Israel defended the moves as necessary security measures, but Syria accused it of trying to destabilize the country.
Trying to rebuild a war-ravaged country without humanitarian aid or sanction relief is like trying to get up with a boot on your neck.
The militias that control the Druse religious minority’s heartland in southwestern Syria have resisted the new government’s attempts to bring all armed groups under its control.
Israel has built a growing network of outposts and fortifications in Syria and Lebanon, deepening concerns about a protracted occupation in parts of the two countries.
The list of ministers appears to be a compromise between calls for a diverse cabinet to unite the divided country while keeping allies of the interim president, Ahmed al-Shara, in powerful roles.
The choice of cabinet officials was seen as a litmus test for whether the rebels who ousted Bashar al-Assad would deliver on a pledge to create a government representative of all Syrians.
Marook, a sweet bread eaten during Ramadan in Syria, used to be a simple loaf, but now the list of choices can be as long as the lines of customers.
The ousted Assad dictatorship kept lists of millions of wanted people. Now, Syrians are openly asking whether they “have a name” on any of those lists and are sharing the news proudly.
Sectarian-driven killings of civilians this month displayed the government’s weak control over both its own forces and affiliated fighters, experts said.
As part of an effort to deepen its influence in southern Syria, Israel has been seeking stronger ties with the Druse religious minority that holds sway there.
Syrian Druse pilgrims entered Israel from Syria in a rare visit to a shrine, and were welcomed by the local Druse community.
The killing comes as the group has been reconstituting in Syria, carrying out more attacks than at any time since it lost control of its territory nearly six years ago.
The declaration, signed by interim president Ahmed al-Shara, guarantees individual freedoms but gives Mr. al-Shara abundant power and keeps Islamic law as its legal foundation.
Syria’s interim president has said that millions would return after President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, but many houses and other buildings were destroyed in 13 years of civil war.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said armed groups and foreign fighters aligned with the government but not integrated into it were largely responsible for the sectarian violence.
Turkey is still bombing armed Kurdish insurgents in Iraq and Syria, even after their leader urged them to lay down their arms and disband, and their group declared a cease-fire.
Footage and satellite images reviewed by The Times show civilians in the compound. Thousands have fled violent unrest in the country’s coastal region.
The agreement marked a major victory for Damascus in its quest to unify the country, as violent unrest continues to grip Syria’s coastal region.
The overnight clash in Damascus appeared to have been contained, but it has heightened concerns that the violence sweeping the country’s coastal region could spread.
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When the new government took over, it dismissed the Assad regime police and other forces, leaving a security vacuum. Now, many residents fear going out after dark.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in clashes in the coastal provinces of Syria, according to one war monitoring group.
Residents described shootings outside their homes and bodies in the streets in Syria’s worst unrest since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster. More than 1,000 people have been killed since Thursday, a war monitor said.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in fighting between forces of the new government and remnants of the ousted regime, according to a war monitor, which said about 700 were civilians.
Deadly fighting has erupted in Syria’s coastal region, a longtime bastion of support for Bashar al-Assad, the ousted president.
Over 1,300 people have been killed in fierce clashes between government forces and gunmen loyal to the Assad regime, according to a war monitor, in a serious challenge to the country’s new rulers.
Two days of fighting along the Mediterranean coast were among the bloodiest battles since rebels ousted the dictator Bashar al-Assad.
At least 16 government security personnel were killed in a coastal region that was long a stronghold of the toppled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
The conflict poses a challenge for the new interim president as he tries to unify Syria and extend his authority over the entire country.
Soaring needs and wealthy countries’ focus on Ukraine have left aid agencies with too little money to address the world’s other crises, forcing them to cut programs.