International-UN-NGOs |
Syria’s Sharaa skips Iraq summit after firestorm over invitation to Gaza-focused gathering |
2025-05-13 |
[IsraelTimes] Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will not attend the Arab League Summit in Baghdad this weekend, Syrian state media says, after Iraq’s invitation spurred controversy over the rebel-turned-leader’s potential return to a country where he fought and was jailed. Syria’s delegation to Saturday’s summit will be headed by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, state-owned Ekhbariya TV reports, without providing a reason for Sharaa’s absence. The summit is expected to focus on Gaza reconstruction and the Palestinian issue. Sharaa’s decision highlights Syria’s mixed results establishing ties across the region after former President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster last year. Sharaa has made rapid inroads with Sunni-majority Gulf Arab states Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but has tread more carefully with others where Iran has had strong influence, like Shi’ite-majority Iraq. Sharaa fought with Al Qaeda in Iraq after the U.S-led invasion in 2003. He was imprisoned there for more than five years, then released for lack of evidence in 2011, according to a senior Iraqi security official. He then opened Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria, breaking away in 2016 to form what became Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that ousted Assad. Iraq’s prime minister invited Sharaa last month to the summit, prompting criticism from mainly Shi’ite Muslim factions who accuse Sharaa of orchestrating attacks against Shi’ites during his years in Iraq. |
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
UK repatriates 4 ISIS- linked nationals from Rojava |
2025-04-19 |
[Rudaw] The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) announced on Wednesday the handover of four individuals affiliated with the Islamic State![]() Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... (ISIS) to a visiting UK delegation, during a meeting that also emphasized continued British support. "One British woman and three children affiliated with ISIS families were handed over in accordance with an official handover document signed by representatives of both the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) and the United Kingdom," the Kurdish-led administration said in a statement. DAANES stated it would continue cooperating with the UK and all countries that have citizens and children in areas under its jurisdiction, particularly concerning the repatriation of ISIS-linked individuals. The UK delegation was led by Mary Shockledge, head of the Syria office at the British Embassy in Beirut, and was received by Fanar al-Kaeet, co-chair of the DAANES Department of Foreign Relations. Thousands of people with suspected ties to ISIS are currently held in the al-Hol and Roj camps in Hasaka province. The camps are held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - the force that spearheaded the fight against ISIS in Syria. Al-Hol is the larger of the two, currently housing 34,927 individuals linked to ISIS. These include 15,861 Syrians, 15,681 Iraqis, and 6,385 third-country nationals, according to official data obtained by Rudaw English from the camps’ supervisor. The UK delegation also reaffirmed London’s commitment to the "long-term defeat of ISIS" through continued coordination with the US-led coalition, as well as ongoing humanitarian support. "The UK remains at the forefront of humanitarian response efforts, with extensive humanitarian programs aimed at mitigating protection risks to civilians, improving conditions in camps, and building resilience," the statement said. "The UK will continue working with both the new Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to support an inclusive political process," it added, quoting Shockledge, who also welcomed the recent political agreement between the SDF and Syria’s interim government. On March 10, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed a political agreement aimed at integrating the SDF into the Syrian state apparatus. The deal includes formal recognition of the Kurdish population as a core component of Syria, a nationwide ceasefire, and the return of displaced persons to their homes. Will the Hayat Tahrir al Sham government (formerly Al Nusra, before that Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria) next want to reintegrate ISIS personnel from the SDF prison camps into HTS ranks? That should be much easier, as they share the same root philosophy, having split a decade ago only on who would head the caliphate effort… In a further sign of shifting UK policy toward Syria, the UK Treasury in early March lifted sanctions on Syria’s central bank and 23 other banking, commercial, and oil entities whose assets had been frozen for six years. It also pledged £200 million to provide food, healthcare, and education in Syria."We will continue to do all we can to help those in need," Shockledge said, according to the statement. |
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
New batch of Damascus-SDF prisoners to be exchanged Sunday: Advisor |
2025-04-07 |
[Rudaw] A new batch of prisoners is scheduled to be exchanged on Sunday between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Damascus administration …HTS of course, formerly Al Nusra, before that Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria… as part of a recent agreement, an advisor to the Kurdish-led northeast Syria (Rojava) administration said. "The main work now is focused on prisoners," Bedran Ciya Kurd, advisor to the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), told Rudaw’s Hussein Omar on Saturday, calling the planned Sunday prisoner exchange "a gesture of goodwill from both sides to build trust." The SDF and the new leadership in Damascus on Tuesday struck an agreement to exchange all prisoners and keep the SDF-affiliated internal security forces (Asayish) in Aleppo's predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsood. On Thursday, the first exchange of nearly 250 prisoners between the two sides took place. A day later, Kurdish forces of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) — the backbone of the SDF — began withdrawing from the predominantly Kurdish SDF chief Mazloum Abdi signed a landmark agreement with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on March 10 to integrate the SDF into the Syrian state apparatus. The agreement recognizes the Kurds as an integral part of Syria, includes a countrywide ceasefire, and stipulates the return of displaced Syrians to their hometowns. |
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
EU pledges €2.7 billion in fresh aid for Syria |
2025-03-18 |
Just because HTS is now a government and the Emir sounds like he went to Harvard or Oxford, does not mean they are not a jihadi organization. HTS is a spin-off of Al Qaeda in Iraq, for goodness sake. And now Western Europe is giving them potloads of money — how is this different than funding ISIS or the Taliban? [Rudaw] The European Union...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... on Monday pledged nearly €2.5 billion (around $2.7 billion) in aid for Syria, as global powers and regional countries convened in Brussels to drive donations and address the country’s humanitarian crisis caused by years of war. "The European Union is increasing its pledge for Syrians in the country and in the region to almost 2.5 billion euros for 2025 and 2026," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during the conference, stressing that Syrians "need greater support, whether they are still abroad, or decide to go home." According to von der Leyen, the United Nations ...an organization originally established to war on dictatorships which was promptly infiltrated by dictatorships and is now held in thrall to dictatorships... estimates that up to 1.5 million Syrian refugees may return to their country this year, along with an additional 2 million displaced persons inside Syria expected to go back to their hometowns. "Today we are working with the host countries and UN agencies to support them along the way," said the European Commission president. Germany pledged around $327 million to UN agencies and select organizations to assist Syria, while the UK pledged $200 million to provide food, healthcare, and education. Of note, the British government had also lifted sanctions on two dozen Syrian entities, including the country’s central bank, earlier in March. The donations come after the EU Council had in late February suspended measures targeting the energy and transport sectors in Syria and vowed to release funds and economic resources to the Syrian Central Bank. It also said it would introduce exemptions to the prohibition on banking relations between Syria’s financial institutions and those in EU member states. While noting that the measures aim "to facilitate engagement with Syria" in key areas and financial and banking transactions essential for "humanitarian and reconstruction purposes," the EU Council said in late February that it would "closely monitor the situation" in Syria and "assess whether further economic sanctions could be suspended." It warned that sanctions would be reinstated if the situation does not progress in the "right direction." Notably, Monday’s conference in Brussels marked the ninth of its kind but was the first to include a representative of the Syrian state, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. Following a swift offensive, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else ![]() - headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa - in December toppled the Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad Trampler of Homs... regime. In late January Sharaa was appointed as Syria’s interim president. and has since vowed to hold "free and fair elections" and form an inclusive government. Since taking office, the new leadership in Damascus has been adamant about lifting international sanctions. In recent weeks, violence erupted ![]() The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported around 1,500 deaths, mostly Alawite civilians, adding that the deaths were namely caused by government or government-affiliated forces. The violence has sparked international condemnation, with calls by observers to link any relief to the new Syrian leadership to tangible commitments to an inclusive political process. |
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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather- | |||
A Time for special military operations | |||
2025-01-09 | |||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin: [ColonelCassad] 1. Why is Trump threatening to seize Greenland from Denmark, the Panama Canal from Panama, and simply annex Canada? ![]() 2. Why is Aliyev threatening to eliminate "Armenian fascism" along with Armenia and to cut a corridor to Nakhichevan one way or another? 3. Why is Erdogan threatening to conduct his own SVO ("Special Wahhabi Operation") in Syria against the Kurds?
Because international law is dead and now the borders of countries are ensured only and exclusively by force. Therefore, the strong will take from the weak what they can take. The UN in general and the UN Security Council in particular, like the overwhelming majority of international institutions, are either completely or partially incapacitated. This was brought about by the processes of dismemberment of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo precedent, which opened Pandora's box, now wide open after the active introduction of the so-called "rules-based order" into current politics. This accelerated the growing understanding that generally applicable and binding rules as such simply do not exist. And since there are no rules, relations between countries are increasingly determined by the ability to take "someone else's" and the ability to hold on to "theirs". This is the logical end of the late Washington world order and "responsible American leadership". Therefore, in the coming years, the world we are accustomed to in terms of territorial borders and spheres of influence will change. The SVO in Ukraine is one important process of changing the world order, but it is not the only one. A brave new world, where relations between countries and peoples will again (at least partially) be determined by the norms of international law, will come only after the coming series of wars and local conflicts, which will be accompanied by changes in the borders of states. As a result of these painful processes, a new world order will be formed, where new agreements will stake out the changes that we will observe. The old neoliberal globalism has collapsed, and capitalism itself, in the stage of imperialism, cannot offer humanity anything other than a series of wars and the transfer of markets and spheres of influence. The task of the Russian Federation in these processes is to survive and succeed, including territorially, which should primarily be facilitated by achieving the goals of the SVO, which will determine Russia's place in the wonderful new multipolar world.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
Former Al-Qaeda operative Abu Mohammad al-Jolani considering Syrian citizenship for foreign Wahhabi fighters | |
2024-12-20 | |
[HODHODYEMENNEWS.NET] Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, who now goes by his real name Ahmad al-Sharaa, the head of Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS) and Syria's new de facto ruler, has stated that foreign fighters who helped his organization topple the Syrian government may be allowed to receive Syrian citizenship.
Thousands of Salafist religious extremists from dozens of countries, including Britain, Belgium, France, China, Chechnya, Tunisia, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia came to fight with Al-Jolani against Syria. | |
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Home Front: Politix |
Why Veterans Really Hate Liz Cheney And Kamala Harris |
2024-11-08 |
[THEFEDERALIST] The recent controversy regarding Donald Trump ...Oh, noze! Not him!... 's criticism of Liz Cheney as a warhawk who has never faced the dangers of the wars she embraces has synthesized an issue that may be opaque to non-veterans: the extreme resentment many veterans of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) feel toward Kamala Harris former senatrix from California, 2020 Dem presidential hopeful and ultimately Joe Biden's intended successor and the Democrat Party. Harris and the Democrats ![]() white people, white supremacy, whiteanything but paint, you're listening to a Democrat. Ask him/her/it to reimagine something for you; they do that a lot, though not well. They can hear a dog whistle a mile or two away. They invented the spoils system and Tammany Hall, and inspired the addition of the word (Thomas) Nastyto the English language. They want to stop continental drift and repeal the law of unintended side effects... have created a perfect storm of veteran disdain in that they have succeeded in uniting three once-inapposite groups behind Harris: the neocons who started the GWOT, the media and Democrats who undermined the veterans' GWOT missions, and the generals who failed again and again and again at bringing the GWOT to a successful conclusion. If you want to understand the prevailing veteran rage against Harris and love for Trump, you need to understand this unholy trinity that so many veterans loathe. I'll start with the neocon ''chickenhawks.'' Maybe it's not fair to blame Liz Cheney for the GWOT as her father was its prime architect and not Liz herself, but she has come to serve as a symbol of the many advocates for useless, endless wars who never put their own lives (or the lives of their children) on the line, and who now support Kamala Harris. Liz Cheney stands as a symbol in this regard, and she stands for the many establishment Republicans who would rather support a radical Democrat than the only president in decades who did not start new wars. These are neocons like Dick Cheney, Alberto Gonzales, Bill Kristol, and the infamous 200-plus Republican former staffers for George W. Bush, Willard MittRomney, aka Pierre Delecto ...former governor of Massachussetts, the Publican nominee for president in 2012, now Senator from Utah. He is the son of the former governor of Michigan, George Romney, who himself ran for president after saving American Motors from failure, though not permanently. Romney has a record as a successful businessman, heading Bain Capital, and he rescued the 2002 Winter Olympics from the midst of bribery and mismanagement scandals. He is currently a trans Republican and a member in good standing of the Never Trump Party, attempting to assume the mantle of the late John McCain... , and ![]() MaverickMcCain ... the Senator-for-Life from Arizona, former presidential candidate and even more former foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution. As an ordinary citizenhe greased the infamous hookers peeing on the Obamabed in Moscowdossier in an attempt to smear President Trump... who helped design the GWOT. These are the people who put GWOT veterans into the cauldron that left them and so many of their friends dead, maimed, or bearing invisible scars that linger even today. I served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. I was committed to our missions when I was there, and I know we did great good for so many citizens of those two countries. But in the end — given how those wars ended — I have to admit it was all for naught. Defeating al Qaeda and bin Laden in Afghanistan was the one mission that actually mattered, and the rest of what we did in those two wars was, sadly, a waste of time, money, and lives. To have the architects of those useless, endless wars now turn on the one president who really cared about not squandering our lives feels like an injustice. Many of us stood by those neocons — even defended them in our private lives against slanderous lies — and now they turn on us by opposing the one man who vows that these sorts of wars will end. It is painful and feels like a betrayal. The second leg of the unholy trinity is the Democrats and their media lackeys who helped us lose those wars — the same people those treacherous neocons have now allied themselves with. Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and the Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... in Afghanistan both knew they could never defeat us in battle toe-to-toe. Our technology, our forces, our training, and our tactics were unbeatable. Instead, AQI and the Taliban adopted Ho Chi Minh's Vietnam war strategy: bleed the Americans dry so the folks back home would abandon the war effort. They knew that if they could turn the national will against our mission, America would quit. They were right. Every IED attack was made not against the soldiers or Marines it killed or maimed, but against the folks back home watching CNN ...formerly the Cable News Network, now who know what it might stand for... . The ''death counts'' on TV were the ultimate goal of our enemies. When I returned from Iraq in 2004, I was shocked at how disconnected the news reports were from the reality on the ground, and I was shocked to see those same Democrats who sent us to war now suddenly turning against our mission. The daily march of Democrats with giant Dick Cheney puppet heads on the National Mall and the endless chants of ''Bush Lied, People Died'' served precisely the purpose AQI and the Taliban intended: to break the national will. To many of us returning vets, it felt that our own countrymen were giving aid and comfort to our enemy, helping them fulfill that enemy's strategic objective. This too felt like a betrayal. The last leg of the trinity of veteran betrayal is the generals who could not win those same wars, retired from the military and went deep into the military-industrial complex, and now endorse Harris and demean Trump. These are generals like Stan McChrystal, who gave us such restrictive rules of engagement in Afghanistan that it cost the lives of so many troops. These are generals like John Kelly, whose counterinsurgency tactics solved so little in Al Anbar Province and who now libels the boss who fired him in The Atlantic magazine. These are generals like Michael Hayden, whose tenure at the National Security Agency did nothing to prevent 9/11, yet who found ways to use that tragic day as an excuse to spy on Americans. These are the generals who led us in wars that they were not competent enough to win. Their leadership failed, no one was held to account, and now these same men stand proudly against the one president who would not tolerate those failures nor repeat them. This too feels like a betrayal. Three groups, three betrayals. So many veterans feel like I do — not all, but many. Related: Liz Cheney 11/05/2024 Why Veterans Really Hate Liz Cheney, Kamala Harris, And The Architects Of The War On Terror Liz Cheney 11/05/2024 Losing Power? The Elites And The Leftist Mob Would Rather Burn It All To The Ground Liz Cheney 11/03/2024 A Trump victory means mainstream media is dead in its current form. Related: Kamala Harris 11/07/2024 Who lame duck Joe Biden blames for Kamala's catastrophic defeat as Democratic party tears itself apart after Trump victory Kamala Harris 11/07/2024 STEAL CONFIRMED: Joe Biden and The Case Of The Disappearing 15 Million Votes! Kamala Harris 11/07/2024 Trump's election victory is a nightmare for Germany Related: Dick Cheney 10/13/2024 Fake Crowds, Fake Ads, Real Ridicule: A Week of Failures for Harris-Walz Dick Cheney 09/08/2024 Shock & Awe Dick Slithers Out Of His Neocon Lair To Endorse Kamala Over 'Depraved' Trump Dick Cheney 03/22/2023 Former CIA officials reveal attempts by Bush administration to misrepresent Intelligence for Iraq war Related: Alberto Gonzales 09/04/2018 Mueller, Comey, and the Deep State Rescue of Sandy Berger Alberto Gonzales 07/09/2016 Did FBI Chief James Comey Bury Hillary's Chances? Alberto Gonzales 06/05/2016 Former Bush AG: Trump Is Right to Question Fairness of Judge Related: Bill Kristol 08/01/2024 Bill Kristol: We are seeing signs of panic from Trump Bill Kristol 09/03/2023 Last gasp of the neo-cons Bill Kristol 08/21/2021 How I Murdered The Weekly Standard Related: George W. Bush 11/03/2024 Big Tech knew Biden laptop suppression would influence 2020 election, wanted Big Guy's favor: report George W. Bush 10/18/2024 Feds have unchecked power under appeals ruling on abortion funding, groups warn George W. Bush 10/17/2024 Secret Service needs 'fundamental' changes or 'another Butler can and will happen again': panel Related: Willard MittRomney 03/19/2024 After criticism, White House says Israel interferes in US politics more than the other way around Willard MittRomney 11/26/2023 Mitt Romney says he would vote for Democrat over Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy Willard MittRomney 05/26/2023 Utah Mayor Announces Campaign to Unseat Mitt Romney Related: John MaverickMcCain 09/08/2024 Meet the Jewish author who has written a pithier, punchier Project 2025 John MaverickMcCain 09/12/2023 The 'Why Not?' grand jury: The Georgia final report should worry us all John MaverickMcCain 09/09/2023 Georgia grand jury recommended election case charges against Graham, 2 ex-senators Related: Bin Laden 11/02/2024 Massive shootout sparks battle between 'up to 600 people' in France: Minister condemns the country's 'Mexicanisation' as drug gang violence spirals Bin Laden 10/29/2024 CHR - New Intel: Sources Report Terrorists in Afghanistan Taking A Page From October 7 Playbook Bin Laden 10/22/2024 [F24] French Interior Minister Retailleau charts new hardline immigration strategy Related: Al Qaeda in Iraq: 2024-10-08 Two Azerbaijani citizens returned from Iraq Al Qaeda in Iraq: 2024-07-09 Pogroms and attacks: Türkiye pays the price for supporting the Syrian opposition Al Qaeda in Iraq: 2023-12-29 A resident of Dagestan receives a suspended sentence for connections with militants in Syria Related: Taliban: 2024-11-07 Afghan man charged in Germany for killing police officer in Islamist knife attack Taliban: 2024-11-07 IDF says Gaza polio vaccination campaign has been completed Taliban: 2024-11-04 Somalia: Land Forces Commander sacked amid stalled Al-Shabaab war Related: Stan McChrystal 12/17/2018 Michael Flynn's Ordeal and Ours Stan McChrystal 12/16/2018 Stars & Stripes publishes WAPO hit job on Mike Flynn Stan McChrystal 04/26/2010 Afghanistan & the Eliot Spitzer law of love - Ralph Peters Related: John Kelly 02/26/2021 Manhattan prosecutors subpoena Bannon financial documents: CNN John Kelly 10/17/2020 CNN on the attack: Former White House chief of staff tells friends that Trump 'is the most flawed person' he's ever met John Kelly 08/20/2020 Ex-Trump Adviser Steve Bannon Arrested and Charged With Fraud in Mexico Wall Fundraising Scheme Related: Michael Hayden 03/03/2024 America First Legal sues FEC to force action on Hunter Biden laptop deniers during 2020 campaign Michael Hayden 02/25/2024 WATCH: Libs of TikTok Creator Sits Down for Interview with Far-Left Activist and Writer Taylor Lorenz ‐ Wears T-Shirt of Her Crying Michael Hayden 11/24/2023 Ex-CIA Director Michael Hayden Smears Patriotic American Christians: ‘No Different' from Hamas Terrorists |
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Iraq | ||
Two Azerbaijani citizens returned from Iraq | ||
2024-10-08 | ||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [KavkazUzel] Two people who were in camps in Iraq have been repatriated to Azerbaijan, the Foreign Ministry reported. As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, Azerbaijan periodically organizes the return of its citizens from camps in Syria and Iraq. Thus, on June 4, six Azerbaijani citizens (a woman and five children), who were held in camps in Syria, were repatriated to their homeland.
The report does not specify the gender and age of the repatriates. It was not possible to get comments from the Foreign Ministry, a correspondent for the "Caucasian Knot" reported. In recent years, about 470 people have been returned to Azerbaijan from Syria and Iraq, these are mainly family members (wives, children) of people who went to fight as part of illegal armed groups in conflict zones in the Middle East, an employee of the Azerbaijani government apparatus told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent today. Let us recall that on February 21, two women and five children who were in camps in Syria were returned to Azerbaijan. In October 2023, a woman and nine children were returned to Azerbaijan from Syrian camps, and in August of the same year - three women and 13 children. At least 120 women from Azerbaijan remain in Iraq, Turan agency observer Tofig Turkel reported in June 2023. In November 2022, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry estimated the total number of its citizens repatriated from Syria and Iraq over the years of work at 409 people. | ||
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The Grand Turk | ||
Pogroms and attacks: Türkiye pays the price for supporting the Syrian opposition | ||
2024-07-09 | ||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Dmitry Polyakov [REGNUM] Mass protests are taking place in the northern regions of Syria controlled by Turkey. The strikes that began have resulted in armed clashes between local residents and the Turkish army. The reason for the tension was reports from Turkey. Waves of pogroms and attacks on objects associated with Syrian migrants swept through Kayseri and later other cities in the country. The cause of the unrest was the news of a Syrian man molesting an underage girl. This is the narrative that informs the publications covering the latest events in the Turkish-Syrian borderland. However, the problem is multi-layered and has deeper roots. NON-INTEGRATED MIGRANTS First of all, the current tensions are a direct consequence of Turkey's active role in the Syrian crisis, as well as Ankara's nearly ten-year military presence in the north of the country. After the start of the "Arab Spring" in the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), the Turkish government almost immediately sided with the Syrian opposition and opened the borders to refugees. The result of this policy was the migration of a huge number of Syrians to Turkey. As of 2024, there are more than 3.6 million of them. It is important that only a small part of the refugees were able to integrate into Turkish society. This is the first reason for the discontent that arises among the Turks. The second is of an economic nature. Turkey has been experiencing hyperinflation since 2018
Moreover, after the conclusion of the agreement between Ankara and Brussels on refugees, Turkish society increasingly views its country as a “migration hub” for Europe, and this is clearly at odds with national interests. Considering that Syrians make up the largest proportion of the total number of refugees, it is they who are the focus of public discontent. Meanwhile, there are also tensions between Syrians and Turks on the other side of the border. Since 2015, Ankara has carried out three military operations in the SAR and created two military protectorates in the north and northwest of the country. The first is governed by the Interim Government of Syria, the political body of the Syrian opposition, and the second by the Syrian Salvation Government, an administrative and political body created by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
The socio-economic security of these zones is directly linked to the southern Turkish provinces adjacent to the Syrian border. In addition, Ankara is the main sponsor of the Syrian National Army, the armed wing of the Syrian opposition. It would seem that the population of the northern and northwestern regions of Syria should be grateful to Ankara for its support. However, it is not that simple. The residents of these regions have accumulated fatigue from living in an uncertain status. It is obvious that the opposition's coming to power in Damascus by armed means is unrealistic. The option of a political settlement with major preferences for the opposition is also not in sight. In the current situation, the population of the northern regions blames the Turkish authorities, who entered into negotiations with the allies of the Syrian government. In addition, there is discontent in society with the Turkish military presence. Opposition media often report on various tragic incidents involving Turkish soldiers. All this also leads to anti-Turkish demonstrations by local residents. LOCALS DON'T WANT DAMASCUS TO RETURN TO POWER Another reason that has provoked the increase in violence in the northern regions of Syria is the ongoing process of normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus. It was launched in late 2022, when the defense ministers of Russia, Syria, and Turkey met in Moscow. However, by the summer of 2023, the rapprochement between the parties had frozen. It is noteworthy that during the period of normalization negotiations, anti-Turkish protests took place in the northern regions of the SAR, which are under Ankara’s protection. In the summer of 2024, the process of restoring relations was restarted. The parties softened their positions, removing the harsh preconditions that had appeared earlier. Moreover, the presidents of the two countries publicly spoke about the prospects for establishing ties. "Syria has a positive attitude towards normalizing relations with Turkey, if this process is based on respect for its sovereignty and the desire of the Syrian state to restore it over the entire territory of the country," said the country's President Bashar al-Assad. His Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, returning from the SCO summit in Astana, also announced Ankara’s intention to reach an agreement with Damascus: “We have no reason not to restore diplomatic relations with Syria.” Erdogan's words were met with hostility by the population of northern and northwestern Syria. Therefore, protests would have taken place in any case, as they already did in late 2022 - early 2023. The pogroms in Kayseri only accelerated the process. A strong trigger was also the trial opening of the Abu al-Zindine crossing between areas controlled by the official government and areas controlled by the opposition. Subsequently, the checkpoint was supposed to become a permanent commercial crossing that would strengthen trade and economic ties between the zones. However, this move was negatively received by local residents, who came out to protest and blocked the road to the checkpoint. The reaction of the population is indicative: some people are against the normalization of relations between the Syrian and Turkish governments, since under this condition the opposition areas will again come under the control of Damascus. Thus, the current clashes have a “double bottom”. Firstly, it is the fatigue of the Syrians living in the northern regions of the SAR from the Turkish presence. Secondly, it is the response of local society to the possible normalization between Syria and Turkey. Opposition-minded citizens are against the return of the official government's power to their areas of residence. In addition, the population perceives Ankara's actions as a betrayal. At the same time, the anti-Syrian pogroms in Turkey did not become the primary cause of the outbreak of violence, but only accelerated the expected reaction of the residents of northern Syria. | ||
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia | |||
A resident of Dagestan receives a suspended sentence for connections with militants in Syria | |||
2023-12-29 | |||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [KavkazUzel] The Kizilyurt district court in Dagestan sentenced local resident Batyr Aliyev, deported from Egypt after participating in militant activities in Syria, to three years of suspended imprisonment. The sentence to a resident of Dagestan, whom the court recognized as a member of an illegal armed group abroad, was reported on December 27 by the press service of the republican FSB. According to the investigation, the man “shared extremist ideology” and deliberately arrived in Syria to join the militants there. “Later, through Turkey, the man left for Egypt, from where he was deported in August 2023 and upon arrival in Russia he was detained by law enforcement agencies,” Interfax-South quotes an FSB representative as saying. A resident of Dagestan was charged with participation in an armed formation not provided for by federal law (Part 2 of Article 208 of the Criminal Code of Russia). This article provides for from eight to fifteen years of imprisonment, but the court imposed a much milder sentence on the resident of Dagestan - three years of suspended imprisonment. According to the file of the Kizilyurt District Court, the last case considered under this article was brought against Batyr Aliyev. He was sentenced on November 16, it came into force on December 4, and on December 27 the case was archived, according to the information on the court’s website. From the verdict, also published on the court’s website, it follows that Batyr Aliyev had no previous convictions, was not officially married, although he previously had two wives, and did not work anywhere at the time the case was considered. “About the beginning of 2013,” a resident of Dagestan, “sharing a religious ideology of an extremist nature,” decided to move to Syria and join the militants there. On November 10, 2013, he left Dagestan for Azerbaijan through the Yarag-Kazmalyar checkpoint, then arrived in Baku, from there on November 15 he flew to Istanbul, and on November 18 he went with a certain Samir to the Turkish-Syrian border, the text of the verdict says. As the court found, by November 20, 2013, Aliyev had already arrived in the Syrian city of Bab al-Hawa, “which was controlled by illegal armed groups operating as a united front against government forces.” There he voluntarily joined one of these groups, but performed the duties of its member less than a month, until approximately December 10, 2013.
Regarding himself, Batyr Aliyev said that he spent only two weeks among the militants, without having time to understand the activities of the unit. He then went to Turkey, and a month later he moved to Cairo and lived there for more than a year until he was detained by local law enforcement officers. After being in custody for about a month, he was deported to Russia. Batyr Aliyev was in custody during the consideration of the case, from August 3 to November 16, 2023. As mitigating circumstances, the court took into account the admission of guilt, repentance, the presence of Aliyev’s young children and positive characteristics from his place of residence, and as a result, sentenced him to three years of suspended imprisonment with a probationary period of two years. The "Caucasian Knot" also wrote that in April 2023, the cassation court returned for review to the prosecutor's office the case of Khanumkyz Kulibekova, whom the court in Khasavyurt sentenced to five years in prison on charges of intending to join an illegal armed group in Syria. The court recommended that the charges be reclassified under a more stringent article.
Related: Bab al-Hawa: 2023-10-13 Turkey deports 13,000 Syrians in September Bab al-Hawa: 2023-10-01 Turkey deports over 16,000 individuals to Syria within month Bab al-Hawa: 2023-09-29 Turkish authorities deport 700 Syrian refugees to northern Syria Related: Makhachkala: 2023-12-28 More than 140 people have challenged the arrest in the case of riots at Makhachkala airport Makhachkala: 2023-12-26 Riot participant at Makhachkala airport charged with attempted murder of a security officer Makhachkala: 2023-12-24 In Dagestan, Palestinian refugees are being issued Russian Passports Related: Islamic Front.: 2016-05-19 Ahrar al-Sham, Zenki say will not take part in 'North Army' Islamic Front.: 2015-02-23 Secret Phone Taps Reveal Turkish Military Aiding ISIS In Northern Iraq and Syria Islamic Front.: 2014-02-08 U.S. training Free Syrian Army in Jordan -- a group that violently targets Christians | |||
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Astrakhan citizen convicted in case of involvement in militants | |
2023-01-29 | |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [KavkazUzel] The court sentenced 47-year-old Akhmed Majidov to 10 years of strict regime, finding him guilty of aiding militants and illicit trafficking in weapons and explosives. According to the prosecution, Majidov helped the international terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,
The verdict against Medzhidov came into force, Astrakhan.ru reported on January 26, citing the FSB department for the Astrakhan region. According to the security forces, during a search in the convict's house, weapons, ammunition, religious literature, as well as money and bank cards were seized. In addition to a long term of imprisonment, the man received a fine, but the publication does not specify its amount. Akhmed Majidov was charged under four criminal articles: on facilitating terrorist activities, illegal possession of weapons, illegal possession of explosives or explosive devices, as well as illegal manufacture of weapons (Articles 205.1, 222, 222.1 and 223 of the Criminal Code of Russia), follows from the case file on website of the Southern District Military Court. The case was considered in eight sessions. The "Caucasian Knot" also wrote that in November 2022, a resident of the Astrakhan region, Jasur Ismatov, received five years in prison for trying to join members of a terrorist organization in Syria. Related: Astrakhan: 2023-01-18 Volgograd citizen convicted of recruiting to Islamic State Astrakhan: 2023-01-14 Resident of Dagestan convicted of preparing terrorist attacks in the Stavropol Territory Astrakhan: 2023-01-06 Resident of Dagestan accused of involvement in ISIS after a trip to her husband in Syria | |
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US Female Fighter Gets 3 Years In Prison For Supporting Syrian Terrorist | ||||
2023-01-26 | ||||
A federal judge in the US sentenced on Tuesday a female Army veteran to three years in prison after she pleaded guilty to sending money and providing guidance to a terrorist in Syria with whom she fell in love. US Department of Justice said, in an immediate release, Maria Bell,
She was involved in the concealment of attempted provision of funds or other material support or resources to terrorist factions, including Jabhat Fath al-sham
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State... (HTS, formerly al-Nusra ...formally Jabhat an-Nusrah li-Ahli al-Sham (Support Front for the People of the Levant), also known as al-Qaeda in the Levant. They aim to establish a pan-Arab caliphate. Not the same one as the Islamic State, though .. ... Front) in Syria. She provided fighters with the information she had got from her experience in specialized weapons training. In addition, Bell was sentenced to five years of supervised release, according to the release. Bell sent about $3.150 via Western Union to her lover, who was a bad boy of HTS, according to a complaint in US District Court. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI ![]() ) agents arrested her at her home in November 2020 as she was obtaining travel tickets to ...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor... for that same day. The FBI agents found in her home 136 operable handguns and rifles,
Related: Maria Bell: 2020-12-01 Former US Army soldier charged with supporting terrorist group in Syria Maria Bell: 2020-11-28 N.J. woman supported foreign terrorist organization, feds say Related: Jabhat Fateh al-Sham: 2018-07-06 Syrian government troops recapture strategic Saida town in southeastern Dara’a Jabhat Fateh al-Sham: 2017-10-31 Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terrorists hiding chemical weapons in Idlib Jabhat Fateh al-Sham: 2017-07-28 Lebanon's Hezbollah, Syrian fighters agree cease-fire | ||||
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