Authorities declare cemetery near Palestinian refugee camp a closed military zone, according to unverified report in Syrian media The Russian military began searches in a cemetery near a Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus, in attempts to locate remains of two Israeli soldiers missing since 1982, Syrian media reported this week.

The Islamic State (IS) group has launched more than 100 attacks in north-eastern Syria over the last month alone and is terrorising many towns and villages at night. The violence is concentrated in the largely desert province of Deir al-Zour.

“This decision has nothing to do with our view of the Houthis and their reprehensible conduct, including attacks against civilians and the kidnapping of American citizens,” a State Department spokesperson regarding notification of Congress about delisting of Houthis.