Latest from Ya Libnan
Ya Libnan
a day ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Azerbaijan wants Russia to admit publicly it accidentally shot down passenger plane killing 38
By Nailia Bagirova People mourn at the grave of flight attendant Hokuma Aliyeva during the funeral of the crew members of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243 that crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau, in Baku, Azerbaijan December 29, 2024. REUTERS/Aziz Karimov/File Photo KHANKENDI, Azerbaijan, July 19 (Reuters) – Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, on Saturday said he wanted Russia to publicly acknowledge that it had accidentally shot down an Azerbaijani passenger plane in December last year, killing 38 people on board, and to punish those responsible. President Vladimir Putin apologized at the time to Aliyev for what the Kremlin called a 'tragic incident' over Russia in which an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed after Russian air defenses opened fire against Ukrainian drones. But he stopped short of saying Russia had shot down the aircraft. Aliyev, speaking at a news conference in the city of Khankendi during an event called The Global Media Forum, made clear that he wanted much more from Moscow whom he accused of inaction following the downing of the airliner. 'We know exactly what happened — and we can prove it. Moreover, we are confident that Russian officials also know what happened,' Aliyev said. 'The real question is: why didn't they do what any responsible neighbor should do?' He said Azerbaijan expected the incident to be formally acknowledged, for those responsible to be held accountable, for compensation to be paid to victims' families and those injured, and for Moscow to reimburse the cost of the destroyed aircraft. 'These are standard expectations within the framework of international law and good-neighborly relations,' he said. Flight J2-8243, en route from Baku to the Chechen capital Grozny, crash-landed near Aktau in Kazakhstan after diverting from southern Russia, where Ukrainian drones were reported to be attacking several cities. Thirty-eight people were killed and 29 survived. Ties between Moscow and Baku have seriously deteriorated in recent months after Russian police detained a group of ethnic Azerbaijanis living in Russia and accused them of various historic crimes. Speaking at the same event, Aliyev said he wanted a transit corridor to be opened between Azerbaijan and its exclave of Nakhchivan that would run via Armenia. Aliyev said: 'We are talking about unimpeded state access from Azerbaijan to Azerbaijan. And we understand this literally — we are talking about a connection between parts of one country.' He said that, if and when it is set up, that Azerbaijani train passengers should not be exposed to physical danger from Armenian civilians whom he accused of throwing stones at such trains in the Soviet era and called for 'reliable and verifiable' security guarantees. 'This is an absolutely legal and fair demand,' Aliyev said. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on July 16 that the U.S. had offered to manage the potential transport corridor. The potential corridor, which Baku is keen to secure, would run roughly 32 km (20 miles) through Armenia's southern Syunik province, linking the majority of Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave that borders Baku's ally Turkey. The transit link is one of several stumbling blocks to a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, neighbors in the South Caucasus region who have fought a series of wars since the late 1980s and remain arch rivals. The countries said in March they had finalized a draft peace deal, but the timeline for signing it remains uncertain. (REUTERS)
Ya Libnan
a day ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Druze regain control of Sweida city after Syria announces ceasefire
A Syrian government military vehicle drives along a street in the southern Druze city of Sweida on Jul 16, 2025. Instead of quelling the fight between the Druze and the Bedouins the Syrian security forces joined the bedouins against the Druze , executed at close range hundreds of Druze fighters and civilians , looted their homes and set them on fire (Photo: Reuters/Karam al-Masri) SWEIDA, Syria: Druze fighters pushed out rival armed factions from Syria's southern city of Sweida on Saturday (Jul 19), a monitor said, after the government ordered a ceasefire following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention. Fighting nonetheless persisted in other parts of Sweida province, even as the Druze regained control of their city following days of fierce battle with armed Bedouin supported by tribal gunmen from other parts of Syria and Lebanon. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said that 'tribal fighters withdrew from Sweida city on Saturday evening' after Druze fighters launched a large-scale attack. Israel had bombed government 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 940 people have been killed in Sweida since last Sunday as sectarian clashes between the Druze and Bedouin drew in the government, Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria and Lebanon. Earlier Saturday, an AFP correspondent saw dozens of torched homes and vehicles and armed men setting fire to shops and homes after looting them. But in the evening, Bassem Fakhr, spokesman for the Men of Dignity, one of the two largest Druze armed groups, told AFP there was 'no Bedouin presence in the city'. HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS The deal between the 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 the US ambassador to Ankara, said the deal had the backing of Turkey, a key supporter of Sharaa, as well as neighboring 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 neighbors,' he wrote on X. Barrack later held a meeting in Amman with the Syrian and Jordanian top diplomats, during which they 'agreed on practical steps to support Syria in implementing the agreement', the US envoy said in a later post on X. The US administration, which alongside Turkey and Saudi Arabia, has forged ties with the president despite his past links with Al-Qaeda and ISIS , was critical of its Israeli ally's recent air strikes on Syria and had sought a way out for Sharaa's government. Sharaa followed up on the US announcement with a televised speech in which he announced an immediate ceasefire in Sweida and renewed his pledge to protect Syria's ethnic and religious minorities, a promise on which he never delivered 'The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country … We condemn all crimes committed' in Sweida, he stated. But the Syrian minorities stopped trusting him since the government forces always ended up supporting the Sunni rebels in their fights against the minorities as was evident in Sweida 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'. The European Union welcomed the deal between Syria and Israel, saying it had been 'appalled' by the deadly sectarian violence of recent days. France urged all parties to 'strictly adhere' to the ceasefire. But Israel expressed deep skepticism about Sharaa's renewed pledge to protect minorities, pointing to deadly violence against Alawites , Christians as well as the Druze since he led the overthrow of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December. In Sharaa'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. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said at least 940 people had been killed in the violence since last Sunday. They included 326 Druze fighters and 262 Druze civilians, 165 of whom were summarily executed by the government forces , according to the Observatory. They also included 312 government security personnel and 21 Sunni Bedouin, three of them civilians who were ' executed by Druze fighters'. Another 15 government troops were killed in Israeli strikes, the Observatory said. Syria's Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa on Saturday evening said that after the first phase of the ceasefire, which began on Saturday and involved the deployment of security forces to the province, a second phase would see the opening of humanitarian corridors. Raed al-Saleh, Syria's minister for emergencies and disaster management, told state television that 'the humanitarian situation is bad' and that convoys were waiting to enter Sweida when 'the appropriate conditions' present themselves. According to the United Nations, the fighting has displaced least 87,000 people. Only Federalism Can Save Syria Despite his hollow promises, Ahmed al-Sharaa has failed miserably in protecting Syria's vulnerable minorities. His brief rule has not ushered in a new era of inclusion or reconciliation, but one of betrayal and brutality. Many minorities across Syria—from Christians to Alawites, Druze to Kurds—no longer see Sharaa as a protector but as a former ISIS affiliate in a business suit. In this climate of deep mistrust and sectarian tension, the idea of a strong, centralized government led by one faction is no longer tenable. Syria needs a new path forward—one that gives every group a stake in the country's future while ensuring local governance, autonomy, and protection. That path is federalism. CNA/ YL
Ya Libnan
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Only Federalism Can Save Syria—and Perhaps the Middle East
BY; YA LIBNAN Despite his hollow promises, Ahmed al-Sharaa has failed miserably in protecting Syria's vulnerable minorities. His brief rule has not ushered in a new era of inclusion or reconciliation, but one of betrayal and brutality. Many minorities across Syria—from Christians to Alawites, Druze to Kurds—no longer see Sharaa as a protector but as a former ISIS affiliate in a business suit. Since unilaterally appointing himself as Syria's interim president, hundreds from these communities have been killed. Nowhere is his failure more glaring than in Sweida, where government forces dispatched to quell violence between Sunni Bedouins and the Druze ended up siding with the Bedouins. Instead of restoring order, they executed Druze civilians at gunpoint, looted homes, and set them ablaze. These actions confirm what many Syrians have long feared: Sharaa has no intention to govern for all Syrians—only to consolidate power under the guise of security. In this climate of deep mistrust and sectarian tension, the idea of a strong, centralized government led by one faction is no longer tenable. Syria needs a new path forward—one that gives every group a stake in the country's future while ensuring local governance, autonomy, and protection. That path is federalism. Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and smaller political units—such as states, provinces, or cantons. Each unit maintains a degree of autonomy to govern its own affairs, particularly in areas like education, policing, and culture, while still being part of a unified national framework. It is a model that has proven successful in multi-ethnic and multi-religious countries. Perhaps the best example is Switzerland . Despite its linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity, Switzerland has remained peaceful, democratic, and united—not in spite of its differences, but because it embraced them. The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons, each with its own constitution, government, and even police force. Yet all are bound together under a federal government that handles foreign policy, national defense, and major economic policies. It is a country where French, German, Italian, and Romansh speakers coexist harmoniously—not because they were forced to live under a single ruler, but because they were empowered to manage their own affairs within a shared federal system. Syria, like Switzerland, is a patchwork of identities, religions, and histories. Trying to force all Syrians into one mold, under one ruler or one ideology, has only led to tyranny and civil war. But imagine a Syria divided into six or seven cantons—each corresponding to the main communities: Sunni Arabs, Alawites, Druze, Christians, Kurds, and possibly others based on geography and population. Each canton would have the right to govern local affairs, protect its cultural heritage, manage its own security, and elect local officials. Meanwhile, a federal government in Damascus—or a new, neutral capital—would oversee defense, foreign relations, currency, and the rule of law across cantons. Such a system would offer each group what they crave most: dignity, safety, and a voice . It would neutralize the fear of domination by any one group, reduce the risk of sectarian violence, and provide a framework for peaceful coexistence. It would also promote accountability and economic development at the local level, as communities would have more control over their resources and priorities. The case for federalism doesn't stop at Syria. Other fragile states in the Middle East— Lebanon and Iraq in particular—are equally in need of a political rethink. In both countries, sectarianism has hollowed out the state, paralyzed reform, and fueled cycles of corruption and violence. In Lebanon, the confessional power-sharing system has become a recipe for gridlock, rewarding patronage rather than competence. In Iraq, the central government in Baghdad has often clashed with Kurdish aspirations and Sunni marginalization, leading to conflict and chaos. Federalism offers a chance to rebuild these nations—not by erasing their diversity, but by institutionalizing it. By giving each community the power to govern its own affairs while remaining part of a unified state, federalism can foster both local autonomy and national stability . It's not a magic solution, but it's far better than the broken systems currently in place. The dream of a united, inclusive Syria cannot be built on the backs of minorities who feel hunted and betrayed. It cannot rest in the hands of leaders who claim power without legitimacy. It must be rooted in a political system that protects all Syrians equally and gives each group the autonomy to thrive. Federalism is not a partition of Syria—it is the saving of it. It is not a threat to national unity—it is the only path to genuine unity through mutual respect and self-determination. Switzerland is living proof that federalism can transform a fragmented land into a functioning, peaceful, and prosperous country. Syria deserves the same chance. And so do Lebanon and Iraq. The time for federalism is now.
Ya Libnan
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
One Lebanese was killed in Sweida Syria while fighting with the bedouin tribes against the Druze
Mustafa Suleiman Al-Mullihan, from the Wadi Khaled region of Akkar of North Lebanon , was killed while fighting alongside the Bedouin tribes against the Druze of Sweida, Syria As clashes escalate in the Sweida Governorate in southern Syria, indications have begun to emerge of Lebanese involvement in the fighting alongside local groups. This comes amid widespread information circulating on social media about fighters of Lebanese Bedouin tribal origins participating in the ongoing clashes alongside Syrian tribal forces. In detail, a photo of young Mustafa Suleiman Al-Mullihan has been circulating in the past few hours, reportedly killed while participating in the Sweida battles. According to information provided by 'Lebanon Debate,' Mustafa, a young Lebanese man from the Wadi Khaled region of Akkar, was fighting alongside Bedouin tribal groups involved in the battles, which have been witnessing violent clashes for days. The information confirms that the participation of Lebanese in these clashes is not limited to individual cases, but rather includes a number of young men from northern regions with tribal or familial ties to Syrian tribes, particularly in border villages such as Wadi Khaled, where social and geographical connections intertwine. While no official Lebanese position has been issued to date regarding Mustafa's death or the participation of Lebanese in these battles, information indicates that 'this issue is highly sensitive, given its potential repercussions on Lebanese reality, both in terms of border security and Lebanese-Syrian relations, particularly in areas socially and geographically intertwined with the Syrian interior.' The question remains open: Are we witnessing a new shift in the role of some Lebanese in the Syrian conflict, or is what happened still limited to individual cases? Lebanon Debate
Ya Libnan
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Death toll in Sweida rises to 940 after renewed clashes against Syrian Druze
The Bedouin tribes of Khaldeh and Mount Lebanon released a firm statement on Friday condemning the violence in Syria's Sweida province, describing it as a 'dangerous sedition' that threatens Syria's unity and could spill into Lebanon . This comes after the Syrian government forces joined the fight against the Syria Druze of Sweida The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored renewed clashes in the western neighborhoods of the city of Sweida between tribal gunmen on one side and local fighters from the Druze community on the other. This follows a violation of the internationally sponsored ceasefire agreement. The new escalation comes as Syrian General Security forces have begun arriving in the vicinity of Sweida city, as part of the implementation of the agreement adopted by the guarantor states, which aims to de-escalate tensions and control the front lines. One of the most prominent provisions of the agreement stipulates the deployment of General Security checkpoints outside the governorate's administrative borders to prevent the infiltration of any armed groups into Sweida. According to SOHR sources, the death toll has risen to 940 since the outbreak of clashes seven days ago, the majority of whom are civilians, as a result of clashes, field executions, and Israeli shelling. El Nashar
