Latest news with #SyriaConflict
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
How Syrian attackers killed: One hand on the gun, another on the camera
How Syrian attackers killed: One hand on the gun, another on the camera By Deniz Uyar, Monica Naime and Pola Grzanka July 29 (Reuters) - The fighters in military-style uniforms pointed their rifles at the three unarmed men and ordered them out onto a sunny balcony, before barking at them to pause. "One minute. You want to film them?" one of the attackers asked his comrade. The unfolding horror, which was already being filmed by one gunman on his cellphone, was delayed for a few moments to allow a second fighter to start capturing the events. "Let's go! Throw yourself over," the gunmen yelled at their victims, members of Syria's minority Druze faith. Two of the attackers shot the men one by one as they clambered over the black railing before their bodies tumbled to the street below, according to the footage circulating on social media which was reviewed by Reuters. The victims were Moaz Arnous, his brother Baraa Arnous and their cousin, Osama Arnous, according to a family friend and another cousin who both told Reuters the video showed the three being killed at their home in the southern city of Sweida on July 16. The deaths were among 12 execution-style killings of unarmed Druze civilians carried out at three sites in and around Sweida this month by gunmen wearing military fatigues, according to the footage of the attacks, which was filmed by the killers themselves or people accompanying them and verified by Reuters. Another video shows Mounir al-Rajma, a 60-year-old guard at a communal water well, being gunned down by two young fighters after telling them he is Druze, his son Wiam told Reuters. Other footage shows a group of fighters forcing eight civilians to kneel in the dust of a roundabout before shooting them dead, according to a friend and a relative of some of those victims. The videos provide some of the most detailed depictions yet of the bloodshed that erupted in Sweida province in mid-July, initially between local Druze militia and Bedouin tribal fighters and subsequently government forces sent to restore order. The violence killed hundreds of mostly Druze people, according to Reuters reporting and two monitoring groups. Reuters was able to use visible landmarks in each video to geo-locate the incidents. The events depicted and their dates were verified through interviews with seven relatives and friends of the victims. All said they believed Syrian government forces killed their loved ones. The news agency could not identify the attackers in the videos, which were not time-stamped, or determine who first posted them online. The pieces of footage began appearing online after July 18, a review of social media posts found. The media offices of the Syrian defence and interior ministries didn't respond to questions from Reuters on the filmed attacks. Syria's defense ministry said on July 22 that it was aware of reports that an "unknown group" wearing military fatigues committed "shocking and gross violations" in Sweida. It didn't mention execution-style killings targeting Druze people. The ministry vowed to investigate the abuses, identify those responsible and impose "maximum penalties" on perpetrators, "even if they are affiliated with the ministry of defense." On the same day, the interior ministry condemned "in the strongest terms the circulating videos showing field executions carried out by unidentified individuals in the city of Sweida". RIGHTS GROUP: AT LEAST 1,000 DEAD Syria has been plagued by bouts of sectarian strife since the sudden fall of President Bashar al-Assad and his police state in December last year after 14 years of war. The new government, led by a former Sunni Islamist group that has its roots in global jihad, dissolved Assad's army and sought to integrate dozens of former rebel factions into a national army, but those forces have struggled to fill the security vacuum. Sweida province is predominantly populated by the Druze community, a distant offshoot of Islam that comprises about 3% of Syria's pre-war population of 24 million. The atrocities there came four months after a spree of killings against the Alawite minority, with armed factions affiliated to the new government killing hundreds of people in coastal settlements. The Sweida unrest began on July 13 when longstanding local tensions over land and resources in the province escalated into clashes between local Druze militia and Bedouin tribal fighters, who like government forces largely adhere to the country's majority Sunni faith. The violence worsened significantly after the Syrian military was deployed to the province on July 14 to quell the clashes and entered Sweida city itself on July 15, according to residents, two war monitors and reporters on the ground. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said 1,013 people have been killed in the bloodshed since July 13, including 47 women, 26 children and six medical personnel. The group said victims were mainly Druze, adding that it wasn't clear how many were fighters or civilians. The network said the vast majority died after the army's arrival led to a sharp increase in fighting. The organization's head, Fadel Abdulghany, told Reuters it had documented execution-style killings by Syrian troops, Bedouin fighters and Druze groups. A forensic pathologist in the city of Sweida, who requested anonymity to speak about sensitive matters, told Reuters he had examined 502 bodies that had been brought to the Sweida National Hospital during this month's violence. One was decapitated and two, including a teenage girl, had their throats slit. Most of the others suffered from gunshot wounds inflicted at close range, he said. Reuters could not independently verify the numbers or specific atrocities recounted by the Syrian network and the pathologist. 'ARE YOU MUSLIM OR DRUZE?' The son of Rajma, the 60-year-old water well guard, identified his father in a video verified by Reuters as having been filmed on July 15 outside the Muhammad Salih Nasr School in the town of Thaalah, less than a mile from their home. Rajma is seen sitting on the steps of the school's entrance as at least three young rifle-toting men in military fatigues are heard repeatedly screaming at him, "Are you Muslim or Druze?" The exchange is filmed by someone standing directly next to the fighters and it is unclear if the person is also armed. When the older man answers, "I'm Syrian", one fighter responds: "What does Syrian mean? Muslim or Druze?" Rajma says: "My brother, I'm Druze." Three of the fighters immediately open fire. "This is the fate of every dog among you, you pigs," one of them says. In another video verified by Reuters, a group of seven fighters in military fatigues carrying rifles are seen guiding eight men in civilian clothes down a sidewalk. Based on the shop signs and road layout, Reuters identified the street as lying just west of Tishreen Square in the heart of Sweida city. The only visible insignia on the fatigues is a small black patch on the right arm of one of the fighters bearing the Islamic declaration of faith in a design popularized by the Islamic State group. Reuters reporters have also seen some soldiers at checkpoints in government areas wearing them. Syria's defense and interior ministries didn't respond to questions on whether their forces wear the patches. The Islamic State did not mention Sweida in any of their posts on their social media propaganda channels, including in the period after July 13. Reuters couldn't reach a representative for the group. A few seconds into the video, the fighter filming turns his phone camera around to his own face: He's a bearded man dressed in military fatigues, with a red bandana wrapped around his head and the butt of a rifle visible across his chest. The eight victims walk in single file, each resting his hands on the shoulders of the man in front. The last man in line, wearing a tan shirt and sandals, was identified by a friend who watched the video as Hosam Saraya, a 35-year-old Syrian-American citizen. The friend said the older man directly in front of him in line was Hosam's father, and the next man was Hosam's brother Kareem. Most of the others were from the same extended family, the friend added. Dima Saraya, the wife of Ali Saraya - another of the men in line - told Reuters that armed men in military fatigues had surrounded the apartment building where the extended Saraya family lived west of Tishreen Square on July 16 and demanded that the men inside surrender themselves, promising to question them for a few hours and return them home safely. U.S. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma confirmed that Hosam, who had lived in Oklahoma, "was tragically executed alongside other members of his family in Syria." He didn't give further details. A separate video shows the same eight unarmed men kneeling in the dirt of a roundabout in Tishreen Square. Reuters was able to verify the video's location from the statue in the roundabout and a tower block visible directly behind it. The same friend identified Hosam, his brother and his father among the kneeling men in the second video. At least two fighters fire their rifles directly at the kneeling group, from close proximity and for at least seven seconds. The kneeling men crumple into the dirt and lie motionless as the armed men yell, "God is great."
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
ICRC gains access to Syria's Sweida, calls for sustained humanitarian response
The ICRC says it gained access to Syria's Sweida and has called for a sustained humanitarian response. Developing...
Reuters
2 days ago
- Reuters
How Syrian attackers killed: One hand on the gun, another on the camera
The fighters in military-style uniforms pointed their rifles at the three unarmed men and ordered them out onto a sunny balcony, before barking at them to pause. 'One minute. You want to film them?' one of the attackers asked his comrade. The unfolding horror, which was already being filmed by one gunman on his cellphone, was delayed for a few moments to allow a second fighter to start capturing the events. 'Let's go! Throw yourself over,' the gunmen yelled at their victims, members of Syria's minority Druze faith. Two of the attackers shot the men one by one as they clambered over the black railing before their bodies tumbled to the street below, according to the footage circulating on social media which was reviewed by Reuters. The victims were Moaz Arnous, his brother Baraa Arnous and their cousin, Osama Arnous, according to a family friend and another cousin who both told Reuters the video showed the three being killed at their home in the southern city of Sweida on July 16. The deaths were among 12 execution-style killings of unarmed Druze civilians carried out at three sites in and around Sweida this month by gunmen wearing military fatigues, according to the footage of the attacks, which was filmed by the killers themselves or people accompanying them and verified by Reuters. Another video shows Mounir al-Rajma, a 60-year-old guard at a communal water well, being gunned down by two young fighters after telling them he is Druze, his son Wiam told Reuters. Other footage shows a group of fighters forcing eight civilians to kneel in the dust of a roundabout before shooting them dead, according to a friend and a relative of some of those victims. The videos provide some of the most detailed depictions yet of the bloodshed that erupted in Sweida province in mid-July, initially between local Druze militia and Bedouin tribal fighters and subsequently government forces sent to restore order. The violence killed hundreds of mostly Druze people, according to Reuters reporting and two monitoring groups. Reuters was able to use visible landmarks in each video to geo-locate the incidents. The events depicted and their dates were verified through interviews with seven relatives and friends of the victims. All said they believed Syrian government forces killed their loved ones. The news agency could not identify the attackers in the videos, which were not time-stamped, or determine who first posted them online. The pieces of footage began appearing online after July 18, a review of social media posts found. The media offices of the Syrian defence and interior ministries didn't respond to questions from Reuters on the filmed attacks. Syria's defense ministry said on July 22 that it was aware of reports that an 'unknown group' wearing military fatigues committed 'shocking and gross violations' in Sweida. It didn't mention execution-style killings targeting Druze people. The ministry vowed to investigate the abuses, identify those responsible and impose 'maximum penalties' on perpetrators, 'even if they are affiliated with the ministry of defense.' On the same day, the interior ministry condemned 'in the strongest terms the circulating videos showing field executions carried out by unidentified individuals in the city of Sweida'. Syria has been plagued by bouts of sectarian strife since the sudden fall of President Bashar al-Assad and his police state in December last year after 14 years of war. The new government, led by a former Sunni Islamist group that has its roots in global jihad, dissolved Assad's army and sought to integrate dozens of former rebel factions into a national army, but those forces have struggled to fill the security vacuum. Sweida province is predominantly populated by the Druze community, a distant offshoot of Islam that comprises about 3% of Syria's pre-war population of 24 million. The atrocities there came four months after a spree of killings against the Alawite minority, with armed factions affiliated to the new government killing hundreds of people in coastal settlements. The Sweida unrest began on July 13 when longstanding local tensions over land and resources in the province escalated into clashes between local Druze militia and Bedouin tribal fighters, who like government forces largely adhere to the country's majority Sunni faith. The violence worsened significantly after the Syrian military was deployed to the province on July 14 to quell the clashes and entered Sweida city itself on July 15, according to residents, two war monitors and reporters on the ground. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said 1,013 people have been killed in the bloodshed since July 13, including 47 women, 26 children and six medical personnel. The group said victims were mainly Druze, adding that it wasn't clear how many were fighters or civilians. The network said the vast majority died after the army's arrival led to a sharp increase in fighting. The organization's head, Fadel Abdulghany, told Reuters it had documented execution-style killings by Syrian troops, Bedouin fighters and Druze groups. A forensic pathologist in the city of Sweida, who requested anonymity to speak about sensitive matters, told Reuters he had examined 502 bodies that had been brought to the Sweida National Hospital during this month's violence. One was decapitated and two, including a teenage girl, had their throats slit. Most of the others suffered from gunshot wounds inflicted at close range, he said. Reuters could not independently verify the numbers or specific atrocities recounted by the Syrian network and the pathologist. The son of Rajma, the 60-year-old water well guard, identified his father in a video verified by Reuters as having been filmed on July 15 outside the Muhammad Salih Nasr School in the town of Thaalah, less than a mile from their home. Rajma is seen sitting on the steps of the school's entrance as at least three young rifle-toting men in military fatigues are heard repeatedly screaming at him, 'Are you Muslim or Druze?' The exchange is filmed by someone standing directly next to the fighters and it is unclear if the person is also armed. When the older man answers, 'I'm Syrian', one fighter responds: 'What does Syrian mean? Muslim or Druze?' Rajma says: 'My brother, I'm Druze.' Three of the fighters immediately open fire. 'This is the fate of every dog among you, you pigs,' one of them says. In another video verified by Reuters, a group of seven fighters in military fatigues carrying rifles are seen guiding eight men in civilian clothes down a sidewalk. Based on the shop signs and road layout, Reuters identified the street as lying just west of Tishreen Square in the heart of Sweida city. The only visible insignia on the fatigues is a small black patch on the right arm of one of the fighters bearing the Islamic declaration of faith in a design popularized by the Islamic State group. Reuters reporters have also seen some soldiers at checkpoints in government areas wearing them. Syria's defense and interior ministries didn't respond to questions on whether their forces wear the patches. The Islamic State did not mention Sweida in any of their posts on their social media propaganda channels, including in the period after July 13. Reuters couldn't reach a representative for the group. A few seconds into the video, the fighter filming turns his phone camera around to his own face: He's a bearded man dressed in military fatigues, with a red bandana wrapped around his head and the butt of a rifle visible across his chest. The eight victims walk in single file, each resting his hands on the shoulders of the man in front. The last man in line, wearing a tan shirt and sandals, was identified by a friend who watched the video as Hosam Saraya, a 35-year-old Syrian-American citizen. The friend said the older man directly in front of him in line was Hosam's father, and the next man was Hosam's brother Kareem. Most of the others were from the same extended family, the friend added. Dima Saraya, the wife of Ali Saraya – another of the men in line – told Reuters that armed men in military fatigues had surrounded the apartment building where the extended Saraya family lived west of Tishreen Square on July 16 and demanded that the men inside surrender themselves, promising to question them for a few hours and return them home safely. U.S. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma confirmed that Hosam, who had lived in Oklahoma, 'was tragically executed alongside other members of his family in Syria.' He didn't give further details. A separate video shows the same eight unarmed men kneeling in the dirt of a roundabout in Tishreen Square. Reuters was able to verify the video's location from the statue in the roundabout and a tower block visible directly behind it. The same friend identified Hosam, his brother and his father among the kneeling men in the second video. At least two fighters fire their rifles directly at the kneeling group, from close proximity and for at least seven seconds. The kneeling men crumple into the dirt and lie motionless as the armed men yell, 'God is great.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel's Dermer to meet Syrian FM, US envoy Barrack in Paris to discuss southern Syria
Dermer will also discuss the upcoming Iranian nuclear negotiations with European officials, ahead of the talks between European nations and Iran that will take place in Istanbul. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will meet US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Paris on Thursday to discuss security matters relating to southern Syria, sources told The Jerusalem Post. Following the eruption of fighting between Druze and local Bedouin tribes in the city of Sweida in southern Syria, Israel struck Damascus and government forces operating alongside the Bedouins in an effort to protect the Druze minority in southern Syria. Notably, a US citizen was killed during the clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias in Sweida, the State Department confirmed last week. Dermer will also discuss the upcoming Iranian nuclear negotiations with European officials, ahead of the talks between European nations and Iran, which are scheduled to take place in Istanbul on Friday, sources told the Post. Senior diplomats from France and Germany will hold direct face-to-face talks with Iran since Israel and the United States struck Iran's nuclear facilities in June. US President Donald Trump's lifting of sanctions on Syria and the international community's cautious support of the new regime are at risk due to Syria's current conflict, which has undermined the government's authority, Barrack said on Sunday. Barrack: Sharaa must 'recalibrate his policies' On Tuesday, Barrack urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed earlier in July, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the country. Barrack said he had advised Sharaa in private discussions to revisit elements of the pre-war army structure, scale back Islamist indoctrination, and seek regional security assistance. Solve the daily Crossword
Arab News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan condemns Israeli airstrikes in Syria, calls UNSC to act on Gaza, Kashmir
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria, calling them 'unprovoked' and a 'dangerous escalatory path,' as the country's foreign minister chaired high-level UN Security Council meetings in New York under Pakistan's ongoing presidency. Tensions have escalated sharply between Syria and Israel this month after sectarian violence erupted in Syria's Druze-majority region of Sweida, resulting in scores of deaths and prompting a fragile ceasefire. In response, Israel launched airstrikes it says were aimed at protecting the Druze community and demilitarizing southern Syria. 'Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the Israeli attacks against the Syrian Arab Republic in contravention of international law and principles of the UN Charter,' the Foreign Office said in its weekly briefing. 'These unprovoked attacks mark a dangerous escalatory path being pursued by Israel in the region with impunity,' the statement added. 'Pakistan expresses its full support for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity of Syria and calls on the international community to prevent Israel from its acts of aggression that continue to undermine the peace and stability in the entire region.' Separately, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also Pakistan's deputy prime minister, is currently on a visit to New York and Washington to represent Pakistan during its rotating presidency of the UN Security Council. His engagements have included meetings with the UN Secretary-General, President of the General Assembly, and ministers from Austria, the UK, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. Earlier this week, Dar presided over a Security Council debate on multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes. In his remarks, he 'highlighted selective application of international law as untenable from Gaza to Jammu and Kashmir' and called for respect for international agreements such as the Indus Water Treaty 'to preserve peace and cooperation,' the foreign office briefing said. On the same day, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2788 under Pakistan's presidency, urging 'greater use of UN Chapter 6 tools, including negotiations, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, and resort to regional and sub-regional organizations, as well as good offices of the Secretary General, and calls for inclusive diplomacy.' Dar also addressed the Security Council's quarterly debate on the Middle East, where he condemned Israel's continued military offensive in Gaza. 'Delivering Pakistan's national statement, the DPM condemned systematic targeting of hospitals, schools, UN facilities, aid convoys, and refugee camps as deliberate acts of collective punishment and fragile violation of international humanitarian law,' the foreign office said. Dar called the Palestinian issue 'a litmus test for the credibility of the United Nations' and urged the Council to act for 'immediate ceasefire, unimpeded aid access, end to occupation and forced displacement, renewed and reinforced international support for UNRWA, implementation of the Arab and OIC-led reconstruction plan for Gaza, and revival of the two-state solution.' The Foreign Office also reiterated Pakistan's longstanding position on Palestine, stating: 'We firmly believe that the only just solution to the Palestinian question is the creation of an independent, viable, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state along the pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.'
