A nationwide ceasefire in Syria, brokered by Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the conflict, came into force at midnight on Friday, local time, (2200 GMT on Thursday) in the latest attempt to end nearly six years of bloodshed. Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of...

 (Zaman Al Wasl)- Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces took new ground from the Islamic State in the western countryside of Raqqa city, the U.S.-backed militia said in statement Wednesday. The SDF fighters captured Haddaj village after two days of clashes with ISIS. The ongoing advance...

 (Zaman Al Wasl)- Well-informed sources in the Syrian opposition's main political body denied news of an imminent ceasefire agreement between regime and rebel factions. Sources close to Riad Hijab, general coordinator for the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said no ceasefire draft had...

Two mortar bombs were fired at the Russian Embassy in Damascus Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said, adding that no casualties or damage had been caused. "From 1 p.m. to 1:19 p.m. Moscow time (1000 GMT to 1019 GMT), the Russian Embassy was bombarded by terrorists. One mortar bomb,...