Recent Appearances...

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Hello !
Recent Appearances...

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Nearly 200 IDPs repatriated from Rojava camp to Deir ez-Zorp

2025-05-30

[Rudaw] The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Thursday announced that nearly 200 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Hasaka province returned to their homes in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor. The move comes amid growing efforts to facilitate the return of all displaced individuals to their hometowns.

"This is the eighth batch evacuated by the Areesha camp administration, comprising 46 families, totaling 193 individuals," read a statement from the Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES).

The DAANES said the move is part of a decision to facilitate the return of displaced persons "wishing to voluntarily return to their areas of origin." The Kurdish administration carried out the evacuation in coordination with 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...
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the statement added.

The administration said it plans to continue facilitating more evacuations.

In late April, the UNHCR reported that an estimated 214,000 IDPs live in informal sites across northeast Syria, including Areesha. The report noted that returnees have expressed concerns about unwent kaboom! mines in Deir ez-Zor, which has made many hesitant to go back.

Last week, the pro-DAANES North Press Agency reported that 52 families, totaling 274 people, had left the camp
.
In March, the Hawar News Agency (ANHA), affiliated with the Kurdish authorities, reported that 80 families - a total of 470 individuals - left the camp. ANHA cited camp director Salwa Jajo as saying that Areesha holds around 2,700 families, mostly from Deir ez-Zor.

While it is unclear how many IDPs the camp holds presently, a 2017 UN report stated that between 11,000 and 13,000 IDPs from Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa had taken refuge in the camp.

A 2022 report by the REACH humanitarian organization detailed the living conditions and access to basic necessities at Areesha camp.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Rojava, Damascus reach agreement on al-Hol camp

2025-05-28

[Rudaw] The Kurdish authorities and the Syrian interim government have reached an agreement to empty the notorious al-Hol camp from Syrians and return them to their homes, a Kurdish official said on Monday.

Lovely. And how will HTS keep them from returning to jihad?

The official Facebook page of the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES), on Monday cited Sheikhmous Ahmed, who oversees all internally displaced persons (IDP) and refugee camps in Rojava, as saying that a meeting was held between Rojava and Damascus officials earlier in the week. They agreed to "establish a joint mechanism for evacuating Syrian families from al-Hol camp and returning them to their original areas."

A delegation from the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State

Link

The Grand Turk

Turkey’s Erdogan appoints team to draft new constitution, drawing fear of power grab

2025-05-28

[IsraelTimes] Longtime leader, whose term ends in 2028, denies he’s trying to extend his rule; some see recent detente with PKK as move to recruit Kurdish votes for new constitution

Ottoman Turkish President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First

His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First

...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
said Tuesday he has appointed a team of legal experts to start working on a new constitution, which critics say could allow him to remain in power beyond 2028, when his current term ends.

Erdogan, who has led ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund...
as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, has advocated for a new constitution arguing that the current one, which was drafted following a military coup in 1980, is outdated and retains elements of military influence even though it was amended several times.

"As of yesterday, I have assigned 10 legal experts to begin their work, and with this effort, we will proceed with the preparations for the new constitution," Erdogan told his ruling party’s local administrators in a speech.

"For 23 years, we have repeatedly demonstrated our sincere intention to crown our democracy with a new civilian and libertarian constitution," he said.

Under the current constitution, Erdogan cannot run again unless early elections are called or the legal framework is changed.

Critics see the push for a new constitution as a possible path for re-election, allowing legal changes that would bypass the constitutional term limits.

Erdogan, who has grown increasingly authoritarian over the years, has denied seeking a new constitution in order to remain in power, saying last week, "We want the new constitution not for ourselves, but for our country."

Erdogan’s ruling party and its nationalist allies lack the votes needed to usher in a new constitution.

Some analysts believe the government’s recent effort to end the decades-long conflict with the krazed killer Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, is part of a strategy to gain the support of a pro-Kurdish party in parliament for the new charter.

The effort to introduce a new constitution comes months after Ekrem Imamoglu, the popular mayor of Istanbul and a key Erdogan rival, was arrested and placed in durance vile
You have the right to remain silent...
on corruption charges.

His arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated, although the government insists Turkey’s judiciary is independent and free of political influence. It triggered widespread demonstrations calling for his release and an end to Turkey’s democratic backsliding under Erdogan.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Syrian forces arrest suspected ISIS cell near Damascus

2025-05-27

[Rudaw] Syrian security forces arrested members of a suspected Islamic State

...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS) cell near the capital Damascus, state media reported on Monday, saying the Death Eaters were planning to destabilize the region.

"We carried out a qualitative and precise security operation yesterday, which resulted in the arrest of a number of members of this cell, and a quantity of light, medium, and heavy weapons were seized," Syria’s state-run SANA news agency said, citing the interior ministry.

The Death Eaters were planning to use the weapons to "destabilize security and stability in the region," SANA said about the operation, carried out in a Damascus suburb.

ISIS attacks in Syria have largely been focused on the Kurdish-held regions of north and east Syria, but attacks on the new Damascus-affiliated authorities are rare.

ISIS rose to power and swept through swathes of Syria in a brazen offensive in 2014, declaring a so-called "caliphate."

But the Death Eaters were territorially defeated in 2019 as local Syrian and Kurdish fighters, supported by a US-led international coalition, clawed back territory from the group.

In a landmark Riyadh meeting, US President Donald Trump
...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US...
earlier this month called on Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to "help the United States to prevent the resurgence of ISIS," according to a White House Statement.

ISIS has continued to carry out attacks on Kurdish-led forces. On Monday, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the de facto army of northeast Syria (Rojava), said that it thwarted an ISIS attack in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, which injured a civilian.

Last week, an ISIS attack in Deir ez-Zor killed one SDF fighter and injured another.

Two days prior, the SDF captured an ISIS cell in Deir ez-Zor. The raid followed another operation where 10 ISIS suspects were captured in the same province after an SDF fighter was killed and three were maimed.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

IRGC-affiliated media accuses Halabja governor of disregarding hijab law

2025-05-27

[Rudaw] Fars news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), on Sunday accused Halabja’s female governor of "disregarding diplomatic principles" after she appeared at a Tehran tourist attraction without wearing a hijab, in an official visit with the Kurdistan Region’s governors that also met the Iranian president.

"The governor of Halabja, who had traveled to Tehran as a member of the delegation of governors of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, attended one of Tehran's tourist attractions without wearing a hijab last Thursday, disregarding diplomatic principles and disrespecting Iranian laws," Fars news said on X.

A compulsory hijab was imposed in Iran
Iran

...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate ~~Jews~~ ~~Zionists~~ Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
since the 1979 Islamic revolution in public places and governmental institutions.

Halabja Governor Nuxsha Nasih joined a delegation of Kurdistan Region governors, including Erbil’s Omed Xoshnaw, Sulaimani’s Haval Abubakir, and Duhok’s Ali Tatar, in a visit to Iran last week to meet their counterparts from the Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and West Azerbaijan provinces in western Iran (Rojhelat).

On Thursday, they met with President Pezeshkian, discussing bilateral relations between Tehran and Erbil and cultural and trade ties, with the president reaffirming his support for mutual agreements between both sides.

The comments from Fars news come as the government faces challenges in enacting a new hijab bill and enforcing stricter obligations under its existing hijab laws.

They also come as the Iranian government struggles to enforce its existing compulsory hijab law, with a larger number of women defying authorities by appearing in public without the scarf.

Rudaw English reached out to Governor Nasih but she was not readily available for comment.

On Sunday, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said that the country’s top national security body has advised against enacting the new hijab bill as tensions continue among hardline politicians over the controversial legislation.

Under the bill, women who violate mandatory hijab rules face escalating penalties, including fines, travel bans, and digital restrictions. Repeat offenses can result in prison sentences ranging from 3 months to 1 year and fines up to 1.65 billion rials (about $2,357).

The legislation notably came despite challenges the Iranian government faced enforcing existing hijab laws, especially after the nationwide protests which swept through the country in 2022 sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman, Zhina (Mahsa) Amini, while in morality police custody for allegedly wearing a lax hijab.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

SDF foils ISIS attack in eastern Syria

2025-05-27

[Rudaw] The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Monday that it thwarted an attack from the Islamic State

...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS) in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, which injured a civilian, amid a spate of turban attacks in the area.

"Yesterday, our forces foiled a terrorist attack carried out by an ISIS cell on one of our military points in the town of al-Sabha
...After the Libyan Civil War, Sabha grew in importance as a slave auctioning town. However, an investigation by the National Commission for Human Rights in Libya (NCHRL) revealed that while there was illegal slavery, reports were exaggerated, as slave auctions were rare and not made public. This was a great comfort to everyone but the slaves peddled in secret. The city was later seized by forces loyal to the Libyan National Army (LNA) and its leader Khalifa Haftar in January 2019, probably for its collection of MiG-25 aircraft.....
. The cell, using cycle of violences and machine guns, launched a treacherous and indiscriminate attack," the SDF said in a statement.

At least one civilian was injured "due to the indiscriminate gunfire by the terrorists," according to the statement.

It is the latest in a recent spike of ISIS attacks in the area, with the SDF having warned for months about a resurgence in ISIS activity targeting both their forces and civilians.

Kurdish security forces (Asayish) said that another SDF patrol was attacked in Deir ez-Zor simultaneously with the first ambush.

In a statement later on Monday, the Asayish stated that they began "deploying extensively in the area to track down the perpetrators and ensure the safety and stability of civilians."

Last week, an ISIS attack in Deir ez-Zor killed one SDF fighter and injured another.

Two days prior, the SDF captured an ISIS cell in Deir ez-Zor. The raid followed another operation where 10 ISIS suspects were captured in the same province after an SDF fighter was killed and three were maimed.

ISIS rose to power and seized swathes of land in Iraq and Syria in 2014, declaring a so-called "caliphate."

The group was territorially defeated in 2019, but has recently sought to regain ground, taking advantage of instability in Syria following the fall of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Oppressor of the Syrians and the Lebs...
’s regime.

The SDF, backed by the United States, is the de facto army of northeast Syria (Rojava), has fought to prevent the holy warriors from reestablishing a foothold in the shifting security landscape.

Link

Iraq

$73 million in development projects approved for newly-declared Halabja province

2025-05-27

Keeping an eye on our friends, the Kurds.

[Rudaw] The Kurdistan Region’s Council of Ministers on Sunday granted approval for nine major development projects in Halabja province, valued at approximately 96.65 billion Iraqi dinars ($73.3 million), including the construction of a free trade zone, multiple infrastructure upgrades, and a new provincial building.

The decision followed a meeting between Halabja Governor Nuxsha Nasih and Omed Sabah, head of the Council of Ministers’ Presidency Office.

Commenting on the decision on her Facebook page, Nasih described the projects as “necessary” to “better serve citizens.”

The projects include several road projects worth around 50.9 billion Iraqi dinars ($38.8 million), a combined road and sewerage project worth 14.4 billion Iraqi dinars ($10.9 million), and a memorial construction project budgeted at $16.3 million.

An additional 10 billion dinars ($7.6 million) was allocated to support border departments, including bulldozers, loaders, trucks, excavators, road rollers, water tankers, shovels, bobcats, graders, and trailers.

In April, Iraq’s parliament officially recognized Halabja as the country’s 19th province and the Kurdistan Region’s fourth, passing a long-awaited bill during a session attended by 178 of the 329 lawmakers.

The Iraqi Council of Ministers had initially approved Halabja’s status change in December 2013, separating it from Sulaimani province, but political disputes delayed the formalization for over a decade.

Halabja stands out as a potent symbol of Kurdish resilience. On March 16, 1988, near the end of the eight-year Iran-Iraq War, the forces of toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein bombed Halabja with chemical weapons. The gruesome attack claimed the lives of at least 5,000 people - mostly women and children - and injured thousands more. Of note, the Halabja chemical attack was part of the Baath regime’s broader Anfal campaign in which more than 182,000 Kurds were killed.

Link

Britain

Despite being just 2% of the population of Wales, the Muslim community of Cardiff is allowed to blast Islamic calls to prayer 5 times a day

2025-05-27

[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

Despite being just 2% of the population of Wales, the Muslim community of Cardiff is allowed to blast Islamic calls to prayer 5 times a day. The earliest one being at 5 am.

This is what everyone has to wake up to! pic.twitter.com/454WTnnf7X
— Dr. Maalouf ‏ (@realMaalouf) May 26, 2025

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Syrian authorities appoint security chiefs in 12 provinces, Rojava chiefly excluded

2025-05-26

[Rudaw] The Syrian interior ministry announced on Sunday the appointment of commanders for internal security agencies in a dozen provinces. The move is part of the interim authority’s broader effort to restructure the country’s security and military institutions following the ouster of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Terror of Aleppo ...
’s regime. Notably, the appointments largely excluded Kurdish-held areas in northeast Syria (Rojava).

The ministry published the names and photos of 12 officers of various senior ranks, including brigadier generals and colonels, on its account on X. It announced their appointment as heads of internal security leadership in 12 out of Syria’s 14 provinces.

However,
a good lie finds more believers than a bad truth...
no details were provided regarding the selection criteria or background of the appointees.

Notably, several of the newly-assigned officers are believed to have previously served in Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else

Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else

...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
(HTS), which spearheaded the offensive to topple the Baathist regime in early December.

Meanwhile,
...back at the wrecked scow, a single surviver held tightly to the smashed prow...
the provinces of Hasakah and Raqqa, located in northeast and north Syria respectively, were conspicuously absent from the list of appointments. These regions remain under the control of the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES).

Despite negotiations between DAANES and the new leadership in Damascus, the two sides have yet to reach a final agreement with regards to the future governance and security arrangements in these strategically significant territories.

In addition to the provincial security shake-up, the interior ministry also announced the appointment of six deputy interior ministers, assigned to oversee security, civil, and administrative portfolios.

The new efforts are seen as part of a broader strategy to consolidate governance structures under the transitional authority led by Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Sharaa, a former HTS figurehead, assumed the presidency in January after his group led the offensive to oust Syrian dictator Bashir al-Assad.

Shortly after assuming power, the new leadership dissolved the Syrian army and all intelligence and security agencies affiliated with the previous regime, signaling a drastic break from the Assad-era security architecture.

However,
a good lie finds more believers than a bad truth...
the Damascus authorities’ push for reform has not been far from controversy.

In late December, military promotions approved by the new authorities included at least six foreign bully boys, which drew sharp criticism both domestically and internationally.

The presence and promotion of imported muscle among Damascus’s forces has stood out as a contentious issue, particularly in light of Syria’s ongoing reintegration into regional diplomacy.

Earlier this month, during a meeting with Syria’s interim President in Riyadh, US President Donald Trump
...His ancestors didn't own any slaves...
urged Sharaa to "expel all foreign terrorists" as a precondition for full normalization. The demand came shortly after Trump had announced his intent to lift sanctions imposed on Syria.

Observers note that Sharaa is increasingly facing a difficult balancing act. While dependent on foreign snuffies who fought alongside opposition groups, he also confronts international pressure to exclude them and the refusal of many of their home countries to accept their return.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

After Trump announcement, Treasury Department says US formally lifting Syria sanctions

2025-05-25

[IsraelTimes] Sweeping economic relief doesn’t include removal of Sharaa’s HTS from terror blacklist; some US officials pushed for phased approach that would include normalizing ties with Israel

The Trump administration granted Syria sweeping exemptions from sanctions Friday in a big first step toward fulfilling the president’s pledge to lift a half-century of penalties on a country shattered by 13 years of civil war.

While broad, the administration’s actions could possibly be reversed. Syrians say they need permanent relief to secure the tens of billions of dollars in investment needed to rebuild after a conflict that fragmented the country, displaced or killed millions of people, and left behind thousands of imported muscle.

A measure by the State Department waived for six months a tough set of sanctions imposed by Congress in 2019.

A measure by the State Department waived for six months a tough set of sanctions imposed by Congress in 2019. A Treasury Department action suspended enforcement of sanctions against anyone doing business with a range of Syrian individuals and entities, including Syria’s central bank.

Trust but verify. And quietly watch where the money flows…

Syria is now led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former militia commander who helped drive longtime autocratic leader Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Terror of Aleppo ...
from power late last year.

President Donald Trump
...They hit him with slander, they impeached him twice. Nancy Pelosi tore up his State of the Union address on national TV. They stole an election and put his adherents in jail. They vilified him. They couldn't crucify him, so they shot him. Still, they can't keep him down...
announced last week that the US would roll back the heavy financial penalties in a bid to give the interim government a better chance of survival. The Trump administration said businesses and investors are getting the protection against sanctions they need to come back to Syria, calling it "the opportunity for a fresh start."

"The only other option was Syria becoming a failed state and civil war," said Mouaz Moustafa, a Syrian American advocate who had campaigned for quick, broad relief. "Now there is hope for a future democratic Syria."

The congressional sanctions, known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, had aimed to isolate Syria’s previous rulers by effectively expelling those doing business with them from the global financial system. They specifically block postwar reconstruction, so while they can be waived for 180 days by executive order, investors are likely to be wary of reconstruction projects when sanctions could be reinstated after six months.

The Trump administration said Friday’s actions were "just one part of a broader US government effort to remove the full architecture of sanctions." Those penalties had been imposed on the Assad family for their support of Iranian-backed militias, their chemical weapons

...have not been used since WWI except for in Iraq, by the late, unlamented Saddam Hussein and in Syria, but really, honest, not by the Syrian government. And in Germany in WWII, but that was against civilians. Lots of them, just one of many reasons Hitler's also late and unlamented...
program and abuses of civilians.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT EXPECTS ACTION FROM SYRIA
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
...The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida, Secretary of State in the second Trump administration...
said in a statement Friday that in return for sanctions relief, Trump expects "prompt action by the Syrian government on important policy priorities."

Al-Sharaa’s own past has fueled doubts. The group that he led, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
, was originally affiliated with al-Qaeda, although it later renounced ties and took a more moderate tone. It is still listed by the US as a terrorist organization.

But if al-Sharaa’s government fails, the US and others fear renewed conflict in Syria and a power vacuum that could allow a resurgence of the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
and other bad boy groups.

"If we engage them, it may work out, it may not work out. If we do not engage them, it was guaranteed not to work out," Rubio told politicians this week.

Trump met al-Sharaa last week in Saudi Arabia

...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
, a day after announcing his intention to lift the sanctions: "We’re taking them all off. Good luck, Syria. Show us something special."

Rubio said sanctions relief must start quickly because Syria’s transition government could be weeks from "collapse and a full-scale civil war of epic proportions."

But asked by politicians this week what sanctions relief should look like overall, Rubio gave a one-word explanation: "Incremental."

DEBATE WITHIN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
While some sanctions can be quickly waived through executive actions like those taken Friday, Congress would have to permanently remove the penalties it imposed.

Some Trump administration officials have been pushing for relief as fast as possible without demanding tough conditions first. Others have proposed a phased approach, giving short-term waivers right away on some sanctions then tying extensions or a wider executive order to Syria meeting tough conditions.

Critics said that could slow or prevent longer-term relief, hindering the interim government’s ability to attract investment and rebuild.

Proposals circulated among administration officials, including one shared this week that broadly emphasized taking all action possible, as fast as possible, to help Syria rebuild, according to a US official familiar with the plan who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another proposal — from State Department staff — that circulated last week suggested a three-phase road map, starting with short-term waivers and then laying out sweeping requirements for future phases of relief or a permanent lifting of sanctions, the official said.

Removing "Paleostinian terror groups" from Syria is first on the list of conditions to get to the second phase. Supporters of sanctions relief say that might be impossible, given the subjectivity of determining which groups meet that definition and at what point they can be declared removed.

Other conditions for moving to the second phase are for the new government to take custody of detention facilities housing Islamic State fighters and to move forward on absorbing a US-backed Kurdish force into the Syrian army.

To get to phase three, Syria would be required to join the Abraham Accords — normalized relations with Israel — and to prove that it had destroyed the previous government’s chemical weapons.

Israel has been suspicious of the new government, although Syrian officials have said publicly that they do not want a conflict with Israel. Since Assad fell, Israel has launched hundreds of ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s and seized a UN-patrolled buffer zone in Syria.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Damascus is preparing to take control of al-Hol camp

2025-05-25

It will be interesting to see whether the HTS government absorbs the ISIS fighters into their ranks or sees them as the undesirable other.

[Rudaw] The Syrian government will assume control of al-Hol and shift focus to rehabilitation of the thousands of suspected Islamic State

...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS) sympathizers and family members being held in the camp in northeast Syria, an Interior Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday.

"Regarding the al-Hol camp issue, it is part of the agreement signed between the Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Syrian Democratic Forces, which stipulates that the Syrian Arab Republic will assume control over all areas in the Syrian Jazira region - namely, in Hasakah and Raqqa areas," Interior Ministry spokesperson Nouraldeen Albaba told Rudaw in a presser on Saturday.

The goal will be to ensure the camp is no longer a source of unrest and extremism. "Now, it will become a comprehensive societal rehabilitation dossier targeting the victims and families of individuals who joined ISIS," he said.

Al-Hol camp in Hasaka province is infamous for its squalid conditions and has been branded a breeding ground for terrorism. Iraqis and Syrians make up the majority of the 40,000 ISIS-linked people who have been held at the camp since the defeat of the group in 2019. There are also people in the camp from around the world who had traveled to join the so-called ISIS caliphate.

A delegation from the Syrian government visited al-Hol camp on Saturday, according to local media. The delegation consisted of 10 people and was the first visit to the camp by the interim government. They were also joined by representatives from the US-led global coalition against ISIS, Ronahi TV reported.

The purpose of the visit was to inspect conditions in the camp and explore returning Syrian nationals to their home regions, according to Ronahi, which is affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) in January announced that its doors are open to the "voluntary return" of Syrians in the camp to their hometowns. Iraq has been repatriating its nationals in groups, putting them through a rehabilitation program before they return to their original homes.

Rojava authorities also have thousands of ISIS fighters detained in jails.

United States President Donald Trump
...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US...
, when he met interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa last week, urged him to assume responsibility for ISIS detention centres in Rojava. The newly-appointed US envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack noted progress Damascus has taken on meeting Trump’s request when he met Sharaa in Istanbul on Saturday.

Link

Iraq

Sulaimani security forces arrest three ISIS suspects

2025-05-25

[Rudaw] Three suspected members of the Islamic State

Link

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