Syrian civil war

Carter: Syria Safe Zone Would Require 'Combat Mission'

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter says creating a safe zone in Syria would cause American troops to fight jihadists.

US to UN: Investigate Syrian Chemical Weapons Use

Diplomats say there is 'mounting evidence' of more chlorine gas attacks despite lengthy chemical removal process.

Assad Denies His Regime Falling in Rare Public Address

Syrian president makes rare appearance to dismiss fears of impending defeat after rebels make significant gains.

Syria: 16 Kurdish Fighters Killed in ISIS Attack

Islamic State car bomb targets Kurdish security forces base in Hasakeh; attackers eliminated.

UN's Syria Envoy Opens Talks in Geneva

Staffan de Mistura, the UN's peace envoy for Syria, launches wide-ranging consultations in Geneva with regional and domestic players.

PLO Delegation Visits Syria to Discuss Yarmouk

Palestinian Arab officials visit Syria to discuss efforts to protect the Yarmouk neighborhood which was stormed by ISIS.

Nasrallah Vows: Hezbollah Will Defeat Syrian Rebels

Hezbollah chief issues televised address, vows to take 'responsibility and consequences' of continued involvement in Syria.

Nasrallah: If Assad Falls, Hezbollah Will Fall

Hezbollah leader reaffirms support for Assad regime, telling senior Lebanese politician his group's very survival is at stake.

Amnesty Blasts Crimes Against Humanity in Aleppo

Amnesty International blasts both Syrian regime as well as rebel forces in new report on Aleppo fighting.

Syrian Rebels, Hezbollah in Fierce Clashes Near Lebanon

Al Qaeda's Nusra Front leads preemptive offensive against pro-regime forces, including Hezbollah, in Qalamoun mountains.

UN: Separate Talks with Syria Rival Sides to Start Tuesday

United Nations peace envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, plays down expectations over 'consultations' with warring factions.

Damascus: Syrian General Injured in Rebel Suicide Bombing

General Mohammad Eid wounded when rebels on motorbikes stage daring assault in regime-held suburb of Syrian capital.

Syria: 7 Civilians Killed in Barrel Bomb Attack on Aleppo School

Barrel bomb hits Aleppo school, kills at least seven civilians, including a teacher and four children.

Syria Rebel Victories Leave Lebanon Increasingly Isolated

Seizure of last border crossing into Syria by rebels chokes off Lebanese; 'We have become an island.'

Iran to Take Part in UN-Hosted Consultations on Syria

UN confirms that Assad ally Iran will take part in consultations on Syria that begin Monday in Geneva.

Syrian Army Preempts Rebel Attacks in Regime Bastion

Regime forces in Latakia attack rebel positions in attempt to block rebel assault from recently-captured Idlib.

Syrian Opposition Leader Asks for 'Safe Havens' Inside Syria

Syrian National Coalition head meets Kerry, asks the United States to help set up safe havens inside Syria.

Overstretched Hezbollah May Be Resorting to Child Soldiers

Death of teenage recruit in rebel assault this week may illustrate Hezbollah manpower shortage, as terror group stretched thin by Iran.

Syrian Opposition to Meet UN Envoy for Peace Talks

Representatives from Syria's opposition National Coalition to UN's envoy Staffan de Mistura in Geneva next month.

Jihad on the Horizon: Al Qaeda, ISIS Clash Along Israeli Border

Nusra Front joins other rebel factions fighting ISIS-linked Jaish al-Jihad battalion in Golan Heights; follows mortar fire into Israel.

Syrian Defense Minister in Iran as Assad Regime Faltering

General Fahd al-Freij in Iran to discuss cooperation between the two countries' militaries, as Assad regime suffers a series of losses.

Assad Regime Collapsing? Rebels Score Another Key Victory

Heavy weapons seized in Idlib's Al-Qarmid base, as Al Qaeda-led Islamist 'Army of Conquest' continues to make gains in the north.

Syria: 40 Dead in Airstrikes on Marketplace

Airstrikes on a marketplace kill at least 40 civilians, as Syrian forces step up attacks on rebel-held town of Darkush.

Syria: Al Qaeda, Allies, Take Key Regime Stronghold

Jihadists seize Jisr al-Shughur, last major city under regime control in Idlib; now closer than ever to regime heartland Latakia.

Assad's Former Political Spy Chief Dies

Syria's former political intelligence chief dies after being fired for a quarrel with another regime official in which he was beaten up.

Syria: 42 Dead in Clashes Between Rebels

At least 42 fighters killed in fierce fighting between Islamist rebels and the Islamic State group.

Israel 'Threatened Al Qaeda Rebels to Protect Syrian Druze'

The rise of Islamist rebel factions has made Israeli support for Syrian rebels more difficult than in the past.

Assad: There Are No Iranian Troops in Syria

Syria's President admits he invited Hezbollah to fight alongside his regime but denies Iran has sent troops to participate in the civil war.

UN Demands That Aid be Allowed into Yarmouk

Security Council demands that aid workers be allowed to distribute supplies to "Palestinian refugees" in Damascus.

Mother and Five Children Killed in Syria Bombardment

At least 19 civilians killed in Syrian regime bombardment of the southern province of Daraa.

Plea for Help to Discover Fate of Missing Syria Priests

Eastern Orthodox church appeals to the international community to uncover what happened to two priests in Syria.

Assad: Turkey Prevented UN Ceasefire Plan in Aleppo

Syrian President claims Turkey's influence with rebel factions is prolonging the battle in Aleppo, a prime site for bomb attacks.

Oops: NBC Changes Story of Reporter's Kidnapping in Syria

More embarrassment for network after senior correspondent Richard Engel admits it was rebels, not regime forces who abducted him.

More than 220,000 Killed in Syria Conflict, Monitor Says

Official death toll rises, but real number likely much higher; 700 Hezbollah fighters among the dead.

Report: Mortar Shell Fired in the Golan Heights

Shell strikes an open area, with no injuries or damage; security sources say it is likely Syria spillover.

UN Envoy to Visit Iraq, Syria to Address Sexual Violence

UN envoy to make Middle East tour to speak about sexual violence in the context of terror, particularly by ISIS.

Rebels in Southern Syria Split with Al Qaeda after Tensions

Southern Front announces it is severing ties with Nusra Front after dispute over border crossing; 'We don't want to be a base for jihad.'

UN Envoy Plans More Talks on Syria War

UN mediator Staffan de Mistura wants his next consultations on the conflict in Syria to include "all those with influence," says spokesman.

Palestinian Sources Say ISIS Losing Ground in Yarmouk

Islamic State jihadists now confined to southwest of Yarmouk camp, as Palestinian fighters join forces with Assad regime.

HRW: 'Strong Evidence' Syrian Regime Used Chlorine Gas Again

Pair of attacks in Idlib province likely from regime helicopters, rights group insists.

Turkey Deports 9 Brits Arrested for Jihadist Activity

Deportation process dragged out over two weeks after British citizens arrested for attempting to cross into Syria.

UN Provides Supplies to 500 Residents of Yarmouk

UNRWA provides urgent supplies to around 500 civilians who have fled fighting in the Damascus neighborhood of Yarmouk.

Al Nusra Bombs Syrian Regime Base in Aleppo

Large tunnel explodes near air force intelligence base in Aleppo, just after rebels close down schools there due to bombings.

London: Arrest Made in Murder of Imam Who Opposed Assad

Police announce progress in case to uncover who killed imam Abdul Hadi Arwani - who ran a mosque associated with Islamism.

Schools Close in Aleppo Following Bombings

Human rights monitor says brutal bombings have closed 135 schools in the Syrian city after air raids on civilians.

Syria: 5 Children Killed in Aleppo Airstrike

Syrian regime air strike in Aleppo kills five children and four other civilians.

UNRWA Chief Concerned about Civilians in Syria's Yarmouk

Pierre Krahenbuhl seeks peaceful resolution as ISIS exacerbates already harsh conditions for Yarmouk residents.

Syrian Kurds Struggling for Independence Against 'Arabization'

Syrian Kurdistan faces decades of Syrian cultural assimilation, and now divide as large elements want Assad loyalty, not self-rule.

Syria Offers Palestinians Military Aid against ISIS in Yarmouk

As humanitarian situation worsens by the day, and as Palestinian fighters on their last legs against ISIS, Assad regime offers help.

Expert: Syrian Kurds are Waiting for Israel

Israel and Iraqi Kurds have kept their ties hidden, but both sides are eager to open up and Kurds in other countries are, too.

Syria: Islamists Kidnap 300 Kurdish Civilians

Al-Nusra Front may be responsible for mass kidnapping in Idlib.

2,000 Evacuated from Syria's Yarmouk as ISIS Advances

Around 400 families left the camp on Friday and Saturday via two secure roads, says PLO official.

Report: ISIS Beheads Senior Hamas Operative in Syria

Sheikh Abu Salah Taha believed to be among scores of Palestinians executed in Yarmouk; image of severed head posted online.

Report: Australian Politician Detained for Fighting ISIS

Matthew Gardiner, who joined Kurdish forces in Iraq in January, apparently arrested in Darwin, Australia.

Al Qaeda, Allies Advance on Key Syrian Military Base

Islamist rebels including Nusra Front launch attack on Mastuma base in Idlib one week after capturing provincial capital.

Power Talks Tough about Syria, but US Offers No Actions

US UN Ambassador Power denounces Assad's 'brutality', but new evidence shows the US ignored advice to stop Assad from arming.

Expert: Pry Syria Away from Iran

Professor John Myhill of Haifa University says it's worth considering how a future Syria independent of Iran could align with Israel.

Al-Qaeda-Backed Rebels Seize Syria-Jordan Border Crossing

Rebels backed by the Al-Nusra Front take the last border crossing with Jordan that had been under the control of the Damascus regime.

3 Arrested for Returning Syrian Army Defectors to Assad's Regime

Three Lebanese men abducted Syrian refugees and threw them back into the war zone, authorities say.

Syria: Damascus Shelled, Hamas Terrorist Killed

One dead and 30 wounded in souk attack on Damascus; separate incident kills Hamas terrorist in Yarmuk.