US Company Signs Deal for Syrian Oil

Iran’s role in attack on U.S. troops in Syria signals new escalation

Iran appears to have been responsible for a drone attack last week on a U.S. outpost in Syria, suggesting that a new front could be opening in the low-level conflict that has simmered since the United States pulled out of the Iran nuclear accord in 2018.

No U.S. casualties were reported in the attack on the isolated U.S. outpost at Tanf near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders, according to the U.S. military. But pro-Iranian media trumpeted it as a “victory,” and it was the first major attack on U.S. troops in Syria by Iran...

At a news briefing Monday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby refused to directly blame Iran for the barrage of rockets and exploding drones that caused considerable damage to the base, according to photographs circulating on social media. He described it as “a complex, coordinated and deliberate attack” and noted that similar attacks have been carried out by Iranian-allied Shiite militias against U.S. troops elsewhere...

Bringing Syria back into the fold

Egypt, Jordan and several other Arab countries are quietly lining up to tip the balance toward the return of Syria to the Arab League.

Why it matters: The regional body suspended Syria in 2011, and most countries in the region cut ties with Bashar al-Assad's regime. As Syria is brought back into the fold, the rush to benefit from the country's post-war reconstruction is already becoming apparent...

Between the lines: It's unclear just how hard the U.S. is actually pushing partners like the UAE and Jordan on this issue.

Former IS fighters say they paid way out of Kurdish jail in ‘reconciliation’ scheme

Kurdish-led forces in charge of jails in north-east Syria housing about 10,000 men with alleged links to Islamic State are releasing prisoners in exchange for money under a “reconciliation” scheme, according to interviews with two freed men and official documents.

Syrian men imprisoned without trial can pay an $8,000 (£6,000) fine to be freed, a copy of the release form shows.

As part of the deal, the released prisoners sign a declaration promising not to rejoin any armed organisations and to leave the parts of north and east Syria under control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)...

Drone shot down near US base in Syria

A drone was intercepted near a military base in southern Syria on Tuesday, U.S. Central Command said.

Captain Bill Urban, spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said in an emailed statement that two unmanned aerials systems (UAS) were tracked entering a deconfliction zone on Tuesday evening.

As one drone continued deeper into the deconfliction zone, it was “assessed as demonstrating hostile intent and was shot down,” he said...