Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told The Associated Press that the U.S. needs to keep troops deployed in Syria to prevent the Islamic State group from reconstituting as a major threat.

Since the fall of President Bashar Assad regime, tensions across the Middle East have continued to remain high.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin outlines the necessity of U.S. troops in Syria to counter IS threats and stabilize the region post-Assad.

The first international commercial flight to Syria since the fall of Bashar Assad's government has landed in Damascus

A Qatar Airways plane became the first to land at Damascus airport since the ousting of the government of former President Bashar al-Assad last month, as Syria’s interim leaders hope to reassert a semblance of normalcy in the country.