For years, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was an international pariah. But it looks like the leader is slowly returning to the world stage. On The West Asia Post, Ghadi Francis tells you how Assad is making a comeback.

The West Asia Post: Syria's Assad returns to the world stage

President Bashar-al-Assad is strapped for cash, losing the favour of western nations and having to fight on multiple fronts in the nation's decade long civil war. All this has left him with little choice to round up the country's business tycoons and get them to empty their pockets.

Family rift adds to Assad's woes: Once closest confidant, now sworn foe

Syria's President Bashar-al-assad has accused Kurdish forces of "stealing from Syrian people" after an American company made a contract with Kurdish authorities in North-Eastern Syria. Watch report.

Your Story: Bashar-al-assad seethes with anger, US "stealing oil from Syrian people"

Bashar al-Assad has completed 20 years as the president of Syria but, Syria today is a far cry from the vision that he had projected in July 2000. In 20 years the fate of a diverse, culturally-rich nation changed to the definitive war-torn hellscape that it is today.

Bashar-al-Assad completes 20 years as president of Syria

A UN board of inquiry investigating attacks on civilian establishments in Syria, including hospitals, has refrained from directly holding Russia responsible, according to a summary of its report published Monday.

The coordinates of the sites had been communicated to the belligerents by the United Nations to protect them from air strikes.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-victory-day-rehearsals-continue-despite-coronavirus-crisis-290914" hreflang="en">Russia: Victory Day rehearsals continue despite coronavirus crisis</a>

Without mentioning Russia, the investigation concluded that in four out of the seven cases studied by the board -- a school, a health center, a surgical hospital and a protection center -- "the government of Syria and/or its allies had carried out the airstrike."

In 2019, The New York Times published an exhaustive investigation, notably including recordings of Russian pilots, that directly incriminated Russia in attacks on hospitals in Syria.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-impact-is-covid-19-having-on-war-torn-areas-like-yemen-syria-libya-290652">What impact is COVID-19 having on war-torn areas like Yemen, Syria, Libya</a>

''The refusal to explicitly name Russia as a responsible party working alongside the Syrian government... is deeply disappointing," Human Rights Watch said after the summary was published.

The UN commission chose seven cases, but its investigators were unable to visit the sites because the Syrian government did not grant visas.

The cases included the Martyr Akram Ali Ibrahim Al-Ahmad school in Madiq Castle on April 2018, 2019, and the Rakaya Sijneh health center on May 3.

There were no victims in either case. The report said it was highly likely the raids were conducted by Syria or its allies.

The commission also looked at the Kafr Nabutha health center (May 7), which had no victims and was also likely conducted by Syria and its allies.

A UN board of inquiry investigating attacks on civilian establishments in Syria, including hospitals, has refrained from directly holding Russia responsible, according to a summary of its report published Monday.

A UN board of inquiry investigating attacks on civilian establishments in Syria, including hospitals, has refrained from directly holding Russia responsible, according to a summary of its report published Monday. The coordinates of the sites had been communicated to the belligerents by the United Nations to protect them from air strikes. Also read: Russia: Victory Day rehearsals continue despite coronavirus crisis Without mentioning Russia, the investigation concluded that in four out of the seven cases studied by the board -- a school, a health center, a surgical hospital and a protection center -- "the government of Syria and/or its allies had carried out the airstrike." In 2019, The New York Times published an exhaustive investigation, notably including recordings of Russian pilots, that directly incriminated Russia in attacks on hospitals in Syria. Also read: What impact is COVID-19 having on war-torn areas like Yemen, Syria, Libya ''The refusal to explicitly name Russia as a responsible party working alongside the Syrian government... is deeply disappointing," Human Rights Watch said after the summary was published. The UN commission chose seven cases, but its investigators were unable to visit the sites because the Syrian government did not grant visas. The cases included the Martyr Akram Ali Ibrahim Al-Ahmad school in Madiq Castle on April 2018, 2019, and the Rakaya Sijneh health center on May 3. There were no victims in either case. The report said it was highly likely the raids were conducted by Syria or its allies. The commission also looked at the Kafr Nabutha health center (May 7), which had no victims and was also likely conducted by Syria and its allies.

UN refrains from directly blaming Russia for Syria hospital attacks

A United Nations humanitarian task force has been unable to make deliveries to desperate Syrians for the past two months as President Bashar al-Assad&rsquo;s government has withheld approval for aid convoys, the UN humanitarian adviser said on Thursday.

Before they can move into besieged areas or across front lines, the convoys require letters from the government and security guarantees from armed groups.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an all-time low in giving us the facilitation letters,&rdquo; adviser Jan Egeland told reporters after meeting senior diplomats in Geneva.

Insurgents fighting Assad&rsquo;s forces were also creating obstacles, contributing to the worst situation since 2015, he said.

Egeland called on Russia, Turkey and Iran to de-escalate the fighting in Idlib governorate, which he said was &ldquo;screaming for a ceasefire&rdquo;.

&ldquo;When we need their ability to influence the parties the most, in this bleak hour for humanitarian work, humanitarian diplomacy seems to be totally impotent. We&rsquo;re getting nowhere at the moment.&rdquo;

This week Russia convened a Syrian peace congress in Sochi. Egeland said it had so far not resulted in any progress but he hoped that it would.

Air strikes hit two crowded markets in Idlib this week, killing at least 31 people, and have deprived hundreds of thousands of healthcare.

&ldquo;I told the members of the humanitarian task force, we cannot have conventional warfare in what is essentially a refugee camp,&rdquo; Egeland said.

Further north, a Turkish offensive in Afrin district has displaced about 15,000 people, Egeland said, adding: &ldquo;There are also reports...that local authorities have made it hard for people to flee from the Afrin area.&rdquo;

And outside Damascus, the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, where almost 400,000 people are under siege and about 750 need urgent medical evacuation, desperately needs a pause in the fighting, he said.

&ldquo;We have indications from both sides that they want it, but it hasn&rsquo;t happened. And it&rsquo;s both sides that have to help us here. There are air raids, fighting from the government side, but there is a barrage of mortars and grenades going from this area going into civilian neighbourhoods in Damascus.&rdquo;

He also said 112 people had been killed by explosions in the town of Raqqa since it was recaptured from Islamic State fighters in October because people had been allowed back to their homes before the town had been cleared of bombs.

A United Nations humanitarian task force has been unable to make deliveries to desperate Syrians for the past two months as President Bashar al-Assad’s government has withheld approval for aid convoys, the UN humanitarian adviser said on Thursday

A United Nations humanitarian task force has been unable to make deliveries to desperate Syrians for the past two months as President Bashar al-Assad’s government has withheld approval for aid convoys, the UN humanitarian adviser said on Thursday. Before they can move into besieged areas or across front lines, the convoys require letters from the government and security guarantees from armed groups. “It’s an all-time low in giving us the facilitation letters,” adviser Jan Egeland told reporters after meeting senior diplomats in Geneva. Insurgents fighting Assad’s forces were also creating obstacles, contributing to the worst situation since 2015, he said. Egeland called on Russia, Turkey and Iran to de-escalate the fighting in Idlib governorate, which he said was “screaming for a ceasefire”. “When we need their ability to influence the parties the most, in this bleak hour for humanitarian work, humanitarian diplomacy seems to be totally impotent. We’re getting nowhere at the moment.” This week Russia convened a Syrian peace congress in Sochi. Egeland said it had so far not resulted in any progress but he hoped that it would. Air strikes hit two crowded markets in Idlib this week, killing at least 31 people, and have deprived hundreds of thousands of healthcare. “I told the members of the humanitarian task force, we cannot have conventional warfare in what is essentially a refugee camp,” Egeland said. Further north, a Turkish offensive in Afrin district has displaced about 15,000 people, Egeland said, adding: “There are also reports...that local authorities have made it hard for people to flee from the Afrin area.” And outside Damascus, the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, where almost 400,000 people are under siege and about 750 need urgent medical evacuation, desperately needs a pause in the fighting, he said. “We have indications from both sides that they want it, but it hasn’t happened. And it’s both sides that have to help us here. There are air raids, fighting from the government side, but there is a barrage of mortars and grenades going from this area going into civilian neighbourhoods in Damascus.” He also said 112 people had been killed by explosions in the town of Raqqa since it was recaptured from Islamic State fighters in October because people had been allowed back to their homes before the town had been cleared of bombs.

UN calls on Russia, Iran and Turkey to break Syria aid deadlock

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