March 15 marks the 13th anniversary of the start of the civil war; since its beginning, some 600.000 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians, and 13,5 million have been displaced, half of them refugees who have fled the country

Outcry has sparked after reports came of a beating at a police station, reminding of past abuses amid growing tension between the public and authorities for shortage of trained security personnel and failure to enforce accountability for misconduct

A landmark decision granted provincial governors broad authorities marking one of the most signifcant steps toward administrative decentralisation since 2011; the move will accelerate streamline project implementation, and reduce bureaucratic congestion

Women's Protection Unit, an all-female militia within the Syrian Democratic Forces, decided they will keep their armed presence despite the recent integration agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF

A new round of diplomatic appointments has been carried out, with seven chargé d'affaires named in world capitals; Syria currently counts 54 diplomatic missions and the move is part of ongoing efforts to reorganize the country's diplomatic structure