Stories from Damascus · Syria

The United States announced that an Israeli attack on Syria's air defense system was internationally illegal. The US requested an immediate withdrawal of the forces involved. The Mayor of New York, Mamdani, stated that Israel is exceeding international law.

A facility will be established in Syria for 6,000 Palestinian children who have lost limbs due to Israeli attacks. The facility will produce prosthetics and orthotics, with application and revision processes to be conducted.

An imam and preacher at the Sayyid Zaynab shrine in southern Damascus was targeted in an attack. Authorities are investigating whether the incident was a planned assassination or the result of a hand grenade planted inside a vehicle.

Reports indicate that human organs were sold through networks extending across multiple countries during the Syrian war. The conflict created an environment where detainees lacked names and bodies lacked documentation, facilitating these activities.

An attack on the Mar Elias Church in the al-Dawla neighborhood of Damascus killed 22 people and injured 59 others, according to a statement from the Syrian transitional government's Ministry of Health. The attack was reportedly claimed by a group known as Ansar al-Sunna.

Videos circulating online appear to show evidence of torture occurring at the Tishreen military hospital in Syria. The footage reportedly documents the suffering of thousands of detainees within the facility. The hospital is located approximately 30 kilometers from Damascus. The reports aim to reopen investigations into historical abuses in the country. Human rights and international organizations have documented cases of thousands of detainees dying after being transferred to military hospitals in Syria. Reports and testimonies suggest that organs were sold through networks extending to multiple countries at varying prices. The lack of documentation for bodies and the absence of names for detainees have created an environment where these activities occur. The source noted that the security system makes it difficult to penetrate these networks.

Hand grenades exploded in the Saidnaya area of the Damascus countryside, according to reports from Aksis News and Syrian news agencies. Material damage was reported at the site of the explosion. Syrian security forces have increased their presence in the area as investigations into the incident begin. No casualties were reported in the initial reports. The source noted the investigation is currently underway.

Fadi Saqr, a reported commander in Bashar al-Assad’s militias, faces accusations of committing massacres against civilians in Damascus. The charges also include cases of enforced disappearances.

The attack killed more than 1,000 people using sarin gas, according to US intelligence reports. The United Nations Security Council has added Hemedti, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, to its list of individuals. The arrest follows a series of attacks targeting sites in the city. Syrian authorities arrested a high-ranking officer identified as a key figure responsible for the 2013 chemical massacre in Eastern Ghouta. A general was arrested this week in connection with an alleged involvement in a 2013 sarin gas attack on the Eastern Route. The arrest is being viewed as a but potentially limited gesture regarding the Syrian war. The incident relates to one of the most terrible pages of the conflict. The Syrian Ministry of the Interior announced the arrest of a former general on Wednesday. Jobar in eastern Damascus on Wednesday.

Evacuees who left a camp in northern Syria last week have reached Damascus but are reportedly being prevented from reaching the airport. Syrian officials claim Australia will not accept the group, though the Australian government has not confirmed this position.