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Damascus revives traditional Ramadan celebration, reconnecting people in the digital age
16 February 2026. Welcoming the holy month of Ramadan, the centuries-old Damascene custom of Takriza was renewed through cultural initiatives bringing people together in communal celebrations, in anticipation of the month of daily fasting.
Read more at: SANA
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Mohammed Anjarani, Minister of Local Administration and Environment on left, and Maher Marwan, Governor of Damascus on right. (SANA, Syrian Observer)State ministry expands powers of local governors in major shift toward decentralization
16 February 2026. In the goal of improving responsiveness to citizens’ needs and accelerating reconstruction, the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment granted broad powers to provincial governors, a move that raised questions about local capacity, oversight and safeguards.
Read more at: SYRIAN OBSERVER
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Syria’s UN envoy, Ibrahim Olabi, highlights major recent advances at Security Council briefing. (SANA)“Syria continues to transform challenges into achievements,” stated Ambassador Olabi
14 February 2026. Thanking UN Security Council members for their continued support of Syria’s drive toward unity, Olabi said northeastern Syria had shifted from a major challenge to a national achievement, with a comprehensive ceasefire agreement with SDF and its full integration into state institutions.
Read more at: SANA
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Syrian FM Asaad al-Shaibani (center) met with SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi (to his left), Kurdish political leader, Ilham Ahmad (right), and EU and US representatives on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, 13 February 2026. (L24 Social Media)SDF leader affirms ceasefire will be permanent, while citing remaining problems
14 February 2026. During the Munich Security Conference, Minister al-Shaibani met with US and Kurdish leaders, discussing recent developments involving SDF’s military and administrative integration into the Syrian state. Abdi told reporters that the Munich meeting with Syria, EU and US was “positive.”
Read more at: LEVANT24
Watch video at: YOUTUBE
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Syria’s Ministry of Energy signed a 700-megawatt wind power agreement, 11 February 2026. (Ministry of Energy)Wind power agreement advances Syria’s commitment to renewable energy
12 February 2026. Syria’s Ministry of Energy signed an agreement to install 140 locally manufactured wind turbines and link them to the national grid, aiming to boost generation capacity and advance the country’s renewable energy strategy.
Read more at: ENABBALADI
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Director and founder of the Syrian Cultural House, Taqwa Alal, speaks at launch of the new program sponsored by the Ministry of Culture. (SANA)Nationwide initiative seeks to bring arts and culture into every home
12 February 2026. The Syrian Cultural House project aims to democratize culture and support creative individuals and their initiatives, revitalizing and broadening Syria’s cultural landscape to include participation beyond that of traditional elites.
Read more at: SANA
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The al-Tanf military outpost in southern Syria, seen here in 2018, has been taken over by Syrian army units. (Lolita Baldor : AP)Syria’s armed forces replace US forces at strategic military base in fight against ISIS
12 February 2026. Syrian forces assumed control of the al-Tanf military base in southeastern Syria, near the border with Iraq and Jordan, as part of a coordinated transition from US to Syrian control. The US will remain on hand to support Syrian forces in combatting threats from ISIS that arise in the area.
Read more at: ALJAZEERA
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Damascus University filled with students, academics, and members of civil society to explore creating peace through art and dialogue. (SANA)Event highlights the arts and dialogue as sources of domestic peace
11 February 2026. The two-day event featured an exhibit of 120 students’ artworks on civil peace, coexistence and social cohesion, plus a conference on justice, dialogue and the part cultural initiatives can play in creating social stability.
Read more at: SANA
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Foreign Minister al-Sheibani speaking to leaders of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, 9 February 2026, in Riyadh. (L24:X)Syria assumes leadership position in global war on terror
10 February 2026. After rejoining the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS last year, Syria is now taking a leadership role. Minister al-Sheibani affirmed the widespread view that Syria’s stability is vital to the entire Middle East, and thanked coalition members for helping eradicate ISIS from Syrian territory.
Read more at: SYRIAN OBSERVER
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Left: Rubble surrounds Aleppo Citadel, a landmark in a major city scarred by war. (Mahmoud Hassano:Reuters) Right: Businesses in Aleppo rebuild from scrap. (Al Jazeera)“I was happy… truly happy to be in Aleppo, not as a guest, but as someone who is home.”
10 February 2026. After living in exile for a decade, Alhakam Shaar returned briefly to Aleppo filled with joy, working in sub-zero temperatures to restore his family’s home. Thousands returning to rebuild homes and businesses face severe infrastructure damages, which the government has begun to repair.
Read more at: AL JAZEERA
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Energy Minister announces Syria’s partnership with Saudi firms to launch a large scale seawater desalination and transport project. (L24)Syria adopts desalination to combat drought and secure steady source of water
9 February 2026. Syria signed an agreement with a consortium of Saudi companies to desalinate seawater and transport it to southern regions hit by severe drought, guaranteeing a steady water supply for drinking and agriculture. Energy Minister Muhammad al-Bashir called it “the largest water agreement in the world.”
Read more at: LEVANT24
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Arts and culture festival opens under theme: “Guided by light, united by culture”
9 February 2026. The “Ishraqat” (Radiance) Festival brings together artists and audiences in a program of art exhibitions, performances, and seminars, supporting the recovery of Syria’s richly diverse heritage and fostering shared national identity. The program was sponsored by government ministries in coordination with UNDP and with funding from Japan.
Read more at: SANA
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Social Affairs and Labor Minister, Hind Kabawat (second from right), meets with humanitarian organizations in Idleb to review the impact of recent floods. (SANA)Minister Kabawat calls for tightened cooperation among aid agencies to support flood-affected families
9 February 2026. During a visit to camps in western Idleb, where displaced families living in tents were forced by severe floods to evacuate, the Social Affairs minister met with humanitarian aid partners to assess the flood damage and request stronger coordination to ensure faster, more effective support.
Read more at: SANA
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Eleven-year-old author publishes loving portrait of her country’s heritage: “I Am Syrian”
8 February 2026. Bana Omar Abdullah authored a heartfelt tribute to Syria’s heritage, combining photographs and text. “My book is a tourism guide and a message of love for Syria,” she said. “I wanted to show its landmarks and tell its story through images that speak to the heart.”
Read more at: SANA
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Minister Hind Kabawat and Syrian born philanthropist Wafic Rida Saïd sign a partnership agreement to advance inclusive leadership. (SANA)New leadership program will train officials to include disabled people in public and private arenas
7 February 2026. The Social Affairs and Labor Ministry and the Saïd Foundation for Development have launched a training program aimed at improving the capacity of public and private institutions to serve people with disabilities. Fifty percent of the trainees will be disabled people.
Read more at: SANA
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Syria and Saudi Arabia sign major economic agreements to rebuild Syria’s infrastructure and expand regional connectedness. (SANA)Saudi Arabia to invest $ billions in strategic deals for Syria’s recovery
7 February 2026. Syria and Saudi Arabia signed major joint economic agreements in air transport, water desalination, and telecommunications, in addition to 45 other development projects. The agreements aim to rebuild Syria’s infrastructure, expand air travel, and strengthen regional cooperation.
Read more at: LEVANT24
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Audience members and media officials gather in Damascus as Information Minister, Dr. Hamza al-Mustafa, announces the relaunch of Damascus Radio. (SANA)Damascus Radio is relaunched, connecting Syrian communities at home and abroad as part of national media revival
5 February 2026. Damascus Radio, marginalized under the old regime, has been revitalized with technical capacities that combine conventional broadcasting with online streaming, mobile applications and podcasts. It will enable interactive programming and allow Syrians worldwide to connect in real time.
Read more at: SANA
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Syria signs a major agreement with Chevron and Qatar’s Power International to explore new oil and gas fields. (Syrian Observer)Syria’s energy sector reaches turning point with new offshore explorations
5 February 2026. The state-owned Syrian Petroleum Company signed a landmark agreement with US and Qatari companies to begin oil and gas explorations aimed at boosting energy investment, supporting development, and expanding partnerships. US envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, called the agreement “a transformative step that draws a new picture for Syria after years of suffering.”
Read more at: SYRIAN OBSERVER
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Damascus International Book fair revives intellectual life and world of culture
5 February 2026. In his opening address to government ministers, prominent Syrian writers and intellectuals, and Arab political and intellectual figures, President al-Sharaa observed that humanity has long strived for truth, knowledge and the secrets of the world. The international cultural event offered knowledge on innumerable topics, including once-secret knowledge about Syria.
Read more at: SANA
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Syrian-American cantor, Henry Hamra, at the Central Synagogue of Aleppo, December 2025. (Jane Arraf:NPR)Syrian government restores Aleppo’s ancient Jewish sites to group led by Syrian-American Jews
3 February 2026. The Syrian government transferred control of religious sites in Aleppo, once a thriving center of Jewish life, to the Jewish Heritage in Syria Foundation. The group is “committed to helping build a pluralistic, prosperous and democratic Syria.” Henry Hamra, one of the founders, observed: “Syrian people are very loving people and they’re very welcoming.”
Read more at: NPR.ORG
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President al-Sharaa met with a delegation from the Kurdish National Council (KNC) in the People’s Palace, Damascus, February 3, 2026. (L24:Social Media)President opens dialogue with Kurdish political leaders following ceasefire with SDF
3 February 2026. President al-Sharaa met with KNC leaders on implementing recent agreements to integrate Kurdish people into the state. He affirmed that constitutional guarantees are in place to protect Kurdish rights and reinforce equal citizenship, while preserving cultural and social traditions.
Read more at: LEVANT24
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Hama publicly commemorates brutal massacre for the first time in 44 years
3 February 2026. In 1982, the Hafez al-Assad regime killed an estimated 40,000 Hama civilians, forced the disappearance of 17,000 others and decimated entire neighbourhoods, for opposing the regime’s oppression. While documents were secretly compiled through the years, this first public ceremony restores dignity to the victims and opens a pathway toward justice for survivors.
Read more at: LEVANT24
See also: “Never Forgotten: Assad Dynasty’s Failure to Exterminate and Erase Hama”
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Celebrations in former SDF stronghold as government forces arrive
3 February 2026. People gathered in the town square to cheer the arrival of state forces, expressing a mixture of joy at the liberation of their town, anger at SDF’s imprisonment of their relatives, and hope that the government continues its push to free areas from SDF control.
Watch video at: ALJAZEERA
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Syria’s Ministry of Health and UNDP (United Nations Development Program) sign agreement to rehabilitate and equip hospitals across five governorates, funded by the German government. (SANA)German funding will rehabilitate five major hospitals, under Health Ministry partnership with UNDP
3 February 2026. A €35 million German funded agreement between Syria’s Health Ministry and UNDP will restore and equip five major hospitals in areas recovering from conflict, part of the government’s efforts to rehabilitate healthcare. A portion of the funds will revitalize 25 medical centres across Syria.
Read more at: SANA
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Suleiman Abdulbaqi, head of internal security in Suwayda, visits Washington, D.C. as part of a delegation of social and civil figures from the governorate. (L24:Social media)Message of Suwayda delegation to Washington: We seek to be part of a unified Syria
2 February 2026. A Suwayda delegation met with US officials to present the governorate’s political and security realities directly, free of “misleading narratives.” Part of an outreach effort to find political solutions to the ongoing crisis, the message emphasized unity and rejected separatism.
Read more at: LEVANT24
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