Using Russia’s cover, Iran begins sending fighters to Syria
By ZEINA KARAM Iran has sent hundreds of troops into northern and central Syria, its first such deployment in the country’s civil war, joining fighters from its Lebanese ally Hezbollah…
Damascus
Syrian general lauds Russian strikes amid ground offensive
By ALBERT AJI and SARAH EL DEEB Syria’s chief-of-staff on Thursday declared a wide-ranging ground offensive by government forces, a day after Russian airstrikes and cruise missiles launched from the…
Syrian troops launch ground offensive in central regions
By ALBERT AJI and NATALIYA VASILYEVA Syrian government troops launched a ground offensive Wednesday in the country’s central region under cover of Russian airstrikes, a Damascus official said. And in…
After ruinous war, Syria regions may go separate ways
By ZEINA KARAM and DAN PERRY Syria has already been shattered by more than four years of civil war, and with no solution in sight, some players on the ground…
Official: Islamic militants destroy ancient tombs in Syria
By ALBERT AJI Islamic State militants destroyed three ancient tower tombs in the central city of Palmyra in the last few days, a Syrian government official said Friday. Tower tombs,…
IS beheads leading Syrian antiquities scholar in Palmyra
By ALBERT AJI and BASSEM MROUE Islamic State militants beheaded a leading Syrian antiquities scholar who spent most of his life looking after the ancient ruins of Palmyra, then hung…
Shelling, strikes before Iran foreign minister’s Syria visit
By BASSEM MROUE Heavy rebel shelling and government airstrikes hit around Syria’s capital Wednesday, killing at least 16 people and wounding scores more just hours before the arrival of Iranian…
Officials: US closing embassy in Yemen due to unrest
By LOLITA C. BALDOR and MATTHEW LEE The United States is closing its embassy in Yemen amid political deadlock and deteriorating security conditions after the takeover of the country by…