On 17 August 2023, popular protests over the high inflation rate and deteriorating economic situation in Syria erupted in the Druze majority city of Al-Suwayda, with hundreds of participants. These grew, and by 20 August, thousands of protesters chanted slogans demanding the downfall of Assad regime.

Aid deliveries from Turkey to rebel-held areas of northwestern Syria stopped in late July after a UN Security Council mandate was not extended. Damascus had demanded the UN not deal with "terrorist organizations."

Syrian state media reported four soldiers were killed in a missile strike outside Damascus. A Syrian war monitor said the strikes targeted weapons stores and Iran-backed militias.

Although Baghdad maintained diplomatic ties with Syria during the civil war, no Iraqi prime minister has visited Damascus for over a decade.

The situation arose when Russia vetoed a nine-month extension and failed to gain support for an alternative six-month plan. The UN-brokered lifeline expired Monday.

The US military said Russian jets flew dangerously close to American jets over northwest Syria for a second time on Thursday after a similar incident Wednesday. The Central Command has released videos of both incidents.

The power struggle between Moscow, Damascus and Ankara continues, while the civilian population pays the price.

Since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011, the European Union has been the largest donor of humanitarian, stabilisation and resilience assistance to Syrians, with another conference known as Brussels VII – aimed at supporting Syria and the region – held on June 14 and 15 in the Belgian capital. But the recent rehabilitation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by regional players has arguably complicated the EU's task.

In Syria, the Islamic State group stands accused of executing a series of attacks targeting truffle hunters. Truffles, or 'sand truffles' as they're commonly known, grow in the desert and have become a sought-after commodity. FRANCE24's Observers team delved into this issue. Journalist Mahmoud Naffakh provides further insights.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been shunned internationally for over a decade, due to the brutal repression of anti-government protesters and the use of chemical weapons by his regime during the country's civil war. Despite numerous reported atrocities, the leader has clung onto power with the sole support of two major powers: Iran and Russia.

As Syria prepares to attend the first Arab League meeting since the start of its civil war in 2011, rights organizations insist the group's other members remember exactly who they are dealing with.

Syria's membership in the Arab League was suspended in 2011 after protests against President Bashar Assad turned violent. The League members have now voted to revert the move.