Latest news with #SDF
Middle East Eye
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Saudi Arabia told US that Syrian forces should deploy to Sweida despite Israeli objections, source says
Saudi Arabia told the US that Syrian security forces should be allowed to deploy to the country's restive south despite Israeli objections, a US official told Middle East Eye. The official, who requested anonymity due to sensitivities around the topic, said that Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday that the kingdom supported Syria's military asserting control in the southern Syrian province of Sweida. A readout of the call provided by the State Department said the two sides "discussed regional security matters, including efforts to end the violence in Syria". It did not provide further details. The US official briefed on the call, and a second source familiar with the diplomacy, told MEE on Friday that the kingdom was "angry" about Israel attacking Syrian soldiers and dictating military deployments to Damascus. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Sweida has been the site of sectarian violence between the majority Druze community and Sunni Bedouins. After bloody fighting broke out on Sunday, the Syrian government deployed troops to Sweida at the request of local authorities, prompting Israel to launch severe strikes against the Syrian army. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then ordered Syria's government not to deploy troops south. When President Ahmed al-Sharaa did, Israel launched strikes on Syrian military convoys. On Wednesday, Israel bombed the Syrian defence ministry and areas near the presidential palace. Current and former US, Arab and Israeli officials told MEE that Netanyahu was seeking to carve out a zone of influence in southern Syria, a development that was unnerving the US's Arab allies and Turkey. In an about-turn on Friday, Israeli media reported, citing an unnamed Israeli official, that it had decided to "allow" the "limited entry" of internal Syrian security forces into Sweida for 48 hours. 'Crystal clear' A separate US official in the region who has been monitoring the Israeli strikes about the change in Israeli posture, told MEE that Israel's push for a zone of influence in Syria's south clashed with a unitary, central Syria that Trump's envoy to the country, and ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, laid out just last week to reporters. "I think Potus and others in the administration have been crystal clear about the path for Syria," the official said, referring to President Trump. Turkey doesn't have many options against Israel in Syria Read More » A second regional source told MEE that the US was upset about the Israeli strikes. Israel's intervention in Sweida has been especially inconvenient to the Trump administration because it comes as the US is pushing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to submit to Damascus's authority. The US and SDF were allies fighting against the Islamic State militant group, but now Washington wants the Kurdish-led forces to integrate into the Syrian army, as opposed to maintaining an autonomous zone in the northeast. Sharaa, a former leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and before that al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, led the removal of the country's former president and strongman, Bashar al-Assad, in December 2024. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and other Arab states issued a statement on Thursday reaffirming their 'unwavering support for Syria's security, unity, stability and sovereignty". The statement said Israel's strikes were a "flagrant assault on Syria's sovereignty" and that they rejected "all forms of foreign intervention in its [Syrian] internal affairs". 'Vested in Sharaa' Saudi Arabia's decision to back Sharaa and assert military authority in Sweida is not surprising. The kingdom hosted a direct meeting between the Syrian president and Trump in Riyadh in May. Trump said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were responsible for convincing him to terminate all sanctions on Syria, again in opposition to what diplomats say Israel preferred. With Damascus strikes, Israel seeks to tear up Trump's vision for Syria Read More » Farhan also spoke with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, on Wednesday. While Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have the funds to support Syria's reconstruction, Sharaa enjoys close ties to Ankara. In April, Israel bombed several Syrian air bases that Turkey was planning to take over to train Sharaa's security forces. 'Saudi Arabia is vested in Syrian stability and reconstruction. That includes in Sharaa,' the US official told MEE. This all comes as Trump says he still wants to broker a normalisation agreement between the US's two partners. MEE was the first to report that Saudi Arabia lobbied Trump to stop attacks on Yemen's Houthis in May. Trump's decision to do so was widely seen as going against Israel.
The Mainichi
a day ago
- Business
- The Mainichi
Editorial: Structural transformation needed to address Japan SDF's personnel shortage
The personnel shortage in Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) is severe. Not just temporary fixes but fundamental measures are needed to address this issue. The government's 2025 defense white paper has been released, with notable emphasis on strengthening human resources, including improvements in the treatment of SDF members. Securing personnel for the SDF remains difficult. In fiscal 2024, it was planned to recruit about 15,000 new members, but the actual number didn't even reach 10,000. Due to low recruitment, the personnel fill rate for the authorized strength of approximately 247,000 has dropped below 90% for the first time in 25 years. Many SDF members retire at the age of 56, earlier than general public servants. The white paper points to concerns about reemployment and income as factors for reduced recruitment. Recent incidents of sexual misconduct and harassment within the SDF may also have had an impact. The government has decided to raise the SDF's salary levels and expand support for reemployment after retirement. It is also considering increasing allowances to supplement wages at new jobs. Efforts to enforce discipline are also underway. Nevertheless, the personnel shortage is a structural issue in Japanese society, which continues to face declining birth rates. The organization must be reevaluated with this reality in mind. Japan's security environment is deteriorating due to China's maritime expansion, North Korea's nuclear and missile development and Russia's increased military activities. It is necessary to reassess the personnel distribution among the Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces in response to changing threats. Adjustments to the staffing quota in line with the population decline must also be made. The introduction of new technologies is key to compensating for labor shortages in the SDF. Promoting unmanned systems across wide areas, including surveillance and transport, as well as expanding the use of artificial intelligence, is essential. In recent years, the importance of cyber defense has increased, necessitating the rapid acquisition of highly specialized personnel. There are plans to expand the specialized cyber defense unit to about 4,000 members by the end of fiscal 2027, but competition with the private sector for digital talent is expected. It is crucial to establish a personnel system to accelerate the development of specialized talent and recruitment from the private sector. The government plans to raise defense-related spending to 2% of Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) by fiscal 2027. However, no matter how advanced the equipment becomes, it could be rendered useless without adequate quantity and quality of personnel. Transforming the SDF to align with changes in the security environment and the times is necessary.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Suwayda bloodshed: A warning sign for a fragmenting Syria
Shafaq News More than 350 people have died in recent clashes in Suwayda province, underscoring the growing tensions between Syria's minorities and the government led by transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The violence, which erupted between Druze fighters and government-aligned forces, reflects deeper issues of political exclusion and mistrust among several minority groups across the country. Senior adviser Bedran Çiya Kurd of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) described the violence in a post on X as part of a broader rejection of Syria's cultural and religious diversity. 'These actions push Syria further toward political and social disintegration,' he wrote, adding that the government's reliance on force over dialogue 'has repeatedly failed and worsened the situation.' Kurd also warned that this approach not only threatens the Druze but also weakens national unity and invites outside interference. الانتهاكات الممنهجة التي طالت المكون الدرزي في الجنوب السوري، وما سبقها من انتهاكات مشابهة في الساحل السوري، تؤكد بوضوح الرفض العميق للتعددية الثقافية والدينية من قِبل وزارة الدفاع الانتقالية والمؤسسات التابعة لها، وهو ما يؤدي إلى تقويض أسس العيش المشترك ضمن جغرافيا وطنية واحدة.… — Bedran Çiya Kurd (@BedranCiyakurd) July 17, 2025 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the clashes left 79 Druze fighters, 55 civilians, and nearly 200 government personnel dead. Fifteen Syrian forces also died in Israeli airstrikes during the fighting. While a ceasefire has been arranged, deep-seated grievances remain unresolved. Researcher Zana Omar, who spoke with Shafaq News, explained that the transitional government has excluded minorities from political participation. 'The Druze community was entirely left out of the constitutional drafting committee and holds no seats in the transitional cabinet,' she noted. Omar also highlighted that the government's policies are shaped by an ideology that views Druze, Alawites, Christians, and Kurds as enemies. 'This drives exclusion and influences governance, security, and media messaging.' This pattern of marginalization is not confined to Suwayda alone. Thousands of Alawites were killed in coastal massacres this spring, attacks reportedly carried out with tacit government approval or neglect. Omar emphasized that the lack of investigations has increased fears among Alawite communities. 'Exclusion here appears to be official policy, not an exception,' she remarked. Tensions are further heightened by the government's push for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to disarm and join the army, a demand met with suspicion. The SDF, led by Mazloum Abdi, distrusts Damascus and fears massacres similar to those in Suwayda and the coast. One Kurdish official speaking anonymously to our agency, warned that 'there is no trust that handing over weapons won't lead to slaughter.' Christian communities remain on edge following a church bombing in Damascus last month that claimed at least 65 lives. Church leaders hold the government responsible for failing to protect worshippers and criticize officials for dismissing the attack as an isolated incident. In a video capturing a tense exchange, an Assyrian bishop confronted a Syrian government official who visited the bombing site, expressing frustration: 'The government talks about unity but acts with indifference when Christian blood is spilled.' That sense of abandonment is further highlighted by Bedran Çiya Kurd who stressed that rebuilding trust demands a pluralistic national framework alongside the decentralization of powers to local administrations. 'Accountability is essential for reconciliation and political inclusion,' he added, underscoring the urgent need for tangible reforms.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
PayPal Blockchain Lead José Fernández da Ponte Joins Stellar
José Fernández da Ponte, formerly the head of blockchain at PayPal, has left the fintech giant, where he oversaw the roll-out of digital currencies and stablecoins, to become president and chief growth officer of the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF). The foundation also said it appointed Jason Karsh, a former Block and executive, as chief marketing officer. The Stellar blockchain operates a cash on and off-ramp network through MoneyGram as well as tokenizing real world assets with partners including Franklin Templeton. But going back over a decade, Stellar has kept in mind humanitarian missions such as improving financial inclusion in developing counties — a deciding factor in his decision to move, Fernández da Ponte said. 'I believe that blockchains are an artifact for a community of people working together in a decentralized way to fix problems,' he said in an interview. 'And if the problem that you're trying to work on is financial inclusion, which is the problem I am interested in, then there's no better place than Stellar to work on that.' Karsh, who has also held positions at Coinbase and security firm Blockaid, will bring together brand, product and ecosystem strategy to strengthen Stellar's presence with developers, institutions and the public. 'Stellar isn't just another blockchain project; it's financial infrastructure that is used each day by institutions and individuals around the world,' Karsh said in a statement. 'Our job is to accelerate adoption and usage for every organization, builder and blockchain enthusiast who cares about enterprise-grade security, transaction speed, and the ease of programmability that builders have come to expect.' Fernández da Ponte, who worked for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), and McKinsey before PayPal, led the strategic launch of the payment firm's PYUSD stablecoin. Asked if he didn't have the stomach to stay in the trenches for the ensuing stablecoin wars, Fernández da Ponte said the move to Stellar was more about choosing to work at the infrastructure layer, ensuring applications like stablecoins can run at scale. 'The stablecoin wars are going to be interesting,' Fernández da Ponte said. 'But we need to have the technology primitives for those stablecoins to be useful, and that's why working at the blockchain level is so important.' Stellar's lumen (XLM) token has risen 38% this year, outpacing the CoinDesk 20 Index, to which it belongs, which has added 27%.Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
SDF Commander urges halt to Suwayda violence
Shafaq News – Damascus On Wednesday, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi called for an immediate end to the ongoing violence in Suwayda, emphasizing that Syria's future depends on dialogue and reason rather than revenge. In a post on X, Abdi reported receiving appeals from residents in Suwayda requesting safe corridors for civilians, describing the killing of women and children, along with the targeting of religious symbols, as violations of human values and Syrian societal norms. تصلنا مناشدات من أهلنا في السويداء لتأمين ممرات آمنة للمدنيين ووقف الهجمات التي تستهدفهم.قتل النساء والأطفال والاعتداء على الرموز الدينية جريمة بحق الإنسانية وقيم السوريين، ويجب وقف هذه الأعمال العدوانية فورًا ومحاسبة المسؤولين عنها.بعد 14 عامًا من الحرب، آن الأوان لوقف نزيف… — Mazloum Abdî مظلوم عبدي (@MazloumAbdi) July 16, 2025 He also urged a halt to what he called 'aggressive actions,' calling for those responsible to be held accountable. 'Fourteen years into the war, it is time to stop the bloodshed. Syria cannot recover through retaliation, but through reasoned dialogue,' he added. Abdi further characterized the situation facing the Druze community as a national issue that must be resolved through constitutional means and inclusive dialogue. The southern province has witnessed days of intense clashes between local armed groups and tribal factions, with over 250 people reported dead, according to local sources. A ceasefire agreement was later reached between a Druze faction and Syria's Interior Ministry.
