- Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Damascus says Israeli air strikes that shook the Syrian capital on Friday night targeted the headquarters of the army’s fourth division and a radar battalion in the nearby countryside.
- Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Damascus and other towns and cities across the country on Friday to celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
- New satellite images appear to show Russia’s military packing up equipment at Khmeimim airbase in Syria’s Latakia province, though Russian media reports that Moscow has made contact with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) opposition group and is seeking to maintain its bases in the country.
- The Arab League has condemned Israel’s grab for Syrian land in the buffer zone between the two countries.
- Jordan is scheduled to host an emergency summit on Syria, which will be attended by top diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Turkiye, the US, the European Union and the UN.
- Official says Russian cargo plane departs Syria for Libya: ReportThe plane has taken off from Russia’s air base in Latakia for Libya, a Syrian security official stationed outside the facility tells the Reuters news agency.The official stationed at the gate told Reuters that additional Russian departures from the Hmeimim air base in Syria’s coastal Latakia province are expected in the coming days.On Friday, satellite images showed Russia moving military equipment at Syria’s Hmeimim air base, with two Antonov AN-124 cargo planes visible, the agency also said.
- Syrians continue to return through Turkiye border crossingMany Syrian citizens continue to return to their country through the border crossing with neighbouring Turkiye in the aftermath of the downfall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, taking their belongings with them.Translation: Taking their home furniture with them.. Thousands of Syrians in Turkiye return to their country from the Oncupinar border gate in Kilis province, opposite the Bab al-Salam crossing, north of Aleppo.
- Interim Syrian administration trying to present itself as a legitimate representativeReporting from Damascus, SyriaA lot is at stake for Syrian people and the new administration here because this is the first time that new stakeholders are gathering around a table.So everybody is trying to recalibrate their policies to reposition themselves and that’s why it’s significant for the interim government in Syria. There are some governments that have strong lines of communication with the new government, like Turkiye and Qatar.The new government in Syria now has two priorities. The first is to restore order and to prepare Syria for a post al-Assad time, with the second focusing on making sure it’s not isolated from the world.They’re sending messages after messages to other stakeholders. It’s extremely important for them now to preserve order and have a smooth transition. They are looking to establish themselves as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people on the international stage.They have restored security in Damascus, there have not been major crimes in the capital six days after the fall of the al-Assad regime.Now, things are not working at full capacity because the interim government does not have enough manpower to take control of all government apparatuses and institutions across the country. However, there have not been reports of major disruptions, either
- FBI releases age-progressed photo of missing journalist TiceThe agency has posted on X an edited photo of Austin Tice, a American journalist who disappeared in Syria in 2012, showing what he might look like in his 40s.The renewed effort comes after the fall of Assad regime in Syria, as officials intensify their push to locate and bring Tice home.“Given recent events in Syria, the FBI is renewing our call for information that could lead to the safe location, recovery, and return of Austin Bennett Tice, who was detained in Damascus in August 2012,” FBI said in its statement on X.“The FBI and our government partners remain committed to bringing Austin home to his family, and we are still offering a reward of up to $1m for information that leads to Austin’s safe return,” it added.Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who worked for outlets such as CBS and The Washington Post, disappeared on August 14, 2012, shortly after his 31st birthday.He was reportedly stopped at a checkpoint in a Damascus suburb while covering Syria’s civil war.
Syria live news: Israel bombs near Damascus as Syrians celebrate freedom
