#Syria: Assad's most closely guarded secret finally revealed - the chemical weapons he kept despite 2013 deal. 54 aerial bombs designed to deliver chemical agents such as Sarin were found by OPCW, as well as precursors. M4000 bomb: www.bellingcat.com/news/middle-... Cc @eliothiggins.bsky.social

#Syria: 📸 showing the assault this morning & the house where A. Youssef was hiding. House is located in his home village (Nabe Tayib) in Ghab - NW. #Hama. A previous op' to capture him failed & this time 3 security perimeters were set up around the site. He tried to resist but was overpowered.

#Syria: distribution of sweets in #Idlib province to celebrate the arrest of Amjad Youssef, main perpetrator of Tadamon massacre in 2013.

#Syria: no age limit for celebrating Justice. From the celebrations in Tadamon district, after the arrest of Amjad Youssef - #Damascus.

#Syria: needless to say, celebrations spread to many regions today after Amjad Youssef was arrested... until Tripoli in Lebanon. Video from Tadamon district.

#Syria: A. Youssef was identified in videos leaked and made public in a 2022 investigation. He executed one by one a group of 40 ppl. What he says in one video is beyond imagination (see pic 3). Nearly 300 Syrians & Palestinians were killed in this massacre. Link: newlinesmag.com/reportage/ho...

#Syria: this morning, an operation launched by the Security forces led to the arrest of one of the Regime's most wanted criminals. Amjad Youssef, the main perpetrator of Tadamon massacre (#Damaccus, April 2013), has been captured. Operation occurred in his home village in the Ghab (NW. #Hama).

Briefly back for a major news regarding Syria.

This photo captures the culmination of #Syria's return to the international scene after the overthrow of Assad's mass-murdering Regime.

#Syria: such a headline was once unthinkable - it's now reality. The symbolic threshold of one million returning refugees has been crossed. www.unhcr.org/news/press-r...

In 2017, Turkish authorities arrested in Ankara a man in possession of a Byzantine-era Bible smuggled from #Syria. The manuscript, made up of 17 gazelle-skin pages, is estimated to $1.5 million. www.yenisafak.com/gundem/15-mi...

Tonight Zelensky announced the restoration of diplomatic relations between Ukraine & Syria following his historic meeting with Sharaa in New York. Ukraine cut relations with Damascus in June 2022 after Assad recognized "independence" of Donetsk and Luhansk's regions.

#Syria: today US Commerce Department eased export restrictions to Syria. US goods, software & tech for civilian use, com' devices & certain civil aviation components can now be exported to Syria w/o export license. Licenses are still required for other items but the process will be facilitated.

#Syria: the White Helmets have a pavilion at the #Damascus International Fair. They explain how they were founded & the lifesaving work they carried out under harsh conditions. As symbol of being regularly targeted by Assad & Russia, they brought one of their ambulances destroyed in a bombardment.

#Syria: an experienced deminer was killed today in the #Palmyra desert. Bashar Abu Omar previously dismantled an insane number of mines on the former Greater Idlib fronts. He was from Maaret Numan.

#Syria: the Amal suburb was officially inaugurated near Harem (NW. #Idlib province). The project, made up of 144 apartments, aims to relocate around 850 people who lost their homes in the February 2023 earthquake. The area is fully equipped & will begin receiving its new residents in a few days.

#Syria: the Security forces arrested Major General & Pilot Riyad Yusuf in #Latakia province. He previously held several positions: commander of Dumayr Airbase in Damascus province - a base used for numerous airstrikes in the region - and Director of Air Operations (at least during 2018–2019).

#Syria: the Energy minister announced that an agreement was signed with the Saudi company "ACWA Power" to build two giant power plants using renewable energy (solar & wind). The total expected capacity of the plants is 2.5 GW, which will nearly double the country’s current electricity production.

#Syria: over a thousand Security guards as well as K9 units (to detect explosives) are mobilized to secure the #Damascus International Fair. It also includes, for the first time, an unit using quadruped robots.

#Syria: the Dead Cities of #Idlib province. Those are hundreds of villages dating back to the Byzantine era - some of them are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. In some buildings - around 1,500 years old - everything has been preserved, except the wooden elements. Photos from Shinshira 👇

Jordan thwarted 2 attempts to smuggle Captagon via the Jaber border crossing with #Syria in recent days. In total, 750,000 Captagon pills were seized: - 600K pills were concealed in the tires of a truck - an individual hid 2 bags containing 150K tablets in an external yard of the crossing.

Syrian craft on display at the #Damascus International Fair.

#Syria: a new aid convoy (~30 trucks) entered #Suwayda province today. However, for the first time since last month’s clashes, it didn't use the Bosra corridor; instead, it traveled via the main Damascus-Suwayda road, which has been reopened. Last photo shows the road when it was closed.

#Syria: Israeli attacks were triggered after Defense Ministry troops uncovered yesterday an advanced spy system in a base near Kiswah, S. Damascus. They were killed while trying to neutralize it. MoD fighters nonetheless managed to destroy a part of it. The landing op' was to recover the remains.

#Syria: aerial view of the #Damascus International Fair which opened tonight for 9 days.

#Syria: the city of #Hama tonight.

#Syria: Israel apparently carried out a landing operation tonight in area of Kiswah (S. #Damascus), which was bombed at least 13 times.

Few km from #Damascus International Fair, which is officially inaugurated tonight, Israel is currently heavily bombing area of Kiswah.

#Syria: #Damascus is hosting the 62nd edition of its International Fair, which opened its gates tonight. It will be the biggest economic event in over a decade. 20+ countries, incl. Syria, will be represented by over 900 companies. Inauguration ceremony under theme "Syria embraces the World" 👇

#Syria: camps are being emptied, with many displaced people returning to their hometowns. Those who remain now live around demolished houses, stripped of everything by those who left to start a new life. Video from #Idlib province 👇

#Syria: a 5th fighter (44th Division, from Kafr Nabuda) was killed yesterday in S. #Damascus in an explosion which was the result of an Israeli drone strike.

#Syria: the first ship carrying barley from Europe (19,000 tons from Romania) arrived at the port of #Tartus last night.

#Syria: 2 kidnapping operations targeted within the span of few days 2 people from Zahraa (Shiite town in N. Aleppo) who were living in S. Zeinab district in #Damascus. The fate of the first remains unknown while the second one was executed.

#Syria: 13 years ago today, Rebels shot down one of the very first #SyAF helicopters (a Mi-8 gunship). Hit over the E. #Ghouta, it crashed in Qabun district. The 4 crew members died, including the 2 pilots (Colonels).

#Syria: yesterday 10 families from the Mahmoudly camp (near Tabqa - SDF-held area) returned to their hometowns in #DeirEzzor province, in collaboration with UNCHR. This was the first batch to leave the camp - more families registered for future convoys.

#Syria: ppl commemorate #Daraya massacre (2012). In a week, 500+ ppl were killed in shelling & house-to-house executions. Regime thought this wld crush the opposition there once 4 all. Instead it made residents so determined, Daraya became one of the most stubborn bastions of resistance vs Assad.

#Syria: today 42 trucks, mostly carrying food supplies, were dispatched to #Suwayda province, as part of the aid deliveries following last month's clashes.

#Syria: 2 different types of architecture in the city of #Aleppo: the Rahman Mosque and the Franciscan nuns' convent.

The Lebanese national killed this morning by the Border Guards in area of Serghaya (W. #Damascus) is identified (Zain Issa). Border Guards commander says he was trying to smuggle drugs into #Syria and the shipment was seized. His brother was arrested.

#Syria: today, 4 members of the Defense Ministry were killed in an explosion in #Damascus countryside, amidst conflicting reports about its cause. All were from Idlib province.

#Syria: 2 years ago today, Rebels detonated a tunnel bomb under Malajah hill (S. Idlib), which allowed Rebels to seize it. Despite massive Russian firepower, Regime was unable to take it back. It was 1st Rebels' territorial gain since 2020 & an early sign of how balance on the ground had shifted.

#Syria: a man was killed at dawn today following an Israeli strike on a house in Trinjeh (N. #Quneitra province). It comes as Israel launched multiple raids in the province (including Suisah & Trinjeh)

#Syria: clashes erupted today between the Border Guards and smugglers coming from Lebanon. One Lebanese and one Syrian - both claimed to be smugglers - were killed; several wounded also reported. The clashes took place near Serghaya (area of Zabadani - W. #Damascus).

Just 2 days after thwarting a drug smuggling attempt from S. #Syria, Jordanian forces downed another balloon carrying ~30,000 Captagon pills. The incident occurred again in the Eastern Military District, opposite #Suwayda province. www.hala.jo/2025/08/26/%...

#Syria: #Safita lake (#Tartus province) is also experiencing very low levels amidst the ongoing severe drought. Buildings that were submerged when the dam was built are now reemerging.

#Syria: the Milky Way over #Palmyra - AFP.

#Syria: another shipment of drugs coming from Lebanon was seized in #Damascus province. Border Guards clashed with the smugglers in area of Zabadani, forcing them to abandon nearly 500 packs of Hashish.

The US Treasury has fully removed #Syria from its sanctions list, allowing US companies to engage with Damascus for first time in 21 years. This will take effect starting tomorrow. The final step: abrogation of the Caesar Act by Congress, which is currently suspended by a Trump's executive order.

The preparations to reopen the Walid border crossing between #Syria and #Iraq are nearing completion. The crossing is close to Al-Tanf and leads to Damascus, Homs and Palmyra. Photos from the Iraqi side.

#Syria: the Neurological Care Department of #Hama National Hospital reopened after its rehabilitation. Its equipment was also renewed. Work to modernize other departments continues.