Syria Violence

As Syria readies for polls, Assad prepares to get re-elected

After three years of grinding conflict, the destruction of whole city districts and an exodus of refugees all triggered by an uprising against his rule, Bashar al-Assad is quietly preparing to be re-elected.

Syria violence: Army advances towards Lebanon rebel town

Syrian state media say government forces are advancing in battle and tightening their grip on the last rebel stronghold near the border with Lebanon.

Syria airstrike kills 13 in northwest town

Syrian activists say government airstrikes in a small northwestern town on the border with Turkey have killed at least 13 people.

Syrians will turn out to be world's biggest refugee group: UN

A top UN official says Syrians will soon overtake Afghans as the world's biggest refugee population, with their numbers topping 4 million by year's end "if current trends continue".

Syria peace talks: Govt, opposition meet in Geneva

The Syrian government and the opposition met face to face on Tuesday and observed a minute of silence for people killed in the three year conflict after a first round of talks last month failed to make significant progress, delegates said.

Illegal excavations in Syria are lethal: UN

Illegal excavations are taking place at important archaeological sites all over Syria that are "extremely dangerous" and "lethal" to the country's cultural heritage, the UN cultural agency has said.

UN calls for talks between Syria govt and opposition

The UN mediator for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition on Friday called for a resumption of talks on 10 February.

Suicide bomber with al-Qaeda links kills 13 soldiers in Syria

A suicide bomber from an al-Qaeda-linked rebel group killed 13 soldiers in an attack on the Syrian defence minister's hometown, an opposition monitoring group said on Tuesday.

Assad won't have any role to play in Syria in future: US

The US has rejected any role for President Bashar al-Assad in the future of Syria or the transitional authority, even as the opposition rejected a government communique that largely focused on preserving sovereignty.

Meet on Syria begins in Switzerland, countries divided over Assad

Syria's government and its enemies came face to face on Wednesday for the first time as a peace conference began in Switzerland which world powers hope can at least start a process to end three years of civil war.