Damascus (/ d ə ˈ m æ s k ə s / də-MAS-kəs, UK also / d ə ˈ m ɑː s k ə s / də-MAH-skəs; Arabic: دِمَشْق, romanized: Dimašq) is the largest city in Syria, the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth holiest city in Islam.

Jan 25, 2025 · Damascus, city, capital of Syria. Located in the southwestern corner of the country, it has been called the “pearl of the East,” praised for its beauty and lushness; the 10th-century traveler and geographer al-Maqdisī lauded the city as ranking among the four earthly paradises. Upon visiting the city in 1867, Mark Twain wrote.

20 hours ago · ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Jordan will come together to fight the remnants of the Islamic State group, a move that would allow the United States to cut ties with Kurdish militants in Syria, the Turkish foreign minister said Sunday. Washington’s decadelong relationship with Kurdish-led forces in Syria is opposed by Turkey.

Dec 13, 2024 · Thousands of Syrians gathered Friday at Umayyad Square, the largest in Damascus, to celebrate after the first Muslim Friday prayers following the downfall of former President Bashar Assad. (AP video shot by Malak Harb)

Turkish-controlled areas of Syria includes towns such as al-Bab, Azaz, Manbij, Jarabulus, Rajo, Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn.

5 days ago · Damascus was the seat of the sultan’s deputy in Syria, with a miniature court fashioned after that of Cairo. The economy recovered quickly after the Mongol withdrawal in 1260, and it was booming by the beginning of the 14th century, particularly during the governorate of Tankiz (1312–40).

Dec 12, 2024 · Damascus, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, stands as a testament to centuries of history and cultural exchange. Among its myriad treasures, the Ottoman-era landmarks shine as enduring symbols of a shared heritage that once united vast regions under a single empire.

Jan 25, 2025 · Government is Damascus’s most important economic activity. National politics and administration, including large military and secret services establishments, are centered there. Well-known over the centuries for luxurious manufactured wares, especially textiles, the growing city has attracted many new industries since the mid-20th century.

Jan 5, 2025 · Across Damascus, as in much of the country, Syrians are reclaiming, and in some cases embracing anew, spaces and freedoms that had been off limits for years under the Assad regime.

5 days ago · In 2015, Gabbard was part of a congressional trip led by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., to the Turkish-Syrian border to see the impact of the war. As part of that trip, they visited Gaziantep, where civilians from Syria were receiving medical treatment across the border in Turkey.