Death toll in Damascus church attack rises to 25, says health ministry
It was the first suicide bombing in Damascus since Bashar al-Assad was toppled by an Islamist-led rebel insurgency in December.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
'Killed for what, religion?': inside the horror of southern Syria's sectarian violence
Sectarian violence involving opposing fighters from the Druze minority faith and Bedouin tribes engulfed southern Syria last month, with government forces also accused of atrocities. Amid the fighting, examples of humiliation and summary executions were documented on social media. Three Druze men from the Arnous family: Osama, 26, Mouath, 24, and Baraa, 20, were among those killed as they sheltered from the violence. The Guardian journalist William Christou talked to Osama's brother-in-law Hadi Neman, who recounted their last moments
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Syria's new rulers set up a committee to probe attacks on civilians in recent sectarian violence
Syria's new authorities have set up a committee tasked with investigating attacks on civilians during recent sectarian violence in the country's south, officials said Thursday. The fighting in Sweida province earlier in July killed hundreds of people, displaced tens of thousands, and threatened to unravel Syria's fragile postwar transition. It was sparked by tit-for-tat kidnappings between armed Bedouin clans, mostly Sunni, and fighters with the Druze religious minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. Syrian government forces intervened to end the fighting, but effectively sided with the clans. Disturbing videos and reports soon surfaced of Druze civilians being humiliated and killed in public, sometimes accompanied by sectarian slurs. Druze groups later launched revenge attacks on Bedouin communities. Syria's Justice Ministry said the committee would work to uncover the 'circumstances that led to the events in Sweida," investigate attacks and refer those implicated in them to the judiciary, state-run news agency SANA reported. The committee is to submit a final report within three months. A similar committee was formed in March, when sectarian violence on Syria's coast killed hundreds of civilians from the Alawite religious minority, also a Shiite offshoot. Attacks by armed groups affiliated with former President Bashar Assad, a member of the Alawite minority, prompted Damascus to send security forces, which descended on the coast from other areas of the country, joined by thousands of armed civilians. That committee found there had been 'widespread, serious violations against civilians,' including by members of Syria's new security forces and that more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians, were killed. Its four-month investigation identified 300 people suspected of crimes, including murder, robbery, torture and looting and burning of homes and businesses. The suspects were referred for prosecution, the committee said but did not disclose how many were members of the security forces. The outbreaks of violence have left Syria's religious and ethnic minorities increasingly suspicious of the country's new authorities, led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who previously led the Islamist insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Keir Starmer refuses to commit to Palestine statehood deal that returns all Hamas hostages - as Lords say his pledge may break international law
The UK will recognise Palestine as a state next month even if Hamas fails to release its remaining Israeli hostages, Sir Keir Starmer suggested yesterday. Amid a growing backlash over the Prime Minister's pledge – plus warnings that he could be breaking international law – he refused to back calls to make a hostage deal a main condition of recognition. Earlier this week Sir Keir announced the UK will recognise a Palestinian state before the UN general assembly in New York next month unless Israel meets a raft of conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. The decision was condemned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it rewarded 'Hamas's monstrous terrorism' – the group is still believed to be holding up to 50 hostages, many of whom were abducted during the attack on October 7, 2023, although only 20 are believed to still be alive. Sir Keir was asked yesterday whether he would still recognise a Palestinian state in September – a hugely diplomatic and symbolic move – even if Hamas refuses to release more hostages. Instead of a simple 'yes' or 'no', he replied: 'Those hostages need to be released immediately – they have been held for a very long time in intolerable conditions. 'So that absolutely needs to happen. And the situation on the ground in Gaza needs to change – there is a humanitarian catastrophe. And that's why I have said unless that changes materially – and obviously we will assess that as we get to September – then we will recognise Palestine.' The PM insisted he 'particularly' listens to freed hostages, after he was accused of 'moral failure' over his move by Emily Damari, a British-Israeli woman who had been held captive by Hamas . The PM told ITV he was 'absolutely clear that we must have the remaining hostages released – that's been our position throughout and I absolutely understand the unimaginable horror that Emily went through'. It came as some of the UK's most eminent lawyers wrote to the Attorney General, Lord Hermer, to warn that Sir Keir's pledge of recognition could undermine his commitment to upholding the law. Some 38 members of the House of Lords – among them seven KCs – said recognising Palestine may not meet the criteria for statehood under the Montevideo Convention, a treaty signed in 1933. In their letter, the peers said Palestine 'does not meet the international law criteria for recognition of a state, namely, defined territory, a permanent population, an effective government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states'. There is no certainty over the borders of Palestine, they said, and no single government. The peers added: 'You have said that a selective, 'pick and mix' approach to international law will lead to its disintegration, and that the criteria set out in international law should not be manipulated for reasons of political expedience. 'Accordingly, we expect you to demonstrate this commitment by explaining to the public and to the Government that recognition of Palestine would be contrary to the principles governing recognition of states in international law.' Business minister Gareth Thomas described the decision on Palestine as a 'political judgment' and that ministers 'believe it is' compliant with international law.
