SANA - Syrian Arab News Agency

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Thursday with King Felipe VI of Spain on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Thursday with Netherlands Prime Minister, Dick Schoof on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani met Thursday with Radosław Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland.

The meeting took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Health authorities said Thursday that the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip have killed 83 Palestinians and injured 216 others over the past 24 hours.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza (MoH) reported in its daily report that Gaza Strip hospitals received 83 deaths and 216 new injuries within the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll from the Israeli offensive on the Strip to 65,427 Palestinians and 167,376 wounded since October 7, 2023.

The ministry added that some of the victims are still under rubble as civil defense and health rescue teams are unable to reach.

Within the same period, 7 Palestinians have died and 50 injured related to livelihood aid, bringing the death toll from livelihood-related incidents to 2538 deaths and more than 18581 injuries.

Since March 18, 2025, the death toll has surged to 12,939 deaths and 55,335 injuries, the ministry said.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United Kingdom announced a joint commitment to supporting Syria’s efforts to achieve a more stable, free, and prosperous future, to address humanitarian needs and to promote economic recovery.

Following a meeting of the foreign ministers of the GCC member states and UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, a joint statement called for halting Israeli attacks on Syrian territory.

“The attacks destabilize Syria’s security, unity and integrity, and undermine the Syrian government’s efforts to maintain security and stability”, the statement added calling to adherence to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

The statement welcomed Syria’s announcement of a roadmap to resolve the crisis in Sweida Governorate and commended the efforts made by Jordan and the United States in this regard.

It also stressed the need for full implementation of the agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The statement affirmed commitment to supporting the Syrian government’s efforts to make progress toward an inclusive political transition that respects the rights of all Syrians.

Under the directives of Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, helicopters of the Syrian Arab Army Air Force are taking part in firefighting operations to extinguish forest wildfires in Lattakia countryside.

This comes as part of ongoing efforts to contain the fires and limit their spread in order to protect lives, property, and forest cover.

Syrian and Saudi education officials discussed ways of promoting cooperation in scientific research and exchanging expertise between universities.

Syrian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Marwan al-Halabi, held during an official visit to the Kingdom, held discussions with the Acting President of King Saud University Prof. Ali M. Masmali on joint cooperation in the fields of higher education and scientific research.

Al-Halabi said the talks reflect the ministry of Higher education will to open up to pioneering experiences in the region, develop the education system in Syria in a way that serves students and researchers, and enhances the position of Syrian universities on the international scene.

 The Syrian Minister also discussed with Fawzia bint Suleiman Al-Amro the acting president of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University prospects for joint cooperation in a number of vital fields, namely promoting women’s empowerment by developing academic programs and initiatives that support women’s participation in higher education and scientific research.

Firefighting teams have contained 80% of wildfires in Jabal al-Turkman, northern Lattakia countryside after five days of intensive efforts, a civil defense official said on Thursday.

Director of the Civil Defense Department in Lattakia, Abdul Kafi Kayyal, told SANA in a statement that the Central Operations Room continues to “coordinate the efforts of firefighting teams, who have begun cooling operations in more than ten locations”.

Kayyal explained that the most significant fires in Burj al-Qasab, Deir Hanna, al-Sukariyya, al-Rihaniya, and Rabia road towards Kasab, have been taken under control while teams are currently “battling fires in the villages of Zweik, al-Safkon, and Shamsin.”

He hoped that firefighting teams would fully bring the fires under control in these areas within the coming hours, and that the fire would soon be fully extinguished despite difficult challenges of difficult weather conditions, strong winds and mountainous terrain. 

Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed his country’s continued support for Syria and called for an early lifting of sanctions.

Erdogan’s remarks came during his meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Turkish House in New York Wednesday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting, Anadolu Agency reported.

According to a statement from Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, the meeting focused on bilateral ties and regional issues.

Erdogan emphasized that Turkey supports all initiatives based on Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and “its support for Syria will continue at an increasing pace”.

New York – SANA

Saudi Arabia and Qatar have signed a joint financial contribution totaling $89 million to support Syria’s public sector workers for a period of three months.

The initiative aims to ensure the continued delivery of essential services to the Syrian people and strengthen budgetary allocations.

The Saudi-Qatari initiative was signed at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) headquarters in New York.

The signing took place in the presence of Syria’s minister of social affairs and labor, Hind Kabawat, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Sultan bin Abdulrahman al-Marshad, CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, stated that the grant provided by the fund is part of the Kingdom’s efforts to enhance development in Syria.

Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development Fahad bin Hamad al-Sulaiti said that the initiative “reflects the shared vision to promote stability and resilience” among the Syrian people and to lay the foundations for peace and prosperity.

Abdallah al-Dardari, Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States at UNDP, noted that this trilateral cooperation aims to support recovery and socio-economic stability in Syria.

Lattakia – SANA

In a patriotic scene reflecting Syrian unity, thousands of citizens gathered Wednesday evening in Sheikh Daher Square, central Lattakia city, to watch president Ahmad al-Sharaa addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Hoisting Syrian flags, participants expressed pride and appreciation for this historic moment, which marks Syria’s return to the international stage and reaffirms the unity of decision-making and national sovereignty.

This public gathering in Lattakia reflects the Syrian people’s support for their leadership at a pivotal moment, and their national unity.

The Syrian Minister of Information, Hamza al-Mustafa, said that Syrians have moved from the stage of marginalization and indifference they were facing in the halls of the United Nations, to a moment of dignity and pride forged by victory and the blood of the martyrs.

On Wednesday, Al-Mustafa said in a post on X that watching the Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa addressing the world represents the culmination of a “long path of sacrifices and a transformation from a feeling of humiliation to a rightful sense of honor and dignity”.

“In past years, before the victory, I used to visit the United Nations General Assembly during its annual meetings, along with other Syrian institutions and organizations. We would meet on the sidelines with some low-ranking officials, trying to convey to them the suffering of Syrians, the horror of the reality, and the impossibility of accepting the continued existence of the former regime,” he added.

But the minister said: “we often received cold and superficial responses, focused on the so-called political solution and the supposed inevitability of Assad’s victory, using condescending language that downplayed the suffering of victims and treated discussions of crimes and justice as overused phrases unfit for the ‘requirements of the stage.’ They would avoid us as if trying to evade a contagion.”

Al-Mustafa continued: “Today, between the marginalized images of the past and the scenes of this moment, there is a vast gap created by the liberators and the blood of Syrian martyrs: legitimacy, dignity, and parity that we were long denied the chance to experience.”

“Syrians have the right to rejoice and take pride in themselves as they see their president address the world with a brief speech full of significance,” he concluded.

Two members of the Syrian Arab Army were martyred after being targeted by “Syrian Democratic forces (SDF)” while carrying out duties in eastern countryside of Aleppo. 

The Media and Communications Department at the Ministry of Defense said in a statement Thursday, that the two soldiers were martyred on Deir Hafer front (eastern Aleppo countryside) after being targeted by “SDF” during their mission.

In recent days, “SDF” have targeted with shells and rockets several villages and towns in eastern Aleppo countryside, resulting in the martyrdom and injury of several army personnel and civilians in the area.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that one million Syrians have returned to their country since 8 December 2024, calling on the international community to scale up its support for Syrians and help the country rebuild.

UNHCR spokesperson in Syria, Celine Schmitt told SANA: “In addition to those returning from outside Syria, another 1.8 million people who were displaced inside the country have also returned to their areas of origin”.

Schmitt said that UNHCR continues working with the Syrian authorities and other UN agencies, to create conditions conducive for return and reintegration in areas severely affected by the decade-long conflict.

The spokesperson noted that at the major challenges facing returnees include destroyed homes and infrastructure, which could hinder many from returning with funds for humanitarian work are dwindling.

“Inside Syria, only 24 percent of what is needed is available, while for the wider Syria situation just 30 per cent of the requested funds have been provided” she said.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi described the developments in Syria since December 8 represent as an “opportunity to resolve one of the largest displacement crises in the world.”

In a statement published on (UNHCR) official website, he called on the international community, private sector, and Syrians abroad to intensify efforts to support recovery and ensure that the voluntary return of those displaced persons is sustainable and dignified.

“We must not forget about the millions of Syrians who are still refugees hosted in neighboring countries” who have suffered in the past 14 years and still need protection and assistance, Grandi added.

The (UNHCR) added that it is facilitating the voluntary return of refugees and increasing support for them in cooperation with the Syrian authorities, neighboring countries, and the international community, with more than 7 million Syrians still displaced inside the country and more than 4.5 million abroad.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington is committed to supporting efforts to build a stable and unified Syria, stressing that the country’s future is key to broader regional security.

Speaking at a meeting with the foreign ministers of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, Rubio cited “some unique opportunities” in the region including Syria.

The US Secretary of State added that president Donald Trump “remains committed, not just from a unilateral standpoint of the United States, but also in partnership with (GCC) member states to give Syria every chance possible to build a strong unified state, where the diversity of Syria is respected, but also a place that’s stable”.

“The stability of Syria defines the stability of the region” Rubio said, adding that Syria today has a “historic opportunity” to achieve something that was unimaginable just a few years ago.

The US top diplomat noted that president Trump took a “very bold step” last May, and “we continue to follow up on that and work on it.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, stressed the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and rejecting foreign interference in its internal affairs.

Al-Budaiwi condemned the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, and stressed the need to adhere to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

He noted that Syria’s security and stability are a fundamental pillar of the stability of the region’s security.

Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa meets U.S. President Donald Trump during a reception hosted by the American leader on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The event was attended by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.

MHD Ibrahim

UN Secretary-General António Guterres met Wednesday with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at UN headquarters in New York, during the second day of the high-level debate at the 80th UN General Assembly.

MHD Ibrahim

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced it has officially ended the long-standing Syria-related sanctions regime, citing political and economic reforms by the new Syrian government under President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

OFAC said it has renamed the “Syria-Related Sanctions Regulations” to the “Promoting Accountability for Assad and Regional Stabilization Sanctions Regulations” and amended the framework to implement two Syria-related executive orders issued earlier this year, on January 15 and June 30, 2025.

According to the announcement on OFAC website on Wednesday, developments in the six months leading up to June 30 – including “positive actions taken by the new Syrian government” – led to the termination of the national emergency that formed the legal basis for the sanctions.

The decision took effect on July 1, 2025, and OFAC formally removed the Syrian Sanctions Regulations from the Code of Federal Regulations on August 26, 2025.

The Syria-Related Sanctions Regulations were the U.S. Treasury’s framework for enforcing sanctions on Syria, laying out which individuals, entities, and sectors were blocked, how transactions were restricted, and how licenses and penalties were applied.

The rules were built on U.S. national emergency and a series of executive orders targeting the Assad-era government, senior officials, financiers, and networks tied to weapons, oil, and other regime revenue sources.

They imposed sweeping bans on exports, investment, and many financial transactions, with only narrow exceptions, such as licensed humanitarian aid and certain NGO activities, allowed under strict U.S. oversight.

President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Wednesday with Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs in New York on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

MHD Ibrahim

President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at United Nations headquarters on the sidelines of the 80th session of the General Assembly.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and members of the official delegation attended the meeting.

MHD Ibrahim