Israel military says strikes Syria army targets

Israel military says strikes Syria army targets
The Israeli military said on Wednesday its warplanes struck Syrian army infrastructure overnight in response to rocket fire from the country. (AFP/File)
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Updated 31 January 2024
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Israel military says strikes Syria army targets

Israel military says strikes Syria army targets
  • “Last night, a number of launches from Syria toward the southern Golan Heights were identified,” the military said
  • “In response, IDF fighter jets struck military infrastructure belonging to the Syrian regime in the area of Daraa overnight”

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said on Wednesday its warplanes struck Syrian army infrastructure overnight in response to rocket fire from the country.
“Last night, a number of launches from Syria toward the southern Golan Heights were identified,” the military said in a statement.
“In response, IDF (Israeli) fighter jets struck military infrastructure belonging to the Syrian regime in the area of Daraa overnight.”
It did not offer details of any casualties or damage caused by the strikes on southern Syria.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.
The military rarely comments on individual strikes in Syria but has said repeatedly it will not allow Iran, which backs Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, to expand its presence.
Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes during more than a decade of civil war in Syria, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces as well as Syrian army positions.
Such attacks have intensified since the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas began on October 7.
On Monday, Israeli strikes in Syria killed eight people, including pro-Iran fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said.
Violence has also flared on the Israel-Lebanon border, with near daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hamas’s Iran-backed ally Hezbollah.
On Wednesday, the Israeli army said its artillery fired at several locations in southern Lebanon, without providing details.
More than 200 people, most of them Hezbollah fighters, have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since October 7, according to an AFP tally.
On the Israeli side of the border, nine soldiers and six civilians have been killed, according to Israeli officials.


Libyan rivals agree to work with UN to end political deadlock

Libyan rivals agree to work with UN to end political deadlock
Updated 19 December 2024
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Libyan rivals agree to work with UN to end political deadlock

Libyan rivals agree to work with UN to end political deadlock

RABAT/TRIPOLI: Delegations from rival Libyan legislative bodies agreed at talks in Morocco on Thursday to work together with a United Nations mission to pave the way for elections to end years of political deadlock.

Libya has undergone a chaotic decade since it split in 2014 between two administrations in its east and west following the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.

The talks in Bouznika, near the Moroccan capital Rabat, were between rival legislatures known as the High Council of State based in Tripoli in the west and the House of Representatives based in Benghazi in the east.

Restoring stability in Libya requires “free and fair elections,” the two bodies said in a final statement.

To that end, they agreed to cooperate with the UN mission in Libya to elaborate a roadmap to end the crisis in a way that ensures “Libyan ownership” of the political process.

The two bodies also agreed to cooperate to form a national unity government as well as launch institutional, financial and security reform.

Stephanie Koury, acting head of the UN mission in Libya, said last week the United Nations would convene a technical committee of Libyan experts to resolve contentious issues and put the country on a path to national elections.

A political process to end years of institutional division, outright warfare and unstable peace has been stalled since an election scheduled for December 2021 collapsed, amid disputes over the eligibility of the main candidates.


Operations at Beirut airport running efficiently, says Lebanon interior minister

Operations at Beirut airport running efficiently, says Lebanon interior minister
Updated 19 December 2024
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Operations at Beirut airport running efficiently, says Lebanon interior minister

Operations at Beirut airport running efficiently, says Lebanon interior minister
  • Israeli army continues demolishing homes amid reports of elderly woman missing in a border village

BEIRUT: Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi has said security operations at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut are running efficiently.

The minister toured the airport on Thursday to assess security ahead of the holiday season and said every effort was being made to address any potential threat.

Earlier, he revealed that several Syrian figures linked to Bashar Assad’s regime had entered Lebanon from Syria and used the airport for international travel.

“Maher Al-Assad’s wife and son entered Lebanon and departed through the airport,” he said. “Anyone who enters Lebanon legally, regardless of their background, is allowed to exit through the airport.”

Mawlawi added that Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk, former presidential special security and military advisor, had not entered Lebanon and would be arrested if he tried to do so.

“His photos have been circulated at Rafic Hariri International Airport to intercept any attempt to pass through using forged documents,” said the minister.

In 2013, the Lebanese military judiciary issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Mamlouk for allegedly orchestrating the transportation of explosives, intended for detonation in Lebanon, in the car of former minister Michel Samaha. In his indictment against Mamlouk, Lebanese investigative judge Riad Abou Ghaida later called for the death penalty.

On the southern side of the border, Israeli army bulldozers continued demolishing homes in the towns of Naqoura, Maroun al-Ras, Bani Hayyan, and the area between Qlyaa and Marjeyoun.

The findings of the committee overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, which convened on Wednesday to address ongoing Israeli land and air violations, were not disclosed.

A joint statement issued by the US and French embassies in Lebanon, along with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, said: “The committee will meet regularly and closely coordinate its work to achieve progress in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and Resolution 1701.”

The municipality of Bani Haiyyan appealed to the authorities and the committee to take immediate action to bring about the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

A statement said: “The enemy has been destroying homes and places of worship and bulldozing the infrastructure without deterrence.”

It also urged the army, the Lebanese Red Cross and UNIFIL to “act swiftly to save the life of a sick elderly woman who remains in the town, facing physical and psychological pressure, and (who) has been out of contact since Wednesday.”


Blinken announces $200m in humanitarian aid for Sudan at UN Security Council

Blinken announces $200m in humanitarian aid for Sudan at UN Security Council
Updated 19 December 2024
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Blinken announces $200m in humanitarian aid for Sudan at UN Security Council

Blinken announces $200m in humanitarian aid for Sudan at UN Security Council
  • World Food Program warned that Sudan risked becoming the world’s largest hunger crisis

NEW YORK: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday announced $200 million in additional aid for Sudan at a United Nations Security Council meeting. 

The package will include food, shelter, and healthcare, in response to the ongoing conflict that has caused tens of thousands of deaths and the world’s largest displacement crisis.

During the session, Blinken emphasized the need for aid to be delivered safely and quickly to those in need.

He also pledged to use all available tools, including sanctions, to prevent abuses in Sudan and hold perpetrators accountable, urging others to adopt similar measures.

The UN says that nearly 25 million people in Sudan require aid, with famine affecting displacement camps.

Since the war began in April 2023, amid a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), 11 million people have been displaced, including 3 million who fled to other countries.

Also on Thursday, the World Food Program warned that Sudan risked becoming the world’s largest hunger crisis in recent history, and the only place globally currently where famine has been confirmed.

A spokesperson said some 4.7 million children under age of five were suffering from severe malnutrition in the country.


‘New Syria’ offers historic moment of hope but also threats and uncertainty, says UN chief

‘New Syria’ offers historic moment of hope but also threats and uncertainty, says UN chief
Updated 19 December 2024
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‘New Syria’ offers historic moment of hope but also threats and uncertainty, says UN chief

‘New Syria’ offers historic moment of hope but also threats and uncertainty, says UN chief
  • Secretary-General Antonia Guterres warned of Daesh threats in parts of the country and called for Israeli airstrikes to stop
  • Progress could unravel ‘if the ongoing situation is not managed carefully by Syrians themselves’ with international support, he adds

NEW YORK CITY: While recent developments in Syria offer a long-awaited opportunity for Syrians to realize their aspirations for freedom “there is a real risk that progress could unravel” if the situation is not managed carefully, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday.

Long-time dictator Bashar Assad fled the country on Dec. 8 following a swift offensive by a group of rebels. Their operation, which lasted less than two weeks, met little resistance.

Guterres noted that the end of more than five decades of “brutal, dictatorial rule” by the Assad family offers a long-sought opportunity for all Syrians to fulfill the aspirations that sparked their peaceful movement for change in 2011. The slogan that echoed across the country, “The Syrian people are one,” has never been more relevant, he added.

“It holds great promise for a country so rich in diversity, history and culture, along with its deep-rooted traditions of generosity, which I witnessed first-hand as high commissioner for refugees when the Syrian people welcomed millions of displaced Iraqis,” Guterres said.

However, he stressed that “nothing is guaranteed” and warned: “If the ongoing situation is not managed carefully by Syrians themselves, with the support of the international community, there is a real risk that progress could unravel.”

Guterres emphasized that “all communities must be fully integrated into the new Syria,” and “the rights of women and girls must be fully respected.” He also reiterated the importance of ensuring the process is guided by the principles outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Adopted in 2015, the resolution calls for a ceasefire agreement and political settlement in Syria, and sets out a road map for the country’s transition, including “free and fair” elections.

Although some parts of Syria are relatively stable following the fall of Assad, Guterres warned that the conflict is far from over and civilians continue to be killed, injured and displaced. Daesh remains a threat in some areas, while Israel continues to target the country with extensive airstrikes.

“These are violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Guterres said. “They must stop.”

In the Golan Heights, he said, the UN’s Disengagement Observer Force has reported an ongoing Israeli military presence in several locations within the Area of Separation, despite long-standing agreements prohibiting such deployments.

The peacekeeping mission has also observed Israeli personnel and equipment in at least one place inside the Area of Limitation. The 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria stipulates that this area must remain free of military forces.

Guterres called on Israel and Syria to fully comply with the terms of the agreement, which “remains in full force.”

He added: “Let me be clear: There should be no military forces in the Area of Separation other than UN peacekeepers, period. Syria’s sovereignty, territorial unity and integrity must be fully restored, and all acts of aggression must come to an immediate end.”

Neighboring country Turkiye has “a very important role” to play in convincing parties in Syria of the need for inclusive dialogue, Guterres said. However, he also stressed the need to establish a permanent ceasefire in northeastern Syria, and to stem the activities of Daesh in the area.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in the country remains one of the worst in the world, with the recent escalation further exacerbating the needs of people nationwide. Guterres stressed the urgent need to ensure humanitarian and recovery efforts receive adequate funding. The UN’s humanitarian chief has already warned that the appeal for aid to Syria, one of the largest in the world, remains severely underfunded.

Describing the current moment in Syria as one of “hope and history” but also “great uncertainty,” Guterres said: “Some will try to exploit the situation for their own narrow interests. But it is the obligation of the international community to stand with the people of Syria, who have suffered so much.

“Syria’s future must be shaped by its people, for its people, with the support of all of us.”


Putin says fall of Assad not a ‘defeat’ for Russia

Putin says fall of Assad not a ‘defeat’ for Russia
Updated 19 December 2024
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Putin says fall of Assad not a ‘defeat’ for Russia

Putin says fall of Assad not a ‘defeat’ for Russia
  • Assad’s departure came over 13 years after crackdown on democracy protests precipitated civil war
  • Russia was Assad’s key backer and swept to his aid in 2015, turning the tide of the conflict in his favor

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the fall of ex-Syrian leader Bashar Assad was not a “defeat” for Russia, claiming Moscow had achieved its goals in the country.
Assad fled to Moscow earlier this month after a shock militant advance ended half a century of rule by the Assad family, marked by repression and allegations of vast human rights abuses and civil war.
His departure came more than 13 years after his crackdown on democracy protests precipitated a civil war.
Russia was Assad’s key backer and had swept to his aid in 2015, turning the tide of the conflict.
“You want to present what is happening in Syria as a defeat for Russia,” Putin said at his annual end-of-year press conference.
“I assure you it is not,” he said, responding to a question from an American journalist.
“We came to Syria 10 years ago so that a terrorist enclave would not be created there like in Afghanistan. On the whole, we have achieved our goal,” Putin said.
The Kremlin leader said he had yet to meet with Assad in Moscow, but planned to do so soon.
“I haven’t yet seen president Assad since his arrival in Moscow but I plan to, I will definitely speak with him,” he said.
Putin was addressing the situation in Syria publicly for the first time since Assad’s fall.
Moscow is keen to secure the fate of two military bases in the country.
The Tartus naval base and Hmeimim air base are Russia’s only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union and have been key to the Kremlin’s activities in Africa and the Middle East.
Putin said there was support for Russia keeping hold of the bases.
“We maintain contacts with all those who control the situation there, with all the countries of the region. An overwhelming majority of them say they are interested in our military bases staying there,” Putin said.
He also said Russia had evacuated 4,000 Iranian soldiers from the country at the request from Tehran.