Signs of normalcy are returning as shops reopen and people resume their daily routines in the Syrian capital, Damascus. New transitional Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir has said that one of his priorities is to bring back the millions of Syrian refugees who are abroad. Mr. Al-Bashir emphasised the need for stability and calm and announced collaborative efforts with officials from Bashar al-Assad’s regime to restore public services and institutions. Syrian opposition fighters said they have taken over the northeastern city of Deir Az Zor from Kurdish-led forces.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military has launched attacks on Syrian targets over the past 48 hours, striking naval vessels, anti-aircraft batteries, and weapons production facilities as part of its efforts to neutralise military assets in the country. Meanwhile, Greece today suspended all decisions on asylum applications by Syrians after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the migration minister announced. Greece, the entry point for many of the hundreds of thousands of Syrians in Europe, is the latest European country to take this action.