Latest news with #HumanRightsViolations
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Syria's defence ministry aware of reports of 'shocking violations' in Sweida
The Syrian defence ministry said it was aware of reports of "shocking violations" carried out by fighters wearing military fatigues in the Druze heartland of Sweida, and said it was launch a probe into the week of deadly clashes. Sectarian clashes increased last week between the Druze and Bedouin tribes. Fighting escalated when government forces were sent to the city. More than 300 people were killed in the fighting that also drew in Israeli strikes. Israel claims to be supporting the Druze, who form a significant minority in Israel but are often subjected to army conscription. Syria and Israel agreed to a ceasefire on Friday. War monitors and witnesses accused forces affiliated to the government of carrying out executions in the city. Syria's Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said in a statement on Tuesday there would be "no tolerance" for perpetrators of human rights violations in Sweida, even if they were committed by ministry forces. A committee has been tasked to investigate the reports and to try to identify those who were wearing military uniforms and carrying out atrocities. Separately, the Syrian interior ministry said it had launched an investigation into reports of field executions committed by "unknown people" in Sweida. "Such acts constitute serious crimes," ministry spokesperson Nour Al Din Al Baba said, stressing that the ministry was also working on identifying those involved. Last week's violence in Sweida is just the latest episode of sectarian fighting that the new authorities in Damascus have been linked to. A Syrian fact-finding committee said separately on Tuesday that 1,426 people had died in March in attacks on security forces and subsequent mass killings of Alawites, but concluded that commanders had not given orders for the revenge attacks. US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said he had advised Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach in the wake of the latest sectarian flare-up, or risk losing international support. In an interview with Reuters in Beirut, Mr Barrack said the Syrian leader could "grow up as a president and say, 'the right thing for me to do is not to follow my theme, which isn't working so well.'" Mr Shara, leader of a former Al Qaeda offshoot, came to power in Syria after guerilla fighters he led brought down President Bashar al-Assad in December last year after more than 13 years of civil war. While many of his fighters have roots in extremism, he has vowed to protect members of minorities. But that pledge has been challenged by mass killings of members of the Alawite sect - which Assad belonged to - and now by the latest violence involving the Druze. Mr Barrack however pushed back on reports that Syrian security forces were responsible for the violations. "The Syrian troops haven't gone into the city. These atrocities that are happening are not happening by the Syrian regime troops. They're not even in the city because they agreed with Israel that they would not go in," he said. Th US State Department confirmed the death of a US citizen last week in Sweida, adding that it was providing consular assistance to the family.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Syria's defence ministry says it is aware of reports of 'shocking violations' in Sweida
July 22 (Reuters) - The Syrian defence ministry said on Tuesday it was aware of reports of "shocking violations" by people wearing military fatigues in the country's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, and said it would launch an investigation. Sectarian clashes have escalated in Sweida this month between the Druze - a religious minority native to the area - and Syrian Bedouin tribes. Ferocious fighting then broke out between Druze militia and government forces sent to the city to quell the unrest. The fighting left over 300 people dead and drew in neighbouring Israel, which carried out airstrikes in southern Syria and on the defence ministry in Damascus last week. Israel said it was protecting the Druze, who form a significant minority in Israel. On Friday, Israel and Syria agreed to a ceasefire supported by Turkey, Jordan and neighbours. Syria's Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said in a statement there would be "no tolerance" for perpetrators of human rights violations in Sweida, even if they were committed by ministry forces. A committee has been formed to investigate reports of killings by people wearing military fatigues and to try to identify them, he said. Separately, the Syrian interior ministry said it had launched an investigation into reports of field executions committed by "unknown people" in Sweida. "Such acts constitute serious crimes," ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din Al-Baba said, stressing that the ministry was also working on identifying those involved. A Syrian fact-finding committee said separately on Tuesday that 1,426 people had died in March in attacks on security forces and subsequent mass killings of Alawites, but concluded that commanders had not given orders for the revenge attacks. The incidents in the coastal region were the worst violence to hit Syria since the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad last year. The new leadership is made up mainly of former anti-Assad rebel fighters, who are facing fresh unrest this month involving other minority groups in the southwest.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
War in Gaza tests ties between Israel and traditional European allies
Britain threatened Tuesday to take further action against Israel if it does not agree to end the war in Gaza, a day after two dozen mostly European countries condemned Israel's restrictions on aid shipments into the territory and the killings of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach food. Despite the increasingly strong words, many are skeptical that Israel will yield to such pressure without more significant punitive action — and especially without the backing of Germany and the U.S., Israel's strongest Western allies. Outrage over Israel's actions in Gaza has grown in Europe as images of suffering Palestinians have driven protests in London, Berlin, Brussels and other capitals. More recently, the almost daily killings of Palestinians while seeking aid have tested the EU's friendly relationship with Israel like never before. But Europe remains divided on its stance toward Israel, and its limited sanctions and condemnations so far have had little effect. Here's a look at what Europe can do or has done — and why it hasn't done more. EU reviews its ties with Israel over Gaza The EU has been reviewing its diplomatic and trade ties with Israel over its conduct in Gaza. An internal report recently found indications that Israel has violated its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a 25-year-old legal framework governing the political relationship and trade cooperation between the two sides. But so far the EU has taken no action to suspend such ties. Some have criticized the EU — Israel's biggest trading partner — for a lack of political courage and for underestimating its leverage on Israel. 'What we can see is mounting pressure, but those are words, those are not actions,' said Yossi Mekelberg, a senior consulting fellow at London's Chatham House think tank. Individual countries, such as Britain, Canada and Australia, have slapped sanctions on Israeli settlers in connection with violence against Palestinians, including asset freezes and travel bans. But such measures have yielded few results. In addition, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway have sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers for allegedly 'inciting extremist violence' against Palestinians in the West Bank. The U.K. said in May that it would suspend free trade talks with Israel, also over the West Bank. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy hinted at stronger action Tuesday, saying he felt 'sickened' by the suffering in Gaza, but he did not specify what measures were being considered. 'We will continue to pressure. We will continue to act,' Lammy told British media, stressing the need to work with allies to get the 'maximum result.' Speaking Tuesday on X, European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the EU's call for 'the free, safe and swift flow of humanitarian aid. And for the full respect of international and humanitarian law. Civilians in Gaza have suffered too much, for too long.' If Israel does not change course, options could include fully or partially suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which would require a unanimous agreement by all 27 members of the EU. Other steps could be suspending an aviation agreement, blocking imports from settlements, limiting scientific and technological cooperation, and curtailing travel for Israelis in the visa-free zone known as Schengen, according to a leaked document sent by the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, to member states. The document was seen by The Associated Press and verified by two EU diplomats. Nations could act on their own, including sanctioning specific companies or individuals in Israel or the occupied West Bank. Why hasn't Europe taken stronger action? The short answer is that Europe remains divided, and it is highly unlikely that the entire EU would reach unanimity to drastically dial up pressure on Israel. European nations such as Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain have publicly urged the EU to reassess its ties with Israel, charging that Israel has violated human rights conditions in its agreement with Brussels. But Germany and Hungary have staunchly defended Israel, along with Romania, which just bought air-defense systems from Israel. Suspending EU ties with Israel would require a unanimous decision, which is likely impossible to obtain. Germany is the main holdout Monday's joint statement by 25 countries was rejected by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who called it 'disgusting.' Western allies should instead pressure the 'savages of Hamas," he said. Israel condemned the countries' stance and said Hamas was the sole party responsible for prolonging the war. Hamas triggered the ongoing 21-month war with its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, and continues to hold some 50 Israeli hostages. One significant outlier in Europe is Germany, traditionally a staunch ally of Israel in Europe, with relations rooted in the memory of the Holocaust. The country has vehemently rejected the idea of suspending the EU's association agreement with Israel. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other officials have gradually sharpened their criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza in recent months. But they still appear to favor trying to influence Israel by conveying their concerns directly. Germany did not join allies in signing Monday's letter condemning Israeli restrictions on aid. There were signs of pushback within the German government Tuesday, when the parliamentary leader of Merz's junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, said Germany should join Britain's initiative and that 'double standards undermine our international credibility.' Merz said Monday that he had spoken at length with Netanyahu last week and 'told him very clearly that we do not share the Israeli government's Gaza policy.' 'The way the Israeli army is acting there is unacceptable,' he said. Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an expert on diplomacy in the Middle East, said any EU action must go beyond words. 'Israel doesn't listen to language," Bar-Yaacov said. "I mean, language doesn't go anywhere with the current Israeli government. Unless a mechanism is agreed and enforced promptly, then the words have no meaning whatsoever.' ___ McNeil reported from Brussels. Associated Press Writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
Arab News
17-07-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Palestinian man dies in Israeli jail a week after his arrest
LONDON: A 53-year-old Palestinian prisoner died in an Israeli jail after nearly a week following his arrest in Rummana, near Jenin, in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Detainees' Affairs Commission and the Palestinian Prisoners' Society announced on Thursday the death of Samir Mohammad Yousef Al-Rifai. He is the 74th Palestinian prisoner to die in Israeli custody since October 2023 and the 311th since Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories began in 1967. Al-Rifai, a father of five, was arrested by Israeli occupation forces at his home in Rummana on July 10. According to the Wafa news agency, he had pre-existing heart problems and required intensive medical follow-up. He was scheduled to have his first hearing in the Salem Military Court on Thursday. The commission and the PPS reported that Palestinian prisoners face systematic crimes, including torture, starvation, medical abuses, sexual assaults, and harsh conditions in Israeli prisons, which lead to the outbreak of diseases like scabies. The death of Al-Rifai 'constitutes a new crime added to the record of Israeli brutality, which commits all forms of crimes aimed at killing prisoners. This is another aspect of the ongoing genocide, and an extension of it,' they added. More than 10,000 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, the highest prisoner count since the Second Intifada in 2000, Palestinian prisoners' advocacy groups reported last week. As of early July, some 10,800 prisoners are said to be held in Israeli detention centers and prisons, including 50 women — two of whom are from the Gaza Strip — and over 450 children. Since the 1967 occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, over 800,000 Palestinians have spent time in Israeli jails, according to a UN report in 2023.
Zawya
03-06-2025
- General
- Zawya
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warns crisis reaching breaking point as Sudanese refugee numbers triple in Chad
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is raising the alarm over the deepening humanitarian emergency in eastern Chad, where the number of Sudanese refugees has more than tripled in just over two years of deadly conflict. Since April 2023, more than 844,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Chad. Prior to this latest crisis, Chad was hosting approximately 409,000 Sudanese refugees who had fled earlier waves of conflict in Darfur between 2003 and 2023. In just over two years, the country has seen this refugee population surge to over 1.2 million people, far exceeding the number received during the previous two decades and placing unsustainable pressure on Chad's ability to respond. The most recent influx to Chad began in late April 2025, following violent attacks by armed groups in North Darfur in early April. Assaults on displacement camps, including Zamzam and Abu Shouk, and El Fasher town killed more than 300 civilians and sent tens of thousands in search of safety. In just over a month, 68,556 refugees have arrived in Chad's Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est provinces, with an average of 1,400 people crossing the border daily in recent days. These civilians are fleeing in terror, many under fire, navigating armed checkpoints, extortion, and tight restrictions imposed by armed groups. UNHCR protection teams have interviewed 6,810 newly-arrived refugees since late April, uncovering harrowing accounts of violence and loss. A staggering 72 per cent reported serious human rights violations, including physical and sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and forced recruitment; 60 per cent said they had been separated from family members. As well as a displacement emergency, there is a devastating children's crisis unfolding. Among school-aged children, 66 per cent are currently out of education, and 30 children have arrived with serious injuries. Among those affected is Hawa, a seven-year-old girl who fled to Chad with her older sister after losing her mother, father and two brothers in a bombardment of Zamzam. During the attack, Hawa sustained severe injuries and one of her legs had to be amputated. Her story is just one among countless others that reflect the devastating physical and psychological toll of the ongoing war on civilians in Sudan. There is an urgent need to expand health-care provision and mental health support to address immediate suffering and lay the groundwork for recovery and reconciliation. Despite the efforts of humanitarian partners and local authorities, the emergency response remains dangerously underfunded. Shelter conditions are equally dire. Only 14 per cent of current needs are being met, leaving tens of thousands exposed to extreme weather and insecurity. Refugees currently receive only 5 litres of water per person per day, well below the international standard of 15 to 20 litres for basic daily needs. This severe shortage forces families to make impossible choices that put their health and dignity at risk. Additionally, around 290,000 refugees remain stranded at the border, exposed to the elements, insecurity and the risk of further violence. UNHCR also stresses the urgent need for the global community to acknowledge and act to eradicate the grave human rights abuses being endured in Sudan. The violence in and around El Fasher, the proliferation of checkpoints, and movement restrictions imposed by armed groups are making civilian movement increasingly perilous and contributing to rising risks for those still trying to flee. As part of the Sudan Regional Refugee Response, UNHCR and partners in Chad are urgently seeking $553.7 million to respond to the life-saving needs of refugees fleeing Sudan into eastern Chad, including protection, shelter, food, water and sanitation. Four million people have now fled Sudan into neighbouring countries since the start of the war, now in its third year – a devastating milestone in what is the world's most damaging displacement crisis. If the conflict continues, thousands more people will continue to flee, putting regional and global stability at stake. This is a crisis of humanity, of safety, and of childhood. The lives and futures of millions of innocent civilians, including children like Hawa, hang in the balance. Without a significant increase in funding, life-saving assistance cannot be delivered at the scale and speed required. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
