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Cyprus stands prepared to assist eradicate Syria’s remaining chemical weapons stockpiles and to help a seek for individuals whose destiny stays unknown after greater than a decade of struggle, the highest Cypriot diplomat stated Saturday.
Overseas Minister Constantinos Kombos stated Cyprus’ provide is grounded by itself previous expertise each with serving to rid Syria of chemical weapons 11 years in the past and its personal ongoing, decades-old seek for lots of of people that disappeared amid combating between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriots within the Sixties and a 1974 Turkish invasion.
Cyprus in 2013 hosted the help base of a mission collectively run by the United Nations and the Group for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to take away and get rid of Syria’s chemical weapons.
“As a neighboring nation positioned simply 65 miles from Syria, Cyprus has a vested curiosity in Syria’s future. Developments there’ll straight influence Cyprus, notably when it comes to potential new migratory flows and the dangers of terrorism and extremism,” Kombos advised The Related Press in written replies to questions.
Kombos stated there are “profound considerations” amongst his counterparts throughout the area over Syria’s future safety, particularly relating to a potential resurgence of extremist teams like Islamic State in a fragmented and polarized society.
Different challenges embrace new migratory flows from the nation in addition to making certain the security and rights of girls and minorities together with Druze, Christians, Jews and Kurds, in order that the “wealthy mosaic of Syria is preserved.”
“That is notably crucial in gentle of potential social and demographic engineering disguised as “safety” preparations, which may additional destabilize the nation,” Kombos stated.
The diplomat additionally pointed to the current proliferation of narcotics manufacturing just like the stimulant Captagon that’s interconnected with smuggling networks concerned in individuals and arms trafficking.
Kombos stated ongoing assaults towards Syria’s Kurds should cease instantly, given the position that Kurdish forces have performed in combating extremist forces just like the IS group prior to now decade.
A Syrian-led course of transitioning the nation to an inclusive democracy ought to combine the Kurds’ “reliable asks” whereas safeguarding the nation’s unity and territorial integrity.
Saleh Muslim, a member of the Kurdish Presidential Council, stated in an interview that the Kurds primarily search “equality” enshrined in rights accorded to all in any democracy.
He stated a future type of governance may accord autonomy to the Kurds below some type of federal construction.
“However the necessary factor is to have democratic rights for all of the Syrians and together with the Kurdish individuals,” he stated.
Muslim warned that the Kurdish-majority metropolis of Kobani, close to Syria’s border with Turkey, is in “very large hazard” of falling into the arms of Turkish-backed forces, and accused Turkey of making an attempt to occupy it.
Kombos stated the worldwide group wants to make sure that the affect Turkey is making an attempt to exert in Syria is “not going to create a fair worse state of affairs than there already is.”
“Regardless of the future panorama in Syria, it should have a direct and far-reaching influence on the area, the European Union and the broader worldwide group,” Kombos stated.
Syria’s authoritarian chief was kicked out of energy earlier this month after a exceptional riot and is now receiving asylum in Russia.
It was a serious humiliation for Putin in addition to Assad as a result of Russia had been propping up the regime for the final 9 years so the Kremlin might keep a stronghold within the Center East.
However, preoccupied by Ukraine, Russia selected to not come to Assad’s assist when the lightning offensive began in December.
Putin then performed down Russia’s failure at a information convention on Thursday when he made his first public feedback on the topic.
He mentioned: “You need to painting the whole lot that’s occurring in Syria as some sort of failure, a defeat for Russia. I guarantee you, it isn’t.”
However, chatting with HuffPost UK, a Western official mentioned this remark was significantly telling.
They mentioned: “That’s actually indicative of the pressure there, and it’ll be attention-grabbing how that performs out.”
The Russian president additionally mentioned he had not but met Assad since he moved to Russia, however that he would do in some unspecified time in the future, and claimed Moscow had helped stop Syria changing into a “terrorist enclave” when it aided the oppressive regime.
He additionally claimed that Israel was the “predominant beneficiary” of the riot because the IDF moved into Syrian land close to the border.
The Russian president used the prolonged information convention to speak concerning the two navy bases Russia has in Syria too, saying: “We keep relations with all of the teams that management the state of affairs there… the overwhelming majority of them inform us that they’d be fascinated with our navy bases remaining in Syria.”
He added: “I don’t know. We have now to consider this as a result of we should assess our relationships with these political forces which might be in management and might be in charge of the state of affairs sooner or later.”
The US says it has killed ISIS chief Abu Yusif in Syria.
US Central Command Forces (Centcom) mentioned it carried out an airstrike focusing on Yusif – who additionally goes by Mahmud – within the east of the nation.
One other ISIS operative was additionally killed within the strike, in accordance with US officers.
This strike was carried out in an space previously managed by the Syrian regime and Russian forces.
Centcom commander, Normal Michael Erik Kurilla, mentioned: “As said earlier than, the US – working with allies and companions within the area – won’t permit ISIS to make the most of the present state of affairs in Syria and reconstitute.
“ISIS has the intent to interrupt out of detention the over 8,000 ISIS operatives at the moment being held in amenities in Syria.
“We’ll aggressively goal these leaders and operatives, together with these making an attempt to conduct operations exterior to Syria.”
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The fast focus is the delicate regime being put collectively by the HTS chief Ahmed al-Sharaa, aka Mohammad al-Jolani, in Damascus. Thus far, al-Sharaa and Mohammed Yasser Ghazal, the younger appearing governor of Damascus, have been speaking of a broad coalition, tolerance of minorities, reconstruction, and a authorities by Syrians for Syrians. Israel public statements – and, curiously, the burden of commentary from the BBC – have careworn what they see because the jihadi provenance of the HTS leaders – going again to al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.
From reproductive rights to local weather change to Large Tech, The Unbiased is on the bottom when the story is growing. Whether or not it is investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our newest documentary, ‘The A Phrase’, which shines a lightweight on the American ladies combating for reproductive rights, we all know how vital it’s to parse out the info from the messaging.
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With the mud nonetheless settling from the gorgeous occasions in Damascus, the result for now appears to be favoring Ankara, which backed the victorious rebels, whereas Moscow suffered a bruising blow to its worldwide clout.
“Within the recreation of Czars vs. Sultans, that is Sultans 1 and Czars 0,” stated Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Analysis Program on the Washington Institute. “Removed from being allies, Turkey and Russia are rivals. And on this case, Turkey has outsmarted Russia.”
The Assad regime’s demise opens one other chapter within the complicated relationship between Putin and Erdogan, with wide-ranging implications not only for Syria but additionally for Ukraine and the 2 leaders’ ties with Washington.
Russia and Turkey share financial and safety pursuits — together with an intense rivalry. The private relationship between Putin and Erdogan usually sees them each praising one another, whilst they jockey for political and financial good points.
“There are presently solely two leaders left on this planet — there may be me and there may be Vladimir Putin,” Erdogan stated just lately, reflecting the respect for the Kremlin chief. Putin, in flip, has usually praises Erdogan’s political prowess.
Conflicts and offers
Russia and Turkey backed opposing sides in Syria’s civil conflict that began in 2011, placing them on a collision course. Tensions spiraled when a Turkish fighter jet shot down a Russian warplane close to the Turkey-Syria border in November 2015, quickly after Moscow launched its air marketing campaign to assist Assad.
The Kremlin responded with sweeping financial sanctions that halted Turkish imports, drove Turkish corporations from the profitable Russian market and reduce the move of Russian vacationers to Turkey’s resorts.
Confronted with huge financial harm, Erdogan apologized months later. Quickly after, Putin staunchly supported him when he confronted an tried army coup in July 2016, serving to to heat ties rapidly.
In 2018, Moscow and Ankara negotiated a ceasefire and de-escalation deal for the rebel-held Idlib province in northwestern Syria on the border with Turkey and sought to anchor the often-violated settlement with follow-up offers within the subsequent few years.
However whilst they cooperated on Syria, Moscow and Ankara additionally vied for affect in Libya, the place Russia supported forces loyal to army commander Khalifa Hifter whereas Turkey backed his Tripoli-based foes. Turkey additionally aggressively sought to extend its leverage within the former Soviet Central Asian nations competing with Russia and China.
In 2020, Moscow backed off when Turkey’s ally Azerbaijan routed ethnic Armenian forces within the combating over the breakaway area of Karabakh. Although Armenia hosted a Russian army base, the Kremlin has engaged in a fragile balancing act, in search of to take care of heat ties with each Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Whereas their political pursuits usually clashed, financial ties boomed, with Russia boosting pure fuel exports to Turkey by way of a Black Sea pipeline; by constructing Turkey’s first nuclear plant; and by offering the NATO member with superior air protection programs — to Washington’s dismay.
Relations amid the conflict in Ukraine
Ties with Turkey grew much more vital for Putin after he invaded Ukraine in 2022, Europe’s largest battle since World Battle II.
The West responded with financial sanctions that barred Russia from most Western markets, restricted its entry to worldwide monetary system, shut transport routes and halted exports of key applied sciences. Turkey, which didn’t be part of the sanctions, has emerged as Russia’s key gateway to international markets, strengthening Erdogan’s hand in negotiations with Putin.
Whereas Turkey backed Ukraine’s territorial integrity and equipped Kyiv with weapons, Erdogan echoed Putin in accusing the U.S. and NATO of fomenting the battle. Putin has praised Erdogan for providing to mediate a settlement.
In March 2022, Turkey hosted Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul that quickly collapsed, with each Putin and Erdogan blaming the West for his or her failure.
Later that yr, Ankara pooled efforts with the United Nations to dealer a deal that opened the door for Ukrainian grain exports from its Black Sea ports, an settlement that helped drive down international meals costs earlier than falling aside the next yr.
Turkey’s balancing act in Ukraine is pushed by its dependence on the huge Russian market, provides of pure fuel and a move of vacationers.
Russia’s give attention to Ukraine has eroded its clout in areas the place Turkey and different gamers have tried to make the most of Moscow’s withering affect.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan reclaimed management over all of Karabakh in an one-day blitz whereas Russian regional peacekeepers stood again. That damage Russia’s ties with Armenia, which has shifted more and more towards the West.
Moscow’s new take a look at Syria
Centered on Ukraine, Russia had few sources left for Syria at a time when Hezbollah equally pulled again its fighters amid the conflict with Israel and Iranian assist for Assad additionally weakened.
Russia tried to sponsor talks on normalizing relations between Turkey and Syria, however Assad stonewalled them, refusing any compromise.
Assad’s intransigence helped set off the Turkey-backed opposition’s offensive in November. The underfunded and demoralized Syrian military rapidly crumbled, permitting the rebels to brush throughout the nation and seize Damascus.
Even because it has provided asylum to Assad and his household, Russia has reached out to Syria’s new leaders, in search of to make sure safety for its troops nonetheless there and prolong leases on its naval and air bases.
At his annual information convention Thursday, Putin stated Russia provided Syria’s new leaders to make use of the bases for humanitarian assist deliveries and advised Moscow may supply different incentives.
Whereas Assad’s demise dealt a heavy blow to Russia, some imagine Moscow may navigate the quickly altering surroundings to retain not less than some clout.
“Syria’s opposition forces properly perceive that the nation’s future is unsure,” stated Nikolay Kozhanov, a consulting fellow with Chathan Home’s Russia and Eurasia program, in a commentary. “They need Russia, if not as a pal, then a impartial get together.”
He famous that “Moscow’s fundamental objective might be to take care of not less than a minimal stage of affect by way of a army presence, for instance, at its current bases, or by way of contacts with different regional gamers, comparable to Turkey.”
Cagaptay noticed that whereas Turkey wish to see an finish to Russia’s army presence in Syria, Ankara’s place will rely on how relations evolve with Washington.
“If we see a reset in U.S.-Turkish ties the place Turkey thinks it will possibly comfortably lean on the U.S. towards Russia, I can see Erdogan adopting a sort of extra boisterous tone vis a vis Putin,” he stated.
But when the U.S. maintains its alliance with the Kurds and stands towards Turkey’s effort to push again on Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria, “Ankara might determine that it must proceed to play all sides because it has been doing for a few decade now,” Cagaptay stated.
Putin famous Russia understands Turkey’s motives in securing its borders, however he additionally warned that the Kurds may supply robust resistance if attacked.
Emre Ersen, a Russia knowledgeable at Istanbul’s Marmara College, additionally famous that whereas Assad’s fall will diminish Moscow’s affect, “the connection between Turkey and Russia won’t be devastated by the occasions in Syria.”
“Clearly, they nonetheless want to achieve out to one another relating to the disaster in Ukraine, but additionally as a result of they’ve very vital financial relations,” Ersen stated, including that Erdogan could possibly be anticipated to hunt extra concessions from Russia on power and commerce points.
From reproductive rights to local weather change to Large Tech, The Impartial is on the bottom when the story is creating. Whether or not it is investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our newest documentary, ‘The A Phrase’, which shines a lightweight on the American girls preventing for reproductive rights, we all know how essential it’s to parse out the information from the messaging.
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The US doubled the variety of forces in Syria to combat the Islamic State group earlier than the overthrow of President Bashar Assad’s authorities, the Pentagon stated Thursday.
The U.S. has beforehand stated 900 troops have been in Syria, however Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, introduced that 2,000 have been there and had been for some time.
He advised reporters that the rise in forces was momentary and they’re there to enhance the U.S. operations in opposition to the Islamic State group.
The Pentagon has been requested repeatedly in current days and weeks in regards to the U.S. presence in Syria and by no means disclosed the dramatic enhance.
Insurgent forces overthrew Assad two weeks in the past. Within the days since, Israel and Turkey have each launched navy operations inside Syria’s borders, together with Tel Aviv’s airstrikes in opposition to weapons services within the east that belonged to Assad’s regime and Turkey’s offensive within the northeast in opposition to Kurdish forces, who’ve partnered with the U.S. in its combat in opposition to the Islamic State.
Counter-terrorism police concern that uncertainty over the way forward for Syria may gas jihadi assaults within the UK.
Border officers are on excessive alert for potential British ISIS supporters free of jail who could attempt to return to Britain.
Vicki Evans, nationwide counter-terrorism coordinator, stated the present terror risk was “smouldering” and had by no means been extra complicated with the hazard posed by Islamic extremists, state-sponsored plots and deliberate assaults from people with no apparent ideology.
“Occasions in Syria are definitely one thing which can be a spotlight and one thing that each one of us want to consider with our companions,” she stated.
“It is that stark reminder that we have to concentrate on previous enemies of peace and safety in addition to the brand new.
“Historical past tells us that, sadly, any instability creates area for extremism, for violence and acts of terror.”
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2:07
What is going on with ISIS in Syria?
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Evans stated though the British authorities had engaged diplomatically with the de facto new Syrian chief Ahmed al-Sharaa, his victorious insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) stays a banned terror group beneath UK legislation and anybody demonstrating help for it may very well be charged with a terror crime.
She stated no such suspects had been arrested, however wouldn’t affirm or deny if any had been beneath investigation.
DAC Evans additionally revealed that counter-terrorism police had been more and more discovering photographs of utmost violence, pornography, misogyny and gore that typically fuelled terror plans within the on-line viewing historical past of suspects as younger as 10.
She stated: “It is a pick-and-mix of horror. These kinds of grotesque fascinations with violence and dangerous views that we’re seeing are more and more widespread.
“We most undoubtedly must suppose in a different way about how we cease that conveyor belt of younger people who find themselves seeing and being uncovered to such a materials and, sadly, typically then occurring to commit horrific acts.”
She added that police had disrupted 43 plots – three previously yr – that had been near being carried out, all with potential mass casualties, since 2017, a yr of a number of UK terror assaults.
Plots backed by hostile states had quadrupled previously few years, with 20 detected since 2022 that had been sponsored by Iran, she stated.
She urged the general public to be vigilant and appealed to companies to watch out for their vulnerability to hostile state assaults.
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The Israeli prime minister on Tuesday claimed his forces can be stationed within the buffer zone close to Golan Heights for the foreseeable future to make sure “Israel’s safety”.
Israel has confronted criticism from UN, France, and plenty of Arab nations who accused it of violating a 1974 ceasefire and exploiting the chaos in Syria for a land seize. Since Assad’s ouster this month, Israel has launched tons of of missiles inside Syria, concentrating on army posts, weapon caches, and airforce and navy models.
In a primary for an Israeli chief, Netanyahu made the announcement from the summit of Mount Hermon contained in the buffer zone, about 10km from the border with the Israel-held Golan Heights. It seemed to be the primary time a sitting Israeli chief set foot that far into Syria.
Israel on 8 December captured the buffer zone, a roughly 400sqkm demilitarized space in Syrian territory, arguing that the ceasefire settlement had collapsed as Syrian troopers allegedly deserted their positions.
“We are going to keep … till one other association is discovered that ensures Israel’s safety,” the prime minister mentioned on Tuesday.
The Israeli prime minister has repeatedly claimed that he had “no real interest in a battle with Syria”, however continued along with his devastating bombing marketing campaign throughout Syria.
Mr Netanyahu was accompanied by his defence minister Israel Katz, who “instructed” the Israeli army to rapidly set up a presence, together with fortifications, in anticipation of what could possibly be an prolonged keep within the space. “The summit of the Hermon is the eyes of the state of Israel to establish our enemies who’re close by and much away,” he mentioned.
The Related Press cited an Israeli army official saying that there was no plan to evacuate the Syrians residing in villages inside the buffer zone.
Mr Netanyahu on Tuesday mentioned the go to made him “nostalgic”.
“I used to be right here 53 years in the past with my troopers in a patrol of the Israel Protection Forces. The place hasn’t modified, it’s the identical place, however its significance to Israel’s safety has solely grown lately, and particularly in latest weeks with the dramatic occasions which are taking place right here under us in Syria,” he mentioned.
The buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights was created by the UN after the 1973 six-day battle. A UN pressure of about 1,100 troops had patrolled the world since then.
The Israeli advances in Syria come as its forces are nonetheless preventing the battle in Gaza in opposition to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Each the events this week expressed optimism {that a} ceasefire settlement could possibly be reached after months of impasse, that will see the prisoners taken hostage by Hamas freed.
Israeli bombardment and offensives in Gaza have killed greater than 45,000 Palestinians over the previous 14 months, principally girls and youngsters, in response to the well being ministry within the Hamas-run Strip. Round 90 per cent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been pressured from their properties, the UN discovered.
Israel had launched the battle in retaliation in opposition to an assault inside Israel by Hamas on 7 October final 12 months, throughout which round 1,200 Israelis had been killed, and one other 251 individuals had been taken hostage.
