GLOBAL TODAY

Tag: Syria

  • Woman killed as gunmen attack Damascus nightclub: monitor, witness

    People walk past the closed entrance of Al-Karawan nightclub, which was attacked by gunmen overnight, on Damascus’ Saadallah Al-Jabri street on May 5, 2025. (AFP)

    DAMASCUS – Armed men opened fire inside a club in Damascus on Monday, killing a woman, according to a witness and a war monitor, the second attack in a week targeting the Syrian capital’s nightlife.

    The perpetrators or their motives were unknown. Some Syrians have expressed fears that the country’s new authorities would seek to impose restrictions on public behavior but it was unclear whether the attackers were linked to them.

    The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported that “unidentified gunmen attacked the Al-Karawan nightclub in the Hijaz area with automatic weapons and opened fire, killing a woman and wounding others.”

    A witness, requesting anonymity for security reasons, said he “heard gunfire at dawn” as he was near the nightclub.

    He told AFP that he “did not dare to enter the club until some time after the firing stopped.”

    Inside the club, “I saw a woman’s body, blood stains on the ground, and chaos after the shooting,” he said.

    Contacted by AFP, the interior ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the deadly attack.

    The club is located in a commercial area in the heart of Damascus, where many licensed nightclubs and bars have been operating for decades.

    A resident of the same street said security forces had been monitoring the venue from a vehicle for days.

    A local vendor said “there has never been any problem with the nightclub” in the five years he has worked in the area.

    Hours before the shooting, a video circulated on social media showing security camera footage from a previous attack on a nightclub in the same area.

    The footage, verified by AFP, shows gunmen entering the venue before beating fleeing men and women with their weapons.

    Authorities said on Sunday that the gunmen involved in the first incident had been arrested.

    “After initial investigations and reviewing the recordings, the individuals involved in the assault were identified, arrested and transferred to the judiciary,” the interior ministry said in a statement carried by Alekhbariah television.

    “Any transgression or assault affecting citizens or public facilities will be met with strict legal measures,” it added.

    Since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar Assad in December, the intentional community has been pressing Syria’s new rulers to respect personal freedoms, protect minorities and include all components of society in the transitional period.

    AN-AFP

  • Israel launches airstrikes at Syria’s capital, central and western provinces

    DAMASCUS – Israeli air activity intensified across Syria on Friday, with warplane strikes reported in capital Damascus as well as central and western provinces, and drone activities observed in several regions, according to Syrian media and a monitor group.

    In rural Damascus, a drone strike attributed to the Israeli military killed four people in the town of Kanaker on Friday afternoon, Syrian newspaper Al-Watan reported.

    Besides, at least 10 airstrikes targeted the area surrounding the eastern suburb of Harasta, including a military post near the Harasta Military Hospital, Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

    Syria’s state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariyah reported that the airstrikes caused significant material damage but no confirmed fatalities as of Friday evening, and that ambulance and civil defense teams were dispatched to the scene.

    In southern Syria, Israeli airstrikes hit the outskirts of the towns of Mothbeen and Izraa in Daraa province. In central Syria, an Israeli airstrike targeted the outskirts of the village of Shahta, in the western countryside of Hama province, on Friday night, injuring four, local media reported.

    Israeli reconnaissance aircraft also reportedly hovered over southern and central parts of Syria, including the provinces of Daraa, Homs, and Hama, in what appeared to be part of a coordinated campaign.

    Israel’s national broadcaster KAN reported Friday that the Israeli government had approved additional targets in Syria, including military installations and sites affiliated with the new Syrian authorities. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly authorized the new targets.

    XINHUA

  • 3 killed in suspected Israeli drone strike west of Syria’s Sweida: reports

    DAMASCUS – An airstrike targeted a site west of the southern Syrian province of Sweida on Friday, killing three people, according to preliminary reports by a war monitor and Syrian media.

    The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a Britain-based watchdog group, said the airstrike, believed to have been carried out by an Israeli drone, struck an area near an electricity facility close to the Kanaker road.

    Following the strike, a loud explosion was heard across the area, and plumes of smoke were sent into the sky, triggering a security alert in the vicinity. There has been no official confirmation of casualties, though Syria TV reported at least three fatalities.

    The Israeli military has yet to comment on the incident.

    The strike could mark the latest in a series of intensified Israeli attacks on Syrian territory. According to the SOHR, Israel has conducted 48 attacks inside Syria since the start of 2025, including 40 airstrikes and eight ground operations, targeting 58 sites such as weapons depots, command centers, and military vehicles.

    The latest strike comes amid heightened violence between Druze groups and government-aligned forces in Druze-majority areas in southern Syria, which has left more than 100 people dead over recent days, fueling concerns of further unrest.

    Israel has recently warned of harsh responses against Syria if clashes with the Druze community continue in the country.

    XINHUA

  • Israeli airstrikes hit near Damascus amid sectarian unrest, civilian casualties reported

    DAMASCUS – Israeli warplanes launched two airstrikes Wednesday afternoon on the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, southwest of Damascus, amid rising sectarian tensions and ongoing clashes in the area, Syrian state media reported.

    According to Syrian state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV, the strikes caused injuries among civilians, including members of the Druze community, who have been at the center of recent unrest near the capital. The report did not specify the number or severity of casualties.

    Explosions were heard across Damascus shortly after Israeli jets were reported flying at low altitude over the city.

    The reported strikes came shortly after Israel issued a warning that it would target positions in Syria if necessary to protect Druze communities, following days of deadly violence involving local Druze fighters and pro-government forces in southern Damascus suburbs.

    Ashrafiyat Sahnaya has been the site of intense clashes since Tuesday night.

    According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 39 people have been killed in Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya over the past 72 hours, including Druze locals, security forces, and pro-government militia members.

    Syrian authorities have not officially commented on the Israeli strikes beyond confirming the attacks and injuries.

    XINHUA

  • Death toll rises to 39 in sectarian clashes near Damascus as ceasefire falters

    DAMASCUS/JERUSALEM – The death toll from ongoing sectarian clashes in the southern suburbs of Damascus climbed to 39, including 16 security personnel, after ceasefire efforts collapsed and intense fighting resumed in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, officials and monitoring groups said Wednesday.

    According to the Syrian interior authorities, armed groups launched coordinated attacks overnight on security checkpoints and patrols in agricultural zones surrounding the town, targeting both civilian and security vehicles.

    Eleven officers from the General Security Directorate were killed in the initial assault, and another five fell during a renewed attack Wednesday morning, bringing the total number of fallen security personnel to 16.

    The ministry confirmed that ceasefire attempts involving local elders and government representatives were violated when the armed groups reneged on their commitments and resumed attacks.

    “Any assault on public security forces is an assault on national stability,” the interior authorities said, vowing a firm response.

    Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 22 people have been killed in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya alone, including six local Druze fighters and 16 members of pro-government and security forces. The confrontations have involved light and medium weapons, and the situation on the ground remains volatile.

    The recent violence stems from the leak of an audio recording attributed to a member of the Druze community containing comments deemed offensive to Islam.

    The recording triggered widespread outrage and incitement on social media, setting off deadly clashes earlier this week in Jaramana, where 17 people were killed.

    In total, at least 39 people have been killed in the latest wave of violence across Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, including both government forces and local armed factions.

    Local officials are continuing efforts to prevent further escalation, but as of Wednesday afternoon, fighting was ongoing, and fears persist that the unrest may drag on if not contained quickly.

    Meanwhile, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir ordered the army to prepare for possible strikes on Syrian government targets if violence against Druze communities continues, the military said.

    The military said in a statement that the instruction followed a situational assessment.

    Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli air force struck what, according to the military, were “operatives on the outskirts of Damascus who had attacked Druze civilians.”

    The military said it was “monitoring developments in the region,” and its troops are “deployed and prepared for defense and developments in the area of Syria.”

    XINHUA

  • Clashes near Damascus continue as death toll rises to 18

    DAMASCUS – Clashes intensified late Tuesday and early Wednesday in the southern suburbs of Damascus amid rising sectarian unrest, according to a major monitoring group in Syria.

    Renewed clashes involving light and medium weapons, including RPGs, were reported in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

    Gunfire and at least one explosion, believed to be caused by a mortar shell, were reported in Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, prompting the General Security Directorate to enforce night curfews in both towns.

    SOHR reported that the death toll from the ongoing violence had risen to 18, including nine residents from the areas of Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, and nine members of pro-government forces.

    At least 15 others were wounded, with several in critical condition. The casualty figures are expected to rise due to continued instability.

    The clashes followed earlier unrest in Jaramana, reportedly triggered by the online circulation of an audio recording deemed offensive to Islam, allegedly made by a member of the Druze community.

    The incident fueled sectarian tensions across several parts of Syria, including university cities like Aleppo and Homs, and now appears to be spreading further.

    In a related development, unidentified gunmen reportedly targeted al-Thaala military airport in the countryside of the Druze-dominated Suwayda province with medium weapons and mortar shells, although no casualties have been confirmed so far. Syrian Ministry of Defense units are stationed at the base.

    Aerial surveillance by Israeli reconnaissance aircraft was also reported over Sahnaya on Tuesday evening, according to local media, though there were no reports of strikes.

    In anticipation of further violence, Interior Ministry forces were deployed along the edges of Jaramana, and residents began fleeing the area. Several families left the town, and three buses carrying Druze university students returned to their home provinces amid fears of reprisals, according to SOHR.

    The latest wave of unrest has heightened concern about the potential for broader sectarian conflict, as local authorities and community leaders work to prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control.

    Earlier on Tuesday, Syrian authorities and local community leaders in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana reached an agreement in a bid to restore calm after recent deadly clashes.

    XINHUA

  • 6 killed in clashes involving Druze community near Damascus

    DAMASCUS – Six people, including two members of the Syrian security forces, were killed on Tuesday in clashes involving members of the Druze community in the Jaramana area, east of the capital Damascus, according to local media reports and a war monitor.

    Sham FM radio, citing a security source, reported that security forces were not directly involved in the clashes but had attempted to prevent further escalation between armed groups. Two security personnel were killed during the intervention, the report said.

    Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported that four people from the Druze community were killed and six others injured as a result of security forces’ shelling and the use of light and medium weapons in residential areas.

    The clashes reportedly followed the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze individual, which contained remarks deemed religiously offensive. The incident sparked tension and provoked sectarian reactions in several parts of the country, the observatory said.

    In early March, an outbreak of unrest between security forces and local gunmen in Jaramana resulted in one person killed and five others injured, according to local media reports.

    XINHUA

  • Powerful explosion rocks coastal area in Syria’s Latakia, cause unknown: war monitor

    DAMASCUS – A powerful explosion shook the al-Mina al-Bayda area in Syria’s Latakia countryside on Friday, the Britain-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

    Ambulances rushed to the scene following the blast. There were no immediate official reports on the casualties or damage. The cause and source of the blast remained unknown.

    The al-Mina al-Bayda area has been targeted by Israeli airstrikes twice since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

    XINHUA

  • US military poised to slash troops in Syria, officials say

    A soldier from the US-led coalition holds the hand of a boy during a joint U.S.- Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) patrol in the countryside of Qamishli in northeastern Syria February 8, 2024. REUTERS/File Photo

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. military is set to consolidate its presence in Syria over the coming weeks and months, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Tuesday, in a move that could reduce the number of troops it has in the country by half.

    The U.S. military has about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria across a number of bases, mostly in the northeast. The troops are working with local forces to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria but was later pushed back.

    One of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that consolidation could reduce the number of troops in Syria to about 1,000.

    Another U.S. official confirmed the plan for a reduction, but said there was no certainty on numbers and was skeptical of a decrease of that scale at a time when President Donald Trump’s administration has been negotiating with Iran and building up forces in the region.

    The United States has recently sent aircraft including B-2 bombers, warships and air defense systems to reinforce the Middle East.

    Trump said on Monday that he believes Iran is intentionally delaying a nuclear deal with the United States and that it must abandon any drive for a nuclear weapon or face a possible military strike on Tehran’s atomic facilities.

    Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is carrying out a global review of U.S. military troops around the world.

    The Islamist-led government in Syria that took over after Bashar Assad was ousted in December has sought to rebuild Syria’s ties in the region and further afield.

    The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the U.S., last month signed a deal with Damascus on merging Kurdish-led governing bodies and security forces with the central government.

    The U.S. gave Syria a list in March of conditions to fulfill in exchange for partial sanctions relief but the Trump administration has otherwise engaged little with the country’s new rulers.

    Some White House officials have been keen to take a more hardline stance, pointing to the new Syrian leadership’s former ties to Al-Qaeda as reason to keep engagement to a minimum.

    REUTERS

  • Israeli airstrikes target military site near Damascus: Syrian state TV

    DAMASCUS – Israeli warplanes conducted two airstrikes on Thursday evening targeting the 75th Brigade near the town of al-Kiswah, south of Damascus, Syrian state television reported.

    No immediate details were provided regarding casualties or the extent of damage from the strikes.

    The attack followed a significant wave of Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday, which targeted five locations across Syria, including Damascus, Hama, and Homs. The strikes on Hama resulted in the near-total destruction of the military airport and left at least nine people dead, including four Ministry of Defense personnel, according to local officials and state media.

    On the ground, Israeli troops carried out a raid overnight in the area of Tasil in Daraa province. According to a statement from the Israeli military, the operation aimed to seize weapons and destroy militant infrastructure, killing several gunmen.

    Syrian military authorities condemned the airstrikes on Wednesday, labeling them “unprovoked aggression” and accusing Israel of seeking to destabilize the country and obstruct reconstruction efforts.

    XINHUA

en en