A handout picture provided by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shows newly appointed Syrian Foreign minister Assaad al-Shibani (centre-L) welcomed by Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed al-khereiji (centre-R) upon his arrival in Riyadh in Jan. 1, 2025.

People pose for photos with balloons near Al-Hamidiyeh Souq on New Years Eve, in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024

Syria's minister of information in the country's transitional government told AFP he is working towards a free press and committed to "freedom of expression", after decades of control under the former rulers.

More than 30,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the Turkish border to return to their country in the past 17 days, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said today.

Communicating with him was not easy. Syria's state-run telecommunications network has collapsed. Metropolitan Ephraim of Aleppo and Alexandretta was, as Kathimerini learned, in a "secure location" in Aleppo. The advance of the jihadists evoked memories of the beginning of the Syrian civil war, when these forces had turned against the Greek Orthodox.

Syria's security forces launched an operation on Thursday against pro-Assad "militias" in the western province of Tartus a day after deadly clashes with gunmen affiliated with the former government.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a stern message to Kurdish fighters in Syria, urging them to either lay down their arms or be buried alongside them.

Türkiye's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, emphasized on Dec. 22 that Syria's territorial integrity is "non-negotiable" and reiterated there is no place for the PKK/YPG terror group in the country.

"This is not the time to wait and see; we must act," Fidan stated during a joint press conference with Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Syria's new administration, held in Damascus.

The Turkish Trade Ministry has issued a directive facilitating the border crossing process for Syrians returning with various belongings, ranging from personal possessions and vehicles to monetary assets and valuable jewelry.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday underlined Türkiye's important role to address the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Speaking at a news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York, Guterres emphasized the need for an "inclusive process of dialogue" to create the conditions for a permanent ceasefire in Syria.