“We will not tire or give up and will work day and night to build the Syria we aspire to, together with our citizens….. What we rely on is our people, who possess determination and ambition.”
~ Asaad al-Shaibani, Syrian Foreign Minister, 14 February 2026
News Highlights
News about Syria from Around the World
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Syrians gather in front of a Syrian Trade Establishment (STE) outlet in Homs. (Syrian Trade Establishment)Syria introduces food outlets to maintain affordability of essential goods
25 March 2026. Syria has initiated a public-private partnership to stabilize prices and improve food security, with plans to open 100 outlets across the country. Goods will be sold near cost, creating a longterm, affordable pricing system, beginning in Damascus and expanding nationwide.
Read more at: LEVANT24
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Syrian Investment Authority officials meet with representatives of the International Court of Arbitration, part of the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris. (SANA)Syrian and international officials meet in Paris to explore new avenues for economic cooperation
24 March 2026. A Syrian Investment Authority delegation met ICA President Claudia Salomon to discuss economic cooperation and improvements to Syria’s business environment, joined by Syrian-French business representatives and French diplomatic officials.
Read more at: SANA
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“Even in the deepest darkness, cultural traditions can endure, adapt, and ultimately help heal a wounded nation.” (SANA)Syrians reclaim joys of Eid al-Fitr after painful decades of suppression
23 March 2026. During decades of dictatorship, Eid had become a marker of loss—a time of mourning for joyful family and communal celebrations. Since the regime’s fall in 2024, it has become an occasion for reclaiming social and cultural identity and a symbol of resilience.
Read more at: SANA
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Syria’s Health Ministry announces a nationwide campaign to treat advanced glaucoma and cataract related blindness. (Syrian Ministry of Health)Syria launches national campaign to restore vision and improve quality of life
23 March 2026. Syria’s Health Ministry announced registration for the treatment of severe cases of glaucoma and cataract-related blindness, in cooperation with the Arab European Ophthalmology Society (AEOS). The campaign reflects the development of specialized health care and strengthened international scientific cooperation.
Read more at: SANA
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Syrians celebrate liberation from the Assad regime in Damascus, December 2025. (Omar Sanadiki:AP)Syria posts one of the year’s biggest gains in global freedom rankings
22 March 2026. Syria gained five points in the 2025 “Freedom in the World” index, which measures political rights and civil liberties. Freedom House cited progress in media activity, personal freedoms, and the absence of journalist arrests. The gain was especially notable at a time of global decline in freedoms.
Read more at: LEVANT24
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President Ahmad al-Sharaa and First Lady, Latifa al-Droubi, host reception for Syrian women on Eid al-Fitr and Mother’s Day, March 21, 2026. (SANA)President al-Sharaa celebrates role of mothers in building families, communities, and the nation
21 March 2026. At a gathering at the People’s Palace, the President honored Syrian women for their immense sacrifices while standing as pillars of the nation and partners in Syria’s renaissance. In an open dialogue, he sought their perspectives on rebuilding the country’s social and economic fabric.
Read more at: SANA
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During Eid prayers at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, March 20, 2026, President addresses the current state of recovery. (L: Syrian Arab Republic Presidency, R: L24)Syria is becoming a force for stability and security, states President
20 March 2026. Speaking to a gathering at Eid, the President highlighted Syria’s economic achievements, recovery plans, and its role in creating stability. “Syria has moved into a new phase,” he said, “transforming from a conflict arena into a force contributing to stability and security both internally and regionally.”
Read more at: ENABBALADI
See also: LEVANT24
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President Ahmad al-Sharaa signs decrees raising salaries and wages for public and joint-sector employees. (SANA)Incomes of Syria’s workforce significantly boosted by Presidential decree
20 March 2026. President al-Sharaa issued a decree raising wages by 50 percent, expanding coverage to all public sector and joint-sector employees including temporary and part-time workers, and setting a new minimum wage. The measure is to be implemented by May 1, 2026.
Read more at: SANA
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The World Bank announced grants to Syria signalling a reopening of international cooperation channels. (Image: World Bank)World Bank grants to Syria strengthen the foundations of economic recovery
16 March 2026. Analysts see recent World Bank grants to Syria as a significant sign of a reopening of channels of cooperation between Syria and the major global development organizations. The Bank’s grants focus on institutional reforms that will spur investor confidence.
Read more at: SANA
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Iftar event for orphans and their families held in al-Yasmeen Sports Hall, Damascus, March 15, 2026. (SANA)Ramadan event held for nearly 1,000 orphans to strengthen social solidarity
16 March 2026. Two humanitarian NGOs partnered with the local arm of the Damascus Governate to host nearly 1,000 orphans and their families during Ramadan. The “Solidarity Table” event featured recreational, educational, and cultural activities along with gifts for the children.
Read more at: SANA
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Celebration of the revolution’s triumph. (SANA)Syria celebrates all who sacrificed for revolution’s triumph, on 15th anniversary
15 March 2026. Peaceful protests against decades of tyranny, corruption and humiliation, beginning in Daraa in 2011, led to a popular uprising and civil war, ending in Syria’s rebirth. The revolution’s ideals of freedom, dignity, justice, and accountability became signposts of the new Syria.
Read more at: SANA
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A jubilant Kurdish community gathers in celebration of Nowruz, Kurdish New Year, lighting the torch of freedom. (Radio Free Syria)Kurdish New Year, Nowruz (New Day), to be observed as national public holiday for first time in history
15 March 2026. Kurds across Syria will celebrate Nowruz openly on March 21, 2026 as their long restricted heritage is honored by the Syrian state. “A free Syria has room for all its sons,” commented Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, pointing to the nation’s expanding pluralism.
Read more at: RADIO FREE SYRIA
Read more News Highlights
Perspectives
Essays Reflecting on the New Syria
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A Quiet Revolution
A quiet revolution is taking place in Syria today. Its source is an approach to national unity and peace rooted in inclusion, mutual dignity, and shared responsibility. This essay highlights a dramatic example of change in an area heavily conflicted for decades, where armed violence broke out last year several months after the new government came to power, and where police officers from groups once considered mortal enemies now serve side by side. Syria’s new leaders are modeling pathways to peace that speak to the challenges of human coexistence in a divided world.
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The Miracle of Syria
There is no rational explanation for what has occurred. A despotic regime backed by a military superpower was deposed in a bloodless coup by a band of revolutionaries in eleven days. The coup was orchestrated by a militia leader who seamlessly assumed the role of head of state, rapidly gaining respect at home and abroad. A despondent people, living in fear and despair for many decades, experienced the ecstatic joy of liberation, unleashing a flood of creative energy for rebuilding homes, schools and hospitals, drawing millions of Syrians to return from exile. A country in ruins quickly became a vast…
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Damascus in Islamic Prophecy
In these turbulent times, as the world appears to slip further into chaos, people are turning to end-times prophecies for guidance or for comfort. Such prophecies exist in several major world religions—Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the three Abrahamic religions—and some lesser-known ones such as Zoroastrianism. All of these ancient revelations predict the appearance of a messianic figure who will raise humanity from the depths of darkness and inaugurate a new era of light.
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A Catalyst for Middle East Unity and Stability
The Middle East stands at a potential turning point with the emergence of a new government in Syria. After nearly fourteen years of devastating civil war, foreign incursions, and humanitarian crises, the rise of new Syrian leadership offers an extremely rare opportunity for regional recalibration.
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From out of the Rubble, Life and Hope
The White Helmets lived the meaning of sacrifice—leaving their own families to save others under fire. “It’s hard to be away from your family,” one volunteer said, “but life requires sacrifice.” In a global culture that is shaped by the desire for personal comfort and that exhibits indifference to the suffering of others, their courage stands as a quiet challenge.
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Healing From Syria’s Past
Those who liberated Syria from dictatorship face the daunting task of uniting groups that have seen each other as enemies for generations. Ancient resentments and the desire for revenge cannot be erased overnight. The new government is seeking to establish trust in a land and region of the world where there has been little trust in those who ruled, where brutal leaders were frequently replaced by violent coups, and where dynasties held onto power through harsh and often cruel mechanisms of control.
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The Power of Understanding
The word ‘understand’ carries several meanings, but one of the most significant ones is the ability to show a sympathetic or tolerant attitude toward others. Achieving this kind of understanding is a result of our collective evolution—an expression of the wisdom born from the union of heart and mind.
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The Legacy of Ancient Syria
To understand any nation, especially one whose origins date back many thousands of years, we need to know something about the forces that shaped it. A positive outcome of the long history of trade, turmoil, and constant population shifts is that ancient Aram/Syria became a true melting pot, laying the foundations for a pluralistic civilization. Syria is one of the most multicultural nations in the Middle East, if not the world.
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Terrorists or Heroes?
Can a person who committed acts of terrorism become a national leader and a warrior for peace and unity? To most people this would seem like an unresolvable paradox, a virtual impossibility. Yet world history provides numerous examples of individuals who have used violence in struggles for just causes and who later became admired political figures, leading nations and fighting for the welfare of their people.
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The Appearance of Miracles
In less than six months, a nation that was on the brink of failure has been revived and is undergoing a transformation, an unfathomable occurrence in the normal course of events. Signs point to the presence of a new generation of leaders, whose sole motive is to serve their people and bring peace to a region embroiled in conflict over centuries.
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Rebuilding Syria
For peacefully protesting against the dictatorship, the Syrian people lived in terror of endless war and repression… and its population became increasingly impoverished, with large sections of cities destroyed and lying in ruins… The new leaders quickly began to establish the rule of law and an environment of freedom for all Syrian peoples… demonstrating a strong will to reconstruct the nation as a democratic state that respects human rights, seeks unity among the diversity of peoples, and is committed to the common good.
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Breaking the Endless Cycle of War
Humanity stands at a crossroads. We have the power to reject our inheritance of mutual destruction and build, instead, a future based on mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation. This possibility rests on potentials of our species that have been largely untapped until now: an active willingness to listen, a capacity for forgiveness, the aspiration to reach across human divides, and the awareness that no group or nation thrives when others suffer… In the case of Syria, the new leadership has held up these qualities as paramount for the rebirth of the country.