Latest news with #al-Qaeda
Gulf Insider
a day ago
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Turkey Commits Military Support To 'New' Post-Assad Syria With Saudis Pledging $4BN In Investment
Turkey and Saudi Arabia have indicated this week they are preparing to ramp up their investment and military support to post-Assad Syria, which is under the new regime of President al-Sharaa and his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (rebranded Syrian al-Qaeda). These very countries helped spearhead the effort alongside US intelligence to remove Assad – who fled the country on December 8. Turkey's Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that it will provide military assistance to Syria to help 'combat terrorism'. But the reality is that Turkey had long opened a 'jihadi highway' throughout years of the Syrian proxy war which helped cement the rise of ISIS and Syria becoming a hotbed of foreign fighters. Turkey claims Damascus is requesting urgent security assistance. 'In response to this request, we are continuing our efforts to offer training, consulting, and technical assistance to enhance Syria's defense capacity,' a Turkish defense official said. Ankara says its main objective is to uphold Syria's political unity and territorial integrity and to spearhead efforts toward long-lasting peace in the region. But the reality is that Turkey and Israel are in effect dividing of the spoils of post-Assad Syria, and Israel has been signaling its 'red line' over and against Turkish aims. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has recently pledged that Turkey's military will 'not allow terrorists to drag Syria back into chaos and instability.' Turkey has long occupied portions of northern Syria, precisely where terrorists have operated and conducted mass killings – particularly targeting Kurds and minority groups like Christians and Alawites. Regarding recent sectarian killings and unrest in Suwayda province and Israel's intensified strikes on Damascus, Turkish officials warned that these actions have exacerbated tensions between Druze groups and the Syrian government. But it is the HTS Syrian government which have committed the bulk of atrocities carried out against Druze civilians and even clerics. In the north, there's currently a deal underway for the Kurdish YPG – affiliated with the outlawed PKK – to lay down its arms, which it has been resistant to. At the same time there's a Pentagon presence in northern Syria and in the east, and the occupation shows no signs of withdrawing. Saudi Arabia too is eyeing greater participation in the supposedly 'new Syria' – now that Assad has exited: Saudi Arabia's investment minister led a business delegation travelling to Syria on Wednesday, where they were expected to sign deals worth around $4 billion as part of Riyadh's efforts to support the country's post-war recovery. The Gulf kingdom has been a crucial supporter of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government, which came to power after toppling longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December and is now seeking to rebuild Syria after a 14-year civil war. Of course, this was largely the plan all along – for regional powers to 'divide and rule' Syria, after it was brought to its knees after years of proxy war and unprecedented US-led sanctions. Meanwhile the US promptly removed these posters… From a US and Israeli perspective, this was to break the so-called 'Iran/Shia axis' in the region which heavily supported Lebanese Hezbollah. The CIA dubbed this operation 'Timber Sycamore' – according to earlier confirmation in The New York Times and others.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
Arrested Al-Qaeda Terrorists Were In Touch With Pak, ISI During Op Sindoor
The four al-Qaeda terrorists, who were arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) on Wednesday, were in regular touch and exchanged crucial information with the Pakistan Army and its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during Operation Sindoor in May, sources said. The accused targeted and radicalised youngsters against Operation Sindoor on social media and tried to create an environment in favour of Operation Bunyan un Marsoos, Islamabad's codename for its military operation. The terror module was extremely active during Operation Sindoor, the sources added. The ATS on Wednesday busted the terror module following a tip-off that some Instagram account holders were spreading extremist ideology of the al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent and sharing inflammatory content calling for violence or terrorist acts against Indian citizens. The four accused were identified as Mohammad Faiz, a resident of Delhi, Zeeshan Ali from Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Saifulla Qureshi, a native of Modasa town of Arvalli district, and Ahmedabad resident Mohammad Fardeen Shaikh. The sources said the four men continuously shared information pertaining to Operation Sindoor with two Pakistani social media accounts. They also received orders from these accounts. Providing details of the accused, the sources said Mohammad Faiz, who led the group, worked as a manager at an outlet of a fast food chain in Delhi. He is highly educated and would target youngsters on social media. Zeeshan Ali worked at a mobile store in Noida and the remaining two accused worked as tailors in Gujarat. According to Gujarat ATS Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Sunil Joshi, a sword and AQIS literature promoting jihad against India for its 'Operation Sindoor' was found during a raid at Shaikh's house. Their Instagram posts contained AQIS literature, calls for establishing sharia and other such radical statements which had the capacity to create communal hatred, said the IPS officer. The accused also posted a video of Asim Umar, an Indian who had joined AQIS and later on killed in Afghanistan in 2019, he informed. All of them were arrested under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) -- an anti-terror law -- and sections 113 (terrorist act), 152 (acts endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India) and 196 (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Barrack urges Sharaa to revise policies to avoid Syria's fragmentation
A U.S. envoy has urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed last week, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the country. U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said he had advised Sharaa in private discussions to revisit elements of the pre-war army structure, scale back Islamist indoctrination and seek regional security assistance. In an interview in Beirut, Barrack told Reuters that without swift change, Sharaa risks losing the momentum that once propelled him to power. Sharaa should say: "I'm going to adapt quickly, because if I don't adapt quickly, I'm going to lose the energy of the universe that was behind me," Barrack said. He said Sharaa could "grow up as a president and say, 'the right thing for me to do is not to follow my theme, which isn't working so well.'" Sharaa, leader of a former al-Qaeda offshoot, came to power in Syria after guerrilla fighters he led brought down President Bashar al-Assad in December last year after more than 13 years of civil war. Though his own fighters have roots in Sunni Muslim militancy, Sharaa has promised to protect members of Syria's many sectarian minorities. But that pledge has been challenged, first by mass killings of members of Assad's Alawite sect in March, and now by the latest violence in the southwest. Over 1,200 people have been reported killed in clashes in the southern province of Sweida between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes and Sharaa's own forces. Israel intervened with airstrikes to prevent what it said was the mass killing of Druze by government forces. Barrack said the new government should consider being "more inclusive quicker" when it comes to integrating minorities into the ruling structure. But he also pushed back against reports that Syrian security forces were responsible for violations against Druze civilians. He suggested that Islamic State group militants may have been disguised in government uniforms and that social media videos are easily doctored and therefore unreliable. "The Syrian troops haven't gone into the city. These atrocities that are happening are not happening by the Syrian regime troops. They're not even in the city because they agreed with Israel that they would not go in," he said. No successor to Sharaa The U.S. helped broker a ceasefire last week that brought an end to the fighting, which erupted between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions on July 13. Barrack said the stakes in Syria are dangerously high, with no succession plan or viable alternative to the country's new Islamist government. "With this Syrian regime, there is no plan B. If this Syrian regime fails, somebody is trying to instigate it to fail," Barrack said. "For what purpose? There's no successor." Asked if Syria could follow the dire scenarios of Libya and Afghanistan, he said: "Yes, or even worse." The U.S. has said it did not support Israel's airstrikes on Syria. Barrack said the strikes had added to the "confusion" in Syria. Israel says Syria's new rulers are dangerous militants and has vowed to keep government troops out of the southwest and protect Syria's Druze minority in the area, encouraged by calls from Israel's own Druze community. Barrack said his message to Israel is to have dialogue to alleviate their concerns about Syria's new Sunni leaders and that the U.S. could play the role of an "honest intermediary" to help resolve any concerns. He said Sharaa had signaled from the beginning of his rule that Israel was not his enemy and that he could normalise ties in due time. He said the United States was not dictating what the political format of Syria should be, other than stability, unity, fairness and inclusion. "If they end up with a federalist government, that's their determination. And the answer to the question is, everybody may now need to adapt." According to sources cited by Axios, American, Syrian and Israeli officials are scheduled to meet on Thursday, July 24, to discuss security arrangements for southern Syria. Barrack is expected to attend what will be the first such meeting since the latest violence, resuming U.S.-mediated talks that began months ago.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Sectarian wounds: on the violence in Syria
Last week's violence in southern Syria, which saw the killing of hundreds from the Druze community, was a grave reminder of the country's deep-rooted sectarian tensions, now ruled by a former Sunni jihadist. When the Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), formerly an al-Qaeda affiliate, captured power in Syria in November 2024, its leader Ahmed al Sharaa (who until recently was known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani) pledged to protect the rights of all communities. But the realities on the ground tell a different story. Syria is approximately 80% Sunni, with minorities including Alawites, Shias, Christians and Druze making up the rest. The ascent of the HTS triggered widespread anxiety among these groups. These fears were only reinforced when violence erupted against the Alawites, the sect of former President Bashar al-Assad, in March in the western coastal region. Hundreds were killed in days long attacks orchestrated by pro-government militias, most of them jihadists. It took only four months before the next atrocity unfolded — this time in Sweida, a Druze heartland in the south. Clashes initially broke out between Druze and local Bedouin members, which prompted Mr. Sharaa to send in security forces. What followed was a massacre. The sectarian violence escalated into a regional crisis after Israel began bombing Syrian government forces and military infrastructure in Sweida and Damascus. While Israel does have a Druze minority of its own, its claims of humanitarian intervention ring hollow in the context of its ongoing genocidal war on Gaza. Israel has long conducted strikes in Syria — earlier, its targets were Hezbollah and Mr. Assad's troops. Now that the HTS is in power, Tel Aviv does not want a consolidated Syrian military presence near its border. These internal and external pressures have left Mr. Sharaa vulnerable. Syria, which witnessed coups and counter-coups in the 1950s and 1960s, achieved some stability under the secular Baathist rule in the 1970s. When the Baathist regime became a dynastic dictatorship, cracks began to emerge in the political and social consensus that Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, had built, to culminate in a devastating civil war. The best chance for Mr. Sharaa to redeem himself and Syria was to rebuild a pluralistic state, with Kurds, Alawites, Christians and Druze enjoying equal rights. Instead, his push to establish a centralised Islamist regime in Damascus has deepened the sectarian wounds. And the HTS's armed jihadists, who go on killing sprees against minority dissenters, are pushing the country towards disintegration. Unless Mr. Sharaa takes urgent steps to rein in his fighters and rebuild a national consensus, Syria risks descending deeper into chaos.
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
US envoy urges Syria's al-Sharaa to revise policy or risk fragmentation
A US envoy has urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed last week, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the country. US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said he had advised Sharaa in private discussions to revisit elements of the pre-war army structure, scale back Islamist indoctrination and seek regional security assistance. In an interview in Beirut, Barrack told Reuters that without swift change, Sharaa risks losing the momentum that once propelled him to power. Sharaa should say: 'I'm going to adapt quickly, because if I don't adapt quickly, I'm going to lose the energy of the universe that was behind me,' Barrack said. He said Sharaa could 'grow up as a president and say, 'the right thing for me to do is not to follow my theme, which isn't working so well.'' Sharaa, leader of a former al-Qaeda offshoot, came to power in Syria after guerilla fighters he led brought down Bashar al-Assad in December last year after more than 13 years of civil war. Sharaa has promised to protect members of Syria's many sectarian minorities. But that pledge has been challenged, first by mass killings of members of the Alawite sect in March, and now by the latest violence in the southwest. Hundreds of people have been reported killed in clashes in the southern province of Sweida between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes and Sharaa's own forces. Israel intervened with airstrikes to prevent what it said was mass killing of Druze by government forces. Barrack said the new government should consider being 'more inclusive quicker' when it comes to integrating minorities into the ruling structure. But he also pushed back against reports that Syrian security forces were responsible for violations against Druze civilians. He suggested that ISIS militants may have been disguised in government uniforms and that social media videos are easily doctored and therefore unreliable. 'The Syrian troops haven't gone into the city. These atrocities that are happening are not happening by the Syrian regime troops. They're not even in the city because they agreed with Israel that they would not go in,' he said. 'No successor' to al-Sharaa The US helped broker a ceasefire last week that brought an end to the fighting, which erupted between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions on July 13. Barrack said the stakes in Syria are dangerously high, with no succession plan or viable alternative to the country's new government. 'With this Syrian regime, there is no plan B. If this Syrian regime fails, somebody is trying to instigate it to fail,' Barrack said. 'For what purpose? There's no successor.' Asked if Syria could follow the dire scenarios of Libya and Afghanistan, he said: 'Yes, or even worse.' The US has said it did not support Israel's airstrikes on Syria. Barrack said the strikes had added to the 'confusion' in Syria. Israel says Syria's new rulers are dangerous militants and has vowed to keep government troops out of the southwest and protect Syria's Druze minority in the area, encouraged by calls from Israel's own Druze community. Barrack said his message to Israel is to have dialogue to alleviate their concerns about Syria's new leaders and that the US could play the role of an 'honest intermediary' to help resolve any concerns. He said al-Sharaa had signaled from the beginning of his rule that Israel was not his enemy and that he could normalize ties in due time. He said the United States was not dictating what the political format of Syria should be, other than stability, unity, fairness and inclusion. 'If they end up with a federalist government, that's their determination. And the answer to the question is, everybody may now need to adapt.'
