Farhad Shami, director of the media center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stated that despite calls from some parties, the US-led coalition has not left Syria and continues to strengthen its presence in strategic locations inside the country.
In recent days, Israeli army patrol convoys have operated in the areas of Rasem al-Halabi, al-Ruwayhina, al-Ajraf, al-Sa’ayda, Ain Farikha, al-Mushayrifa, al-Samadaniyah al-Sharqiyah, and Jura al-Sheikh.
The Syrian Free Army (Jaysh al-Suri al-Hur – SFA) previously known as the Maghawir al-Thawra, which receives direct support from the United States, has officially joined the Ministry of Interior of the Syrian Interim Government.
Israeli forces have once again breached the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Through artillery shelling and airstrikes on residential areas, several buildings in eastern Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza, were destroyed.
The Turkish government has appointed Nuh Yilmaz as its new ambassador to Syria. Turkey had closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 in protest against the Assad government and the outbreak of the Syrian war.
In a recent report, the American newspaper Wall Street Journal claimed that the terrorist group ISIS has significantly intensified its attacks in northeastern Syria during 2025. Citing data from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the report noted that from January through the end of August, ISIS carried out 117 attacks—compared to just 73 throughout 2024.
The U.S.-led coalition has begun constructing a new military base near the strategic Baghdad–Damascus international highway, outside the 55-kilometer zone surrounding al-Tanf.
Since early January, forces loyal to the Jolani-led administration have begun inspecting vehicles, detaining civilians, and confiscating portions of goods entering the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods. These measures have led to long lines of vehicles and delays of several hours for residents trying to enter or exit the area.
Zeki Akturk, spokesperson for Turkey’s Ministry of Defense, announced in a press briefing in Ankara that the Turkish Armed Forces will continue to take necessary measures against all threats to national security. His remarks followed the Turkish parliament’s approval of a three-year extension for Ankara’s military deployment in Syria and Iraq.
Israeli military operations continue in the provinces of Rif Dimashq and Quneitra under the silent watch of the Jolani administration.
On October 17, unidentified armed individuals assassinated Hisham Khazami in the Al-Furqan neighborhood of Aleppo. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
The ancient city of Palmyra, located in eastern Homs province, witnessed the presence of U.S. military forces on October 17. According to local sources, American troops conducted a field visit to the city and its historic fortress without coordination with the Syrian army.
