02/03/2013 | World

Syrian army, rebel clashes bring conflict to Iraq doorstep

Clashes between the Syrian army and rebels at a border post brought the civil war close to neighbouring Iraq, where troops fired warning shots into the air, residents, officials and a Reuters reporter said.

10/03/2012 | World

Syria's Assad rebuffs Annan, troops attack Idlib

President Bashar al-Assad told UN/Arab League envoy Kofi Annanthat no political solution was possible in Syria while "terrorist" groups were destabilising the country.

13/02/2013 | World

Syrian troops bombard rebel posts around capital

President Bashar al-Assad's forces bombarded the southeast of Damascus with air strikes and artillery today to try and dislodge rebel fighters who have gained a foothold in the Syrian capital, opposition activists said.

28/02/2013 | World

Syria's Assad deluded by his inner circle, UN envoy Brahimi says

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been convinced by his inner circle that his country is the victim of a broad conspiracy led by terrorists, UN/Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said.

26/11/2011 | World

Arab League prepares for Syria sanctions

Arab officials will prepare plans for sanctions against Syria over its failure to let Arab League monitors oversee an initiative aimed at ending a violent crackdown on protesters seeking an end to President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

04/02/2012 | World

Russia, China in double veto of UN Syria resolution

Russia and China joined forces in a double veto on Saturday to knock down a Western-Arab UN Security Council resolution backing an Arab League plan for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step aside.

11/02/2012 | World

Syria forces shell Homs, Russia to oppose UN resolution

Syrian forces bombarded districts of Homs city in a campaign to crush a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad, whose ally Russia said it would not support an Arab peace plan circulating at the United Nations.

04/08/2011 | World

Over 45 feared dead in Syrian tank assault

Syrian troops killed at least 45 civilians in a tank assault to occupy the center of the besieged city of Hama, an activist said, in a sharp escalation of a campaign to crush an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

05/08/2011 | World

Protest marches across Syria on first Ramadan Friday

Tens of thousands of people marched across Syria on the first Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, stepping up defiance of President Bashar al-Assad's bloody crackdown on unrest as his tanks again shelled Hama and massed outside another restive city.

18/08/2011 | World

UN: Syria may have committed crimes against humanity

Syrian forces have fired on peaceful protestors throughout the country, often at short range and without warning, killing at least 1,900 civilians in what may amount to crimes against humanity, UNhuman rights investigators said today.

21/06/2011 | World

Seven protesters killed in Syria during rallies

Syrian security forces shot dead seven people today during clashes in two cities between PresidentSyria's loyalists and protesters demanding his removal, a leading activist said.

22/06/2011 | World

UN Chief: Syria's Assad running low on credibility

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has pledged to reform the country and engage in a dialogue with pro-democracy protesters, is running low on credibility, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said today.

23/06/2011 | World

Syrian troops near Turkey border rises tensions

Syrian troops massed near the Turkish border, witnesses said, raising tensions with Ankara as President Bashar al-Assad uses increasing military force against a popular revolt.

16/06/2011 | World

Turkey calls for immediate end to Syrian crackdown

Turkey called for Syria to immediately halt a violent crackdown on protesters and pass democratic reforms, in a meeting today between Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and a top Syrian envoy.

20/06/2011 | World

Assad addresses Syrians, protesters take the streets

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged today political reforms within months to address a wave of protests against his rule, but blamed saboteurs for the unrest and warned that no deal could be reached with gunmen. After Assad’s speech, protesters took to the streets across Syria as a reaction to the mandate’s statements.

20/06/2011 | World

Russia opposes UN vote on Syria, EU to expand sanctions

Russia emphasized its opposition to a UN resolution condemning Syria's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters and urged the opposition to sit down with President Bashar al-Assad's government for talks on reform.

13/06/2011 | World

Syrian forces round up hundreds near northern town

Syrian troops rounded up hundreds of people in a sweep through villages near Jisr al-Shughour today, fleeing residents said, after President Bashar al-Assad's army retook the rebellious town.

14/06/2011 | World

Syrian Troops push towards northern town as thousands flee to Turkey

Syrian troops using tanks and helicopters pushed towards a northern town today after arresting hundreds of people in villages near Jisr al-Shughour, residents said, as more refugees fled to Turkey.

15/06/2011 | World

UN accuses Syria of murder, mass arrests and torture

The UN human rights office said that Syrian security forces have repressed pro-democracy protests through executions, mass arrests and torture, citing widespread allegations it has received.

01/06/2011 | World

Syrian forces shell town kill 41, lawyer says

Syrian forces killed 41 civilians in an effort to crush pro-democracy protests, a human rights lawyer said, as opposition leaders met in Turkey to plot the downfall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

02/06/2011 | World

Syrian forces kill 13 in besieged town

Syrian forces killed at least 13 civilians in the central town of Rastan today, activists said, in the latest military assault to try and quell a revolt against the 11-year rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

03/06/2011 | World

Syria intensifies assault on anti-Assad protesters

Syrian security forces intensified their assault on protesters calling for President Bashar al-Assad to quit, killing at least 34 demonstrators in the latest crackdown in the city of Hama, activists said.

13/05/2011 | World

Syrian forces kill 6 protesters

Thousands of Syrians demonstrated after weekly prayers, activists and witnesses said, keeping up a two-month-old campaign of calls to end autocratic rule, despite a military crackdown that has killed hundreds.

19/05/2011 | World

Obama steps up pressure on Syria's Assad

US President Barack Obama called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to lead a transition to democracy or step aside, but stopped short of demanding his departure over a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

31/05/2011 | World

Clinton, citing Syrian boy, sees 'total collapse'

The reported torture of a Syrian boy shows the "total collapse" of Syrian authorities' willingness to listen to anti-government protesters, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said

25/03/2011 | World

Protests and shooting in Syria as unrest spreads

President Bashar al-Assad faced the deepest crisis of his 11 years in power, with one city in the grip of anti-government protesters and unrest spreading to other parts of Syria.

06/05/2011 | World

New EU sanctions on Syria as 23 protesters killed

Syrian security forces killed 23 protesters demanding an end to President Bashar al-Assad's rule, rights campaigners said, and the European Union agreed to impose sanctions in response to his crackdown.

09/05/2011 | World

Assad tightens grip on Syria's restive 3rd city

Government forces backed by snipers on rooftops tightened their grip on Syria's third city, rights groups said, after President Bashar al-Assad sent in tanks in a sharpening crackdown on protests against his rule.

19/05/2013 | The World

Syria's Assad insists he will not step down

Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a newspaper interview that he won’t step down and that the US has no right to interfere in his country’s politics.

21/05/2013 | The World

In the hills of Bashar al-Assad’s stronghold

By Alia Malek

Above the Syrian coastal town of Tartous, groups of Alawite men and boys were amassing at different landings along a road that winds higher and higher, away from the Mediterranean and into the hills. We saw them assembling as we travelled the same path, taking advantage of a day off to get out of the city.