Bashar al-Assad

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Tueday visited the Mariamite Cathedral of Damascus, one of the oldest Greek Orthodox churches in the capital, as part of a rare visit to Syria.

A delegation from Turkey will travel to the Russian capital of Moscow on Dec. 23 to discuss Syria and Libya, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

According to diplomatic sources, the Turkish delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal, traveled to Moscow weeks before Russian President Vladimir Putin's planned visit to Turkey on Jan. 8, 2020.

At least 80,000 Syrians moved near Turkey's border in the past five days following intense attacks by Bashar al-Assad]s regime, Russia and Iran backed-groups in this northern Syrian province, the Director of Syria's Response Coordination Group Mohammad Halaj said Friday. 

Halaj said at least 180,000 civilians were displaced since the beginning of November in Idlib due to the attacks.

The U.S. Senate has passed a $738 billion budget for the Pentagon which includes new sanctions within six months against Syria, Iran, and Russia for their "war crimes" during the Syrian civil war.

The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020 was approved on Dec. 18 by an 86-6 bipartisan vote after passing the House of Representatives last week.

Russia, supporting Assad regime in Syria, settled in two bases in Ayn al-Arab previously emptied by the U.S. soldiers, according to local sources.

Two Syrians, former agents of the secret services, have been charged in Germany with crimes against humanity. This was announced today by the federal prosecutor's office, BTA quoted France Press.

New developments have complicated the situation in Syria. Kurdish officials have announced they have reached an agreement with Bashar al-Assad's government forces. The Syrian army marched north against Turkey's offensive in Kurdish-populated areas. This creates the risk of even greater conflict and direct clash between Syria and Turkey.

Five children were among the dead when the Assad regime hit a de-escalation zone in northwest Syria on Aug. 28, according to local sources.

A top U.N. adviser warned on June 6 of a humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib, northwestern Syria, where the Bashar al-Assad regime has been stepping up airstrikes.       

An Orthodox Church delegation including Patriarch Irinej and the Montenegrin bishop Amfilohije met Bashar al-Assad on Monday evening, with the Serbian religious leader and the Syrian president exchanging warm words over Serbia's stance on Kosovo and the ongoing conflict in Syria.