Latest news with #PresidencyoftheRepublic
Roya News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
Syrian presidency condemns "Israeli" strike on palace as 'dangerous escalation'
The Syrian presidency strongly condemned the bombing that targeted the presidential palace on Thursday, holding the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) responsible for what it called a "dangerous escalation" and a "violation of the state's sovereignty and institutions." The attack, it said, was a sign of "reckless actions aimed at destabilizing the country and worsening its security crises." In an official statement, the presidency affirmed that the strike "targets national security and the unity of the Syrian people," calling on the international community and Arab nations to "stand with Syria in the face of these aggressions that violate international laws and conventions." The statement added, "The Presidency of the Republic calls on Arab countries to unify their positions and express their full support for Syria in confronting these attacks, in a manner that ensures the preservation of Arab peoples' rights to resist Israeli aggressive practices." The Syrian presidency stressed that these aggressions "will not succeed in weakening the will of the Syrian people" or hindering its efforts "to achieve stability and peace across all regions." It noted that the competent security agencies are "continuing the necessary investigations to pursue those responsible for these attacks," and that the state "will continue to act firmly to prevent any threats to the homeland and its citizens." The presidency reiterated its call for "all parties to commit to dialogue and cooperation within the framework of national unity," and to confront "all attempts at disruption aimed at prolonging the crisis." It affirmed that "Syria is moving forward on the path of reconstruction and revival, and the wheels of reform will not stop no matter the challenges."
Ya Libnan
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
The decision over the monopoly of arms by the state has been made and will be implemented, President Aoun says
President Aoun said on Monday that the decision over the monopoly of arms by the state has been made and that messages were exchanged with Hezbollah to address the issue , and will be implemented through dialogue. Aoun confirmed, in an interview with Al Jazeera, that 'the army is doing its duty and is ready to bear the responsibility of controlling the borders, and pressure must be put on Israel to comply.' 'The dialogue on arms exclusivity will be bilateral between the Presidency of the Republic and Hezbollah, ' he added stressing that the decision will be made by the state . The President pointed out that 'the army's achievements are significant, and tunnels and ammunition depots have been found south and north of the Litani River,' adding, 'The army is doing its duty south of the Litani River, dismantling tunnels and confiscating weapons without objection from Hezbollah.' He stressed that 'there are no specific numbers, but there is no control in the sense of control, but it has been cleared of weapons and ammunition, and everything published about numbers is not accurate.' He added, 'I was contacted when I was in France about the issue of the missile launch, and the incident is now being followed up and fingerprints have been taken, but it can be said that Hezbollah is not behind the incident, and uncovering the issue requires time.' He praised 'the position of the Shiite Islamic Council when it condemned this incident, and this is an important and appreciated step that has its implications.' He pointed out that 'the number of army brigades is increasing and its capabilities are also increasing, but it has not been deployed to all points in the south due to the Israeli army's deployment in 5 points,' adding, 'North of the Litani River, the army is carrying out all its duties, as well as within the existing Palestinian camps.' He added: 'Hezbollah is aware of Lebanon's interests, and international and regional circumstances support this, and I am counting on its awareness of Lebanon's interests.' He reiterated: 'There are exchanged messages with Hezbollah to address the issue of the state's monopoly on weapons.' He continued, 'The army's mission is greatly facilitated south of the Litani River, and this is a good indicator.' Regarding the issue of reconstruction, he said, 'We must implement economic reforms, and all the focus is now on this issue.' He considered that 'the issue of Hezbollah's weapons does not necessarily have to be linked to the negotiations between Iran and the United States, but there is no doubt that the results of the negotiations could impact events in the region and in Lebanon.' President Aoun added, 'We support the principle of forming a civil-military committee to demarcate the land border, with the exception of the Shebaa Farms issue.' Lebanon stands at a crossroads. After years of suffering under Hezbollah's grip, the country finally has a chance to move toward stability and sovereignty, according to analysts and this moment demands courage and clarity by President Aoun , not caution and compromise. Hezbollah has never given a damn about the security or sovereignty of Lebanon. Its track record of violating national consensus and dragging the country into foreign wars speaks for itself. Hezbollah's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah pledged allegiance to Iran and its Supreme leader Ali Khamanei in 2019, while his ally former president Michel Aoun was sitting in the Baabda palace. El Nashra/ YL
Iraqi News
16-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
The Presidency of the Republic: The Halabja tragedy calls on us to urge the international community to prevent the proliferation of WMD
Baghdad-INA The Presidency of the Republic commemorated the chemical weapons attack on the city of Halabja on Sunday, while urging the international community to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). A statement from the Presidency of the Republic received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) said, "On this day, we recall with deep pain and sadness the most heinous crime in contemporary history when the dictatorial regime committed the crime of bombing the steadfast city of Halabja with internationally prohibited chemical weapons." The statement explained, "This brutal crime, which resulted in the martyrdom and injury of thousands of children, women, and the elderly and the destruction of numerous Kurdish villages, reflects the extent of the tyranny and injustice practiced by the former regime against defenseless Kurdish citizens in particular and the Iraqi people in general." It continued, "The Halabja tragedy calls on us today to move forward in consolidating the democratic experience in our country, and to urge the international community to prevent the proliferation of internationally prohibited weapons of mass destruction, end wars and conflicts, and establish security and peace in the region and the world. We also emphasize the importance of international cooperation and coordination to document these crimes committed against citizens, as a witness to the crimes committed by dictatorial regimes against innocent people." He pointed out that "commemorating this anniversary calls upon us to join efforts to immortalize this memory so that it remains prominent in the memory of future generations," stressing that "national and humanitarian responsibility calls upon us to urge the relevant authorities to expedite the transformation of Halabja into a governorate and to complete the legislative steps by the House of Representatives."
Al Jazeera
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Syria's al-Sharaa launches probe into deadly clashes, vows accountability
Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has launched an investigation after hundreds of people were killed in fighting between security forces and fighters loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous. 'We announce the formation of a fact-finding committee regarding the events on the coast and form a higher committee,' al-Sharaa said in an address to the nation on Sunday following days of violent unrest. The Syrian leader said that the country was confronting attempts to drag it into a civil war. In his speech, al-Sharaa said that 'remnants of the former regime' had no choice but to surrender immediately as he vowed to hold accountable 'anyone involved in civilian bloodshed'. The Syrian presidency earlier announced that an 'independent committee' had been formed to 'investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible for them', adding that the perpetrators would be referred to court. 'The Committee has the right to use whoever it deems appropriate to perform its duties, and submit its report to the Presidency of the Republic within a maximum period of thirty days from the date of issuance of this decision,' the presidency's statement read. Latakia. 'Qardahah is symbolically an extremely important [city], because it is the birthplace of the al-Assad regime,' said Serdar, reporting from Damascus. 'But one of the critical locations … is Baniyas, in Tartous. Banias is home to the largest oil refinery in Syria, and the security forces are saying that remnants of the old regime [have] several times attempted to attack that oil refinery,' he added. The violence in Banias came despite a call for peace by al-Sharaa earlier on Sunday. Serdar said that Syrian security forces have reported a loss of 230 of their own personnel, while the majority of those killed have been civilians. Deadly clashes The fighting began after the pro-Assad fighters coordinated attacks on security forces on Thursday. The attacks spiralled into revenge killings as thousands of armed supporters of Syria's new leadership went to the coastal areas to support the security forces. The clashes – which London-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said had already killed 1,000 people, mostly civilians – continued for a fourth day on Sunday. Syrians have circulated graphic videos of executions of civilians. Al Jazeera has been unable to independently verify the casualty figures. In the face of the clashes, al-Sharaa urged 'national unity' as he reassured a crowd at a mosque in his childhood neighbourhood of Mezzeh, in Damascus. 'We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace. We can live together,' the president said. 'Rest assured about Syria, this country has the characteristics for survival … What is currently happening in Syria is within the expected challenges.' 'A major setback' United Nations rights chief Volker Turk demanded prompt investigations into the killings and said those responsible must be held to account. Turk said announcements by the country's authorities to respect the law need to be followed by action to protect Syrians and to ensure accountability for abuses. According to Labib al-Nahhas, a Syrian opposition politician and activist, the violence is 'a major setback' for post-Assad Syria. 'What happened right now is a highly sophisticated, coordinated attack, instigated and supported by Iran and Hezbollah, according to data and intel that is available,' al-Nahhas told Al Jazeera. 'Iran, which is looking for new leverage in Syria … they are counting on the sectarian and religious tension that exists in Syria due to six decades of the Syrian regime. But this is where the new authorities have a chance to show a different kind of tone and way.' The new government must build 'a strong national, unified front' – the cornerstone of which 'would be a new transitional government that is truly inclusive, not [just] lip service', al-Nahhas said. 'It's the responsibility not only of the authorities, but also the entire Syrian society, to really focus on the positives, on the common ground.' Regional stability Jordan, meanwhile, hosted a regional conference on Sunday to discuss issues facing Syria such as security, reconstruction and refugees. Top officials from Turkiye, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon joined the meeting in the Jordanian capital Amman. 'All of those countries sharing a border with Syria have a vested interest that there is stability and security for the new administration and for the Syrian people,' said Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman. 'For example, stability in Syria means that the millions of refugees that Turkiye and Jordan are hosting can return voluntarily to Syria,' she added. 'If there is stability and the rule of law and a united Syria, then Iraq can have more comfort in the fight against ISIS [ISIL]…. If there is stability and security, Jordan can also be more comfortable in the fight against drug trafficking, which has created a crisis for the Jordanian government.' Al-Assad's overthrow in December ended more than five decades of dynastic rule by his family, which was marked by severe repression and a devastating war that erupted in 2011 after peaceful anti-government protests were met with a brutal security crackdown. Tens of thousands of Syrians were killed and millions were forced to flee the country or displaced internally as Syria descended into war.
Iraqi News
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
The President affirms Iraq's position in support of Lebanon's security and stability
President of the Republic Abdul Latif Rashid affirmed on Tuesday Iraq's firm position towards Lebanon in supporting everything that preserves its security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and achieves the interests of its people. "Within the framework of his participation in the emergency Arab summit held in Cairo, President of the Republic Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid met on Tuesday March 4th, 2025, with Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun, and the accompanying delegation," said the media department of the Presidency of the Republic in a statement - received by the Iraqi News Agency - INA. The meeting was attended by Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein, Deputy PM of the Kurdistan Regional Government Qubad Talabani, Iraqi Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Arab League Qahtan Al-Janabi, and Advisor to the President of the Republic Mustafa Ghaleb Mikheif. The President renewed his congratulations to President Aoun on assuming the position of President of the Lebanese Republic, wishing him "success and prosperity and for the brotherly Lebanese people more stability and prosperity." "Relations between the two countries are important as well as the necessity of expanding the horizons of bilateral cooperation in a way that serves the common interests of the two peoples," he added, stressing "Iraq's firm position towards Lebanon in supporting everything that preserves its security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity and achieves the interests of its people". The media department of the Presidency of the Republic stated that "the meeting discussed the work of the emergency Arab summit and the decisions that will be issued to support the Palestinian people." Rashid stressed, "the importance of Arab countries having a unified and decisive position towards the Palestinian cause, renewing Iraq's condemnation of the barbarism of the aggression to which the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples were subjected and their right to live in safety and stability". In turn, President Aoun expressed his "thanks and appreciation for the President of the Republic's interest in developments in Lebanon and the region," stressing his "country's keenness to strengthen historical relations with Iraq and intensify bilateral cooperation in all fields."
