President Bashar al-Assad - updates

Rappler's latest stories on President Bashar al-Assad

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Anti-Assad fighters withdraw from key area of northwest Syria

Aug 21, 2019 - 11:42 AM

After 8 years of civil war, the Idlib region on the border with Turkey is the last major stronghold of opposition to Assad's Russia-backed government

Syrian government forces gather near the town of Khan Shaykhun in the southern countryside of the rebel-held Idlib province on August 18, 2019. A Turkish military convoy crossed into jihadist-run northwest Syria on August 19, it's path blocked by advancing regime troops as tensions soared between Damascus and Ankara, which said its forces were targeted by an air strike. AFP

Top Oman diplomat meets Assad in rare Syria visit

Jul 07, 2019 - 7:05 PM

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with Oman's state minister for foreign affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah to discuss bilateral relations and regional security

Syria regime strikes kill 6 civilians in Ghouta – monitor

Feb 11, 2018 - 4:50 PM

President Bashar al-Assad's regime intensifies its bombardment of the besieged region outside Damascus

DESTROYED. Members of the Syrian Civil Defense search for victims amid the rubble of a destroyed building following reported air strikes in the rebel-held Qatarji neighbourhood of the northern city of Aleppo, on October 17, 2016. Photo by Karam Al-Masri/AFP

Two Russian servicemen killed in Syria mortar attack

Jan 04, 2018 - 6:34 PM

The latest killings raises to 44 the number of Russian military casualties in the Syria campaign

RUSSIAN ARMY. This file picture taken during a press tour provided by the Russian Armed Forces on September 15, 2017 shows Russian soldiers standing guard in a central street in Syria's eastern city of Deir Ezzor, as locals pass by. Photo by Dominique Derda/France2/AFP

Buses evacuate hundreds from 4 besieged Syria towns

Apr 14, 2017 - 3:57 PM

Most of the evacuees on board at least 65 buses are women children and elderly people

Who's who in the Syria conflict

Jan 21, 2017 - 2:30 PM

A breakdown of the forces involved in the complex civil war

SYRIA. A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on August 9, 2016 shows Syrian Commander-in-Chief of the army and armed forces Defence Minister, Lieutenant General Fahd Jasem al-Freij, gesturing next to other officers during a visit to the city of Aleppo. Photo by Louai Beshara/SANA/AFP

Syria army redeploys after rebels 'break' Aleppo siege

Aug 07, 2016 - 9:15 PM

3rd UPDATE Our forces have redeployed after absorbing the attack of thousands of mercenaries says Syrian state TV

Syrian civil defence volunteers, known as the White Helmets, gather in a street in the northern city of Aleppo on August 6, 2016, in celebrations after rebels said they have broken a three-week government siege on Syria's second city Rebel groups successfully broke the siege by opening a new route into the city from the southwest, opposition officials said. Opposition fighters, Islamists and jihadists have waged fierce assaults since July 31 to end the siege by government forces of some 250,000 people in Aleppo's eastern districts. Rebel and regime forces have fought for control of the provincial capital since mid-2012, transforming the former economic powerhouse into a divided, bombed-out city. / AFP PHOTO / THAER MOHAMMED

Humanitarian air drops: A complex, risky task

Jun 05, 2016 - 10:10 PM

Military experts cite the challenges involved in carrying out humanitarian air drops for those in besieged areas

epa05290068 Syrian residents sit on a ground during a humanitarian aid delivery by the Russian army in a village of Kaukab, Hama province, Syria, 04 May 2016. The United States and Russia have agreed to extend the cease-fire in Syria to the city of Aleppo, the US State Department reported on 04 May. EPA/SERGEI CHIRIKOV

Global powers to discuss Syria in Vienna on May 17 – Moscow

May 11, 2016 - 5:40 PM

Russia co chair of the International Syria Support Group ISSG vows to redouble efforts to end the crisis

epa05292216 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks to press following the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Sochi, Russia, 06 May 2016. EPA/PAVEL GOLOVKIN/POOL

Assad party wins expected majority in Syria parliamentary vote

Apr 18, 2016 - 2:05 AM

The elections are labeled a farce by the Syrian opposition and the United Nations does not recognize it

epa05256565 A handout picture made available by Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syrian President Bashar Assad (C-R) casting his ballot paper as his wife Asmaa (C-L) looks on at a polling station in Damascus, Syria, 13 April 2016. Polling stations opened 13 April in Syria as votes are cast on 250 seats in parliament amid a ceasefire in the country, according to state television. Around 3,450 candidates are competing in the elections, with votes being cast in 7,191 polling stations. The elections are being held in government-controlled areas in every province except Al Raqa and Idlib. EPA/SANA HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Syria's Assad says willing to hold early presidential vote

Apr 01, 2016 - 7:55 AM

UPDATED Is there popular will to hold early presidential elections? If there is I don t have a problem with it says Assad

Assad insists on unity gov't despite opposition demands

Mar 30, 2016 - 11:25 PM

UPDATED Syrian President Bashar al Assad also estimates that the 5 year civil war has caused over 200 billion in economic and infrastructure damage

epa04963726 A handout picture made available by Syria's official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on 04 October 2015 shows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during an interview to the Iranian Khabar TV channel in the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Syria, 01 October 2015. The Middle East would face destruction if a regional alliance led by Russia against militants failed, al-Assad said in his first remarks since Moscow started an air campaign portraying it as aimed at fighting terrorism in his war-torn country on 30 September. Several Western powers backing rebels in Syria have repeatedly called for al-Assad - who has been in power since 2000 - to step down to end the country's conflict, which has claimed the lives of at least 250,000, according to the UN estimates. EPA/SANA / HANDOUT

Syria opposition agrees to attend Geneva peace talks

Mar 07, 2016 - 7:25 PM

The opposition notes that the ceasefire with the Syrian regime has been making a difference

epa05198297 Syrians seen at a local market in the capital Damascus, Syria, 06 March 2016. Russian-US brokered ceasefire entered its second week the day before, having drastically reduced the death toll in this war-torn country. EPA/YOUSSEF BADAWI

Turkey: Russian bombings in Syria 'barbaric'

Feb 16, 2016 - 7:37 PM

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says the bombings have killed innocent civilians

A picture shows the rubble of a hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) near Maaret al-Numan, in Syria's northern province of Idlib, on February 15, 2016, after the building was hit by suspected Russian air strikes. MSF confirmed in a statement that a hospital supported by the aid group in Idlib province was "destroyed in air strikes". / AFP / STRINGER

UN rights chief sounds war crimes warning as Syria peace talks struggle

Feb 01, 2016 - 9:52 PM

The UN human rights chief says those committing crimes against humanity in Syria s brutal war should not be let off under any deal as peace talks struggle in Geneva

AFTERMATH. Syrian boys run past a destroyed field hospital in the rebel-held area of Douma, outskirts of Damascus, Syria, 29 October 2015. Photo by Mohammed Badra / EPA

Air strike kills Syria rebel chief ahead of peace talks

Dec 26, 2015 - 10:37 AM

Zahran Alloush s death is a blow to the fragile peace process in Syria

ALLOUSH. A screen grab made available on 25 December 2015 from a video released by Jaish al-Islam (JAI), shows the leader of JAI, Sheikh Zahran Abduallah Alloush, delivering a speech during a passing out ceremony for graduating recruits of the group, Ghouta, outskirts of Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2015. TV grab from Jaish al-Islam / EPA

Russia says airforce hit 1,623 'terrorist targets' in Syria over past month

Oct 30, 2015 - 11:54 PM

Russia says its airforce had destroyed 1 623 terrorist targets in Syria since it launched a bombing campaign a month ago to support forces loyal to President Bashar al Assad

SUPPORT. Several hundred people, holding up portraits of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin (L), gather near the Russian embassy in Damascus on October 13, 2015 to express their support for Moscow's air war in Syria, just before two rockets struck the embassy compound sparking panic among the crowd. Photo by Louai Beshara / AFP

Russia says air force hit record 94 targets in Syria in 24 hours

Oct 26, 2015 - 11:53 PM

Russian jets struck 94 targets in war torn Syria over the past 24 hours the highest one day tally since the Kremlin began its month old bombing campaign the Russian defense ministry said Monday October 26

STRIKE. A video grab made on October 15, 2015, shows an image taken from a footage made available on the Russian Defense Ministry's official website, purporting to show an explosion after airstrikes carried out by Russian air force on what Russia says was an Islamic State facility in the Syrian province of Idlib. Photo from the Russian Defense Ministry / AFP

Al-Qaeda, allies seize Syria's Idlib city in blow to regime

Mar 28, 2015 - 11:52 PM

The capture comes as UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon expresses anger and shame at the world s failure to stop the conflict

A fighter from the al-Qaida group in the Levant, Al-Nusra Front, poses next to the movements flag in a destroyed building near the front line with Syrian government solders in Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp, south of Damascus on September 22, 2014. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says more than 180,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict since it erupted in March 2011, while the United Nations puts the figure at 191,000. AFP PHOTO/ RAMI AL-SAYED

US presses anti-ISIS campaign as Syria warns against 'attack'

Sep 11, 2014 - 9:59 PM

I will not hesitate to take action against ISIS in Syria as well as Iraq US President Barack Obama says

100 killed in new Syria regime 'massacre': opposition

Jun 07, 2012 - 6:13 AM

What is certain is that dozens of people died including women and children according to watchdog Rami Abdel