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Ya Libnan
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Death toll in Sweida Syria, tops 1265, monitor
Heavy smoke rises as a member of Bedouin and tribal forces runs during clashes with Druze fighters in Syria's southern city of Sweida on July 19, 2025. (OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP) Sectarian violence between the Druze and the bedouins in Sweida of southern Syria killed more than 1,265 people before the implementation of a recent ceasefire, a war monitor says, offering an updated toll, as it continues to document deaths that took place prior to the truce. The observatory provided the following breakdown on the deaths 609 people from the Sweida Governorate, including 104 civilians (including 6 children and 16 women), 440 members of the Ministry of Defense and Public Security (including 32 members of the Bedouin tribes and a Lebanese militant), 15 members of the Ministries of Defense and Interior who were killed as a result of Israeli raids, 3 people were killed as a result of Israeli airstrikes on the Ministry of Defense building, one journalist was killed during the clashes in Sweida, 194 people (including 28 women, 8 children and an elderly man) were executed in the field by bullets from members of the Ministries of Defense and Interior, and 3 members of the Bedouin tribes, including a woman and a child, were executed in the field by Druze militants.' Calm returned Calm returned to southern Syria 's Sweida province on Sunday, a monitor and AFP correspondents reported, after a week of sectarian violence A ceasefire announced on Saturday appeared to be holding after earlier agreements failed to end fighting between longtime rivals the Druze and the Bedouin that spiralled to draw in the Islamist-led government, the Israeli military and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. AFP correspondents on the outskirts of Sweida city reported hearing no clashes on Sunday morning, with government forces deployed in some locations in the province to enforce the truce. According to a Red Crescent official, a first humanitarian aid convoy entered Sweida on Sunday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that since around midnight (2100 GMT Saturday), 'Sweida has been experiencing a cautious calm', adding government security forces had blocked roads leading to the province in order to prevent tribal fighters from going there. AFP/ Syria observatory.
Extra.ie
05-07-2025
- Extra.ie
Popular holiday spot for Irish tourists at risk from soaring heat and wildfires
Irish holidaymakers who are travelling to popular Meditteranean destinations may find their summer escapes are under threat from extreme heat and wildfires. Officials have warned tourists to be aware of the dangers before travelling, as a number of prime holiday hot spots are facing abnormal weather conditions. Turkey is the latest destination to come under a red alert warning due to extreme temperatures and the threat of wildfires, with 47 degree heat ensuring that Northern Europeans will be confined indoors. Irish holidaymakers who are travelling to popular Meditteranean destinations may find their summer escapes are under threat from extreme heat and wildfires. Pic: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images That kind of extreme heat is a threat to human and animal life and is not to be taken lightly according to weather experts in Turkey, and though many Irish tourists may have holidays booked to the region, they will need to take precautions before travelling to the area. A viral video on TikTok has seen a restaurant employee at Shadows restaurant in Marmaris cook an egg on the street. The employee declared it was 42C and insisted there was 'no oil' in the pan, with onlookers going wild. Turkey has been ravaged by wildfires over the last few days following intense heat across its western coast. Officials have warned tourists to be aware of the dangers before travelling, as a number of prime holiday hot spots are facing abnormal weather conditions. Pic: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images In just one week, more than 250 fires have broken out across the country. Though many are now under control, fire crews have been struggling to contain the outbreak due to 75mph winds. Wildfires have been reported in Kahramanmaraş, Bursa, Sakarya, Bilecik, Gaziantep, Bolu and Manisa. Places beyond these impacted area, including key tourist destinations such as Istanbul, Dalaman and Antalya, remain safe to visit. Turkey is the latest destination to come under a red alert warning due to extreme temperatures and the threat of wildfires, with 47 degree heat ensuring that Northern Europeans will be confined indoors. Pic: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images Meanwhile the Spanish state meteorological agency, Aemet, said in a social media update that 'June 2025 smashed records' when it came to high temperatures, with an increase of 0.8 Celsius above the previous hottest June in 2017. The agency's comments come just days after Spain's highest ever June temperature of 46 Celsius was recorded in the Huelva province of Andalucía. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned that 'The planet is getting hotter and more dangerous, and no country is immune' He added that 'Extreme heat is no longer a rare event , it has become the new normal'
Al Bawaba
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Ahmed al-Sharaa names party behind coastal massacres
ALBAWABA - In the past few days, clashes erupted between remnants of the Bashar Assad regime and the security forces in the Syrian government resulting in the killing of 1093 civilians. Director of the Syrian Observatory revealed that 1093 people were killed in the latest unrest in the coastal area of Syria, most of whom are Alawites, in addition to some Christians and 25 Sunni, who were murdered at the hands of remnants of the old regime. SOHR confirmed that at least 44 massacres were committed in 4 days inside Syrian territory. A new massacre was recently discovered in Al-Rumaila, meanwhile civilians were found dead inside their homes in the city of Jableh. Security forces loyal to the interim Syrian government ride in the back of a vehicle moving along a road in Syria's western city of Latakia on March 9, 2025. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP) Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's interim president, announced that the party behind the massacres in the coastal region of Syria were identified and he vowed to punish them even if they were very close to him. In an interview with Reuters, al-Sharaa held groups loyal to the regime of ousted President Bashar Assad, supported by foreigners, responsible for igniting the bloody events that took place in the coastal area. Still, he confessed that revenge killings occurred in the aftermath. The interim president said: "Syria, we have confirmed that it is a state of law. The law will take its course for everyone." He added: "We basically came out to confront this regime, and we only arrived in Damascus to support the oppressed people. We do not accept that a drop of blood be shed here unjustly, or that this blood be shed in vain without accountability or punishment."
