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Irish Independent
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Hope of a new era for Syria shattered as sectarian conflict continues in southern city of Sweida
Fighting has engulfed Sweida, a southern city with a majority Druze population. Neighbouring Israel, facing pressure from its own Druze population, has taken a violent stand. Missiles have rained down on government forces in Sweida and in central Damascus. In this whirl of shrapnel and shelling, hopes for a new era of peace in a nation long torn apart by dictatorship and a 14-year civil war are quickly fading. Instead, Syria appears on the brink of being dragged into yet another civil and international conflict. 'Eighty per cent of the population are now refugees in the surrounding villages. It's a disaster,' said Samer, (not his real name) a Druze journalist who spent years clandestinely reporting from Sweida during Syria's bloody civil war. Samer spoke to The Independent from a partially functioning hospital in Sweida, where he said hundreds of the injured and dead were taken. He asked to remain anonymous for fear of his life. Samer described how bloody battles have raged between Syria's Druze fighters and local Bedouin armed factions. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze. The Independent has repeatedly reached out to multiple branches of the new government for comment and has yet to receive a reply. The authorities keep making the wrong choices Residents of the area claimed that Druze citizens had been shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by troops who appear to be government forces – videos shared online show people in military fatigues shooting men on their knees. In one video, which fact-checking website Verify Syria said it has verified, a group of men in fatigues forced three men to jump off a balcony of a multi-storey building as they are shot. The death toll is still climbing. Outside of combatant deaths in battle, the Syrian Network for Human Rights said more than 320 people have been killed in summary executions, other forms of violence, and Israeli strikes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a total death toll of at least 940 people. The UN says at least 87,000 people have been displaced within Sweida governorate and towards neighbouring Daraa. Much-needed humanitarian and medical aid is unable to enter the region due to ongoing clashes. ADVERTISEMENT The surge in violence underlines the challenges facing interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. He has struggled to assert control over the south and areas near the Israeli border. While Mr Sharaa has been buoyed by rapidly improving ties with global powers, the violence has highlighted lingering sectarian tensions and widespread distrust among minority groups towards his Islamist-led government. 'Instead of pursuing an inclusive, reconciliatory approach to reintegrate Sweida into the Syrian state … the authorities keep making the wrong choices,' said Armenak Tokmajyan, non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Centre. He said that, while there had been rounds of dialogue with powerful Druze leaders, the discussions were largely focused on disarming them. 'Despite divisions within the Druze community, most … were unwilling to hand over their weapons without clarity on the future shape of the state. Then came the recent escalation, which I think could have been averted had the authorities exercised self-restraint and not immediately resorted to violence.' We want to live as citizens, without fear of others. That's it Amid this chaos, Israel has entered the fray. 'The Israelis took all the weapons from the people,' says Ahmed Hassoun, head of the municipality of Hader, a Druze town less than 5km from the border with Israeli-occupied Golan. 'Most days they are here. It's become a fact for us. We can do nothing. Their forces are coming in and out. We are helpless. We are just civilians. What can we do with this reality?' In Sweida, Samer said that Israel's claims that it has come to the 'rescue' of the Druze has only stoked pre-existing sectarian tensions that have simmered and flared throughout the 14-year civil war. 'Just a few months after liberation, Israel has mixed the cards in the south,' he added. On Friday, an Israeli official said it had agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area for two days. But many fear that this is just temporary and that Israel is trying to leverage internal domestic turmoil in Syria to keep it weak. In Sweida, where a tentative ceasefire is fast collapsing, the biggest fear is yet more massacres. 'There is a ceasefire in place, but five minutes ago government forces attacked one area by drones,' says Samer, with desperation. 'The Druze people just want safety. They don't want to be afraid of other factions and sects. They don't want to separate from the rest of Syria. We want to live as citizens, without fear of others. That's it.'
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Shot in the head or pounded by Israeli bombs: How a week of bloodshed shattered Syria's fragile peace
Just a few months into the tentative rebirth of a new Syria, a bloody sectarian conflict is once again raging in the volatile southern borderlands. War now threatens to tip the country over the edge and spill into an already unstable region. Fighting has engulfed Suweida, a southern city with a majority Druze population—an ethnic-religious minority with roots in Shia Islam, whose adherents live in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Videos shared from the ground claim to show horrific summary executions and violence. Neighbouring Israel, facing pressure from its own Druze population, has taken a violent stand. Missiles have rained down on government forces in Suweida and in central Damascus, pounding the country's Defence Ministry and presidential palace. In this whirl of shrapnel and shellfire, hopes for a new era of peace in a nation long torn apart by dictatorship and a 14-year civil war are quickly fading. Instead, Syria appears on the brink of being dragged into yet another civil and international conflict. 'A lot of the dead have been shot in the head. Eighty per cent of the population are now refugees in the surrounding villages. It's a disaster,' says Samer, (not his real name) a Druze journalist who spent years clandestinely reporting from Suweida during Syria's bloody civil war. Samer spoke to The Independent from a partially functioning hospital in Suweida, where he said hundreds of the injured and dead were taken. He asked to remain anonymous for fear of his life. 'We are trying to bury the bodies around the hospitals because of the smell and because we are afraid of infection. Some of them shot in the head, some killed by bombing,' Samer adds. Samer described how, following a tit-for-tat slew of kidnappings, bloody battles have raged between Syria's Druze fighters and local Bedouin Arab armed factions. Damascus then sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze. The Independent has repeatedly reached out to multiple branches of the new government for comment and has yet to receive a reply. Residents of the area told The Independent that Druze citizens had been shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by troops who appear to be government forces - videos shared online show people in military fatigues shooting dead men on their knees. In one video, which fact-checking website Verify Syria said it has verified, a group of men in fatigues force three men to jump off a balcony of a multi-storey building as they are shot. The Independent has been unable to independently confirm any of the videos but the death toll is climbing. Outside of combatant deaths in battle, the Syrian Network for Human Rights said more than 320 have been killed by summary executions, other forms of violence, and in Israeli strikes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a total death toll of at least 940 people. The United Nations says at least 87,000 people have been displaced within Suweida governorate and towards neighbouring Daraa. The area has been unable to receive much-needed humanitarian and medical aid due to ongoing clashes. After the initial heady celebration following the overthrow of longterm autocratic Bashar al-Assad in December by Islamist-led factions, cracks in Syria's diverse society have started to show—and deepen. The surge in violence underlines the challenges facing interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose former militant faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham—a onetime al-Qaeda affiliate that has distanced itself from its jihadi past - led the charge against Assad. But since then, he has struggled to assert control over the south and areas near the Israeli border. While Mr Sharaa has been buoyed by rapidly improving ties with global powers, including US President Donald Trump 's administration, the violence has highlighted lingering sectarian tensions and widespread distrust among minority groups towards his Islamist-led government. That distrust has only deepened following the mass killings of Alawites in March. Deadly clashes have now erupted in the south, with Syria's large Druze community accusing Bedouin tribes of kidnappings and summary executions. Experts warn that the Syrian government has done little to stop this. 'Instead of pursuing an inclusive, reconciliatory approach to reintegrate Suweida into the Syrian state… the authorities keep making the wrong choices,' said Armenak Tokmajyan, non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center. He said that while there had been rounds of dialogue with powerful Druze leaders, the discussions were largely focused on disarming them. 'Despite divisions within the Druze community, most… were unwilling to hand over their weapons without clarity on the future shape of the state. Then came the recent escalation, which I think could have been averted had the authorities exercised self-restraint and not immediately resorted to violence.' This approach has backfired. Druze leaders who have taken a harder stance against the government, like influential Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri - who had even been accused from within the Druze community of helping instigating the tensions and violence - are now gaining greater support. Amid this chaos, Israel has entered the fray. From the early days following Assad's ousting, Israel has been bombing military bases across the country. By day two, residents in Syria's restive southern borderlands told The Independent that Israeli forces were already conducting patrols. 'The Israelis took all the weapons from the people,' says Ahmed Hassoun, head of the municipality of Hader, a Druze town just 2.5 miles from the border with Israeli-occupied Golan. 'Most days they are here. It's become a fact for us. We can do nothing. Their forces are coming in and out—we are helpless. We are just civilians. What can we do with this reality?' Just a mile from the border area outside Hamidiyah town, Moussa, a local leader who is not Druze, spoke to The Independent next to a sandbank he said Israeli forces had clawed out of the earth. 'The only language Israel understands is force. But we want a peace deal between Israel and the new Syrian government—with conditions,' he said. In Suweida, Samer said that Israel's claims that it has come to the 'rescue' of the Druze has only stoked pre-existing sectarian tensions that have simmered and flared throughout the 13-year civil war. 'Just a few months after liberation, Israel has mixed the cards in the south,' he added. Israel fears a build-up of Islamist Sunni forces along its northern border, while simultaneously facing pressure from the Druze minority in Israel, who have been concerned about their kin across the border. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. The Druze minority in Israel, many of whom serve in the Israeli military, are often fiercely loyal to the Israeli state but tensions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's political party Likud have grown in recent years. With violence erupting in Suweida, Mr Netanyahu ordered the bombing of Syrian government forces and struck the Defence Ministry in Damascus last week, stating that the strikes were intended 'to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the gangs of the regime.' He said Israel had established a policy demanding the demilitarisation of territory near the border, stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the Druze Mountain, east of Suweida. Israeli military expert Amos Harel told The Independent Israel was facing growing domestic pressure from its Druze minority. Some recently crossed the border, causing 'chaos' with Israeli border guards briefly losing control. The Israeli military issued a statement on Saturday saying it 'emphasises that crossing the border to Syria constitutes a criminal offence and endangers the public, as well as IDF soldiers.' 'I'm not sure there is a goal,' Harel said. 'The end result is yet unclear but the element that changes everything is the Trump administration.' The United States has stated it did not support the Israeli strikes. On Friday, an Israeli official said it had agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Suweida area for two days. But many fear that this is just temporary and that Israel is trying to leverage internal domestic turmoil in Syria to keep it weak. In Hader, Druze leaders say they just want their 'normal rights' and decentralisation from Damascus. In Suweida, where a tentative ceasefire is fast collapsing, the biggest fear is yet more massacres. 'There is a ceasefire in place but five minutes ago government forces attacked one areas by drones,' says Samer, with desperation. 'The Druze people just want safety. They don't want to be afraid of other factions and sects. They don't want to separate from the rest of Syria. We want to live as citizens, without fear of others. That's it.'
Khaleej Times
26-06-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Are you feeling lonely? You are not alone.
For many expats in the Gulf, it may seem normal to live in a high-rise building with almost 400 flats and still not know the person who lives right next door. But maybe it shouldn't be. According to the World Happiness Report 2025, simply expecting kindness from a neighbour — as measured by the 'wallet test' — has a stronger impact on well-being than income or physical safety. The test, which asks how likely a lost wallet would be returned by a neighbour, stranger, or police officer, highlights that people often underestimate the impact of kindness on their mental health. Gallup's 2023 Wellbeing Survey found that while most people want connection, only a small percentage actively greet neighbours. Just 27 per cent of US adults reported greeting six or more neighbours, a behaviour linked to the highest well-being scores. Those who greeted none reported significantly lower life satisfaction scores. For Samer, a 40-year-old marketing manager, the data reflects his lived experiences as a resident in a large urban metropolis like Dubai. 'In my home country, people live in the same houses or flats for most of their life. Everyone knows their neighbour and it's common for people to check in on each other all the time. Here in Dubai, I've lived in the same building for more than six years and it's very common that I meet my neighbours in the elevator and they don't even say hi or return my smile,' he says. Engaging in niceties Samer never expected friendship from his neighbours, but he agrees that interactions with them can impact well-being. 'After a long day at work with all of the drama there, seeing a friendly face in my personal space would be nice. It would help me feel less isolated and alone.' Urban loneliness is on the rise globally, especially in expat-heavy hubs defined by rapid growth and cultural diversity. Insiya Dsouza, a counselling psychologist at UAE-based OpenMinds Psychiatry, Counselling and Neuroscience Centre, explained: 'Urban loneliness in Dubai is shaped by transience and cultural fragmentation. People typically move to the Gulf for work and upward financial mobility, not to permanently settle. So, much of the expat existence, identity, bandwidth, and focus is tied to the work that other aspects of their personhood shut down. 'This form of loneliness creates a disconnect from oneself and others. When so much of one's life is focused on work and other life responsibilities in a place where they won't permanently settle, there's an impact on social life and community building — things that are essential for mental well-being.' The UAE is also incredibly diverse, with more than 200 nationalities living and working across the country. This multicultural landscape makes it one of the world's most globally represented nations, but it can also exacerbate feelings of urban loneliness. 'Social groups in expat and local communities tend to be quite insular,' explained Dsouza. 'This also has an impact on our willingness to connect with neighbours from different cultures. We walk on eggshells around people from other races on account of unfamiliarity, our preconceived notions, the transitional and transactional nature of the region, and out of fear that we might unintentionally offend them. This comes in the way of breaking barriers and having genuine social interaction.' Some demographics — single people, people with disabilities, minorities, and people who don't engage in normative work, for example — are more vulnerable to urban loneliness. These populations are at higher risk because urban loneliness isn't just about proximity, it's about inclusion, accessibility, and trust. Without intentional effort to foster neighbourly connection, these groups are more likely to feel invisible in the places they live. According to Dsouza, urban loneliness doesn't always look like solitude — it often feels like not having anyone to turn to when it matters. 'In my experience, clients are self-aware about the contribution that loneliness makes to their stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental-health concerns,' she said. 'They also notice the difference in their mental well-being when they feel seen and understood. So, in therapy, we focus on self-compassion and building communication skills so clients can self-advocate for their connection needs.' Make the choice But despite the alarming statistics, it's not impossible to keep loneliness at bay in big cities like Dubai. For Sonal Chhiber, a senior corporate communications consultant and 18-year UAE resident, a neighbour's small act during the pandemic changed everything. 'She would check in, drop off groceries, send over food,' Chhiber said. 'It reminded me of home — and how powerful kindness can be when you're far from everything familiar.' Back in India, Chhiber said, neighbours are 'like extended family'. But in the UAE, those relationships don't form automatically. 'You have to be intentional. But once you break the ice, people are more open than you'd think,' she said. 'A smile in the hallway, a shared cup of tea, a kind word in the lift. We don't always need grand gestures, just more human ones.' Neighbourhood watch We asked residents around the UAE what their experiences have been like living here. Here's what they had to say: 'I didn't expect to have a community of good neighbours in Dubai like I did back home. Initially, I didn't find it friendly or welcoming of newcomers. That changed when one elderly neighbour asked me how I was doing. I had spent a hellish night staying up with my then seven-month daughter and burst into tears. She sat with me and talked, and held the baby. It was a small thing, but I've never forgotten that kindness and try to pay it forward. I have now been in the same apartment complex for 15 years. One of the reasons I haven't moved is because I love my neighbours!' — Shalaka, senior communications strategist 'I moved to Dubai without my family. It's been tough. It's not socially acceptable for a man to be friendly in public. When I am friendly with kids or families in the building it's only because I am lonely and they remind me of my boys. It would be easier if my family were here with me.' — Anonymous, 37, finance manager 'I started my neighbourhood WhatsApp group and many of us have become close friends. I'm always offering to include people in WhatsApp groups and connecting with them in real life. Being helpful is my love language. Otherwise it can be lonely and isolating for so many of us.'
Ammon
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Ammon
Maan Folklore Troupe to perform at major cultural festival in Switzerland
Ammon News - Maan Folklore Troupe has been selected to represent the Kingdom at the d'Andilly Medieval Festival in Switzerland, one of Europe's largest cultural events celebrating historical and folk traditions. The festival will run from May 31 to June 12. The selection of the troupe, which operates under the Ministry of Culture, comes in recognition of its long-standing contribution to preserving Jordan's authentic folkloric heritage and its active role in promoting national identity through traditional performance arts. Speaking ahead of the troupe's departure, director Mahmoud Abu Haidar said the participation marks an important step in showcasing Jordanian folklore, particularly from the southern city of Maan, on an international platform. He emphasized that the troupe aims to offer a high-caliber performance that reflects the diversity and richness of Jordan's cultural traditions. "All members of the troupe are from Maan Governorate and have undergone specialized training to authentically present artistic works that represent the history and identity of their community," he added. "We hope this participation will highlight Jordan as a destination of deep cultural and historical significance." Abu Haidar noted that the troupe's appearance in Switzerland is part of broader efforts to attract researchers and international audiences interested in intangible heritage. He underscored the importance of cultural diplomacy in strengthening Jordan's global image. The Maan Folklore Troupe is one of the Kingdom's most established heritage ensembles. Its performances blend expressive choreography with traditional music and costume to portray scenes from Jordanian life. The group's repertoire includes traditional Bedouin performances such as the Samer, Sahja from Maan, Tis'awiyya Dabke, Jofiyyat chanting, and groom's henna ceremonies.
Al Jazeera
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
In Gaza, selling or serving food can get you killed
On April 27, my brother-in-law, Samer, was killed in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza when his vegetable stall was bombed. He wasn't armed. He wasn't a political figure. He was a peaceful man trying to earn a living to feed his children in a place where food has become more expensive than gold. Samer wasn't a vendor by profession. He was a lawyer who defended the rights of the oppressed. But the war forced him to change his path. During the ceasefire, he was able to buy vegetables from local wholesalers. After the war resumed and the crossings into Gaza were closed in March, supplies dwindled dramatically, but he maintained a small stock of vegetables. He continued selling day and night, even as buyers became scarce due to the high prices. He often tried to give us vegetables for free out of generosity, but I always refused. When I heard about Samer's killing, I froze. I tried to hide the news from my husband, but my tears spoke the truth. He looked like he wanted to scream, but the scream remained trapped inside his throat. Something held him back – perhaps his burdened soul could no longer bear even the expression of grief. Samer left behind three little children and a heartbroken family. No one expected his death. It came as a shock. He was a good and pure-hearted young man, always cheerful, loving life and laughter, even in the toughest times. I still remember him standing in front of his vegetable stall, lovingly calling out to customers. Samer is among countless food sellers who have been killed in this genocidal war. Anyone employed in providing or selling food has been targeted. Fruit and vegetable vendors, grocers, bakers, shop owners and community kitchen workers have been bombed, as if they were dealing with weapons, not food. Bakeries, shops, farms and warehouses have been destroyed, as if the food they were providing was a threat. Ten days after Samer was killed, a restaurant and a market on al-Wahda Street, one of the busiest in the Remal neighbourhood of Gaza City, were bombed. At least 33 people were killed. Two weeks before Samer's martyrdom, the vicinity of a bakery in Jabaliya was bombed. Days before that, a food distribution centre in Khan Younis was targeted. According to the Government Media Office in Gaza, more than 39 food and distribution centres and 29 community kitchens have been targeted since the beginning of the war. It is clear by now that in its campaign of deliberate starvation, Israel is not only blocking food from entering Gaza. It is also destroying every link in the food supply chain. As a result of the repeated targeting of vendors and markets, all that is available now to buy – for those who can afford to buy food – are scraps. Death has become easier than life in Gaza. The starvation is affecting babies and little children the worst. On May 21, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor reported at least 26 Palestinians, including nine children, died within a 24-hour period due to starvation and lack of medical care in Gaza. On May 5, the Ministry of Health in Gaza said it had registered the deaths of at least 57 children caused by malnutrition since the aid blockade began in early March. As a mother, I often go days without eating just to feed my children whatever little food we have left. My husband spends the entire day searching for anything to ease our hunger but usually comes back with mere scraps. If we're lucky, we eat a piece of bread – often stale – with a tomato or cucumber that I divide equally among our children. The hardship Samer's wife faces is even more unbearable. She tries to hide her tears from her children, who keep asking when their father will return from the market. The loss forced her to become a father overnight, pushing her to stand in long queues in front of community kitchens just to get a bit of food. She often returns empty-handed, trying to comfort her children with hollow words: 'When Dad comes back, he'll bring us food.' Her children fall asleep hungry, dreaming of a bite to fill their stomachs – one their late father will never bring. Israel has claimed that it is blocking aid to Gaza because Hamas takes it. The Western media, fully complicit in distorting the truth, has parroted the claim. Yet it is clear that Israel is not just targeting Hamas but the entire population of Gaza. It is deliberately using starvation as a weapon of war against civilians, obstructing the flow of humanitarian aid – a war crime, according to international law. Recently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the true aim of his government more than apparent by demanding all Palestinians be expelled from Gaza as a condition for ending the war. His decision to allow food through the crossings is nothing but a PR stunt. Enough flour was let in to have images of bread distributed at a bakery circulating in the media and to reassure the world that we are not starving. But these images do not reflect the reality for us on the ground. My family has not received any bread and neither have the majority of families. Flour – where available – continues to cost $450 per bag. While Israel claims that 388 aid trucks have entered since Monday, aid organisations are saying 119 have. An unknown number of these have been looted because the Israeli army continues to target anyone trying to secure aid distribution. This tiny trickle of aid Israel is allowing is nothing compared with the needs of the starving population. At least 500 trucks are required every single day to cover the bare minimum. Meanwhile, some Western governments have threatened sanctions and made some symbolic gestures to supposedly pressure Israel to stop starving us. Why did they need to wait to see our children dying of hunger before doing this? And why are they only threatening and not taking real action? Today, our greatest wish is to find a loaf of bread. Our sole concern is how to keep surviving amid this catastrophic famine that has broken our bones and melted our insides. No one among us is healthy any more. We've become skeletons. Our bodies are dead, but they still pulse with hope – yearning for that miraculous day when this nightmare ends. But who will act to support us? Who still has a shred of compassion for us in their heart? And the most important question of all – when will the world finally stop turning a blind eye to our slow, brutal death by hunger? The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
