Bashar al-Assad

The 11th round of Syria peace talks in the Astana format started on Wednesday with a meeting between the representatives of Russia and Syria's Bashar al-Assad regime in the Kazakh capital, reported Anadolu Agency.

Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Oct. 7 that the Russian-Turkish deal to avert a military offensive in the northwestern province of Idlib is a "temporary one" that prevented bloodshed but that his government's goal is to restore control over all of Syria.

Thousands of Syrian children, who lost many of their relatives and took refuge in Turkey after fleeing the civil war, are hoping for a better future.

SOFIA: Bulgarian authorities have charged a Swiss citizen with terrorism and arms smuggling after he was arrested trying to cross the border with Turkey to reach Syria, the prosecutors office said on Thursday.

Reuters, Ankara. Turkey is reinforcing its military posts inside Syria's rebel-held province of Idlib, Turkish and Syrian rebels sources say, seeking to deter a government offensive which it says would unleash a humanitarian disaster on its border.

Iran, Russia and Turkey were unable to overcome their differences at a Tehran summit on Friday as they held talks on an imminent offensive against the last rebel stronghold in Syria, amid warnings from the international community of a looming humanitarian disaster.

Russia's Ministry of Defense said on Thursday it would hold naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea from Sept. 1 to Sept. 8 and that 25 vessels and 30 planes would take part, the TASS news agency reported.

The ministry said the drills would involve carrying out anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and anti-mining exercises.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin this weekend to discuss the conflicts in Syria and Eastern Ukraine.

The two leaders will meet at Schloss Meseberg outside Berlin on Saturday for talks on Ukraine and Syria, as well as the controversial gas pipeline Nord Stream II, government spokesperson Steffen Seibert confirmed on Monday.

Syria's first lady Asma Assad has begun treatment for breast cancer, the presidency said Wednesday, wishing her a speedy recovery.

Rebel groups in Syria's Idlib province on Wednesday announced the formation of a new coalition, as President Bashar al-Assad looks to turn his sights on the northwestern region.