The latest in Syria as man thought to be US citizen found in Damascus
CNN
A man identifying himself as a US citizen, who went missing in Hungary earlier this year, has been found in Damascus, Syria. Follow for live updates.
• A man identifying himself as a US citizen, who went missing in Hungary earlier this year, has been found in Damascus. The 29-year-old man was reportedly discovered by residents wandering barefoot in a neighborhood just south of the Syrian capital. The US is working to bring him back home, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. • Syrian rebel leader Mohammad al-Jolani says he would dissolve the security forces of the toppled regime of Bashar al-Assad. His comments come as Syria’s caretaker prime minister reiterated that the interim government will remain in place until March. • Blinken also said the US is speaking directly with Israel about its actions in Syria. Israel has sent troops into the “buffer zone” between Israel and Syria and struck Syrian air bases, ports, and weapons stockpiles across the country in an effort to prevent them from falling into the hands of its adversaries. • Meanwhile, Hamas and Israel are “talking seriously” about a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza, a diplomatic source familiar with the matter told CNN. Hamas negotiators are back in the Qatari capital of Doha. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in Jerusalem that parties are “looking to close” a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal following meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Israeli officials as he projected cautionary optimism about the potential for a deal in the next month. Sullivan added that he will be traveling to Doha, Qatar, and Cairo, Egypt, to continue negotiations with other mediators involved in the talks as they seek to finalize a deal before President Joe Biden leaves office.
As tit-for-tat strikes strain a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah less than a week since it went into effect, Israel’s defense minister on Tuesday threatened to directly target the Lebanese state should the agreement fall apart.
Syrian and Russian jets are stepping up strikes on opposition forces in northern Syria in retaliation for the sudden offensive that has cost the regime control of the country’s second largest city, Aleppo.
Syria’s civil war is back in the spotlight after a new rebel coalition launched a surprise attack, sweeping into the country’s second largest city, Aleppo.