Riad al-Zein
Arab World Jordanian army patrol on the border with Syria (AFP)

‘Forceful Smuggling’: Drug Networks’ New Direction on Syrian-Jordanian Border

Smuggling networks in southern Syria have developed new tactics for their cross-border operations towards Jordan. No longer content with attempting…

Riad al-Zein (Daraa)
Arab World A handout picture released by the Suwayda24 news site shows people protesting in the southern Syrian city of Sweida on August 29, 2023. (Suwayda24/ AFP)

Protests Persist in Syria’s Sweida in Spite of Damascus’ Efforts to Contain them

Anti-government protests have persisted in Syria’s Sweida for the 12th consecutive day. Several people took to the streets on Thursday in the city center to…

Riad al-Zein (Daraa (southern Syria))
Arab World Individuals at the reconciliation center in Daraa Al-Mahatta city, Syria (an image circulated on social media platforms)

Comprehensive Settlement for Daraa Residents Directed by Syrian President

The local security committee in Syria’s Daraa province, following President Bashar al-Assad’s directives, has called for a comprehensive settlement to address…

Riad al-Zein (Daraa)
Arab World Southern Syria: Sanctions Alone Cannot Eliminate Captagon Industry

Southern Syria: Sanctions Alone Cannot Eliminate Captagon Industry

Local leaders in southern Syria underestimated the impact of the sanctions imposed by the United States and Britain on Syrian figures involved in cooperating…

Riad al-Zein (Daraa)
Features Crowds of youths are seen outside the Department of Immigration and Passports in Daraa. (Daraa 24 Network)

Compulsory Military Service Prompts Migration of Youths in Southern Syria

Syrian youths seeking to avoid mandatory military service by the regime usually flee to the southern provinces of Daraa and Sweida where some regions are still…

Riad al-Zein (Daraa)
Arab World Laith Al-Balous meeting a host of social and religious leaders in his hometown residence in Sweida’s countryside. (Moudafat al-Karama)

Al-Balous: Elimination of Falhout Militia Helps Eradicate Iranian Expansion in Syria’s Sweida

Laith Al-Balous, the son of the late Syrian Druze leader sheikh Wahid Al-Balous, founder of the “Rijal al Karama” movement in south Syria’s Sweida region,…

Riad al-Zein (Daraa)
Arab World The headquarters of the Fajr forces during the clashes. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Regime Faction Ousted from Syria’s Sweida after Intense Fighting

Clashes between gunmen supporting the Damascus regime and others opposed to it in the majority-Druze southern province of Sweida killed at least 17 people this…

Riad al-Zein (Daraa)
Arab World A photo released by Sweida24 shows a Russian patrol in Dhibin.

Russian Patrols Comb Border Areas in Southern Syria

Russian military police on Thursday conducted patrols in the governorates of Daraa and Sweida in southern Syria, a private source told Asharq Al-Awsat. “For…

Riad al-Zein (Daraa)