Syria

Russia again carries out airstrikes near ancient Syrian city

Russia's air force says it carried out strikes near the ISIS-held city of Palmyra for the second time this week.

UN watchdog: Mustard gas was used in Syria

OPCW source says it has been concluded that mustard gas was used during fighting in Syria, but can't say who used it.

Syrian rebels take control of key town near Aleppo

Jund al-Aqsa and other opposition groups seize control of Morek after fierce battle in which dozens of regime soldiers were killed.

Amnesty International: Nearly 60,000 Syrians have 'disappeared'

Rights group warns Syria's government is profiting from money charged to families of people who the regime made forcibly disappear.

US accuses Russia of making Syria worse

Russian airstrikes in Syria have displaced at least 120,000 people, senior US official Anne Patterson tells House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Warplanes pound ISIS 'capital' in Syria

At least 23 people killed in bombings by either Syrian regime or Russian aircraft targeting 'Islamic State' de-facto capital Raqqa.

Who is behind Syria's gas attacks?

UN to launch investigation trying to finger who exactly perpetrated deadly gas attacks, as sides squabble over responsibility.

Cameron warned not to join Syria air strikes

British committee says Cameron's idea to join Syria air strikes is incoherent.

Video captures barrel bomb attack in Syria

MEMRI posts video showing a helicopter dropping two barrel bombs on a built-up area in Darayya, Syria.

Russian airstrikes hit Syria's Palmyra region

Russia's air force strikes the area around the ancient city of Palmyra, where ISIS has destroyed ancient artifacts.

UN envoy urges Syria ceasefires to build on talks

End of multinational meeting culminates with call for 'reductions of violence' in four-year holy war.

Report: IAF strikes Scud missiles en route to Hezbollah, again

Syrian media reports Israel bombed advanced missile shipment in Lebanon border region, after similar strike reported on Friday.

Rubio: What's Obama's strategy on Syria?

GOP candidates criticize Obama's plan to deploy 50 special forces to Syria, say he lacks a real strategy to solve that conflict.

Khamenei dismisses foreign countries' involvement in Syria

Iran's Supreme Leader says Syria's fate should be decided by elections, not a deal brokered by other countries.

Al-Qaeda leader urges Muslim unity against West and Russia

Ayman Al-Zawahiri calls on Muslim supporters to band together to confront the “threat” from the West and Russia.

Syria rebels using caged civilian families as 'human shields'

Strongest Syrian rebel group places dozens of captives in cages near Damascus to 'prevent regime bombardment.'

Druze ex-MK begins sentence for meeting terror chief in Syria

Eighteen months after conviction, former Balad MK Said Nafaa begins prison term for illegally entering Syria.

Syrian MP: American troops are 'an act of aggression'

Syrian member of parliament blasts Obama's decision to send special operations forces into his country.

UN chief 'encouraged' by talks on Syria

Ban Ki-moon says he is encouraged by talks in Vienna on the Syria crisis, even though the sides failed to agree on Assad's fate.

Watch: State Dept. 'doesn't know' that Obama broke his word

Spokesperson 'doesn't know' if Obama's policy was not to put boots on the ground until Friday flip-flop - even though Obama said it was.

Report: Israel strikes Assad and Hezbollah in Syria

Syrian media reports IAF fighter jets hit two military targets in Lebanon border region, in first reported strike since Russia's deployment.

Ban: Assad has taken Syria 'hostage'

As talks renew, UN chief slams the way in which Assad's future has held up a diplomatic solution to the civil war for years.

Kerry can't rule out deploying even more commandos in Syria

Kerry claims troop deployment in Syria, weeks after Russia's deployment, is meant to fight ISIS only and not Assad.

Major powers 'agree to disagree' on Syria

Major powers meet in Vienna but remain divided over Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's fate.

Obama authorizes special forces in Syria

Obama authorizes sustained deployment of special forces to Syria, but White House insists it is not putting American boots on the ground.

Seventeen countries launch Syria peace talks

Every outside country involved in Syria, including US and EU, begin critical talks to solve four-year conflict.

Assad kills 40 in Damascus bombing bonanza

Death toll expected to rise in regime rocket and mortar barrage on market in rebel-held Damascus suburb.

Iran may back away from demand to keep Assad in power

Senior official says Iran may accept a six-month transition in Syria, followed by elections to decide ally Assad's fate.

German rapper who joined ISIS killed in Syria airstrike

Denis Cuspert, a German rapper who joined ISIS, likely killed in American airstrike in Syria.

Monitor confirms Russian airstrikes near Israeli border

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights notes this is first time Russian planes have carried out strikes in southern Daraa province.

Sources: Russia helping Iran deliver weapons to Syria

Western sources say Russia has been helping Iran deliver weapons into Syria twice a day over the past 10 days.

Assad: West is backing 'terrorists' in Syria

Syrian President accuses Western states, including France, of supporting terrorist groups - meaning rebels - in his country.

Russia rejects UN resolution on Syrian barrel bombs

Russia says it will not back a proposed draft UN Security Council resolution aimed at stopping barrel bomb attacks in Syria.

US denies slowing anti-ISIS campaign

US-led coalition strikes against Islamic State in Syria have dwindled from 359 in July to a measly 92 this month.

Are Russia and Iran serious about Syria talks?

Saudi FM says if Assad allies are serious 'we will know, and if they aren't we'll stop wasting time with them.'

Russia launches record 24-hour bombing blitz in Syria

Russian jets hit 118 targets in a day, beating Monday's previous record, as Moscow escalates airstrike campaign.

'The Middle East we have known is over'

American, French intelligence agency leaders talk facts on Syria conflict, reveal that a military solution may be 'impossible.'

US reveals: Over 3,000 Iranian troops in Syria, Iraq

Top US military officer says Iran has 2,000 soldiers in Syria, 1,000 in Iraq; Defense Sec. hints at 'direct US action on the ground.'

Despite Russia: ISIS advances on key regime stronghold

ISIS breaks through outer defenses of key regime base in northern Syria that houses large weapons depots, possibly chemical weapons.

ISIS uses Palmyra historic site to execute three people

ISIS executes three people in Syria's ancient city of Palmyra by binding them to three historic columns and blowing them up.

Syria: 120,000 displaced in one month

Intense fighting in Aleppo, Hama, Idlib creating more refugees than ever before.

Syrian Kurds accuse Turkey of attacking their positions

YPG says Turkish forces attacked their forces along the Syrian-Turkish border, as Kurdish-Turkish tensions escalate.

Border jumping

Family claims 'ISIS' paraglider had an 'accident'

Family of Arab citizen who snuck into Syria to join jihadists say they will ask PM to return him - despite contradicting family testimony.

Assad: We must eradicate 'terrorism' before political solution

Syrian President says country must eradicate terrorism to find a political solution to its civil war.

Israeli Arab who paraglided into Syria 'alive and well'

Anonymous caller makes contact with family of Arab man believed to have joined rebels in southern Syria.

Netanyahu: Temple Mount cameras 'in Israel's interest'

Controversial decision to use technology to ban Jewish prayer at the holy site is a solution to terror, PM insists.

Russia: Assad willing to hold new elections

According to Russian legislator Alexnader Yushchenko, Syria's president is ready to take part in polls 'if the people are not against it.'

Cleared for publication: Israeli Arab paraglided into Syria

23 year-old man from the Golan Heights crossed the border via parasail; IDF investigating.

John Kerry looks to Arab countries for help with Syria crisis

US Secretary of State talks with Arab leaders to find new ideas to end Syrian civil war.

ISIS's latest execution: running over a prisoner with a tank

New ISIS video shows prisoner 'confessing' to killing jihadists with a tank, then sentenced to be run over himself.

Eight Iranians killed in Syria

Iran confirms that Eight Iranians, two of them Revolutionary Guards forces, have been killed in Syria in recent days.

Russia, US, Turkey and Saudi Arabia start talks on Syria

Top diplomats begin quest to end Syria conflict; all four countries support rebel groups fighting Assad.

France to present UN resolution banning Syrian barrel bombs

French President Laurent Fabius vows to 'ensure Syrian regime stops bombing civilians' by submitting UN resolution.

Syrian doctors: Russia bombed nine hospitals

Syrian-American Medical Society reveals Russia is hitting medical facilities and killing staff; latest strike kills 10, wounds 28.

Western countries to present UN resolution on Syria barrel bombs

Britain, France and Spain to present a draft resolution to Security Council on stopping the Syrian regime from using barrel bombs.

Putin accuses West of 'double game' with Syria terrorist groups

Russian President accuses West of declaring a fight against some Syrian groups while supporting others.

Putin's high-stakes Syria gamble: with or without Assad

Experts reveal surprise Moscow summit may have discussed replacement for Assad in an attempt to expand Russia's global influence.

Global Islamic State attacks on alarming rise

Islamic State committed over 1,000 attacks, killing nearly 3,000 people, in the last three months alone.

Iran: We won't keep Assad in power forever

Iran's deputy foreign minister says his country won't keep Syrian president in power forever and will let the people decide.

Russian Airstrike Hits Syrian Field Hospital, Kills 13

At least 127 of the 370 killed in Russia's aerial war over Syria were civilians, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.