A specialised economic analysis has revealed a striking concentration of new company formations in Syria’s capital and its surrounding countryside during the first half of 2025, raising significant questions about the direction of reconstruction, resource allocation, and the formulation of future economic incentives. According to data compiled by the team behind The Syria Report newsletter,…

The death of 14-year-old Syrian detainee Muhannad Muhammad al-Ahmad at Lebanon’s Roumieh Juvenile Detention Centre—known locally as “al-Warwar”—has ignited widespread condemnation from human rights advocates, exposing deep flaws in the country’s juvenile justice system. Detained for three months, al-Ahmad died on 29 September. While official reports cite sudden cardiac and respiratory arrest, his family alleges…

A senior delegation from Syria’s Ministry of Defence, led by Chief of the General Staff Maj Gen Ali al-Naasan, arrived in Moscow on Wednesday in a bid to deepen military and security coordination between Damascus and Russia. Though officials have described the visit as part of routine diplomatic engagement, it has triggered fierce domestic criticism,…

In just a few days, Syria is set to hold what is nominally a legislative election. Yet the signs are unmistakable: this is not a representative process, but a rebranded mechanism of appointment—unfit, unfree, and unworthy of the name. In the absence of a safe environment, amid the collapse of state institutions and the fragmentation…

A partial ceiling collapse occurred this morning at the historic Saraya building—formerly the headquarters of the Syrian Ministry of Interior—located in Al-Marjeh Square in central Damascus. The incident took place amid ongoing renovation works following a fire that damaged the structure in June. According to local sources and the Syrian Civil Defence, between five and…

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has met with a delegation of Syrian businessmen residing in China to discuss strategies for supporting the national economy and the contribution of skilled Syrians abroad to these efforts. According to the Syrian Presidency, Sharaa received the delegation at the People’s Palace on Tuesday. The meeting focused on leveraging the expertise…

In analysing the current Syrian and broader Middle Eastern context, it becomes essential to examine the structural difference between the notion of the “state” and the condition of an “alternative authority” that emerges in its absence. A state consists of governmental institutions and administrative bodies responsible for managing public affairs, upholding constitutional law, and implementing…