(Writing by Faris Al Rifai; Translation by Yusra Ahmed) More than 28 months passed since Abdullah al-Khalil, the lawyer and human rights advocate, had been arrested by the Syrian regime security in May 2013. Reports confirmed that al-Khalil was tortured and detained...

Qatar has sent 1,000 ground troops to Yemen, Doha-based Al Jazeera television said, escalating Gulf Arab intervention in Yemen's war ahead of a planned offensive against Iranian-backed Houthis holding the capital Sanaa. Qatari pilots had already joined months of Saudi-led air strikes on...

  The United States has asked Greece to deny Russia the use of its airspace for supply flights to Syria, a Greek official said on Monday, after Washington told Moscow it was deeply concerned by reports of a Russian military build up in Syria. The Greek foreign ministry said the...

Islamic State fighters have seized the last major oilfield under Syrian regime control during battles over a vast central desert zone, Reuters said on Monday. The Jazal field was now shut down and clashes were ongoing east of Homs, with casualties reported on both sides, the...