Calm reported in Syria's Sweida as tribal fighters said to withdraw
DAMASCUS - Residents reported calm in the Syrian city of Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government declared that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and the United States stepped up calls for an end to fighting.
There was no sound of gunfire on Sunday morning, according to a resident speaking from the city outskirts, while a Druze source in the region said there was calm in most areas.
Kenan Azzam, a dentist, described the situation on Sunday morning as "a tense calm" but told Reuters residents were still struggling with a lack of water and electricity.
"The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded," he said by phone.
The fighting began a week ago with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus then sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were accused of carrying out widespread violations against the Druze and were hit by Israeli strikes before withdrawing under a truce agreed on Wednesday.
The Syrian presidency had announced a new ceasefire early on Saturday but it quickly collapsed into renewed fighting, underlining the challenge interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces in asserting authority over the fractured nation. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
37 minutes ago
- AsiaOne
Pope Leo calls for end to 'barbarity of war' after strike on Gaza church, World News
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Pope Leo called for an end to the 'barbarity of war' on Sunday (July 20) as he spoke of his profound pain over an Israeli strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza. Three people died and several were injured, including the parish priest, in the strike on the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza City on Thursday. Photos show its roof has been hit close to the main cross, scorching the stone facade, and shattering windows. Speaking after his Angelus prayer, Leo read out the names of those killed in the incident. "I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population," he said. [[nid:720380]]
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Japan's Ishiba vows to stay on despite historic election setback
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party along with longtime partner Komeito lost its majority in the chamber. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he intended to stay on even as his ruling coalition suffered a historic setback in an upper house election on July 20, an outcome that may further unsettle markets. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party along with longtime partner Komeito lost its majority in the chamber, public broadcaster NHK reported, saying the bloc failed to win the 50 seats it needed to maintain control. That marks the first time since 1955 that a leader from the storied Japanese party will govern the country without a majority in at least one of the legislative bodies. The result is the second dismal election showing for Mr Ishiba since he became premier in October 2024, even though the coalition's tally of at least 46 seats may yet be enough to keep his job. Asked repeatedly on the night of June 20 if he intended to stay on, he answered with a simple 'that's right'. 'I continue to have a number of duties I must fulfill for the nation, including achieving wage growth that exceeds inflation, achieving gross domestic product of a quadrillion yen, and responding to an increasingly tense security environment,' Mr Ishiba said. 'Though the votes are still being counted, we do seem to have won the most number of seats out of the parties.' Overall, the ruling coalition was set to lose more than 16 seats. The outcome showed simmering discontent over a cost-of-living crunch, draining support from the ruling coalition and benefiting smaller populist parties offering tax cuts or opposition to an influx of foreigners into the country. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Priority for singles, higher quota for second-timer families to kick in from HDB's July BTO exercise Singapore Witness stand not arena for humiliation in sex offence cases, judge reminds lawyers Asia Japan PM's future in doubt after election debacle Business Bigger, quieter, greener: High-volume low-speed fans see rising demand in warming Singapore Singapore New home owners in Singapore find kampung spirit on BTO Telegram groups Singapore What would it take for S'pore to shed the dirty image of its blue recycling bins? Business DBS hits record high above $47; CDL up after director Philip Yeo announces resignation World Gaza civil defence says Israeli fire kills 93 aid seekers Market players have been concerned that a further weakening of Mr Ishiba's leadership will nudge the coalition into giving concessions to the opposition, including cuts to the sales tax. Investors are increasingly doubtful that lawmakers can rein in spending, one factor that has helped push yields on Japanese debt to the highest levels in more than two decades. The yen rose about 0.5 per cent in early trading following the results. Stock and bond markets are closed for a public holiday in Japan. The tighter margins in the upper house threaten to throw Mr Ishiba's policy agenda into further disarray, complicate trade talks with the US and potentially cost him his job. The last three LDP prime ministers who lost an upper house majority stepped down within two months, including Mr Shinzo Abe in 2007 during his first stint as premier. While an eight-party coalition briefly ousted the LDP from office after a lower house election in 1993, that looks unlikely this time around. The opposition is split among roughly a dozen parties that are too fractured to pull together any kind of stable alternative if it brings a no-confidence vote against Mr Ishiba, meaning the LDP will probably trudge along by cutting deals to cobble together support on an issue-by-issue basis. On a broader level, the results point to the nation's long-established parties drifting further out of touch with younger, urban voters. They are questioning whether social welfare is worth the tax burden, and are growing sceptical of the influx of foreigners visiting and working in the nation. 'There is a real drop in support for old, traditional parties,' said Professor Yuri Kono, a professor of law at Hosei University who writes frequently on politics. 'This may be the beginning of a very fundamental change in Japanese politics.' While there still seems little appetite among the public for a rapid rise in interest rates to cool inflation, voters are becoming impatient with the government's ad-hoc utility subsidies and other cash handouts preferred by Ishiba. Opposition parties that campaigned on a sales tax cut to help ease household budgets did well on June 20. The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, which called to exempt food from the sales tax for as many as two years, came in second place with just over 20 seats. The populist Democratic Party for the People finished third with 16 seats, up from four earlier, after seeking a sales tax cut and more take-home pay. Sanseito, a right-wing party that tapped anti-foreigner sentiment with a 'Japanese First' message , managed to crack into double figures from just a single seat. Japan's main opposition leader, Mr Yoshihiko Noda of the CDP, said he would consider whether to submit a no confidence motion in the lower house after hearing what Mr Ishiba says at a press conference likely to take place July 21. The less powerful upper house cannot appoint a prime minister, hold a no-confidence vote or stop the passage of a budget. But it can delay or block other legislation, potentially leading to gridlock in the policymaking process. 'Extremely risky' Back in 2008, the upper house famously blocked the government's nomination for BOJ governor at a time when problems with subprime mortgages in the US were bubbling up into what would become the global financial crisis. The fight over spending comes as Japan faces an Aug 1 deadline to strike a deal with US President Donald Trump before across-the-board tariffs on exports to the US jump to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. Such a move would reduce Japan's gross domestic product by 0.9 per cent over the medium term, according to Bloomberg Economics. Japan is also facing calls from Mr Trump to further boost defence spending. 'For Ishiba, continuing in his role will be an exceptionally challenging prospect under the current circumstances,' said Professor Chihiro Okawa, political expert and professor at Kanagawa University. 'When it comes to the question of who would take over leadership at this point, it becomes a matter of 'picking chestnuts out of the fire' – an extremely risky and undesirable task,' he added. 'It's entirely possible that no one will be eager to step into such a precarious position.' BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Israeli evacuation order in central Gaza ‘devastating' to aid efforts: UN
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The latest order means that 87.8 per cent of Gaza's area is now under displacement orders or within Israeli militarised zones. UNITED NATIONS, United States - An Israeli military order for residents and displaced people in Gaza's Deir el-Balah area to move south dealt 'another devastating blow' to humanitarian efforts in the war-ravaged territory, the UN's OCHA aid agency said on July 20. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 'warns that today's mass displacement order issued by the Israeli military has dealt yet another devastating blow to the already fragile lifelines keeping people alive across the Gaza Strip,' it said in a statement. On the morning of July 20, the Israeli military ordered those in the central Gaza area to leave immediately due to imminent operations, with whole families seen lugging their few belongings and heading south. OCHA said UN staff were 'remaining' in the territory and their coordinates had been shared with 'relevant parties'. 'These locations – as with all civilian sites – must be protected, regardless of displacement orders,' OCHA said, warning that any damage to health clinics, water infrastructure , and aid warehouses in the area 'will have life-threatening consequences'. Between 50,000 and 80,000 people were in the area when the evacuation order was issued, according to OCHA's initial estimates. Since the start of the war, nearly all of Gaza's population – which is also facing severe food shortages – has been displaced at least once by repeated Israeli evacuation orders. According to OCHA, the latest order means that 87.8 per cent of Gaza's area is now under displacement orders or within Israeli militarised zones. That leaves '2.1 million civilians squeezed into a fragmented 12 per cent of the Strip, where essential services have collapsed,' said the UN agency. The order 'will limit the ability of the UN and our partners to move safely and effectively within Gaza, choking humanitarian access when it is needed most'. Israel on July 20 withdrew the residency permit of the head of the OCHA office in the country, Mr Jonathan Whittall, who has repeatedly condemned the humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed 58,895 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. The UN finds these figures credible. The war was sparked by Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel in which 1,219 people, most of them civilians, were killed, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. AFP
