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3-9 May 2025

Published: May 10, 2025

SYRIA SITREP: 2025-05-03 - 2025-05-09 (Published: 2025-05-10)

Executive Summary

Diplomatic activity surged this week, highlighted by President Ahmed al-Sharaa's landmark official visit to Paris, France, his first to Europe, where he engaged with President Emmanuel Macron and EU officials. Discussions focused on sanctions removal, indirect talks with Israel, and a potential Syrian government-SDF deal. Reports also indicated UAE-mediated indirect talks between Syria and Israel, and President Sharaa's reported aim for a meeting with U.S. President Trump to propose a reconstruction plan. Economically, Qatar committed $29 million monthly for three months, with a U.S. sanctions waiver, to cover Syrian public sector salaries, signaling significant international financial support. Infrastructure and trade initiatives advanced, including plans for a Turkish-Syrian gas pipeline to Aleppo, the arrival of 50 public transport buses in Tartus, and Romanian airline Dan Air resuming commercial flights to Damascus. Security challenges persisted, with continued ISIS attacks targeting civilians and SDF forces, particularly in Deir ez Zour and Raqqa. Unidentified gunmen carried out numerous assassinations and kidnappings, notably in Latakia, Hama, and Homs. Explosive remnants of war (ERW) caused multiple civilian casualties across several governorates. Syrian authorities activated Suwayda's police command and intercepted weapons and drug smuggling operations, while Jordanian forces also interdicted drug trafficking attempts from Suwayda. A significant humanitarian development saw UNHCR confirm the return of nearly 1.7 million Syrian refugees and displaced persons since December 2024. Watchpoints for the coming week include the progress of economic aid implementation, the effectiveness of new security measures, and further developments in Syria's international diplomatic engagements.

Detailed Analysis

1. Politics

International Diplomatic Engagements
  • President Ahmed Sharaa arrived in Paris, France on May 7 for an official visit at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron, marking his first visit to Europe. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani, General Intelligence chief Hussein Salamah, and Minister for Emergency and Disaster Response Raed al-Saleh.
  • While in Paris, Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani met with President Macron at the Elysee Palace, a delegation from the European Union, Farid al-Madhan (aka “Caesar”), and the Syrian-French community.
  • In a public press conference alongside President Macron, Sharaa declared the visit “not just a diplomatic visit, but a moment of recognition of the Syrian people’s right to self-determination.” He also called for sanctions on Syria to be removed, confirmed that “indirect” talks were ongoing with Israel aimed at de-escalation tensions and ending Israeli military actions, and claimed that Syria’s new constitution would one day define how Syria would resolve the challenges associated with foreign fighters.
  • President Macron expressed hope that a comprehensive deal between the Syrian government and the SDF would be agreed and implemented; insisted that all Syrians must be protected from violence and that all those responsible for crimes be brought to justice; and called upon both the EU and the U.S. to remove sanctions on Syria.
  • Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani hosted a meeting with the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA) Integrated Strategic Assessment Team for Syria in Damascus on May 6, discussing the UN’s proposal to develop “an integrated strategy for humanitarian and political action in cooperation with the Syrian government.”
  • Interior Minister Anas Khattab hosted a meeting on May 7 with the Director General of Consular Affairs at the Swedish Foreign Ministry, Mikael Lindvall, as well as Sweden’s Ambassador to Syria, Jessica Svardstrom, to discuss opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation.
  • Interior Minister Anas Khattab met with Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Syria Faisal Mufjel in Damascus on May 7.
  • According to a Reuters report on May 7, the UAE had begun mediating indirect talks between the Syrian and Israeli governments focused on bilateral security, intelligence, and confidence-building issues.
  • In subsequent follow-up reporting, Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth confirmed that three meetings had taken place at the home of a senior UAE government official in Abu Dhabi involving three people close to Ahmed al-Sharaa and two Israeli “academics” close to the security apparatus.
  • A Wall Street Journal article on May 7 claimed that President Ahmed al-Sharaa was seeking to secure a meeting with U.S. President Trump during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia to present him with a “Marshall Plan-style reconstruction” proposal that would place American and European companies ahead of Chinese ones.
  • Israeli and Turkish government officials met in the Azeri city of Baku on May 8 to discuss further deconfliction and a de-escalation of tensions around Syria.
  • In a public statement attributable to the EU on May 7, “all external parties, including Israel” were called upon to “respect the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.” The statement added that “Israeli attacks and incursions into Syria threaten to undermine stability and exacerbate sectarian tensions.”
  • Two local UNDOF peacekeeping commanders traveled to the village of al-Rafid in Quneitra on May 7 at the request of local notables who lodged a complaint about UNFOF signs recently placed on a local road warning Syrian citizens not to use the road as it leads towards an Israeli military position.
Domestic Governance & Reforms
  • President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Minister for the Economy Nidal al-Shaar on May 6 to discuss plans to redevelop Syria’s industrial base, stimulate a new export economy, and invite foreign investment.
  • President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Minister for Emergency and Disaster Response Raed al-Saleh on May 6 and discussed the ministry’s plans to draw up a new early warning system and to enhance cross-ministry coordination in dealing with emergencies.
  • Minister for Emergency and Disaster Response Raed al-Saleh hosted a preliminary “consultative meeting” on May 6 with representatives of the ministry and associated bodies to “develop a comprehensive national emergency and disaster response plan and to strengthen the national early warning system.”
  • Minister of Defense Murhaf Abu Qasra held a meeting with Interior Minister Anas Khattab on May 6 and discussed opportunities to improve coordination between their respective ministries and to improve border control.
  • Minister of Public Works and Housing, Mustafa Abdulrazzaq met with Minister of Endowments, Mohammed Abu al-Khayr Shukri on May 6 and discussed opportunities for cross-ministry cooperation – including a mechanism for restoring 2,000 damaged mosques and other religious sites across Syria.
  • In a public statement issued on May 6, the Druze Spiritual Council in Sahnaya “affirmed” its unity and reiterated that “we are Syrians first and foremost, and our allegiance is to our motherland, Syria, and its beloved capital Damascus… there is no alternative homeland or umbrella other than the state. We do not want partition or any international protection scheme. Our protection is our state.”
  • Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa declared in public remarks on May 9 that “the spread of misinformation and disinformation poses a major challenge… It is no longer a secret that Syria faces a grave threat as it moves toward stability and political consolidation… There are hundreds of thousands of fake accounts working day and night to deepen polarization and social division.”
  • The Ministry of Justice released on May 8 a fourth batch of 14 male prisoners arrested in Sahnaya in previous days.
  • The Ministries of Information and Interior announced on May 8 that “electronic permits equipped with a barcode system” were being developed to facilitate journalists’ work in Syria.

2. Business

Economic Recovery & Foreign Investment
  • Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh confirmed on May 6 that Qatar had agreed, and secured a U.S. sanctions waiver, to pay $29 million each month for three months to cover the costs of Syrian public sector salaries in health, education, and social affairs ministries, in addition to pension payments for non-military retirees. The Qatari program will be administered by the UNDP and would allow for gradual salary increases reaching up to 400%. Local media subsequently confirmed that the first round of salary payments would begin in June, with salary rates to rise initially by 20%.
  • Minister of Finance Mohammed Barnieh hosted a meeting with Qatar’s Charge d’Affairs, Khalifa Abdullah al-Mahmoud in Damascus on May 6, during which a message was conveyed from Qatar’s Finance Minister Ali al-Kuwari regarding several plans to strengthen assistance to Syria and build bilateral financial ties.
  • Syria’s Minister of Tourism Mazen al-Salhani signed a memorandum of understanding with a joint Saudi-Qatari consortium to begin plans to develop and construct new tourist facilities and sites in Syria (May 7).
  • Minister of Energy Mohammed al-Bashir hosted a meeting with a Chinese investment delegation on May 7 to discuss potential cooperation in direct investment in Syria’s energy sector, including in renewables and other sustainable energy solutions.
  • Minister of Economy Nidal al-Shaar hosted a meeting on May 7 with the World Bank IFC Regional Director Khawaja Aftab Ahmed in Damascus, during which they discussed potential World Bank support for funding sustainable development, private investment, business environment reforms, and the rehabilitation of Syria’s industrial infrastructure.
  • Deputy Minister of Economy Bassel Abdul Hanan hosted a meeting with a delegation from Italian ceramic, cement and stoneware manufacturing company Mektiles Italia to discuss possible investments and activities in Syria (May 7).
  • Minister of Energy Mohammed al-Bashir hosted a meeting with the delegation from Germany’s Reconstruction Bank (KfW) in Damascus on May 8, during which they discussed potential areas for financing infrastructure projects in Syria’s energy sector.
  • Minister of Transport Yaroub Badr hosted a meeting with Norway’s Ambassador to Syria Hilde Haraldstad in Damascus on May 8 to discuss potential assistance to Syria’s public transport system.
  • Minister for Economy Nidal al-Shaar and Minister of Energy Mohammed al-Bashir inaugurated the “Syria Specialized Exhibition Series 2025” on May 8, involving more than 500 local and foreign companies displaying their goods across a venue spanning 30,000 square meters in Damascus.
  • Media reporting, subsequently confirmed by Syrian and Turkish officials, announced on May 9 that a gas pipeline from Kilis in Turkey into northwestern Syria would deliver 6 million cubic meters of gas per day within three months, primarily to Aleppo. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced this plan on May 9, stating the gas would generate electricity through Aleppo’s main power plant.
  • On May 9, a transport ship docked into Tartus Port carrying 50 passenger buses for Syria’s public transport sector.
  • Romanian airline Dan Air announced on May 9 that it would begin commercial flights to Damascus – the first European airline to do so since Assad’s fall in December 2024.
  • Minister of Economy Nidal al-Shaar, alongside Idlib governor Mohammed Abdulrahman, toured Bab al-Hawa’s wheat mill on May 9 – amid recent deliveries of Iraqi grain.
  • Later that day, Shaar and Abdulrahman met to discuss plans to establish an Idlib industrial city; to expand the Bab al-Hawa industrial city; to create a free trade zone in northern Idlib; and to rehabilitate and reconstruct damaged and destroyed factories in the governorate.
Infrastructure & Sectoral Development
  • Minister of Health Musab al-Ali hosted a meeting with an EU delegation, headed by the head of the EU’s Development Unit in Syria, Anna Pierce, to discuss opportunities for the EU to assist in enhancing and expanding Syria’s health sector (May 7).
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) delivered a shipment of medical equipment and other assistance to Douma National Hospital outside Damascus on May 6.
  • News emerged on May 7 that the WHO had secured $3 million in funding for Syria’s healthcare system through the UN Central Fund – which would be used for essential medical services and disease surveillance.
  • Minister of Agriculture Amjad Badr traveled to Daraa on May 7 and met with the Governor Anwar al-Zoubi and a large group of farmers to discuss their needs and the state of agriculture in southern Syria.
  • The Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) signed a two-year cooperation agreement with Syria’s Directorate General for Antiquities and Museums on May 7, to “enhance efforts to protect Syria’s cultural heritage from various threats.” The agreement stipulated joint work and assistance relating to removing unexploded ordinance (UXO), improving safety procedures, and developing effective emergency intervention and response at archeological sites.
  • Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib hosted a meeting with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Adnan Delic, and Minister for Migrant and Refugee Affairs Nirin Dizdar in Aleppo on May 8.
  • Minister of Education Mohammed Turko visited Daraa on May 8 and met with Governor Anwar al-Zoubi to discuss the most significant needs for school infrastructure and other associated needs.
  • The UNHCR confirmed on May 9 that “nearly 1.7 million Syrian refugees and displaced peoples” had returned to their homes across Syria since Assad’s fall in December 2024. That number included 482,000 refugees from Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt.

3. Security

Internal Security Operations & Law Enforcement
  • Governor to Suwayda Mustafa Bakkour confirmed on May 8 that the governorate’s police command had been activated earlier that day, with 2,100 personnel distributed across four departments: Suwayda city, al-Mazraa, al-Mishnaf and al-Tha’ala, Malah, al-Qariya, Dhibin, and al-Sura, Ariqa and Shaqa. Additional staff were also being activated for traffic police and criminal police commands.
  • Syria’s naval force intercepted a weapons smuggling cell operating from one boat off the coast of Latakia on May 8, engaging it in clashes and taking control, seizing weapons and ammunition and capturing the smugglers for prosecution.
  • Public Security forces intercepted and seized a shipment of weapons, ammunition, and a small quantity of drugs in Serghaya on May 9 that were planned for smuggling into neighboring Lebanon.
  • The Iraqi military deployed forces to the border area opposite al-Bukamal and al-Baghouz in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 7, in a move described in Iraqi media as coordinated with the Syrian government to more effectively counter smuggling.
  • Syrian media revealed on May 7 that Minister for Emergency and Disaster Response Raed al-Saleh had finalized plans to establish a national center for demining activities, whose work would be done in close collaboration with a range of international organizations.
  • Government forces conducted a controlled explosion to demolish what remained of the Assad regime’s Air Force Intelligence headquarters in Aleppo city late on May 7.
  • Public Security forces seized a weapons cache linked to Hezbollah during a raid in al-Qusayr, Homs on May 7.
  • Notables from the village of Bayoun in rural southwestern Homs coordinated a collective surrender of the village’s weaponry to the government on May 7.
  • A former militiaman associated with the Assad regime-linked Qaterji family – Walid al-Arsan – was detained by government security forces in Deir ez Zour on May 6.
  • A former Assad regime military officer who had been working in the Tishreen Military Hospital – Bassam Youssef Salman Ali – was captured by security forces in a raid in an undisclosed location in Damascus on May 6. Local reporting claimed Ali had been “an accomplice in the torture and murder of detainees referred to the hospital, in addition to involvement in organ trafficking and blackmailing detainee families.”
  • General Security forces launched a series of coordinated raids in the village of Maaraba in eastern rural Daraa on May 9 and detained several suspected Assad regime loyalists.
  • A shipment of at least 800,000 captagon pills was seized by the government’s anti-narcotics force in a targeted raid in rural eastern Daraa on May 6.
Conflict Incidents & Casualties
  • Overall: At least 12 civilians were killed and 14 injured in various incidents across Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqa, Daraa, and Hasakeh this week.
  • Israel:
    • Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion into the village of Bayr al-Ajam in central Quneitra on May 8.
    • Israeli military forces launched a ground incursion into the village of Sayda al-Hanour in southern Quneitra on May 8.
    • Israeli military forces launched three coordinated ground incursions into the villages of Sayda al-Golan, Ruwayhina, and al-Adaniya in southern and central Quneitra on May 9. Two local men were briefly detained during the incursion in Sayda al-Golan.
  • ISIS Activity:
    • ISIS militants opened fire with machine guns on a gas station in the village of al-Huwayj in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 7. Local media claimed the attack was due to the owner’s refusal to pay ISIS ‘tax.’
    • ISIS militants opened fire with machine guns on the home of a local store owner in the village of al-Tayyanah in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 7. Local media claimed the attack was due to the man’s refusal to pay ISIS ‘tax.’
    • Two suspected ISIS militants were detained by SDF forces during a raid on al-Izbah in northern Deir ez Zour on May 7.
    • Two SDF fighters were injured when ISIS militants ambushed their vehicle traveling outside Ain Issa in Raqqa on May 7.
    • ISIS militants fired on an SDF military post in the village of al-Jadid Okaidat in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 7, but it caused no casualties.
    • ISIS militants fired on an SDF military post in the village of Dhiban in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 7, but it caused no casualties.
    • ISIS militants conducted a drive-by shooting targeted SDF forces at a checkpoint in the village of Dhiban on May 8, but they caused no casualties.
    • Later that day, ISIS militants fired on another SDF checkpoint in Dhiban using one RPG and machine gun fire, but no casualties were confirmed.
  • Unidentified Gunmen & Assassinations:
    • Aleppo: An IED detonated near a Syrian military post in al-Kusa outside Jarablus on May 6, but it caused no casualties. Four civilians were killed and several others injured when two unidentified gunmen opened fire with machine guns on a car dealership in Azaz on May 7. A former Assad regime Liwa al-Quds militiaman was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the al-Mashhad district of Aleppo city on May 8. A local lawyer survived an attempted assassination in the Aleppo city on May 8. One former Assad regime 25th Special Tasks Division soldier was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in al-Safira on May 8. One former Assad regime Republic Guard officer was shot dead by gunmen in the al-Ansari district of Aleppo city on May 9.
    • Latakia: Four Alawite men doing farming work were shot dead in a targeted attack by unidentified gunmen in the village of Ayn al-Jawzah outside Sleinfeh on May 6. A local Alawite notable, Sheikh Saleh al-Mansour, was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen who raided his home in the village of Ras al-Ayn outside Jableh late on May 6. Huge wildfires struck rural regions of Latakia this past week, sparking an emergency response involving local authorities, the Ministries of Defense and Interior and the Syrian Civil Defense. Military helicopters dropped water over forested areas on fire beginning on May 9, to combat fires that began in Jabal al-Turkman.
    • Tartus: Pro-Assad gunmen launched a brief attack on a government military building in Khirbet al-Mazah in rural Tartus late on May 8, triggering clashes but no confirmed casualties.
    • Hama: Two Alawite men were shot dead and one other was injured by unidentified gunmen in a targeted attack while they were doing farming work in the village of al-Sarout in western rural Hama late on May 6. One former Assad regime soldier was shot dead by unidentified gunmen while driving a minibus in Taybat al-Imam in northern Hama on May 7. A former Assad regime Air Force Intelligence officer was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Hama city on May 8. A local businessman was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Hama city on May 9. One man was kidnapped by a group of unidentified gunmen impersonating government security forces in the village of Sabourah on May 9. His family subsequently received video footage of him being tortured, along with allegations of his complicity in Assad regime crimes. An old woman and three children were injured when a group of unidentified gunmen opened fire with machine guns on their home in the village of al-Houla in rural Hama on May 9.
    • Homs: One Alawite man was shot dead and two of his relatives were kidnapped by a group of unidentified gunmen in the village of Balqisah in western rural Homs on May 6. One man was shot and killed in an attack by unidentified gunmen in the village of Hosh Umm Sharshouh in northern rural Homs on May 6. One General Security fighter was killed and two civilians were injured in a targeted attack by unidentified gunmen in the Karam al-Zeitoun district of Homs city on May 8. A former Assad regime era mayor was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Homs city on May 9.
    • Raqqa: Two combatants were killed and three others injured in clashes between rival tribesmen in the village of Huwayjat Shinan in southeastern rural Raqqa on May 6. One SDF civilian employee was kidnapped and executed by unidentified gunmen in Raqqa city on May 6. One man was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Raqqa city on May 7. Two combatants were killed and 10 others injured in heavy clashes between rival tribesman in the village of Huwayjat Shinan in southeastern rural Raqqa on May 7. This marked a second day of fighting in the area.
    • Rif Dimashq: One man was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from the village of Bayt Sahm on May 6, and his executed body was found nearby on May 8. One man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Sahnaya on May 8.
    • Daraa: A child was killed in crossfire when a group of unidentified gunmen attempted to assassinate a man standing outside the local police station in al-Sanamayn on May 6.
    • Suwayda: Two local Druze Public Security force personnel were killed and four others injured when their convoy – transporting injured Druze civilians from the village of al-Sura al-Kubra – were ambushed by gunmen allegedly from the Suwayda Military Council near the governorate border with Daraa on May 6. The killed personnel had previously been under the command of Laith al-Balous.
Explosive Hazards & Border Security
  • Idlib: A civilian was injured and several of his sheep were killed after they triggered an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Dana on May 8. One civilian was injured after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Dana in southern rural Idlib on May 9.
  • Aleppo: A child was injured after accidentally triggering an unexploded cluster munition in the village of Ihras in northern Aleppo on May 8. One man was killed after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine with his tractor in the village of Tana’ab in northern Aleppo on May 8.
  • Hama: One child was killed and another injured after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Jalma in northern rural Hama on May 9.
  • Homs: Two children were injured after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of Hasiyah in the desert outside Palmyra on May 9. Two men were injured after their truck triggered an unexploded landmine near the al-Sukri area in the desert outside Palmyra on May 9.
  • Raqqa: A mother and her two children were killed and their father was injured after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Mansoura in rural Raqqa on May 8.
  • Hasakeh: One man was injured after accidentally triggering an unexploded munition in the village of al-Dashisha in southern rural Hasakeh on May 7. Five children were injured after accidentally triggering an unexploded landmine in the village of al-Qadisiyah in southern rural Qamishli on May 8.
  • Daraa: Unidentified gunmen threw a small IED into the Abu Tamam roundabout in Jassem late on May 7, causing no casualties. Unidentified gunmen threw a small IED into the Abu Tamam roundabout in Jassem late on May 8, causing no casualties. It was the second such attack in 24 hours. A small IED detonated on the approach to the Industrial Roundabout in Daraa city on May 9, but it caused no casualties.
  • Suwayda: Jordanian military forces intercepted a drug smuggling attempt by unidentified gunmen from southern Suwaya in the early hours of May 7, triggering clashes that forced the gunmen to retreat. The drug shipment – primarily containing captagon – was subsequently seized. Unidentified gunmen launched one artillery rocket into an open area outside Suwayda city on May 7, but it caused no damage or casualties. Jordanian military forces intercepted a drug smuggling attempt by unidentified gunmen from southern Suwaya in the early hours of May 7, triggering clashes that forced the gunmen to retreat. The drug shipment – primarily containing hashish – was subsequently seized.

Relevant Context

President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to Paris marks a significant diplomatic shift for Syria's transitional government. This is the first time a Syrian head of state has visited a European capital since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, indicating a potential re-engagement of Western powers with the new Syrian leadership. The discussions around sanctions removal and a "Marshall Plan-style reconstruction" proposal highlight the economic challenges facing Syria and the international community's interest in its stabilization and recovery.

The commitment of $29 million monthly from Qatar to cover Syrian public sector salaries, facilitated by a U.S. sanctions waiver, is a crucial development for Syria's economic stability. This aid, administered by the UNDP, directly addresses the severe financial strain on public services and citizens, demonstrating a pragmatic approach to humanitarian and economic support amidst ongoing sanctions. It underscores the complex balance between international pressure and the urgent need for basic services and economic recovery in post-conflict Syria.

The continued prevalence of incidents involving unexploded ordnance (UXO), landmines, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) across various governorates, resulting in civilian casualties, underscores the enduring legacy of the conflict. These explosive hazards pose a significant threat to daily life, hindering agricultural activities, safe movement, and reconstruction efforts. The establishment of a national demining center, as planned by the Minister for Emergency and Disaster Response, is a critical step towards mitigating this widespread danger and facilitating the safe return and rehabilitation of affected areas.

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