Latest news with #BasharAlAssad
Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Syrian Party Calls for Including Polisario Front in Country's Terror List
Tangier — The Free Syrian Party has urged Syria's new leadership to include the separatist Polisario Front in an official list of banned terrorist organizations on Syrian territory. The party specifically wants the Polisario Front included on this list, along with other extremist militias that killed Syrian civilians. The Free Syrian Party, formerly known as the National Salvation Front in Syria, made this call in a statement, commending ongoing legislative efforts in the US Congress to add Polisario to American terrorism lists. Syria closes Polisario offices The Syrian political organization renewed its support for the new Syrian leadership's decision to shut down Polisario offices inside Syria, describing the move a 'brave step that exposes the separatist organization's true nature.' The Free Syrian Party described Polisario as a group backed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. According to the statement, the party said that Iran employed Polisario as one of its tools to kill the Syrian people during the country's civil war. Call for Western Sahara recognition The party also urged the current Syrian government to officially recognize Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara. This recognition would help repair the damage that the previous ousted Bashar Al Assad's regime caused to historic Syrian-Moroccan relations. The Free Syrian Party said quick recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces has become an urgent political necessity, arguing that it would prevent any malicious efforts to block progress in fixing Syrian-Moroccan relations. Building better relations with Morocco The party expressed its commitment to building the best possible relations with Morocco, calling on the Middle Eastern country to draw lessons from Morocco's accumulated experience and expertise across various fields. The Free Syrian Party believes the North African country's experience could help transform Damascus' security and military institutions. Morocco could also assist Syria in its transitional phase, particularly with reconstruction projects, development initiatives, and local administration reform. The party expressed its desire for the country to maintain strong relations with Morocco, noting that it comes from understanding Rabat's importance and influence in regional and international politics. The organization recognizes Morocco's significant weight in diplomatic affairs. Background context The Free Syrian Party's statement comes as Syria's new government works to rebuild the country after years of civil war. The new leadership has begun reviewing Syria's international relationships and closing offices of organizations it considers problematic. The call to designate Polisario as a terrorist group aligns with similar efforts by other Arab nations and the US. US Republican Joe Wilson has recently submitted a legislation bill titled 'Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act,' aimed at designating the Polisario Front as a terrorist group. Submitted alongside Democratic Representative Jimmy Panetta, the bill directly links the group to extensive arms and drug trafficking networks operating in the Sahel region. It also features some of the separatist group's violations of international law, including established ceasefire agreements with Morocco and calculated attacks targeting Moroccan civilians in the region. Morocco has been attracting support from international countries on its Autonomy Plan as the only serious and credible path toward a lasting political resolution. Tags: Morocco and SyriaPolisarioWestern sahara
The Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Sun
RAF drone wiped out an IS jihadi on a motorbike after tracking him through Syria
AN RAF drone wiped out an IS jihadi on a motorbike after tracking him through Syria, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. The Islamist terrorist was taken out by a Hellfire missile fired from the £24million Reaper drone. 2 The unmanned aircraft began tailing the motorcycle-riding fighter in Sarmada, near the border with Turkey, after intelligence identified him as a 'known member' of IS. The Ministry of Defence told The Sun on Sunday in a statement: 'The Reaper's crew carefully tracked the terrorist on his motorcycle. "Having checked that there were no signs of civilians nearby who might be placed at risk, [they] conducted a successful engagement, striking the motorcycle and eliminating the terrorist.' Sources added the remotely-operated drone's crew were 'extremely careful' to wait for a 'gap' during the trailing of the terrorist. The took him out when no other traffic or pedestrians were within a clear radius of him. It is understood they had been monitoring him for 'some time' before firing the Hellfire missile at him. The June 10 strike was the second RAF drone hit on an IS member in Syria this year. In February — three months after tyrant Bashar Al-Assad fled to Moscow and rebel forces swept to power — another British drone pilot killed a member of the death cult in Aleppo. The UK has been fighting IS, also called Daesh, since 2014. The operation, codenamed Shader, saw the RAF conducting air strikes against the terror group in Iraq and later Syria. I fought ISIS in Syria & I know bloodthirsty thugs are plotting comeback after fall of Assad - Europe must be ready, says Brit fighter It has become one of the RAF's biggest operations in the last 25 years, with British pilots flying more than 10,000 sorties and striking more than 1,400 targets. UK jets have carried out a fifth of all air strikes by coalition forces, equivalent to the contribution by US pilots. Last year, former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace revealed that an IS terrorist had to be taken out by an RAF drone — because human rights laws prevented the SAS from seizing him. The Islamist, who was making biological weapons, was among several killed after snatch operations were ruled out. He was eliminated in a Hellfire missile blitz in 2022. Mr Wallace said lawyers told him the European Convention on Human Rights made it illegal to hand over any suspects to Syria due to the risk of torture. But they could also not be taken to Britain because there was no extradition treaty with the Assad regime. 2
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘She's not coming back': Wave of abductions targets Alawite women and girls in post-Assad Syria
Dozens of Alawite women and girls disappear this year Some are abducted, families receive ransom demands Assad's fall led to backlash against sect he belongs to DAMASCUS, June 28 — 'Don't wait for her,' the WhatsApp caller told the family of Abeer Suleiman on May 21, hours after she vanished from the streets of the Syrian town of Safita. 'She's not coming back.' Suleiman's kidnapper and another man who identified himself as an intermediary said in subsequent calls and messages that the 29-year-old woman would be killed or trafficked into slavery unless her relatives paid them a ransom of US$15,000 (RM63,420). 'I am not in Syria,' Suleiman herself told her family in a call on May 29 from the same phone number used by her captor, which had an Iraqi country code. 'All the accents around me are strange.' Reuters reviewed the call, which the family recorded, along with about a dozen calls and messages sent by the abductor and intermediary, who had a Syrian phone number. Suleiman is among at least 33 women and girls from Syria's Alawite sect — aged between 16 and 39 — who have been abducted or gone missing this year in the turmoil following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, according to the families of all them. The overthrow of the widely feared president in December after 14 years of civil war unleashed a furious backlash against the Muslim minority community to which he belongs, with armed factions affiliated to the current government turning on Alawite civilians in their coastal heartlands in March, killing hundreds of people. Since March, social media has seen a steady stream of messages and video clips posted by families of missing Alawite women appealing for information about them, with new cases cropping up almost daily, according to a Reuters review which found no online accounts of women from other sects vanishing. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, created in 2011 to probe rights violations after the civil war broke out, told Reuters it is investigating the disappearances and alleged abductions of Alawite women following a spike in reports this year. On Friday, the commission's chair, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, said in a presentation to the UN Human Rights Council that it has documented the abductions of at least six Alawite women this spring by unknown individuals in several Syrian governorates. The whereabouts of at least two of these women remains unknown, he said, adding that the commission has received credible reports of more kidnappings. Suleiman's family borrowed from friends and neighbours to scrape together her US$15,000 ransom, which they transferred to three money-transfer accounts in the Turkish city of Izmir on May 27 and 28 in 30 transfers ranging from US$300 to US$700, a close relative told Reuters, sharing the transaction receipts. Once all money was delivered as instructed, the abductor and intermediary ceased all contact, with their phones turned off, the relative said. Suleiman's family still have no idea what's become of her. Detailed interviews with the families of 16 of the missing women and girls found that seven of them are believed to have been kidnapped, with their relatives receiving demands for ransoms ranging from US$1,500 to US$100,000. Three of the abductees — including Suleiman — sent their families text or voice messages saying they'd been taken out of the country. There has been no word on the fate of the other nine. Eight of the 16 missing Alawites are under the age of 18, their families said. Reuters reviewed about 20 text messages, calls and videos from the abductees and their alleged captors, as well as receipts of some ransom transfers, though it was unable to verify all parts of the families' accounts or determine who might have targeted the women or their motives. All 33 women disappeared in the governorates of Tartous, Latakia and Hama, which have large Alawite populations. Nearly half have since returned home, though all of the women and their families declined to comment about the circumstances, with most citing security fears. Most of the families interviewed by Reuters said they felt police didn't take their cases seriously when they reported their loved ones missing or abducted, and that authorities failed to investigate thoroughly. Pinheiro, the chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, said Syria's interim authorities had opened investigations into some of the incidents, without providing further details. The Syrian government didn't respond to a request for comment for this article. Ahmed Mohammed Khair, a media officer for the governor of Tartous, dismissed any suggestion that Alawites were being targeted and said most cases of missing women were down to family disputes or personal reasons rather than abductions, without presenting evidence to support this. 'Women are either forced into marrying someone they won't want to marry so they run away or sometimes they want to draw attention by disappearing,' he added and warned that 'unverified allegations' could create panic and discord and destabilise security. A media officer for Latakia governorate echoed Khair's comments, saying that in many cases, women elope with their lovers and families fabricate abduction stories to avoid the social stigma. The media officer of Hama governorate declined to comment. A member of a fact-finding committee set up by new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to investigate the mass killings of Alawites in coastal areas in March, declined to comment on the cases of missing women. Al-Sharaa denounced the sectarian bloodshed as a threat to his mission to unite the ravaged nation and has promised to punish those responsible, including those affiliated to the government if necessary. Grabbed on her way to school Syrian rights advocate Yamen Hussein, who has been tracking the disappearances of women this year, said most had taken place in the wake of the March violence. As far as he knew, only Alawites had been targeted and the perpetrators' identities and motives remain unknown, he said. He described a widespread feeling of fear among Alawites, who adhere to an offshoot of Shiah Islam and account for about a tenth of Syria's predominantly Sunni population. Some women and girls in Tartous, Latakia and Hama are staying away from school or college because they fear being targeted, Hussein said. 'For sure, we have a real issue here where Alawite women are being targeted with abductions,' he added. 'Targeting women of the defeated party is a humiliation tactic that was used in the past by the Assad regime.' Thousands of Alawites have been forced from their homes in Damascus, while many have been dismissed from their jobs and faced harassment at checkpoints from Sunni fighters affiliated to the government. The interviews with families of missing women showed that most of them vanished in broad daylight, while running errands or travelling on public transport. Zeinab Ghadir is among the youngest. The 17-year-old was abducted on her way to school in the Latakia town of al-Hanadi on February 27, according to a family member who said her suspected kidnapper contacted them by text message to warn them not to post images of the girl online. 'I don't want to see a single picture or, I swear to God, I will send you her blood,' the man said in a text message sent from the girl's phone on the same day she disappeared. The teenage girl made a brief phone call home, saying she didn't know where she had been taken and that she had stomach pain, before the line cut out, her relative said. The family has no idea what has happened to her. Khozama Nayef was snatched on March 18 in rural Hama by a group of five men who drugged her to knock her out for a few hours while they spirited her away, a close relative told Reuters, citing the mother-of-five's own testimony when she was returned. The 35-year-old spent 15 days in captivity while her abductors negotiated with the family who eventually paid US$1,500 dollars to secure her release, according to the family member who said when she returned home she had a mental breakdown. Days after Nayef was taken, 29-year-old Doaa Abbas was seized on her doorstep by a group of attackers who dragged her into a car waiting outside and sped off, according to a family member who witnessed the abduction in the Hama town of Salhab. The relative, who didn't see how many men took Abbas or whether they were armed, said he tried to follow on his motorbike but lost sight of the car. Three Alawites reported missing by their families on social media this year, who are not included in the 33 cases identified by Reuters, have since resurfaced and publicly denied they were abducted. One of them, a 16-year-old girl from Latakia, released a video online saying she ran away of her own accord to marry a Sunni man. Her family contradicted her story though, telling Reuters that she had been abducted and forced to marry the man, and that security authorities had ordered her to say she had gone willingly to protect her kidnappers. Reuters was unable to verify either account. A Syrian government spokesperson and Latakian authorities didn't respond to queries about it. The two other Alawites who resurfaced, a 23-year-old woman and a girl of 12, told Arabic TV channels that they had travelled of their own volition to the cities of Aleppo and Damascus, respectively, though the former said she ended up being beaten up by a man in an apartment before escaping. Dark memories of Islamic State Syria's Alawites dominated the country's political and military elite for decades under the Assad dynasty. Bashar al-Assad's sudden exit in December saw the ascendancy of a new government led by HTS, a Sunni group that emerged from an organisation once affiliated to al Qaeda. The new government is striving to integrate dozens of former rebel factions, including some foreign fighters, into its security forces to fill a vacuum left after the collapse of Assad's defence apparatus. Several of the families of missing women said they and many others in their community dreaded a nightmare scenario where Alawites suffered similar fates to those inflicted on the Yazidi religious minority by Islamic State about a decade ago. IS, a jihadist Sunni group, forced thousands of Yazidi women into sexual slavery during a reign of terror that saw its commanders claim a caliphate encompassing large parts of Iraq and Syria, according to the UN. A host of dire scenarios are torturing the minds of the family of Nagham Shadi, an Alawite woman who vanished this month, her father told Reuters. The 23-year-old left their house in the village of al Bayadiyah in Hama on June 2 to buy milk and never came back, Shadi Aisha said, describing an agonising wait for any word about the fate of his daughter. Aisha said his family had been forced from their previous home in a nearby village on March 7 during the anti-Alawite violence. 'What do we do? We leave it to God.' — Reuters
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Syria, Jordan Seek to Restart Historic Hejaz Railway Line
Cooperation between Syria and Jordan in the fields of economy, trade, and transport has taken a significant leap forward since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime late last year, with the latest development marked by an agreement to hold a meeting aimed at reviving the historic Hejaz railway line. The joint Syrian-Jordanian technical committee on land transport concluded a two-day meeting in Amman on Wednesday, focusing on boosting bilateral relations, particularly in land transport, a vital sector supporting trade and people's movement, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. A key topic was linking Damascus and Amman by rail. Both sides agreed to hold a soon-to-be-scheduled technical meeting with relevant authorities to explore the feasibility of reopening the Hejaz railway line, initially for freight transport. The committee also agreed to reduce and unify transit fees to 2 percent in both countries, down from Jordan's previous 5 percent charge. The Jordanian delegation underscored the importance of facilitating the passage of transit trucks across both territories and pledged to remove any technical or procedural obstacles to enhance trade flow and regional economic integration. This renewed cooperation follows years of suspension due to the former Syrian regime's policies. Meanwhile, Syria's General Authority for Land and Sea Borders announced on Wednesday it had reached an agreement with Jordanian authorities to cancel the $115 diesel tax previously imposed on Syrian trucks entering Jordanian territory, making the measure reciprocal. In April, Zahi Khalil, Director-General of the Jordanian Hejaz Railway Foundation, announced plans to launch tourist train trips from Jordan to Syria, passing through historic stations along the border. The proposed route would start at Amman's Hejaz station, pass through Zarqa and Mafraq, cross into Syria via the Jaber border, and terminate at Damascus' Al-Qadam station, the last stop on the Hejaz line. Khalil noted that Syrian counterparts would handle maintenance within Syria, while technical and security challenges, especially line interruptions inside Syria, are still being addressed. The Hejaz railway, built during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, is a 1,050- mm-wide gauge rail connecting Damascus to Madinah. Constructed between 1900 and 1908 to serve Muslim pilgrims and consolidate Ottoman control, it was operational until World War I, with construction costs initially estimated at 3.5 million Ottoman lira, supplemented by donations from within the empire and other Islamic countries. The line's route follows the traditional pilgrimage path from Syria's Hauran region through Daraa into Jordan, continuing to Madinah, shortening pilgrimage travel time from 40 days by camel to just five days by rail. The surge in Syria-Jordan cooperation in economic, trade, and transport sectors reflects a broader effort to reshape bilateral relations on economic grounds, aiming for sustained long-term collaboration after Assad's fall. In late May, Damascus and Amman inaugurated the 'Higher Coordination Council' following a visit by Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to Syria, where he met with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shabaan. This came after Jordan's Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply announced on February 27 the resumption of operations at the Syria-Jordan joint free zone. In early June, Amman's chambers of commerce president Khalil al-Haj al-Tawfiq reported a sharp rise in trade exchange with Syria, driven by economic openness and reconstruction efforts, describing trade figures as unprecedented. Between mid-December 2024 and late May 2025, 55,566 trucks entered Jordan through the Jaber border crossing, including 30,154 Jordanian, 5,768 Syrian, and 19,644 foreign trucks. Outbound trucks totaled 59,788, comprising 21,574 exports and 36,805 transit trucks from other centers, with 1,409 empty trucks. These developments follow a long period of border tension under the previous Syrian regime, when border areas became hubs for smuggling drugs, weapons, and militants. Such activities have declined since the regime's downfall. Abed Fadliya, an economics professor at Damascus University, told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that Syrian-Jordanian economic and trade ties have noticeably improved over recent months thanks to joint government efforts. 'Geographically, Jordan is one of Syria's most important neighbors due to its openness and its role as a gateway for Syrian goods and people to most Arab countries, especially the Gulf states with which Syria maintains close cooperation across several sectors, particularly trade and investment,' Fadliya said. He added that Jordan is among the key Arab countries that have distinguished relations with Syria, alongside Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, emphasizing the need for sustained government efforts to cement these ties on a stable political foundation framed by bilateral agreements.
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Syrians in Libya Struggle to Escape ‘Exile in Limbo'
About seven months ago, a group of 25 Syrian youths, including minors, set off from Libya on an irregular migration journey toward Europe. Only four made it back alive. The rest drowned in the Mediterranean. The tragedy, which left a deep mark on Syrian communities both in Libya and abroad, has drawn renewed attention to the large and diverse Syrian population now living in the North African country, some fleeing the war in Syria under former President Bashar al-Assad, others settled there long before. Syria's presence in Libya is far from monolithic. It spans businessmen, migrant laborers, families who settled during the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, and former fighters now working as mercenaries. Many also see Libya as a temporary stop on the perilous path to Europe. For most, Libya is not the destination but a gateway. The recent drowning of 21 Syrians in the Mediterranean was not an isolated tragedy, but part of a pattern of loss that has haunted the community for years. Reports from local and international migration watchdogs have documented repeated drownings and arrests of Syrians at sea, with many captured by Libya's coastguard and detained in overcrowded jails. Despite the risks, many Syrians have managed to adapt to life in Libya, integrating into local communities and participating in its economy. Yet numerous challenges persist, particularly for undocumented workers and those living without valid residency papers. Many report facing discrimination, abuse, and difficult working conditions. As thousands of Syrian refugees across the Middle East prepare to return home amid improving conditions and relaxed restrictions, Syrians in Libya remain stuck, unable to stay, and unable to leave. 'We're caught in the middle,' said one Syrian resident in Tripoli. 'We can't endure much longer, but we also can't afford to go back.' Many Syrians in Libya say they are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, including passport confiscation and harassment by armed groups and criminal gangs operating with impunity. Several Syrian residents told Asharq Al-Awsat they are facing rising unemployment, frequent kidnappings, and demands for ransom by militias. For those who now wish to return to Syria, doing so has become financially prohibitive due to hefty fines for visa violations. Steep Penalties for Overstaying Under a revised Libyan immigration law enacted on March 14, 2024, foreigners who overstay their visas or residency permits are charged 500 Libyan dinars - around $90 - per month. The regulation adds a significant burden for many Syrians whose legal documents have expired and who lack the resources to renew them or pay the fines required to exit the country legally. Due to the political division in Libya since 2014, no official statistics exist on the number of foreign residents. However, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported in 2020 that approximately 14,500 Syrian refugees and asylum seekers were living in Libya. Ten years after arriving in Libya, Ahmed Kamal Al-Fakhouri says he is now trapped, unable to afford life in the country or the high costs of leaving it. 'They've imposed fines on us that are beyond reason - nearly $1,500 per person,' said Fakhouri, a restaurant worker in Tripoli, echoing a growing outcry among Syrians in Libya burdened by mounting penalties and legal uncertainties. 'Sometimes, I can't even afford a day's meal.' Fakhouri fled Derna after the deadly floods of August 2023 and resettled in Tripoli. 'I saw death with my own eyes,' he told Asharq Al-Awsat, describing the trauma of losing his home. 'Now we're living in misery. We want the world to hear our voice - we want to go back to our country.' Libya hosts thousands of Syrians, including doctors, engineers, university students, and day laborers who fill the country's markets in search of work to support their families. Yet many say they now find themselves stuck, facing visa penalties they can't afford and no clear path home - even as the fall of Assad's regime renews hopes for return. 'Exit Tax' Burdens Families While Libya's labor ministries have issued no formal statement on the matter, members of the Syrian community say they are being charged an "exit tax" calculated based on their overstay period. No official decree has been published, but testimonies suggest the fees are acting as a de facto barrier to departure. Following Assad's ouster, many Syrians are reconsidering return, describing exile as a 'prison,' but are deterred by the financial burden of settling overstays. Asharq Al-Awsat reached out to both of Libya's rival labor ministries to clarify policies affecting Syrians and the reported fines for expired documents, but received no response. Zekeriya Saadi, another Syrian living in Tripoli, has publicly called on authorities in both eastern and western Libya to cancel the exit tax and allow those wishing to return to Syria to do so. 'In these unbearable conditions, it's unreasonable to ask refugees to pay such high fees just to leave the country,' he said. 'This tax is a major obstacle, it exceeds our capacity, especially given our financial hardships.' Saadi said most Syrians in Libya are low-income families without stable jobs. 'Many are at risk of eviction, kidnapping, or exploitation. Leaving has become a matter of survival,' he said. 'How can a displaced person be treated like a tourist or a wealthy expat?' He urged Syria's Foreign Ministry to take a clear stance and negotiate with Libyan authorities for fee exemptions and coordinated return efforts, while also working to protect Syrians who remain in the country. Passport Problems Bar Education Beyond financial barriers, expired passports are also stranding Syrians in legal limbo. Many have lost access to services, and the issue is now affecting the next generation. According to Syrian media reports, education officials in Misrata barred at least 100 Syrian children from enrolling in public schools because their parents' passports had expired, highlighting how bureaucratic obstacles are deepening the crisis for displaced families.
