Sweden-Based Syrian Journalist Dr. Kamal Al-Labwani: There Is No Such Thing as Lebanon, It Belong to Syria Historically; If Latakia and Tartus Are Taken from Syria, It Will Raid Tripoli and Sidon and
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Shafaq News
34 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
SDF, MSD call for inclusive political solutions in Suwayda
Shafaq News – Suwayda Amid escalating violence in southern Syria's Suwayda province, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Democratic Council (MSD) issued strong statements condemning recent attacks on civilians and warning of growing risks to national unity and social cohesion. Clashes erupted last week following a robbery on the Damascus highway that reportedly targeted a local merchant, sparking a series of retaliatory kidnappings and culminating in armed confrontations and shelling. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 37 people have been killed so far, while Syria's Interior Ministry confirmed the deaths of over 30. The SDF, a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters controlling large parts of northeast Syria, denounced the ongoing attacks on towns and villages in Suwayda, calling for an immediate halt to the violence and urging space for national initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis. بيان بخصوص الهجمات على قرى وبلدات محافظة السويداءنستنكر الهجمات والاعتداءات المستمرة التي تستهدف قرى وبلدات محافظة السويداء وأدت إلى فقدان العديد من أبناءها لحياتهم وحرق ونهب العشرات من بيوت ومزارع المدنيين. إن الهجمات المتكررة على شعبنا في السويداء والمضايقات المستمرة التي… — Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) July 14, 2025 The Syrian Democratic Council, the political wing of the SDF, echoed these concerns, warning that the rapidly deteriorating situation in Suwayda poses a serious threat to Syria's already fragile social fabric. 'This escalation, regardless of its motivations, cannot be separated from the broader Syrian crisis and the absence of fair political solutions,' MSD said in its statement. MSD explicitly criticized the involvement of Syrian government security agencies in fueling local tensions, calling it 'a dangerous act that contradicts the responsibility of any government to protect its citizens.' The council described such actions as violations of state duty and cautioned that they could deepen societal divisions and drive the country further into chaos. Both statements condemned the use of sectarian rhetoric and incitement, emphasizing the need to avoid 'dangerous slips' into hate speech that has historically fueled conflict in Syria. Suwayda, home to Syria's Druze minority, has largely remained on the margins of the civil war but has experienced periodic unrest in recent years. 'Syria today stands at a historic crossroads,' the council warned, stressing the need for national responsibility and unity. 'Internal escalations in any part of the country only weaken the prospects for a genuine solution and serve the interests of those who want Syria to remain broken.'
Rudaw Net
5 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Suicide drone shot down near Erbil airport: Kurdish counterterrorism
Also in Kurdistan KDP, PUK top-level delegations meet to discuss new cabinet, Baghdad disputes KDP, PUK leaders to meet over Erbil-Baghdad tensions, KRG cabinet formation KRG meets to resolve financial disputes with Baghdad Former Komal lawmaker released hours after arrest in Sulaimani A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A suicide drone was shot down early Monday near Erbil International Airport, Erbil-based Kurdish counterterrorism forces reported, and no casualties were reported. 'An explosive-laden drone was shot down near Erbil International Airport at 2:30 am this morning. Fortunately, no casualties or material damages were inflicted,' said the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD), also known as Kurdistan CT. Several loud bangs were heard across the city as the drone was shot down. It is the latest in a series of drone attacks in the Kurdistan Region after a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect on June 24, ending a 12-day conflict. Several explosive-laden drones have either crashed or been intercepted in the Region since. The attacks have been blamed on pro-Iran groups, with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) accusing the federal government of failing to address repeated drone attacks on the Kurdistan Region. Earlier this month, the Kurdistan Region's interior ministry specifically accused the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) of involvement in the incidents, an accusation promptly rejected by Baghdad as 'unacceptable.' Iraqi militia groups have denied involvement and blamed the Islamic State (ISIS). On Thursday, a drone was shot down over a Peshmerga base near Sulaimani city. A day later, another explosive-laden drone was downed near a Peshmerga base in Kirkuk province.
Rudaw Net
5 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Baghdad pledges non-interference in oil firms as KRG export resumption nears: Sources
Also in ECONOMY Iraq gold surges, inflation dips as deficit grows: Central Bank Fate of trade on Iraqi ports as Iran-Israel war escalates Erbil, Baghdad trade accusations over financial disputes Iraq close to Saudi, Emirati solar deals: Electricity ministry A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi government has agreed to refrain from modifying the contracts of international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, senior sources told Rudaw on Tuesday, with the Region's long-stalled oil exports on the cusp of resumption. A joint committee is set to be formed between Erbil and Baghdad to restart oil exports with all parties awaiting the results of a crucial Coordination Framework, Iraq's ruling coalition, meeting expected to be held on Tuesday night. 'The meeting will be decisive in resolving disagreements about oil and salaries,' a senior source in Baghdad told Rudaw, on the condition of anonymity. Another source from the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) said that they have obtained guarantees regarding their demands for oil production and export. 'Guarantees have been given that the consulting company that estimates the costs of oil production and transportation will not make changes to the contracts during its work period,' the source told Rudaw. In a statement, APIKUR on Tuesday hailed the expedited efforts by the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to resume oil exports. International Oil Companies (OICs) 'reiterated that they are prepared to immediately resume exports through the ITP [Iraq-Turkey pipeline] once binding agreements are in place that ensure payment certainty for such exports which reflect each IOC's existing, legally valid contractual terms as well as resolution of the outstanding payment arrears to be agreed with each company,' the oil association said in a statement. Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline have been halted since March 2023 when a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favor of Baghdad against Ankara, saying the latter had violated a 1973 pipeline agreement by allowing Erbil to begin exporting oil independently in 2014. 'APIKUR member companies stand ready to resume exports as soon as written agreements are executed that honor our existing contracts which are governed by international law,' the statement cited the association's spokesperson Myles Caggins as saying, reiterating that existing contracts 'must be honored in every respect.' Under the 2025 budget law, the KRG is required to deliver 400,000 barrels per day to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). On Saturday, Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani attributed the delay in restarting exports to new demands from Erbil for higher volumes of oil for domestic use, explaining that while the KRG initially agreed on 46,000 barrels per day for internal consumption, it is 'now requesting it to be 65,000, thus violating the budget law.' The halt in exports and disputes with Baghdad have put an enormous financial strain on the KRG, which has lost more than $25 billion in oil revenues. Erbil is not able to pay its civil servants and is dependent on funds from Baghdad. In May, Iraq's federal finance ministry halted all budget transfers to the KRG, including payments for public employee salaries, claiming the KRG had exceeded its share of federal budget funds and failed to deliver its oil to SOMO. Public sector workers have not been paid since. Hastyar Qadir contributed to this report.
