Ba'ath Party

The general who led Australian troops in the Iraq conflict said Tuesday big mistakes were made by the United States in the post-Saddam Hussein era as he voiced mixed feelings about the war.

Ten years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, the searing memory of what became a deeply unpopular war has made Washington policy makers reluctant to use even limited force in Syria or Iran.

Syrian rebels and troops fought fierce battles over a keenly contested neighbourhood of Homs on Tuesday, as fresh clashes broke out on the road linking Damascus to its international airport, a watchdog said.

A decade after the US-led invasion of Iraq, years of violence and disdain for the country's current political class fuel nostalgia for Saddam Hussein -- the man the foreign troops fought to oust.

For half a century, Syrians lived in terror of the secret services, who held a vice-like grip over every aspect of daily life, but in March 2011 they finally threw off the shackles.

President Bashar al-Assad said on Tuesday his regime has defeated the "conspiracy" against Syria, even as rebels overran a provincial capital and captured its governor in the biggest coup of their revolt.

President Bashar al-Assad said his regime has conquered the "conspiracy" against it, even as rebels overran the capital of Raqa province and captured its governor in the biggest success of their revolt.

Syrian rebels overran the northern city of Raqa on Monday, scoring their biggest victory since the outbreak of a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad almost two years ago.

In rebel-held Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's regime hold local elections despite daily bombardment, putting into practice the democracy they have been deprived of for decades.

Syria's main opposition group said on Saturday that it was pulling out of international talks and demanded world action to stop the slaughter of Syrians, after missiles slammed into the city of Aleppo killing dozens.

Syria's main opposition group is pulling out of international talks and demanding world action to stop the slaughter of Syrians, officials said Saturday, as missiles killed dozens in the second city of Aleppo.

The opposition National Coalition said it is pulling out of some international meetings to protest silence over the slaughter of Syrians, as missiles killed at least 29 in second city Aleppo.

Syria's opposition National Coalition said it was pulling out of several international meetings to protest at the "international silence" despite the slaughter of civilians in the conflict.

The opposition National Coalition said Friday it will form a government to run "liberated areas" of Syria, as monitors said more than 12 people were killed when buildings collapsed in a missile strike on the city of Aleppo.

A spate of bombings across Damascus killed at least 83 people in the deadliest day for the capital since Syria's war erupted, a watchdog said Friday, as the opposition discussed a plan for peace talks with the regime.

A huge car bomb near the headquarters of Syria's ruling party killed nearly 60 people and caused widespread destruction in the deadliest attack to hit Damascus since the civil war erupted.

A huge car bomb exploded near ruling party offices in Damascus, killing nearly 60 people and causing widespread destruction in the Syrian capital's deadliest attack since the civil war erupted.

A powerful car bomb exploded Thursday close to ruling party offices in Syria's capital, killing dozens of people and causing widespread destruction, before a nearby military headquarters came under mortar attack, a watchdog and media reported.

A powerful car bomb exploded Thursday close to ruling party offices in Syria's capital, killing dozens of people and causing widespread destruction, before a nearby military headquarters came under mortar attack, a watchdog and media reported.

A powerful car bomb exploded near the offices of Syria's ruling Baath party in central Damascus on Thursday, killing at least 31 people, wounding dozens and shattering buildings, media and a watchdog said.