Foiled Attempt to Smuggle a Large Shipment of Narcotic Pills in Rural Damascus
ARK News.. Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Department announced that it has foiled an attempt to smuggle a large shipment of narcotic pills in the countryside of Damascus.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the Anti-Narcotics Department thwarted, on Monday, January 12, 2026, an attempt to smuggle a large shipment of narcotic pills in the city of Yabroud in rural Damascus, following a security operation carried out by its specialized units.
The agency reported that the seized shipment included approximately 650,000 Captagon pills, which were prepared for smuggling using 226 aerial balloons.
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Tirbaspiye: Selection of Delegates for the Fifth Congress of the Kurdish National Council in Syria
ARK News.. The Kurdish National Council (KNC) in Syria, in the city of Tirbaspiye in Syrian Kurdistan, reviewed the latest developments on the Syrian scene in general, with a particular focus on Kurdish affairs.
A preparatory meeting was held at the Tirbaspiye Local Council of the Kurdish National Council in Syria as part of the preparations for convening the fifth congress of the KNC.
The meeting was attended by Faisal Youssef, a member of the KNC Presidential Council, and Nashat Zaza, head of the Office of Local Councils Affairs of the KNC, in addition to a number of independent national figures.
During the meeting, Faisal Youssef highlighted the latest developments and political dynamics in Syria at large, with special emphasis on Kurdish issues. He also reviewed the current situation in the two Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiya.
At the conclusion of the meeting, a vote was held to elect the representatives who will participate as delegates on behalf of the local council in the proceedings of the fifth congress of the Kurdish National Council in Syria.
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Afrin: Kurdish National Council Organizes Return Convoy for Displaced Residents of Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud
ARK News.. The Afrin Local Council of the Kurdish National Council (KNC) in Syria announced that it will organize a return convoy from Afrin to the Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods in the city of Aleppo.
According to a statement reviewed by Ark News, the Afrin Local Council of the KNC, in coordination with the Afrin area administration, will dispatch a “return convoy” to Aleppo’s Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 12:00 p.m., departing from Afrin’s main bus station.
The statement added that those wishing to return to Aleppo are requested to be present at the Afrin bus station at 11:00 a.m.
Ahmed Hassan, head of the Afrin Local Council of the Kurdish National Council in Syria, said on Monday that the KNC would work to organize a return convoy for displaced residents from Afrin back to the Ashrafiya neighborhood in Aleppo, following coordination with the relevant authorities in the city.
Hassan noted that approximately 150,000 people were displaced from the Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods of Aleppo toward Afrin as a result of the armed clashes that took place in recent weeks.
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President Barzani Calls for an End to Campaigns Targeting Syrian Arabs Residing in the Kurdistan Region
ARK News.. President Masoud Barzani has called for an immediate end to campaigns targeting Syrian Arab residents in the Kurdistan Region, in the wake of recent events in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Below is the full text of President Barzani’s message:
Message from President Barzani
In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate,
In reaction to the events that have taken place in the city of Aleppo over the past few days, it is regrettable that some media platforms and social media outlets, among others, have launched campaigns against Syrian Arab citizens residing in the Kurdistan Region.
Such campaigns and behaviors are inappropriate and misplaced. They do not, in any way, align with the principles and values of the people of Kurdistan, and they also contradict the general policy and vision of the institutions of the Kurdistan Region.
In truth, it is unacceptable to place the blame for a crime committed by one group on others who have no connection to it. Rather, refugees and Syrian Arab citizens who have sought refuge in and are living in the Kurdistan Region must be respected. These illegitimate campaigns must be ended, and the relevant authorities must work to prevent the recurrence of such behaviors.
Masoud Barzani
12 January 2026
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Masrour Barzani Expresses Appreciation for the Egyptian President’s Role in Supporting the Kurdish Cause
ARK News.. The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, on Monday, January 12, 2026, received the Egyptian Consul General to the Kurdistan Region, Ambassador Mahmoud Farouk Youssef Amer.
The meeting discussed the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Cairo and his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The Consul General highlighted the importance of the visit and its role in advancing bilateral relations across various fields, reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Kurdistan Region.
For his part, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for Egypt and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for their role in supporting the Kurdish cause and in laying the foundations for peace and stability in the region.
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First Convoy of Displaced Residents Returns from Afrin to Ashrafiya Neighborhood in Aleppo
ARK News.. After the Afrin Region Administration announced the launch of the first return convoy to the Ashrafiya neighborhood in the city of Aleppo, following the end of security operations in the area, the head of the Afrin Local Council confirmed that the convoy will depart today from Afrin to Aleppo.
In a special statement to Ark News, Ahmed Hassan, Head of the Afrin Local Council of the Kurdish National Council in Syria (ENKS), said that the convoy is scheduled to depart from “Afrin Garage” at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, January 12, 2026.
Hassan added that the Kurdish National Council in Syria will work to organize additional return convoys for displaced residents from Afrin to the Ashrafiya neighborhood in Aleppo, following coordination with the relevant authorities in the city.
He also noted that around 150,000 people were displaced from the Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods in Aleppo to Afrin as a result of the armed clashes that took place in the previous period.
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European Union Calls for an End to Hostilities in and Around Aleppo
ARK News.. The European Union has called on the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to resume “dialogue” following deadly clashes in the city of Aleppo.
In a statement, an EU spokesperson said: “The European Union calls for an end to hostilities in and around the city of Aleppo and stresses the importance of protecting civilians at all times and facilitating humanitarian access.”
The statement added: “We urge all parties to implement the announced ceasefire and to return urgently to dialogue in order to reach a political solution.”
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Death Toll from Clashes in Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud Rises to Nearly 200
ARK News.. A Syrian human rights source reported that the number of casualties resulting from the clashes in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiya neighborhoods of Aleppo has risen to nearly 200 people, including both killed and wounded.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday, January 11, 2026, that the death toll from the clashes and intense shelling in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiya since the first day of escalation has reached 82 people, including civilians and fighters, amid ongoing military operations and continued reports of missing persons whose fate remains unknown.
According to the Observatory, the casualties are distributed as follows:
• 43 civilians, including 8 women and 5 children.
• 39 fighters from both sides.
The source added that approximately 115 people have been documented as injured, most of them women and children, with varying degrees of severity, as a result of indiscriminate shelling and direct clashes inside residential areas.
The Observatory also noted that a number of civilians remain missing due to heavy and indiscriminate bombardment, compounded by a near-total disruption of communications and internet services, which continues to hinder documentation efforts and contact with affected families.
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Canada Calls for De-escalation in Aleppo’s Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud Neighborhoods
ARK News.. Canada has called for swift steps to reduce tensions in the Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods of the Syrian city of Aleppo.
In a statement issued on Saturday, January 10, 2026, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the Syrian interim government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to take immediate measures to de-escalate the situation.
Canada called on both parties to make the protection of civilians and dialogue their top priorities, in order to prevent further violence and help calm the situation on the ground.
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Over 10 Days, Israeli Forces Carry Out More Than 15 Incursions into Syrian Territory
ARK News.. A Syrian human rights source reported that Israeli forces have carried out more than 15 incursions into Syrian territory since the beginning of the new year 2026.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday, January 10, 2026, that it documented 16 ground incursions by Israeli forces into Syrian territory in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra since the start of 2026.
According to the source, the incursions were not limited to armored military movements, but also included the destruction of civilian facilities, the arrest of civilians, and the raising of Israeli flags on strategic hills, at a time when the Syrian transitional government has maintained complete silence, without any movement by the military forces stationed in the area to defend national sovereignty.
The source added that Israeli units involved in the incursions blew up what remained of the Golani Hospital structure in the destroyed city of Quneitra, and raised the Israeli flag over Tal al-Ahmar in Quneitra, within Syrian territory. This was accompanied by heavy gunfire in al-Hamidiya, in the countryside of Quneitra, aimed at intimidating local residents and preventing them from approaching the area.
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