Bashar al-Assad

Syria

Lebanon extradites al-Assad's general to Syria for war crimes trial

The move comes as the new Syrian government, led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa looks to hold senior members of al-Assad’s regime accountable for crimes committed during the country’s civil war, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

20 August 2026

Syria

Syria sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for war crimes

A Syrian court handed death sentences to Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher — both in absentia — alongside their cousin Atef Najib, who attended the trial in a cage and was found guilty of leading the 2011 Daraa crackdown that sparked the civil war.

11 August 2026

Europe News

Global chemical weapons watchdog reinstates Syria’s voting rights

In 2013, Syria agreed to join the OPCW and disclose and hand over its toxic stockpile under Russian and US pressure and to avert the threat of air strikes by Washington and its allies.

9 July 2026

World News

Mourners in Damascus bury blast victims as officials promise justice

Although there is so far no indication who carried out the attack, many were quick to blame loyalists of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in an insurgent offensive in December 2024.

3 July 2026

Europe News

Syrians accused of torture during al-Assad era go on trial in Austria

Austrian law provides for the jurisdiction of local courts over certain offences committed abroad and the Vienna court has jurisdiction in this case because the defendants reside there.

1 June 2026

Syria

Saydnaya residents demand links to notorious Syrian prison must end

Residents of Saidnaya reject linking the town to a nearby military prison, saying the label damages its identity as a city that is home to miracles and a sacred shrine and obscures its actual history of peaceful coexistence.

5 May 2026

Netherlands

Syrian accused of torture for al-Assad denies charges in Dutch court

The trial is based on universal jurisdiction, a legal principle that allows suspects to be prosecuted for international offenses such as war crimes even if they are committed in another country.

8 April 2026

World News

Syria opens border for return of thousands fleeing strikes in Lebanon

The reopenings are not limited to the Jussiyeh and Yabous crossings, but have been extended to the Masnaa border crossing in Lebanon's Bekaa region, the main land crossing between the two countries.

4 March 2026

Food and Drink

Ramadan festive foods: Rituals and treats in Syria's month of fasting

Ramadan rituals and customs in Syria vary from region to region. Although some of them have been preserved, such as the "whitening of the safra" with milk and the "sukba" between neighbours, nowadays, many tables have been transformed into food baskets distributed by charitable organisations.

28 February 2026

Syria

Syrians work to erase al-Assad cult of personality after regime fall

Under the previous dynastic regime, Syria went from a homeland for all to a "real estate registry" for the al-Assad family. Now, the interim government is undoing the hold the al-Assads had on Syrians for decades.

18 February 2026

Syria

Iran is plotting to assassinate Syria's al-Sharaa, Israel warns

Israeli intelligence has warned Iran is planning to organise a hit against Syria's interim president, as further reports claim former al-Assad loyalists are pouring money into Alawite minority militias in alleged uprising plots.

6 January 2026

Syria

Lifting of US sanctions on Syria could spur refugee returns, UN says

The UN refugee agency reports that altogether more than 1 million refugees and nearly 2 million internally displaced Syrians have returned to their homes since Bashar al-Assad's fall.

18 December 2025

Syria

Was al-Assad's top adviser assassinated before his downfall in Syria?

Syria's ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad's adviser Luna al-Shibl died in a suspected hit after Tehran's top general warned she was a spy. Recently leaked videos show her mocking Putin and Hezbollah with al-Assad.

10 December 2025

Syria

One year after ouster, al-Assad lives in supervised Moscow exile

Former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad lives in Moscow under strict Russian supervision with banned public appearances, limited movements and no political activity since fleeing Damascus in December 2024.

8 December 2025

Syria

Activist urges Germany to retain Syria asylum amid persecution fears

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz argues against granting asylum to Syrians after al-Assad's regime fell, but critics warn the country remains unsafe for minorities and women.

4 December 2025

Syria

Syrians in Europe weigh up going home one year after al-Assad’s fall

Euronews spoke to Syrians about their experiences of going back to the country after years as refugees and the push-and-pull factors that made them go. Some were enthusiastic to stay, while others were wary of the country’s future.

28 November 2025