Raqqa is back in headlines as Syrian forces push into Kurdish-held areas and pursue integration deals—city’s at the center of a regional power shift.
Australian authorities have overseen the return of seven women and 12 children linked to Islamic State fighters from the al-Roj camp in northeast Syria. Several women have been charged with slavery or terrorism offences on arrival; others are under investigation. The government maintains it has not provided assistance for these returns and is monitoring ongoing cases.
Syria has mobilised emergency response as rising Euphrates water levels have disabled water stations and submerged thousands of hectares of farmland in Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa. President al-Sharaa has toured affected areas, and authorities are coordinating across ministries to monitor dams, support livelihoods, and begin rebuilding infrastructure.