Page 4 - Syria Government

Israeli troops near Damascus, say Syrian security, after its bases struck

Israel's military operation into Syria comes two days after the lightning overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad by a rebel alliance left Syrians, regional countries and world powers nervous

Trump's pick for intel chief, Gabbard, faces questions amid Syria fallout

President-elect Donald Trump's pick for intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, faced fresh scrutiny on Monday on Capitol Hill about her proximity to Russian-ally Syria amid the sudden collapse of that country's hardline Assad rule. Gabbard ignored shouted questions about her 2017 visit to war-torn Syria as she ducked into one of several private meetings with senators who are being asked to confirm Trump's unusual nominees. But the Democrat-turned-Republican Army National Reserve lieutenant colonel delivered a statement in which she reiterated her support for Trump's America First approach to national security and a more limited U.S. military footprint overseas. I want to address the issue that's in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria, Gabbard said exiting a Senate meeting. The incoming president's Cabinet and top administrative choic

US says terror designation does not hinder talks with Syrian rebel group

The State Department said on Monday it is not actively reviewing the foreign terrorist organisation designation of the main Syrian rebel group that overthrew Bashar Assad's government this weekend. But, it said such designations are constantly under review, and that even while it's in place, the label does not bar US officials from speaking with the group. There is no specific review related to what happened over the weekend, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. That said, we are always reviewing. Based on their actions, there could be a change in our sanctions posture, but we have nothing today. He said a review could be initiated if Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, takes steps to reverse the reasons for its designation. That would be based entirely on its actions, he said. The designation imposes numerous sanctions against those targeted, including a ban on the provision of material support to such groups, although Miller said that would not necessarily ...

As Israel advances on Syrian buffer zone, it sees peril, opportunity

The dramatic downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad presents possible danger, and an opening for neighbouring Israel. After fighting wars on multiple fronts for months, Israel is now concerned that unrest in Syria could spill over into its territory. Israel also views the end of the Assad regime as a chance to disrupt Iran's ability to smuggle weapons through Syria to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The Israeli military over the weekend began seizing control of a demilitarised buffer zone in Syria created as part of a 1974 ceasefire between the countries. It said the move was temporary and meant to secure its border. But the incursion sparked condemnation, with critics accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire and possibly exploiting the chaos in Syria for a land grab. Israel still controls the Golan Heights that it captured from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed a move not recognized by most of the international community. Here's a look at recent ...

Govt services halted in Syria as workers stay home after rebel takeover

Syria's prime minister said on Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector had come to a complete and abrupt halt". Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said on Monday they would not tell women how to dress. It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women's dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty, the

Hundreds of Syrians at Turkish border crossing, waiting to return home

Hundreds of Syrian refugees gathered at two border crossings in southern Turkey on Monday, eagerly anticipating their return home following the fall of President Bashar Assad's government. Many arrived at the Cilvegozu and Oncupinar border gates at daybreak, draped in blankets and coats. Some camped by border barriers, warming themselves with makeshift fires or resting on the cold ground. The crossings correspond to the Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salameh gates on the Syrian side of the border. Among those waiting at Cilvegozu was 28-year-old Muhammed Zin, who was excited at the prospect of returning home. He fled Damascus in 2016 and has been living and working in Istanbul. Assad was shooting us, killing us, he told The Associated Press. I will return to Syria now. Thank God, the war is over. At the Oncupinar border gate, Mustafa Sultan, 29, said he was crossing into Syria to find his older brother who was imprisoned in Damascus under Assad's rule. I haven't seen him for 13 years. The

India calls for stability, unity and territorial integrity of Syria

A day after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad's authoritarian government in Syria, India on Monday joined leading nations to call for stability and preserve the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Arab nation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is monitoring the unfolding developments in Syria and advocated a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process going forward in that country. The Syrian government collapsed on Sunday as the rebels seized control of the capital Damascus after capturing several other prominent cities and towns. Assad fled the country after the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of Damascus, marking the end of his family's 50-year rule. "We are monitoring the situation in Syria in the light of ongoing developments. We underline the need for all parties to work towards preserving the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria," the MEA said in a statement. "We advocate a peaceful and ..

Turkey to work for Syrian migrants to return home safely, says minister

NATO member Turkey hosts some 3 million Syrian migrants and refugees, making it the biggest host of Syrians who have fled the civil war. It also controls swathes of land in northern Syria after

Kremlin to discuss future of Russian bases with Syria's new rulers

The Tartous facility is Russia's only Mediterranean repair and replenishment hub, and Moscow has used Syria as a staging post to fly its military contractors in and out of Africa

Calling all parties to work towards preserving unity: MEA on Syria crisis

In a statement, MEA called for a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process respecting the interests and aspirations of all sections of Syrian society

Syria at crossroads after 54 yrs: Four priorities to avoid yet another war

With Assad's departure, the pressing question now is what lies ahead for Syria's immediate future

Assad left Syria after giving orders for peaceful power handover: Russia

Russia's Foreign Ministry claimed Sunday that Bashar Assad had left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups, and gave instructions to transfer power peacefully. In a post on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday, the ministry said Moscow had not directly participated in these talks. It also said it has been following the dramatic events in Syria with extreme concern". It also said Russian troops stationed in Syria have been put on high alert and that as of early afternoon Sunday, there was no serious threat to the security of Russia's military bases there. Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, teaming up with Iran to allow Assad's government to fight armed opposition groups and reclaim control over most of the country. While Russia now concentrates the bulk of its military resources in Ukraine, it has maintained a military foothold in Syria and keeps troops at its bases there.

Russia's abandonment of Syria's President Assad led to his downfall: Trump

Trump, who has said he will seek to halt the Ukraine war rapidly, met Ukraine's President Zelenskiy on Saturday in Paris where they were both attending a ceremony to reopen Notre-Dame Cathedral

Fall of Bashar Assad after 14 yrs of war in Syria ends decades-long dynasty

The fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government Sunday brought to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power as his country fragmented amid a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad's downfall came as a stark contrast to his first months as Syria's unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father's iron grip. Only 34 years old at that time, the Western-educated ophthalmologist was a rather geeky tech-savvy fan of computers with a gentle demeanour. But when faced with protests against his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to the brutal tactics of his father in an attempt to crush them. As the uprising hemorrhaged into an outright civil war, he unleashed his military to blast opposition-held cities, with support from allies Iran and Russia. International rights groups and prosecutors alleged widespread use of torture and extrajudicial

Oppn fighters drive Syrian leader from country. Who are they, what now?

Syria's government appears to have fallen after opposition fighters said they entered Damascus following a stunning advance. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to extend its hand to the opposition and hand over its functions to a transitional government. I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country, Jalili said in a video statement. He said he would go to his office to continue work in the morning and called on Syrian citizens not to deface public property. A Syrian opposition war monitor, Rami Abdurrahman, said Assad left the country on a flight from Damascus early Sunday. Jalili did not address reports of Assad's departure. Opposition fighters entered Syria's capital in a swiftly developing crisis that has taken much of the world by surprise. Syria's army has abandoned key cities with little resistance. Who are these opposition fighters? If they take control of Damascus after seizing some of Syria

Syrian govt appears to fall after lightning rebel offensive; Assad flees

Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated on Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumours that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus the Syrian leader's base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM news outlet reported that government forces took positions outside Syria's third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The insurgency announced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. The city's capture is a

Syrian cities under siege after nearly a decade: What's happening?

Syrian forces crumble against rebel Islamist group as Aleppo falls in stunning three-day offensive. Here's all that happened

Al-Golani tours seized city of Aleppo in Syria; battles intensify near Hama

The leader of Syria's most powerful insurgent group toured the seized city of Aleppo on Wednesday in a surprise visit the first since the group captured large parts of the city over the weekend as fierce fighting intensifies in the government-led counter-offensive in northern Hama. Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who heads the jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, greeted crowds of supporters near the city's iconic citadel as he smiled and waved in dark green military garb. Surrounded by masked gunmen in flak jackets, men and boys chanted God is great as he walked through the heart of Syria's largest city. The sudden capture of Aleppo, also an ancient business hub, was a stunning prize for Syrian opponents of President Bashar Assad. It was the first opposition attack on the city since 2016, when a brutal Russian air campaign retook the northwestern city for Assad after rebel forces had initially seized it. Intervention by Russia, Iran and Iranian-allied militant Hezbollah and other groups has

Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of Syria's shock insurgency?

Over the past dozen years, Syrian militant leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has worked to remake his public image and the insurgency he commands, renouncing longtime ties to al-Qaida and consolidating power before emerging from the shadows. Now al-Golani, 42, seeks to seize the moment yet again, leading his fighters in a stunning offensive that has put them in control of Syria's largest city, reigniting the country's long civil war and raising new questions about President Bashar Assad's hold on power. The surge and al-Golani's place at the head of it are evidence of a remarkable transformation. Al-Golani's success on the battlefield follows years of maneuvering among extremist organisations while eliminating competitors and former allies. Along the way he moved to distance himself from al-Qaida, polishing his image and his extremist group's de-facto salvation government in an attempt to win over international governments and the country's religious and ethnic minorities. Putting hims

Turkey calls for reconciliation between Syria govt, Oppn to end conflict

The recent rapid advance by opposition fighters in Syria shows that Syrian President Bashar Assad must reconcile with his own people and hold dialogue with the opposition, the Turkish foreign minister said Monday. At a joint news conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart, Hakan Fidan said Turkey and Iran, which support opposing sides in Syria's civil war, have agreed to resume diplomatic efforts along with Russia to restore calm days after insurgents launched a lightning offensive and captured almost all of the country's largest city, Aleppo. The swift advance by fighters that Turkey supports was a huge embarrassment for Assad and it comes at a time when his allies Iran and groups it backs and Russia are preoccupied with their own conflicts. The push is among the rebels' strongest in years and raises the prospect of another violent front reopening in the Middle East when U.S.-backed Israel is fighting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both Iranian-allied groups. Fid