FREE -- Syria Weekly: May 27-June 3, 2025
Syria opens up -- US flag raised in Damascus; $7bn energy MOU; IMF assessment mission begins; 50 gov't appointments; stock exchange opens; SDF comes to Damascus; major bureaucratic reforms & more!
SYRIA’S TRANSITION:
Transition Meetings:
May 27:
Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani hosted a meeting with the Director General of Germany’s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Christine Toitzke in Damascus on May 27.
The Governor of Aleppo Azzam al-Gharib hosted the Key to Victory event at Aleppo’s Citadel late on May 27, celebrating the role of HTS special forces unit Asaib al-Hamra (Red Bands) in capturing the city in November 2024. The event was attended by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who gave out a series of awards and received the Key to Aleppo himself. In a speech at the event, Sharaa declared:
“Today we meet on Aleppo's soil, the city that didn't bend to the wind or submit to the storm, but was a fortress and a wall… From the heart of Aleppo, I declare to the world: our war with tyrants is over and our battle against poverty has begun.”
The Deputy Secretary General of the Presidency Office, Ali Keda, hosted a delegation from Syria’s Shia community – led by Sheikh Adham al-Khatib – in Damascus on May 27 during which they discussed Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity, issues of coexistence and open communication, and the process of Syria’s recovery following sanctions lifting.
UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen met with Syria’s Minister of Education Mohammed Turko in Damascus on May 27 and discussed opportunities for UN assistance in redeveloping and improving Syria’s education sector, its curricula, teacher training and strategic planning.
Later that day, UN Envoy Pedersen also met with Interior Minister Anas Khattab.
Syria’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry for Internal Trade Affairs, Maher Khalil al-Hassan signed a deal with the World Food Programme on May 27 for the WFP to supply flour to 64 bakeries across Syria, based in Daraa, Latakia, Tartus, Aleppo, Hama and Homs governorates. As part of the deal’s terms, a total of 40,000 tonnes of flour will be provided by the end of 2025, beginning on May 29 in Daraa.
On May 27, Syria’s Deputy Interior Minister for Police Affairs also met with the Lebanese military delegation – which was led by Brigadier General Michel Boutros – to discuss coordinating counter-smuggling and border control operations.
Minister of Transport Yaroub Badr hosted a meeting from the Jordanian national and Amman Chambers of Commerce in Damascus on May 27 to discuss opportunities for cooperation and collaboration in transport, trade and other transit across the Syrian-Jordanian border.
Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa hosted a meeting with France’s new Ambassador to Syria Jean-Baptiste Faivre in Damascus on May 27 and discussed potential French support for Syria’s media sector, in both technical and ethical areas.
Minister of Justice Mazhar al-Ways hosted a meeting with Qatar’s Charge d’Affairs in the Justice Ministry in Damascus on May 27 and discussed a Qatari offer to provided judicial training and infrastructure investment for Syria’s justice sector.
A Turkish delegation led by Deputy Interior Minister Mehmet Aktas visited Idlib on May 27 and toured several IDP camps, accompanied by the provincial director of Social Affairs and Labor, Firas Kardoush.
May 28:
President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with large delegations of Syria’s Sunni and Christian religious leaders in Aleppo on May 28.
Later that day, President al-Sharaa also met with a large delegation of humanitarian organization leaders and with Aleppo’s broad spectrum of tribal and clan leaders.
Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani hosted a meeting with Japan’s Charge d’Affairs to Syria Akihiro Tsuji in Damascus on May 28, during which they discussed opportunities to enhance bilateral relations.
UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen met with the Governor of Syria’s Central Bank Abdulqader Hasrieh in Damascus on May 28 and discussed the opportunities now available following the lifting of US and EU sanctions.
Later that day, UN Special Envoy Pedersen also met with Justice Minister Mazhar al-Ways and discussed the importance of judicial reform and the process of transitional justice amidst Syria’s post-Assad recovery.
Minister of Defense Murhaf Abu Qasra hosted a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Charge d’Affairs to Syria, Alnur Shah Husseinov, in Damascus on May 28 and discussed areas for potential collaboration and bilateral ties.
Chief of Syria’s General Staff, Major General Ali al-Naasan hosted a meeting with a delegation from Lebanon’s Ministry of Defense in Damascus on May 28 and discussed issues of border security and other shared security priorities.
The Director General of Syria’s General Authority for Radio and Television, Alaa Barsilu, hosted a visit by the Director General of the Arab States Broadcasting Union, Abdulrahim Soleiman in Damascus on May 28, and they discussed opportunities for collaboration and coordination in redeveloping Syria’s media sector.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab hosted a meeting on May 28 with a delegation from Amnesty International, headed by Kristene Beckerle, the Deputy Regional Director based in the Beirut Office, during which they discussed issues including transitional justice, prison reform, missing persons, detention conditions, treatment of detainees, and aligning with international standards.
Later that day, the Amnesty International delegation also held a meeting with Minister for Administrative Development, Mohammed al-Skaf and discussed plans for “institutional transformation” and ensuring they worked to build employee capacity and protect employment rights.
Minister of Agriculture, Amjad Badr hosted a meeting with the EU’s Ambassador to Syria Michael Ohnmacht on May 28 and discussed the ministry’s plans to “support livestock, address the problem of irrigation water scarcity, and train technical personnel to prepare accurate agricultural plans based on reliable data.”
Minister of Education Mohammed Turko hosted a meeting with the Director of UNESCO’s Damascus office, Margot Bergon on May 28 and discussed ways to “enhance cooperation in supporting teachers, updating curricula, and rehabilitating damaged schools.”
In a cross-ministry meeting, the Ministers of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed al-Saleh and Education, Mohammed Turko agreed to work together to ensure that upcoming examinations in secondary schools are run efficiently and without issue. Minister al-Saleh agreed to dedicate resources to transport examination papers and to allocate medical staff to examination centers, while his ministry would also work to clean and sterilize exam centers and ensure local staff are trained in basic first aid.
May 29:
U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack traveled to Damascus on May 29 and formally hoisted the U.S. flag at the U.S. Embassy, for the first time since 2012. He then met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shayani, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and General Intelligence chief Hussein Salameh at the Presidential Palace – accompanied by a delegation from the U.S. military, headed by Major General Kevin Leahy, the commander of the anti-ISIS coalition. Barrack then participated in a public ceremony at the palace, in which a $7 billion memorandum of understanding was signed between Syria’s government and Qatar-headquartered UCC Holding (including a U.S.-based subsidiary) to construct four electricity-generating gas turbines and a solar plant over the next 18 months.
Later on May 29, President al-Sharaa hosted a visiting delegation of Druze civil society notables from Suwayda, to discuss conditions in Suwayda and the need to further strengthen provincial and state institutions there.
SDF commander in chief Mazloum Abdi spoke by phone with U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack on May 29.
Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib hosted a ceremony alongside the Mayor of Gaziantep in southern Turkey, Fatima Shahin, marking a “twinning agreement” between the two cities. Syrian media reported that the agreement would see both cities host shared cultural events, student visits, art festivals, music concerts and sports events.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab traveled to Aleppo on May 29 and met with Governor Azzam al-Gharib to discuss the governorate’s security situation and what additional needs could be met.
The Governor of Idlib, Mohammed Abdulrahman and Latakia, Mohammed Othman traveled to Aksaray, Turkey on May 29 and participated in the United Cities and Local Governments, Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA) Conference, which focused on boosting regional cooperation in sustainable development and local administration and government.
Minister of Public Works and Housing, Mustafa Abdulrazzaq, traveled to Nairobi, Kenya on May 29 and participated in the UN Human Settlements Programme summit.
Justice Minister Mazhar al-Ways hosted a meeting with a delegation from Amnesty International, headed by Kristene Beckerle, the Deputy Regional Director based in the Beirut Office on May 29, during which they discussed their mutual willingness to cooperate on justice-related issues, including “supporting international organizations in documenting violations and providing redress.”
Later that day, Justice Minister al-Ways hosted a delegation from UNDP, headed by Mohammed Mudawi, to discuss potential plans for the UNDP to support the ministry’s need to “restore infrastructure and enhance the role of the judiciary.”
Minister of Transport Yaroub Badr hosted a meeting with Bahrain’s Ambassador to Syria Waheed Mubarak Sayyar in Damascus on May 29 and discussed Syria’s plans on transport infrastructure development, sustainable sources of public transport, and digital transformation.
The Director General of Syria’s General Authority for Radio and Television, Alaa Barsilu hosted a meeting with the EU’s Charge d’Affairs to Syria Michael Ohnmacht in Damascus on May 29.
Later that day, Michael Ohnmacht traveled outside Damascus with a team from OXFAM to visit a project rehabilitating water irrigation infrastructure serving 1,000 local farmers.
May 30:
President Ahmed al-Sharaa convened a meeting of Syria’s cabinet on May 30 and in a subsequent press conference, Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa said:
- The meeting had “reviewed internal challenges, most notably confronting ISIS, remnants of the regime, and some other groups,” while Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra had provided a review of efforts to build a professional army with a new structure and internal system,” whilst he also “proposed promoting 2,500 defecting officers.”
- The Central Bank of Syria spoke about a project to print new currency and emphasized that the banking sector crisis is related to confidence, not liquidity.
- The President emphasized Syria's move toward significant foreign investment in vital sectors and the imminent adoption of a new investment law.
- Official spokespersons for all Syrian ministries would soon be appointed, to ensure journalist queries are answered efficiently.
- Previous laws imposed licensing conditions that hindered the media. The laws have been reviewed, and a new draft will be prepared and presented soon.
- The government is considering including a Kurdish-language television broadcast.
- The Foreign Ministry is pursuing non-stop efforts to “reactivate diplomatic missions and open new consulates in various countries around the world.”
- “The process of moving from camps to return areas has begun and is expected to accelerate significantly in the coming period.”
- Significant investments in Syria from Saudi Arabia are expected to be announced soon.
- The new 2025 budget will include “significant increases” for public sector salaries.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdulsalam Heikal signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi-headquartered GO Telecom CEO Yahya bin Saleh al-Mansour in Damascus on May 30 – in which the latter pledged to assist Syria in areas relating to “e-government,” as well as data centers and AI integration.
Minister of Transport Yaroub Badr received phone calls from the Turkish Minister of Transport Abdulkadir Uruluoğlu and Qatari Minister of Transport Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Thani on May 30 to discuss plans for cooperation in redeveloping Syria’s transportation sector.
The Governor of Damascus, Maher Marwan, hosted a delegation of Syrian-Australians on May 30 and discussed potential opportunities to support humanitarian and cultural initiatives in Syria.
May 31:
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah al-Saud traveled to Damascus on May 31 alongside a significant business and economic delegation -- Deputy Minister of Finance, Abdul Mohsen Al-Khalaf; Advisor to the Royal Court, Mazid Al-Tuwaijri; and senior staff from the Ministries of Finance and Investment. He traveled first to the Umayyad Mosque to lead prayers, before going to the Foreign Ministry where he met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani.
The finance and investment delegation also met with Finance and Economy Ministers Mohammed Barnieh and Nidal al-Shaar.
In a subsequent press conference, Shaybani thanked Saudi Arabia for its “consistent” and “earliest” support for post-Assad Syria. Minister Faisal bin Farhan confirmed that Saudi Arabia and Qatar would jointly pay for Syria’s public sector salaries and coordinate the visits and investments of joint delegations going forward.
Later on May 31, Foreign Minister al-Shaybani hosted two successive meetings -- first with a delegation from Amnesty International, headed by Kristene Beckerle, the Deputy Regional Director based in the Beirut Office; and then with Sudipto Mukherjee, the UNDP’s Resident Representative.
According to Syrian media reporting, President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with businessman Ayman al-Asfari in Damascus on May 31 and discussed the future of Syria’s energy sector. The purported meeting came after weeks of public tensions between the two figures, which included several critical media interviews by Asfari about President al-Sharaa and his leadership of Syria’s transitional government.
Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa hosted a meeting with the CEO of TurkSat, Ahmed Hamdi Atalay in Damascus on May 31 to discuss a proposed new satellite broadcast center in Syria that would facilitate and coordinate the provision of all satellite TV services nationwide.
Later that day, Minister al-Mustafa met with the EU’s Charge d’Affairs to Syria Michael Ohnmacht to discuss Syria’s provision of media access and facilitation for European journalists.
Italian Ambassador to Syria Stefano Ravagnan traveled to Aleppo on May 31 and met with the President of Aleppo University, Osama Raadoun and discussed potential opportunities for collaboration between Syrian and Italian universities.
Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib met with the Chairman of Syria’s General Authority for Civil Aviation, Ashhad Salibi on May 31 to discuss plans to redevelop Aleppo International Airport and enhancing its ability to be a regional hub for transportation and airborne trade.
June 1:
President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani traveled to Kuwait on May 31 and first met with the Emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the Bayan Palace; then with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Yahya; then with a delegation of Kuwaiti business leaders and investors; and finally with a large delegation from Kuwait’s Syrian diaspora community.
The negotiating teams from the government and the SDF met in Damascus on June 1, for the first round of substantive talks aimed at moving forward with the framework agreement originally signed by President al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi on March 10, 2025.
In a subsequent readout provided by Brigadier General Ziyad al-Ayyash, a member of the government delegation, the meeting was described as having “agreed… on number of important issues,” including “the formation of specialized subcommittees… to resolve outstanding issues related to exams and exam centers… the design of mechanisms to facilitate the return of displaced persons… to reactivate the agreement on the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods in Aleppo… and to schedule another meeting soon to complete the discussion and follow up on the implementation of what was agreed upon.”
Minister of Finance Mohammed Barnieh formally welcomed Ron van Roden to Damascus on June 1, as the head of the IMF’s first assessment mission to Syria in 18 years. Syrian media reported that the five-day IMF mission contains eight experts whose work in Syria will focus primarily on “tax/customs reform, debt management, public finance, banking stability, and anti-money laundering.” The IMF mission is a crucial first step in re-opening Syria to the IMF and international economic system.
Minister of Endowments Mohammed Abu al-Khayr Shukri traveled to Saudi Arabia on June 1 and participated in the Grand Hajj Symposium, hosted by Saudi’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Jeddah.
Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Qabawat traveled to Geneva, Switzerland on June 1 in order to participate in the 113th Session of the International Labor Conference.
Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa received a phone call from his Saudi counterpart Salman al-Dosari on June 1, during which they discussed cooperation in media generally, and the challenges associated with combating disinformation.
Minister of Culture Yassin Saleh and Governor of Idlib Mohammed Abdulrahman inaugurated Idlib city’s Cultural Center on June 1, with the new facility containing exhibitions on Arabic calligraphy, painting, mosaics and poetry.
June 2:
Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani traveled to Qatar late on June 2, alongside Syria’s Ministers of Energy, Health, Communications and Emergency and Disaster Response.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on June 2 for meetings with his counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud on security cooperation – in countering terrorism, organized crime, border security and more.
Minister of Finance Mohammed Barnieh – alongside Minister of Economy Nidal al-Shaar and Central Bank Governor Abdulqader Hasrieh – formally re-opened Syria’s stock exchange on June 2, declaring it “a message that Syria’s economy is starting to move.” The CEO of the exchange, Bassel Asaad declared it “a historic day for Syria… we are ready to return and play our role… as investments look to be larger and broader in the new Syria.”
Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani hosted a visit from Pakistan’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Middle East Affairs Shehryar Akbar Khan in Damascus on June 2.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdulsalam Heikal held a virtual video call with his Jordanian counterpart Sami Samirat on June 2 and discussed several proposed areas for collaboration, including “activating trans-Mediterranean submarine cable corridors to serve both countries” and for turning Jordan into “a major transit point for the regional internet network.”
Minister of Agriculture Amjad Badr met with Idlib Governor Mohammed Abdulrahman on June to discuss potential opportunities to revitalize Idlib’s agriculture sector, while tackling the challenges associated with rising seed and fertilizer costs.
Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa held a meeting with the Media Directorate in Suwayda, in order to discuss the importance of accurate reporting and the challenge of confronting disinformation and incitement.
Minister of Justice Mazhar al-Ways hosted a meeting with Sweden’s Ambassador to Syria and Lebanon, Hilde Haraldstad in Damascus on June 2 and discussed the process of judicial reform and its linkage with refugee return and stabilization.
Minister for Emergency and Disaster Response Raed al-Saleh met with Qatar’s Ambassador to Syria Khalifa Abdullah al-Mahmoud al-Sharif in Damascus on June 2.
A delegation of Syrian Australians met with Minister of Economy Nidal al-Sharaa on June 2.
June 3:
The Syrian government delegation that arrived into Qatar late on June 2 held a series of minister-level meetings in Doha on June 3, focused on the economy. This included a meeting between Syria’s Ministers of Economy Nidal al-Shaar and Communications and Information Technology, Abdulsalam Heikal with Qatar’s Minister of Trade and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal al-Thani.
Syrian Minister of Tourism Mazen al-Salhani also met with his Qatari counterpart Saad bin Ali al-Kharaji; Minister of Finance Mohammed Barnieh met with his counterpart, Ali al-Kuwari; and Minister of Energy Mohammed al-Bashir met with his counterpart Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi.
Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa traveled to Daraa on June 3 and met with Governor Anwar al-Zoubi and his Media Director, Jihad Quwaydar in order to discuss the need to coordinate media activities between the governorate and Syria’s national platforms.
The Governor of Syria’s Central Bank confirmed on June 3 that he had held meetings with the senior officials from the Banque de France, in order to discuss “updating monetary policy tools and enhancing the bank's independence,” as well as “prospects for cooperation in capacity building and developing competencies in the banking sector, training and qualification programs, and opening mutual bank accounts.”
Minister of Higher Education Marwan al-Halabi met with UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen on June 3.
Appointments:
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdulsalam Heikal announced the appointment of Abdullah al-Olabi as the ministry’s lead on “robotics and smart systems.”
Syria’s Foreign Ministry announced a series of new appointments and reshuffles within its departments on May 28:
Dr. Mohammed Taha al-Ahmed, Director, Arab Affairs
Mohammed al-Jafal, Deputy Director, Arab Affairs
Mohammed Bara Shukri, Director, Europe
Qutaiba Idlbi, Director, Americas
Mohammed Qanatri, Deputy Director, Americas
Zakaria Lababidi, Director, Afro-Asian and Oceanian Affairs
Ahmed Dukhan, Director, Turkish and Balkan Affairs
Saad Baroud, Director, Department of International Organizations & Conferences
Qutaiba Kadish, Director, Communications and Protocol
Abdullah al-Hakah, Director, Media Office
Yasser al-Jundi, Director, Diplomatic Institute
Ahmed Tafran, Director, Internal Controls
Mohammed Abdullah al-Far, Director, Public Relations
Tamer Murad, Director, Shared Services
Anas al-Badawi, Director, Administrative Development
Ezzo al-Mohammed, Director, Information Systems & Digital Transformation
Mohammed Yaqoub al-Omar, Director, Consular Affairs
Dr. Mohammed Abdulsalam, Director, Expatriate Affairs
Ali Jamal al-Din Mustafa, Director, General Diwan
The Foreign Ministry announced another round of new appointments on May 30:
Mohsen Mahbash, Head, Minister’s Office
Ibrahim Mohammed al-Qayyem, Assistant Head, Minister’s Office
Hadi al-Sakhini, Director of Protocol
Mohammed Yaqoub al-Omar, Director, Executive Office
Obadah Diab, Director, Strategic Planning
Youssef al-Hajar, Director, Foreign Affairs
Razan Saffour, Advisor, Media and Communications
Rabi Mohaysen, Advisor, International Cooperation
Ibrahim al-Olabi, Advisor, Legal Affairs (authorized to handle the chemical weapons and sanctions lifting files)
Zahra al-Barazi, Advisor, Legal Affairs (authorized to handle transitional justice)
Sally Shobat, Special Commissioner for UN Affairs
On May 31, news emerged that long-time aide to Ahmed al-Sharaa, Abdulrahim al-Attoun, had been appointed as head of the Religious Affairs Advisory Office inside the office of the Presidency.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed, by decree, Major General Mohammed Khayr Hassan Shuayb as the Deputy Minister of Defense on June 1. A long-time HTS military commander, Shuayb was among the leaders involved in capturing Taftanaz Airbase in 2013 and Idlib city in 2015; as well as breaking the Aleppo siege in 2016 and coordinating military forces in Idlib until the overthrow of Assad in 2024.
On June 1, presidential decrees also appointed:
Mohammed Yasser Ghazal, Assistant Minister of Local Administration and Environment (Technical Affairs)
Dhafer Mohammed al-Omar, Assistant Minister of Local Administration and Environment (Administrative Affairs)
Youssef Hassan Sharaf, Assistant Minister of Local Administration and Environment (for Environmental Affairs)
Further decrees on June 1 also appointed:
Anas al-Mousa, Assistant Minister of Endowments for Religious Education Affairs
Samer Bayrakdar, Assistant Minister of Endowments for Endowment Affairs
Dia’a al-Din al-Barisha, Assistant Minister of Endowments for Religious Affairs
And additional presidential decrees also appointed:
Luna Ahmed Louay Rajab, Assistant Minister of Culture for Heritage and Antiquities Affairs
Hossam Ahmed al-Hallaq, Assistant Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management for Planning and Institutional Efficiency Affairs
Abdo Mohammed Mahli, Assistant Minister of Health for Pharmaceutical Affairs
Youssef Satouf Anan, Assistant Minister of Education for Educational Affairs
Mustafa Mohammed al-Qassem, Assistant Minister of Justice for Judicial Affairs
Hassan Youssef al-Turaba, Attorney General
Later on June 1, Dr. Bahia Mardini was also appointed as a Legal Advisor to the Presidency.
On June 2, a presidential decree appointed Faraj al-Qashqoush as Syria’s Assistant Minister of Tourism.
Syria’s Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh was appointed on June 2 as Syria’s Governor at the World Bank, per a decree from President al-Sharaa.
President al-Sharaa issued a decree on June 3 appointing Ahmed Namir al-Sawaf as the Assistant Minister of Culture, for Administrative and Legal Affairs.
Political Developments:
In public comments to Syria’s al-Ikhbariyah, Interior Ministry security chief in Suwayda (and previous Governor of Quneitra) Ahmed al-Dalati denied media reports – begun by Reuters – that he had engaged in direct talks with Israel, calling them “baseless and lacking accuracy or credibility.”
On June 1, President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 42, “establishing the ‘Extension of Service Committee’ to establish the necessary controls and principles for deciding on service requests from state employees after they reach the age of sixty.”
President al-Sharaa than issued Decree No. 43 establishing the "Organizational Structures Approval Committee", which would be required to approve, review and direct all general policies relating to “administrative organization in public agencies” and to “develop organizational structures to enhance institutional efficiency and effectiveness.”
Later that day, presidential decree No. 44 then set forth a government mechanism for “filling leadership positions in the state at the middle management level by setting nomination criteria for filling these positions and approved mechanisms for evaluating the performance of their occupants, thus contributing to consolidating the principle of merit and competence, raising the efficiency of institutional performance, and ensuring stability.”
Following that, presidential decree No. 45 was issued, which “regulates the mechanism for filling leadership positions in the state within the executive management level and the approved mechanisms for evaluating the performance of those who occupy them, in a way that contributes to consolidating the principle of merit and competence, raising the efficiency of institutional performance, and ensuring job stability in public agencies.”
The AANES reportedly transferred documentation for all vehicle ownership in northeastern Syria to the government in Damascus on June 2, as part of a gradual integration of civic databases.
The Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) announced on June 2 that they were dissolving and integrating into the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Response, under the authority of their former founding leader, Raed al-Saleh. The White Helmets’ dissolution came amid a significant decline in international donor support.
On June 3, the White Helmets held a press conference alongside Minister al-Saleh, declaring their integration into the ministry.
Economic Developments:
Minister of Finance Mohammed Barnieh announced on revealed on May 27 that Syria’s Stock Exchange would re-open on June 2 with trading scheduled to occur three days per week. The exchange has been inactive since December 5, 2024.
Nearly 800 construction, real estate, energy, finance and furnishing companies began participation in the BuildEx 2025 exhibition in Damascus on May 28. Syrian media reporting said 490 Syrian and 250 foreign companies were involved.
The first ship to deliver what to Syria since Assad’s fall in December 2024 docked into Tartus Port on May 28 delivering 28,500 tonnes of wheat – allegedly from Ukraine.
The Syrian-Turkish Holding Company (STH) signed a cooperation agreement with the Turkish company Aras Cargo on May 29 to provide shipping services between Turkey and Syria, and throughout Syria.
On May 29, at a ceremony hosted at Syria’s Presidential Palace, the Ministry of Energy signed a $7 billion memorandum of understanding with Qatar-headquartered UCC Holding (including a U.S.-based subsidiary) to construct four electricity-generating gas turbines (in Trifawi, Homs; Mahradah and Zaizoun, Hama; and Deir ez Zour) and a solar plant (in Wadi al-Rabi, Rif Dimashq) over the next 18 months. Collectively, the five new facilities would generate a total of 5,000MW of additional electricity supply for Syria – equating to 50% of the country’s needs.
In a speech at the ceremony, Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir described the deal as a “historic moment… a turning point” in Syria’s recovery and in the development of its domestic electricity sector.
CEO of UCC Holding Ramez al-Khayyat presented the deal as a path towards Syria’s electricity self-sufficiency and said it would take 20 months to complete all construction plans. He added that the new facilities would be based on “American and European technology.”
U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack described the deal “historic,” stating that “these opportunities and moments may never come again.”
Syria’s Ministry of Economy and Industry signed a memorandum of understanding with the Turkish company WOX Automobiles on May 29, aiming to establish manufacturing and assembly facilities in Syria for electric and hybrid vehicles.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 68 on May 31 announcing that all public sector employees would receive a gift of SYP 500,000 (~$54) and all retirees a gift of SYP 300,000 (~$32) to mark the upcoming occasion of Eid al-Adha.
In a joint statement issued on May 31, Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced their intent to provide financial support to Syria’s government in order to pay the salaries of public sector workers for an initial period of 3 months.
A ship carrying 824 vehicles docked into Tartus Port on May 31 – the fourth such delivery of vehicles since Assad’s fall in December 2024.
In public remarks on June 1, Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh confirmed that “discussions” had begun – both internally and with the World Bank – to plan ahead for the proposed World Bank project to repair electricity lines running into Syria from both Jordan and Turkey, at a cost of $146 million. “We are keen to finalize all arrangements today and tomorrow, paving the way for the project to be presented to the World Bank Board of Directors on June 23 for approval,” Barnieh confirmed. This would, if confirmed, become the World Bank’s first financed project in Syria in three decades.
Syrian authorities began loading 28,000 tonnes of phosphate from Homs onto a transport vessel on June 2, for a shipment intended for export to Romania.
Infrastructure Developments:
Regional news confirmed on May 28 that the Saudi-headquartered “FlyADeal” airline will begin direct flights into Syria by July 2025, with the company’s CEO Steven Greenway having received all the necessary approvals.
On May 28, news also emerged that regional airline Flynas Airlines would begin flights between Saudi Arabia and Syria on June 5.
On June 1, Flynas also announced that flights between Jeddah and Damascus would begin on June 12.
Governor of Interior Anas Khattab formally re-opened an expanded Syrian Immigration and Passports office in Idlib on May 31.
Governor of Latakia Mohammed Abdulrahman, together with the provincial director of SADCOP, Hassan Abu Qasra, inaugurated a new gas pumping line and tanker loading station linking Baniyas Refinery to the Latakia industrial zone on June 1. In public remarks, the new facility was described as a major source of energy cost saving, with approximately SYP 2 billion saved per month through its activation and use.
The first FlyDubai flight from the UAE to Syria landed into Damascus International Airport on June 1 from Dubai.
UAE airline Emirates announced on June 2 that it would resume flights to Damascus on July 16, for the first time since 2012.
Turkey’s General Directorate for Civil Aviation announced on June 2 that permission had been granted for the resumption of Syrian Airlines flights from Damascus to Istanbul from June 10.
The Hama Iron Factory resumed operations on June 2 for the first time in over six months, following rehabilitation work aimed at getting its production capacity back to the intended 3,000 tons per month.
In public remarks on June 2, Minister of Transport Yaroub Badr said that Syria’s transport sector was “struggling,” but that “major Arab and international proposals have been submitted to invest in railways and highways” and “the World Bank has offered to help rehabilitate Syria’s railway lines.” He added that conversations were underway with the private sector to invest in public transport.
On June 3, the Arida crossing linking Tartus with Lebanon formally re-opened following extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction by the transitional government. A “temporary corridor” replaced the main bridge nearby, which was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes.
Four water pumps located in Khafsa and Tel Aswad near Manbij resumed operation on June 3 after five months of repair and rehabilitation work, conducted in cooperation between Oxfam and the Aleppo Water Establishment.
Education Developments:
Minister of Higher Education Marwan al-Halabi and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Kabawat jointly inaugurated the Digital Innovation Center in Damascus on May 29. The center – managed by UNDP and funded by Japan, in partnership with Damascus University – aims to provide a platform for Syria’s youth in developing digital skills, entrepreneurship, vocational training, and business development.
Minister of Education Mohammed Turko announced on June 2 that examination fees would rise by a measure of five times for 2025, in order to help improve the examination process.
Security Developments:
A scheduled exchange of prisoners between the SDF and government was postponed on May 28, with families gathered at the entrance to Sheikh Maqsoud district in Aleppo city in anticipation for their relatives’ release. Local reporting offered conflicting explanations for the postponement, with some reports (not aligned with the SDF) claiming the government had refused at the last minute to release female YPJ militia fighters. Other sources claimed some of the prisoners due to be released remained in Turkish custody and faced terrorism charges there, and were thus unlikely to be released.
The Ministry of Defense issued a code of conduct and discipline on May 30, covering “values, basic duties, prohibitions” and more:
Basic Duties:
1. Defending the homeland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
2. Sacrificing oneself for the security of the homeland and its citizens.
3. Protecting civilians, especially women and children, under all circumstances.
4. Strictly following the implementation of legitimate orders.
5. Respecting applicable military and civilian laws and regulations.
6. Protecting public and private property.
7. Treating citizens with dignity and respect, without discrimination based on religion, race, color or affiliation.
8. Observing military rules and human rights standards when dealing with enemy personnel (dead, captured or wounded) and while carrying out missions.
Prohibitions:
1. Disobeying legitimate military orders.
2. Assaulting civilians in any way.
3. Damaging public or private property.
4. Engaging in any form of discrimination between citizens.
5. Proclaiming slogans or positions that undermine national unity or disturb civil peace.
6. Abusing authority to achieve personal gain.
7. Insulting detainees or prisoners during operations. They must be handed over to the competent authorities with respect and in accordance with the law.
8. Disclosing military secrets or sensitive information.
9. Photographing military sites or operations without official permission.
10. Making any media statements or publishing information without permission from the Ministry of Defense.
11. Disrupting public morals and social traditions in the society which the armed forces operate.
A small convoy of government military forces visited the Tishreen Dam in eastern Aleppo on June 2, accompanied by forces from the SDF. Earthen barriers recently re-set up by the SDF were bulldozed, clearing access for the main road to the dam.
That day, a joint government-SDF convoy also traveled to Tel Syriatel and the nearby villages of Hajj Hussein and al-Balasha in order to remove the bodies of combatants killed in the area in previous months. Local reporting claimed 18 SNA bodies and 7 SDF bodies were recovered.
Later that day, approximately 420 prisoners – 250 linked to the government and 170 to the SDF – were exchanged between the two parties in Aleppo city. The large-scale prisoner release deal had been delayed several times in recent weeks, amid disagreements over numbers, sequencing, and the difficulty of accessing prisoners also under the detention authority of Turkey.
A Reuters report on June 2 cited U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack has confirming that the U.S. government had approved a Syrian government plan to establish a dedicated Army Division (the 84th Division) to house and contain approximately 3,500 foreign fighters, most from the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP). A TIP leader confirmed to Reuters that his movement had dissolved in Syria and that it “operates entirely under the authority of the Ministry of Defense, adheres to national policy and maintains now affiliations with external entities or groups.”
The Interior Ministry graduated its first batch of Tourist Police on June 2, who its said would be deployed to tourist sites across the country to “protect, secure and serve” the tourism industry.
Humanitarian Developments:
The deputy provincial director of Education in Daraa, Mohammed Jawabreh, accompanied a delegation from UNICEF on a visit to the village of Koya in Daraa’s Yarmouk Basin on May 28 to assess the area’s education needs and to distribute stationery to local children. The area is close to the frontline with Israeli military forces.
Media reporting in Lebanon claimed on May 28 that UNHCR had indicated its plans to suspend hospital healthcare coverage for Syrian refugees in Lebanon beginning in November 2025, due to insufficient funding from donor countries.
A total of 883 Iraqi citizens, from 223 families, were repatriated from al-Hol Camp to Iraq on June 1.
Syria’s General Authority of Land and Sea Ports confirmed on June 2 that at least 400,000 Syrian refugees had returned to Syria since Assad’s fall in December 2024, in addition to “tens of thousands” of expatriates who had come back to Syria “on visits.”
Justice Developments:
German authorities announced the detention of a Syrian citizen who previously worked as a prison guard at the al-Khatib Branch under Assad’s regime. He was reportedly charged with involvement in more than 100 interrogation sessions, in which detainees were subjected to physical assault and torture. Syrian media reporting identified the man as Fahd al-Hamid.
The Director of Syria’s Civil Defense (the White Helmets), Munir Mustafa, announced to Syrian media on May 28 that a total of 111 Assad regime prisons had been discovered across the country and that while “accurate” official records did not exist, at least 140,000 people were thought to be missing or disappeared.
A court in Germany convicted Syrian citizen Ammar Ali al-Mazrani to life in prison on June 3 for crimes against humanity. Mazrani had been a militia commander linked to Hezbollah and was active in Daraa from 2012-2015.
International Statements & Developments:
Media in Morocco confirmed on May 28 that Morocco’s Embassy in Damascus would soon be reopened, now that a technical visit had been completed to handle the necessary diplomatic, legal and logistical steps.
The European Union announced new sanctions on three Syrian National Army factions (the Sultan Suleiman Shah Brigade, the Hamza Division and the Sultan Murad Division) and two of their leaders (Mohammed al-Jassem and Sayf Boulad) on May 28, due to their alleged role in atrocities committed against Alawite civilians on Syria’s Coast in March 2025. Both leaders currently hold senior positions within the new Syrian Ministry of Defense.
As part of the same sanctions announcement, the EU lifted all sanctions previously imposed on 22 Syrian entities:
Real Estate Bank
SyriaTel
Cham Press TV
Al Watan
Syria Trading Oil Company (Syrtol)
General Petroleum Corporation (GPC)
Al Furat Petroleum Company
Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank
Deir ez Zour Petroleum Company
Ebla Petroleum Company
Dijla Petroleum Company
Syrian Petroleum Company
Mahrukat Company
General Organization of Tobacco
General Organization of Radio & TV
Syrian Company for Oil Transport
Cotton Marketing Organization
Overseas Petroleum Trading
Baniyas Refinery Company
Homs Refinery Company
Pangates International Corp. Ltd.
Al-Aqila Company
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan hosted a meeting with the newly named U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack in Riyadh on May 28.
Later that day, U.S. Special Envoy Barrack also visited Jordan and met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
In remarks to al Arabiya during his visit to Damascus on May 29, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack announced that the U.S. government was planning to remove Syria’s status as a state sponsor of terrorism – a status that has been in place since 1979.
The Japanese government officially lifted sanctions on four Syrian banks -- the Industrial Bank, the People's Credit Bank, the Savings Bank, and the Agricultural Cooperative Bank – on May 30.
Syria’s Ministry of Information announced on May 30 that Syrian citizens abroad were now permitted to pass through Saudi Arabia en route back to Syria – provided they submit an application through their respective Syrian Embassy and deliver approved applications to a Saudi Embassy before travel.
The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah al-Yahya announced on June 2 that Kuwait’s embassy in Syria would “soon” re-open in Damascus.
According to Fox News reporting on June 2, approximately 500 US troops have withdrawn from Syria in recent weeks, with three bases in Deir ez Zour (al-Omar, Conoco and Green Village) vacated and handed over to the SDF.
Syrian media reported on June 3 - confirming approximately a week of rumors - that President Ahmed al-Sharaa was scheduled to travel to the United States of America in September 2025 for meetings with the U.S. government and to give Syria’s address as the annual UN General Assembly summit.
Syrian media reported on June 3 that a senior Syrian diplomatic and security delegation — headed by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani - would visit Lebanon in late-June in order to elevate and advance talks on refugee returns, border security and other bilateral challenges.
CONFLICT & SECURITY:
Israel:
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion into the village of al-Samdaniyah al-Sharqiya on May 28, reportedly opening fire into the air as protesters took to the streets to demand they leave. One man was detained and taken away for questioning. He was released later that day in the village of al-Sultana in Daraa.
Israeli military forces informed local residents in part of Jabata al-Khashab in Quneitra on May 28 that part of a local forest would soon be bulldozed as it blocked visibility from a nearby IDF military post.
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion towards the villages of Jamla and Saysoun in Daraa’s Yarmouk Valley on May 29
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion towards the Ruwayhiniya Dam in Quneitra on May 30 but they were confronted by a group of protesters who blocked the road, surrounded the IDF vehicles and forced the incursion to turn back.
At least one Alawite civilian was killed and four others were injured when Israeli aircraft launched a number of airstrikes targeted weapons caches – allegedly including anti-ship missiles – in the villages of Bizama and Burj al-Islam in Latakia; and near the Tartus Port late on May 30. Israeli media subsequently claimed the strikes targeted “game-changing weapons” that were considered “a threat to Israeli and international navigation” and “intended to improve Hezbollah’s firepower” – likely a reference to anti-ship missiles.
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion into the villages of Jabah and Khan Arnabeh in Quneitra on May 31
That day, Israeli forces also launched an incursion towards the village of al-Mushayfirah, but they were surrounded by local protesters, who forced the vehicle convoy to reverse and return to its base. Locals also ripped the Israeli flag off one IDF armored vehicle and later set it on fire.
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion into the village of al-Ma’araba in Daraa’s Yarmouk Valley late on June 1.
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion into the village of al-Mushayfirah in central Quneitra on June 2.
ISIS:
Two ISIS militants who were in the midst of laying an IED opened fire on SDF fighters as they approached their position in Hajin on May 27, triggering clashes in which one ISIS militant was killed. An IED was subsequently found and defused.
ISIS militants briefly opened fire on an SDF patrol in the village of al-Sousa in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 27, triggering a brief clash but no casualties.
A Syrian soldier and a civilian were killed and three other soldiers were injured when ISIS militants remotely detonated an IED targeting their patrol vehicle while it drove through the desert Talul al-Safa area in Suwayda on May 28. They had set off on patrol from al-Tanf.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack – as well as a previous IED in the same area a week earlier – in statements issued on May 29.
ISIS militants fired one RPG at the home of a local businessman in Dhiban on May 28, causing damage but no casualties. Local media claimed he had refused to pay ISIS ‘tax.’
Public Security in Deir ez Zour announced on May 29 that several ISIS operatives had been captured and accused of involvement in the car bombing in al-Mayadin on May 18. Local media reporting, citing unnamed security sources, claimed three ISIS militants had been involved in the attack – two Syrians and one foreign citizen – all of whom had been captured in Mohassan.
Two suspected ISIS militants were captured by SDF forces in a raid in al-Busayrah in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 30.
Four suspected ISIS militants were captured by SDF forces in a raid in al-Mashayikh in northern Deir ez Zour on May 30.
Two SDF fighters were killed when ISIS militants conducted a drive-by shooting against an SDF vehicle in Hajin in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 31.
One alleged Iraqi ISIS operative, identified as Saleh Salman Ali (Abu Khairullah) was captured by SDF forces during a targeted raid inside al-Hol Camp in Hasakeh on May 31. He had allegedly played the role of a “security member” inside the camp, facilitating and coordinating the operations of ISIS sleeper cells within the camp.
Three SDF-linked Asayish fighters were killed and one other was injured in an ISIS IED attack that was remotely detonated to target their vehicle on the Raqqa-Hasakeh highway in rural Raqqa on June 1.
ISIS militants launched at least two RPGs and opened fire with machine guns at an SDF post in al-Shuheil in eastern Deir ez Zour on June 2, triggering a brief clash but no confirmed casualties.
Idlib:
One child was killed after accidentally triggering an unexploded cluster munition in the town of Darkoush on May 27.
Aleppo:
A police officer who oversaw security at the Ain al-Bayda prison in Jarablus, Lieutenant Mohammed Kulko, was killed and his wife and two children were injured when an IED concealed inside his vehicle was detonated by unidentified gunmen while they drove outside Jarablus on May 28.
Syrian general intelligence officers detained 10 former Assad regime operatives – nine men and one woman – who were traveling from the Coastal region towards SDF-held Tabqa through rural Aleppo on May 29.
A former Assad regime militiaman and his 11-year-old son were shot dead by two unidentified gunmen on a motorbike in the al-Arima district in eastern Aleppo on May 29.
One former Assad regime militiaman and informant was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the al-Hamdaniyah district of Aleppo city on May 31.
One child was killed after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Sayadah near Manbij on May 31.
Interior Ministry Counter-Narcotics forces raided a drug trafficking compound in al-Safira on May 31 and seized approximately 800kg of hashish concealed within cardboard boxes intended for smuggling abroad to Europe.
A local Alawite professor was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Aleppo city on June 1.
One General Security operative and two gunmen - one former opposition fighter and one former Assad regime militiaman - were killed in armed clashes that erupted when locals confronted a store owner for being a pro-Assad insurgent in al-Safira late on June 2. Following the deadly clash, relatives of the former regime militiaman had their homes attacked by angry locals.
Latakia:
Public Security forces detained a prominent anti-government insurgent leader and former pro-Assad militia commander Marwan Yassin Ahmed (al-Khal) in a targeted raid in Jableh on May 27.
A local businessman was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen who ambushed his vehicle as it drove on the Damascus-Latakia highway on May 27.
Public Security forces detained a six-man organized crime cell operating in Jableh in a targeted raid on May 28. They had been involved in kidnapping for ransom and drug trafficking.
Two Alawite men were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jableh on May 30.
Public Security forces detained a leading anti-government insurgent facilitator and former Assad regime Political Security officer, Mazen Qara Jannah in a targeted raid on May 31. Local media claimed he had previously played a covert role within opposition-held areas of Syria, likely providing intelligence for air and artillery strikes.
Public Security forces detained a senior anti-government insurgent leader, identified as Amir Ismail Nassif in a targeted raid in Qardaha on June 1. A large cache of weapons – including several dozen rifles, ammunition and grenades – and a quantity of captagon was seized from his home.
Tartus:
Public Security forces detained Brigadier General Ghazi Khalil – a pilot, who media reports linked to a series of mass casualty bombings – in a targeted raid in Baniyas on May 27. Khalil was reportedly the commander of a squadron of Su-24 jets operating out of the T4 Airbase in Homs, and he also worked at the al-Sin military airport outside Damascus and as a MiG-23 commander at Hama Airbase.
Five men accused of links to the former Assad regime – including a former Baath Party provincial secretary – were detained by Public Security forces in a series of coordinated raids in the village of al-Kharab near Baniyas on May 30.
Homs:
A former Assad regime military officer and pilot – reportedly responsible for years of barrel bombings and identified as Rajeh Wanous – was detained by Public Security forces in a raid in rural Homs on May 27.
One child was killed after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the Jabal Gharab desert area east of Homs on May 28.
Public Security forces seized a large shipment of 122mm Grad rockets intended for smuggling to neighboring Lebanon in a targeted raid outside the town of al-Mukarram on May 28.
Two men were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen near the village of Tarayn on May 28.
Public Security forces detained former Assad regime NDF militia commander Mazen Badr Hammoud in a targeted raid in rural Homs on May 29.
Public Security forces detained former Assad regime NDF militia commander Afif Yousef al-Ibrahim in a targeted raid in al-Qusayr on May 29. Local media claimed he had converted part of his family home into a makeshift prison.
One man was shot and injured in a drive-by attack by unidentified gunmen on the road linking the villages of al-Sharqaliya and Felah northwest of Homs city on May 29.
Public Security forces seized a weapons cache – containing anti tank weaponry, rifles and ammunition – in a targeted raid on a compound in Telkhalakh near the Lebanese border on May 29.
Public Security forces seized a large weapons cache – containing more than 100 rifles, anti-tank weapons, RPGs and ammunition – during a targeted raid in al-Mukhram on May 29.
A Shia man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside the village of al-Khadhimiyah in eastern rural Homs on May 30.
One man was killed after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine near the Hayyan Gas Company in the Palmyra desert on May 31.
One man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the village of Afeer in rural eastern Homs on May 31.
Residents of the villages of al-Darda, al-Aliyat and al-Kashf in rural southeast Homs collectively surrendered their weaponry to the government on June 2, in a deal mediated by local notables.
At least seven men were detained by Public Security forces during a large-scale search operation in the village of al-Zibaq in western rural Homs early on June 3.
Hama:
Four children were injured after they accidentally triggered an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Bana on May 28.
One former Assad regime informant was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Hama city on May 30.
Later that day, another former Assad regime informant was shot dead in the city.
One man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Maar Shahour on May 31.
One former Assad regime informant was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the al-Furisiyah district of Hama city on May 31.
One Alawite man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen during a raid on his home in the village of Tel Abdulaziz near al-Salamiya on June 1.
Raqqa:
At least six combatants were killed in two days of clashes between rival tribesman – from the al-Naim clan and a local tribal militia known as Suqor al-Sunna – in the town of Suluk on May 27-28. Fighting began on May 27 when Suqor al-Sunna fighters accuse the al-Naim clan of maintaining allegiance to the former Assad regime.
One man, identified as Mohammed al-Hadi, was detained by SDF forces during a raid on his home in the village of al-Salhabiya west of Raqqa city on May 28. The arrest was reportedly in response to a post he had made on Facebook that called for “an uprising” against the SDF.
At least four men were detained – on unknown charges – by SDF forces in a series of raids in the Mansourah district of Raqqa city on May 29.
Three combatants were injured when clashes resumed on May 31 between rival tribesman – from the al-Naim clan and a local tribal militia known as Suqor al-Sunna – in the outskirts of Tel Abyad on May 31.
Public Security forces launched a series of coordinated raids and a search campaign in the village of Maadan Jadid in eastern Raqqa on June 3.
Hasakeh:
Armed clashes erupted briefly between SNA-linked Military Police and members of the Hamza Division in Ras al-Ayn on May 27, but no casualties were confirmed.
A woman was shot dead in a targeted killing by two gunmen on a motorbike in Qamishli on May 27.
The body of one man – showing signs of execution by gunshot – was discovered in agricultural areas outside the al-Hol Camp in eastern rural Hasakeh on May 30.
Deir ez Zour:
SDF forces detained three men accused of affiliation with Iranian-linked militias in a raid in Hatlah north of Deir ez Zour city late on May 27.
One child was killed and a woman was injured when local gunmen briefly opened fire randomly into the street in al-Taybah outside al-Mayadin on May 27. The child’s killing triggered local tensions that day, which resulted in on and off clashes between rival al-Okaidat and al-Qulayin tribesmen.
Public Security forces detained several gunmen operating in al-Mayadin on May 28, who were accused of dealing in stolen weaponry and in stealing and selling off electricity cabling.
A child was killed and five others were injured after triggering an unexploded landmine in the al-Hamad al-Ali district of Ashara town on May 28.
Two civilians were killed after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Maariyah in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 28.
Two former Assad regime military intelligence officers were detained by Public Security forces in a targeted raid in the village of Subaykhan in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 30.
Two male civilians were shot dead by two unidentified gunmen on a motorbike in the village of Abu Khashan in western rural Deir ez Zour on May 30.
One civilian was injured in crossfire during heavy clashes between the rival al-Jafariya and al-Atlat clans in rural western Deir ez Zour on May 31.
Public Security forces seized a cache of ammunition allegedly used in the past by Iranian-backed militias in al-Bukamal on May 31.
Three children were killed after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Ma’ariyah on June 1.
Interior Ministry counter-narcotics forces launched a targeted raid in Deir ez Zour on June 2 and detained two drug traffickers and seized a large quantity of hashish.
A former Assad regime militia commander was detained by Public Security forces in a targeted raid in al-Shamitiya in western Deir ez Zour on June 2.
A former Assad regime militia commander was detained by Public Security forces in a targeted raid in Sabikhan in eastern Deir ez Zour on June 2.
Public Security forces launched a series of coordinated raids and a search campaign in the village of Maadan Atiq in western Deir ez Zour on June 3.
Damascus:
Several local commercial stores owned by Christians were vandalized in a series of seemingly linked attacks in Masaken Barzeh on June 1.
A former Assad regime militiaman accused of years of abuses targeting civilians was detained by Public Security forces in a raid in Qaboun on June 3.
Rif Dimashq:
Two drug traffickers were detained by Public Security in a targeted raid in an undisclosed location in Rif Dimashq on May 28, and a large quantity of captagon, hashish and other drugs was seized.
A former Assad regime military officer, Colonel Ahmed Younes, was detained by Public Security forces in a targeted raid in Qutayfah on May 28.
Public Security forces seized a warehouse full of weaponry during a targeted raid in Khan al-Shih in Western Ghouta on May 29. Weapons seized included anti-tank guided missiles, 122mm Grad rockets, dozens of hand grenades, and landmines.
One Public Security operative was killed in clashes with a drug trafficking cell that was ambushed outside Qatana after having crossed into Syria from Lebanon late on May 29.
An Alawite doctor was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in rural Rif Dimashq on May 29 and his executed body was discovered on May 31.
A former Iran-backed Liwa Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas militiaman was detained by Public Security forces in a targeted raid in Sayyida Zeinab on May 31.
Public Security forces detained six men in a series of targeted raids targeting organized crime operatives in Qatana on May 30.
Seven Alawite men were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in a single targeted attack in Ash al-Warwar early on June 1.
One Shia boy was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Sayyida Zeinab on June 1.
Public Security forces detained one suspected Druze gunman in Sahnaya late on June 2.
Shortly thereafter, a vehicle full of gunmen conducted a drive-by shooting targeting the local Public Security headquarters, triggering clashes in which one gunman was captured and one injured.
Public Security forces launched a targeted raid in Sahnyaya on June 3, rescuing a teenage boy who had been kidnapped by gunmen in the area on April 27. They had issued a ransom demand to his family, for $130,000.
Daraa:
Unidentified gunmen threw six small explosive devices into the street in separate locations in Busra al-Sham late on May 27, all of which caused minor damage but no casualties.
Syrian government authorities at the Nassib crossing with Jordan intercepted and seized a shipment of captagon intended for trafficking to Saudi Arabia on May 27.
Unidentified gunmen opened fire towards a UN World Food Programme vehicle traveling in Inkhil on May 27, with one round striking the vehicle, causing damage but no casualties. The Governor of Daraa Anwar al-Zoubi subsequently announced an immediate investigation into the incident.
Public Security forces launched a large-scale search operation throughout Jassem on May 28 looking for weapons caches, drug dealers and other sources of organized crime. By the end of the day, several IEDs disguised as rocks had been seized, along with rifles, RPGs and large quantities of ammunition.
A former senior commander in the Eighth Brigade – dissolved in April and merged into the Defense Ministry – identified as Saleh al-Issa was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Busra al-Sham late on May 28. He was later shot in the stomach and dumped outside Izraa National Hospital, where he was taken in for emergency treatment. Busra al-Sham was placed under a curfew in response to the attack.
A former local militia commander, identified as Samer Jihad Abu al-Sal (Abu Hajar) was shot and severely injured by unidentified gunmen in Nawa late on May 28.
Public Security forces launched a large-scale search operation throughout Nawa on May 28, detaining several wanted individuals and seizing a large quantity of weaponry, including heavy machine guns, IEDs and ammunition.
Public Security forces launched a large-scale search operation throughout Sheikh Miskeen on May 29, looking for unauthorized weapons and organized crime operatives.
One male civilian was shot and severely wounded by unidentified gunmen in Othman on May 30.
One male civilian was shot in the feet by unidentified gunmen on the main road between al-Sanamayn and Ghabaghab in northern Daraa on May 30.
The executed corpse of one man – identified as Omar Samir – was discovered on the road linking al-Karak al-Sharqi and al-Musayfirah in eastern Daraa on May 30.
One man – identified locally as Abdullah Jamil – was shot and injured by one unidentified gunman in Sheikh Miskeen on May 31.
A former local militia leader, identified as Maher al-Labbad, and his son were shot dead and a nearby civilian was injured in a targeted attack by unidentified gunmen in al-Sanamayn on June 1.
Soon after the attack, gunmen loyal to Labbad launched several drive-by attacks on men accused of loyalty to a militia commanded by Mohsen al-Hamid, who were allegedly responsible. At least one combatant and another civilian were killed in subsequent clashes, which also saw homes set on fire.
One man was shot dead during a clash between rival tribesmen in the village of Kharaba near the border with Suwayda on June 2.
One man, identified locally as Mohammed Abdo al-Kalash, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen while attending a ceremony to mourn the death of local militia leader Maher al-Labbad in al-Sanamayn on June 2.
One combatant was killed in clashes between rival tribes in the village of Warrad in the Lajat on June 2.
Suwayda:
Six civilians were injured when the ambulance they were traveling in triggered an IED laid by unidentified militants on the road linking the villages of Ariqa and Nijran on May 29.
One artillery rocket, launched by unidentified gunmen, landed into Suwayda city late on May 30, but caused no damage or casualties.