A statement by Syria’s grand mufti has citizens of the war-torn country fearing that a full military draft may be in the offing: The statement was issued by the Syrian government’s top cleric, Grand Mufti Ahmad Badredeen al-Hassoun, on behalf of the country’s Supreme Fatwa Council and said: “Military service...

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State-controlled Syrian media is reporting that shells fired by opposition forces have struck a stadium in Damascus, killing an athlete. The reports come alongside those from the opposition, which indicate that over 50 people were killed in Damascus suburbs yesterday. The increasingly Islamist rebel forces have been making slow but...

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United Nations human rights officials are urging the U.N. Security Council to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court, citing documented atrocities committed by forces loyal to the Bashar al-Assad regime during the country’s two-year-long conflict. Most plausible scenarios for prosecution of Syrian officials would require a referral by the United...

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Russian expressions of continued support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad have analysts and diplomats worried that Moscow’s policies may undermine a new Western push, outlined this week by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, to end Syria’s two-year conflict. The Syrian war – a proxy war between the Iran-backed regime, Sunni-backed...

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The Syrian war is producing a new generation of hardened jihadists who may pose a serious threat to Europe, according to comments made by British Foreign Secretary William Hague in a speech outlining the U.K.’s counter-terrorism strategy. Hague suggested that Syria has become the “number one destination” in the world for...

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced plans to launch a new initiative to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power. The Secretary of State has recently emphasized that direct engagement of Assad and his regime by Syrian rebels, coupled with assurances regarding the security of the Iran-backed president and Syria’s...

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The head of Russia’s state arms supplier declared Wednesday that Russia will continue to supply weapons to the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, even as new U.N. figures indicate that the death toll in the country’s two-year civil war is approaching 70,000. Russia considers Syria to be inside its sphere of influence...

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A top Iranian military official was reportedly killed by Syrian opposition forces Tuesday while traveling between Syria and Lebanon. Gen. Hassan Shateri, identified by Iranian opposition groups as a member of the Quds Force, the foreign arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, is thought to have been the chief IRGC leader in...

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Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah “are building a network of militias inside Syria to preserve and protect their interests” should opposition forces successfully overthrow the Bashar al-Assad regime. The regime is aligned with Tehran, and the Iranians have continued to supply Damascus with weapons and training over the course of the...

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has become the first Iranian head of state to visit Egypt since Tehran broke off diplomatic relations with Cairo in 1980. Iran has been engaged in something of a charm offensive toward Egypt, dispatching high-level officials and using state-controlled Iranian TV to promote rapprochement. However, deep divisions remain...

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