Is the world not in a frame of mind to express gratitude to Putin and Russia for not firing back at those Western vessels? I have spent many hours pondering over what to say to Macron and Theresa May. What to say to the knowledgeable statesmen and women of the world. What to say to … Read more
Syria’s army Sunday seized a key town from the Islamic State group in the east of Aleppo province, a military source said, nearing its goal of expelling the jihadists from the region. The capture of Maskana, on the western bank of Lake Assad, comes as part of a major Russian-backed military operation that began in … Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview published Tuesday, said he was “convinced” the Syrian government was not behind an alleged chemical attack in the country last month that killed dozens. In an interview with the online news feed of the conservative French daily Le Figaro, Putin added that he agreed with his French counterpart … Read more
Russia, Iran and Turkey have signed a deal calling for safe zones to be established inside Syria so that refugees can return and aid be sent in. The deal, which has not been signed by rebel groups or the Syrian government, proposes one zone in Idlib province, another in Homs, and a third near Damascus. … Read more
A Syrian rebel delegation has arrived in the Kazakh capital Astana for Russian-led talks aimed at ending the country’s civil war after the group snubbed the previous round, Kazakhstan said Tuesday. A rebel delegation led by Jaish al-Islam faction leader Mohammad Alloush has arrived in Astana for a fourth round of talks with the regime … Read more
US-backed fighters cornered the Islamic State group in a last part of Tabqa on Monday, after tearing down a huge jihadist flag that had fluttered over the northern Syrian city. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, were in control of all but a fifth of Tabqa as of early … Read more
As US-backed fighters advance on the Islamic State group’s de facto Syrian stronghold Raqa, a waterway “corridor” has become a key supply line, and an escape route for displaced civilians. An AFP team accompanied fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-Arab alliance that is fighting to capture the strategic town of Tabqa, some 55 … Read more
A massive explosion struck near Damascus International Airport early today setting off large fires, a monitoring group said, without specifying the cause. The blast was outside the airport itself. It was not immediately clear whether it was the result of an air strike or a ground attack, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. But Israeli … Read more
The world has witnessed yet another display of the military might of the United States with the missile strikes on Syrian targets a few days ago. The United States justified its strikes because it believed the Assad regime was behind a chemical weapons attack on opposition strongholds in Syria last week. The action of the … Read more
The United States and Russia were on a collision course over the alleged Syrian chemical attack on Wednesday as Washington’s top diplomat prepared for talks in Moscow. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is scheduled for a day of talks with his opposite number Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that will now be dominated by the war … Read more
It wasn’t until 2nd September 2013, that an American business mogul and maverick politician, Donald John Trump tweeted: “If the U. S. attacks Syria and hits the wrong targets, killing civilians, there will be worldwide hell to pay. Stay away and fix broken U.S.” Sounding so conservative and ‘anti-US world police’, perhaps no one could … Read more
US Senator John McCain, an advocate for a tougher stance on Syria for years, on Tuesday demanded the end of Damascus’ “murderous rampage” saying Moscow should cease its support for the regime. Syrian President “Bashar al-Assad must be stopped in this murderous rampage that continues,” McCain told reporters in Sarajevo during a tour of the … Read more
The G7 group of nations has failed to reach agreement over threatening new sanctions against Russia and Syria. Foreign ministers were seeking a common position on the Syrian conflict, before the US secretary of state flies to Russia to try to persuade it to abandon its Syrian ally. The nations agreed there was no solution … Read more
G7 foreign ministers will attempt to agree a common position on the Syrian conflict, before the US secretary of state flies to Russia to try to persuade it to abandon its Syrian ally. Rex Tillerson will also meet officials from allied Middle Eastern countries before heading to Moscow. The UK has suggested threatening tightly focused … Read more
G7 foreign ministers will attempt to agree a common position on the Syrian conflict, before the US secretary of state flies to Russia to try to persuade it to abandon its Syrian ally. Rex Tillerson will also meet officials from allied Middle Eastern countries before heading to Moscow. The UK has suggested threatening tightly-focused sanctions … Read more
Further sanctions will be considered against Russia over the “appalling” behaviour of the Syrian regime, Boris Johnson says. The foreign secretary urged Russia to “work with the rest of the world” rather than “stick like glue” to President Assad’s regime. G7 leaders are meeting to search for a unified solution to the Syrian war. Russia … Read more
The leaders of southern EU nations said Monday that a US missile strike on a Syrian air base in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack was “understandable,” as diplomatic tensions mount over the incident. “The strike launched by the United States on Shayrat Airfield in Syria had the understandable intention to prevent and deter the … Read more
British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon on Sunday accused Russia of being responsible “by proxy” for the death of 87 civilians killed last week in a suspected chemical weapons attack. “Assad’s principal backer is Russia. By proxy Russia is responsible for every civilian death last week,” Fallon wrote in an opinion column published in The Sunday … Read more
An air strike killed 18 civilians including five children in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The monitoring group updated its earlier death toll of 15 for the strike on Urum al-Joz, saying three more people had died of serious injuries. It said the strike was … Read more
Autopsy results have revealed that chemical weapons were used in an attack which killed more than 80 people in Syria’s Idlib province, according to Turkey’s justice minister. Thirty-two victims of Tuesday’s attack were brought to Turkey where three subsequently died. “Autopsies were carried out on three of the bodies after they were brought from Idlib. … Read more