War in Syria

As Trump lifts sanctions on Syria as violence against minorities erupts, Christians and Alawites are targeted by Islamist forces following historic Riyadh meeting.

Residents in southern Syria voiced concern on Saturday over Islamist forces, saying they remain on alert. “We cannot coexist with a state led by terrorists. Assad destroyed the country, and now so is al-Julani,” they told the international community. Despite reports of relative calm, three armed Druze men, a civilian, and a child were shot dead Saturday in the town of Sahnaya. A total of 118 people have been reported killed in recent days.

This higher-than-expected figure represents the first estimate provided by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) as it assesses what remains of Assad's military program. Israeli strikes may have complicated efforts to secure Syrian chemical weapons, expert tells US paper.

The new dictator, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, has made it clear to anyone who harbored illusions – the luxury suits, private jets, and time spent with world dignitaries haven't really softened the man who ousted Bashar Assad.

Agreement reportedly struck with officials in the predominantly Druze province of Al-Suwayda, establishing terms for the region's full integration into state institutions. Israeli source says policy toward regime won't change.

In conversations with Israel Hayom, Syrians from the coastal region in western Syria describe ethnic cleansing: "They are burning and slaughtering us. No country is responding to our cries, not even the Russians, who have been in our land for years. Israel is the only one that can protect us."

The director of the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights states that documentation exists for 745 Alawites murdered on sectarian grounds in what constitutes ethnic cleansing, describing these actions as "a war crime committed by the new government."

The Wall Street Journal reports that in the week before Assad's fall, Israel attempted to broker a deal with the incoming Trump administration that would have allowed Russia to invest in Syria without impediment if Assad marginalized Iran. When Trump's team rejected this proposal, Moscow reportedly abandoned Assad, having grown tired of his leadership.

Multiple organizations, predominantly Druze groups that previously aligned with the Assad regime, declared the creation of an umbrella organization aimed at ensuring "security and stability" in the Jabal al-Druze region.

Officials inform the US that Turkey's limited Syria strategy unexpectedly triggered Assad regime collapse; Images show new leadership officials wearing ISIS insignia.