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24-30 May 2025

Published: May 31, 2025

SYRIA SITREP: 2025-05-24 - 2025-05-30 (Published: 2025-05-31)

Executive Summary

The reporting period was defined by a surge in high-level diplomacy and landmark economic agreements, signaling a significant acceleration in Syria's post-conflict reintegration. President Ahmed al-Sharaa led a senior delegation to Turkey, meeting with President Erdogan and U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack to discuss sanctions relief, counter-terrorism, and investment. This was complemented by reports of direct Syrian-Israeli security talks and discussions with Turkey on a joint defense agreement. The U.S. formally reopened its ambassador's residence in Damascus.

Economically, the week witnessed the signing of a monumental $7 billion energy and reconstruction deal involving Qatari, Turkish, and U.S. companies, alongside a major electricity agreement to add 5,000 MW to the grid. An automotive cooperation MOU was signed with a Turkish firm, Saudi airline Flyadeal commenced flights to Syria, and the BuildEx 2025 expo launched in Damascus, attracting hundreds of foreign and local companies.

Domestically, the Interior Ministry announced a comprehensive restructuring, abolishing the notorious Political Security division and creating new departments focused on counter-terrorism and border security. A new military code of conduct was also announced. However, the security situation remains volatile. ISIS intensified its activities, claiming multiple attacks, including a deadly bombing in Suwayda and another in Raqqa. Israeli military operations continued, with significant airstrikes reported on the coast and persistent ground incursions in the south.

Key shifts include the rapid materialization of major foreign investment and the establishment of formal, direct channels with former adversaries. Watchpoints for the coming period are the implementation of the large-scale economic projects, the outcome of defense and de-escalation talks with Turkey and Israel, and the new government's capacity to contain a resurgent ISIS threat.

Detailed Analysis

1. Politics

International Affairs
  • President Ahmed al-Sharaa, accompanied by the Foreign and Defense Ministers and the General Intelligence Chief, traveled to Istanbul, Turkey on May 24, meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Later, they met with U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack, focusing on sanctions relief, U.S. investment, counter-terrorism, and a comprehensive agreement with the SDF.
  • On May 25, the Syrian delegation traveled to Ankara for meetings with Turkey’s Vice President, Finance Minister, Central Bank Governor, and chief of Defense Industries.
  • The U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, raised the flag over the U.S. ambassador's residence in Damascus on May 30, formally reopening the mission.
  • Multiple reports on May 27-28 indicated that Syrian and Israeli government representatives have been engaged in direct, face-to-face security talks aimed at de-escalating tensions. Ahmed al-Dalati, former Governor of Quneitra, was reportedly Syria's lead representative.
  • Syria and Turkey discussed a joint defense agreement on May 29, potentially including Turkish-supported training bases for the Syrian army in Meng Military Airport (Aleppo) and Ras al-Ain (Hasakah).
  • Morocco is set to reopen its embassy in Damascus, which was closed in 2012. A technical mission visited Syria to prepare for the reopening.
  • President Ahmed al-Sharaa hosted a meeting with the President of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), David Miliband, in Damascus on May 26. Miliband also met with Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani.
  • Syria's Foreign Minister announced a new initiative on May 29 to hire diaspora professionals to contribute to the country's reconstruction.
  • A senior SDF delegation was expected in Damascus on May 27 to negotiate key issues, including security integration. Reports on May 28 indicated the Syrian government and SDF reached a deal regarding the al-Hol camp.
  • Minister of Local Administration Mohammed Anjarani met with the director of Germany’s Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the UNDP’s Resident Coordinator on May 25-26 to discuss support for refugee returns, reconstruction, and recovery.
  • On May 27, the EU announced an additional €20 million for humanitarian aid in northeast Syria. The EU also sanctioned Syria's HTS over "killings" on May 29, while simultaneously lifting sanctions on 24 other Syrian entities on May 28.
Domestic Affairs
  • The Ministry of Interior announced a comprehensive restructuring on May 24. The plan abolished the Political Security division, renamed Criminal Security to the Department for Criminal Investigation, and established new departments for Counterterrorism, Prisons and Correction, Border Security, and Protection and Diplomatic Security. New provincial security directors were appointed for all governorates except Raqqa and Hasakeh.
  • Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced on May 30 that a new military code of conduct would be issued shortly, emphasizing discipline, responsibility, and the protection of civilians.
  • President Ahmed al-Sharaa on May 27 declared a focus on Aleppo's economy, stating it would become the region's "greatest economic hub."
  • In Suwayda, Druze religious leaders and local notables issued a statement on May 25 supporting the deployment of local factions (Rijal al-Karama, Liwa Ahrar al-Jabal) to provide security, while rejecting division and foreign interference.
  • President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued decrees on May 27 appointing four new deputies to the Minister for Higher Education.
  • Daraa Governor Anwar al-Zoubi appointed Khaled Zain al-Abadin as the provincial director of public relations on May 25.
  • The Ministry of Justice on May 26 ordered residents of the Areen Housing development (formerly for Assad regime military families) to vacate their properties within 72 hours.

2. Business

Major Energy and Reconstruction Deals
  • Syria signed a landmark $7 billion reconstruction and energy deal on May 29-30.
  • A historic electricity agreement was set for signing on May 28 with a consortium including Qatari UCC, Turkish Kalyon and Cengiz companies, and Power International of USA. The "Syrian Energy Revival Initiative" aims to add 5,000 MW to the grid through gas and solar projects, covering 77% of Syria's 24-hour demand.
  • Minister of Energy Mohammed al-Bashir hosted delegations of Kuwaiti and Qatari businessmen and investors on May 26-27 to discuss investment opportunities in the energy sector.
Foreign Investment and Trade
  • Syria and Turkish company Wox Automobiles signed an automotive cooperation MOU on May 29, focusing on vehicle manufacturing, assembly, and the introduction of electric vehicle technology.
  • The BuildEx 2025 construction and investment expo kicked off in Damascus on May 28, attracting 740 companies, including 250 foreign firms.
  • Saudi airline Flyadeal began commercial flights to Syria on May 28.
  • The Syrian Finance Minister announced the Syrian stock market is set to reopen on June 2, 2025.
  • The inaugural Syrian-Jordanian Economic Forum took place in Damascus on May 26. On May 29, Jordanian and Syrian engineers' associations signed an MOU to boost cooperation on reconstruction.
Infrastructure and Local Economy
  • The Governor of Idlib and the Chairman of the General Authority for Land and Sea Ports agreed on May 24 to establish a new free trade zone in Idlib.
  • Minister of Energy Mohammed al-Bashir and Idlib Governor Mohammed Abdulrahman formally inaugurated a new 1.5 MW solar energy field in Arshani, Idlib on May 24 to power local water supplies.
  • Minister of Energy Mohammed al-Bashir and the Governor of Tartus inaugurated the relaunch of the Jaditi water station on May 25, increasing supply by 67% for 100,000 residents.
  • The al-Sin Spring Water Bottling factory resumed operations in Tartus on May 26 with a capacity of 6,000 bottles per hour.
  • Minister of Tourism Mazen al-Salhani opened the new 5-star Art House Hotel in Damascus on May 24 and convened a meeting on May 26 to develop a strategic plan for the tourism sector.

3. Security

Escalating ISIS Activity
  • ISIS claimed responsibility for a deadly attack in Suwayda province on May 29. A remote-controlled landmine targeted a Syrian army patrol, killing one soldier and wounding three. An ambulance responding to the scene was also hit by a roadside bomb.
  • ISIS claimed an attack on Syrian government forces in northern Raqqa province on May 30.
  • On May 26, an ISIS ambush on an SDF vehicle near al-Khineiz, north of Raqqa, killed one SDF fighter and injured two others.
  • General Security Service personnel launched raids on ISIS cells in Western Ghouta on May 25, detaining several operatives and seizing a large arms cache that included rifles, RPGs, IEDs, and at least one MANPADS.
  • ISIS militants conducted multiple ambushes on SDF patrols in eastern Deir ez Zour on May 24-25 in the villages of al-Jarthi, al-Izbah, and al-Sabha.
  • An Interior Ministry spokesman stated on May 26 that ISIS has increased its activity since the fall of the Assad regime and is coordinating with neighboring countries to counter the threat.
Israeli and Turkish Military Operations
  • The Israeli Air Force conducted airstrikes against military sites on the Syrian coast on May 30, targeting locations in Latakia, Tartous, and Jableh, with reports of at least one civilian death.
  • Israeli military forces conducted multiple ground incursions into Quneitra and Daraa between May 24-27, detaining locals for questioning and confiscating livestock. On May 30, Quneitra residents reportedly expelled an Israeli patrol near the Rywaihiniyah dam.
  • The Turkish Air Force conducted airstrikes in northern Syria on May 29, targeting PKK and YPG positions with F-16 aircraft.
Border Security and Counter-Smuggling
  • Public Security forces intercepted a major arms shipment in western rural Homs on May 25 intended for smuggling into Lebanon. The cache included at least 28 heavy machine guns and over 120 122mm Grad rockets.
  • Syrian security forces seized a large weapons cache in Eastern Homs on May 29, including an SPG-9 recoilless rifle and Konkurs & Fagot ATGMs.
  • Jordanian security forces at the Jaber-Nassib crossing seized 200,000 captagon pills concealed in truck tires on May 24.
  • Jordanian military forces intercepted three remote-controlled balloons carrying drugs from Suwayda on May 24.
Internal Clashes and Insurgent Activity
  • SDF forces were accused on May 30 of detaining 68 civilians in Northeast Syria for supporting the government and abducting six underage girls for forcible recruitment.
  • A land dispute between local Bedouins and farmers in northern rural Latakia killed three Alawite farmers on May 26.
  • Heavy clashes erupted between rival Alawite and Sunni villages in rural Tartus on May 25, requiring the deployment of General Security forces.
  • Clashes occurred between SNA-aligned militiamen and local tribesmen in Suluk, near Tel Abyad, on May 26, injuring six combatants.
  • Public Security forces captured a former pro-Assad militia commander, Marwan Ahmad, in Jableh on May 26, and arrested a former regime pilot, Brig. Gen. Ghazi Khalil Suleiman, in Tartus on May 27.

Relevant Context

Syria-Israel De-escalation Talks: Syria and Israel have been in a formal state of war for decades, primarily centered on Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights since 1967. Direct, high-level talks between the two governments have been exceptionally rare. The reported face-to-face security meetings, aimed at de-escalation, represent a profound shift from decades of hostility. This development, occurring in the context of Syria's new transitional government and its realignment away from Iran, signals a pragmatic attempt to stabilize a volatile border and potentially redefine regional security dynamics.

Interior Ministry Restructuring: Under the Assad regime, security agencies like the Political Security Directorate were infamous for systematic human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings, functioning as pillars of state repression. The new government's decision to abolish this and other notorious branches is a significant symbolic and structural reform. Establishing new, Western-style departments for "Counterterrorism" and "Border Security" is intended to signal a definitive break from the past and a move towards a security apparatus focused on national defense and law enforcement rather than political suppression.

ISIS Resurgence: Following the territorial defeat of its caliphate in 2019, ISIS transitioned into a clandestine insurgency, primarily operating in the remote desert regions of central and eastern Syria. The power vacuum and instability following the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024 have provided the group with a significant opportunity to regroup, recruit, and escalate its operations. The recent increase in claimed attacks against both the new government's forces and the SDF demonstrates ISIS's ability to exploit the transitional period to reassert its influence and disrupt efforts to stabilize the country.