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Damascus

Atef Najib, former head of the Political Security Branch in the Daraa area during Bashar al-Assad's rule, sits in the defendants' cage during a trial session at the Palace of Justice in Damascus, Syria, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
April 26, 2026, 7:11 pm
Syria’s first public trial of Assad-era officials begins in Damascus
Bereaved families demand death penalty, starting with Atef Najib, a former general and cousin of the ousted dictator who was allegedly behind the torture of children in 2011
By GHAITH ALSAYED
Former Syrian intelligence officer Amjad Yousef after his arrest in the central province of Hama, in an image published on April 24, 2026. (Syrian Interior Ministry/X)
April 25, 2026, 1:46 am
Syria says it arrested ex-intel officer filmed taking part in 2013 Damascus massacre
Syria says Amjad Yousef was one of several officers caught on leaked video shooting dozens of prisoners into trench in Damascus suburb near Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk
By GHAITH ALSAYED
Syria arrested an alleged Hezbollah cell of 5 operatives who attempted to plant a bomb outside the home of Rabbi Michael Khoury in Damascus's Old City, according to reports on April 11, 2026. (SANA via X)
April 12, 2026, 12:59 am
Five arrested as Syria says it foiled Hezbollah-linked plot to kill Damascus rabbi
Ministry says suspects tried to plant bomb next to target’s home, adds they ‘received specialized military training abroad’; Syria source: Act shows Jewish community being protected
By AFP and ToI Staff
Syrian government security forces block Bedouin fighters, foreground, from entering Sweida province, in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, July 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
March 27, 2026, 5:02 pm
Scathing UN report demands Syria probe abuses during clashes with Druze; 1,700 were killed
Investigators find ‘no indication’ that Damascus looked into human rights violations committed by forces, detail ‘widespread looting, systematic burning’ against Druze civilians
By Kareem Chehayeb
A Muslim woman holds a sign as Syrians hold a silent sit-in, called for by civil society, Christians, and shop owners affected by an official decision banning the sale of alcoholic beverages except in specific locations, in Bab Touma in Damascus on March 22, 2026. (Louai Beshara/AFP)
March 23, 2026, 1:17 am
Syrians rally against new law restricting sale of alcohol in Damascus
Hundreds of people from multiple religious sects protest move they warn will lead to a loss of personal liberties and put an additional target on minorities
By OMAR SANADIKI
Visitors attend the official opening of the 57th Damascus International Book Fair in Damascus, Syria, February 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
February 12, 2026, 6:06 pm
Islamist and Kurdish texts banned under Assad openly displayed at Damascus book fair
Sayyid Qutb’s ‘Milestones,’ biography of ex-al-Qaeda figure on sale; event coordinator says no books are banned, aside from those that offend country’s norms or glorify old regime
By Kinda Makieh and Firas Makdesi
Syrian army helicopters hover near Mezzeh military airport in Damascus on November 10, 2025. (LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
February 2, 2026, 4:52 am
Syria says it detained group that used Hezbollah arms for attacks on airport
Mezzeh military airport in Damascus had been targeted by several strikes in recent months; Lebanese terror group, which was allied with ousted Assad regime, denies allegation
By Reuters and ToI Staff
A fighter from the Christian Syriac militia that battles the Islamic State group under the banner of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, burns an ISIS flag on the front line on the western side of Raqqa, northeast Syria, July 17, 2017. (AP/Hussein Malla, File)
December 25, 2025, 8:43 pm
Syria says its forces killed senior ISIS leader, nabbed operative near Damascus
Syrian authorities say prominent terrorist Mohammad Shahada killed, another cell leader arrested in coordination with US-led coalition in wake of attack on Americans in Palmyra
By AFP
Henry Hamra (right), one of the founding members of a Jewish-Syrian organization that plans to work to return properties confiscated under previous Syrian governments, reads the Torah next to his son Joseph Hamra inside the al-Franj synagogue in Damascus, Syria, on December 10, 2025. (LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
December 10, 2025, 11:07 pm
Syria permits Jewish group to begin work on returning seized assets, restoring holy sites
Son of Syrian rabbi meets with social affairs minister in Damascus, tours father’s former synagogue; two Israeli rabbis reportedly visit closed synagogues in Aleppo
By Noam Lehmann and AFP
A boy checks out military equipment as visitors tour the 'Syrian Revolution Military Exhibition,' which opened last week ahead of the first anniversary of the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Damascus, Syria, on December 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
December 8, 2025, 12:26 pm
Syria still struggles to heal from civil war, one year after Assad regime’s fall
As Syrians celebrate anniversary of authoritarian’s ouster, rebuilding efforts are still mostly small-scale, work opportunities low-paying, and the security situation precarious
By GHAITH ALSAYED and ABBY SEWELL
A Syrian Internal Security Forces officer inspects a home in Damascus, Syria, Nov. 14, 2025, after it was hit by rockets, according to state media (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
November 15, 2025, 1:36 pm
Damascus home hit by Katyusha rockets launched from outskirts of Syria capital; 1 hurt
Syrian defense ministry says two projectiles struck a home in the Mazzeh neighborhood, causing damage in attack by ‘unknown assailants’
By AP and ToI Staff
A visitor looks at ancient mosaics on display at the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, May 23, 2025. (AP/Ghaith Alsayed)
November 11, 2025, 8:23 pm
Roman era-statues and other historic artifacts stolen from Syria’s national museum
After reopening in January following the fall of Assad, National Museum of Damascus reports six marble statues missing as police launch investigation
By GHAITH ALSAYED and BASSEM MROUE
A man shows two ropes tied in the shape of nooses, found in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, December 9, 2024. (Hussein Malla/AP)
November 11, 2025, 6:18 pm
Exiled Syrian opens up about precariously smuggling out proof of Assad’s cruelty
Ussama Uthman, his wife and brother-in-law obtained tens of thousands of images showing detainee abuse — drawing global attention and enabling families to learn loved ones’ fates
By Sam McNeil
US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani in Damascus, Syria, September 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
November 6, 2025, 4:06 pm
US to establish military presence in Damascus to monitor potential pact with Israel
Sources say US to use airbase near Syrian capital for logistics and surveillance; Sharaa to visit White House next week, as US looks to push Israel-Syria pact over finish line
By Reuters
Henry Hamra (left) looks at the Torah scroll at the Ifrange Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter in Old Damascus on April 29, 2025. (Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
October 3, 2025, 6:35 pm
Henry Hamra, a Syrian Jew living in US, running in elections for new Syrian parliament
If victorious in Sunday vote, the nephew of Syria’s last chief rabbi who fled to US with his father in 1992, pledges to work with US Syrians to abolish law levying sanctions on Damascus
By Nurit Yohanan, AFP and ToI Staff
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