Latest news with #Uighurs
Middle East Eye
2 days ago
- Business
- Middle East Eye
US backs Syrian plan to absorb foreign fighters into national army: Report
The US appears to have backed a plan by the Syrian government to assimilate thousands of foreign rebel fighters into the Syrian national army, Reuters reported on Monday. An estimated 3,500 foreign fighters, mainly Uighurs from China and Central Asia, would join a new unit called the 84th Syrian army division, also comprised of Syrians, three Syrian defence officials told Reuters. Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and President Donald Trump's special envoy to Syria, told Reuters that the US government sought transparency and said there was an understanding between the US and Syria. Later on Tuesday, Barrack praised Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying he had taken'meaningful steps' on foreign fighters. Barrack said the two met in Istanbul on Saturday. Barrack said it was a better strategy to contain the fighters than exclude them, as many are "very loyal" to the new government. This approach reverses the US's previous demand that the new leadership exclude foreign fighters. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The change is seen to be a result of Trump's visit to the Middle East in May, when he agreed to meet Syria's new leader and lift the US's long-term sanctions on Syria. Syria has been under sanctions since 1979, when the US labelled Damascus a state sponsor of terrorism under the government of Hafez al-Assad, father of deposed Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. Barrack also told Turkish media that the US would be reducing its military presence in the country. Foreign fighters Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and linked groups were instrumental in toppling Bashar last year after a 13-year civil war between rebel groups and the former leader. Jordan's king warned US against assassinating Syria's Sharaa before Trump meeting Read More » HTS was comprised of many Uighurs who mostly came from China during the Syrian civil war and were persecuted in China. Uighurs are one of 55 recognised ethnic minorities in China and are Turkic-speaking. They are largely Sunni Muslims and live in the country's northwest Xinjiang province, which has had intermittent autonomy over the past few centuries. Most of the Chinese and Central Asian fighters belong to the Turkistan Islamic Party, designated a terrorist group by China. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters that "China hopes that Syria will oppose all forms of terrorism and extremist forces in response to the concerns of the international community." The Chinese government is accused of detaining more than one million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in the eastern Xinjiang region and subjecting the community to abuses some have labelled a "genocide". China denies all allegations of abuse. Western powers have been concerned about foreign fighters in Syria. Sharaa has argued that bringing foreign fighters into the national army is less of a security risk than discarding them, as they would be more susceptible to being recruited by al-Qaeda or the Islamic State militant groups. The National reported that foreign fighters will be granted Syrian citizenship.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
US gives nod to Syria to bring foreign jihadist ex-rebels into army
US gives nod to Syria to bring foreign jihadist ex-rebels into army DAMASCUS/AMMAN - The United States has given its blessing to a plan by Syria's new leadership to incorporate thousands of foreign jihadist former rebel fighters into the national army, provided that it does so transparently, President Donald Trump's envoy said. Three Syrian defence officials said that under the plan, some 3,500 foreign fighters, mainly Uighurs from China and neighbouring countries, would join a newly-formed unit, the 84th Syrian army division, which would also include Syrians. Asked by Reuters in Damascus whether Washington approved the integration of foreign fighters into Syria's new military, Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey who was named Mr Trump's special envoy to Syria last month, said: "I would say there is an understanding, with transparency." He said it was better to keep the fighters, many of whom are "very loyal" to Syria's new administration, within a state project than to exclude them. The fate of foreigners who joined Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels during the 13-year war between rebel groups and President Bashar al-Assad has been one of the most fraught issues hindering a rapprochement with the West since HTS, a one-time offshoot of al Qaeda, toppled Assad and took power last year. At least until early May, the United States had been demanding the new leadership broadly exclude foreign fighters from the security forces. But Washington's approach to Syria has changed sharply since Mr Trump toured the Middle East last month. Mr Trump agreed to lift Assad-era sanctions on Syria, met Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh and named Mr Barrack, a close friend, as his special envoy. Two sources close to the Syrian defence ministry told Reuters that Sharaa and his circle had been arguing to Western interlocutors that bringing foreign fighters into the army would be less of a security risk than abandoning them, which could drive them into the orbit of al Qaeda or Islamic State. The US State Department and a Syrian government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. Chinese concerns Thousands of Sunni Muslim foreigners joined Syria's rebels early in the 13-year civil war to fight against Assad, who was himself aided by Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias. Some fighters formed their own factions, while others joined established groups such as Islamic State, which briefly declared a caliphate in swathes of Syria and Iraq before being routed by an array of forces backed both by the United States and Iran. Foreign fighters within HTS earned a reputation as loyal, disciplined and experienced militants, and formed the backbone of the group's elite so-called suicide units. They fought against Islamic State and against other wings of al Qaeda from 2016, when HTS broke away from the group founded by Osama bin Laden. The Uighur fighters from China and Central Asia are members of the Turkistan Islamic Party, a group designated as terrorists by Beijing. A Syrian official and a foreign diplomat said China had sought to have the group's influence in Syria restricted. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said: "China hopes that Syria will oppose all forms of terrorism and extremist forces in response to the concerns of the international community." Osman Bughra, a TIP political official, told Reuters in a written statement that the group had officially dissolved and integrated into the Syrian army. "At present, the group operates entirely under the authority of the Ministry of Defence, adheres to national policy, and maintains no affiliations with external entities or groups," he said. In December, the appointment of a handful of foreign jihadists who were part of HTS's senior leadership to top military posts had alarmed Western governments, raising concerns over the direction of Syria's new Islamist leadership. Demands to freeze the appointments and expel rank-and-file foreign fighters became a key point of contention with Washington and other Western countries up until the week of Mr Trump's landmark meeting with Sharaa. Sharaa has said that foreign fighters and their families may be granted Syrian citizenship due to their role in fighting Assad. Abbas Sharifa, a Damascus-based expert on jihadist groups, said the fighters being included in the army had shown loyalty to Syria's leadership and were "ideologically filtered." But "if you abandon them they become prey to ISIS or other radical groups" he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Inside the secret spy den building China's attack drones
Credit: CCTV At first glance it could be a school classroom, with bright fluorescent lights, posters on the wall and long tables down the middle. But look closer, and the students are actually Chinese paramilitary police officers, the notices are instructions on how to build attack drones, and there are CCTV cameras watching their every move. This is the workshop for one of China's feared armed police units, in the eastern Shandong province. In a rare glimpse into China's arms manufacturing, a dozen or so officers can be seen seated at the long tables tinkering with their creations. Another 40 or so unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are mounted on the wall in front of them as they work. Credit: CCTV Speaking to Chinese state media, which produced the footage, one uniformed officer explains that each of the drones are assembled by a member of the People's Armed Police (PAP) force in Shandong. For a skilled worker it should take 'no more than two hours' to complete one device. Known as 'China's other army,' the PAP is one of the country's police forces responsible for national security. Unlike the civilian police force, which handles routine law enforcement, the PAP falls under the Central Military Commission and is often deployed for border security, riot control and counterterrorism, and has been part of the violent campaign against the Uighurs in Xinjiang province and in Tibet. While the exact number of officers is unknown, reports estimate it could be anywhere from 500,000 to 1.5 million, spread out over 32 regional commands, each with at least one mobile unit. The direction of travel is clear. In 2010 the PAP budget was £6.8 billion. By last year, it had more than tripled, to £15.9 billion. The unit in Shandong is the latest example of what it has been spending that money on. The drones are not just for surveillance. In a combat drill last month, two members of a PAP unit in western Yunnan province worked together to take out a target behind a closed window. The first drone smashed the glass and the second flew through the gap to strike the target. Other camera drones can be armed with grenades, which are dropped on perceived threats. And then there are disruptor drones, fitted with systems that can locate, track and 'soft-kill' enemy UAVs, according to state television. Training is intense. Before being allowed to fly actual drones, the operators have to work on simulators for about two months, according to state television. Then they are let lose on complicated aerial assault courses, with tight turns and high speed manoeuvres, before being allowed to use them in the field. Credit: CCTV Experts have said that drones would be central to any conflict between China and Taiwan, should Beijing decide to attack the island, which it claims as its own despite staunch opposition from the government in Taipei. Both China and Taiwan's interest in drone warfare has expanded since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 given the central role that UAVs have played in the conflict. Earlier this month, China announced that its new drone mothership, known as the Jiu Tan, which is capable of releasing swarms of 100 kamikaze UAVs at once, would launch on its maiden voyage in June. In Shandong, the officer in the video explains that the team is producing first-person view (FPV) drones of different sizes, from 3-inch to 9-inch models, at what he calls the 'UAV innovation studio'. In the footage, the personnel are seen assembling drone frames as well as testing camera and antenna placements. The UAVs are designed for both reconnaissance and precision strikes. The studio also has a 3D printer, which is used to design and manufacture various components. The officer explains that it is currently making landing pads, which it can print in three minutes. He then shows the camera a drone with a 3D-printed ammunition mounting platform, which he says can carry different types of weapons, 'significantly enhancing the drone's strike capabilities.' There is variation in the vehicles too. Footage shows the unit using drones with long fibre optic cables, as seen in Ukraine and Russia. These drones do not rely on radio signals and therefore cannot be jammed by enemy signal blockers. While drones can be used for humanitarian purposes – such as during disaster relief operations – in the hands of the PAP they can also be weapons of oppression. The force's focus in recent years has been on Xinjiang province, where it has been responsible for the persecution of Uyghur Muslims, as well as Tibet. Xinjiang hosts the largest concentration of PAP mobile units in the country with an estimated 200,000 troops. They have been using surveillance drones for a number of years. Both Uyghurs and Tibetans have been targeted by the central government in Beijing for decades, with abuses ranging from mass detentions to forced sterilisations. The Uyghur Human Rights Project accused the PAP of being 'among the prime actors in carrying out the genocide' against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. With their new tools, the PAP shows no sign of changing course. Beyond its domestic role, experts have also said that the PAP would likely play a key role in any future attack against Taiwan. In January, Chinese state media reported that some PAP officers in Fujian province had taken part in official combat training, which suggested that in the event of war, the forces could join the fight as a military unit. Lyle Goldstein, an Asia expert at Defense Priorities, a Washington-based foreign policy think tank, said that since China views Taiwan as one of its provinces, Beijing would see it as 'completely legal' to use armed police. The PAP could also play a central role if martial law were declared following an invasion of Taiwan. The International Institute for Strategic Studies said: 'As the PAP's mission sets have become more focused, their more centralised command structure, reorganisation and enhanced use of modern technologies have turned the PAP into a more potent force ready to carry out the CCP's vision of 'correct policy' and maintaining the Party's control.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Straits Times
10-05-2025
- Straits Times
Travelling through China's ‘thousand cities with the same face'
China's cookie-cutter urbanism is a product of its top-down approach to development, where central planning dictates the shape of progress. ST PHOTOS: TAN DAWN WEI, AW CHENG WEI From the brown, dusty Gobi Desert plains of Gansu and the green endless grasslands of Inner Mongolia to the white majestic Himalayan peaks of Tibet a whisker from the heavens, China's landscape is a breathtaking tapestry of natural splendour. I have marvelled at them all up close, setting foot in every province , municipality, autonomous region and special administrative region in China . Those unfamiliar with the country often underestimate the incredible diversity of this land; not just in geography but in history, culture and linguistics. How's this for a slice of cultural trivia: China is home to 56 official ethnic minority groups such as the Zhuang, Hui, Uighurs, Miao and Manchus, and more than 300 living languages. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Humiliation for Ed Miliband as he is forced into legal guarantee that solar panels made by slaves WON'T be used in Labour's Net Zero drive
Ed Miliband is set to perform a U-turn by issuing a legal guarantee that Britain's state-owned energy company won't use solar panels produced by Chinese slaves. The Energy Secretary will reportedly introduce an amendment to legislation forcing GB Energy to ensure 'slavery and human trafficking' is not part of its supply chain. According to The Times, it will ensure solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries must not contain materials suspected of being produced through slave labour. Campaigners warned the renewables sector is rife with Chinese slave labour. And the Tories said the Government faced 'serious questions' about whether it could still meet its green energy goals without Chinese-produced solar panels. China produces 80 per cent of the global supply of solar panels and the Xinjiang region produces up to 40 per cent of the world's polysilicon – a key component. Xinjiang is also where more than a million Uighurs have been detained, according to human rights groups. And there is evidence of Uighurs being used as forced labour. Mr Miliband's climbdown comes after the Government last month blocked measures seeking to stop taxpayers' cash being used to buy solar panels made by slaves. China produces 80 per cent of the global supply of solar panels and the Xinjiang region produces up to 40 per cent of the world's polysilicon – a key component Peers had sought to stop public funds from being used to purchase products from a company where there was 'credible evidence' of modern slavery in its supply chain. But the Government ordered Labour MPs to strip out a House of Lords amendment to the Great British Energy Bill, which drew a furious backlash. Some 92 Labour MPs abstained on the vote and a Government source admitted there had now been 'recognition of the strength of feeling' on the issue. Ministers are said to have been 'convinced that GB Energy needs to be an industry leader' in rooting out slavery from supply chains. Luke de Pulford, the executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), warned the use of slave labour extends throughout the renewables sector. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Unfortunately, there's a problem right the way throughout the renewables sector with state-imposed forced labour in China. 'They have labour transfer schemes where the government conscripts, very often ethnic minorities, and forces them to work against their will, and sadly, many such workers are placed within renewable industry in China.' Mr de Pulford was asked how difficult it will be for the Government to increase its use of renewables without using Chinese slave labour. He added: 'It's going to require a transition because China has such a dominance of the production of polysilicon and nearly 40 per cent of that comes from Xinjiang and is connected in some way to these labour transfer schemes, so we're going to have to diversify. 'But it's not impossible and companies are, I think, slowly inching towards a better place – we have to find a better way of doing it, that doesn't mean that we have a green transition reliant upon Uighur slavery.' Tory MP Andrew Bowie, the acting shadow energy secretary, said the Government's move would lead to a 'real slowdown in the deployment of solar in the UK'. He said: 'It's a belated realisation that the use of slave labour in the manufacturing of solar technology is real. 'But Labour really need to answer serious questions about whether their own self-imposed targets can be met without these solar panels, and what they're going to do to address this.' A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: 'No industry in the UK should rely on forced labour, and through Great British Energy we have a clear plan to build the supply chains needed to support a new era of clean homegrown power, bringing jobs and investment. 'We are working across Government to tackle the issue of forced labour in solar supply chains, and the relaunched solar taskforce is focusing on developing supply chains that are resilient, sustainable and free from forced labour. 'Having listened carefully to the views of MPs and peers, we are considering how we can go further to help ensure Great British Energy is a sector leader in this area and will provide an update shortly.'
