Latest news with #DeirEzzor
Asharq Al-Awsat
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
SDF Offers Tribes in Syria's Deir Ezzor Role in Talks, Right to Name Governor
Arab tribal leaders, who took part in recent meetings with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Autonomous Administration in northeast Syria, said they were offered a greater role in governing Deir Ezzor province and a seat at the table in any future talks with the Damascus government, according to tribal sources. The meetings, held at the US-led coalition's base in al-Shaddadi, south of Hasakah, were led by SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and senior officials from the Kurdish-led administration. Discussions centered on the latest international efforts to revive dialogue with Damascus, including Abdi's talks with the French foreign minister and US Syria envoy in Paris, as well as earlier meetings in Amman. At the heart of the discussions was a March 1 agreement between Abdi and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that envisages integrating the SDF and local governing bodies into Syrian state institutions by the end of the year. Tribal sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that leaders were presented with a proposal consisting of three main elements: first, a formal role for Arab tribes in upcoming negotiations with Damascus; second, a 50% quota for tribal figures from eastern, northern, and western Deir Ezzor - areas under SDF influence - in a newly structured provincial council, with nominees selected in coordination between tribal elders and the SDF. The third clause would give Arab tribes the authority to name the governor of Deir Ezzor, replacing the current system of presidential appointment. In a statement following the meeting, the SDF said Abdi had assured Deir Ezzor residents that local civilian and military bodies would have a say in any future settlement with the Syrian government, emphasizing that the SDF remained the 'guarantor of stability and security' and would continue its mission without hesitation. Abdi also reportedly clarified that the handover of Deir Ezzor's institutions, civilian and military alike, to the government would be limited to those that operated in SDF-controlled areas prior to the fall of the former regime at the end of last year. Similar arrangements would later extend to the cities of Raqqa and Hasakah. According to the sources, Abdi stressed that the SDF had no intention of surrendering territory or dismantling the Autonomous Administration. Instead, any rapprochement with Damascus would be based on mutual understandings and a comprehensive integration process acceptable to both sides. Committees from both the SDF and the administration are expected to meet with government officials in the coming days to push forward with the plan. During the transitional phase, local councils and security agencies under the Autonomous Administration in Deir Ezzor will continue operating normally, with a view to developing a new, participatory administrative system at the provincial level. Observers say Abdi's remarks point to a possible breakthrough in efforts to incorporate the SDF as a unified bloc within the Syrian Ministry of Defense, alongside the integration of administrative institutions into the broader state framework. These understandings remain in their early stages, however, and a final deal is yet to be reached. A planned follow-up meeting in Paris on July 25 between Syrian government officials and an Autonomous Administration delegation was postponed at the request of Damascus, which informed the SDF through the US-led coalition that a new date would be set soon. Meanwhile, for the third consecutive day, unknown gunmen have targeted SDF positions in Deir Ezzor countryside, despite the presence of coalition forces. On Monday, two assailants on a motorcycle fired at an SDF military vehicle near the town of al-Sour in northern Deir Ezzor, causing material damage but no casualties, according to an SDF military source and local residents. A similar attack on Sunday struck an SDF outpost in the nearby village of Ruwaished, leading to a brief exchange of fire but no injuries. On Saturday, the SDF reported one of its fighters was killed and another wounded when gunmen believed to be ISIS sympathizers attacked a vehicle in the village of al-Zar, east of Deir Ezzor.
Arab News
05-06-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Syria ‘will give UN inspectors immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites'
DAMASCUS: Syria's new government has agreed to give inspectors from the UN's nuclear watchdog access to suspected former nuclear sites immediately, the agency's head said. The International Atomic Energy Agency's director general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, spoke in an interview in Damascus, where he met with President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and other officials. He also said Al-Sharaa expressed an interest in pursuing nuclear energy for Syria in the future, adding, 'Why not?' The agency's aim is 'to bring total clarity over certain activities that took place in the past that were, in the judgment of the agency, probably related to nuclear weapons,' Grossi said. He described the new government as 'committed to opening up to the world, to international cooperation' and said he is hopeful of finishing the inspection process within months. An IAEA team in 2024 visited some sites of interest while former President Bashar Assad was still in power. Since the fall of Assad in December, the IAEA has been seeking to restore access to sites associated with Syria's nuclear program. Syria under Assad is believed to have operated an extensive clandestine nuclear program, which included an undeclared nuclear reactor built by North Korea in eastern Deir Ezzor province. The IAEA described the reactor as being 'not configured to produce electricity' — raising the concern that Damascus sought a nuclear weapon there by producing weapons-grade plutonium. The reactor site only became public knowledge after Israel, the Middle East's only nuclear power, launched airstrikes in 2007, destroying the facility. Syria later leveled the site and never responded fully to the IAEA's questions. Grossi said inspectors plan to return to the reactor in Deir Ezzor and three other related sites. Other sites under IAEA safeguards include a miniature neutron source reactor in Damascus and a facility in Homs that can process yellow-cake uranium. 'We are trying to narrow down the focus to those or that one that could be of a real interest,' he said. While there are no indications that there have been releases of radiation from the sites, he said, the watchdog is concerned that 'enriched uranium can be lying somewhere and could be reused, could be smuggled, could be trafficked.' He said Al-Sharaa had shown a 'very positive disposition to talk to us and to allow us to carry out the activities we need to.' Apart from resuming inspections, Grossi said the IAEA is prepared to transfer equipment for nuclear medicine and to help rebuild the radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and oncology infrastructure in a health system severely weakened by nearly 14 years of civil war. 'And the president has expressed to me he's interested in exploring, in the future, nuclear energy as well,' Grossi said. Grossi said Syria would most likely be looking into small modular reactors, which are cheaper and easier to deploy than traditional large ones. Regarding the ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran for a deal over Tehran's nuclear program, Grossi said he has been in 'constant contact' with the parties. 'They are negotiating; it's not us, but it is obvious that the IAEA will have to be the guarantor of whichever agreement they come to,' he said.
The National
05-06-2025
- General
- The National
Syria to give UN inspectors immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites
Syria has agreed to give inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites, the group's director general has said. The UN nuclear watchdog aims to 'bring total clarity over certain activities that took place in the past that were, in the judgment of the agency, probably related to nuclear weapons", Rafael Grossi told the AP on Wednesday. He said the Syrian government, led by President Ahmad Al Shara, was 'committed to opening up to the world, to international co-operation', adding that he is hopeful of finishing the inspection process within the coming months. Mr Grossi's remarks came after he met Mr Al Shara and other officials in Damascus. Mr Grossi said the Syrian leader expressed an interest in pursuing nuclear energy for the country in the future, adding: 'Why not?' An IAEA team visited some sites of interest in 2024, while former president Bashar Al Assad was in power. Since the downfall of his regime in December, the IAEA has sought to secure access to sites associated with Syria's nuclear programme. Under Mr Al Assad, Syria was believed to have operated an extensive clandestine nuclear programme, which included an undeclared reactor built by North Korea in the eastern Deir Ezzor province. The IAEA said the reactor was 'not configured to produce electricity', raising concerns that Damascus sought to develop a nuclear weapon there. The reactor site only became public knowledge after Israel launched air strikes that destroyed the facility in 2007. Syria later levelled the site and did not respond fully to questions from the IAEA. Mr Grossi said inspectors planned to return to the reactor facility in Deir Ezzor, as well as to three other related sites. Other areas under IAEA safeguards include a miniature neutron source reactor in Damascus and a facility in Homs that can process yellow cake uranium. 'We are trying to narrow down the focus to those or that one that could be of a real interest,' he said. While he said there were no indications that radiation had been released from the sites, the agency is concerned that 'enriched uranium can be lying somewhere and could be reused, could be smuggled, could be trafficked". He said Mr Al Shara, who has courted western governments since taking power, had shown a 'very positive disposition to talk to us and to allow us to carry out the activities we need to". Apart from resuming inspections in Syria, Mr Grossi said the IAEA was prepared to transfer equipment for nuclear medicine and to help rebuild radiotherapy and oncology infrastructure in a healthcare system severely weakened by 14 years of civil war. 'And the President has expressed to me that he's interested in exploring, in the future, nuclear energy as well,' added Mr Grossi. Several countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan, are pursuing nuclear energy in some form. Mr Grossi said Syria was likely to look into small modular reactors, which are cheaper and easier to use than traditional large reactors.
Arab News
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
IAEA head in Damascus to discuss nuclear power
DAMASCUS: UN nuclear watchdog head Rafael Grossi said Wednesday his agency and Syrian authorities would begin 'exploring the possibility of nuclear power,' on his first visit to Damascus since the ouster of Bashar Assad. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly been at loggerheads with Syria in the past over what it says are 'unresolved issues' regarding suspected nuclear activities. On his visit, the IAEA chief met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani. 'Honoured to meet Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Damascus. I recognize his courage in cooperating with full transparency to close a chapter of Syria's past that diverted resources necessary for development,' Grossi said in a post on X. He said the two sides 'will also begin exploring the possibility of nuclear power in Syria.' 'Our cooperation is key to closing outstanding issues and focusing on the much needed help IAEA can provide Syria in health and agriculture,' he added. The IAEA has urged Syria repeatedly to cooperate fully with the agency in connection to a suspected nuclear reactor at the Deir Ezzor desert site. Israel in 2018 admitted carrying out a top-secret air raid in 2007 against what it said was a nuclear reactor under construction at the site in eastern Syria. Syria had denied it was building a nuclear reactor. Grossi visited Damascus in March last year, meeting then president Assad who was overthrown in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. Grossi told an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in March this year that he had requested Syria's cooperation to 'fulfil our obligation to verify nuclear material and facilities' and to 'address unresolved issues.' 'Clarifying these issues remains essential to Syria demonstrating its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and international peace and security,' he said at the time.
Asharq Al-Awsat
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
One SDF Fighter Killed in Attack by ISIS in Eastern Syria
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a group led by Kurdish fighters, said on Monday that one of its fighters was killed and another injured in an attack by ISIS in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor region. The SDF was the main fighting force allied to the United States in Syria during fighting that defeated ISIS in 2019 after the group seized swathes of Syria and Iraq. The SDF reached an agreement in March to integrate with the Syrian government, now led by former opposition groups that toppled President Bashar al-Assad last year. Syria's new authorities have clashed with ISIS fighters, particularly in the east. Last month ISIS killed five SDF fighters in one of the deadliest recent attacks against the group.
