Stories from Damascus · Syria

The first trial against representatives of the former Bashar al-Assad government has commenced in Damascus, Syria. The trial includes in-absentia proceedings for those who fled the country. Assad's cousin, Atif Najib, is scheduled to appear in court. Allegations against Assad include claims that he was a torturer. Atif Necip, a cousin of Assad accused of being a torturer, appeared in court on the first day of the trial. Atif Necip, who previously led security units in Syria's Daraa province, is participating in the first public trial for justice during Syria's transition period. The trial includes several military and security officials arrested by the new administration, including former leader relatives Veslim Esad and Ahmet Bedrettin Hassun. The proceedings follow the El-Kaziye massacre where 67 people were killed.

Four women and nine children have departed the Al-Raj camp in Syria and are traveling toward Damascus in an attempt to return to Australia. Australian security agencies are monitoring the group, though government spokespeople stated that agencies played no role in the repatriation attempt. Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jon Odonnell has called for strict decisions regarding their entry into the country. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Miles stated that the journey has received no government support. Opposition member Ted O'Brien called for the Labor party to block the repatriation. Shadow Foreign Minister Ted O'Brien has stated that the federal government should not permit their reentry into the country. They are reportedly traveling to Damascus and intend to attempt a departure for Australia. The Australian government has not indicated it will repatriate them.

Human rights groups have accused uniformed Syrian army officials and militia members loyal to Bashar al-Assad of participating in the mass killing of civilians in the Tadaman district of Damascus in 2013. The allegations aim to bring justice to the victims of the conflict. The investigation follows long-standing claims regarding regime-led violence during the Syrian Civil War. A former general from the Bashar al-Assad era was identified on Wednesday as a person of interest in chemical attacks. The Syrian Minister of Defense stated in an interview that the individual is being held responsible for lethal chemical attacks occurring in 2030. A former Syrian general is accused of responsibility for a deadly chemical attack that killed 1,400 people. The Syrian Ministry of Defense stated the attack involved gas that rendered the area unusable.

German journalist Eva Maria Michelmann has been transferred to Damascus by the Syrian transitional regime. Michelmann, from Cologne, disappeared on January 18. Her family and lawyer describe her condition as poor, citing concerns about her physical and psychological state. A representative from the German Foreign Office has visited her, but her brother deems this insufficient. Witnesses claim to have seen her in a different prison in Aleppo. A German journalist has been kidnapped by Syrian military forces after seeking refuge with pro-Kurdish activists. The family's lawyer criticized authorities for a lack of communication regarding the journalist's whereabouts. The lawyer stated that Syrian authorities should have informed them about the German national's detention. She had been missing for several months prior to her arrest. The source confirmed she is currently in Syrian custody.

The World Bank has approved $225 million in financing to restore essential water and health services in Syria. The funding, provided through two new IDA grants, aims to improve infrastructure and public health stability across the country. This intervention is critical for maintaining basic humanitarian standards in the region. The World Bank has allocated funding intended to rebuild broken water systems across Syria. The initiative aims to restore access to clean water for residents in damaged regions.