Latest news with #Jableh
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
Israel strikes western Syria, civilian reported killed
Israel on Friday struck western Syria, the Israeli military and Syrian state media said, with one civilian reportedly killed in the first such attack on the country in nearly a month. It came after Damascus announced earlier this month indirect talks with Israel to calm tensions, and the United States called for a 'non-aggression agreement' between the two countries, which are technically at war. 'A strike from Israeli occupation aircraft targeted sites close to the village of Zama in the Jableh countryside south of Latakia,' state television said. State news agency SANA reported one civilian was killed 'as a result of an Israeli occupation airstrike targeting the vicinity of Zama.' The Israeli military said it had 'struck weapon storage facilities containing coastal missiles that posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation, in the Latakia area of Syria.' 'In addition, components of surface-to-air missiles were struck,' it said, adding it would 'continue to operate to maintain freedom of action in the region, in order to carry out its missions and will act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens.' The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights meanwhile reported that jets likely to be Israeli struck military sites on the outskirts of Tartus and Latakia. Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and has carried out hundreds of strikes and several incursions since the overthrow of longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December. Israel says its strikes aim to stop advanced weapons reaching Syria's new authorities, whom it considers extremists.
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Israel strikes western Syria, civilian reported killed
A Syrian flag lies on the ground as opposition fighters stand on the tarmac of the Aleppo international airport, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.(Omar Albam / The Associated Press) Damascus, Syria — Israel on Friday struck western Syria, the Israeli military and Syrian state media said, with one civilian reportedly killed in the first such attack on the country in nearly a month. It came after Damascus announced earlier this month indirect talks with Israel to calm tensions, and the United States called for a 'non-aggression agreement' between the two countries, which are technically at war. 'A strike from Israeli occupation aircraft targeted sites close to the village of Zama in the Jableh countryside south of Latakia,' state television said. State news agency SANA reported one civilian was killed 'as a result of an Israeli occupation airstrike targeting the vicinity of Zama'. The Israeli military said it had 'struck weapon storage facilities containing coastal missiles that posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation, in the Latakia area of Syria'. 'In addition, components of surface-to-air missiles were struck,' it said, adding it would 'continue to operate to maintain freedom of action in the region, in order to carry out its missions and will act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens'. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights meanwhile reported that jets likely to be Israeli struck military sites on the outskirts of Tartus and Latakia. Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and has carried out hundreds of strikes and several incursions since the overthrow of longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December. Israel says its strikes aim to stop advanced weapons reaching Syria's new authorities, whom it considers jihadists.
Arab News
3 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Israel strikes western Syria, despite talks
DAMASCUS: Israel on Friday struck western Syria, the Israeli military and Syrian state media said, in the first such attack on the country in nearly a month. It came after Damascus announced earlier this month indirect talks with Israel to calm tensions, and the US called for a 'non-aggression agreement' between the two countries, which are technically at war. 'A strike from Israeli occupation aircraft targeted sites close to the village of Zama in the Jableh countryside south of Latakia,' state television said. The Israeli military shortly thereafter said it 'struck weapon storage facilities containing coastal missiles that posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation, in the Latakia area of Syria.' 'In addition, components of surface-to-air missiles were struck in the area of Latakia,' it said, adding that it would 'continue to operate to maintain freedom of action in the region, in order to carry out its missions and will act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens.' The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights meanwhile reported that jets likely to be Israeli struck military sides on the outskirts of Tartus and Latakia. Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and has carried out hundreds of strikes and several incursions since the overthrow of Bashar Assad in December. Israel says its strikes aim to stop advanced weapons reaching Syria's new authorities, whom it considers jihadists.
The National
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Six Syrian Alawites killed in outbreak of sectarian violence
Gunmen have killed six Alawite civilians on the coast and in the interior of the country in the past 24 hours, sources in the community said on Sunday, days after Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara discussed protecting the country's minorities during a visit to France. France, the first western nation to receive Mr Al Shara as President, has been at the forefront of a European drive to ease sanctions on Syria and provide recovery funds since Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, formerly linked to Al Qaeda, led a rebel offensive that toppled the regime last year. The country has been a major refugee destination for Syrians who fled the 14-year civil war. On Saturday evening, former rebels still allied with HTS, who had taken over an army compound in the coastal area Jableh after the toppling of Bashar Al Assad, drove through the Alawite countryside area of Zama and killed four people, including an eighth grader, according to Mohammad Al Zuaiter, an Alawite civil figure who has been tracking sectarian killings. 'It was a drive-by shooting – their way of projecting power ' said Mr Al Zuaiter, who was a political prisoner for years during the rule of Bashar Al Assad and his father Hafez. Coastal areas comprise the heartland of the Alawites, the same sect as that former president Mr Al Assad. In the mixed city of Homs, residents reported the killing of two taxi drivers on Saturday after their cabs were stopped by unidentified gunmen. The two men were from Karm Sham Al Shams, an Alawite neighbourhood on the edge of Homs. International calls to protect Syria's minorities intensified after two mass killings against Alawites and Druze communities in the past two months. Ethnic and religious minorities comprise about a quarter of the population in the Sunni majority country. Their members have been generally wary of an eventual imposition of Islamist rule under the new HTS order. On Wednesday French President Emmanuel Macron told Mr Al Shara the new authorities must protect 'all Syrians without exception. Mr Al Shara said the state is committed to persecute any perpetrators but that the incidents have to be first investigated. Mr Zuaiter said although the coast has 'somewhat stabilised', Alawites are living in fear with continued killings, as well as abductions. 'The international attention may have helped lessen the killings but many [Alawites] are seeking to escape to Lebanon or to Europe,' he said, referring to the abduction of three Alawite men at the weekend in Astamu, a village north of Jableh. Last month, more than 100 members of the Druze community were killed in Syria after a fake video of a Druze Sheikh being derogatory of the Prophet Mohammed surfaced, according to war monitor the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. On March 7 and 8, about 1,300 Alawite civilians were killed in connection with a military campaign by the government and allied militias to subdue the coastal area, which was met with ambushes. The Alawites, who comprised 8 per cent to 10 per cent of Syria's 22 million population in 2010, were a major reservoir for regime troops, especially during the civil war. The Druze, who comprised 3 per cent, remained on the sidelines until the last 14 months of Mr Al Assad's rule when they mounted a protest movement demanding an end to the regime.
The National
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Six Syrian Alawites killed in continuing sectarian violence
Gunmen have killed six Alawite civilians on the coast and in the interior of the country in the past 24 hours, sources in the community said on Sunday, days after Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara discussed protecting the country's minorities during a visit to France. France, the first western nation to receive Mr Al Shara as President, has been at the forefront of a European drive to ease sanctions on Syria and provide recovery funds since Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, formerly linked to Al Qaeda, led a rebel offensive that toppled the regime last year. The country has been a major refugee destination for Syrians who fled the 14-year civil war. On Saturday evening, former rebels still allied with HTS, who had taken over an army compound in the coastal area Jableh after the toppling of Bashar Al Assad, drove through the Alawite countryside area of Zama and killed four people, including an eighth grader, according to Mohammad Al Zuaiter, an Alawite civil figure who has been tracking sectarian killings. 'It was a drive-by shooting – their way of projecting power ' said Mr Al Zuaiter, who was a political prisoner for years during the rule of Bashar Al Assad and his father Hafez. Coastal areas comprise the heartland of the Alawites, the same sect as that former president Mr Al Assad. In the mixed city of Homs, residents reported the killing of two taxi drivers on Saturday after their cabs were stopped by unidentified gunmen. The two men were from Karm Sham Al Shams, an Alawite neighbourhood on the edge of Homs. International calls to protect Syria's minorities intensified after two mass killings against Alawites and Druze communities in the past two months. Ethnic and religious minorities comprise about a quarter of the population in the Sunni majority country. Their members have been generally wary of an eventual imposition of Islamist rule under the new HTS order. On Wednesday French President Emmanuel Macron told Mr Al Shara that the new authorities must protect 'all Syrians without exception. Mr Al Shara said the state is committed to persecute any perpetrators but that the incidents have to be first investigated. Mr Zuaiter said that although the coast has 'somewhat stabilised', the Alawites are living in fear. with continued killing, as well as abductions followed by the disappearances of many. 'The international attention may have helped lessen the killings but many [Alawites] are seeking to escape to Lebanon or to Europe,' he said, quoting the abduction of three Alawite men this weekend in Astamu, a village north of Jableh. Last month, more than a 100 members of the Druze community were killed in Syria after a fake video of a Druze Sheikh derogatory of the Prophet Mohammed, according to tally by war monitor, the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. On 7 and 8 March, 1,300 Alawite civilians were killed in connection with a military campaign by the government and allied militias to subdue the coast, which was met with ambushes. The Alawites, who comprised 8 to 10 per cent of Syria's 22 million population in 2010, were a major reservoir for regime troops, especially during the civil war. The Druze, who comprised 3 per cent, remained on the sidelines until the last 14 months of Mr Al Assad's rule when they mounted a protest movement demanding an end to the regime.
