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Rudaw Net
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Damascus forms committee to probe Suwayda violence
Also in Syria US concerned groups remain out of Syrian government control Rojava donates $1 million to aid campaign for Syrian Druze Iraq repatriates over 230 families from Syria ISIS detention camp Kurdish-led forces dismantle suspected ISIS cell in al-Hol A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria's justice ministry on Thursday formed a judicial committee to investigate last month's deadly violence in Suwayda province that reportedly left more than 1,300 people dead. Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais, in a video message, said the committee was established 'from judicial and legal expertise to investigate the circumstances of the recent events and refer those involved to the judiciary.' The goal, he added, was to ensure 'the preservation of the rights of all citizens… and the protection of national unity and civil peace.' The committee is composed of seven members - four judges, two lawyers, and a brigadier general - and is expected to submit periodic updates, with a final report due within three months, according to the official decree. Clashes erupted on July 13 between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes in Suwayda. The violence quickly escalated with the involvement of Syrian government forces and Israeli airstrikes. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said at least 1,300 people were killed before a US-brokered ceasefire was declared. The committee's mandate includes uncovering the events that led to the violence, investigating alleged attacks and rights violations, and referring suspects to judicial authorities, state-run SANA reported. At a United Nations Security Council session on Monday, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen called for 'major course corrections' in the Syrian government's political and security strategies following the sectarian and intercommunal bloodshed. Pedersen said government forces sent to de-escalate the clashes were 'attacked' by Druze groups, but also cited 'extremely grave reports of serious violations by security forces against Druze civilians.' Documented abuses include 'extrajudicial executions, degrading treatment, desecration of corpses, looting, and destruction of property,' he said, adding that the clashes resulted in 'hundreds of casualties and injuries among security forces, Druze fighters, and, most tragically, civilians,' and estimated that around 175,000 people have been displaced. A fragile ceasefire remains in place. The Suwayda committee is similar to the investigative body formed in March after violence erupted in Syria's coastal provinces of Tartus, Latakia, and Hama - home to a majority Alawite population - where armed groups, many loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad, himself an Alawite, launched attacks on government-aligned forces. Damascus responded with force. According to SOHR, at least 1,700 people were killed in that wave of violence, most of them Alawite civilians. Many deaths were blamed on government and affiliated forces. In July, the committee's spokesperson Yasser al-Farhan said nearly 300 suspects had been identified and accused of crimes including 'murder, premeditated murder, looting, destruction and burning of homes, torture, and sectarian insults.' The committee confirmed the deaths of 1,426 people, most of them civilians, including 90 women. Another 238 army and security personnel were killed.
Rudaw Net
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Bedouin, Druze clashes kill 21, injure dozens in south Syria: War monitor
Also in Syria Rojava administration reiterates call for 'decentralized' Syria, constitutional overhaul Rojava ruling party rejects Damascus 'integration' as bid to 'dismantle' institutions Rojava official says concerned about hate speech, treason accusations after US envoy remarks Washington prioritizing unified Syria, not Kurdish autonomy: Former US diplomat A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least 21 people, including two children, have been killed and around 50 others injured in armed clashes between Bedouin tribes and members of the Druze community in Syria's southern Suwayda province, a war monitor reported on Sunday. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) relayed that 'the death toll from armed confrontations and mutual shelling in the al-Maqous neighborhood, east of Suwayda city, and other areas in the province has risen to 21, including two children' Among the fatalities are 17 members of the Druze community and four Bedouin tribesmen, all from Suwayda province, SOHR added. The monitor also noted that 'approximately 50 people have been injured, some of them critically, including children.' SOHR warned of the potential for further escalation, stating that 'dozens of [Druze] fighters from the Hauran region arrived in vehicles to back their kin.' Meanwhile, Suwayda24, a local outlet focused on southern Syria's Druze-majority province, on Sunday cited local security officials as the violence to 'a recent robbery on the Damascus-Suwayda road, which targeted a businessman,' sparking a series of retaliatory kidnappings between the two communities. Suwayda Governor Mustapha al-Bakkour has appealed for calm, urging all parties to "exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform." Several Druze spiritual leaders have echoed these calls, demanding de-escalation and intervention from Damascus to restore order. The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Sunday that internal security forces from neighboring Daraa province launched an "organized security deployment along the administrative borders' with Suwayda. The move aims to 'prevent the violence from spreading and to contain any fallout that could impact stability, especially in eastern rural Daraa.' Amid the violence, Syria's education ministry announced the postponement of Monday's secondary certificate exams in Suwayda, citing 'concerns for the safety of students and staff.' A new date will be set later, the ministry added. The current hostilities mark the most significant outbreak of deadly violence in Suwayda since earlier this year, when clashes between Druze groups and Damascus-affiliated security forces resulted in dozens of casualties. While local leaders are reportedly attempting to mediate the current situation, no official intervention has yet been announced.
Rudaw Net
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Syrian, Israeli officials meet in Baku: Sources
Also in Syria Rojava administration reiterates call for 'decentralized' Syria, constitutional overhaul Rojava ruling party rejects Damascus 'integration' as bid to 'dismantle' institutions Rojava official says concerned about hate speech, treason accusations after US envoy remarks Washington prioritizing unified Syria, not Kurdish autonomy: Former US diplomat A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Syrian and an Israeli official met in Baku on Saturday on the sidelines of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to Azerbaijan, a Damascus diplomatic source said. 'A meeting took place between a Syrian official and an Israeli official on the sidelines of Sharaa's visit to Baku,' the source told AFP, on the condition of anonymity. The meeting discussed 'the recent Israeli military presence in Syria,' according to the source, who added that Sharaa did not take part. It also came as Washington is trying to mend ties between the two countries. On May 14, President Donald Trump called on Sharaa to normalize ties with Israel during a meeting in Riyadh hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and attended remotely by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In a statement following the meeting, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time that Trump urged Sharaa to 'sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel.' The Abraham Accords are a series of normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab countries - beginning with the UAE and Bahrain in 2020 - brokered by the US during Trump's first term in office. These accords established formal ties in areas like diplomacy, security, and trade. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes on Syria in an effort to destroy Damascus's military stockpiles and prevent munitions and projectiles from falling into the hands of the new authorities, which Israeli authorities have described as 'extremists.' Israel has also sent troops across the border into a buffer zone east of the annexed Golan Heights, justifying the move as a precaution amid political instability in Syria. In late June, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said that Israel was interested in making peace and normalizing relations with Syria and Lebanon. But Damascus responded to the initiative and said that peace with Israel was 'premature,' and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Friday stressed that normalization with Israel 'is not currently part of Lebanese foreign policy.'
Rudaw Net
06-05-2025
- Climate
- Rudaw Net
Erbil to face more frequent dust storms: Researcher
Also in Kurdistan Fastlink, FIB launch partnership Rojava initiative aims to create a 'unique' generation Kurdish Islamic party politician sues Erbil parliament for not convening sessions Kurdish shepherd proves it is never too late to learn A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Dust storms are set to engulf Erbil more frequently and with greater intensity this year, a researcher warned on Monday, as Iraq faces accelerating desertification after a dry winter season. 'This year, dust storm waves in the Kurdistan Region, especially in Erbil, will be more frequent compared to previous years. This is because Erbil is located on the dust storm path between Iraq and the southwestern Mediterranean Sea,' Rebin Samad, head of the surveying department at Erbil Polytechnic University, told Rudaw. Samad explained that reduced rainfall this year has given way to nine dust storms in Erbil so far. 'More intense waves are predicted,' he added. On Monday, health officials told Rudaw that nearly 550 people had been hospitalized across Iraq in a single day as a severe dust storm swept through multiple provinces, causing widespread respiratory problems. Earlier in the day, Amer al-Jabri, spokesperson for Iraq's meteorology and seismology directorate, said the storm was strongest in Iraq's central and western areas, with a lower impact expected in the north. Wind speeds were reported between 30 and 50 kilometers per hour, reducing visibility to as low as four kilometers. In Kirkuk alone, the number of hospitalizations doubled on Tuesday to more than 200. "There are two types of dust storms. One is an intense wave that covers Erbil, like what has been recorded these days. The other type is just dust settling rather than direct exposure to the wave, which causes less damage and has fewer negative effects,' Samad explained. According to his research findings, the most impacted neighborhoods lie in the south and west of Erbil, particularly those between the Kirkuk-Erbil and Mosul-Erbil roads. Samad recommended that an Erbil green belt initiative be prioritized in the southern part of the city, where the risk and damage are greatest. Samad explained that Iraq's weather is influenced by patterns in the northwestern Mediterranean, and Erbil acts as a corridor for dust waves moving through Iraq, making central Erbil particularly vulnerable. He further lamented that 41 percent of Iraq is now desert, and climate change is worsening the situation. A drop in rainfall and vegetation has caused a yearly decline in the number of date palms, further intensifying dust storm conditions. With desertification increasingly taking its toll on Iraq, the researcher warned that agricultural land and inhabited areas could soon be threatened unless urgent climate measures are undertaken. Dust storms are a familiar seasonal challenge in Iraq, but their frequency and intensity have worsened due to long-term drought, expanding desertification, and rising temperatures. In mid-April, over 3,700 people were admitted to hospitals across the country due to breathing difficulties caused by dust storms. The United Nations has urged immediate action to tackle Iraq's environmental deterioration. According to the environment ministry, Iraq has recorded an average of 272 dusty days annually over the last two decades. That figure could rise to 300 days per year by 2050 if current trends continue. Iraq is considered among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with poor water resource management and upstream dam projects in neighboring countries further decreasing the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Nwenar Fatih contributed to this report.
Rudaw Net
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
UN, regional countries react to Israel's escalation in Syria
Also in Middle East Israel escalates strikes in Syria, warns Sharaa against harboring 'hostile' forces Does the Sudani-Sharaa call signal a thaw in Baghdad-Damascus ties? Turkey, Israel trade barbs amid regional tensions Top Rojava, DEM Party officials discuss Kurdish cause A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United Nations and regional countries, including Iraq, on Thursday condemned the Israeli airstrikes in Syria, which Tel Aviv says serve as a warning. The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, condemned 'the repeated and intensifying military escalations by Israel in Syria, including airstrikes that have reportedly resulted in civilian casualties.' He warned that such actions 'undermine efforts to build a new Syria at peace with itself and the region, and destabilize Syria at a sensitive time,' and urged Israel to cease the attacks which 'could amount to serious violations of international law.' Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday targeted sites near the Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) in Barzeh, north of Damascus, as well as the Hama military airport and the strategic Tiyas Air Base, widely known as T4, in Homs. Referencing the series of airstrikes carried out by Israel in Syria on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday emphasized that 'The [Israeli] Air Force's activity yesterday… sends a clear message and serves as a warning for the future.' Notably referring to Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa by his former nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, Katz said, 'I warn Syrian leader Jolani: If you allow hostile forces to enter Syria and threaten Israeli security interests, you will pay a heavy price,' according to a statement relayed by AFP. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on Thursday reported on 'the major Israeli escalation' which 'killed four defense ministry [personnel] and injured 12 others' in an 'Israeli attack on Hama military airport' which saw 'Israeli warplanes launch 18 airstrikes,' leaving the airport 'completely out of service.' The UK-based war monitor also reported seven other airstrikes on the T4 Air Base and its vicinity 'leading to human losses.' The total number of Israeli air raids on Syrian territories on Wednesday reached 25, according to SOHR. For their part, Daraa health officials reported on Wednesday that at least nine civilians were killed and 23 others were injured in the Israeli raids, according to a statement from Daraa province's official channel on Telegram. Earlier in the day, the Israeli military said it had conducted an infiltration operation, 'confiscating weapons and destroying terrorist infrastructure' along Syria's southern border with Israel, in Daraa province. Regional reactions The Israeli military operations in Syria were quick to spark reactions from regional states on Thursday. Ankara stated that'Israel has become the biggest threat to the region's security with its attacks targeting the territorial integrity and national unity of regional countries.' Turkey noted that 'despite the absence of any provocation or attack from Syria against Israel,' the Israeli 'attacks on Syria' can only be explained by the fact that 'Israel's foreign policy approach feeds on conflict.' Turkey added that 'Israel must abandon its expansionist policies and stop undermining efforts to establish stability in Syria,' accusing Tel Aviv of 'causing chaos and fueling terrorism as a strategic destabilizing factor in the region.' The Iraqi foreign ministry also slammed the Israeli 'aggressions, which have resulted in the martyrdom and injury of dozens of innocent civilians, confirm the expansionist and aggressive approach adopted by the [Israeli] occupation government, and represent a flagrant violation of international law and the national sovereignty of states.' Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry rejected Israel's attempts to threaten' Syria's security. The ministry emphasized 'the necessity for the international community, especially the permanent member-states of the Security Council, to fulfill their role and take a serious and firm stand against these ongoing Israeli violations in Syria and the region, and to activate international accountability mechanisms against them.' For its part, Qatar's foreign ministry described the Israeli attacks as a 'clear violation of Syria's sovereignty and international law,' urging the international community to take action. The Egypt foreign ministry on Thursday stated that Cairo "strongly condemns" the recent Israeli airstrikes on several sites in Syria, slamming them as "a blatant new violation of international law, an aggression against Syria's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and an exploitation of the internal situation in the sister state of Syria." In a similar tone, the Jordanian foreign ministry strongly condemned "the recent Israeli aggression" on Syria, adding that it represents "a flagrant violation of international law, an egregious infringement on Syria's sovereignty and unity, and a dangerous escalation that will only contribute to further conflict and tension in the region." The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to "assume its legal and moral responsibilities, compel Israel to cease its illegal provocative attacks on Syria, and end its occupation of part of its territories." Iran, Israel's arch-foe, also condemned the Israeli airstrikes in Syria. Tehran emphasized 'the need to preserve and protect the territorial integrity and dignity of Syria as a deep-rooted and honorable nation in the important region of West Asia.' Notably, while Iran was a key ally of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, it has yet to establish formal ties with the new rulers in Damascus. Since the ouster of Assad, Israel has intensified efforts to destroy Damascus's military stockpiles. Israeli forces have also entered a buffer zone east of the annexed Golan Heights, justifying this as a security precaution amid Syria's ongoing political instability. Katz emphasized on Thursday that Israeli forces 'will continue to operate on the summit of Mount Hermon and in security and buffer zones to protect' Israeli communities in the Golan Heights and the Galilee. According to SOHR, since the beginning of 2025, Israel has carried out 44 attacks on Syrian territory, including 37 airstrikes and six ground attacks. These military actions have resulted in the destruction of approximately 50 sites, including weapons and ammunition depots, headquarters, command centers, and vehicles.
