Arab world
Geographical and cultural region in Africa and the Middle East
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We include updates on Syrian civil war, Nakba, Sahara, Muslim Brotherhood, Occupied Palestinian territories, Belly dance, Blockade of the Gaza Strip, Demographics of the State of Palestine, USS Cole bombing, 2011 Egyptian revolution, Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian right of return, Syrian opposition, Qatar diplomatic crisis, Palestinian Legislative Council, Southern Transitional Council ... and more.
| June 2025 |
Turkish occupation of northern Syria
Turkish occupation of northern Syrian territories continues, with areas including al-Bab, Azaz, Manbij, Jarabulus, Rajo, Tal Abyad, and Ras al-Ayn under Turkish military and local council administration.
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| 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Syrian transitional government officially closed offices previously used by Polisario members in Damascus, signaling a shift in foreign policy towards Morocco.
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| June 2025 |
Libya (GNA)–Turkey maritime deal
Libya's eastern-based parliament began considering ratification of the maritime agreement with Turkey, with the Tobruk-based House of Representatives forming a review committee.
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| June 2025 |
Libya (GNA)–Turkey maritime deal
Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkey's state-owned oil company TPAO to conduct geological and geophysical surveys in four offshore zones, drawing international attention from Greece and the EU.
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| May 19 2025 | The House of Representatives convened a formal session in eastern Libya to initiate discussions on forming a new unified government and prepare for presidential and parliamentary elections, with Speaker Aguila Saleh Issa calling for the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity to step down. |
| May 13 2025 |
Gaza Strip under Hamas
Mohammed Sinwar's term as Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip ends.
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| May 2025 |
Syrian civil war
Islamic State group reported its first attack on the new Syrian government forces, placing an explosive device targeting a military vehicle in the southern province of Sweida, resulting in one death and three injured soldiers.
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| May 2025 |
Gaza Strip under Hamas
Mohammed Sinwar is assassinated, with Izz al-Din al-Haddad becoming the new leader of Hamas in Gaza.
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| May 3 2025 | Salem Saleh bin Braik assumed the role of Prime Minister of the Internationally Recognised Presidential Leadership Council Led Cabinet. |
| 2025 |
Qatar and state-sponsored terrorism
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani (HBJ) was involved in a legal dispute with property investor Paddy McKillen, leading to public protests by pro-Israel groups accusing him of supporting Hamas.
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| 2025 |
Sahara
A genetic study sequenced individuals from Takarkori (7,000 years before present), revealing a distinct North African ancestral lineage previously unknown. The study challenged previous interpretations about population movements in the Green Sahara period.
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| April 23 2025 | Jordan's Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh announced an immediate ban on the Muslim Brotherhood, seizing its assets and offices after uncovering a suspected sabotage plot. |
| April 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Saudi Arabia planned to pay off Syria's $15 million World Bank debt, indicating increased diplomatic and economic engagement with the new Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.
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| April 2025 |
Libya (GNA)–Turkey maritime deal
Saddam Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar, visited Ankara to seek Turkish support, indicating a potential strategic shift in Libyan-Turkish relations.
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| 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Canada reestablished diplomatic relations with Syria.
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| March 31 2025 |
Prime Minister of Syria
Transition of governmental leadership following the fall of the Assad regime, with the Prime Minister becoming the head of the Syrian transitional government.
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| March 29 2025 | The Ministry of Water Resources was merged with the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources to form the new Ministry of Energy. |
| March 29 2025 |
President of Syria
Al-Sharaa announces the second Syrian transitional government at a ceremony at the People's Palace in Damascus, with new ministers sworn in and delivering speeches about their agendas.
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| March 29 2025 |
Syrian civil war
President al-Sharaa issues Presidential Decree No. 122, forming the Second Syrian transitional government and the 98th Council of Ministers of Syria, replacing the previous transitional government from December 2024.
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| March 20 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Germany reopened its Embassy in Damascus.
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| 2025 |
Prime Minister of Syria
New Interim Constitution establishes a presidential system, removing the position of prime minister and concentrating executive power in the president's hands.
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| March 2025 |
Gaza Strip under Hamas
Scheduled Hamas leadership elections planned.
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| March 18 2025 | Issam al-Da'alis is killed during the Gaza war, leading to the establishment of a 15-member Community Support Committee to assume government affairs of the Gaza Strip. |
| March 2025 |
Canada–Syria relations
Canada officially suspended economic sanctions against Syria and appointed Stefanie McCollum, the ambassador to Lebanon, as its non-resident ambassador to Syria.
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| March 18 2025 | Essam al-Da'alis takes office in the Justice Ministry, concluding his term as Head of the Government Administrative Committee. |
| March 13 2025 |
President of Syria
Al-Sharaa signed a temporary constitution, placing Syria under Islamist rule for five years while committing to protect the rights of all Syrians during the transitional phase.
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| March 13 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Canada announced plans to ease sanctions against Syria and name its ambassador to Lebanon to serve in a parallel role in Syria.
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| March 12 2025 |
Syrian civil war
All revolutionary factions united into the First Syrian transitional government.
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| March 12 2025 |
Syrian civil war
Suwayda Military Council agrees to integrate into state institutions, unifying Syrian revolutionary factions.
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| March 2025 |
Sectarianism and minorities in the Syrian civil war
Massacres of Syrian Alawites in western Syria resulted in targeted killings of non-Alawite religious minorities, including Christians, with many fleeing to the mountains.
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| March 10 2025 |
Syrian civil war
The Syrian government announced completion of its military operation against Assad loyalists in the coastal region.
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| March 8 2025 |
Sectarianism and minorities in the Syrian civil war
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported a massacre of more than 740 Alawite civilians by Syrian security forces and pro-government fighters during clashes in western Syria.
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| March 6 2025 |
Syrian civil war
Mass killings and massacres against Alawites began after the defeat of Assad and rise of the Transitional government. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 1,614 civilians killed by armed militias supporting the Syrian government.
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| 2025 |
Turkish occupation of northern Syria
Continued fighting between Turkish forces and Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria following the initial offensive.
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| March 2 2025 |
President of Syria
Al-Sharaa declared the establishment of a committee to draft a constitutional declaration to guide Syria's transition.
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| February 18 2025 |
Syrian civil war
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reach a disarmament agreement with al-Sharaa's government. SDF leader Mazloum Abdi congratulates al-Sharaa and invites him to visit northeast Syria.
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| February 12 2025 | Syrian Negotiation Commission president Bader Jamous met with new Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa and Hadi al-Bahra (president of the Syrian National Coalition) to agree on dissolving both the Negotiation Commission and the National Coalition within the Syrian transitional government, two months after the fall of the Assad regime. |
| February 11 2025 | The Syrian National Council (SNC) begins preparing to dissolve, instructing employees to apply for positions in the new administration. |
| February 7 2025 | The Kurdish National Council withdraws from the Coalition. |
| January 30 2025 | The Syrian Interim Government places itself 'at the disposal' of the transitional government. |
| January 29 2025 |
President of Syria
The 2012 constitution was officially phased out.
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| January 29 2025 |
President of Syria
Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed as President of Syria in a transitional capacity, succeeding the previous president.
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| January 29 2025 |
Syrian civil war
At the Syrian Revolution Victory conference, the new government announces the dissolution of armed militias and their integration into the Syrian Ministry of Defense. Ahmed al-Sharaa, former HTS leader, is appointed as president during the transitional phase.
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| January 2025 | Samir Sattouf announces that the Syrian National Coalition and Syrian Negotiation Commission would not be officially invited to the dialogue conference due to their expired mandates. |
| January 2025 | United States-brokered ceasefire went into effect, with Hamas retaining control over the Gaza Strip as IDF withdrew. |
| January 2025 |
President of Syria
New Interim Constitution of Syria implemented, defining presidential powers and roles, including supreme command of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces.
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| January 16 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Spain reopened its Embassy in Damascus.
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| January 8 2025 | Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with a Syrian National Coalition delegation headed by Hadi al-Bahra. |
| January 2 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to re-establish diplomatic relations with Syria.
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This contents of the box above is based on material from the Wikipedia articles Syrian civil war, Hamas government of October 2016, Ministry of Water Resources (Syria), President of Syria, Libya (GNA)–Turkey maritime deal, Cabinet of Yemen, Syrian Negotiation Commission, Women in the Arab world, Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, Gaza Strip under Hamas, National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Turkish occupation of northern Syria, Sectarianism and minorities in the Syrian civil war, Muslim Brotherhood, Foreign relations of Syria, Prime Minister of Syria, Canada–Syria relations, House of Representatives (Libya), Qatar and state-sponsored terrorism & Sahara, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.