This Month
Assad says Russia forced him to flee Syria
Former president Bashar al-Assad said he wanted to stay and fight the rebels, but he was trapped on a Russian military base in Syria that was under attack.
- Sarah El Deeb and Bassem Mroue
US in direct contact with Islamist rebels in Syria
Western and regional officials are seeking to deal with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that overthrew the Assad regime despite its designation as a terrorist group.
- Matthew Lee
- Analysis
- Middle East tensions
Have Syrians fought just to replace Assad with an extremist?
The man behind the ouster of Bashar al-Assad has changed his name, his clothes and his brand from global jihadist to nationalist Islamist, but many remain sceptical.
- Anchal Vohra
The urbane, well-educated jihadist who overthrew Syria’s regime
Abu Mohammad al-Jolani is the son of an economist who came back from fighting Western forces in Iraq with bags of cash and a mission to bring down the president.
- Updated
- Raya Jalabi
What led to Syria’s 13-year civil war, and why has fighting surged again?
The sudden assault by Syrian rebels has redrawn the front lines of a war many thought was over. Here’s what to know.
- Kelly Kasulis Cho and Kelsey Baker
Syrian rebels seize Aleppo city in lightning raid
The rapid advance on the nation’s second city came just four days into a surprise opposition offensive that is the most intense escalation of the civil war in years.
- Muhammad Haj Kadour and Raja Abdulrahim
October
Turkey strikes Kurdish targets following deadly attack on defence firm
The defence ministry said more than 30 targets were “destroyed” in the aerial offensive, without providing details on the locations that were hit.
- Suzan Fraser
Germany ‘reopens old wounds’ with border checks
There are fears for the future of Schengen and the freedom of movement it symbolises – regarded by EU citizens as one of the greatest accomplishments of European unity.
- Guy Chazan, Laura Dubois and Raphael Minder
August
Taylor Swift concerts cancelled over terrorist attack fears
Two suspects were arrested one day before the singer’s first concert date in the Austrian capital Vienna.
- Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich and Riham Alkousaa
May
Australia considers declaring Middle East no-go zones
ASIO and the Federal Police remain concerned about terrorism in Australia amid tensions in the Middle East.
- Andrew Tillett
April
- Opinion
- Social media
Surge of violence tests policy tolerance of social media
The Coalition in particular has to ask tricky questions of when enough is enough on social media platforms.
- Laura Tingle
‘At the end of the day, we’re Aussies’: Assyrians assess church attack
For Sydney’s tight-knit Assyrian community, Monday’s terrorist attack in a church was confronting and triggering for a long-persecuted people.
- Max Mason
Russia and China look to deepen security ties
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov says Beijing and Moscow have agreed to ‘start a dialogue with the involvement of our other like-minded people’.
- Guy Faulconbridge and Lidia Kelly
March
Putin admits Islamists behind attack, tries to implicate Ukraine
Vladimir Putin repeated his assertion that the assailants had been trying to flee to Ukraine, saying there were “many questions” to be examined.
- Lidia Kelly, Philippa Fletcher and Steve Holland
- Analysis
- Putin's Russia
Moscow attack exposes Putin’s weakness
After the concert attack, Vladimir Putin ignored a claim of responsibility by the Islamic State, tried to implicate Ukraine and mischaracterised a US warning.
- Catherine Belton and Robyn Dixon
‘Tortured’ suspects appear in Moscow court as Russia mourns
Three of the four men were officially identified as citizens of Tajikistan, according to Russian media. They appeared in court badly bruised and disorientated.
- Frances Kerry
- Analysis
- Putin's Russia
‘I pretended to die’: Moscow attack survivors describe miraculous escapes
Russia’s worst terror attack in over a decade has brought a shudder across Europe, where memories of other music venues turned to slaughterhouses have resurfaced
- Rozina Sabur and James Kilner
Moscow seeks to blame Kyiv for Islamic State attack on concert hall
Russian officials and state media have made little reference to IS’ claim, and Vladimir Putin did not mention it or Islamist terrorism in his first remarks.
- Polina Ivanova, Christopher Miller, Benjamin Parkin and Humza Jilani
January
Biden decided on response to deadly drone strike in Jordan
The US President could opt to attack the Iranian suppliers of drones and missiles, perhaps including inside Iranian territory.
- Eric Schmitt
- Opinion
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The real meaning of Gaza’s tunnels
Gaza is not an open air prison, but a vast fortress cynically created by Hamas. That is why the war is a catastrophe for those who have to live alongside it.
- Bret Stephens