Latest news with #Jolani
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Syrians protest Sweida killings in London and Paris
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Druze activists from the village of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, holding banners during a rally in solidarity with Sweida, on July 19. LONDON - Dozens of Syrians from minority communities rallied on July 19 in London and Paris, calling for action to protect the Druze in their Sweida heartland, where sectarian violence has killed hundreds. In central London, around 80 protesters chanted 'God protect Druze' and 'Stop supporting Jolani', referring to Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa's nom de guerre, which he had abandoned after his Islamist group seized Damascus late last year. Demonstrators in the British capital held up placards calling for an end to the deadly violence in Sweida and for a humanitarian corridor to be opened up via the Jordanian border. More than 900 people have been killed in the Druze-majority province since July 13, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The sectarian clashes between the Druze and Bedouin tribes, who are Sunni Muslim, have drawn in the Islamist-led government as well as Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. In London, protest organiser Emad al Eismy told AFP atrocities were still going on in Sweida. 'Shootings, beheadings, raping, killing children, (torching) shops, homes. It's a barbarian movement going on in Sweida,' he said at the protest outside BBC headquarters. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tampines regional centre set to get more homes, offices and public amenities Multimedia How to make the most out of small homes in Singapore Life US tech CEO Andy Byron resigns after viral Coldplay 'kiss cam' video Asia From toy to threat: 'Killer kites' bring chaos to Indonesian airspace Opinion I thought I was a 'chill' parent. Then came P1 registration Singapore 'God and government are the only things beyond our control,' says Group CEO Business Me and My Money: He overcomes a $100k setback to build a thriving online tuition business Asia At least 34 killed as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Halong Bay 'Like ethnic cleansing' AFP correspondents in Sweida reported clashes on July 19, despite a ceasefire ordered by the government following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention. The Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor, said armed volunteers had been deployed with the support of the Islamist-led government. Druze fighters said those who had arrived to support the Bedouin were mostly Islamists. Protester Maan Radwan, who has family in Sweida, fought back tears as he said some of his relatives had died in a massacre at their guesthouse. He reproached British Foreign Secretary David Lammy for his visit to Syria earlier this month, when he met Mr Al-Sharaa. The United Nations has called for an end to the bloodshed and demanded an independent investigation of the violence. Mr William Salha, like most of the protesters, also has family members still living in Sweida. He said they were 'helpless', shut in their homes, attempting to keep themselves safe. 'It's like ethnic cleansing. They want the city without its people,' he said, accusing the Syrian government of complicity. A teenager from south London at the protest with his mother said multiple members of his father's family had been gunned down and killed, with the news filtering out through an aunt. 'The armed groups came to them, they tried to resist and they shot them,' he said. 'Where is France?' At the Paris protest, Ms Aida Haladi wore black and clutched a picture of her 52-year-old brother whom she said was killed in front of his home on the morning of July 17 in Sweida city. She said he had stepped out to grab some blood pressure medication he had forgotten. 'He was an honest man. He never tried to hurt a soul,' she said. 'Where is France?' Ms Haladi said, accusing Syria's interim president of complicity and angry at France's leader Emmanuel Macron for having hosted him in Paris in May. Hours later, France urged all sides to 'strictly adhere' to the ceasefire. Ms Eva Radwan, a 41-year-old PhD student, held up a picture of her 34-year-old cousin and his two nephews, aged 13 and 16, whom she said had been shot dead inside their home. She said her parents had been forced to move houses after their neighbourhood was bombarded earlier this week. 'Jolani get out, Syria is not yours,' she shouted into a megaphone in front of the Eiffel Tower, leading around 20 other protesters. She also called for Jordan to open its border to let in aid. The Observatory said at least 940 people had been killed since July 13, including 326 Druze fighters and 262 Druze civilians, 165 of whom were summarily executed. AFP
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Syrians protest Sweida killings in London and Paris
LONDON: Dozens of Syrians from minority communities gathered in London and Paris on Saturday, calling for urgent measures to safeguard the Druze population in Sweida, where escalating sectarian violence has left hundreds dead. In central London, approximately 80 protesters chanted slogans such as 'God protect Druze' and 'Stop supporting Jolani,' referencing Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa's former nom de guerre. Demonstrators held signs demanding an end to the bloodshed in Sweida and urging the opening of a humanitarian corridor via Jordan. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 900 people have been killed in the Druze-majority province since Sunday. The clashes involve Druze communities and Sunni Bedouin tribes, with involvement from the Islamist-led government, Israel, and armed factions from other Syrian regions. Protest organiser Emad al Eismy described the atrocities in Sweida as ongoing. 'Shootings, beheadings, raping, killing children, (torching) shops, homes. It's a barbarian movement going on in Sweida,' he said outside BBC headquarters. Despite a ceasefire brokered by the US to prevent further Israeli intervention, AFP correspondents reported continued clashes in Sweida. The Observatory noted that armed volunteers, backed by the government, had been deployed. Druze fighters claimed most reinforcements for the Bedouin were Islamists. Maan Radwan, a protester with family in Sweida, tearfully recounted relatives killed in a guesthouse massacre. He criticised British Foreign Secretary David Lammy for meeting al-Sharaa earlier this month. William Salha, another demonstrator, accused the Syrian government of complicity, calling the violence 'like ethnic cleansing.' A London teenager shared that multiple family members had been shot dead, with news reaching him through an aunt. In Paris, Aida Haladi mourned her brother, killed while fetching medication. 'Where is France?' she demanded, condemning Syria's interim president and France's leader Emmanuel Macron for hosting him in May. Eva Radwan, protesting near the Eiffel Tower, displayed photos of her slain cousin and nephews. She urged Jordan to open its border for aid. The Observatory reported at least 940 deaths, including 326 Druze fighters and 262 civilians, 165 of whom were executed. - AFP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Syrians protest Sweida killings in London, Paris
Dozens of Syrians from minority communities rallied on Saturday in London and Paris, calling for action to protect the Druze in their Sweida heartland, where sectarian violence has killed hundreds. In central London, around 80 protesters chanted "God protect Druze" and "Stop supporting Jolani", referring to Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa's nom de guerre, which he had abandoned after his Islamist group seized Damascus late last year. Demonstrators in the British capital held up placards calling for an end to the deadly violence in Sweida and for a humanitarian corridor to be opened up via the Jordanian border. More than 900 people have been killed in the Druze-majority province since Sunday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The sectarian clashes between the Druze and Bedouin tribes, who are Sunni Muslim, have drawn in the Islamist-led government as well as Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. In London, protest organiser Emad al Eismy told AFP atrocities were still going on in Sweida. "Shootings, beheadings, raping, killing children, (torching) shops, homes. It's a barbarian movement going on in Sweida," he said at the protest outside BBC headquarters. -'Like ethnic cleansing' - AFP correspondents in Sweida reported clashes on Saturday, despite a ceasefire ordered by the government following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention. The Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor, said armed volunteers had been deployed with the support of the Islamist-led government. Druze fighters said those who had arrived to support the Bedouin were mostly Islamists. Protester Maan Radwan, who has family in Sweida, fought back tears as he said some of his relatives had died in a massacre at their guesthouse. He reproached British Foreign Secretary David Lammy for his visit to Syria earlier this month, when he met al-Sharaa. The United Nations has called for an end to the bloodshed and demanded an independent investigation of the violence. William Salha, like most of the protesters, also has family members still living in Sweida. He said they were "helpless", shut in their homes, attempting to keep themselves safe. "It's like ethnic cleansing. They want the city without its people," he said, accusing the Syrian government of complicity. A teenager from south London at the protest with his mother said multiple members of his father's family had been gunned down and killed, with the news filtering out through an aunt. "The armed groups came to them, they tried to resist and they shot them," he said. - 'Where is France?' - At the Paris protest, Aida Haladi wore black and clutched a picture of her 52-year-old brother whom she said was killed in front of his home Thursday morning in Sweida city. She said he had stepped out to grab some blood pressure medication he had forgotten. "He was an honest man. He never tried to hurt a soul," she said. "Where is France?" Haladi said, accusing Syria's interim president of complicity and angry at France's leader Emmanuel Macron for having hosted him in Paris in May. Hours later, France urged all sides to "strictly adhere" to the ceasefire. Eva Radwan, a 41-year-old PhD student, held up a picture of her 34-year-old cousin and his two nephews, aged 13 and 16, who she said had been shot dead inside their home. She said her parents had been forced to move houses after their neighbourhood was bombarded earlier this week. "Jolani get out, Syria is not yours," she shouted into a megaphone in front of the Eiffel Tower, leading around 20 other protesters. She also called for Jordan to open its border to let in aid. The Observatory said at least 940 people had been killed since Sunday, including 326 Druze fighters and 262 Druze civilians, 165 of whom were summarily executed. har-ah/jj
Gulf Insider
4 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Israel Conducts Massive Strikes On Damascus After Sharaa Regime's Sectarian Attacks
'The heavy blows have started' Israel's defense minister Israel Katz has posted to X above a video (below) showing a Syrian news presenter abruptly taking shelter after a massive explosion in central Damascus. The rare daytime aerial attack by Israel in the heart of Damascus created panic in the streets, and quickly after huge columns of smoke lingered over the downtown area. There are casualties, with state news agency SANA quoting the Health Ministry as saying that at least three were killed and nine people wounded in the Israeli attacks. Eyewitnesses say they saw Israeli warplanes circling above the capital city, and that there were at least three to four strikes. Syria has no air defense systems to speak of, after Bashar al-Assad's December 8 ouster and subsequent heavy Israeli bombings of all remaining Syrian military equipment. The large-scale attack, which could see more to follow, has been roundly condemned by Syria's regional partners who are trying to prop up the new Hayat Tahrir al-Sham government under self-declared interim President Sharaa (Jolani). The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli attacks as an attempt to 'sabotage Syria's efforts to ensure peace.' The Syrian people have a 'historic opportunity to live in peace and integrate with the world,' the statement continued. Footage of Israel attacking Damascus: Footage of Israel attacking Damascus. — Clash Report (@clashreport) July 16, 2025 The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has also condemned these new attacks on Damascus in the 'strongest terms' – saying the air assault represented a 'flagrant violation' of Syria's sovereignty, 'a breach of international laws and norms, and a serious threat to regional security and stability.' The statement further described this as an 'irresponsible escalation' which threatens sought-after stability in Syria. There is no Iranian influence in Syria Israel just bombed new Syria, led by a frmr AlQaeda leader, has shamefully done everything to appease only complete emasculation is acceptable to is the reality of Israeli hegemony. — Trita Parsi (@tparsi) July 16, 2025 Israel is framing its actions as in protection of the Druze (an ancient ethno-religious minority community in region), which have come under sectarian attack by Jolani's HTS forces. In southern Syria, jihadists have filmed themselves torturing and forcibly shaving the mustaches of prominent Druze clerics and other men. Facial hair in the Druze religion is considered sacred and is highly symbolic. Disturbing images have emerged from Syria's Suwayda province, where members of the "new Syrian regime" dishonored a Druze man by shaving his mustache. For Druze men, growing a mustache is a religious tradition, and shaving it is considered a sin. — Soran Qurbani (@SorQur) July 15, 2025 Israel's military has long used sectarian tension inside Syria as part of a 'divide and rule' strategy. Immediately after Assad's fall, the IDF send tanks and ground units deep into southern Syria. Christians are also heavily present in the south, and they are under direct threat as well, but Israel has not invoked 'protection of Christians' as having anything to do with its policy… Wearing an ISIS patch, an extremist militant operating under the Syrian army threatens to ethnically cleanse the Druze minority in southern Syria. — The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 16, 2025 Syria's new 'liberators' continue to show their true colors, but also bearing immense responsibility for this are the Gulf states, the United States, and Western countries who had long armed and trained these al-Qaeda fanatics in the first place, as part of the regime change operation against Assad. Also read: Syrians Fear Israel Normalization Could Trigger Another Countrywide War
Gulf Insider
4 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Syrian HTS Troops Mass Murder Civilians At Hospital In South
There is gruesome evidence emerging of mass atrocities in the southern Syrian province of Suwayda, where government soldiers under the Sharaa/Jolani regime have been conducing sectarian attacks on Druze and Christians, while seeking to get the etho-religions Druze community to lay down their weapons. New disturbing images emerging Wednesday show dozens of dead civilians strewn about the floor at the National Hospital of Suwayda. The images seem authentic and verified, as Syria expert Joshua Landis of the University of Oklahoma has described that a regime soldier in the aftermath filmed the results of the massacre while proclaiming 'God is Great' and that there has been 'victory' over the Druze there. Massacre of Druze in #Syria at the National Hospital of Suwayda. In the first video, a Druze nurse is pleading for help as regime soldiers are about to overrun the hospital. In the second video, a regime soldier films the results of the capture and proclaims that 'God is… — Joshua Landis (@joshua_landis) July 16, 2025 Russia's RT News has also picked up on the footage, captioning the 'HORRIFIC images reportedly out of Suweida hospital in South Syria shows staff MASSACRED' for 'Suspected of being Druze' — as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) describes. Exact number of dead and wounded are unknown at this early point, but the hospital was under siege by the government forces of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). London-based SOHR writes: SOHR sources denied a statement issued by the Information and Communication Department of the Ministry of Defence, which accused 'outlaw groups of taking the national hospital in Al-Suwaidaa as a starting point to launch their operations against the army and internal security forces. SOHR warns of the continued siege of Al-Suwaidaa National hospital and targeting or storming it under flimsy pretexts. Reliable SOHR sources confirmed that there are medical staff and patients only inside the national hospital in Al-Suwaidaa, without the presence of any armed manifestations. The third floor of the hospital was also bombed by the Ministry of Defence forces, which besieged the hospital from all sides, putting it out of service. The hospital suffers from a blockade that prevents medical supplies from reaching it, further aggravating the situation. It appears everyone in the hospital has been massacred. Sick and wounded patients were reportedly murdered in cold blood in their hospital beads. Syrian government jihadists have massacred the entire Sweida National Hospital. Druze and Christian patients, doctors, nurses, women, children, and everyone taking shelter inside.I'm speechless. This is Dr. Maalouf (@realMaalouf) July 16, 2025 HTS has just taken off the US-designated terrorism list earlier this month, after Trump had posed with its leader Sharaa (Jolani, who had earlier been a member of ISIS) while visiting Riyadh, expressing hope that he'll make for a good post-Assad ruler. These US-backed jihadist thugs have also been attacking more churches in Syria's south… Syrian regime terrorists attacked Mar Mkhayel Church in Suwaida and set it on fire. Just weeks ago, they bombed another church and killed dozens. No one is safe in this new 'free' Syria — Hadi (@HadiNasrallah) July 15, 2025 Recall that Trump had gone so far as to praise al-Sharaa as a 'young, attractive guy' who has a 'real shot at doing a good job'. There was no mention at the time of protecting some of the world's most ancient churches and Syria's sizeable Christian community. The fruit of that 'good job' thus far has been a genocidal campaign launched against Alawites near Latakia, Druze in the south – as is happening currently, as well as attacks on churches, including last month's suicide bombing of St. Elias Orthodox Church in Damascus, which left at least 25 people – including children – dead. A group affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham actually took responsibility. Also read: Syria Signs $800M Tartous Port Deal With Dubai-Based Company
