Dissident former diplomat shot dead in southern Syria: monitor
Armed men on Tuesday night entered the home of former diplomat, Noureddine Al-Labbad, in the town of Al-Sanamayn, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Damascus, opening fire on him and his brother before fleeing, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Britain-based monitor said Labbad had returned to Syria two weeks earlier from France, where he had represented the opposition's Syrian National Coalition after having served as a diplomat under Assad.
He had defected from the foreign ministry service in 2013.
Security forces declared a curfew in the town after cars were set alight and grenades were set off following the attack, an AFP journalist said.
But by the morning it had been lifted with traffic gradually resuming.
Videos shared on Telegram by Syrian security forces show gunmen entering what was described as Labbad's home.
No further details were available regarding the killing of the former diplomat, but there have been frequent incidents involving tribal violence or acts of revenge in the past months, particularly since Assad's ouster in December.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump administration asks judges to release Epstein, Maxwell grand jury transcripts
Donald Trump's administration urged two judges on Tuesday night to release testimony heard by the grand juries that indicted the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell on sex trafficking charges as the president seeks to calm an uproar over his administration's handling of the matter. The Justice Department first sought court permission on July 18 to make public transcripts of the confidential testimony given by witnesses years ago in the two cases, but Manhattan-based US District Judges Richard Berman and Paul Engelmayer asked the government to flesh out the legal bases for the requests. In a pair of court filings just before midnight, prosecutors said unsealing the materials would be appropriate given the 'abundant public interest' in the Epstein case and persistent scrutiny of how it was handled by federal law enforcement. The Epstein case has been at the center of conspiracy theories for years. Trump has faced pressure in recent months to make public documents from the federal investigations into Epstein and Maxwell. Epstein hanged himself in jail in 2019, an autopsy concluded, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges brought by federal prosecutors. He had pleaded not guilty. Maxwell, Epstein's longtime girlfriend, was convicted in 2021 on sex trafficking charges and is serving a 20-year prison sentence in Florida. Maxwell had pleaded not guilty and is now asking the US Supreme Court to overturn her conviction. Trump said this month he had asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of grand jury transcripts in the two cases. The president did so after the Justice Department said it concluded that Epstein died by suicide and that there was no incriminating list of his clients. The Justice Department's announcement angered some of Trump's conservative supporters who believe the government is covering up Epstein's ties to the rich and powerful and that the financier was murdered in jail. Grand juries are convened by prosecutors and meet in secret to hear witness testimony and decide whether to indict people suspected of crimes. Records of their proceedings usually remain sealed. There are only limited circumstances under which such transcripts can be disclosed. Even if one or both of the judges allow the transcripts to be made public, it is not clear whether the public would learn anything new or noteworthy. Maxwell's four-week trial in 2021 included public testimony from alleged sex trafficking victims, associates of Epstein and Maxwell, and law enforcement officers. The transcripts also would not represent all the previously unreleased material in the government's possession. Investigators and prosecutors may pursue leads that they cannot substantiate or interview potential witnesses whom they do not ultimately call to testify before a grand jury. US District Judge Robin Rosenberg in Florida on July 23 denied the administration's request to unseal records from grand jury investigations in 2005 and 2007 in that state into Epstein. The judge found that the request did not fall into any of the limited exceptions that may allow for the release of such material. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to a prostitution charge brought under Florida law and was given a 13-month sentence in a deal with prosecutors now widely regarded as too lenient. Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer, last week met with Maxwell for two days to see if she had any information about others who had committed crimes. Maxwell's lawyer David Markus and Blanche have not provided detailed accounts of their discussions.
Leaders
12 hours ago
- Leaders
Hamas Delegation Leaves Doha After Ceasefire Talks Collapse
Hamas's negotiating team departed from Qatar's capital Doha on Tuesday, heading to Turkey to discuss the stalled Gaza ceasefire talks, a group official confirmed to AFP. The high-level delegation, led by Mohammed Darwish, president of the movement's leadership council, includes the negotiation team and its head, Khalil al-Hayya. The source stated, 'The delegation will hold several meetings with Turkish officials regarding the latest developments in the ceasefire negotiations, which stalled last week.' For over two weeks, mediators in Qatar shuttled between Israeli and Hamas delegations, aiming to secure a breakthrough in indirect talks that focused on a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza, nearly two years into the ongoing conflict. US Withdraws from Negotiations Last week, the United States joined Israel in pulling its negotiators from the discussions. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff blamed the Palestinian militant group for the failure to reach a deal, stating that Washington would 'consider alternative options' moving forward. Hamas politburo member Bassem Naim told AFP on Friday that the latest discussions centered on the details of an Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. However, Israel has resisted international calls for a ceasefire in Gaza as UN-backed experts warned on Tuesday that the Palestinian territory is slipping into famine. Israeli Officials Respond to Ceasefire Demands Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the ceasefire demands, calling them 'a distorted campaign of international pressure against Israel.' He argued that such demands would leave Hamas in power in Gaza, stating 'It ain't gonna happen, no matter how much pressure is put on Israel,' he declared during a press conference on Tuesday. As the situation continues to evolve, the international community watches closely for any signs of progress in the ongoing conflict. Short link : Post Views: 27
Arab News
13 hours ago
- Arab News
Crete protesters try to block arrival of Israeli tourists
ATHENS: Greek police used tear gas and made arrests as some 300 people tried to block an Israeli cruise ship on the island of Crete, the latest in a series of protests targeting the vessel. The protesters at the port of Agios Nikolaos waved banners saying 'Stop the genocide' as the Crown Iris approached, according to images on the public broadcaster ERT. The images also showed police using tear gas to disperse the crowd, allowing several hundred passengers to board buses on the island. 'I had a sore throat from the tear gas and had to leave the demonstration,' Elena Toutoudaki, a teacher in her fifties, told AFP. Three people were arrested before being released, according to a local police source. Protesters have targeted the Crown Iris, with around 600 mostly Israelis on board, in other Greek islands. On Monday, protesters scuffled with police who made eight arrests as it docked in Rhodes, media reports said, while last week 200 people protested in Syros as the ship approached. Police had insisted passengers could disembark on Syros, but the Times of Israel reported that the ship's owners decided to skip the island. Greek Minister of Citizen Protection Mihalis Chryssohoidis subsequently said anyone who 'prevents a citizen of a third country from visiting our country will be prosecuted under the anti-racism law.' Numerous demonstrations against the Israeli war on Gaza have taken place in Athens and other cities across Greece.
