The Latest Breaking News from Damascus

IN FOCUS: Bel Trew reports on the sectarian conflict that once again threatens to tear Syria apart

A fragile ceasefire was put in place in southern Syria on July 19, 2025, after days of violence between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes that drew in government forces and prompted Israeli strikes on the capital, Damascus, as a warning to pull back from Druze areas. The United States helped…

The agreement comes after intense clashes displaced tens of thousands of people and contributed to a worsening humanitarian crisis in a region still recovering from over a decade of brutal civil war.

Several days of bitter sectarian fighting in the south of Syria has brought the fledgling government in Damascus dangerously close to direct conflict with Israel, after Israeli warplanes launched strikes against government buildings in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on July 16.

Under Israeli bombardment and diplomatic pressure, Ahmed al-Sharaa pulled troops from Syria's Druze heartland -- a move that exposes the interim leader's weakness just as he sought to assert control.

Authorities working to resolve conflict in the south through political and security measures, Syria’s presidency says.

Clashes that shook southern Syria this week have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drawn in an array of both local and international players, harking back to the dynamics of the country’s nearly 14-year civil war

Conflict restarts in southern province as Druze groups reportedly target Bedouin villages in ‘revenge’ attacks

President al-Sharaa says ‘Israeli entity has consistently targeted our stability, sowed discord since fall’ of al-Assad.