Syria

Read recent Syrian news stories and current events on Newser.com

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Bolton: US Will Stay in Syria as Long as It Takes

He says there's no longer a fixed timetable

(Newser) - The timeline for the withdrawal of American troops from Syria has gone from 30 days to four months and now to no fixed date, according to John Bolton. He said "certain objectives" must be met before an American withdrawal could happen, the Washington Post reports. Bolton said there was...

Days After Mattis Leaves, Another Resignation at the Pentagon

'Time to return to private sector:' Rear Adm. Kevin Sweeney is out as chief of staff

(Newser) - Just days after Jim Mattis' last day as Defense secretary, another member of the Pentagon's top brass has abruptly stepped down, reports CNN . Defense Department chief of staff Kevin Sweeney, a retired rear admiral who has served in his current role since January 2017, is stepping down. "I'...

After Kelly&#39;s Surprise Interview, Trump Has Something to Say
Trump Pushes Back After
John Kelly's Surprise Interview
the rundown
Dec 31, 2018 10:12 AM CST

Trump Pushes Back After John Kelly's Surprise Interview

The idea of an 'all concrete wall' remains very much alive, he says

(Newser) - "To be honest, it's not a wall." So said outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly in a surprise weekend interview with the Los Angeles Times that President Trump apparently doesn't agree with. For context, Kelly said that while Trump still uses the word "wall,"...

Sen. Graham Had Quite the Lunch With Trump

Seems the US policy on Syria is changing

(Newser) - Seems Sen. Lindsey Graham had a productive lunch with the president. Emerging from a White House meal Sunday, he said President Trump is putting the brakes on US troop withdrawal from Syria: "I think we're slowing things down in a smart way," he said, per CNN . "...

Graham: &#39;That&#39;s a Bunch of...&#39;
Sen. Graham Uses
Language We Won't Print
sunday talk shows
Dec 30, 2018 2:45 PM CST

Sen. Graham Uses Language We Won't Print

And more around the Sunday dial

(Newser) - Dana Bash's eyes widened in shock, and it's little wonder. Interviewing Sen. Lindsey Graham on CNN's State of the Union, the host asked whether President Trump would be at fault if the Syria troop pullout ended up empowering ISIS. "Everything we're dealing with today falls...

Assad Gives Iraq Greenlight to Strike ISIS Within Syria

Region is readying for coming US pullout of troops in Syria

(Newser) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday authorized Iraqi forces to attack the Islamic State inside Syria without waiting for permission from authorities in Damascus, state news agency SANA said, as the two allies coordinate their fight against extremists ahead of a planned US withdrawal from Syria. The announcement highlights the...

With Trump Pulling Out, Russia and Turkey Schmooze

They plan to focus on the 'terrorist threat'

(Newser) - Top Russian and Turkish ministers agreed during a meeting in Moscow on Saturday to maintain cooperation in northern Syria as US forces prepare to withdraw and Turkey threatens to launch a military operation against US-backed Kurdish forces controlling nearly a third of the country, the AP reports. Russian Defense Minister...

Mystery Planes Fire Missiles Near Syria
Reports Clarify
Mystery Attack
Over Syria
update
Dec 25, 2018 3:46 PM CST

Reports Clarify Mystery Attack Over Syria

Seems Israeli warplanes are behind it

(Newser) - Israeli warplanes flying over Lebanon fired missiles toward areas near the Syrian capital of Damascus late Tuesday, hitting an arms depot and wounding three soldiers, Syrian state media reported, saying that most of the missiles were shot down by air defense units. The report, quoting an unnamed military official, identified...

Mattis Gets Pushed Out
Mattis Not Leaving in February
Dec 23, 2018 12:20 PM CST

Mattis Not Leaving in February

The defense secretary is leaving Jan. 1, Trump says

(Newser) - President Trump announced on Sunday that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will now leave his post on Jan. 1, tweeting that deputy Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary to cover the accelerated departure, the AP reports. The move comes just three days after Mattis resigned in protest...

Turkey Masses Troops on Syrian Border Area Held by US

Report: 50 vehicles with troops and equipment crossed into Syria overnight

(Newser) - Turkey is massing troops near a town in northern Syria held by a US-backed and Kurdish-led force, a war monitor and Turkish media said Sunday. The buildup comes even though Turkey said it would delay a promised offensive in eastern Syria in the wake of President Trump's decision to...

Another Official Quits Over Trump's Syria Move

Brett McGurk is out

(Newser) - Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group, has resigned in protest over President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, a US official says, joining Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in an administration exodus of experienced national security figures. Only...

Trump Gets Skewered by Normally Loyal Fox Show

'He just refounded ISIS,' declares Brian Kilmeade in regard to Syria decision

(Newser) - Donald Trump once called Barack Obama the "founder of ISIS." On Friday, a usually staunch supporter of Trump turned the slam around on the president in surprising fashion. While discussing Trump's decision to pull US troops out of Syria , Brian Kilmeade of Fox & Friends told press...

Why Mattis' Resignation 'Puts Trump's Presidency in Peril'

Pundits weigh in

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will step down from his post by the end of February, and his resignation letter made clear that his lack of alignment with President Trump drove the decision. Here's how the news is being received by pundits:
  • Fred Kaplan, Slate : Kaplan takes issue with Trump'
...

Putin Praises US Move: 'On This, Donald Is Right'

Russian leader talks about Syria in his annual news conference, also warns about nukes

(Newser) - Russia's Vladimir Putin answered questions at his annual marathon news conference Thursday, and President Trump was a key topic. Putin delivered both praise and criticism, with two subjects generating the most attention:
  • Praise: Putin loves Trump's controversial decision to withdraw US troops from Syria. "On this, Donald
...

Report: Trump to Get His Wish on Syria
A Trump Tweet About Syria,
Then Conflicting Reports
the rundown
Dec 19, 2018 1:15 PM CST

A Trump Tweet About Syria, Then Conflicting Reports

Troops are coming home, but to what extent hasn't been confirmed

(Newser) - "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump tweeted Wednesday. And though his statement ends there, the implications don't. The Wall Street Journal broke the news that the US is planning an "abrupt reversal of the American...

Journo Held Captive for 3 Years in Syria: 'Now I Am in Turkey'

Jumpei Yasuda, abducted in 2015 by Nusra Front, is now safe

(Newser) - A Japanese freelance journalist who was freed after more than three years of captivity in Syria said Wednesday he's safe in neighboring Turkey. "My name is Jumpei Yasuda, Japanese journalist. I have been held in Syria for 40 months," Yasuda said, somewhat haltingly in English, in videotaped...

Man Stuck in Airport Since March Is Arrested

Hassan Al Kontar of Syria was trying for seven months to find a country to issue him a visa

(Newser) - A Syrian man who found himself stuck in an airport for months after overstaying his Malaysian visa and subsequently refusing to return to his war-torn home country has been arrested. Per CBC , Hassan Al Kontar spent the last seven months living in the Kuala Lumpur airport and documenting on Twitter...

Moscow Blames Israel After Missile Brings Down Plane

15 killed after Il-20 caught in Syria crossfire

(Newser) - A Russian reconnaissance aircraft was brought down by a Syrian missile over the Mediterranean early Tuesday, killing all 15 people on board, the Russian defense ministry says. The ministry blames Israel for the crash, saying the plane was caught in the crossfire as four Israeli fighters attacked targets in northwestern...

Despite US Warning, Russia and Syria Hit Idlib

Monitoring group reports intense airstrikes at southern edge of province

(Newser) - Syrian government and Russian warplanes on Saturday targeted the southern edge of Idlib province with an intense wave of airstrikes and shelling, activists and a war monitoring group said, ratcheting up the military pressure on the densely populated rebel-held bastion. The intense air raids came a day after Iran and...

Trump Warns Syria, Iran, Russia Against 'Grave Mistake'

He says 'reckless attack' on Idlib would trigger crisis

(Newser) - President Trump sent a tweet Monday warning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies against a "reckless attack" on Idlib province. "The Russians and Iranians would be making a grave humanitarian mistake to take part in this potential human tragedy. Hundreds of thousands of people could be killed....

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