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Rudaw Net
14-05-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Syrian president calls Trump's decision to lift sanctions ‘brave, historic'
Also in Syria Syrian militants continue abuses in north Syria despite integration: HRW Trump meets Syria's Sharaa, urges him to normalize ties with Israel SDF, UN envoy welcome Trump's decision to lift Syria sanctions Damascus hosts a trade and investment exhibition A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday praised as 'brave and historic' US President Donald Trump's decision to lift all sanctions on the country. In a live television address, Sharaa said that Trump's move 'to lift the sanctions was a brave and historic decision, which alleviates our people's suffering, contributes to the rebirth [of Syria], and lays the foundations for stability in the region.' 'Today, I am not only celebrating the lifting of sanctions on Syria, but our joy lies in the sincere brotherhood and the return of overwhelming feelings among our region's people,' he emphasized. On Wednesday, Sharaa met Trump in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh and with the remote attendance of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 'The participants emphasized the importance of lifting sanctions imposed on Syria and supporting its recovery and reconstruction process,' the Syrian foreign ministry said. The meeting came a day after Trump announced that he will lift sanctions on Syria as part of a broader push to normalize relations with Damascus. "I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness," Trump declared during a speech in Saudi Arabia - the first stop on a regional tour that also includes the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. A day prior, Trump had stated that he may ease US sanctions on Syria to allow Damascus a 'fresh start.' 'We're going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start,' he said, noting that Turkish President Erdogan and 'many people' had urged him to do so. 'The way we have them sanctioned, it doesn't really give them much of a start. So we want to see if we can help them out. We'll make that determination.' In his speech, Sharaa thanked regional and foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, and France, for supporting the new Syria and seeking to establish relations with the country. 'The new Syria participated in the most important international forums and conferences, raised its flag at the United Nations, and succeeded in opening closed doors, paving the way for strategic relations with Arab and Western countries,' he stressed. Since taking power, the new leadership in Damascus has repeatedly called on the international community to lift Assad-era sanctions, arguing that they are hindering the country's economic recovery and post-war reconstruction. Sharaa recalled the Assad era, lamenting that Syria's capabilities were threatened and it 'turned into a repulsive environment for its people, its neighbors, the region, and the world' during the Baathist reign. He stressed that the new Syria 'will not be an arena for the struggle for influence and no platform for external ambitions, and we will not allow the division of Syria.' 'Syria is for all Syrians,' Sharaa said. On December 8, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), then commanded by Sharaa, ousted the Assad regime. Sharaa was appointed interim president in late January.
Rudaw Net
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Kurdish leaders, politicians welcome PKK's decision to disband
Also in Kurdistan First cancer hospital opens in Duhok Duhok authorities hopeful PKK's dissolution will revive tourism Over 1,000 arrested on drug charges in Kurdistan this year: Officials Northeast of Erbil, locals celebrate town, heritage at annual festival A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish leaders and political figures on Monday hailed the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) decision to disband and lay down arms, calling it a historic opportunity for peace and regional stability. Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani welcomed the PKK's decision to end its armed struggle against Turkey, calling it a 'decisive step that opens a new chapter in the region.' In a statement by the Kurdistan Region Presidency, Barzani said the step 'demonstrates political maturity and paves the way for genuine dialogue that strengthens coexistence and stability in Turkey and throughout the region.' He also expressed Erbil's support and assistance for the ongoing peace process between the PKK and Ankara, which he called a 'historic opportunity,' while thanking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his efforts. 'Now is the time, and everyone is watching for this important step to be met with other positive and necessary steps from all relevant parties. This creates a proper and suitable foundation and becomes the basis for a permanent and comprehensive peace that ends decades of violence, pain, and suffering, and leads the region toward new horizons of progress,' President Barzani said. Similarly, Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Region's ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), commended the PKK's decision to dissolve and disarm on Monday as 'positive steps toward a peaceful solution' while reiterating full support for the peace process. 'We hope that this process will lead to positive results that serve the interests and well-being of the region and all. We also declare our full support for the success of this process by all possible means,' the KDP leader said in a statement. Echoing this sentiment, Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), also welcomed the PKK's decision to dissolve itself and lay down arms, calling it "a historic milestone." He said the PUK, which is the second most powerful party in the Kurdistan Region, is "firmly committed to the success of the peace process and will cooperate with and support all parties to ensure its success. We believe that disarmament is a vital component, but it must be accompanied by the implementation of all other steps within the process." Talabani also hoped that the peace process between the PKK and Ankara succeeds and paves the way for "a new political and diplomatic chapter among all parties - one that fosters cooperation and brings positive change to the whole of Kurdistan." Adding to the chorus of voices, Lahur Talabany, leader of the People's Front (Baray Gal) party, hailed the PKK's decision to disarm and disband, emphasizing that the responsibility now lies with Ankara to pursue a 'permanent solution.' In a statement, Talabany welcomed the decisions of the PKK's 12th congress and highlighted that the end to the group's armed struggle 'gives greater value to the peace process and resolution in Turkey and is a positive step away from war and conflict.' 'The authorities in Ankara bear a great and historic responsibility. From now on, they need to make quick and courageous decisions toward a permanent solution to the Kurdish issue and not allow obstacles to be created for the process at any point, until it reaches its final destination and Kurds and Turks can live together in peace forever,' he said. Talabany also shared an undated photo of himself and the top PKK commander Cemil Bayik. Meanwhile, Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said the PKK's landmark decision to end its political struggle against the Turkish state is "appreciated," adding that the move will pave the way for a "new stage." "The PKK had a historical role in the Middle East during the past phase. We are confident that this step will pave the way for a new phase of politics and peace in the region," said Abdi, whose forces control most of northeast Syria (Rojava). Turkey claims that the SDF's backbone, the People's Protection Units (YPG), is affiliated with the PKK. "We also hope that all concerned parties will take important steps and that everyone will provide the required support," noted Abdi. From prison, jailed prominent Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas also weighed in on Monday, thanking the PKK leadership for heeding its leader Abdullah Ocalan's call to disband and disarm. Pervin Buldan, a key mediator of peace talks between the PKK and Ankara, visited Demirtas in Edirne prison on Monday to discuss the latest developments regarding the process. She relayed a letter from Demirtas. 'On the occasion of the PKK congress results, we thank the PKK leadership who made this decision,' read the handwritten letter. He also thanked Ocalan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his far-right ally Devlet Bahceli, Ozgur Ozel, leader of the main opposition and DEM Party, for their contribution to the peace talks. 'Now is the time to work together sincerely for the realization of peace, prosperity, democracy, freedoms, and for Turkey's growth in all aspects. May it be beneficial for all of us,' he said. The PKK declared its dissolution and an end to its armed struggle against Turkey on Monday, marking a huge step toward a peaceful resolution to the decades-long conflict with Ankara. The PKK was founded in 1978 in response to the oppression of the Kurdish population in Turkey. It initially struggled for an independent Kurdistan but now calls for greater political and cultural rights within Turkey. Ankara and its Western allies consider the group a terrorist organization. Data provided to Rudaw by CPT shows that more than 850 people have been killed in the Kurdistan Region since 1990 as a result of border bombardments by Turkey and Iran, with the majority of casualties caused by Turkish airstrikes and attacks. A similar peace process begun between the PKK and the Turkish state in 2013 collapsed two and a half years later.
Rudaw Net
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Over 1,000 arrested on drug charges in Kurdistan this year: Officials
Also in Kurdistan First cancer hospital opens in Duhok Duhok authorities hopeful PKK's dissolution will revive tourism Kurdish leaders, politicians welcome PKK's decision to disband Northeast of Erbil, locals celebrate town, heritage at annual festival A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least 1,000 people have been arrested across the Kurdistan Region on drug-related charges since the beginning of the year, security officials said on Sunday, averaging eight arrests a day as the Region continues fighting the rising use of drugs. Drug trafficking and use have been on the rise in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq since the fall of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003, with officials frequently warning of the spread of drugs in the Region. 'In the first four months of this year in Erbil and Duhok provinces, 612 people have been arrested on drug charges, 283 users and 329 traffickers,' Arkan Bibani, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region's anti-narcotics directorate, told Rudaw. Salam Abdulkhaliq, head of the Sulaimani-based security forces (Asayish) media team, told Rudaw that in Sulaimani and Halabja provinces, as well as the Raparin and Garmiyan administrations, '388 suspects have been arrested for drug trafficking and use in the first four months of this year - 173 users and the rest were traffickers.' At least 550 kilograms of narcotic pills, 70 kilograms of Captagon, and 8,300 blister packs and individual pills have also been seized, according to combined statistics from the officials. The Kurdistan Region and Iraq, especially along their borders with Iran, Turkey, and Syria, are major transit routes for illicit drugs into Europe. In October 2023, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said that the Kurdistan Region is intensifying its efforts to combat the threat of drugs, calling on Kurdish and international communities to cooperate with Erbil to eliminate what he described as an 'endemic' problem. One-fifth of the Kurdistan Region's prisoners are behind bars on drug-related charges, according to data obtained by Rudaw from government sources. In July, a research study published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office reported that Iraq - including the Kurdistan Region - has recorded a 'sharp increase in the trafficking and use of Captagon over the past five years.'
Rudaw Net
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Duhok authorities hopeful PKK's dissolution will revive tourism
Also in Kurdistan First cancer hospital opens in Duhok Kurdish leaders, politicians welcome PKK's decision to disband Over 1,000 arrested on drug charges in Kurdistan this year: Officials Northeast of Erbil, locals celebrate town, heritage at annual festival A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Authorities in the Kurdistan Region's northern Duhok province are hopeful that tourism will flourish in the area after the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) decision to dissolve and disband, with hundreds of villages in the province evacuated due to the Turkey-PKK war. 'The areas that have been evacuated due to the Turkey-PKK war are mostly tourist areas, so with the withdrawal of PKK guerrillas and the Turkish army, the tourism sector in Duhok province will further revive,' Shamal Hirori, spokesperson for Duhok's tourism board, told Rudaw on Monday. The PKK announced its dissolution and an end to its armed struggle against Turkey on Monday, marking what it described as a step toward a peaceful resolution to the decades-long conflict with Ankara. The announcement followed a party congress held from May 5 to 7 to consider the late February call from jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan to disarm, dissolve the group, and pursue a political struggle. Hirori explained that stability along the Turkish border after the withdrawal of the PKK and Turkey, along with repopulating evacuated villages, 'will lead to attracting more tourists.' More than 400 villages in Duhok province have been evacuated or are at risk, and 118 villages in Erbil province's Sidakan district have been evacuated, according to the Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), a US-based human rights organization monitoring Ankara's operations in the Kurdistan Region. CPT member Kamaran Osman told Rudaw on Monday that 185 villages have been completely evacuated, 400 villages have not been able to be repopulated, and some are inhabited during the day and evacuated at night. Kurdistan Region's Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed reaffirmed Erbil's support for the peace process. 'The leadership of the Kurdistan Region has always expressed its support and backing for the [peace] process, and we will do whatever we can to facilitate this process. It's still too early to decide how and where the PKK will lay down its weapons,' Ahmed said. 'What's important is that the areas of the Kurdistan Region are freed from armed conflict, and citizens can return to their villages and areas, benefit from their vineyards and orchards again, and peace and stability return,' he added. Turkey has launched repeated large-scale operations and carried out military strikes across the border since the 1980s under the pretext of targeting the PKK. These operations have killed and injured hundreds of civilians, caused large-scale damage to the environment and civilian infrastructure, and displaced villagers from their homes as Turkey exerts control over the border area. Hirori also indicated that after the potential withdrawal of the PKK and Turkey, a phase of renovating roads and electricity and providing services to these villages and areas will begin, after which doors will be opened to tourists. 'The border situation in Sidakan has been very calm for a long time, with no war or bombardment,' Sidakan district mayor Ihsan Chalabi told Rudaw. 'Currently, more than half of Sidakan's border territory has been evacuated due to wars and conflicts, which includes 118 villages,' he added. Sidakan covers 1,617 square kilometers. According to the mayor, if the PKK's disarmament process succeeds, more than 810 square kilometers will be returned to the district administration's control. A 2022 report by the Iraqi defense ministry showed that over 4,000 Turkish soldiers are present inside Iraqi territory, having advanced up to 105 kilometers, with the deepest incursion at the Zilkan military base in Nineveh province. Jabar Yawar, a military expert and former secretary-general of the Peshmerga ministry, told Rudaw that per a security agreement between Baghdad and Ankara, 'if the Kurdistan Workers' Party lays down arms, Turkey will withdraw from Iraqi territory.' Data provided to Rudaw by CPT shows that more than 850 people have been killed in the Kurdistan Region since 1990 as a result of border bombardments by Turkey and Iran, with the majority of casualties caused by Turkish airstrikes and attacks. The PKK was founded in 1978 in response to the oppression of the Kurdish population in Turkey. It initially struggled for an independent Kurdistan but now calls for greater political and cultural rights within Turkey. Ankara and its Western allies consider the group a terrorist organization. The International Crisis Group has a detailed visual explainer on the repercussions of the clashes since 2015.
Rudaw Net
13-05-2025
- Health
- Rudaw Net
First cancer hospital opens in Duhok
Also in Kurdistan Duhok authorities hopeful PKK's dissolution will revive tourism Kurdish leaders, politicians welcome PKK's decision to disband Over 1,000 arrested on drug charges in Kurdistan this year: Officials Northeast of Erbil, locals celebrate town, heritage at annual festival A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The first cancer treatment hospital was opened in Duhok on Tuesday, aiming to give hope to patients who have been deprived of proper care due to lack of a specialized hospital. Only 50 beds in a general hospital were dedicated for cancer patients without proper care. However, the newly-opened 160-bed Omed Oncology Hospital aims to resolve the issue. Omed is the Kurdish word for hope. 'Today we officially opened a very important project and a strategic project in the city of Duhok, as we had promised in previous years,' Saman Barzanji, the Kurdistan Region Minister of Health, said during a presser in Duhok. He also announced the continuation of several new similar projects in Duhok that had not existed before, emphasizing that they are expected to be completed by next year. Cancer rate is on a sharp rise in the Kurdistan Region, with a diagnosis occurring every hour in the last year, according to data obtained by Rudaw late last year. 'This hospital is very important as the KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] are looking for universal health coverage, and cancer is one of the non-communicable diseases which should be covered,' Jamela al-Rajaby, WHO representative in Iraq, said during the same press conference. She further explained how the high quality of service is important for them to improve. Rajaby emphasized the importance of the hospital by saying, 'We understand that this hospital will serve the population, including the internally displaced population and these are the mostly need, as the minister said, that those should also reach the people in the rural area.' She also said that the WHO 'contributed in infrastructure, equipment, and readiness of the healthcare provider to continue this.' support. She highlighted the WHO's readiness for further partnership. In 2023, about 9,911 diagnosis cases were recorded across the Kurdistan Region, bringing the diagnosis rate to 27 cases per day or a diagnosis about every 53 minutes. Among the most common types of cancer in the Region, breast cancer tops the charts. Statistics show Erbil has the lion's share, with 55 percent of the recorded diagnoses, followed by Sulaimani at 33 percent and Duhok and Halabja province at 12 percent. In Sulaimani province, Hiwa Hospital is the only facility offering cancer treatment, drawing patients from across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
