Behind Joumblatt's visit to Syria
By making a sudden visit to Syria on Friday, Druze leader Walid Joumblatt wanted to sound the alarm once again. Following dangerous developments last week between Syrian Druze and Sunnis, which raised fears of the country's potential partition, the former Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader renewed his unconditional support for Syrian unity, which he believes is largely dependent on Lebanon's unity.Joumblatt's initiative, which ardently defends the Druze's Arab roots at a time when Israel has stepped into the breach, claiming to defend this community, came the day after deadly incidents in early May between Druze militiamen and armed groups linked to the new power in Damascus. Context Joumblatt and Druze sheikh Akl condemn Israeli attacks in Syria Joumblatt did not make any statements following his meeting with...
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Ya Libnan
2 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
US gives nod to Syria to bring foreign ex-rebels into army, Reuters
A member of the former rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stands guard near an image of Syria's Bashar al-Assad at the fourth division headquarters in Damascus, Syria, January 23, 2025 REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar/File Photo By Timour Azhari and Suleiman Al-Khalidi he United States has given its blessing to a plan by Syria's new leadership to incorporate thousands of foreign jihadist former rebel fighters into the national army, provided that it does so transparently, President Donald Trump's envoy said. Three Syrian defence officials said that under the plan, some 3,500 foreign fighters, mainly Uyghurs from China and neighbouring countries, would join a newly-formed unit, the 84th Syrian army division, which would also include Syrians. Asked by Reuters in Damascus whether Washington approved the integration of foreign fighters into Syria's new military, Thomas Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey who was named Trump's special envoy to Syria last month, said: 'I would say there is an understanding, with transparency.' He said it was better to keep the fighters, many of whom are 'very loyal' to Syria's new administration, within a state project than to exclude them. The fate of foreigners who joined Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels during the 13-year war between rebel groups and President Bashar al-Assad has been one of the most fraught issues hindering a rapprochement with the West since HTS, aone-time offshoot of al Qaeda, toppled Assad and took power last year. At least until early May, the United States had been demanding the new leadership broadly exclude foreign fighters from the security forces. But Washington's approach to Syria has changed sharply since Trump toured the Middle East last month. Trump agreed to lift Assad-era sanctions on Syria, met Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh and named Barrack, a close friend, as his special envoy. Two sources close to the Syrian defence ministry told Reuters that Sharaa and his circle had been arguing to Western interlocutors that bringing foreign fighters into the army would be less of a security risk than abandoning them, which could drive them into the orbit of al Qaeda or Islamic State. The U.S. State Department and a Syrian government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. CHINESE CONCERNS Thousands of Sunni Muslim foreigners joined Syria's rebels early in the 13-year civil war to fight against Assad, who was himself aided by Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias. Some fighters formed their own factions, while others joined established groups such as Islamic State, which briefly declared a caliphate in swathes of Syria and Iraq before being routed by an array of forces backed both by the United States and Iran. Foreign fighters within HTS earned a reputation as loyal, disciplined and experienced militants, and formed the backbone of the group's elite so-called suicide units. They fought against Islamic State and against other wings of al Qaeda from 2016, when HTS broke away from the group founded by Osama bin Laden. The Uyghur fighters from China and Central Asia are members of the Turkistan Islamic Party, a group designated as terrorists by Beijing. A Syrian official and a foreign diplomat said China had sought to have the group's influence in Syria restricted. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said: 'China hopes that Syria will oppose all forms of terrorism and extremist forces in response to the concerns of the international community.' Osman Bughra, a TIP political official, told Reuters in a written statement that the group had officially dissolved and integrated into the Syrian army. 'At present, the group operates entirely under the authority of the Ministry of Defence, adheres to national policy, and maintains no affiliations with external entities or groups,' he said. In December , the appointment of a handful of foreign jihadists who were part of HTS's senior leadership to top military posts had alarmed Western governments, raising concerns over the direction of Syria's new Islamist leadership. Demands to freeze the appointments and expel rank-and-file foreign fighters became a key point of contention with Washington and other Western countries up until the week of Trump's landmark meeting with Sharaa. Sharaa has said that foreign fighters and their families may be granted Syrian citizenship due to their role in fighting Assad. Abbas Sharifa, a Damascus-based expert on jihadist groups, said the fighters being included in the army had shown loyalty to Syria's leadership and were 'ideologically filtered.' But 'if you abandon them they become prey to ISIS or other radical groups' he said. Reuters
MTV Lebanon
5 hours ago
- MTV Lebanon
03 Jun 2025 14:12 PM At least 27 Palestinians killed while waiting for aid distribution
Local health authorities in Gaza said on Tuesday that at least 27 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire while waiting for aid distribution near Rafah. The Israeli military said on Tuesday it fired shots at individuals about half a kilometre from the aid distribution site of US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the Gaza Strip. The individuals were moving towards forces in a way that "posed a threat to them", the military said. It said its forces do not prevent Gaza residents from reaching aid despite multiple reports of deadly attacks by Israeli forces near the US centre in recent days. The United Nations human rights office said on Tuesday the impediment of access to food and relief for civilians in Gaza may constitute a war crime. "Attacks directed against civilians constitute a grave breach of international law, and a war crime," The head of the UN agency, Volker Turk, said in a statement. The UN has called for an independent investigation into killings of Palestinians near the US-backed aid centre in south Gaza. In northern Gaza, three Israeli soldiers were killed the Israeli military said Tuesday, in what appears to be the deadliest attack on Israel's forces since it ended a ceasefire with Hamas in March. The military said the three soldiers, all in their early 20s, fell during combat in northern Gaza on Monday, without providing details. Israeli media reported that they were killed in an explosion in the Jabaliya area. The soldiers' deaths were announced hours after Hamas' armed wing said on Monday its fighters were engaging in "fierce clashes" with Israeli forces in the north of the territory. Israel ended the ceasefire in March after Hamas refused to change the agreement to release more hostages sooner. Israeli strikes have killed thousands of Palestinians since then, according to Gaza's health ministry. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage in the October 7, 2023, attack into Israel that ignited the war. They are still holding 58 hostages, a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. Around 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the October 7 attack, including more than 400 during the fighting inside Gaza.
Al Manar
7 hours ago
- Al Manar
Iranian FM Visits Martyr Sayyed Nasrallah Shrine: Resistance in Lebanon Will Become Stronger
The Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, who is on an official visit to Lebanon, affirmed that the Resistance in Lebanon will become stronger, adding that the martyrdom of the leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah crowns his heroic journey of Arab and Islamic struggle against the Zionist enemy. Visiting Sayyed Nasrallah Shrine, Araghchi highlighted the influence of the martyr's character and underlined that the Lebanese people and resistance will certainly reach the ultimate victory against the Israeli occupation. Signing his new book 'The Power of Negotiation' in Beirut, Araqchi made several remarks pertaining to the nuclear file. Araqchi indicated that the US-Iranian talks may reach an agreement on the nuclear file, adding that the uranium enrichment is a red line. The Iranian foreign minister also responded to Trump's remarks, stressing that Iran does not take the permission from anyone to enrich uranium. Were the US capable of striking the nuclear facilities in Iran, it would not engage in a negotiation process, Araqchi maintained, highlighting the Iranian military power in this regard.
