syria – BOL News Staging

Israel launches coordinated attacks across multiple countries in 72 hours

September 12, 2025 by Yumna Asif

Within three days, Israel has conducted strikes in six countries: Palestine (Gaza), Lebanon, Syria, Qatar, and Yemen. Israel Targets Hamas Leadership in Qatar: On Tuesday, Israeli forces launched a targeted air strike on a Hamas leadership compound in Doha, Qatar, during a meeting to discuss a US-proposed ceasefire for Gaza. The operation resulted in the … Read more

Israel and Syria agree to ceasefire

July 19, 2025 by Abid Khan

Damascus: Following several days of intense and deadly clashes, Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire. The truce marks a significant step toward de-escalation in the region after a period of heightened violence. U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye, Thomas Barrack, confirmed that the ceasefire was achieved with the support of Türkiye, Jordan, and other regional … Read more

40,000 Pakistani pilgrims missing from Iraq, Iran and Syria, reveals Minister

July 16, 2025July 16, 2025 by Abid Khan

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf has made a startling revelation, stating that the government has no record of approximately 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims who traveled to Iraq, Iran, and Syria — and have since gone missing. According to the minister, these pilgrims vanished without trace after entering the respective countries, and Pakistan … Read more

UK resumes diplomatic ties with Syria as Foreign Minister visits Damascus

July 7, 2025 by Sana Fatima

On Saturday, Britain announced it was reestablishing diplomatic relations with Syria as Foreign Minister David Lammy visited the capital, Damascus, and pledged £94.5 million ($129 million) in support. “There is renewed hope for the Syrian people,” Lammy said in a statement. “It is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment … Read more

Pakistan issues travel advisory for Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria

June 20, 2025 by Abid Khan

ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan has issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria due to the prevailing security situation. Pakistani nationals residing in these countries have also been advised to exercise extreme caution and refrain from unnecessary movement. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, … Read more

Israel’s attacks threaten Syria’s political stabilization, Pakistan tells UNSC

April 11, 2025 by Abid Khan

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has told the UN Security Council that Israel’s recent air strikes across Syria were in flagrant violations of international law, and also undermined the country’s pursuit of political stabilization and national reconciliation. “We are witnessing a deeply troubling pattern: continued, unprovoked Israeli military aggression; repeated violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement; an … Read more

Pakistan dispatches aid shipment for Lebanon, Gaza, Syria

February 9, 2025 by Nimra Sohail

Pakistan has sent another relief consignment to support the war-affected civilians in Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), this is the 23rd batch of aid, which was dispatched from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. The relief package includes: Canned meat, Powdered milk, Blankets, Clothes, Tents, Warm bedding. The NDMA spokesperson … Read more

Deadly car bomb in Syria: 15 killed, 15 injured

February 3, 2025 by Nimra Sohail

A car bomb explosion in the northern Syrian city of Manbij on Monday killed at least 15 people, making it the deadliest attack in Syria since Bashar al-Assad’s ousting in December. This marks the second bombing in just three days and comes amid escalating violence in the region. The victims, identified by the civil defense … Read more

UN chief urges world support for Middle East amid turbulent period

January 21, 2025January 21, 2025 by Abid Khan

UNITED NATIONS: With the Middle East undergoing “a period of profound transformation”, the international community must support efforts towards more justice, dignity, human rights and peace in the region, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council.

The UN chief addressed the Council’s first quarterly debate on the Middle East for the year, held against the backdrop of Sunday’s temporary ceasefire in Gaza, the end of hostilities in Lebanon sparked by the war, and the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.

“We have a responsibility to help make sure the people of the Middle East come out of this turbulent period with peace, dignity and a horizon of hope grounded in action,” he said, speaking fresh from a visit to Lebanon. Guterres said that the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal offer a ray of hope.

The first phase of the agreement went into effect on Sunday, with Hamas releasing three women hostages and Israel releasing 90 Palestinian prisoners.

“While many challenges lie ahead, we should appreciate the long-overdue relief this moment provides for Palestinians in Gaza and the hostages reunited with their loved ones,” he said.

Meanwhile, the UN is doing its part to ensure the rapid scale-up of humanitarian deliveries. More than 630 trucks of aid entered Gaza on Sunday, with at least 300 headed to the north.

He said the parties now must make good on their commitments and fully implement the deal and ensure that it leads to the release of all hostages and a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The Secretary-General pledged that the UN “will do all we can to advance these efforts – in particular, to scale up humanitarian aid across Gaza, fully aware of the significant obstacles, challenges and constraints that we still face.”

The ceasefire “must translate into at least four simultaneous actions on the ground”, he said.

The first must be that UN entities “including UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, which he called “the backbone of our humanitarian response” – must be able to perform their functions without hindrance.

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Israeli airstrike targets new Syrian authorities, three killed

January 16, 2025 by Nimra Sohail

An Israeli airstrike on Wednesday targeted a military convoy in southern Syria, marking the first strike against the forces of Syria’s new authorities following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad by Islamist groups. The attack, which occurred in the Quneitra region, resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including two members of the Military Operations … Read more

Four children killed or injured by UXO per day in Syria: UNICEF

January 15, 2025January 15, 2025 by Abid Khan

UNITED NATIONS: Syria’s lethal legacy of landmines and other explosives left over from years of conflict has led to the deaths of over 100 children in the last month alone, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said, calling on the international community to urgently support country-wide demining projects.

Ricardo Pires, UNICEF Communication Manager for Emergencies, told journalists from Damascus that in the last nine years, at least 422,000 incidents involving unexploded ordnance – or UXO – were reported in 14 governorates across Syria, “with half estimated to have ended in tragic child casualties”.

“Girls and boys in the country continue to suffer the brutal impact of unexploded ordnance (UXO) at an alarming rate,” he said.

The UNICEF official underscored that in December last year, 116 children were killed or injured by UXO, an average of nearly four per day – a likely underestimate “given the fluidity of the situation,” he told journalists in Geneva.

“It’s the main cause of child casualties in Syria right now and has been for many years, and will continue to be,” with more than 300,000 mines still spread across the country, according to estimates.

The danger affects some five million children living in areas contaminated with the lethal explosives, Mr. Pires said, for whom “every step they take carries the risk of an unimaginable tragedy”.

Renewed displacement has aggravated the danger. Mr. Pires recalled that since 27 November and amid escalating conflict, more than 250,000 children were forced to flee their homes as forces including Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) advanced on Damascus.

For the displaced and those trying to return home, “the peril of UXO is constant and unavoidable”, he stressed.

The threat has only intensified since the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December, as many weapons, including explosive weapons, have been left behind, in Homs but also in Damascus, Mr. Pires said.

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Syria has real opportunity to move from darkness to light: UN

January 13, 2025January 13, 2025 by Abid Khan

UNITED NATIONS: Syrians have high expectations for their country, and a strong desire for people from across the social spectrum to come together and forge a new constitution.

At the same time, Najat Rochdi, the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, told UN News, a media website, that the process must begin with an inclusive “national dialogue.”

Ms. Rochdi is in Damascus meeting several members of the transitional authorities to ensure all Syrians are able to participate in the country future, which is struggling to cope with an acute humanitarian crisis and faltering economy, it was pointed out. It’s her second visit to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime.

“The de facto authorities have shown, through their statements, a real willingness to take the country from where it was to something much better that meets the demands and aspirations of all Syrians,” she said.

“One expression that we hear in every meeting is that it is time to move from the darkness to the light. In that regard, we really welcome the decision to organize a national dialogue.

It’s very important that this dialogue factors in the voices of all Syrians, who have paid a very, very high price to get where they are today.”

Meanwhile, a team from the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has concluded a first visit to the country, taking crucial steps to promote dialogue and engagement with the new caretaker government.

Commissioner Hanny Megally led the team, which met with officials, including in the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs.

Discussions covered justice for victims and families, the protection of mass graves and evidence, and continued engagement with the Commission, which was established by the UN Human Rights Council in August 2011.

Megally welcomed the willingness of the new authorities to continue engaging with the Commission on future visits.

This marks a significant shift as the former government had denied the Commission access since the start of its mandate.

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Pakistan calls for representative governance in Syria to ensure unity

January 9, 2025 by Abid Khan

UITED NATIONS: Pakistan has called for political inclusivity and representative governance in “fraternal” Syria following the overthrow of the Assad regime exactly a month ago, saying the process should be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned that is backed by the United Nations.

“Today, Syria is at an important juncture in its history,” Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council which debated the situation in that Arab country on Wednesday.

“The recent political developments offer the opportunity to restore normalcy, stability and peace in Syria,” he said, adding, “Yet this will depend on ensuring a peaceful transition to a new governance structure which is inclusive and stable and ensures Syria’s unity and territorial integrity.”

Earlier, Syria’s ambassador Koussay Aldahhak told the 15-member Council that the “dawn of freedom has broken”, and called on members of the UN to “respect the will of the Syrian people and its national choices.”

For this reason, he urged them to “immediately and fully lift unilateral coercive measures, to provide the necessary financing to meet humanitarian needs and recover basic services” and “to rehabilitate and reconstruct the damaged facilities and ensure demining.”

As the country is committed to improving conditions following 14 years of brutal conflict, the Syrian Ambassador called on the U.S. and other States to lift restrictive measures which targeted the previous regime.

Finally, he had a message for Israel in the Golan, “We stress the need to ensure that Israeli occupation entities do not take advantage of the current circumstances to violate Syria’s sovereignty in an attempt to impose a new reality through their military incursion to new parts of Syria,”

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UN chief calls for urgent de-escalation by Israeli forces in Syria

December 14, 2024 by Abid Khan

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the hundreds of Israeli airstrikes against targets in Syria since the overthrow of the Assad regime, and called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the demilitarized zone in the strategically important Golan.

In a note to correspondents issued on Friday, the UN chief said he was “deeply concerned by the recent and extensive violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Since the de facto authorities of the HTS armed group took control of Damascus on Sunday, Israeli forces reportedly took over an abandoned Syrian military post overlooking the city in the Golan border region and other parts of the “areas of separation” between Israel and Syria.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, was established by the Security Council in May 1974 to maintain the ceasefire between Israeli and Syrian forces in the mountainous Golan and supervise the areas of separation.

Israeli forces have not only moved into parts of the separation zone – they say on a temporary basis only until new security measures are put in place – but also conducted a “defensive” air campaign against weapons stockpiles, military facilities and assets such as airfields, as well as bombing naval vessels off the Syrian coast.

“The Secretary-General is particularly concerned over the hundreds of Israeli airstrikes on several locations in Syria,” the statement said, calling for urgent de-escalation “on all fronts, throughout Syria.”

Many areas of Syria are not under the control of HTS, with several armed groups holding territory in the south, the far north and the north-east, where Kurdish fighters have reportedly captured the town of Deir-ez-Zor, the UN said.

Designated terrorist group ISIL affiliates also maintain a foothold in central Syria, where US warplanes have been targeting them this week.

The statement from the UN chief stressed that the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement “remains in force” and must be upheld, “including by ending all unauthorized presence in the area of separation and refraining from any action that would undermine the ceasefire and stability in Golan.”

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Plane carrying 318 stranded Pakistanis in Syria lands in Islamabad

December 13, 2024December 13, 2024 by Abid Khan

ISLAMABAD: A special chartered plane carrying 318 Pakistani nationals who were repatriated from Syria to Beirut, Lebanon landed Islamabad here early Friday.

Federal Minister for Planning and Special Initiatives Dr Ahsan Iqbal and Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik received the repatriated nationals at the Islamabad International Airport.

Under the personal supervision of PM Sharif, the comprehensive plan for the safe evacuation of Pakistani citizens was carried out by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

In a statement, the prime minister said the safe return of Pakistani nationals from Syria was a top priority of the government.

He appreciated the prompt action taken by MoFA, the Pakistani embassies in Syria and Lebanon, and the NDMA authorities in ensuring the safe return of Pakistani citizens.

He also expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, whose government provided all possible cooperation and assistance for the return of Pakistanis via Beirut.

The Lebanese government also arranged buses for the transfer of passengers.

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318 Pakistani citizens evacuated From Syria via Beirut on PM Shehbaz’s instructions

December 12, 2024 by Nimra Sohail

318 Pakistani citizens stranded in Syria were evacuated on Thursday via a special chartered flight under the directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The evacuation, coordinated through Beirut, followed a series of review meetings led by the prime minister. PM Shehbaz also engaged in discussions with the Lebanese prime minister to ensure the safe return … Read more

Pakistan strongly condemns Israeli aggression against Syria, illegal seizure of territory

December 10, 2024 by Nimra Sohail

Pakistan on Tuesday condemned in the strongest possible terms, Israeli aggression against Syria and its illegal seizure of the Syrian territory. “This assault on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria is a grave breach of international law. Israel’s provocative actions are a dangerous development in an already volatile region. Israel has continued to blatantly … Read more

Govt finalises mechanism for safe return of Pakistanis from Syria

December 10, 2024 by Abid Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the government had finalised a mechanism to ensure the safe return of Pakistani nationals stranded in Syria, in coordination with the Lebanese government. The prime minister, addressing the meeting of the federal cabinet he chaired, said that 250 Pakistani pilgrims were stranded in Syria where the situation was … Read more

PM directs for ensuring safe evacuation of Pakistanis from Syria

December 9, 2024 by Abid Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the concerned authorities to form an action plan for the safe evacuation of Pakistanis wishing to return from Syria, via neighboring countries as soon as possible.

The prime minister was chairing a meeting held here to review the current situation of Syria and safe evacuation of Pakistanis present in the country.

“All possible steps should be taken to ensure the safe evacuation of Pakistanis from Syria,” the prime minister stressed.

The safety of Pakistanis’ lives and property in Syria is our top priority, the prime minister said instructing to utilize all available resources for this purpose.

He also directed the Pakistan Embassy in Damascus to establish an information desk and a helpline to facilitate the Pakistanis.

Until the security situation improves, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Crisis Management Unit and information desks at Pakistani embassies in Syria and its neighboring countries should remain operational round the clock, the prime minister directed.

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China calls for political solution to restore stability in Syria

December 9, 2024 by Abid Khan

BEIJING:A Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson on Monday called on relevant parties to act in the fundamental interests of the Syrian people and find a political solution to restore stability in Syria as soon as possible.

In response to a question during a daily briefing that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s ruling has ended and a new government is about to be established, how China views the current situation in Syria and whether it will establish contact with the new government, Mao Ning said that China is closely following developments in Syria and hopes that all relevant parties will act in the best interests of the Syrian people and quickly find a political solution to restore stability in Syria as soon as possible.

Responding to a question on how China views the future of Syria, Mao said that the future and destiny of Syria should be determined by the Syrian people themselves.

“We hope that all relevant parties, with a sense of responsibility for the long-term and fundamental interests of the Syrian people, can quickly find a political solution to restore stability and order”, said Mao.

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Pakistan Issues Advisory for Citizens in Syria Amid Current Situation

December 6, 2024 by Rao Abdullah

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan issued a travel advisory on Friday, advising its citizens to refrain from unnecessary travel to Syria due to the ongoing conflict between rebel groups and the Syrian government. The Foreign Office issued a statement urging Pakistani nationals to avoid visiting Syria until the situation improves. It further cautioned those already in Syria to … Read more

Iran plans to keep ‘military advisers’ in Syria

December 2, 2024 by Nimra Sohail

Iran announced on Monday that it plans to keep its military advisers in Syria, even after rebels took control of Aleppo, the second-largest city in Syria, in a surprise attack. The Kremlin also expressed continued support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, despite the recent loss of territory to rebels. Since the Syrian civil war began … Read more

Children of Daesh suspects returned to France, showing positive progress

September 11, 2024 by Sana Fatima

The children are being closely monitored and are not “ticking time bombs.” The prosecutor, Olivier Christen, dismisses concerns about the children’s age and age. 170 women have returned to France from Iraq and Syria, including 57 from detention camps. On Wednesday, France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor reported that 364 repatriated children of French parents suspected of joining … Read more

KSrelief delivers aid to Syrian and Sudanese refugees

August 11, 2024 by Sana Fatima

The relief provided medical care to 2,351 patients at Zaatari camp in Jordan in July. Served as a pediatric clinic, emergency department, dental clinic, and gynecology clinic. Presented health education and pharmacy services to 28 individuals. Syrian refugees in Jordan and displaced people in Sudan received essential services from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and … Read more

Italy’s Foreign Minister announces new Ambassador for Syria

July 26, 2024 by Sana Fatima

Ravagnan, the current special envoy for Syria, will take up his post shortly. Italy and seven other EU states sent a letter to the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, urging the EU to play a more active role in Syria. The letter lamented the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the country’s shambled economy. Italy has … Read more

Arab League and Japan officials hold talks on enhancing middle east stability

July 11, 2024 by Sana Fatima

Kamikawa urged all parties involved in the Gaza war to abide by international human rights laws. Japan supports the UN’s Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development. They discussed maintaining secure maritime corridors, Syria and Libya, and women’s empowerment. Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and the Arab League’s Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit … Read more

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