The start of this year proved deadly for one unit of about 100 Russian fighters supporting President Bashar al-Assad's troops in northern Syria. On Feb. 3, 38-year-old Maxim Kolganov was killed in a firefight with rebels near Aleppo when a bullet pierced his body armor and heart. Then,...

(The Daily Star)- Syrian rebels Thursday launched a new wave of car bombs and rockets on Aleppo's western districts, redoubling their efforts to break the government's three-month siege of the city. An AFP photographer said government-held districts had been quiet throughout the night, but...

(Time)- The Russian president on Wednesday offered a new unilateral humanitarian pause for Syria’s war-ravaged Aleppo, urging rebels to use it to leave the city’s eastern, besieged districts. The Syrian rebels quickly dismissed Vladimir Putin’s initiative. Later in the day, at least...

 Extremist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on his fighters to resist as Iraqi forces were poised Thursday to enter the city of Mosul where he declared a "caliphate" two years ago. The appeal was made in an audio recording released on the Internet and purported to be by the elusive...