logo
Syria probe says identified 298 suspects in March violence

Syria probe says identified 298 suspects in March violence

LBCI10 hours ago
A committee probing sectarian violence in Syria's Alawite minority heartland in March said Tuesday that it identified 298 suspects implicated in "serious violations" that killed at least 1,426 Alawites.
"The committee identified 298 individuals by name, who were involved" in the violence, committee spokesman Yasser al-Farhan told a press conference in Damascus. The committee also verified "serious violations against civilians on March 7, 8 and 9, including murder, premeditated murder, looting, destruction and burning of homes, torture and sectarian insults".
The committee "verified the names of 1,426 dead, including 90 women, with most of the rest being civilians" from the Alawite community.
AFP
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

US envoy urges Syria's Sharaa to revise policy or risk fragmentation
US envoy urges Syria's Sharaa to revise policy or risk fragmentation

LBCI

time29 minutes ago

  • LBCI

US envoy urges Syria's Sharaa to revise policy or risk fragmentation

A U.S. envoy has urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed last week, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the country. U.S. envoy to Syria Thomas 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. In an interview in Beirut, Barrack told Reuters that without swift change, Sharaa risks losing the momentum that once propelled him to power. Sharaa should say: "I'm going to adapt quickly, because if I don't adapt quickly, I'm going to lose the energy of the universe that was behind me," Barrack said. He said Sharaa could "grow up as a president and say, 'the right thing for me to do is not to follow my theme, which isn't working so well.'" Reuters

US envoy Tom Barrack's Lebanon meetings: Real progress or uncertainty?
US envoy Tom Barrack's Lebanon meetings: Real progress or uncertainty?

LBCI

time29 minutes ago

  • LBCI

US envoy Tom Barrack's Lebanon meetings: Real progress or uncertainty?

Report by Raneem Bou Khzam, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi Amid heightened tensions and political uncertainty, questions loom over whether Lebanon is heading toward further escalation or a potential diplomatic breakthrough following a series of meetings between U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Lebanese officials. While some political sources described the talks as positive, skepticism remains over whether the momentum can translate into concrete de-escalation on the ground. After a 90-minute meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Barrack described the talks as "great," with sources indicating the atmosphere was positive and a shift from the pessimism that dominated recent days. Still, it is too early to declare a breakthrough. Some of Barrack's other meetings were reportedly less encouraging. According to attendees, the envoy was left with the impression that Hezbollah remains firmly opposed to any handover of weapons and appears more inclined to risk war than engage in a diplomatic compromise that offers no concrete guarantees. Others who met with Barrack said he offered a hypothetical: if Lebanon requested a pause in hostilities and targeted killings and he conveyed that to the Israeli side, the likely response would be a flat rejection—possibly accompanied by a question: "Why should we give Lebanon such a pause?" With details of the talks tightly guarded, the situation remains opaque. In the words of Speaker Berri's now-famous expression, perhaps the best way to describe the moment is with "optimistic pessimism."

Selective accountability: Lebanese Parliament acts on Bouchikian amid demands for broader justice
Selective accountability: Lebanese Parliament acts on Bouchikian amid demands for broader justice

LBCI

time29 minutes ago

  • LBCI

Selective accountability: Lebanese Parliament acts on Bouchikian amid demands for broader justice

Report by Maroun Nassif, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi In a rare and sudden move, the Lebanese Parliament is set to vote Wednesday on lifting the parliamentary immunity of MP and former Minister George Bouchikian, allowing the judiciary to proceed with an investigation into allegations of corruption, bribery, embezzlement, and extortion involving factory owners. The decision follows two meetings in recent weeks between the Parliament's Bureau and the Administration and Justice Committee, which led to the formation of a parliamentary investigative committee. That committee, comprising MPs Georges Adwan, Alain Aoun, and Marwan Hamadeh, has submitted a formal recommendation to the General Assembly to lift Bouchikian's immunity. The vote requires a simple majority—only 65 MPs need to be present, and just 33 votes are necessary to pass the motion, making approval all but certain. The anticipated move would mark a rare moment of accountability in Lebanese legislative history. The last time Parliament lifted a member's immunity was in 2000, when MPs Habib Hakim and Yehya Chamas faced legal proceedings. Before that, it was Chahé Barsoumian in 1999. While the decision is being welcomed as a positive step toward enabling judicial investigations, it has raised broader questions about selective accountability. Critics are questioning why the Parliament failed to act on similar requests from Judge Tarek Bitar in the Beirut Port blast case, specifically involving MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zaiter—both of whom have long benefited from political protection. Observers note that Bouchikian's expulsion from the Armenian Tashnag party's parliamentary bloc may have made him an easier political target. The concern, they say, is whether the move signals genuine reform or simply a convenient exception. Calls for broader accountability persist. The Parliament is also expected to vote on the formation of a committee to investigate alleged corruption in the Telecommunications Ministry during the tenures of former ministers Nicolas Sehnaoui, Boutros Harb, and Jamal Jarrah. That effort also requires 65 votes, a number insiders believe can be secured. Still, activists and citizens alike are asking why the Parliament has not launched similar probes into numerous other allegations of corruption and public fund mismanagement involving former ministers from key portfolios such as finance, public works, energy, interior, foreign affairs, and the displaced. For many, lifting Bouchikian's immunity will only carry weight if it marks the beginning of a broader effort to hold all officials accountable—regardless of their political affiliations.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store