Latest news with #defenceministry
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
South Korea suspends drone chief accused of sending drones to North Korea illegally ahead of martial law
South Korea 's defence ministry suspended the country's head of drone operations command over concerns that military drones were sent to North Korea illegally last year in preparations for former president Yoon Suk Yeol 's imposition of martial law. Major general Kim Yong-dae, who was serving as the commander of the unit, was relieved from his duties on Monday with suspension pending, the defence ministry said. Gen Kim was taken into custody on Friday without an arrest warrant regarding accusations that Mr Yoon ordered a covert drone operation into the North last year to inflame tension between the neighbours and justify his martial law decree.. Mr Yoon has denied the accusations. Gen Kim's charges include forging of official documents. Mr Yoon's brief, ill-fated imposition of martial law on 3 December led to his indictment on charges that he directed a rebellion, which is punishable by life imprisonment or death. Prompted by concerns he might destroy evidence, Mr Yoon's arrest could mark the start of a prolonged period in custody as investigators pursue additional charges. Investigators claim the former president issued direct orders to the drone commander in October last year, instructing him to dispatch drones to North Korea without alerting the defence ministry or the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The move was likely aimed at provoking military escalation from North Korea to allegedly justify the martial law imposition. However, the warrant request by a special counsel team led by Cho Eun-suk was rejected by the Seoul Central District Court on Monday noting that a detention would excessively restrict his defence rights. Prosecutors and police in South Korea are permitted to make an "emergency arrest" if they have a strong belief someone is guilty of a serious crime and may flee or destroy evidence. The South Korean commander has denied the allegations and said the incident was part of a 'clandestine military operation' to respond to North Korea's act of sending trash balloons, and not intended to provoke the neighbour. In October last year, North Korea said the South had sent drones to scatter anti-North Korea leaflets over its capital city Pyongyang. North Korean state media also published photos of the remains of a crashed South Korean military drone. South Korea at the time declined to disclose whether it had sent the drones.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Major Ukrainian drone attacks sow chaos at Moscow's airports
MOSCOW, July 21 (Reuters) - Major Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia sowed chaos at major airports serving Moscow on Monday, with thousands of passengers waiting in lines or sleeping on the floor after flights were cancelled or delayed, Russian media reported. Videos published by Russian media showed people sleeping on the floor of Sheremetyevo, Russia's busiest airport by passenger numbers, amid long queues. Russia's defence ministry said it had downed 117 drones overnight, including 30 over the Moscow region, after downing 172 drones, including 30 over the Moscow region, the previous day. Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, briefly imposed restrictions on flights overnight at Moscow's main airports - Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovskiy. Several thousand people were stranded in the far east of Russia due to the cancellation of flights in European Russia, while extra trains were put on to bring passengers back to Moscow from the northern Russian city of St Petersburg, Russian media said. Moscow and its surrounding region has a population of at least 21.5 million.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Very Dangerous": Israel Rejects Syrian Interim President's Renewed Pledge
Israel on Saturday dismissed a renewed pledge by Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to protect minorities after deadly sectarian clashes, saying it was "very dangerous" to be a minority in the country. More than 700 people have been killed in Syria's Sweida province since Sunday as clashes between the Druze and Sunni Bedouin drew in the Islamist-led government, Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. "Bottom line: In al-Shara's Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority -- Kurd, Druze, Alawite or Christian," Foreign Minister Gideon Saar posted on X. "This has been proven time and again over the past six months," he said. The international community had "a duty to ensure the security and rights of the minorities in Syria and to condition Syria's renewed acceptance into the family of nations on their protection", he added. Syrian interior ministry forces began deploying in the Druze heartland on Saturday under a US-brokered ceasefire deal intended to avert further Israeli military intervention. Israel bombed defence ministry forces in both Sweida and the capital Damascus earlier this week to force their withdrawal after they were accused of summary executions and other abuses against Druze civilians during their brief deployment in the southern province. Israel, which has its own sizeable Druze community, said it was defending the minority. But some diplomats and analysts say its goal is to weaken the military in Syria, its historic adversary, seeing it at a weak point since Sharaa's Sunni Islamists toppled Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, in December.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Syria forces deploy in Druze heartland after US brokers deal with Israel
SWEIDA: Syrian interior ministry forces began deploying in Sweida on Saturday under a US-brokered deal intended to avert further Israeli military intervention in the Druze-majority province. Israel had bombed defence ministry forces in both Sweida and Damascus earlier this week to force their withdrawal after they were accused of summary executions and other abuses against Druze civilians during their brief deployment in the southern province. More than 700 people have been killed in Sweida since Sunday as sectarian clashes between the Druze and Sunni Bedouin drew in the government, Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. The office of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced an 'immediate ceasefire' in Sweida which it called on 'all parties to fully respect'. But AFP correspondents in and around the city reported gunfire and sporadic rocket fire and explosions as Druze fighters battled armed Bedouin who had seized some neighbourhoods on Friday with the support of volunteers from other parts of Syria. The Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor, said the armed volunteers had been deployed with the support of the government although an AFP journalist said security personnel were manning checkpoints on Saturday to prevent further reinforcements getting through. Druze fighters said the volunteers were mostly Islamists, who advanced to shouts of 'Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest)'. Syria troops quit Druze heartland after violence leaves over 594 dead One armed tribesman told AFP he had come to fight against the Druze clergy and their 'pig followers'. 'Today we came to their homes and we will slaughter them in their homes,' he said. US-brokered deal The deal between the Syrian government and Israel was announced by Washington early on Saturday Damascus time. US pointman on Syria, Tom Barrack, said interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'have agreed to a ceasefire' negotiated by the United States. Barrack, who is US ambassador to Ankara, said the deal had the backing of Turkey, a key supporter of Sharaa, as well as neighbouring Jordan. 'We call upon Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours,' he wrote on X. The US administration, which has sided with Turkey and Saudi Arabia in forging ties with the president despite his past links with Al-Qaeda, was critical of its Israeli ally's air strikes on Sria earlier this week and had sought a way out for his government. Sharaa followed up on the US announcement with a televised speech in which he renewed his pledge to protect Syria's ethnic and religious minorities. 'The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country… We condemn all crimes committed' in Sweida, he said. The president paid tribute to the 'important role played by the United States, which again showed its support for Syria in these difficult circumstances and its concern for the country's stability'. He also thanked Turkey and Arab countries for their support. 'No more room in morgue' The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said at least 718 people had been killed since Sunday. They included 146 Druze fighters and 245 Druze civilians, 165 of whom were summarily executed. The monitor said 287 government troops and 18 Bedouin fighters were also killed along with three Bedouin 'who were summarily executed by Druze fighters'. Fifteen more government troops were killed in Israeli air strikes. In the corridors of the city's main public hospital, a foul odour emanated from the swollen and disfigured bodies piled up in refrigerated storage units, an AFP correspondent reported. A small number of doctors and nurses at the hospital worked to treat the wounded arriving from the ongoing clashes, some in the hallways. Doctor Omar Obeid told AFP that the hospital had received 'more than 400 bodies' since Monday morning. 'There is no more room in the morgue. The bodies are in the street,' he added. The International Committee for the Red Cross warned that health facilities were overwhelmed, with power cuts impeding the preservation of bodies in overflowing morgues. 'The humanitarian situation in Sweida is critical. People are running out of everything,' said Stephan Sakalian, the head of the ICRC's delegation in Syria. The International Organization for Migration said 79,339 civilians had fled the fighting.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Israel says ‘very dangerous' to be minority in Sharaa's Syria
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel on Saturday dismissed a renewed pledge by Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to protect minorities after deadly sectarian clashes, saying it was 'very dangerous' to be a minority in the country. More than 700 people have been killed in Syria's Sweida province since Sunday as clashes between the Druze and Sunni Bedouin drew in the Islamist-led government, Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. 'Bottom line: In al-Shara's Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority – Kurd, Druze, Alawite or Christian,' Foreign Minister Gideon Saar posted on X. 'This has been proven time and again over the past six months,' he said. The international community had 'a duty to ensure the security and rights of the minorities in Syria and to condition Syria's renewed acceptance into the family of nations on their protection', he added. Syria forces deploy in Druze heartland after US brokers deal with Israel Syrian interior ministry forces began deploying in the Druze heartland on Saturday under a US-brokered ceasefire deal intended to avert further Israeli military intervention. Israel bombed defence ministry forces in both Sweida and the capital Damascus earlier this week to force their withdrawal after they were accused of summary executions and other abuses against Druze civilians during their brief deployment in the southern province. Israel, which has its own sizeable Druze community, said it was defending the minority. But some diplomats and analysts say its goal is to weaken the military in Syria, its historic adversary, seeing it at a weak point since Sharaa's Sunni toppled Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, in December.
