FREE: Syria Weekly: December 30, 2025 - January 6, 2026
Syria-Israel talks resume in Paris; deadlocked SDF talks lead to clashes; Syria-Egypt gas MOUs signed in Cairo; Mastercard licenses QNB transactions in Syria; new Syrian currency enters market; & more
SYRIA’S TRANSITION:
Transition Meetings:
December 30:
Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani hosted a meeting with newly arrived Turkish Ambassador to Syria Nuh Yilmaz in Damascus on December 30, during which he received a copy of his credentials.
Later that day, Foreign Minister Shaybani hosted a meeting with Natalie Fustier, the UN’s Resident Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, to discuss the humanitarian situation in Syria and UN plans to support Syria’s humanitarian, development and recovery needs in 2026.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab hosted a meeting with all the country’s provincial assistants for security affairs on Damascus 30, to discuss prevailing security challenges and needs.
Syrian Chief of the General Staff, Major General Ali al-Naasan, traveled to Ankara, Turkey on December 30 for a meeting with Turkey’s Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of the General Staff Selcuk Bayraktaroglu.
Ministers of Health and Finance – Musab al-Ali and Mohammed Barniyeh – hosted a joint press conference on December 30 to discuss initiatives and plans in place to improve Syria’s health insurance sector for public sector workers. They said the strategy in place sought to implement improvements in three stages: first to improve the quality of insurance coverage; then to comprehensively reform the insurance system; and by 2030 to institute comprehensive health coverage for all Syrian citizens.
The Governors of Latakia and Tartus – Mohammed Othman and Ahmed al-Shami – chaired a meeting with their various provincial directorates and technical offices on December 30 in order to begin preparing for a Coastal development plan.
Governor to Suwayda Mustafa Bakkour hosted a meeting with a delegation from the SARC and several tribal notables on December 30 to discuss the needs of displaced Bedouin communities.
Later that day, Governor Bakkour also hosted a meeting with a delegation from UN OCHA to discuss mechanisms to enhance coordination into the winter months.
December 31:
Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Deputy Defense Minister for Southern Syria, Ahmed Issa al-Sheikh met with Governor of Damascus Maher Marwan on December 31 to discuss mechanisms for greater cooperation.
Later that day, Defense Minister Abu Qasra and Deputy Defense Minister for Southern Syria, Ahmed Issa al-Sheikh met with Governor of Rif Dimashq Amer al-Sheikh and his Director for Security, Ahmed al-Dalati.
January 1, 2026:
Deputy Minister of Local Administration and the Environment, Zafer al-Omar, traveled to Konya, Turkey on January 1 to visit and learn from its Smart City plans.
Deputy Minister of Energy for Water Affairs, Osama Abuzeid, hosted a meeting with a delegation from the Danish Council for Refugee Affairs in Damascus on January 1, to discuss potential support to water projects in Syria.
Minister of Public Works and Housing, Mustafa Abdulrazzaq and the Director of the Planning and Statistics Authority, Anas Sulaym, traveled to Daraa on January 1 and met with Governor Anwar al-Zoubi to discuss the state of the urban and housing sectors and needs for their rehabilitation and expansion.
January 2:
Chief of the General Staff Ali al-Naasan traveled to Aleppo on January 2 and met with the commanders of all military units based in the governorate.
January 3:
Interior Minister Anas Khattab presided over a ceremony – alongside Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib – for the delivery of a fleet of several hundred new vehicles to MOI personnel operating throughout Aleppo governorate on January 3.
Minister of Public Works and Housing Mustafa Abdulrazzaq traveled to Idlib on January 3 and met with Governor Mohammed Abdulrahman to discuss reconstruction plans in the governorate.
Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra hosted a meeting with Qatari Ambassador to Syria Khalifa bin Abdullah al-Sharif on January 3 alongside a delegation from Qatar’s defense company Barzan Holding. The meeting came a week after Defense Minister Abu Qasra spoked with his Qatari counterpart about areas for cooperation in the defense sector.
Later that day, Qatari Ambassador al-Sharif visited the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church John X Yazigi.
That evening, Patriarch John X Yazigi also welcomed a visit from the Secretary General of the Presidency, Maher al-Sharaa, to exchange wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
January 4:
A delegation from the SDF – led by SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and senior commanders Sozdar Derik and Sipan Hemo – arrived in Damascus on January 4 for talks with Syria’s government, focused on the issue of militarily integrating the SDF into the Syrian armed forces, as part of advancing the implementation of the March 10 framework agreement.
Readouts revealed later in the day suggested no tangible results had been achieved, but further meetings planned.
Minister of Finance Mohammed Barniyeh hosted a high-level workshop in Damascus on January 4 to begin strategic planning to ensure Syria is rid of IDP camps by the end of 2026. The meeting was attended by Assistant Secretary-General of the Presidency for Cabinet Affairs, Ali Keda; Minister of Education Mohammed Turko; Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hind Kabawat; Minister of Emergency and Disaster Response, Raed al-Saleh; Minister of Local Administration and the Environment, Minister of Health Musab al-Ali; Mohammed Anjarani; and the Governors of Aleppo (Azzam al-Gharib), Latakia (Mohammed Othman), Suwayda (Mustafa Bakkour); and others.
Tribal leaders from eastern Syria gathered in Deir ez Zour city on January 4 to discuss their views and activities vis-à-vis the expiration of a deadline for the implementation of the March 10 framework agreement stipulating the SDF’s dissolution and integration into the Syrian state.
Minister of Justice Mazhar al-Ways hosted a meeting with Minister of Health Musab al-Ali on January 4 to discuss cooperating in Syria’s forensic medicine sector, particularly in recruiting and training new specialized staff and acquiring the necessary equipment.
Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Kabawat hosted a meeting with representatives of NGOs active in Syria on January 4 to discuss the urgent needs of more than 650,000 IDPs in northern Syria, following recent severe weather.
Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal al-Shaar visited Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church John X Yazigi in his residence in Damascus on January 4, to share wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Minister of Public Works and Housing Mustafa Abdulrazzaq traveled to Aleppo on January 4 and met with Governor Azzam al-Gharib to review the governorate’s reconstruction plans, urban planning, and additional residential needs.
Governor of Homs Abdulrahman al-Aama hosted a meeting with Indian Charge d’Affairs Renu Yadav on January 4.
January 5:
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani and General Intelligence chief Hossein Salama traveled to Paris, France on January 5 and engaged in direct talks with Israeli counterparts, facilitated by U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. There was no public readout from the meeting.
Later that day, Foreign Minister Shaybani met with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot and discussed bilateral ties; Syria’s recent accession into the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS; efforts being made by the Syrian government to investigate crimes in the Coast and Suwayda regions; and the process of economic recovery following the removal of U.S. and European sanctions.
Syrian Deputy Minister of Energy for Oil Resources, Ghiath Diab, traveled to Cairo, Egypt on January 5 and signed two memoranda of understanding with the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum to provide natural gas to Syria for electricity generation and to provide training to energy sector staff.
Later that day, Deputy Minister Diab also attended meetings with several senior Egyptian energy officials, including head of Egypt’s Natural Gas Holding Company, Mahmoud Abdel Hamid and head of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, Salah al-Din Abdel Karim.
Governor of Damascus Maher Marwan visited Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church John X Yazigi in his residence in Damascus on January 5 to convey wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal al-Shaar hosted a meeting with German Special Envoy Clemens Hauch in Damascus on January 5 and discussed the growing industrial, trade and investment ties between Syria and Germany.
Later that day, Minister al-Shaar hosted a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Syria Alnour Shah Husseynov in Damascus, to discuss bilateral ties and an invitation for the Minister to visit Azerbaijan later in the year.
Minister of Local Administration and Environment Mohammed Anjarani hosted a meeting in Damascus on January 5 with Governor of Aleppo Azzam al-Gharib to discuss the governorate’s 2026 plans for development.
Minister of Transport Yaroub Badr hosted a meeting in Damascus with Idlib Governor Mohammed Abdulrahman on January 5 to discuss plans to rehabilitate the Idlib-Ariha highway and ongoing cost and feasibility studies.
Minister of Emergency and Disaster Response Raed al-Saleh traveled to Latakia on January 6 and met with Governor Mohammed Othman to discuss ongoing work to remove debris, detect and remove unexploded ordnance (UXO), and create opportunities for reconstruction across the governorate.
The National Commission for Transitional Justice traveled to Daraa on January 6 and met with the families of victims and local community members.
January 6:
President Ahmed al-Sharaa spoke by phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on January 6, and discussed planned steps to further enhance bilateral ties and economic cooperation in 2026.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani and General Intelligence chief Hossein Salama remained in Paris, France for a second day on January 6 and engaged in additional direct talks with Israeli counterparts, facilitated by U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Media reporting, including in Israel, subsequently claimed that an agreement had been reached to establish a US-Syria-Israel “joint fusion mechanism” and “dedicated communications cell” to facilitate the sharing of intelligence, diplomatic engagements, and potential commercial opportunities.
On the sidelines of the Israel talks in Paris, France, Foreign Minister al-Shaybani met with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.
Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal al-Shaar hosted a meeting with the Ismaili Aga Khan Development Network’s resident representative Ghattfan Ajoub on January 6 and signed a memorandum of understanding for Aga Khan investment in Syria’s industrial sector.
Minister of Higher Education Marwan al-Halabi hosted a meeting with UAE Ambassador to Syria Hamad Rashid al-Habsi in Damascus on January 6.
Deputy Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, Major General Abdulqader Tahhan, hosted a meeting with a delegation from the UNHCR in Damascus on January 6 to discuss human rights in Syria and plans to provide training, capacity building and technical support.
Chief of the General Staff Major General Ali al-Naasan hosted a meeting with the Saudi Military Attache to Syria, Fahd al-Saaq, in Damascus on January 6.
The Investigative Committee on the Fate of the Children of Detainees and the Forcibly Disappeared held a public press conference in Damascus on January 6, with the head of the committee, Raghad Zeidan, confirming that 314 children had been identified as having been placed into the care of families linked to the Assad regime’s Ministry of Social Affairs. 150 of those children have since been reunited with the families, Zeidan added.
Appointments:
President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a Decree on December 31 appointing Omar al-Hosari as the head of the newly established General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport, at the rank of Minister.
In another presidential decree issued on December 31, President al-Sharaa named Amjad Mohammed Nukhal as the Deputy head of General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport.
Also on December 31, President al-Sharaa issued a decree establishing a public trading company: “The Syrian Aviation Holding Company.”
President al-Sharaa issued a decree on January 4 appointing Samih Mohammed al-Arabi as the Assistant to the head of the newly established General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport, Omar al-Hosari.
Another Presidential decree on January 4 appointed Ibrahim al-Adhan as Assistant to the Minister of Energy, responsible for “planning and institutional excellence.”
Minister of Transport Yaroub Badr appointed Muaz Najjar as the new Director of Syria’s General Authority for Road Transportation on January 4.
Political Developments:
Minister of Finance Mohammed Barniyeh confirmed in public comments on January 4 that Syria’s government planned to seek financial compensation from Iran due to its role in destroying Syria and its infrastructure.
U.S. news site Axios revealed on January 4 that direct Syrian-Israeli talks would resume on January 5 in Paris, France. The talks were to be mediated by U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack, and would involve Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani on one side and an Israeli delegation led by Ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, newly nominated Mossad director General Roman Gofman and acting National Security Advisor Gil Reich.
The talks convened as planned the following day, with a Syrian government source confirming that the talks involved Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani and General Intelligence chief Hossein Salama and would focus on “reactivating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the lines prior to December 8, 2024.”
Economic Developments:
The Central Bank issued Decree 706 on December 31 authorizing 59 currency exchange entities state permission to conduct currency exchange in Syria, under the bank’s supervision.
Minister of Finance Mohammed Barniyeh announced on December 31 that the country’s long-standing 10% Reconstruction Tax (imposed in 2013) had been removed.
Media reports confirmed on December 31 that Turkish Bank Ziraat had applied to begin conducting banking operations in Syria.
Central Bank Governor Abdulkader Husriyeh confirmed on January 2 that the new Syrian Pound currency would begin distribution on January 3 and that the replacement process would last 90 days, with a focus on replacing banknotes in the thousands denominations.
Mastercard announced on January 5 that it had issued an official license to Qatar National Bank Group to begin issuing and receiving digital financial transactions in Syria.
Local authorities inaugurated a newly constructed raw sugar refinery in the Hasiyah Industrial City in southern Homs on January 6. The facility was produced in coordination with companies based in Tunisia and Germany and has a capacity to produce 3,000 tons of sugar per day.
Infrastructure Developments:
Aleppo’s Water Authority installed a 196 solar panel array at the Karmen power station on December 30 in order to enhance the provision of water supplies to the Deir Jamal region.
A Syrian-Saudi engineering delegation visited the Jandar Power Station in Homs on January 1 to inspect equipment and seek to determine the causes behind recurring failures within high-power lines operating between 230-400 kV.
A contract was signed on January 1 for the rehabilitation of the Abdul Basit al-Sarout Stadium in Homs, in which the provincial Sports and Youth Directorate and the Khaled Mohammed Shahood Foundation will replace the artificial turf and rehabilitate the existing buildings.
Local authorities inaugurated two new factories in the Hasiya Industrial City in Homs on January 1 – one that will manufacture livestock feed and another that will produce chemical solvents and paints.
Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa announced on January 3 that Damascus Radio would launch a whole new format on February 4, timed to coincide with its 79th anniversary.
Authorities in Kafr Zeita in Hama began installing 75 new solar-powered public lights on January 4, in a project funded by UNHCR.
Local authorities re-opened the newly rehabilitated Civil Statis Registry building in al-Bab, Aleppo on January 4, following extensive rehabilitation and modernization work.
Local authorities inaugurated four new solar energy arrays serving the village of Jumashiya in Tartus on January 4 with electricity for its 300 residents.
Provincial authorities launched a major rehabilitation project at the Afamiya Pumping Station in Qalaat al-Mudiq in Hama on January 5, thanks to the support of the World Food Programme (WFP).
Authorities in Tartus inaugurated a newly installed solar plant in the Qadmus areas, to power the homes of 300 local residents. The work was funded by the Ismaili Aga Khan Foundation.
Authorities in western Aleppo installed 100 solar-powered street lights on the road between al-Sanam and al-Salam neighborhoods on January 5.
Minister of Tourism Mazen al-Salhani inaugurated the re-opening of the rehabilitated 5-star Khan Suleiman Pasha Hotel in the Old City of Damascus on January 5, alongside Minister of Economy Nidal al-Shaar and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdulsalam Heikal. The original building dates back to 1736.
Education Developments:
Local authorities inaugurated the newly rehabilitated al-Huwayz School in the al-Ghab Plain in northern Hama on January 4.
Governor to Suwayda Mustafa Bakkour inaugurated newly rehabilitated schools in the villages of Jbeib, Sakaka and al-Aslahah in western Suwayda on January 5.
Provincial authorities inaugurated the newly rehabilitated Adnan al-Malki School in Latakia city on January 5, following extensive work funded by a local businessman, Saad al-Din al-Ali.
Health Developments:
Minister of Health Musab al-Ali oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the UAE-based Jazeera Foundation to launch a Syrian-Emirati ‘Medical Readiness Program’ (known as Jazeera Syria) to enhance the Syrian medical sector’s ability to respond to emergencies and disasters. A test pilot program to train 200 medical workers will begin shortly.
Security Developments:
A convoy of UNDOF peacekeeping personnel visited al-Muallaqa in Quneitra on December 30 to meet with residents and discuss ongoing Israeli incursions.
The MOI announced on December 30 that a total of 21 former Assad regime operatives and/or anti-government insurgents had been detained in Latakia over the previous 48hrs in relation to violence amid protests in the governorate on December 28.
The U.S. Central Command announced on December 30 that it had killed and captured a total of 25 ISIS militants in 11 operations in Syria since a deadly attack on U.S. servicemembers in Palmyra on December 13. A total of four ISIS arms caches were also destroyed, it added.
The MOI’s Police Academy in Damascus received and began training its first batch of new applicants for police officer training on January 4.
The MOI announced on January 5 that throughout 2025, a total of 6,331 former Assad regime operatives had been detained and charged with crimes against the Syrian people. It added that a total of 620 ISIS militants had also been captured, and a total of 24 senior ISIS leaders captured or killed.
Humanitarian Developments:
A second batch of Syrian refugees – totaling 29 – returned to Damascus International Airport from Sudan on December 30, with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Medecins Sans Frontiers Netherlands provided diesel fueled residential heaters to displaced Bedouins from Suwayda in the village of al-Maliha al-Sharqiya in Daraa on December 31.
SARC teams distributed food packages to displayed Suwayda citizens currently residing in the villages of Nasr, Nawa, Maaraba and Alma in eastern Daraa on January 3.
SARC teams distributed food packages to displayed Suwayda citizens currently residing in the town of Busra al-Sham in Daraa on January 4.
Staff from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor distributed winter support – including shelter, winter blankets, and coal – to residents of IDP camps in the Afrin district of Aleppo on January 4.
Staff from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor distributed one thousand tonnes of firewood to IDPs in camps in Idlib on January 4.
Staff from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor distributed winter support – including one thousand tonnes of heating materials – to residents of IDP camps in Idlib on January 5.
The WFP delivered a large convoy containing 402 tonnes of flour for bakeries in Suwayda on January 5, along with wheat seeds and fertilizers for the local area’s agricultural sector.
SARC teams delivered food aid to displaced Suwayda citizens currently residing in the towns of Busra al-Harir and Ghassem in eastern Daraa on January 6.
Justice Developments:
Syria’s Central Financial Control Authority announced on December 30 that an investigation had uncovered a corruption case at Homs University Hospital in which purchase invoices were being manipulated by 10-15% in order to selectively secure favored supplier contracts. Arrests were made.
Syria’s Authority for Central Control and Inspection announced on January 4 that it had uncovered a large-scale corruption case within the General Establishment for Railways during Assad regime times in which more than SYP 19 billion has been lost corrupt practices in the pricing and purchasing of parts in 2023 and 2024.
International Developments:
The government of Lebanon announced on January 2 that an investigation was to be launched into the activities of former Assad regime figures inside Lebanon. The announcement came days after several Al Jazeera reports published the findings of a concerted hacking campaign targeting prominent political, security and military figures residing in Lebanon, revealing their ongoing roles in stoking and supporting the anti-government insurgency and protest movements aimed at destabilizing Syria’s post-Assad transition. “There will be no political cover for any activity aimed at turning Lebanon into a platform to target Syria or undermine its security,” said one Lebanese government source.
The Lebanese government announced on January 4 that a total of 35 Syrians had been detained the day prior in a series of raids in the north of the country in relation to “disturbing public order” and drugs charges.
Israeli media reported on January 5 that the Israel Defense Force (IDF) had shared a warning with the Syrian government regarding an alleged plot by Iran and aligned actors to assassinate President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Turkish Ambassador to Syria Nuh Yilmaz announced on January 5 that Turkey’s exports to Syria in 2025 had reached $2.3 billion – an increase of 52.4% compared to 2024. He added that the biggest rise in exports was in the grains and legumes sector, followed by chemicals, construction materials, and pharmaceuticals.
The Syrian-Chinese Business Council signed a memorandum of understanding with the Suzhou Land Group on January 6, establishing plans for several twinning agreements between industrial cities in Syria and China; agreeing to exchange delegations of industrialists and investors; and developing strategic plans to invest in smart industrial cities in Syria.
CONFLICT & SECURITY:
Israel:
Israeli military forces launched at least four separate ground incursions into southern Quneitra on December 31, including one into the village of al-Isbah.
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion towards the village of al-Rufayd in southern Quneitra on January 1, during which they opened fire on a flock of sheep, killing several.
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion into an area located between the villages of Umm al-Azam and al-Mushayfirah in central Quneitra on January 2.
Later that day, another incursion was launched into the village of Jamla in western rural Daraa.
Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion into the Ayn al-Qadi area of southern Quneitra early on January 3 and raided one residential building.
Later that day, additional incursions were launched into Quneitra – one into the Tel Abu Qubays area; one into Ayn al-Ziwan; and another into the village of Briqa.
Israeli military forces seized a flock of approximately 250 goats during a ground incursion into rural western Daraa on January 5.
Later that morning, another incursion towards the village of al-Rufayd in southern Quneitra saw Israeli forces open fire towards a field of sheep, killing five.
Israeli military forces launched two ground incursions into Quneitra early on January 6 — one into the village of Sayda al-Hanout in southern Quneitra; and another into the village of al-Rufayd.
Later that day, another incursion was launched into an area located between the villages of Ayn al-Bayda and Jubata al-Khashab.
Israeli military forces opened fire with heavy machine guns in the direction of a group of civilians on the outskirts of the village of al-Hamadiya in northern Quneitra on January 6. No casualties were reported.
ISIS:
ISIS militants ambushed the vehicle of a local SDF commander in the village of al-Qahtaniya in western rural Raqqa on December 30, but casualties were not confirmed.
Two suspected ISIS militants – identified as Shouakh Mohammed al-Luqman and Bassel Ismail al-Luqman – were detained in a U.S. airdrop raid on a compound in the village of Jadeidat Kahit in eastern rural Raqqa late on December 30.
Two MOI Public Security fighters were injured in a drive-by shooting by suspected ISIS militants on a checkpoint near Ayn al-Nasr in eastern rural Homs on December 31.
One MOI Public Security operative was killed when he pursued an ISIS suicide bomber into an alleyway and tackled him to the ground, prompting the militant to detonate his explosive belt in the Bab al-Faraj district of Aleppo city late on December 31. Two other Public Security operatives were injured. Media reporting indicated that the bomber intended to attack the nearby Saint George Syriac church nearby.
One suspected ISIS operative was captured along with 11 women and 21 children during an attempted large-scale escape attempt from al-Hol Camp in Hasakeh late on January 2.
Four suspected ISIS militants were detained by SDF forces in a targeted raid in Raqqa city late on January 2.
French and British aircraft launched airstrikes on an underground storage and arms cache facility utilized by ISIS in the Jabal al-Amour area, approximately 40km north of Palmyra late on January 3.
Three women and two children were intercepted by SDF-linked Asayish forces while attempting to escape the al-Hol Camp in Hasakeh on January 4.
One SDF fighter was shot dead by two suspected ISIS militants on a motorbike in a targeted attack in Raqqa city early on January 5.
One ISIS militant was detained by MOI forces in a targeted raid in al-Kiswah on January 5. An explosive belt, a rifle, grenades, and a revolver equipped with a silencer were seized from his possession.
One SDF fighter was injured in a targeted attack by ISIS militants on a patrol in the village of Qaws in easter Deir ez Zour late on January 5.
Two SDF fighters were killed when ISIS militants ambushed a security patrol guarding a convoy of oil tankers driving through the town of Jdeidat Okaidat in Deir ez Zour on January 6.
Idlib:
An Australian fighter operating within the Ministry of Defense was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in a targeted attack in the town of Darkush in western Idlib on December 31.
A Tunisian fighter operating within the Ministry of Defense was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in a targeted attack on the road between Kafr Takharim and Armanaz in western Idlib on January 2.
MOI forces detained a former Assad regime officer from the State Security Directorate, Khaled Mohammed al-Hussein, in a targeted raid in Idlib on January 6.
Aleppo:
Government soldiers launched two suicide drones towards SDF positions along the Tishreen Dam frontline on December 30, but they caused no casualties. Tit for tat clashes continued throughout the day.
Three drug smugglers were detained by SDF-linked forces in a targeted raid in Kobani on January 3.
Government military forces captured 8 former Assad regime operatives from Latakia and Tartus while seeking to transit into SDF-held territory through the town of Deir Hafer in eastern Aleppo late on January 4.
MOI forces liberated two hostages and captured a kidnap-for-ransom cell operating in Aleppo during a targeted raid on January 5.
Three government soldiers and two civilians were injured and two vehicles heavily damaged in what the Ministry of Defense claimed had been an SDF suicide drone strike on a checkpoint near Deir Hafer in eastern Aleppo on January 5.
Later that evening, government forces launched several retaliatory artillery strikes on nearby SDF positions, prompting retaliatory SDF shelling that struck several surrounding villages, including al-Kariyah.
Clashes between government forces and the SDF continued into January 6, with two civilians killed and a child injured in SDF shelling of the al-Midan district of Aleppo city; one government soldier killed and another injured in an SDF suicide drone strike on their vehicle at the Sheihan roundabout in Aleppo city; 9 civilian employees of the provincial directorate for agriculture injured when their headquarters was hit by an SDF shell; government shelling killing one civilian and injuring two others in the Sheikh Maqsoud district of Aleppo city; SDF mortar shelling impacting areas in the al-Khalidiyeh, Ashrafiyeh, Sheikh al-Jaber and Layramoun neighborhoods; and tit-for-tat shelling being exchanged along the Deir Hafer and Tel Syriatel frontlines in the eastern countryside. In response to the clashes, the main road linking Aleppo with Gaziantep was closed.
Latakia:
Latakia was placed under curfew from 6pm on December 30, after several days of instability and violence following protests on December 28.
One anti-government insurgent affiliated with the Saraya Daraa al-Sahel and identified as “Lieutenant Abbas” was detained by MOI forces in a targeted raid in Latakia city on January 1.
One anti-government insurgent was detained by MOI forces in a targeted raid near Baniyas on January 1. Evidence revealed his involvement in several assassinations, arson attacks and ambushes in the Baniyas region.
MOI forces captured a former Assad regime NDF commander and anti-government insurgent, identified as Azadshir Kamal Ibrahim, in a targeted raid in Latakia on January 4.
Hama:
One child was killed and another was injured after triggering an unexploded cluster munition in the village of Harbinafsa in southern rural Hama on December 30.
MOI forces detained Assad regime Brigadier General Tarek Mohammed Riziq in a targeted raid in Souran on January 6.
Several anti-government insurgents were captured in a targeted raid by MOI forces in the Wadi al-Ayoun area near Masyaf on January 6. Five Public Security force operatives were injured during the raid and ensuing clashes.
Homs:
Two former regime officers were shot and injured in a targeted attack in Palmyra late on December 30.
One man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen inside his bookstore in the Wadi Dhahab district of Homs city on December 31.
One Shia man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in a targeted attack in the Dahiyat Waleed district of Homs city on January 1.
Two Alawite men were shot and injured in a targeted attack by unidentified gunmen in the Wadi al-Dhahab district of Homs city on January 3.
One man was injured after triggering an unexploded landmine in the al-Biyarat area in the desert east of Palmyra on January 3.
Iraq’s Border Forces Command intercepted several heavy-lift balloons carrying 262,000 captagon pills after their launch from Homs’ eastern desert early on January 4.
Three men were killed in a targeted attack by unidentified gunmen on a local store in the village of Abu Hakfah in eastern rural Homs on January 5.
Raqqa:
A 67-year-old blind man, identified as Khaled al-Marri, was detained by SDF forces in a targeted raid on his home in the village of Jadeidat Ghait in eastern rural Raqqa on January 3.
He was released on January 4.
Hasakeh:
One local man, identified as Omar al-Kashouf, was detained by SDF forces near the town of al-Shadadi on January 5, following an inspection of his phone at a checkpoint revealed photos admiring President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Deir ez Zour:
Heavy clashes erupted between rival tribes in Dhiban in eastern Deir ez Zour on January 1, but no casualties were confirmed.
Three local men – identified as Mohammed Ali al-Muhi, Ayman Hamad al-Salbi and Abdullah Adnan al-Salbi – were detained by SDF forces in a targeted raid in the village of Souseh in eastern Deir ez Zour on January 3. The raid came a day after the 3 men were recorded on video hoisting up Syria’s flag from a power mast in the village.
Clashes erupted between rival clans in the town of al-Shuheil in eastern Deir ez Zour on January 5, but no casualties were reported.
Five organized crime operatives and former Assad regime officers were detained by MOI forces in a series of raids in Deir ez Zour city, al-Mayadin and al-Bukamal on January 6.
Rif Dimashq:
Public Security forces detained a cell of organized crime operatives involved in a string of attacks on high voltage power lines and their subsequent theft in the countryside of southeastern Rif Dimashq on January 5.
Damascus:
A former Assad regime General, Munir Othman, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in a targeted attack in Dimas on January 1.
Three Katyusha rockets were launched by unidentified gunmen into the Mezzeh district of central Damascus late on January 3 – one striking the dome of the al-Mohammadi Mosque, one landing on the outskirts of Mezzeh Airbase, and another a local commercial building.
Daraa:
One young girl was killed after triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of Almah in eastern rural Daraa on January 3.
Two children were injured after triggering an unexploded cluster munition in the village of al-Soura in rural eastern Daraa on January 6.
Suwayda:
One person was killed and two others were injured when a grenade being carried by a Druze militiaman in the midst of being detained by another militiaman detonated in Suwayda city on December 31.
Government MOI forces deployed into the village of al-Shaab in southeastern Suwayda on December 31, following public pleas by local tribal leaders for an intervention against drug smugglers and to provide state services to the local population. The village had been the target of Jordanian airstrikes a week previously.
Jordanian armed forces opened fire with heavy machine guns to repel an attempt by drug smugglers to infiltrate Jordanian territory from the southern Suwayda village of Mughayir late on January 2.
Three Druze militiamen were wounded when their attempted cross-line incursion was repelled by government Public Security forces in the al-Walgha frontline in rural western Suwayda on January 3. The clashes later spread to surrounding areas and led to heavy damage to the local electricity infrastructure.
Jordanian armed forces downed 4 heavy-lift balloons carrying a total of 550,000 captagon pills after their launch from Suwayda’s southern desert late on January 3.
Armed clashes reportedly broke out between rival Druze militias in the town of Salkhad on January 5, amid a conflict over the control of and looting from an abandoned ceramics factory previously owned by the Zeinobia company. Local media claimed National Guard commanders Bassel al-Jarmaqani and Raafat Bali were using their “Elite Force” militia to loot the building, but were confronted by militiamen loyal to another commander, Raif al-Jawhari.
