
Royal Jordanian Air Force Continues Firefighting Operations in Syria - Jordan News

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Roya News
7 hours ago
- Roya News
Seven killed in clashes between Druze, Bedouin tribes in Syria's Sweida: Reports
Clashes between Druze residents and Bedouin tribes in the southern Syrian city of Sweida have left at least seven people dead, including a child, and wounded around 20 others, local media reported on Sunday. The violence broke out in the Maqus neighborhood, east of Sweida city, amid reports of armed confrontations and mutual shelling, according to the local outlet Sweida 24, which cited medical sources for the initial casualty toll. Some local news outlets have reported that the clashes were sparked by a temporary kidnapping of a merchant on the Damascus–Sweida highway on Saturday, during which he was robbed. The incident reportedly escalated into a series of retaliatory kidnappings involving the merchant's relatives and members of Bedouin tribes inside Sweida province, with failed efforts to contain the growing tension. The Governor of Sweida called on all parties to exercise restraint and respond to national appeals for reform. He warned that the state 'will not tolerate any threat to citizens or violations of their rights,' and cautioned against efforts to ignite sectarian strife in the province.


Jordan News
9 hours ago
- Jordan News
Hebrew Media: Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa Held Direct Meeting with Israeli Officials in Baku - Jordan News
Hebrew Media: Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa Held Direct Meeting with Israeli Officials in Baku Israeli news outlet i24NEWS reported, citing a well-informed Syrian source, that Syria's transitional president Ahmed Al-Sharaa participated in at least one direct meeting with Israeli officials on Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. The report contradicts official Syrian media claims that Al-Sharaa had no contact with the Israeli side. اضافة اعلان The source, described as close to President Al-Sharaa, stated that the meeting was part of two or three rounds of talks, attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani and government security coordination official Ahmed Al-Dallati. The Israeli delegation reportedly included a special envoy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside high-ranking military and security officials. According to the source, the talks explored a potential security agreement addressing: Iranian military presence in Syria and Lebanon Hezbollah's armament Palestinian factions Refugee camps in Lebanon The future of Palestinian refugees from Gaza The possibility of establishing an Israeli coordination office in Damascus—non-diplomatic in nature The choice of Azerbaijan as the meeting location was seen as a political signal to Iran, amid increasing tensions between Tehran and Damascus in recent weeks. Official Syrian Denial Despite the media reports, Syrian state newspaper Al-Watan cited official sources denying any meetings between Al-Sharaa and Israeli representatives. The sources insisted the discussions in Baku fall within a "de-escalation strategy", not normalization, and said "talks of a peace agreement are premature." Meanwhile, Israeli broadcaster KAN confirmed a direct meeting occurred Saturday in Baku, with Syrian demands focused on an Israeli military withdrawal from southern Syria and other coordination matters. KAN also noted a potential upcoming meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani and Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar in Brussels, hosted by the European Union, although no confirmation has been made regarding a separate bilateral session. Background and Strategic Goals A diplomatic source in Damascus indicated the talks primarily focus on Israel's expanded military presence in southern Syria, a result of developments following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime over seven months ago. President Al-Sharaa had previously acknowledged in May that his government was holding indirect talks with Israel through intermediaries to prevent further escalation and loss of control. These statements were echoed by Israeli outlets such as Channel 12 and Haaretz, which referenced direct meetings held in Baku, some involving Turkish officials. Azerbaijan has increasingly emerged as a neutral diplomatic platform due to its close ties with Israel and political coordination with Turkey, making it a central player in undisclosed regional negotiations on Syria. In recent months, President Al-Sharaa met with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh, leading to the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Damascus. He also expressed openness to regional stabilization initiatives during a joint conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. — (Agencies)

Ammon
12 hours ago
- Ammon
UK allocates additional £5.5 million for refugees in Jordan
Ammon News - The United Kingdom has announced a new contribution of £5.5 million (US$7.43 million) to support the United Nations World Food Program's (WFP) food assistance operations for refugees residing in camps and host communities across Jordan. In a statement on Sunday, WFP Jordan said this latest funding marks the UK's second allocation to the program this year, following a previous contribution of £4 million (US$5.16 million) that helped avert cuts in aid to thousands of vulnerable refugees. WFP Country Director and Resident Representative in Jordan Alberto Correa Mendes said the renewed UK support arrives at a critical juncture and underscores Britain's ongoing commitment to humanitarian assistance in the Kingdom. He noted that the funding will help sustain WFP's efforts to support the most vulnerable families amid severe funding constraints affecting WFP and other partners engaged in refugee assistance. Mendes highlighted that WFP still faces a funding gap of US$24 million to maintain reduced levels of monthly cash assistance through the end of this year and prevent further cuts to aid provided to refugees in camps and host communities. Currently, WFP provides cash assistance to 280,000 refugees in Jordan, primarily Syrians, to help them meet essential food needs. In July 2023, funding shortfalls forced the program to reduce monthly cash assistance from 23 Jordanian dinars to 15 Jordanian dinars per person, representing a one-third cut.