Latest news with #Kurdish-held
Rudaw Net
24-04-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
UK lifts sanctions on Syrian ministries, intelligence agencies
Also in Syria Kurdish forces arrest 20 ISIS affiliates, foil mass escape attempt from al-Hol camp: Asayish Rojava parties to hold intra-Kurdish conference Saturday Attacks on civilians, restrictions have eased in Rojava: UN official US to establish two military bases in Kurdish-held areas of Syria: Rojava official ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The United Kingdom on Thursday lifted sanctions imposed on Syrian ministries, intelligence agencies and state-affiliated media outlets, during the rule of toppled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. In an official notice, the UK's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) announced the removal of the Syrian Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, General Intelligence Directorate, Air Force Intelligence Agency and Political Security Directorate, Syrian National Security Bureau, Military Intelligence Directorate, and the Army Supply Bureau from the UK Consolidated List. Sanctions were also lifted on several Syria media outlets, including the General Organization of Radio and TV, al-Watan, Cham Press TV and Sama TV. Of note, the UK Consolidated List is an official list of all individuals, entities, and ships that are subject to financial sanctions under UK law. These sanctions include asset freezes, investment bans and restrictions on financial services. The UK initially imposed these sanctions in 2019 'under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018' to penalize 'individuals and entities involved in repressing the civilian population in Syria' during the 2011 uprising against Assad, as well as those who 'supported or benefited' from his regime. This latest move follows a similar decision in early March, when the UK removed sanctions on Syria's central bank and 23 other Syrian entities in the banking, commercial, and oil sectors, whose assets had been frozen for six years. London's early March decision aligned with the European Union, which in late February lifted sanctions imposed on several restrictive measures targeting key energy and transport sectors, as well as a number of Syrian banks and sectors, including the Industrial Bank, Popular Credit Bank, Saving Bank, Agricultural Cooperative Bank, and the Syrian Arab Airlines. The UK also included these entities in its sanctions relief list. However, the EU cautioned that it would reimpose sanctions if Syria's new leadership fails to form an inclusive government representing the country's diverse ethnic and religious communities, as noted by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The diplomatic shifts come after the swift overthrow of the Assad regime by a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in early December. In late January, HTS then leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was appointed as Syria's interim president. The new Syrian government has since urged Western nations to lift sanctions, arguing they obstruct aid delivery and hinder post-war recovery efforts after more than a decade of civil conflict.
Rudaw Net
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Kurdish forces arrest 20 ISIS affiliates, foil mass escape attempt from al-Hol camp: Asayish
Also in Syria Rojava parties to hold intra-Kurdish conference Saturday Attacks on civilians, restrictions have eased in Rojava: UN official US to establish two military bases in Kurdish-held areas of Syria: Rojava official German diplomat meets Rojava officials over Damascus talks, US pullout A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Twenty Islamic State (ISIS) militants were arrested during a six-day operation by Kurdish forces at the notorious al-Hol camp in northeast Syria (Rojava), the Kurdish forces announced on Wednesday. The internal security forces (Asayish) in Rojava stated that 'to ensure security and stability and confront the growing threats posed by terrorist cells and remnants of ISIS,' Kurdish forces have 'completed a security operation inside al-Hol Camp,' which led to 'arrest of 20 ISIS members and collaborators.' The operation also dismantled 'a dangerous ISIS cell that had been coordinating with other cells to carry out terrorist activities.' The Kurdish forces additionally seized 'three Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol, several magazines and rounds of ammunition, in addition to military equipment.' Alongside the Asayish, the operation saw the participation of the Women's Internal Security Forces, the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) and the support of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Kurdish forces further thwarted 'a coordinated mass escape attempt involving cells inside and outside the camp.' Al-Hol and Roj camps in northeastern Syria primarily house individuals with suspected ISIS affiliations. These camps are managed by the Kurdish-led SDF and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), with support from international organizations. Al-Hol is the larger of the two, currently housing 34,927 individuals linked to ISIS, including 15,861 Syrians, 15,681 Iraqis, and 6,385 third-country nationals, according to data obtained by Rudaw English in mid-April. Meanwhile, Roj camp houses around 2,000 individuals, primarily women and children associated with ISIS. Kurdish forces have long warned of the growing threat posed by ISIS, particularly within these camps. On Wednesday the Asayish stated that the recent 'military and political' developments in the region, 'have given ISIS cells the opportunity to increase their movement and carry out terrorist acts.' They urged the international community to assume responsibility in addressing the issue of these camps and to support AANES in 'effectively and safely managing this complex dossier.' ISIS captured vast swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory in 2014, and lost control over much of them by 2019, but its sleeper cells continue to pose a security threat. Following a swift offensive in December, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) toppled the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. ISIS has tried to take advantage of the changing security landscape in Syria after the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad. SDF chief Mazloum Abdi in mid-January noted that 10,000 ISIS fighters are imprisoned in Syria, 2,000 of whom are considered "highly dangerous." He stressed the 'need to intensify efforts to continue the fight against ISIS if we don't want to see it make a comeback.'
Rudaw Net
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Attacks on civilians, restrictions have eased in Rojava: UN official
Also in Syria Rojava parties to hold intra-Kurdish conference Saturday US to establish two military bases in Kurdish-held areas of Syria: Rojava official German diplomat meets Rojava officials over Damascus talks, US pullout 16 ISIS suspects detained in Rojava's al-Hol camp A+ A- NEW YORK, United States - Attacks on civilians and infrastructure have eased in northeast Syria (Rojava) following a series of agreements between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syria's interim government, a United Nations official said on Monday. This comes as efforts to restore essential services and facilitate the return of displaced Kurds gain momentum. 'What I sense is that certainly the attacks affecting civilians and infrastructure, as in the northeast, have receded, and movement restrictions have eased in parts of Aleppo city,' David Carden, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, told Rudaw during an online press briefing. The SDF, de facto army of Rojava, reached an agreement with Syria's interim leadership earlier this month. The deal included a prisoner swap and laid the foundation for joint security oversight in Aleppo city, covering the northern Kurdish-majority neighborhoods previously held by the People's Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF. This agreement builds on a landmark March deal between Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF chief Mazloum Abdi to integrate the SDF into Syria's state institutions. 'The good news is that the repairs… to Tishreen Dam, the repairs are happening and ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] and UNICEF are a part of that, and this is absolutely critical because it will enable the restoration of water and electricity to more than 400,000 people in east and Aleppo,' Carden said. Tishreen Dam, located on the Euphrates River, has been a strategic target of Turkish military campaigns since November. Turkey and Turkish-backed Syrian militias have sought to seize control of the dam to gain access to other SDF-held areas. At least 20 civilians have been killed by Turkish drone strikes in the surrounding region. In a bid to halt further attacks, the SDF and the new Syrian leadership in Damascus are in talks to transfer control of the dam to government-affiliated forces. The attacks have ceased for weeks amid these negotiations. In an interview with Al-Monitor this week, Abdi said that under the proposed framework, the dam will remain under the management of its current technical staff. Meanwhile, SDF forces will withdraw and station themselves eight kilometers away, while Damascus-aligned troops act as a buffer zone between the SDF and Turkish-backed groups. 'Thousands of people displaced in the northeast are preparing to return to Afrin,' Carden added. In early April, Azad Osman, a member of Afrin's local council, told Rudaw that Damascus-affiliated security forces had started assuming control of the Kurdish city of Afrin in northwest Syria, as militia groups and settlers began to withdraw. Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch in March 2018, capturing Afrin from the YPG and placing it under the control of Turkish-backed armed groups. Since then, these groups have ruled with broad impunity. Kurds displaced by the 2018 invasion have increasingly returned to Afrin following the weakening of Turkish-backed forces and the entry of Damascus-affiliated security forces. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, told Rudaw on Monday that Guterres' message 'is about creating new structures in Syria that are representative of the mosaic that is the Syrian people, to ensure that there is accountability, to ensure that voices are heard.' In early April, Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed a 23-member cabinet that included four members from minority groups. However, the cabinet appointments sparked criticism from some ethnic and religious communities, who said they were not consulted in the process. Several cabinet members have also been blacklisted by the UN and the United States for alleged ties to extremist armed groups. The new leadership came under further scrutiny in early March after violence in the Alawite-majority coastal areas of western Syria left around 1,500 people dead - mostly Alawite civilians - according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The deaths were largely attributed to the government or affiliated forces. In late March, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told Rudaw that Berlin's support for the interim government in Damascus depends on its commitment to a democratic and inclusive political process, a stance echoed by other Western powers.
Rudaw Net
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Rojava parties to hold intra-Kurdish conference Saturday
Also in Syria Attacks on civilians, restrictions have eased in Rojava: UN official US to establish two military bases in Kurdish-held areas of Syria: Rojava official German diplomat meets Rojava officials over Damascus talks, US pullout 16 ISIS suspects detained in Rojava's al-Hol camp A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish ruling and opposition parties in northeast Syria (Rojava) will hold the highly anticipated intra-Kurdish conference on Saturday, top Kurdish leader announced on Tuesday. 'We are pleased to announce to our people that the conference "Unity of Kurdish Position in Rojava" will be held on April 26. Kurdish unity is a national necessity for resolving the Kurdish people's cause in Syria,' Mazloum Abdi, chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said on X. 'We hope that all parties will fulfill their national responsibility. On this occasion, we thank all parties who have helped in taking this step and wish success for the conference's efforts,' he added. Representatives from the main opposition umbrella groups, the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), and the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD) as well as other Kurdish groups will take part in the conference. The event was initially scheduled for late last month or early April but was postponed for unknown reasons. The ENKS said in a statement on Tuesday that it hopes the conference will mark a "turning point toward a new phase of constructive cooperation" between Kurdish parties in Rojava and "enhance trust with the popular base." Rojava's political landscape shifted significantly following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December, prompting rival Kurdish coalitions in Rojava to accelerate unity talks. In January, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani hosted a landmark meeting in Erbil with Abdi Abdi to advance the dialogue. The PYD has since engaged in negotiations with the ENKS. Talks have been facilitated by members of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), particularly the United States and France. In its Tuesday statement, the ENKS thanked Barzani and Abdi for their efforts to unify Kurdish position in Rojava. In 2015, PYD and ENKS signed a historic agreement mediated by Barzani in the Kurdistan Region's Duhok province to reduce tensions and establish a power-sharing arrangement in Rojava. However, the deal was never implemented, with both sides accusing each other of undermining the process and trading harsh rhetoric, including allegations of betrayal. Updated at 11:17 am with ENKS statement.
Rudaw Net
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
US to establish two military bases in Kurdish-held areas of Syria: Rojava official
Also in Syria German diplomat meets Rojava officials over Damascus talks, US pullout 16 ISIS suspects detained in Rojava's al-Hol camp US warns of potential attacks in Syria SDF, US-led coalition discuss future of Tishreen Dam A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States plans to relocate its troops in Syria to two new military bases, one near Turkey-held areas and another on the Syria-Iraq border and maintain at least 400 soldiers in Kurdish-held areas, an official from the northeast Syria (Rojava) administration in Washington DC said on Monday. Bassam Ishaq, a US-based member of the Syrian Democratic Council's Presidential Council, told Rudaw's Nalin Hassan that the US is carrying out a 'relocation of positions,' opening a new base 'in northern Syria near the Tishreen Dam,' with another to be established 'near the Syrian-Iraqi border in the southeast, close to Deir ez-Zor.' The SDC is the political wing of the Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Tishreen Dam, located on the Euphrates River, has been a key target in a military campaign launched by Turkey and Turkish-backed Syrian militias since November. The aim has been to seize control of the strategic site, facilitating access to other SDF-held territories. At least 20 civilians have been killed in Turkish drone strikes on the area. The SDF and the new government in Damascus are in talks to hand over the control of the dam to forces affiliated with the Syrian government in a bid to end attacks by militants, which have ceased for weeks. Regarding the drawdown of US troops, Ishaq emphasized that the reduction is 'tactical' and 'gradual,' but will stop at a floor of 400 soldiers. He noted that decision-makers in Washington DC are constrained by a congressional provision prohibiting any reduction below that threshold. A provision in the Senate Armed Services Committee's version of the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bars the Secretary of Defense from reducing US troop levels in northeast Syria below 400 unless the Pentagon certifies that local partner forces are independently capable of degrading and defeating the Islamic State (ISIS) threats and can detain ISIS members effectively and humanely. A statement from Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell on Friday said that they were consolidating 'to select locations in Syria,' but that US forces 'will remain poised to continue strikes against the remnants of ISIS in Syria.' 'The issue is not only related to the SDF and the new administration in Damascus,' Ishaq said. 'It extends to regional security in the area. At present, there will be no complete withdrawal of US military forces from Syria.' A senior US official, speaking to The New York Times on condition of anonymity, said on Tuesday that commanders will assess whether additional downsizing will be made on top of the announced ones, noting that the commanders have already recommended keeping 500 troops in Syria. 'The United States aims at downsizing its forces to below one thousand in the next two or three months,' a US defense official told Rudaw on Friday. The US increased its troop numbers in Syria from 900 to around 2,000 after a coalition of Islamist rebels led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ousted Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8. The White House described the deployment as a temporary measure to prevent ISIS from regaining a foothold in the country. Despite the uptick, US President Donald Trump said in February, 'We're not involved in Syria. Syria's its own mess… They don't need us involved,' adding that a 'determination' on troop levels would be made later, without providing further details. US forces in Syria remain the main backers of the SDF, which territorially defeated ISIS in 2019, ending the group's so-called caliphate. SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi has repeatedly warned that a premature US withdrawal could enable an ISIS resurgence. Kurdish forces in northeast Syria fear that ISIS may be regrouping, exploiting instability following the decline of Assad's regime and the shifting dynamics in the country. On March 10, the SDF reached an agreement with new authorities in Damascus to integrate into the Syrian national armed forces. According to Ishaq, negotiations are ongoing over logistical matters related to how the institutions of the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) will be integrated into those of the new Syrian state. 'The same applies to the military issue,' he added, referring to discussions about integrating the SDF into the Syrian Ministry of Defense.
