Latest news with #TomBarrack
L'Orient-Le Jour
10 hours ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
2 killed in Israeli drone strikes on southern Lebanon
Ahead of a new visit to Beirut by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, aimed at addressing the issue of Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament, southern Lebanon was once again the scene of deadly Israeli strikes, raising the death toll to nearly 300 since the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect at the end of November last year. At least two people were killed in two new drone strikes. The first, which took place in the morning, struck a man on the roof of a house in the Mutal al-Jabal area of Khiam (Marjayoun district), according to our correspondent. The spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, wrote on his X account that the Israeli military had "eliminated a member of Hezbollah's al-Radwan force," stressing that the man "was involved in an attempt to rebuild terrorist infrastructure in the Khiam area of southern Lebanon." The second destroyed a moped with two missiles and killed its driver in the village of Yohmor, in the Nabatieh district, according to our correspondent. The driver succumbed to his wounds. His name was Ahmad Saleh. He is the brother of another man killed during the war. The Israeli army has not yet commented on this strike. Hezbollah acknowledged in a statement that he was one of its fighters. Funerals in Jibsheet Few other incidents have been reported. In the middle of the afternoon, an Israeli tank crossed the border. It advanced about a kilometer into Lebanese territory, in the area of Aitaroun/Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil district), before withdrawing, our correspondent reports. In the morning, an initial Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb near the village of Rmeish, in the same district, before another drone shelled the town of Dhaira in the Sour district, without causing any injuries. Hezbollah also held a large funeral for one of its leaders killed by Israel, Hassan Ahmad Sabra, in his native village of Jibsheet in southern Lebanon. Sabra was killed by an Israeli strike on the main road of the town of Kfour, near Nabatieh, on July 17.
L'Orient-Le Jour
10 hours ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Salam counts on the 'wisdom' of political leaders to prevent the events in Sweida from destabilizing Lebanon
Caretaker Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Friday night he was relying on the Lebanese Army, the wisdom of political leaders and the awareness of the Lebanese people to prevent the country from being dragged into a new spiral of violence amid sectarian clashes in neighboring Syria. In an interview with Al-Jadeed TV, Salam also confirmed that U.S. envoy Tom Barrack is expected in Lebanon early next week to follow up on the implementation of the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. 'We are surrounded by flames. What matters now is how to protect Lebanon from them,' Salam said, referring to the deadly fighting in Syria's southern province of Sweida. 'We can only do that by preserving our national unity and avoiding any adventure or internal conflict.' Over 940 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced in Syria since July 13, as tribal militias and Sunni Bedouins clashed with Druze residents, according to an NGO. The Syrian government declared a second cease-fire on Saturday after another brief truce collapsed. The violence has sparked limited sectarian tensions in parts of Lebanon, particularly the Bekaa Valley and North Lebanon. 'Dangers' and 'opportunities' 'Since day one, I've been in constant contact with all ministers and heads of Lebanon's security forces,' Salam said. 'Syria's stability matters greatly to us and to the Syrian people, considering the potential fallout if the country unravels.' He warned of Lebanon's own painful history: 'We know what it means to kill each other. We lived through that for many years and paid the price. I hope we've all learned the lessons from that time and won't repeat them.' Asked about recent comments by Druze leader Walid Joumblatt, who spoke of a prolonged war and the threat of partition in Syria, Salam said the situation was still fluid. 'Nothing is written yet — everything depends on our behavior. If, God forbid, Syria doesn't stabilize soon, we must hold onto our national unity even more tightly,' he said. 'I'm counting on the army, our leaders' wisdom and the people's awareness, because they do not want to return to those dark days, despite recent incidents in Tripoli and the Bekaa.' Salam ended on a cautiously optimistic note: 'Syria faces many dangers, including the risk of partition, which threatens its unity. But there's also a real opportunity — the fall of the previous regime on Dec. 8, growing Arab support for the new government, and possibly even the lifting of sanctions. I believe Syria is on a path toward stability, despite the challenges.' Awaiting the U.S. envoy Salam confirmed that U.S. envoy Tom Barrack is expected in Beirut early next week, though he did not specify whether the visit would begin Monday or Tuesday. It will be Barrack's second trip to Lebanon in two weeks. During his last visit, Barrack received Lebanon's official response to a U.S. proposal aimed at reinforcing the cease-fire agreement reached in November between Israel and Hezbollah. That deal has since been regularly violated by Israeli airstrikes, while Hezbollah has yet to formally commit to transferring its weapons to the state. Salam said the American proposal outlines 'a set of ideas related to implementing the cessation of hostilities statement adopted by the previous government, to which our government has also confirmed its commitment.' At the heart of the proposal is the principle of 'complementarity' between two goals: the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and the reassertion of the state's monopoly over weapons. Under the plan, arms would be held only by official bodies: the Lebanese Army, Internal Security Forces, General Security, State Security, customs and municipal police. 'The roadmap suggests practical steps to implement these two complementary goals gradually,' Salam said. 'This won't happen overnight. We've discussed the plan and provided our comments.'
Rudaw Net
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Clashes continue in Suwayda, death toll passes 900: Watchdog
Also in Syria Syrian president confirms truce as state forces enter Suwayda US announces Israel-Syria ceasefire following deadly clashes in Suwayda Syria to deploy 'specialized force' to end Suwayda clashes Damascus denies forces re-entered Druze area A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Clashes have continued between Druze fighters and tribal groups in Syria's southern province of Suwayda, pushing the death toll to over 900 despite an internationally sponsored ceasefire announced earlier in the day, a watchdog stated on Saturday. There are 'renewed clashes in the western neighbourhoods of Al-Suwaidaa city between tribesmen and local gunmen from the Druze community following the breach of the international-sponsored ceasefire agreement which was reached today,' stated the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). 'The number of fatalities in armed clashes, exchange of bombardment, extrajudicial executions and Israeli airstrikes in different Syrian provinces… has increased to 940,' the monitor stated. The violence between armed Druze groups and Bedouin tribes began on Sunday. On Saturday morning, Washington's Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack announced that the United States had brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Syria. Israel has come out in support of the Druze and hit several targets, including Syrian state forces and an airstrike on the building of the defence ministry in Damascus. Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed the agreement that includes the deployment of state security forces to Suwayda. Government forces had pulled out of the province on Wednesday. Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that controls the northeast of the country (known to Kurds as Rojava), praised the efforts that led to a ceasefire, describing them as vital steps 'in support of civil peace.' Elham Ahmed, co-chair of Rojava's Foreign Relations Office, in a post on X on Saturday, expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Suwayda, where civilians, she said, 'face severe hardship due to siege and deteriorating conditions.' She said the Rojava administration is ready to open a humanitarian corridor to Suwayda. Opening humanitarian corridors is part of the ceasefire agreement, Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said on Saturday. The ceasefire plan, according to the minister, consists of three phases: the initial deployment of internal security forces to de-escalate clashes and secure key routes, followed by the opening of humanitarian corridors between Daraa and Suwayda to allow the evacuation of civilians and wounded, and finally, the gradual reactivation of state institutions and full restoration of law and order. 'This is the path Suwayda needs after months of tension and exhaustion,' Mustafa said.
Boston Globe
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Syria's leader urges Bedouin tribes to commit to a ceasefire ending clashes with the Druze
In his second televised address since the fighting started, al-Sharaa blamed 'armed groups from Sweida' for reigniting the conflict by 'launching retaliatory attacks against the Bedouins and their families.' He also said Israeli intervention 'pushed the country into a dangerous phase.' Advertisement Israel had launched dozens of airstrikes on convoys of government fighters and even struck the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in central Damascus, saying it was in support of the Druze, who form a substantial community in Israel and are seen as a loyal minority, often serving in the Israeli military. Reports had surfaced of Syrian government-affiliated fighters executing Druze civilians and looting and burning homes over the four-day violence. The U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, announced that Israel and Syria had agreed to a ceasefire early Saturday. Al-Sharaa made no direct reference to the agreement in his speech, but said 'American and Arab mediations stepped in' to restore calm. Addressing the Bedouins, al-Sharaa said they 'cannot replace the role of the state in handling the country's affairs and restoring security.' He also said: 'We thank the Bedouins for their heroic stances but demand they fully commit to the ceasefire and comply with the state's orders.' Advertisement Meanwhile, a prominent Druze leader, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, who opposes the current government and has distanced himself from the two ceasefires announced on Tuesday and Wednesday, said that an agreement brokered under the sponsorship of guarantor states contained several measures aimed at de-escalating tensions in Sweida. They include the deployment of checkpoints outside the province's administrative borders to contain clashes and prevent infiltration, a 48-hour ban on entry by any party into border villages, and safe, guaranteed passage for remaining members of the Bedouin tribes still inside the province. Sharaa reiterated that Sweida 'remains an integral part of the Syrian state, and the Druze constitute a fundamental pillar of the Syrian national fabric,' vowing to protect all minorities in Syria. He also thanked the United States for its 'significant role in affirming its support for Syria during these difficult times,' as well as Arab countries and Turkey, which mediated Wednesday's truce. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. The U.N. estimates more than 87,000 people have been displaced in Sweida province since July 12 due to heavy shelling, sniper fire and abductions. Entire communities have fled on foot, with many now crammed into overcrowded schools, churches and public buildings under dire conditions, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report. Infrastructure damage has cut electricity, water and telecommunications in much of the area, it said. The main hospital in Sweida was operating at just 15% capacity due to staff shortages and a lack of fuel. Advertisement The security situation is also endangering humanitarian workers. The White Helmets, also known as the Syrian Civil Defense, reported that one of its emergency team leaders went missing on July 16 while responding to a call for help from a U.N. team, OCHA said. Meanwhile, Jordan, Syria, and the U.S. agreed on a set of practical steps to bolster the ceasefire, including the deployment of Syrian security forces and the release of detainees from all sides, Jordan's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. The announcement came after a meeting between Barrack, Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi. For his part, Syria's Minister of Information Hamza Al-Mostafa on Saturday said the first phase of the ceasefire, expected to take 48 hours, involves deploying internal security forces to key areas to prevent clashes. He acknowledged ongoing fighting in Sweida and said every ceasefire 'begins fragile.' Subsequent phases will open humanitarian crossings and gradually restore state institutions and security to ensure a return to normalcy, al-Mostafa said in a press conference in Damascus. Al-Mostafa acknowledged that some security personnel committed violations after deploying in Sweida. He rejected reports that the violence in Sweida was 'premeditated operation' by the Syrian government. 'The armed groups present in Sweida insisted on a provocative approach, rejecting any solutions and relying on a closed-off model that disregards Syria's unity,' Al-Mostafa said. He accused Al-Hijri and his supporters of being 'armed with Israeli support' and blamed them for 'steering the situation toward its current state,' despite previous government attempts to reach an agreement. Advertisement Al-Mostafa also denied that Syria and Israel are in direct peace talks. 'All discussions that are happening with Israel are fixated on one issue related to the urgent Israeli withdrawal from the areas that it occupied and advanced in after Dec. 8 and its commitment to the 1974 agreement of disengagement,' he said. But even as officials called for calm, signs of unrest spread to the capital. On Friday, men armed with sticks stormed a peaceful protest outside Syria's parliament in Damascus, beating demonstrators and tearing up a banner that read, 'Syrian blood should not be shed by Syrians,' according to one of the organizers. The protest was held in response to the deadly clashes in Sweida, which journalist and filmmaker Zein Khuzam described as a grim echo of the 2011 Syrian civil war. 'We felt like we needed to do something,' Khuzam told The Associated Press. 'We started receiving help messages from our friends in Sweida, that they are trapped there.' The demonstration began Thursday as a spontaneous act by Khuzam and two others, who stood in front of parliament holding signs, including slogans rejecting Israeli interference. Photos of the protest circulated online, drawing a larger crowd the next day. Khuzam said the group noticed a man acting suspiciously on Friday. After making a phone call, he left, and shortly afterward, the attackers arrived in cars, some with women inside who cheered them on, she said. She added that guards outside the parliament stood by as someone fired shotgun rounds to disperse the crowd. 'People are still carrying the traumas of Assad's actions during such peaceful protests,' she said. 'In that moment, it felt like history was repeating itself. It is very, very sad.' Advertisement ___ Abou AlJoud reported from Beirut. Associated Press journalist Omar Sanadiki in Damascus contributed to this report.
See - Sada Elbalad
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
U.S. Envoy Announces Syria-Israel Ceasefire Agreement Amid Regional Tensions
Nada Mustafa U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, announced that Syria and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire following several days of escalating tensions, including Israeli airstrikes targeting Damascus and Syrian military sites, allegedly to 'protect the Druze.' In a statement posted on Platform X today (Saturday), Barrack said, 'The agreement has been welcomed by Turkey, Jordan, and other neighboring countries.' He also urged 'the Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to lay down their arms and cooperate with other minorities to build a new, unified Syrian identity, one that lives in peace and prosperity with its neighbors.' Neither Syria nor Israel has issued an official statement confirming the agreement. The ceasefire follows Israeli air raids carried out last Wednesday, which Israel claimed were intended to safeguard the Druze population. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language
