Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, the infamous Syrian cleric known as the ‘barrel bomb mufti’, who justified atrocities committed under former ruler Bashar al-Assad, was on Monday (Aug 24) sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Damascus. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty in a trial that began on 25 June under Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan. The jailing of the mufti came just weeks after Assad was sentenced to death in absentia for his actions while in power.<h2>Syria’s post-Assad transitional justice process</h2>The case is one of many being pursued to deliver justice to victims of the former regime.&nbsp;The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus found the former grand mufti guilty of inciting violence and civil war. He was charged with justifying killings under the Assad regime and abusing his office, as well as alleged involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity. His assets were ordered to be confiscated for the benefit of the public treasury.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/damascus-court-delivers-verdict-against-bashar-al-assad-syria-sentences-ousted-ruler-to-death-1786506322213/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/damascus-court-delivers-verdict-against-bashar-al-assad-syria-sentences-ousted-ruler-to-death-1786506322213/embed</a><h2>The barrel bomb mufti of Syria</h2>Hassoun was Syria’s grand mufti from 2005 until 2021. The cleric, who was born in Aleppo around 1949, acted as one of the Assad regime’s most prominent religious defenders after the 2011 uprising, which led to a nearly 14-year civil war.Hassoun portrayed the protests as a foreign-backed terrorist conspiracy. He used his Friday sermons, public appearances and fatwas to lend religious and political legitimacy to the Assad regime’s brutal crackdowns.He was nicknamed the “barrel bomb mufti” or the “mufti of the barrels” because he justified as “liberation” the regime’s indiscriminate aerial bombing of civilian areas with explosive-laden barrels. &nbsp;He also issued threats, saying at one point that Syria would train suicide bombers to attack European countries if they intervened.He was accused of authorising executions of detainees, including at the notorious Sednaya Prison.His influence waned after 2018, when authority over religious affairs shifted.The grand mufti post was later abolished under Assad in 2021, before being restored after the regime’s fall in 2024.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-ousted-president-bashar-al-assad-gets-death-penalty-in-landmark-verdict-1786437414005">Ousted Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad gets death sentence in landmark verdict</a><h2>Hassoun was held when trying to flee Syria</h2>Following Assad’s ouster by opposition forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, then the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), in December 2024, Hassoun went into hiding. HTS was the main force in the rebel offensive that toppled Assad’s government and seized Damascus on 8 December 2024.Hassoun was detained at Damascus International Airport in March 2025 while trying to flee the country.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bashar-al-assad-sentenced-to-death-in-absentia-fall-of-a-dictator-political-profile-1786441067165">Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death in absentia: Fall of a dictator</a>&nbsp;The trial of the former mufti was viewed in Syria as a significant step towards holding senior civilian and religious figures accountable for the Syrian war, which killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions.&nbsp;

A Syrian court sentenced former Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, known as the “barrel bomb mufti”, to life imprisonment. He was accused of inciting violence and justifying killings under Bashar al-Assad 

Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, the infamous Syrian cleric known as the ‘barrel bomb mufti’, who justified atrocities committed under former ruler Bashar al-Assad, was on Monday (Aug 24) sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Damascus. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty in a trial that began on 25 June under Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan. The jailing of the mufti came just weeks after Assad was sentenced to death in absentia for his actions while in power. Syria’s post-Assad transitional justice process The case is one of many being pursued to deliver justice to victims of the former regime. The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus found the former grand mufti guilty of inciting violence and civil war. He was charged with justifying killings under the Assad regime and abusing his office, as well as alleged involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity. His assets were ordered to be confiscated for the benefit of the public treasury. https://www.wionews.com/videos/damascus-court-delivers-verdict-against-bashar-al-assad-syria-sentences-ousted-ruler-to-death-1786506322213/embed The barrel bomb mufti of Syria Hassoun was Syria’s grand mufti from 2005 until 2021. The cleric, who was born in Aleppo around 1949, acted as one of the Assad regime’s most prominent religious defenders after the 2011 uprising, which led to a nearly 14-year civil war. Hassoun portrayed the protests as a foreign-backed terrorist conspiracy. He used his Friday sermons, public appearances and fatwas to lend religious and political legitimacy to the Assad regime’s brutal crackdowns. He was nicknamed the “barrel bomb mufti” or the “mufti of the barrels” because he justified as “liberation” the regime’s indiscriminate aerial bombing of civilian areas with explosive-laden barrels. He also issued threats, saying at one point that Syria would train suicide bombers to attack European countries if they intervened. He was accused of authorising executions of detainees, including at the notorious Sednaya Prison. His influence waned after 2018, when authority over religious affairs shifted. The grand mufti post was later abolished under Assad in 2021, before being restored after the regime’s fall in 2024. Also read: Ousted Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad gets death sentence in landmark verdict Hassoun was held when trying to flee Syria Following Assad’s ouster by opposition forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, then the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), in December 2024, Hassoun went into hiding. HTS was the main force in the rebel offensive that toppled Assad’s government and seized Damascus on 8 December 2024. Hassoun was detained at Damascus International Airport in March 2025 while trying to flee the country. Also read: Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death in absentia: Fall of a dictator The trial of the former mufti was viewed in Syria as a significant step towards holding senior civilian and religious figures accountable for the Syrian war, which killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions.

A Syrian court sentenced former Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, known as the “barrel bomb mufti”, to life imprisonment. He was accused of inciting violence and justifying killings under Bashar al-Assad&nbsp;

Who is "barrel bomb mufti" Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, sentenced to prison for life for justifying Assad regime atrocities?

Two weeks after seizing power in a sweeping offensive, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday said weapons in the country, would come under state control. Watch this report for more details!

Syria's New Leader Says All Weapons To Come Under 'State Control'

Two weeks after seizing power in a sweeping offensive, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday said weapons in the country, would come under state control. Watch this report for more details! 

The stunning fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad in Syria thrust several rebel groups and foreign powers into the spotlight as they vie for control and influence. Watch for more details!

Rebel Groups & Foreign Powers Contend to Shape Syria's Future

Foreign Powers & Rebels Vie for Control Over Syria

Thousands of Syrian refugees have begun returning to their homeland from neighbouring countries following the fall of ousted President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. Watch for more details!

Syrian Refugees Return to Their Homeland

WION is covering live updates of the Syrian conflict where the rebel offensive has left Russian military bases there under threat. The Tartus Naval Base and Hmeimim Air Base are Russia's only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union and have been key to the Kremlin's activities in Africa and the Middle East.

In other news, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (Dec 10). Singh is on an official three-day visit to Russia and arrived on Sunday in Moscow.&nbsp;

Furthermore, the evolving weather system in the Bay of Bengal, off India's southeastern coast, is now a 'well-marked low-pressure area,' said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Click on the headlines to read more&nbsp;

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If reports are to be believed, the rebel offensive in Syria has left Russian military bases there under threat. The Tartus naval base and Hmeimim Air Base are Russia's only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union and have been key to the Kremlin's activities in Africa and the Middle East. Russian state media reported that the Syrian opposition has "guaranteed" the security of the facilities, but it is not clear if Moscow will maintain control of them.

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Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Tuesday (Dec&nbsp;10). Defence Minister Singh, who is on a three-day&nbsp;official visit to Russia, arrived in Moscow on Sunday night.

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The evolving weather system in the Bay of Bengal, off India's southeast coast, is now a 'well-marked low-pressure area,' said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday (Dec 10)&nbsp;took the stand in the corruption trial against him, calling the allegations "simply ridiculous."&nbsp;The trial involves three separate cases in which prosecutors said that Netanyahu exchanged&nbsp;regulatory favours with media titans for favourable press coverage and advanced the personal interests of a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for lavish gifts.

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Rebel factions in Syria, who ousted Bashar al-Assad from power following their November 27 offensive, on Tuesday (Dec 10) named Mohammed al-Bashir as head of a transitional government.

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26-year-old Luigi Mangione is the suspected murderer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. But there is something more to know about him—his support of a hodgepodge of political views. He has reacted to various social media posts ranging from calls to ban sex toys in Japan, modern America being compared to the fall of Rome, and much more.

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A wildfire that broke out in the city of Malibu in the US state of California on Monday (Dec&nbsp;9), has led to authorities issuing emergency evacuation orders near the area. The fire was reported to be spreading at a "rapid rate".&nbsp;

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The bungalow of former chief minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal,&nbsp;has again come into controversy ahead of assembly polls in the city. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has been referring to Kejriwal's bungalow as "Sheesh Mahal", which means palace of mirrors that denotes luxury.&nbsp;

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The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) between India and Australia is breaking all records in terms of in-person match attendance. The first two Tests in Perth and Adelaide saw record crowds coming in for the high-octane contest between the two sides and now the iconic Boxing Day Test tickets for the first day are also sold out.

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Taylor Swift has just wrapped up her Eras Tour. During the last concert, Taylor got emotional and told her fans that she was thankful for all the love. Reports estimate that her&nbsp;Eras Tour&nbsp;grossed more than $2 billion.

WION is covering live updates of the Syrian conflict where the rebel offensive has left Russian military bases there under threat. The Tartus Naval Base and Hmeimim Air Base are Russia's only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union and have been key to the Kremlin's activities in Africa and the Middle East.

WION is covering live updates of the Syrian conflict where the rebel offensive has left Russian military bases there under threat. The Tartus Naval Base and Hmeimim Air Base are Russia's only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union and have been key to the Kremlin's activities in Africa and the Middle East. In other news, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (Dec 10). Singh is on an official three-day visit to Russia and arrived on Sunday in Moscow. Furthermore, the evolving weather system in the Bay of Bengal, off India's southeastern coast, is now a 'well-marked low-pressure area,' said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Click on the headlines to read more West Asia crisis LIVE: Russian military bases in Syria under threat, say reports If reports are to be believed, the rebel offensive in Syria has left Russian military bases there under threat. The Tartus naval base and Hmeimim Air Base are Russia's only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union and have been key to the Kremlin's activities in Africa and the Middle East. Russian state media reported that the Syrian opposition has "guaranteed" the security of the facilities, but it is not clear if Moscow will maintain control of them. Rajnath Singh in Russia: Indian defence minister meets Russian President Putin Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Tuesday (Dec 10). Defence Minister Singh, who is on a three-day official visit to Russia, arrived in Moscow on Sunday night. Weather system in Bay of Bengal- Rainfall warning for 17 districts of Tamil Nadu The evolving weather system in the Bay of Bengal, off India's southeast coast, is now a 'well-marked low-pressure area,' said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Netanyahu corruption trial: Israeli PM calls allegations 'simply ridiculous' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday (Dec 10) took the stand in the corruption trial against him, calling the allegations "simply ridiculous." The trial involves three separate cases in which prosecutors said that Netanyahu exchanged regulatory favours with media titans for favourable press coverage and advanced the personal interests of a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for lavish gifts. Syrian conflict: Rebels name Mohammed al-Bashir as head of transitional govt Rebel factions in Syria, who ousted Bashar al-Assad from power following their November 27 offensive, on Tuesday (Dec 10) named Mohammed al-Bashir as head of a transitional government. UnitedHealthcare CEO's killer made bizarre endorsements online, called for ban on sex toys 26-year-old Luigi Mangione is the suspected murderer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. But there is something more to know about him—his support of a hodgepodge of political views. He has reacted to various social media posts ranging from calls to ban sex toys in Japan, modern America being compared to the fall of Rome, and much more. Watch: Malibu fire spreads rapidly, forces evacuation after burning 1,800 acres A wildfire that broke out in the city of Malibu in the US state of California on Monday (Dec 9), has led to authorities issuing emergency evacuation orders near the area. The fire was reported to be spreading at a "rapid rate". '7-star-resort': BJP shares visuals of Delhi CM's bungalow, AAP reacts The bungalow of former chief minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, has again come into controversy ahead of assembly polls in the city. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has been referring to Kejriwal's bungalow as "Sheesh Mahal", which means palace of mirrors that denotes luxury. BGT 2024-25: With series at 1-1, tickets for first day of Boxing Dat Test at MCG sold out two weeks in advance The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) between India and Australia is breaking all records in terms of in-person match attendance. The first two Tests in Perth and Adelaide saw record crowds coming in for the high-octane contest between the two sides and now the iconic Boxing Day Test tickets for the first day are also sold out. Taylor Swift gave out $197 million in bonuses to crew of her sold-out Eras Tour Taylor Swift has just wrapped up her Eras Tour. During the last concert, Taylor got emotional and told her fans that she was thankful for all the love. Reports estimate that her Eras Tour grossed more than $2 billion.

Top 10 world news: West Asia crisis updates; Rajnath Singh meets Putin, and more

Amid Syria's civil war that resulted in the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, Germany has suspended its decisions on asylum requests from Syrians on Monday, December 9, the interior minister said.

Germany is home to Europe’s largest diaspora from the country after taking in nearly one million Syrians during 2015-16 under former chancellor Angela Merkel.

“The end of the brutal tyranny of the Syrian dictator Assad is a great relief for many people who have suffered from torture, murder and terror,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in a statement.

However, “the situation in Syria is currently very unclear,” she cautioned.&nbsp;

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has paused the decisions for asylum procedures that are ongoing until the situation becomes clearer.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-conflict-us-nsa-sullivan-to-visit-israel-for-talks-on-syria-as-rebels-take-over-updates-782755">Syrian conflict: US NSA Sullivan to visit Israel for talks on Syria as rebels take over- Updates</a>

According to the interior ministry, 974,136 Syrian nationals were living in Germany. While 5,090 of these were acknowledged as eligible for asylum, 321,444 were granted the status of refugee, and 329,242 were given subsidiary protection, a temporary stay of deportation. Tens of thousands of other cases remain pending.

<h2>EU 'not currently engaging' with Syrian rebels</h2>

The European Union said on Monday&nbsp;that it is not in contact with the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which overthrew the rule of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. The EU has also urged for a peaceful political transition in the country.

Although HTS broke ties with Al-Qaeda in 2016, the group and its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, remain under EU sanctions.

“The European Union is not currently engaging with HTS or its leaders, full stop,” EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.&nbsp;

“As HTS takes on greater responsibilities, we will need to assess not just their words but also their actions.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-are-the-alawites-assads-community-who-dominated-syria-despite-being-a-minority-782702">Who are the Alawites, Assad's community, who dominated Syria despite being a minority</a>

<h2>UK will 'quickly' decide on terror status of HTS&nbsp;</h2>

The UK will “quickly” decide whether to remove the Islamist group HTS from the list of terrorist organisations, Pat McFadden, Minister for Intergovernmental Relations of the United Kingdom, said on Monday, December 9.

The group is classified as a terror group in the UK and the United States.

“If the situation stabilises, there'll be a decision to make about how to deal with whatever new regime is in place there,” he told BBC Radio 4.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Amid Syria's civil war that resulted in the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, Germany has suspended its decisions on asylum requests from Syrians on Monday, December 9, the interior minister said.

Amid Syria's civil war that resulted in the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, Germany has suspended its decisions on asylum requests from Syrians on Monday, December 9, the interior minister said. Germany is home to Europe’s largest diaspora from the country after taking in nearly one million Syrians during 2015-16 under former chancellor Angela Merkel. “The end of the brutal tyranny of the Syrian dictator Assad is a great relief for many people who have suffered from torture, murder and terror,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in a statement. However, “the situation in Syria is currently very unclear,” she cautioned. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has paused the decisions for asylum procedures that are ongoing until the situation becomes clearer. Also read | Syrian conflict: US NSA Sullivan to visit Israel for talks on Syria as rebels take over- Updates According to the interior ministry, 974,136 Syrian nationals were living in Germany. While 5,090 of these were acknowledged as eligible for asylum, 321,444 were granted the status of refugee, and 329,242 were given subsidiary protection, a temporary stay of deportation. Tens of thousands of other cases remain pending. EU 'not currently engaging' with Syrian rebels The European Union said on Monday that it is not in contact with the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which overthrew the rule of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. The EU has also urged for a peaceful political transition in the country. Although HTS broke ties with Al-Qaeda in 2016, the group and its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, remain under EU sanctions. “The European Union is not currently engaging with HTS or its leaders, full stop,” EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said. “As HTS takes on greater responsibilities, we will need to assess not just their words but also their actions.” Also read | Who are the Alawites, Assad's community, who dominated Syria despite being a minority UK will 'quickly' decide on terror status of HTS The UK will “quickly” decide whether to remove the Islamist group HTS from the list of terrorist organisations, Pat McFadden, Minister for Intergovernmental Relations of the United Kingdom, said on Monday, December 9. The group is classified as a terror group in the UK and the United States. “If the situation stabilises, there'll be a decision to make about how to deal with whatever new regime is in place there,” he told BBC Radio 4. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Germany freezes Syrian asylum decisions; EU not engaging with rebel group HTS after Assad ouster

Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Russia after the country’s capital Damascus fell into the hands of Islamist rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham on Sunday. According to reports published in Russian media outlets like TASS and RIA Novosti, Assad and his family have been granted asylum by the Russian authorities on “humanitarian grounds”.

Assad fled from Syria when rebel group HTS swept into the capital, and later the rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani addressed cheering crowds at a mosque in Damascus.

Assad and his family arrived in Russia following the capture of Damascus by the rebels and the collapse of his regime.&nbsp;

“Russia has, for humanitarian reasons, granted asylum to Assad and his family members,” reported Russian state media agency Ria Novosti, citing a Kremlin source.

“Russia has always advocated for a political solution to the Syrian crisis. In addition, Russia considers it necessary to resume negotiations under the auspices of the UN,” the source further told RIA Novosti.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/historic-day-israeli-pm-netanyahu-on-overthrow-of-bashar-al-assad-in-syria-782503">‘Historic day’: Israeli PM Netanyahu on overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria</a>

“Russia has always spoken in favour of a political settlement of the Syrian crisis. We insist that the UN-mediated talks be resumed,” it added.

“Russian officials are in touch with representatives of the armed Syrian opposition, whose leaders have guaranteed security of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions on the Syrian territory,” the source said further.

Russia has been a key ally of Assad’s regime.

In fact, the Russian firepower had helped Bashar al-Assad stay in power over the years. 
Analysts say that the fall of the Assad regime is a big blow to Russia’s prestige.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had sent thousands of troops to Syria in 2015 to shore up Assad.

In return for military assistance, Russia was granted 49-year leases on the air base in Hmeimim and its naval base in Tartus.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Russia after the country’s capital Damascus fell into the hands of Islamist rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham on Sunday.

Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Russia after the country’s capital Damascus fell into the hands of Islamist rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham on Sunday. According to reports published in Russian media outlets like TASS and RIA Novosti, Assad and his family have been granted asylum by the Russian authorities on “humanitarian grounds”. Assad fled from Syria when rebel group HTS swept into the capital, and later the rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani addressed cheering crowds at a mosque in Damascus. Assad and his family arrived in Russia following the capture of Damascus by the rebels and the collapse of his regime. “Russia has, for humanitarian reasons, granted asylum to Assad and his family members,” reported Russian state media agency Ria Novosti, citing a Kremlin source. “Russia has always advocated for a political solution to the Syrian crisis. In addition, Russia considers it necessary to resume negotiations under the auspices of the UN,” the source further told RIA Novosti. Also read | ‘Historic day’: Israeli PM Netanyahu on overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria “Russia has always spoken in favour of a political settlement of the Syrian crisis. We insist that the UN-mediated talks be resumed,” it added. “Russian officials are in touch with representatives of the armed Syrian opposition, whose leaders have guaranteed security of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions on the Syrian territory,” the source said further. Russia has been a key ally of Assad’s regime. In fact, the Russian firepower had helped Bashar al-Assad stay in power over the years. Analysts say that the fall of the Assad regime is a big blow to Russia’s prestige. Russian President Vladimir Putin had sent thousands of troops to Syria in 2015 to shore up Assad. In return for military assistance, Russia was granted 49-year leases on the air base in Hmeimim and its naval base in Tartus. (With inputs from agencies)

Ousted Syrian President Assad, family in Moscow, given asylum: Russian media

Thousands of jubilant Syrians rallied in Berlin and cities across Europe on Sunday, waving flags and singing with joy to celebrate the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

"Finally we are free!," exclaimed a smiling Bassam Al-Hamada, 39, among 5,000 people at an exuberant rally in the capital of Germany, the country home to the largest Syrian community in Europe.

Many waved the flag of the Syrian opposition and signs that read "Free Syria" and "Freedom". Others flashed the "V" for victory sign, sang and shouted "Allahu Akbar!" (God is Greatest!).

Many came with their families, braving a cold drizzle. Children's faces were painted in the Syrian national colours at the packed square in Berlin's Kreuzberg district, where chants mingled with the honking horns of passing cars.

Germany is home to more than a million Syrians, the largest diaspora in the European Union, most of them asylum seekers who fled the civil war raging since 2011.&nbsp;

Many live in Berlin's working-class district of Neukoelln, where a spontaneous outpouring of relief began early on Sunday – a day that also saw Syrian community rallies in Athens, London, Vienna and other cities.

Hundreds celebrated in joyous scenes outside the Fatih Mosque in central Istanbul, one of the focal points for their 500,000-strong Syrian community in the Turkish city.

"We're happy. The dictatorship is over. Assad has gone," said 39-year-old Berlin resident Ahmed, who preferred not to give his last name.

"All Syrians are together now," said the railway technician, who fled the northern Syrian city of Aleppo in 2015.

Also joining the happy crowd in Berlin was Ahmad al-Hallabi, 27, a mechanic, also from Aleppo, who fled via Turkey and Greece to Germany in 2015, the peak of the migrant influx to the EU.

"Ten years ago, I was in Syria and saw things no-one should have to see, things that are impossible to wipe from your memory," he said.

"Assad is the worst terrorist imaginable ... I hope there'll be peace and everything Assad and his men destroyed will be rebuilt."&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/historic-day-israeli-pm-netanyahu-on-overthrow-of-bashar-al-assad-in-syria-782503">‘Historic day’: Israeli PM Netanyahu on overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria</a>

<h2>'Relief for millions'</h2>

Many at the rally expressed cautious hope they would soon be able to return to their war-battered home country.

"Like many Syrians, I would like to return to my country to help rebuild it," said Bassam Al-Hamada, a social worker who arrived in Germany in early 2016.&nbsp;

His compatriot Sabreen, 36, an architect, said she planned for the moment to "help from Germany".

"They mainly need expertise and money. All of that, we can gather here for the moment," added the young woman.

Like many of the protesters in Berlin, Sabreen called for Assad to be held accountable for killing and torturing his own people. "He must be tried in the international court in The Hague," she said.&nbsp;

<h2>'Allah, Syria, freedom!'</h2>

Hundreds of ecstatic Syrians celebrated the fall of Assad on London's Trafalgar Square, hugging each other and chanting "Mabrouk!" (Congratulations!).

Syrians greeted each other, many with the opposition flag draped over their shoulders, and singing: "Syria is ours, not the Assad family's".

Several hundred Syrians also rallied outside parliament in central Athens. "Allah, Syria, freedom!" and "together, together, together," they chanted in a jubilant atmosphere.

"I am happy after these 13 years of displacement, massacres, and tens of thousands of people killed in prisons," said Adel Batal, 29.

"I am in Greece because of this regime," said the man from Aleppo. "My city has been destroyed by this regime."

Thousands of Syrians and their supporters also rallied in downtown Vienna and in Nordic cities, including Stockholm and Copenhagen.

"I lost my homeland. My home, my family, and my friends, and we fought for 14 years –- so yes, today I am happy," Noura Bittar told Danish local television.

"Of course, we are worried about what the next step will be, what kind of government will be put in place? But for now, we are just happy."

In Malmo, in southern Sweden, more than 1,500 people gathered, said local newspaper Sydsvenskan, with one joyful demonstrator, Renim Zubari, handing out roses.

"We have always supported the rebels, but without daring to hope that it would be possible to overthrow the regime," said Zubari.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Thousands of jubilant Syrians rallied in Berlin and cities across Europe on Sunday, waving flags and singing with joy to celebrate the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

Thousands of jubilant Syrians rallied in Berlin and cities across Europe on Sunday, waving flags and singing with joy to celebrate the fall of President Bashar al-Assad. "Finally we are free!," exclaimed a smiling Bassam Al-Hamada, 39, among 5,000 people at an exuberant rally in the capital of Germany, the country home to the largest Syrian community in Europe. Many waved the flag of the Syrian opposition and signs that read "Free Syria" and "Freedom". Others flashed the "V" for victory sign, sang and shouted "Allahu Akbar!" (God is Greatest!). Many came with their families, braving a cold drizzle. Children's faces were painted in the Syrian national colours at the packed square in Berlin's Kreuzberg district, where chants mingled with the honking horns of passing cars. Germany is home to more than a million Syrians, the largest diaspora in the European Union, most of them asylum seekers who fled the civil war raging since 2011. Many live in Berlin's working-class district of Neukoelln, where a spontaneous outpouring of relief began early on Sunday – a day that also saw Syrian community rallies in Athens, London, Vienna and other cities. Hundreds celebrated in joyous scenes outside the Fatih Mosque in central Istanbul, one of the focal points for their 500,000-strong Syrian community in the Turkish city. "We're happy. The dictatorship is over. Assad has gone," said 39-year-old Berlin resident Ahmed, who preferred not to give his last name. "All Syrians are together now," said the railway technician, who fled the northern Syrian city of Aleppo in 2015. Also joining the happy crowd in Berlin was Ahmad al-Hallabi, 27, a mechanic, also from Aleppo, who fled via Turkey and Greece to Germany in 2015, the peak of the migrant influx to the EU. "Ten years ago, I was in Syria and saw things no-one should have to see, things that are impossible to wipe from your memory," he said. "Assad is the worst terrorist imaginable ... I hope there'll be peace and everything Assad and his men destroyed will be rebuilt." Also read | ‘Historic day’: Israeli PM Netanyahu on overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria 'Relief for millions' Many at the rally expressed cautious hope they would soon be able to return to their war-battered home country. "Like many Syrians, I would like to return to my country to help rebuild it," said Bassam Al-Hamada, a social worker who arrived in Germany in early 2016. His compatriot Sabreen, 36, an architect, said she planned for the moment to "help from Germany". "They mainly need expertise and money. All of that, we can gather here for the moment," added the young woman. Like many of the protesters in Berlin, Sabreen called for Assad to be held accountable for killing and torturing his own people. "He must be tried in the international court in The Hague," she said. 'Allah, Syria, freedom!' Hundreds of ecstatic Syrians celebrated the fall of Assad on London's Trafalgar Square, hugging each other and chanting "Mabrouk!" (Congratulations!). Syrians greeted each other, many with the opposition flag draped over their shoulders, and singing: "Syria is ours, not the Assad family's". Several hundred Syrians also rallied outside parliament in central Athens. "Allah, Syria, freedom!" and "together, together, together," they chanted in a jubilant atmosphere. "I am happy after these 13 years of displacement, massacres, and tens of thousands of people killed in prisons," said Adel Batal, 29. "I am in Greece because of this regime," said the man from Aleppo. "My city has been destroyed by this regime." Thousands of Syrians and their supporters also rallied in downtown Vienna and in Nordic cities, including Stockholm and Copenhagen. "I lost my homeland. My home, my family, and my friends, and we fought for 14 years –- so yes, today I am happy," Noura Bittar told Danish local television. "Of course, we are worried about what the next step will be, what kind of government will be put in place? But for now, we are just happy." In Malmo, in southern Sweden, more than 1,500 people gathered, said local newspaper Sydsvenskan, with one joyful demonstrator, Renim Zubari, handing out roses. "We have always supported the rebels, but without daring to hope that it would be possible to overthrow the regime," said Zubari. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Syrians hold cheerful rallies across Europe to celebrate fall of Assad

Russia announced on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Syria's Bashar al-Assad has left the country after giving orders for&nbsp;a peaceful handover of power. Russia's foreign ministry released a statement announcing the news but did not say where Assad has fled to.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he ordered the military to seize the buffer zone on the Israel-Syria border. IDF said that the deployment of the buffer zone was a defensive measure amid the chaos in the neighbouring country.&nbsp;

Click on the headlines to read more&nbsp;

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<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/12/08/470172-00036pu2p7.jpg?imwidth=400" />

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has left the country after having given orders for a peaceful handover of power, the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday (Dec. 8). Clarifying that Russia has not taken part in talks of his departure, the ministry released a statement but did not say where Assad has fled to.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-ordered-military-to-seize-syria-buffer-zone-idf-says-defensive-measure-782505">Netanyahu ordered military to 'seize' Syria buffer zone, IDF says 'defensive' measure</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/12/08/470196-00036mw38d.jpg?imwidth=400" />

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (Dec. 8) that he had ordered the Israeli military to seize a buffer zone on the border with Syria after Bashar al-Assad fled Syria.&nbsp;

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Multiple Israeli airstrikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda areas in southern Syria on Sunday (Dec. 8), Syrian media reported. The strikes were reported near the Syria-Israel border and also at the Mezzeh airbase near the capital Damascus.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armed-men-escort-syrian-pm-to-hotel-after-bashar-flees-country-782498">Armed men escort Syrian PM to hotel after Bashar al-Assad flees country</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/12/08/470191-00036pv69h.jpg?imwidth=400" />

Hours after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country, a video by Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel. Earlier on December 8, Jalali called for free elections in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-syrians-tour-assads-palace-after-looting-his-belongings-782484">Watch: Syrians tour Assad's palace after looting his belongings</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/12/08/470183-00036pw8pb.jpg?imwidth=400" />

As Syrian President Bashar al-Asad fled the country, Syrians stormed into his palace in the capital city of Damascus and looted his personal belongings on Sunday (Dec. 8). Several videos circulated on social media showed locals freely entering the presidential palace.&nbsp;

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<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/12/08/470177-untitled-design-10.jpg?imwidth=400" />

For people who love to unwind after a long day by taking a relaxing bath but do not have enough time for it, Japanese engineers have created something that may be perfect for them.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/historic-day-israeli-pm-netanyahu-on-overthrow-of-bashar-al-assad-in-syria-782503">‘Historic day’: Israeli PM Netanyahu on overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/12/08/470195-00036l28bm-1.jpg?imwidth=400" />

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria was a "historic day in the... Middle East" and the fall of a "central link in Iran's axis of evil".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-a-14-year-olds-graffiti-sparked-al-assads-fall-in-syria-782449">How a 14-year-old's graffiti sparked an uprising that ultimately led to Al-Assad's fall&nbsp;in Syria</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/12/08/470163-00036pv926.jpg?imwidth=400" />

In 2011, a 14-year-old boy named Mouawiya Syasneh did a rebellious act against an authoritarian regime in the streets of Daraa, southern Syria. He spray-painted a wall with the words, "Ejak el door, ya doctor" (It's your turn, Doctor), which sparked a civil war in the region, leading to reshaping the country's destiny.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-calls-for-immediate-ceasefire-between-ukraine-and-russia-says-zelensky-is-ready-for-deal-782418">Donald Trump seeks 'immediate ceasefire' between Russia, Ukraine, says Assad fled as Moscow pulled support</a>

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US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday (Dec 8) called for an "immediate ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia, saying&nbsp;"negotiations should begin" between the fighting nations. In a social media post soon after events unfolded in Syria, he also commented on why President Bashar al-Assad fled the West Asian nation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bashar-al-assad-syrias-tyrant-who-pushed-the-country-into-a-decade-long-civil-war-782409">Bashar Al-Assad: Syria's 'tyrant' who pushed the country into a decade-long civil war</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/12/08/470139-bashar-al-assad.png?imwidth=400" />

On the morning of Sunday (Dec 8), Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was nowhere to be found in Damascus when the rebel forces stormed the capital city after taking over five other cities in a span of a few days.

&nbsp;

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Russia announced on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Syria's Bashar al-Assad has left the country after giving orders for a peaceful handover of power. Russia's foreign ministry released a statement announcing the news but did not say where Assad has fled to.

Russia announced on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Syria's Bashar al-Assad has left the country after giving orders for a peaceful handover of power. Russia's foreign ministry released a statement announcing the news but did not say where Assad has fled to. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he ordered the military to seize the buffer zone on the Israel-Syria border. IDF said that the deployment of the buffer zone was a defensive measure amid the chaos in the neighbouring country. Click on the headlines to read more Syria's Assad left country, gave orders for peaceful power handover: Russia's foreign ministry Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has left the country after having given orders for a peaceful handover of power, the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday (Dec. 8). Clarifying that Russia has not taken part in talks of his departure, the ministry released a statement but did not say where Assad has fled to. Netanyahu ordered military to 'seize' Syria buffer zone, IDF says 'defensive' measure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (Dec. 8) that he had ordered the Israeli military to seize a buffer zone on the border with Syria after Bashar al-Assad fled Syria. Multiple Israeli airstrikes reported in southern Syria targeting airbases Multiple Israeli airstrikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda areas in southern Syria on Sunday (Dec. 8), Syrian media reported. The strikes were reported near the Syria-Israel border and also at the Mezzeh airbase near the capital Damascus. Armed men escort Syrian PM to hotel after Bashar al-Assad flees country Hours after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country, a video by Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel. Earlier on December 8, Jalali called for free elections in the country. Watch: Syrians tour Assad's palace after looting his belongings As Syrian President Bashar al-Asad fled the country, Syrians stormed into his palace in the capital city of Damascus and looted his personal belongings on Sunday (Dec. 8). Several videos circulated on social media showed locals freely entering the presidential palace. Japanese engineers build AI-powered human washing machine that cleans body in 15 minutes For people who love to unwind after a long day by taking a relaxing bath but do not have enough time for it, Japanese engineers have created something that may be perfect for them. ‘Historic day’: Israeli PM Netanyahu on overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria was a "historic day in the... Middle East" and the fall of a "central link in Iran's axis of evil". How a 14-year-old's graffiti sparked an uprising that ultimately led to Al-Assad's fall in Syria In 2011, a 14-year-old boy named Mouawiya Syasneh did a rebellious act against an authoritarian regime in the streets of Daraa, southern Syria. He spray-painted a wall with the words, "Ejak el door, ya doctor" (It's your turn, Doctor), which sparked a civil war in the region, leading to reshaping the country's destiny. Donald Trump seeks 'immediate ceasefire' between Russia, Ukraine, says Assad fled as Moscow pulled support US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday (Dec 8) called for an "immediate ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia, saying "negotiations should begin" between the fighting nations. In a social media post soon after events unfolded in Syria, he also commented on why President Bashar al-Assad fled the West Asian nation. Bashar Al-Assad: Syria's 'tyrant' who pushed the country into a decade-long civil war On the morning of Sunday (Dec 8), Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was nowhere to be found in Damascus when the rebel forces stormed the capital city after taking over five other cities in a span of a few days.

Top 10 world news: Assad left Syria after ordering power handover; IDF 'seizes' Syria buffer zone, and more

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (Dec. 8) that he had ordered the Israeli military to seize a buffer zone on the border with Syria after Bashar al-Assad fled Syria.&nbsp;

Netanyahu said a 50-year-old "disengagement agreement" between the two countries had collapsed and "Syrian forces have abandoned their positions".

&nbsp;"I directed the IDF (military) yesterday to seize the buffer zone and the commanding positions nearby. We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border," he further said.&nbsp;

However, IDF said its deployment in the buffer zone is just&nbsp;a defensive and temporary measure amid the chaos in the country.

Netanyahu's announcement came after the IDF said it had deployed forces to the area.

<h2>Netanyahu claims credit for Assad regime's fall&nbsp;</h2>

The Israeli PM claimed credit for starting the events that eventually led to the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Syria Civil War: Neighboring Countries Tighten Borders as Syria Collapses 
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During a visit to Mount Bental on Israel’s border with Syria, Netanyahu said, "This is a historic day in the history of the Middle East. The Assad regime is a central link in Iran’s axis of evil—this regime has fallen."&nbsp;

“This is a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah, the main supporters of the Assad regime,” he said.&nbsp;

<h2>'Urgent warning' to Syrian villages&nbsp;</h2>

IDF further issued an "urgent warning" to residents of several southern Syrian villages close to the Israeli border.&nbsp;

Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, posted on X saying, “The fighting in your area is forcing the IDF to act, and we do not intend to harm you."&nbsp;

“For your safety, you must stay at home and not go out until further notice,” he added.&nbsp;

This was after several Syrian and Arab media reported fresh Israeli strikes in the capital city of Damascus.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (Dec. 8) that he had ordered the Israeli military to seize a buffer zone on the border with Syria after Bashar al-Assad fled Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (Dec. 8) that he had ordered the Israeli military to seize a buffer zone on the border with Syria after Bashar al-Assad fled Syria. Netanyahu said a 50-year-old "disengagement agreement" between the two countries had collapsed and "Syrian forces have abandoned their positions". "I directed the IDF (military) yesterday to seize the buffer zone and the commanding positions nearby. We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border," he further said. However, IDF said its deployment in the buffer zone is just a defensive and temporary measure amid the chaos in the country. Netanyahu's announcement came after the IDF said it had deployed forces to the area. Netanyahu claims credit for Assad regime's fall The Israeli PM claimed credit for starting the events that eventually led to the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. Watch | Syria Civil War: Neighboring Countries Tighten Borders as Syria Collapses × During a visit to Mount Bental on Israel’s border with Syria, Netanyahu said, "This is a historic day in the history of the Middle East. The Assad regime is a central link in Iran’s axis of evil—this regime has fallen." “This is a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah, the main supporters of the Assad regime,” he said. 'Urgent warning' to Syrian villages IDF further issued an "urgent warning" to residents of several southern Syrian villages close to the Israeli border. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, posted on X saying, “The fighting in your area is forcing the IDF to act, and we do not intend to harm you." “For your safety, you must stay at home and not go out until further notice,” he added. This was after several Syrian and Arab media reported fresh Israeli strikes in the capital city of Damascus. (With inputs from agencies)

Netanyahu orders military to 'seize' Syria buffer zone, IDF terms it 'defensive, temporary' measure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria was a "historic day in the... Middle East" and the fall of a "central link in Iran's axis of evil".

Netanyahu said the events are "a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah, Assad's main supporters. It has triggered a chain reaction across the Middle East, empowering those seeking to break free from this oppressive regime."

He spoke on a visit to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

In recent months, Israel has killed commanders in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as the senior leaders of Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, both of which are backed by Tehran.

The Israeli premier said Assad's overthrow "presents significant new opportunities" for Israel "but is not without risks".&nbsp;

He said his country was "pursuing a good neighbour policy".

"We extend a hand of peace to our Druze neighbours, who are brothers to our Druze citizens in Israel. We also extend this hand of peace to Kurds, Christians, and Muslims who wish to live peacefully with Israel," he added.

Syria is a multi-ethnic, multi-confessional country with significant minorities of Christians, Alawites, and Kurds, as well as the Druze, an ethno-religious Arab minority group with significant populations in Israel and Lebanon, and others.

"We will closely monitor developments and take the necessary steps to defend our border and our security," Netanyahu said.

He also said he had ordered the military to take control of a demilitarised buffer zone on the Syrian border.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, speaking on the same trip, said of Iran: "Its tentacles are being severed one by one."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armed-men-escort-syrian-pm-to-hotel-after-bashar-flees-country-782498">Armed men escort Syrian PM to hotel after Bashar flees country</a>

Islamist-led Syrian rebels overthrew more than five decades of rule by Assad and his father Hafez in a lightning offensive that began on November 27, dramatically overturning a years-long stalemate in the civil war that began in 2011.

Assad was propped up by substantial military support from Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, as well as by the Russian military from 2015 onwards.

The Israeli military killed long-time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a massive air strike on Beirut in September.

Since the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011, Israel carried out hundreds of strikes in the country, mainly targeting the army and Iran-backed groups.&nbsp;

The military intensified such strikes after almost a year of hostilities with Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon escalated in late September, before a ceasefire took effect on November 27, the same day Syria's rebel advance began.

Israel rarely comments on individual strikes in Syria but has repeatedly said it will not allow Iran to expand its presence in the country.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria was a "historic day in the... Middle East" and the fall of a "central link in Iran's axis of evil".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria was a "historic day in the... Middle East" and the fall of a "central link in Iran's axis of evil". Netanyahu said the events are "a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah, Assad's main supporters. It has triggered a chain reaction across the Middle East, empowering those seeking to break free from this oppressive regime." He spoke on a visit to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. In recent months, Israel has killed commanders in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as the senior leaders of Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, both of which are backed by Tehran. The Israeli premier said Assad's overthrow "presents significant new opportunities" for Israel "but is not without risks". He said his country was "pursuing a good neighbour policy". "We extend a hand of peace to our Druze neighbours, who are brothers to our Druze citizens in Israel. We also extend this hand of peace to Kurds, Christians, and Muslims who wish to live peacefully with Israel," he added. Syria is a multi-ethnic, multi-confessional country with significant minorities of Christians, Alawites, and Kurds, as well as the Druze, an ethno-religious Arab minority group with significant populations in Israel and Lebanon, and others. "We will closely monitor developments and take the necessary steps to defend our border and our security," Netanyahu said. He also said he had ordered the military to take control of a demilitarised buffer zone on the Syrian border. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, speaking on the same trip, said of Iran: "Its tentacles are being severed one by one." Also read | Armed men escort Syrian PM to hotel after Bashar flees country Islamist-led Syrian rebels overthrew more than five decades of rule by Assad and his father Hafez in a lightning offensive that began on November 27, dramatically overturning a years-long stalemate in the civil war that began in 2011. Assad was propped up by substantial military support from Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, as well as by the Russian military from 2015 onwards. The Israeli military killed long-time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a massive air strike on Beirut in September. Since the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011, Israel carried out hundreds of strikes in the country, mainly targeting the army and Iran-backed groups. The military intensified such strikes after almost a year of hostilities with Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon escalated in late September, before a ceasefire took effect on November 27, the same day Syria's rebel advance began. Israel rarely comments on individual strikes in Syria but has repeatedly said it will not allow Iran to expand its presence in the country. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

‘Historic day’: Israeli PM Netanyahu on overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria

Hours after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country, a video by Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel. Earlier on December 8, Jalali called for free elections in the country. He also said that he is in contact with the rebel commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani to discuss managing the transition period.&nbsp;

<h2>Assad 'resigned'&nbsp;</h2>

Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Assad has left the country after having given orders for a peaceful handover of power.

"As a result of negotiations between B Assad and several participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power. Russia did not participate in these negotiations," the ministry said.

<h2>Israeli strikes in Syria&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>

Multiple Israeli airstrikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda areas in southern Syria on Sunday (Dec. 8), reported Syrian media.&nbsp;The strikes were reported near the Syria-Israel border and also at the Mezzeh airbase near the capital Damascus.

Watch |&nbsp;Bashar Al-Assad Flees as Rebels Declare Victory in Syria

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The strikes targeted ammunition and weapons depots at the Khalkhalah airbase in Suwaydam, The Times of Israel reported.

No immediate comment was given by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Earlier, IDF said it was tracking weapons in Syria and ensuring they do not reach Hezbollah or any other elements to prevent any kind of threat to Israel.&nbsp;

The Israeli strikes came after Syrian rebel factions announced on state television that they had successfully overthrown President Bashar al-Assad and had freed "unjustly detained" prisoners.&nbsp;

In their TV address, they referred to Assad as a "tyrant" and also urged for the protection of state property.&nbsp;

The development came after a wave of intense clashes and strategic advancements by the rebel forces in Damascus and surrounding areas.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hours after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country, a video by Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel.

Hours after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country, a video by Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel. Earlier on December 8, Jalali called for free elections in the country. He also said that he is in contact with the rebel commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani to discuss managing the transition period. Assad 'resigned' Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Assad has left the country after having given orders for a peaceful handover of power. "As a result of negotiations between B Assad and several participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power. Russia did not participate in these negotiations," the ministry said. Israeli strikes in Syria Multiple Israeli airstrikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda areas in southern Syria on Sunday (Dec. 8), reported Syrian media. The strikes were reported near the Syria-Israel border and also at the Mezzeh airbase near the capital Damascus. Watch | Bashar Al-Assad Flees as Rebels Declare Victory in Syria × The strikes targeted ammunition and weapons depots at the Khalkhalah airbase in Suwaydam, The Times of Israel reported. No immediate comment was given by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Earlier, IDF said it was tracking weapons in Syria and ensuring they do not reach Hezbollah or any other elements to prevent any kind of threat to Israel. The Israeli strikes came after Syrian rebel factions announced on state television that they had successfully overthrown President Bashar al-Assad and had freed "unjustly detained" prisoners. In their TV address, they referred to Assad as a "tyrant" and also urged for the protection of state property. The development came after a wave of intense clashes and strategic advancements by the rebel forces in Damascus and surrounding areas. (With inputs from agencies)

Armed men escort Syrian PM to hotel after Bashar al-Assad flees country

As Syrian President Bashar al-Asad fled the country, Syrians stormed into his palace in the capital city of Damascus and looted his personal belongings on Sunday (Dec. 8). Several videos circulated on social media showed locals freely entering the presidential palace.&nbsp;

An X user shared a video saying, "Citizens entered Assad's palace and started looting it." Another wrote, "Syrian people enter Assad's 'People's Palace,' following his ouster."

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🚨 Opposition Forces Enter Presidential Palace 
 
عاجل: الثوار يدخلون القصر الرئاسي في دمشق 
 
• Opposition officially in control 
• Assad's historic seat of power captured 
• End of 53-year Assad dynasty rule<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Damascus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Damascus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Syria</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Breaking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Breaking</a> <a href="https://t.co/08HNCDSqq0">pic.twitter.com/08HNCDSqq0</a>
— BLKBRD Broadcasting (@blkbrdbroadcast) <a href="https://twitter.com/blkbrdbroadcast/status/1865642207384145953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Not just the palace, videos also emerged showing the statue of Assad being destroyed by people. Videos showed the statue being dragged by locals.&nbsp;

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🚨 Assad statues are being toppled in Damascus and across Syria 
 
<a href="https://t.co/PCWod74Kec">pic.twitter.com/PCWod74Kec</a>
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1865647515044827390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Sharing the video, one wrote on X, "A profoundly symbolic moment for Syria: the toppling of Assad’s statue in Homs after the rebels took control, facing little resistance. Homs is regarded as the capital of the Syrian revolution that began in 2011 &amp; suffered one of the most brutal crackdowns."

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Syrian citizens freely entering Bashar al-Assad's Presidential Palace in Damascus 👇 <a href="https://t.co/UWa8L90Fjk">pic.twitter.com/UWa8L90Fjk</a>
— Lucifer (@krishnakamal077) <a href="https://twitter.com/krishnakamal077/status/1865644138726896124?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-assad-left-country-gave-orders-for-peaceful-power-handover-russias-foreign-ministry-782465">Syria's Assad left country, gave orders for peaceful power handover: Russia's foreign ministry</a>

After the looting, Syrians, including women, children and men were seen touring the palace.&nbsp;

"I came for revenge; they oppressed us in incredible ways," a Syrian man told AFP.

AFP reported that the statues of Assad's father were also destroyed by Syrians.&nbsp;

This came just before Russia announced that Assad had left the country and ordered a peaceful handover of power in Syria.&nbsp;

Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement on December 8, "As a result of negotiations between B Assad and several participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power. Russia did not participate in these negotiations".&nbsp;

The statement further said that Moscow was extremely worried by the events in Syria and urged all the parties to refrain from violence in the region. 
 
"We urge all parties involved to refrain from the use of violence and to resolve all issues of governance through political means," the ministry said. 
 
"In that regard, the Russian Federation is in contact with all groups of the Syrian opposition," it further added in the statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

As Syrian President Bashar al-Asad fled the country, Syrians stormed into his palace in the capital city of Damascus and looted his personal belongings on Sunday (Dec.

As Syrian President Bashar al-Asad fled the country, Syrians stormed into his palace in the capital city of Damascus and looted his personal belongings on Sunday (Dec. 8). Several videos circulated on social media showed locals freely entering the presidential palace. An X user shared a video saying, "Citizens entered Assad's palace and started looting it." Another wrote, "Syrian people enter Assad's 'People's Palace,' following his ouster." 🚨 Opposition Forces Enter Presidential Palace عاجل: الثوار يدخلون القصر الرئاسي في دمشق • Opposition officially in control • Assad's historic seat of power captured • End of 53-year Assad dynasty rule#Damascus #Syria #Breaking pic.twitter.com/08HNCDSqq0 — BLKBRD Broadcasting (@blkbrdbroadcast) December 8, 2024 × Not just the palace, videos also emerged showing the statue of Assad being destroyed by people. Videos showed the statue being dragged by locals. 🚨 Assad statues are being toppled in Damascus and across Syria pic.twitter.com/PCWod74Kec — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 8, 2024 × Sharing the video, one wrote on X, "A profoundly symbolic moment for Syria: the toppling of Assad’s statue in Homs after the rebels took control, facing little resistance. Homs is regarded as the capital of the Syrian revolution that began in 2011 & suffered one of the most brutal crackdowns." Syrian citizens freely entering Bashar al-Assad's Presidential Palace in Damascus 👇 pic.twitter.com/UWa8L90Fjk — Lucifer (@krishnakamal077) December 8, 2024 × Also read | Syria's Assad left country, gave orders for peaceful power handover: Russia's foreign ministry After the looting, Syrians, including women, children and men were seen touring the palace. "I came for revenge; they oppressed us in incredible ways," a Syrian man told AFP. AFP reported that the statues of Assad's father were also destroyed by Syrians. This came just before Russia announced that Assad had left the country and ordered a peaceful handover of power in Syria. Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement on December 8, "As a result of negotiations between B Assad and several participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power. Russia did not participate in these negotiations". The statement further said that Moscow was extremely worried by the events in Syria and urged all the parties to refrain from violence in the region. "We urge all parties involved to refrain from the use of violence and to resolve all issues of governance through political means," the ministry said. "In that regard, the Russian Federation is in contact with all groups of the Syrian opposition," it further added in the statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Syrians tour Assad's palace after looting his belongings

Syrians around the country on Sunday toppled and trampled on statues of President Bashar al-Assad's late father Hafez, who founded the brutal system of government that his son inherited.

Syrians around the country on Sunday toppled and trampled on statues of President Bashar al-Assad's late father Hafez, who founded the brutal system of government that his son inherited. In the capital Damascus, people cheered as they stood on a toppled statue of former president Hafez al-Assad, in a highly symbolic moment for a country ruled with an iron fist for five decades by his clan. The scenes came as Islamist-led rebels declared Bashar al-Assad had fled the country following a lightning offensive that wrested city after city from his control, culminating with their arrival in Damascus. After five decades in power, most Syrians are too young to remember a time when the country was not ruled by the Assads. Even prior to the rebels' declaration of the fall of Damascus, statues of Hafez al-Assad had been toppled in other cities around the country. The images recalled footage from Iraq in 2003, when a US-armoured vehicle toppled a statue of former dictator Saddam Hussein with the help of a crowd of jubilant Iraqis on the day Baghdad fell to a US-led military coalition. In Jaramana, in the suburbs of Damascus, protesters brought down a statue of the late Syrian leader, cheering, applauding, and chanting as it came down, according to images posted on social media and verified by AFP. In Aleppo in northern Syria, images showed people toppling a statue of Bashar al-Assad's brother Bassel as well as one of their father. In Daraa in southern Syria, the cradle of the 2011 uprising, online images verified by AFP showed a rebel fighter driving a motorcycle down a road and dragging a toppled statue of Hafez al-Assad behind him. Watch | Russia Confirms Syrian President Assad Resigned After Talks With Stakeholders × The large metal statue appeared to be light enough to pull because it was hollow. In the port city of Tartus, resident Oday al-Khatib told AFP that protesters destroyed a statue of the former president. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor confirmed that Tartus residents had "destroyed a statue of Hafez al-Assad in the city", and another in Latakia, also on the Syrian coast, a stronghold of the Assad clan's Alawite minority. 'Freedom' Bashar al-Assad ruled Syria from 2000, when he inherited power from his father. Since 2011, he oversaw the crackdown on the democracy movement that began with peaceful protests. The Assad government's repression of the protests morphed into one of the bloodiest wars of the century, killing hundreds of thousands of people and displacing millions. Hafez al-Assad took power in a 1970 coup and set up a paranoid and brutal regime under which anyone suspected of dissent could be jailed or killed. Long after his death, his statues and image remained a powerful symbol of the Assad clan's grip over Syria. His photograph was pasted on walls, institutions, offices, and schools around the country, often side by side with his son's. In the city of Hama, the site of a 1982 massacre by the army, rebels cheered earlier this week as they brought down a statue of Assad as they seized the city. Young men celebrated the rebels' takeover of Hama, yelling "freedom for eternity". Fighters there also paraded down one of the city's wide streets in vehicles that appeared to be stained completely brown from desert dust, past a building bearing a mural of Bashar al-Assad. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Syrians topple and trample on statues of Assad's father

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has left the country after having given orders for a peaceful handover of power, the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday (Dec.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has left the country after having given orders for a peaceful handover of power, the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday (Dec. 8). Clarifying that Russia has not taken part in talks of his departure, the ministry released a statement but did not say where Assad has fled to. "As a result of negotiations between B Assad and several participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power. Russia did not participate in these negotiations," the ministry said. The statement further said that Moscow was extremely worried by the events in Syria and urged all the parties to refrain from violence in the region. "We urge all parties involved to refrain from the use of violence and to resolve all issues of governance through political means," the ministry said. "In that regard, the Russian Federation is in contact with all groups of the Syrian opposition," it further added in the statement. Watch | Syrian Rebels Seize Damascus, Marking End of Assad's Rule × The ministry further said that Russia's military bases in Syria have been put on high alert, but there is no threat to them as of now. Israeli strikes in Syria Multiple Israeli airstrikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda areas in southern Syria on Sunday (Dec. 8), reported Syrian media. The strikes were reported near the Syria-Israel border and also at the Mezzeh airbase near the capital Damascus. The strikes targeted ammunition and weapons depots at the Khalkhalah airbase in Suwaydam, The Times of Israel reported. No immediate comment was given by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Earlier, IDF said it was tracking weapons in Syria and ensuring they do not reach Hezbollah or any other elements to prevent any kind of threat to Israel. The Israeli strikes came after Syrian rebel factions announced on state television that they had successfully overthrown President Bashar al-Assad and had freed "unjustly detained" prisoners. In their TV address, they referred to Assad as a "tyrant" and also urged for the protection of state property. The development came after a wave of intense clashes and strategic advancements by the rebel forces in Damascus and surrounding areas. (With inputs from agencies)

Syria's Assad left country, gave orders for peaceful power handover: Russia's foreign ministry

Multiple Israeli airstrikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda areas in southern Syria on Sunday (Dec. 8), Syrian media reported. The strikes were reported near the Syria-Israel border and also at the Mezzeh airbase near the capital Damascus.

The strikes targeted ammunition and weapons depots at the Khalkhalah airbase in Suwaydam, reported The Times of Israel.

No immediate comment was given by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Earlier, IDF said it was tracking weapons in Syria and ensuring they do not reach Hezbollah or any other elements to prevent any kind of threat to Israel.&nbsp;

The Israeli strikes came just after Syrian rebel factions announced on state television that they had successfully overthrown President Bashar al-Assad and had freed "unjustly detained" prisoners.&nbsp;

In their TV address, they referred to Assad as a "tyrant" and also urged for the protection of state property.&nbsp;

The development came after a wave of intense clashes and strategic advancements by the rebel forces in Damascus and surrounding areas.

Watch |&nbsp;Syrian Rebels Seize Damascus, Marking End of Assad's Rule 
&nbsp;

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A group of individuals appeared on state television and made the announcement of "the liberation of the city of Damascus and the fall of the tyrant Bashar al-Assad and the release of all the unjustly detained from the regime prisons", reading a statement from the "Damascus Conquest operations room".

The rebels called on fighters and citizens to safeguard the "property of the free Syrian state".&nbsp;

<h2>Opposition flag unfurled&nbsp;</h2>

The reports also came that the Syrian opposition flag was unfurled at the Syrian embassy in Athens, Greece. It was hours after the Islamic rebels declared the end of the Assad regime.&nbsp;

Furthermore, Iran's embassy in Syria was also attacked on the same day.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Multiple Israeli airstrikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda areas in southern Syria on Sunday (Dec. 8), Syrian media reported. The strikes were reported near the Syria-Israel border and also at the Mezzeh airbase near the capital Damascus.

Multiple Israeli airstrikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda areas in southern Syria on Sunday (Dec. 8), Syrian media reported. The strikes were reported near the Syria-Israel border and also at the Mezzeh airbase near the capital Damascus. The strikes targeted ammunition and weapons depots at the Khalkhalah airbase in Suwaydam, reported The Times of Israel. No immediate comment was given by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Earlier, IDF said it was tracking weapons in Syria and ensuring they do not reach Hezbollah or any other elements to prevent any kind of threat to Israel. The Israeli strikes came just after Syrian rebel factions announced on state television that they had successfully overthrown President Bashar al-Assad and had freed "unjustly detained" prisoners. In their TV address, they referred to Assad as a "tyrant" and also urged for the protection of state property. The development came after a wave of intense clashes and strategic advancements by the rebel forces in Damascus and surrounding areas. Watch | Syrian Rebels Seize Damascus, Marking End of Assad's Rule × A group of individuals appeared on state television and made the announcement of "the liberation of the city of Damascus and the fall of the tyrant Bashar al-Assad and the release of all the unjustly detained from the regime prisons", reading a statement from the "Damascus Conquest operations room". The rebels called on fighters and citizens to safeguard the "property of the free Syrian state". Opposition flag unfurled The reports also came that the Syrian opposition flag was unfurled at the Syrian embassy in Athens, Greece. It was hours after the Islamic rebels declared the end of the Assad regime. Furthermore, Iran's embassy in Syria was also attacked on the same day. (With inputs from agencies)

Multiple Israeli airstrikes reported in southern Syria targeting airbases

In 2011, a 14-year-old boy named Mouawiya Syasneh did a rebellious act against an authoritarian regime in the streets of Daraa, southern Syria. He spray-painted a wall with the words, "Ejak el door, ya doctor" (It's your turn, Doctor), which sparked a civil war in the region, leading to reshaping the country's destiny.

In 2011, a 14-year-old boy named Mouawiya Syasneh did a rebellious act against an authoritarian regime in the streets of Daraa, southern Syria. He spray-painted a wall with the words, "Ejak el door, ya doctor" (It's your turn, Doctor), which sparked a civil war in the region, leading to reshaping the country's destiny. The spray painting was for President Bashar al-Assad, and it was a reference to his medical background. The graffiti was born out of years of frustration, as it was a way to express themselves for Mouawiya and his friends, who were abused by the authoritarian police. But that act of rebellion against Assad's regime brought a brutal response. Police detained Mouawiya and his friends for 26 days, tortured them, and thrashed them. Their parents and residents protested their arrest, but in response, they were targeted with tear gas and bullets. The boys' arrest became a rallying cry as protests erupted not only in Daraa but across entire Syria. March 15, 2011, was the day Syria experienced its first coordinated "Day of Rage," which transformed local unrest into a nationwide moment. The demands were: freedom and an end to Assad's regime. Emergence of extremist groups Watch | Syrian Rebels Claim to Have Captured Damascus, Saying President Assad Has Fled × The response that came against the moment was brutal. Peaceful protesters were fired at openly by security forces. Countless Syrians were arrested and tortured. The moment was inspired by the Arab Spring (an anti-government protest across the Arab world). Eventually, it turned into a bloody conflict as opposition forces came into the picture in response to the Assad regime's brutality. In July 2011, defectors from Assad's military formed the Free Syrian Army (FSA). However, they lacked unity and funding. Taking advantage of this, extremist groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra and eventually the Islamic State flourished in the region. Present scenario After 12 years, Syrian rebel factions announced on Sunday (Dec. 8) on state television that they have successfully overthrown President Bashar al-Assad and have freed "unjustly detained" prisoners. In their TV address, they referred to Assad as a "tyrant" and also urged for the protection of state property. (With inputs from agencies)

How a 14-year-old's graffiti sparked an uprising that ultimately led to Al-Assad's fall in Syria

President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria amid an insurgent offensive. Watch for more details!

BREAKING: 'US Shouldn't Get Involved in Syria War', Says Donald Trump

As tens of thousands of refugees shiver in the cold on Turkey’s borders with Europe and a new phase of the brutal Syrian war erupts - Russia, Turkey, the European Union (EU) and the international community are being presented with the bill for a flawed, short-term approach to the nine-year-old conflict that largely lacked empathy for millions of victims and was likely to magnify rather than resolve problems.

The failure of Western policymakers to adopt an approach that would have served Europe’s longer-term security interests and sought to end Syria’s suffering in ways that may have held out the promise of a sustainable resolution of the conflict is compounded by the failure to exploit what was always a fragile alliance between Russia and NATO-member Turkey.

With that alliance under strain, both in Syria, where Russia has warned that it cannot guarantee the safety of Turkish aircraft in Syrian airspace, and in Libya, where the two allies support opposing sides, multiple regional conflicts have begun to mesh.

Some analysts have suggested that Russia was seeking to enlist the support of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Syria so that it could dump Turkey with which it is on the brink of military blows. The two Gulf states oppose Turkish ambitions in the Middle East and beyond.

The analysts point to recent contacts between Emirati, Russian and Syrian officials and the establishment of relations between Syria and Libya’s UAE and Russian-backed rebel force led by renegade commander Khalifa Haftar.

The various manoeuvres constitute variations on a theme.

The international community, including Russia, did little in the early years of the war to stop militant groups and regional powers from contributing to the violence by exploiting Syria’s power vacuum to their immediate advantage. That changed selectively when the Islamic State gained a territorial foothold in Syria and Iraq.

Similarly, much of the international community falsely assumed that a Syrian victory in Idlib, Syria’s last rebel stronghold, would create a fait accompli that Turkey would accept and that would pave the way to an end to the war and reconstruction.

Like in much of the Middle East where a failure to put one’s ears to the ground and hear the widespread discontent simmering at the surface that produced a decade of revolution and brutal counterrevolution, neither Russia nor its detractors read the writing on Syria’s walls.

If militants and external powers turned what started in 2011 as peaceful protests demanding reform rather than the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the international community failed to recognise that nine years later criticism of the regime is widespread among an impoverished population traumatised by war.

Rather than creating an environment for reconciliation and reconstruction, Russian-supported Syrian military successes in retaking territory from rebels by force or in negotiated handovers have not been accompanied by a relieving of economic and social hardship, sparking intermittent anti-government protests and stepped up repression.

Much of the criticism focuses on the government’s failure to improve economic and living conditions, but like in the early days of the popular revolt, shies away from calls for regime change.

The improbability of a Russian-Syrian military victory putting Syria on a road towards peaceful resolution and recovery is highlighted by the fact that snap polling suggests that less than ten per cent of the millions of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons would be willing to return to or remain in a country that continues to be ruled by Al-Assad and his regime.

As a result, Russia and Al-Assad appear to have adopted the kind of scorched earth policy that Israel’s military rejected in the late 1980s during the first Palestinian intifada or uprising.

In contrast to the military that told then Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin that the resolution needed to be political because the cost of a military solution would be too high, Russia and Al-Assad have concluded that no cost is too high. It is an approach that emulates Russia’s brutal crushing of rebellions in Chechnya in the 1990s.

“Russia realised that it cannot cement its military victories into permanent political gains through diplomacy within the projected remaining lifetime of the regime. Instead, it decided to employ the ‘Grozny doctrine’ of complete annihilation of all those who stand in the way of its strategic goals and bring the conflict to an end before the regime collapses,” said Syrian activist Labib al-Nahhas De La Ossa, referring to the Chechen capital that was virtually destroyed by Russian forces.

It's an approach that in violation of international law takes no heed of the consequences for innocent millions in Idlib or the fact that many, rather than supporting Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an erstwhile Al-Qaeda affiliate that controls part of the province, have repeatedly protested against it.

It's also an approach that potentially could spark a renewed refugee crisis in Europe with Turkey, already home to some four million refugees, no longer stopping fleeing Syrians and others from trying to cross its Greek and Bulgarian borders with the European Union.

Russia, in a cynical twist of irony, would likely be happy to see a repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis that fuelled support for far-right, anti-immigration and nativist forces in Europe who are empathetic to Moscow’s effort to weaken the trans-Atlantic alliance as well as the European Union with its adherence to Western values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Even with that being the case, Russian policy towards Idlib and the rest of Syria is likely to only produce problematic outcomes: ensuring total victory for Al-Assad risks a break-up with Turkey, a key regional player, and forecloses chances for a sustainable resolution of the Syrian conflict that would allow for the voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons.

Continued Russian and Iranian-backed support for Al-Assad’s brutal regime will at best temporarily stabilise Syria and potentially open the door to a forced return of some refugees and displaced persons while setting the stage for another round of conflict.

An equally unsustainable alternative scenario, envisioned by De La Ossa, would involve a Russian-Turkish agreement to cram three million refugees into a tiny slice of Idlib in what would amount to sub-human conditions.

Said De La Ossa: “The humanitarian catastrophe that is Idlib has shown that the lessons from the beginning of World War II still apply: Appeasing dictators who are willing to kill massive numbers of people to realise their delusions of grandeur never works. But if the US, Europe, and the international community at large fail to heed these lessons, it will not only be Syrians who pay the price. “ 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

As tens of thousands of refugees shiver in the cold on Turkey’s borders with Europe and a new phase of the brutal Syrian war erupts - Russia, Turkey, the European Union (EU) and the international community are being presented with the bill for a flawed, short-term approach to the nine-year-old conflict that largely lacked empathy for millions of victims and was likely to magnify rather than resolve problems.

As tens of thousands of refugees shiver in the cold on Turkey’s borders with Europe and a new phase of the brutal Syrian war erupts - Russia, Turkey, the European Union (EU) and the international community are being presented with the bill for a flawed, short-term approach to the nine-year-old conflict that largely lacked empathy for millions of victims and was likely to magnify rather than resolve problems. The failure of Western policymakers to adopt an approach that would have served Europe’s longer-term security interests and sought to end Syria’s suffering in ways that may have held out the promise of a sustainable resolution of the conflict is compounded by the failure to exploit what was always a fragile alliance between Russia and NATO-member Turkey. With that alliance under strain, both in Syria, where Russia has warned that it cannot guarantee the safety of Turkish aircraft in Syrian airspace, and in Libya, where the two allies support opposing sides, multiple regional conflicts have begun to mesh. Some analysts have suggested that Russia was seeking to enlist the support of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Syria so that it could dump Turkey with which it is on the brink of military blows. The two Gulf states oppose Turkish ambitions in the Middle East and beyond. The analysts point to recent contacts between Emirati, Russian and Syrian officials and the establishment of relations between Syria and Libya’s UAE and Russian-backed rebel force led by renegade commander Khalifa Haftar. The various manoeuvres constitute variations on a theme. The international community, including Russia, did little in the early years of the war to stop militant groups and regional powers from contributing to the violence by exploiting Syria’s power vacuum to their immediate advantage. That changed selectively when the Islamic State gained a territorial foothold in Syria and Iraq. Similarly, much of the international community falsely assumed that a Syrian victory in Idlib, Syria’s last rebel stronghold, would create a fait accompli that Turkey would accept and that would pave the way to an end to the war and reconstruction. Like in much of the Middle East where a failure to put one’s ears to the ground and hear the widespread discontent simmering at the surface that produced a decade of revolution and brutal counterrevolution, neither Russia nor its detractors read the writing on Syria’s walls. If militants and external powers turned what started in 2011 as peaceful protests demanding reform rather than the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the international community failed to recognise that nine years later criticism of the regime is widespread among an impoverished population traumatised by war. Rather than creating an environment for reconciliation and reconstruction, Russian-supported Syrian military successes in retaking territory from rebels by force or in negotiated handovers have not been accompanied by a relieving of economic and social hardship, sparking intermittent anti-government protests and stepped up repression. Much of the criticism focuses on the government’s failure to improve economic and living conditions, but like in the early days of the popular revolt, shies away from calls for regime change. The improbability of a Russian-Syrian military victory putting Syria on a road towards peaceful resolution and recovery is highlighted by the fact that snap polling suggests that less than ten per cent of the millions of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons would be willing to return to or remain in a country that continues to be ruled by Al-Assad and his regime. As a result, Russia and Al-Assad appear to have adopted the kind of scorched earth policy that Israel’s military rejected in the late 1980s during the first Palestinian intifada or uprising. In contrast to the military that told then Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin that the resolution needed to be political because the cost of a military solution would be too high, Russia and Al-Assad have concluded that no cost is too high. It is an approach that emulates Russia’s brutal crushing of rebellions in Chechnya in the 1990s. “Russia realised that it cannot cement its military victories into permanent political gains through diplomacy within the projected remaining lifetime of the regime. Instead, it decided to employ the ‘Grozny doctrine’ of complete annihilation of all those who stand in the way of its strategic goals and bring the conflict to an end before the regime collapses,” said Syrian activist Labib al-Nahhas De La Ossa, referring to the Chechen capital that was virtually destroyed by Russian forces. It's an approach that in violation of international law takes no heed of the consequences for innocent millions in Idlib or the fact that many, rather than supporting Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an erstwhile Al-Qaeda affiliate that controls part of the province, have repeatedly protested against it. It's also an approach that potentially could spark a renewed refugee crisis in Europe with Turkey, already home to some four million refugees, no longer stopping fleeing Syrians and others from trying to cross its Greek and Bulgarian borders with the European Union. Russia, in a cynical twist of irony, would likely be happy to see a repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis that fuelled support for far-right, anti-immigration and nativist forces in Europe who are empathetic to Moscow’s effort to weaken the trans-Atlantic alliance as well as the European Union with its adherence to Western values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Even with that being the case, Russian policy towards Idlib and the rest of Syria is likely to only produce problematic outcomes: ensuring total victory for Al-Assad risks a break-up with Turkey, a key regional player, and forecloses chances for a sustainable resolution of the Syrian conflict that would allow for the voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons. Continued Russian and Iranian-backed support for Al-Assad’s brutal regime will at best temporarily stabilise Syria and potentially open the door to a forced return of some refugees and displaced persons while setting the stage for another round of conflict. An equally unsustainable alternative scenario, envisioned by De La Ossa, would involve a Russian-Turkish agreement to cram three million refugees into a tiny slice of Idlib in what would amount to sub-human conditions. Said De La Ossa: “The humanitarian catastrophe that is Idlib has shown that the lessons from the beginning of World War II still apply: Appeasing dictators who are willing to kill massive numbers of people to realise their delusions of grandeur never works. But if the US, Europe, and the international community at large fail to heed these lessons, it will not only be Syrians who pay the price. “ (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

War threatens to spill beyond Syria’s borders

Several fundamental questions remain unanswered after 10 years of the Syrian civil war. How did an anti-govt protest turn into a full-blown war? How did world powers suck into a small West Asian country's politics? And what is in it for the regional rivals? On the West Asia Post this week, Ghadi Francis answers these questions for you.

The West Asia Post| How Syria lost its last decade

The conflict in the Civil War in Syria is entered into its 11 year more than half of Syria's pre-war population has been displaced. Abdel Razzak al-Khatoun was a well-to-do farmer in Syria’s rural Hama province. 10 years after the civil war began, he is homeless, penniless and living in a tent in northern Idlib.

Syria: Farmer lost wife and sons to war

Fadi al-Mahmoud painstakingly parts the green leaves and examines the fruit of his toil - the famed pistachio nut.

He is almost oblivious to the army nearby sweeping the same ground for buried explosives. War-torn Syria also happens to be home to rich pistachio farming.&nbsp;

After years of war and violence, Syria's pistachio farmers have returned to the orchards.

"Our fields have been neglected for eight years, from 2012 to today they've suffered a lot. The trees need continuous pruning, three or four times a year, and insecticides two or three times. When we returned, half of the trees had dried out, some tree branches had withered, and there were trenches and landmines scattered all around," Fadi al-Mahmoud says.

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Al-Mahmoud is awaiting his first harvest after years of war with some pistachio fields in Syria completely destroyed farmers are now doing damage-control in the hope of getting a good yield. Before violence wreaked havoc on pistachio fields, Syria produced up to 80,000 tonnes of pistachios a year.

In rich fields across Aleppo's Hama and idlib provinces, it was exported to Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Europe but the conflict which ensued in 2011 crippled production as many pistachio growing regions were controlled by jihadists and rebels and have now fallen to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

"The production of pistachios before the crisis ranged between sixty thousand and seventy five thousand tons each year. During the crisis, production decreased a lot, due to the inability of farmers to reach their land and take care of their crops," Hassan Ibrahim, director, Pistachio department of ministry of agriculture, said.

Though the violence has subsided even to this day the locals across battle-scarred Hama live with the deafening sounds of blasts as the army routinely detonates landmines in nearby fields.

Pistachio farmers are now hoping to recover years of losses and look forward to a revival of their famed produce but they are aware of the danger that lurks in Syria's soil.

Fadi al-Mahmoud painstakingly parts the green leaves and examines the fruit of his toil - the famed pistachio nut. He is almost oblivious to the army nearby sweeping the same ground for buried explosives.

Fadi al-Mahmoud painstakingly parts the green leaves and examines the fruit of his toil - the famed pistachio nut. He is almost oblivious to the army nearby sweeping the same ground for buried explosives. War-torn Syria also happens to be home to rich pistachio farming. After years of war and violence, Syria's pistachio farmers have returned to the orchards. "Our fields have been neglected for eight years, from 2012 to today they've suffered a lot. The trees need continuous pruning, three or four times a year, and insecticides two or three times. When we returned, half of the trees had dried out, some tree branches had withered, and there were trenches and landmines scattered all around," Fadi al-Mahmoud says. Al-Mahmoud is awaiting his first harvest after years of war with some pistachio fields in Syria completely destroyed farmers are now doing damage-control in the hope of getting a good yield. Before violence wreaked havoc on pistachio fields, Syria produced up to 80,000 tonnes of pistachios a year. In rich fields across Aleppo's Hama and idlib provinces, it was exported to Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Europe but the conflict which ensued in 2011 crippled production as many pistachio growing regions were controlled by jihadists and rebels and have now fallen to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces. "The production of pistachios before the crisis ranged between sixty thousand and seventy five thousand tons each year. During the crisis, production decreased a lot, due to the inability of farmers to reach their land and take care of their crops," Hassan Ibrahim, director, Pistachio department of ministry of agriculture, said. Though the violence has subsided even to this day the locals across battle-scarred Hama live with the deafening sounds of blasts as the army routinely detonates landmines in nearby fields. Pistachio farmers are now hoping to recover years of losses and look forward to a revival of their famed produce but they are aware of the danger that lurks in Syria's soil.

After war and violence, Syria's pistachio farmers return to their orchards

Mohammed Jarah and Ahmad Bustati’s warehouse in Damascus symbolized China’s emergence as the largest supplier of industrial and consumer goods to Syria on the eve of the Syrian civil war. The dilapidated warehouse was stocked with everything from Chinese laser cutting machines to plastic toys for children.

A decade of fighting dashed the two Syrian entrepreneurs’ hopes. However, things seem to be looking up for businessmen like Jarah and Bustati with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad having gained the upper hand in the war with Russian and Iranian assistance and China seeing the longer-term economic potential in Syria as a regional node of what BRI will look like irrespective of the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating economic consequences.

Syrian officials have sought to drive home China’s competitive advantages and perceived interest in taking a lead in the reconstruction of their country. “The Silk Road is not a silk road if it does not pass through Syria, Iraq and Iran,” said Buthina Shaaban, Bashar al-Assad’s media advisor, referring to the BRI.

Chinese access to the Syrian Mediterranean Sea ports of Tartus and Latakia is an attractive prospect for China’s multi-billion-dollar infrastructure, telecommunications and energy-driven initiative that seeks to link Eurasia to the People’s Republic. It would complement Beijing’s footholds in Greece’s Piraeus and the Israeli harbours of Haifa and Ashdod and echo Syria’s key position on the ancient Silk Road.

Closely connected to Chinese interest in Syrian ports is the exploration by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) of the possible upgrading of the deep seaport of Tripoli, Lebanon to allow it to accommodate larger vessels. In contrast to Syrian ports, Tripoli would grant China greater freedom of action because it would not have to share control with Russia. Together with Syrian ports, Tripoli would serve as an alternative to passage through the Suez Canal.

Russia appeared to be anticipating potential Chinese moves when it last year negotiated with the Assad government an extension of its access to military bases including what it describes as a “logistics support facility of the Russian navy” in Tartus.

In the absence of making the agreement public, it remained unclear what Russian intentions are. However, modernization of Tartus for military purposes that would guarantee Russia a role in the control of the Eastern Mediterranean would have to involve upgrading it to be able to accommodate all types of vessels, including aircraft carriers.

In a further move, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his foreign and defence ministries in May to reach an agreement with Syria on the additional expansion of a 2015 accord that governs Russia’s naval presence in Tartus and allows the Russian navy to base up to 11 ships in the port for 49 years. Putin wants the life of the agreement to be extended by an additional 25 years.

“From the coast of Syria, there is an opportunity to control not only the eastern part, but the entire Mediterranean Sea,” said Captain 1st Rank Anatoly Ivanov, a Moscow-based naval expert. “The United States has in the Mediterranean Sea not only the ships of its Sixth Fleet, but also an extensive ship repair base and training centres of the Navy. For Russia, the Mediterranean Sea is much closer not only geographically, but also geopolitically. Therefore, to use the opportunity to establish (itself) more densely in Syria seems to be a reasonable measure”

Qingdao Haixi Heavy-Duty Machinery Co. has already sold Tripoli port two 28-storey container cranes capable of lifting and transporting more than 700 containers a day, while a container vessel belonging to China’s state-owned COSCO Shipping Lines docked in Tripoli in December 2018, inaugurating a new maritime route between China and the Mediterranean.

Major Chinese construction companies are also looking at building a railroad that would connect Beirut and Tripoli in Lebanon to Homs and Aleppo in Syria. China has suggested that Tripoli could become a special economic zone within the &nbsp;BRI and serve as an important trans-shipment point between the People’s Republic and Europe.

Adding to China’s expansion in the Eastern Mediterranean, COSCO acquired in 2015 a 65 per cent stake in Turkey’s &nbsp;Kumport Terminal on the Ambarli coast of Istanbul. To round off the circle, Egypt’s navy last year signed an agreement with China’s Hutchinson Ports to build a terminal in Abu Qir, a port 23 kilometres northeast of Alexandria. &nbsp;Chinese companies already operate Alexandria’s own port as well as that of El Dekheila, ten kilometres west of the city.

Chinese influence in at least ten ports in six countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean - Israel, Greece, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, and Syria - could complicate US and NATO’s ability to manoeuvre in the region.

This was one reason that the Trump administration has warned Israel that Chinese involvement in Haifa, where the Chinese have built their own pier, could jeopardize continued use of the port by the US sixth fleet.

Informing US thinking is China’s Military Strategy white paper, published in 2015, that emphasises the “strategic requirement of offshore waters defence and open seas.” It raises the spectre of Chinese-managed or owned ports in the Eastern Mediterranean serving the People’s Republic’s economic and commercial, as well as military interests.

The Chinese sway over multiple ports in the Eastern Mediterranean could also encourage &nbsp;Turkey to bolster its grip on the energy-rich waters in violation of international law. Turkish military support for the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord produced a maritime agreement between the two entities that created an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean favouring expansive Turkish claims.

China’s interest in Mediterranean ports is part of a larger effort to integrate the Middle East into the maritime leg of the Belt and Road that also includes the Gulf, the Arabian Sea with the Pakistani port of Gwadar as its focal point, and the Red Sea with the establishment of the People’s Republic’s first military outpost in Djibouti.

The integration is further advanced by Chinese investment in ports and logistics facilities in among others Dubai and Oman as well as industrial parks linked to maritime infrastructure. China’s moves have been embraced by Gulf states, several of which have incorporated them in long-term plans to diversify and streamline their economies.

Qi Qianjin, China’s ambassador in Damascus, spelled out China’s interest in Syria when he stressed in 2018, in a statement in 2018 to the People’s Republic’s state-run news agency Xinhua as well as in a letter, his country’s intent to expand its economic, political, and military footprint in the.

"I think it's about time to focus all efforts on the development and reconstruction of Syria, and I think China will play a bigger role in this process by providing more aid to the Syrian people and the Syrian government," Qi said during a visit to a hospital in the Syrian capital.

Donations in recent years of at least $44 million to Syria for humanitarian purposes back up Qi’s statements.

In a letter written in August 2019, the ambassador focussed among other things, on the development of Syrian railways and seaports. The letter was published a month after Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to lend &nbsp;$20 billion to Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and Jordan for reconstruction and economic development.

Few doubt that China, even prior to the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating economic fallout, is best positioned to be a key, if not the key player, in post-war reconstruction of Syria, estimated to require between &nbsp;$250 and $400 billion in investment.

This is even more the case as other potential funders, the United States, Europe, Russia and the &nbsp;Gulf Cooperation Council states, will either refuse to work with the government of Al-Assad or be consumed with fighting a domestic and global recession and substantial loss of revenues in the wake of the pandemic. &nbsp;

Moreover, in opposition to Western states, China on six occasions backed Russian vetoes in the United Nations Security Council that blocked condemnations of the &nbsp;Syrian government and its backers, Russian and Iran; calls for ceasefires; and sanctioning of alleged war criminals.

One of China’s comparative advantages in heavily sanctioned Syria is the experience it garnered in circumventing US and United Nations sanctions imposed on &nbsp;Iran and North Korea. &nbsp;

China further benefits from alternative institutions that it built like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that it either controls or in which it has considerable influence.

That has not stopped the US Justice Department from accusing Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei of operating in Syria in violation of US sanctions. The department is seeking the extradition from Canada of Meng Wanzhou, the company’s chief financial officer and daughter of its founder. Meng was detained in Canada at the request of the United States.

Seemingly oblivious to the risk of being targeted by the long arm of US justice, some 200 Chinese companies in 2018 and 58 in 2019, active in sectors such as telecommunications, oil and gas, and transportation, attended the Damascus International Fair where they discussed deals ranging from car manufacturing to development of mobile hospitals.

The participation of China National Heavy Duty Truck Company highlighted Chinese interest in the Syrian automotive sector. Syria could also prove to be a lucrative market for Chinese military exports. Al-Assad could well see Chinese interest as a way of loosening Moscow and Tehran’s grip on his country despite Russian and Iranian effort to reap the benefits of their boots-on-the-ground support for his government by winning lucrative reconstruction contracts.

China has so far refrained from responding in any real way to Syrian urging to kickstart reconstruction of critical national infrastructure even before remaining rebel strongholds in the country are reconquered. It has however exploited commercial opportunity.

The vast majority of Syrian exports go to China and Chinese goods are ubiquitous in Syrian markets. Hama, Syria’s most important industrial region after the collapse of manufacturing in Aleppo and Damascus as a result of the war, is awash with Chinese-made car parts, machine tools and equipment for the automobile, motorcycle, and shoe industry.

Multiple delegations of Chinese investors and businessmen have visited Syria in recent years. In 2018, China hosted its First Trade Fair on Syrian Reconstruction Projects with some 1,000 Chinese companies in attendance and pledged $2 billion for the construction of industrial parks.

China’s security concerns from Syria

Al-Assad’s ability to regain control of most Syria, with the exception of the rebel-held northern region of Idlib, created not only economic opportunity but also heightened already existing Chinese security concerns.

As &nbsp;Syrian government forces rolled back rebel fighters, China feared that their battle-hardened Uyghur and Central Asian contingent would gravitate towards Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan from where it would be easier to target China.

The presence of Uyghur fighters in Syria was one driver for a brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in China’s troubled north-western province of Xinjiang. It also persuaded China to step up border security cooperation with Tajikistan and Afghanistan, where militants of the Uyghur jihadist Turkistan Islamic Party, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, allegedly fight alongside the Taliban.

The Uyghur presence in Syria prompted China to consider sending Chinese troops to join the fight for Idlib in violation of its foreign and defense policy principles. China ultimately dropped the idea, which would have amounted to the People’s Republic’s first military intervention in recent memory beyond its borders.

Repeated unconfirmed media reports have, however, suggested that China has been sharing intelligence with Syria and has been sending military advisors for the past four years to help in the fight against Uyghur militants.

The discussion about an intervention followed a pledge in 2016 by Rear Admiral Guan Youfei of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to increase military cooperation with the &nbsp;Syrian government.

Two years later, a Syrian state-controlled newspaper, Al Watan, Qi, the Chinese ambassador, and China’s military attaché, Wong Roy Chang, as saying that China wanted to contribute “in some way” to Syrian military campaign against the rebels in Idlib. The PLAN took nine days to deny Chinese interest in getting involved in the fighting, calling the report a “misunderstanding.”

Meanwhile, while supportive of efforts to negotiate an end to the Syrian war, China has studiously avoided taking a leading role. Its sole initiative to shape the outcome of the conflict was a four-point plan that never gained significant traction.

China’s dilemma in Idlib lies partially in sensitivity to Turkish opposition to an all-out assault on Idlib. Turkey fears that it would likely spark a renewed refugee exodus and concern that Chinese involvement in an assault could whip up pro-Uyghur sentiments in Turkey despite growing anti-refugee sentiment in the country.

Turkey has long supported Uyghur rights and has frequently turned a blind eye to Uyghur militants.

An Uighur dressed in a Turkish military uniform and sporting an automatic weapon, claiming in a video clip posted on Twitter that he was fighting in the northern Syrian district of Afrin alongside Turkish-backed rebels, advised Han Chinese residents of China’s troubled north-western province of Xinjiang to leave the area. “Listen you dog bastards, do you see this? We will triumph! We will kill you all. Listen up Chinese civilians, get out of our East Turkestan. I am warning you. We shall return, and we will be victorious,” the Uyghur said.

Syria in the wider Chinese Middle East policy

Beyond its hesitancy of becoming embroiled in the Syrian war, China, despite its consistent backing of the Syrian government as a secular bulwark against Islamic extremism, feared that greater involvement in Syria could jeopardise its successful efforts to remain aloof in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran that influenced multiple disputes in the Middle East.

That fear has receded with states in the GCC ending their long-standing support for anti-Assad rebels and cosying up to the Syrian leader in an effort to counter Iranian and Turkish influence.

Chinese aloofness also shielded it from entering into direct competition with Russia and Iran in the post-war reconstruction phase. Deepening Chinese-Russian ties in the wake of the pandemic and perceived greater Iranian dependence on China may allow for a divvying up of the pie in ways that turn Syria into an important Belt and Road node.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Mohammed Jarah and Ahmad Bustati’s warehouse in Damascus symbolized China’s emergence as the largest supplier of industrial and consumer goods to Syria on the eve of the Syrian civil war.

Mohammed Jarah and Ahmad Bustati’s warehouse in Damascus symbolized China’s emergence as the largest supplier of industrial and consumer goods to Syria on the eve of the Syrian civil war. The dilapidated warehouse was stocked with everything from Chinese laser cutting machines to plastic toys for children. A decade of fighting dashed the two Syrian entrepreneurs’ hopes. However, things seem to be looking up for businessmen like Jarah and Bustati with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad having gained the upper hand in the war with Russian and Iranian assistance and China seeing the longer-term economic potential in Syria as a regional node of what BRI will look like irrespective of the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating economic consequences. Syrian officials have sought to drive home China’s competitive advantages and perceived interest in taking a lead in the reconstruction of their country. “The Silk Road is not a silk road if it does not pass through Syria, Iraq and Iran,” said Buthina Shaaban, Bashar al-Assad’s media advisor, referring to the BRI. Chinese access to the Syrian Mediterranean Sea ports of Tartus and Latakia is an attractive prospect for China’s multi-billion-dollar infrastructure, telecommunications and energy-driven initiative that seeks to link Eurasia to the People’s Republic. It would complement Beijing’s footholds in Greece’s Piraeus and the Israeli harbours of Haifa and Ashdod and echo Syria’s key position on the ancient Silk Road. Closely connected to Chinese interest in Syrian ports is the exploration by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) of the possible upgrading of the deep seaport of Tripoli, Lebanon to allow it to accommodate larger vessels. In contrast to Syrian ports, Tripoli would grant China greater freedom of action because it would not have to share control with Russia. Together with Syrian ports, Tripoli would serve as an alternative to passage through the Suez Canal. Russia appeared to be anticipating potential Chinese moves when it last year negotiated with the Assad government an extension of its access to military bases including what it describes as a “logistics support facility of the Russian navy” in Tartus. In the absence of making the agreement public, it remained unclear what Russian intentions are. However, modernization of Tartus for military purposes that would guarantee Russia a role in the control of the Eastern Mediterranean would have to involve upgrading it to be able to accommodate all types of vessels, including aircraft carriers. In a further move, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his foreign and defence ministries in May to reach an agreement with Syria on the additional expansion of a 2015 accord that governs Russia’s naval presence in Tartus and allows the Russian navy to base up to 11 ships in the port for 49 years. Putin wants the life of the agreement to be extended by an additional 25 years. “From the coast of Syria, there is an opportunity to control not only the eastern part, but the entire Mediterranean Sea,” said Captain 1st Rank Anatoly Ivanov, a Moscow-based naval expert. “The United States has in the Mediterranean Sea not only the ships of its Sixth Fleet, but also an extensive ship repair base and training centres of the Navy. For Russia, the Mediterranean Sea is much closer not only geographically, but also geopolitically. Therefore, to use the opportunity to establish (itself) more densely in Syria seems to be a reasonable measure” Qingdao Haixi Heavy-Duty Machinery Co. has already sold Tripoli port two 28-storey container cranes capable of lifting and transporting more than 700 containers a day, while a container vessel belonging to China’s state-owned COSCO Shipping Lines docked in Tripoli in December 2018, inaugurating a new maritime route between China and the Mediterranean. Major Chinese construction companies are also looking at building a railroad that would connect Beirut and Tripoli in Lebanon to Homs and Aleppo in Syria. China has suggested that Tripoli could become a special economic zone within the BRI and serve as an important trans-shipment point between the People’s Republic and Europe. Adding to China’s expansion in the Eastern Mediterranean, COSCO acquired in 2015 a 65 per cent stake in Turkey’s Kumport Terminal on the Ambarli coast of Istanbul. To round off the circle, Egypt’s navy last year signed an agreement with China’s Hutchinson Ports to build a terminal in Abu Qir, a port 23 kilometres northeast of Alexandria. Chinese companies already operate Alexandria’s own port as well as that of El Dekheila, ten kilometres west of the city. Chinese influence in at least ten ports in six countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean - Israel, Greece, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, and Syria - could complicate US and NATO’s ability to manoeuvre in the region. This was one reason that the Trump administration has warned Israel that Chinese involvement in Haifa, where the Chinese have built their own pier, could jeopardize continued use of the port by the US sixth fleet. Informing US thinking is China’s Military Strategy white paper, published in 2015, that emphasises the “strategic requirement of offshore waters defence and open seas.” It raises the spectre of Chinese-managed or owned ports in the Eastern Mediterranean serving the People’s Republic’s economic and commercial, as well as military interests. The Chinese sway over multiple ports in the Eastern Mediterranean could also encourage Turkey to bolster its grip on the energy-rich waters in violation of international law. Turkish military support for the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord produced a maritime agreement between the two entities that created an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean favouring expansive Turkish claims. China’s interest in Mediterranean ports is part of a larger effort to integrate the Middle East into the maritime leg of the Belt and Road that also includes the Gulf, the Arabian Sea with the Pakistani port of Gwadar as its focal point, and the Red Sea with the establishment of the People’s Republic’s first military outpost in Djibouti. The integration is further advanced by Chinese investment in ports and logistics facilities in among others Dubai and Oman as well as industrial parks linked to maritime infrastructure. China’s moves have been embraced by Gulf states, several of which have incorporated them in long-term plans to diversify and streamline their economies. Qi Qianjin, China’s ambassador in Damascus, spelled out China’s interest in Syria when he stressed in 2018, in a statement in 2018 to the People’s Republic’s state-run news agency Xinhua as well as in a letter, his country’s intent to expand its economic, political, and military footprint in the. "I think it's about time to focus all efforts on the development and reconstruction of Syria, and I think China will play a bigger role in this process by providing more aid to the Syrian people and the Syrian government," Qi said during a visit to a hospital in the Syrian capital. Donations in recent years of at least $44 million to Syria for humanitarian purposes back up Qi’s statements. In a letter written in August 2019, the ambassador focussed among other things, on the development of Syrian railways and seaports. The letter was published a month after Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to lend $20 billion to Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and Jordan for reconstruction and economic development. Few doubt that China, even prior to the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating economic fallout, is best positioned to be a key, if not the key player, in post-war reconstruction of Syria, estimated to require between $250 and $400 billion in investment. This is even more the case as other potential funders, the United States, Europe, Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council states, will either refuse to work with the government of Al-Assad or be consumed with fighting a domestic and global recession and substantial loss of revenues in the wake of the pandemic. Moreover, in opposition to Western states, China on six occasions backed Russian vetoes in the United Nations Security Council that blocked condemnations of the Syrian government and its backers, Russian and Iran; calls for ceasefires; and sanctioning of alleged war criminals. One of China’s comparative advantages in heavily sanctioned Syria is the experience it garnered in circumventing US and United Nations sanctions imposed on Iran and North Korea. China further benefits from alternative institutions that it built like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that it either controls or in which it has considerable influence. That has not stopped the US Justice Department from accusing Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei of operating in Syria in violation of US sanctions. The department is seeking the extradition from Canada of Meng Wanzhou, the company’s chief financial officer and daughter of its founder. Meng was detained in Canada at the request of the United States. Seemingly oblivious to the risk of being targeted by the long arm of US justice, some 200 Chinese companies in 2018 and 58 in 2019, active in sectors such as telecommunications, oil and gas, and transportation, attended the Damascus International Fair where they discussed deals ranging from car manufacturing to development of mobile hospitals. The participation of China National Heavy Duty Truck Company highlighted Chinese interest in the Syrian automotive sector. Syria could also prove to be a lucrative market for Chinese military exports. Al-Assad could well see Chinese interest as a way of loosening Moscow and Tehran’s grip on his country despite Russian and Iranian effort to reap the benefits of their boots-on-the-ground support for his government by winning lucrative reconstruction contracts. China has so far refrained from responding in any real way to Syrian urging to kickstart reconstruction of critical national infrastructure even before remaining rebel strongholds in the country are reconquered. It has however exploited commercial opportunity. The vast majority of Syrian exports go to China and Chinese goods are ubiquitous in Syrian markets. Hama, Syria’s most important industrial region after the collapse of manufacturing in Aleppo and Damascus as a result of the war, is awash with Chinese-made car parts, machine tools and equipment for the automobile, motorcycle, and shoe industry. Multiple delegations of Chinese investors and businessmen have visited Syria in recent years. In 2018, China hosted its First Trade Fair on Syrian Reconstruction Projects with some 1,000 Chinese companies in attendance and pledged $2 billion for the construction of industrial parks. China’s security concerns from Syria Al-Assad’s ability to regain control of most Syria, with the exception of the rebel-held northern region of Idlib, created not only economic opportunity but also heightened already existing Chinese security concerns. As Syrian government forces rolled back rebel fighters, China feared that their battle-hardened Uyghur and Central Asian contingent would gravitate towards Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan from where it would be easier to target China. The presence of Uyghur fighters in Syria was one driver for a brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in China’s troubled north-western province of Xinjiang. It also persuaded China to step up border security cooperation with Tajikistan and Afghanistan, where militants of the Uyghur jihadist Turkistan Islamic Party, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, allegedly fight alongside the Taliban. The Uyghur presence in Syria prompted China to consider sending Chinese troops to join the fight for Idlib in violation of its foreign and defense policy principles. China ultimately dropped the idea, which would have amounted to the People’s Republic’s first military intervention in recent memory beyond its borders. Repeated unconfirmed media reports have, however, suggested that China has been sharing intelligence with Syria and has been sending military advisors for the past four years to help in the fight against Uyghur militants. The discussion about an intervention followed a pledge in 2016 by Rear Admiral Guan Youfei of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to increase military cooperation with the Syrian government. Two years later, a Syrian state-controlled newspaper, Al Watan, Qi, the Chinese ambassador, and China’s military attaché, Wong Roy Chang, as saying that China wanted to contribute “in some way” to Syrian military campaign against the rebels in Idlib. The PLAN took nine days to deny Chinese interest in getting involved in the fighting, calling the report a “misunderstanding.” Meanwhile, while supportive of efforts to negotiate an end to the Syrian war, China has studiously avoided taking a leading role. Its sole initiative to shape the outcome of the conflict was a four-point plan that never gained significant traction. China’s dilemma in Idlib lies partially in sensitivity to Turkish opposition to an all-out assault on Idlib. Turkey fears that it would likely spark a renewed refugee exodus and concern that Chinese involvement in an assault could whip up pro-Uyghur sentiments in Turkey despite growing anti-refugee sentiment in the country. Turkey has long supported Uyghur rights and has frequently turned a blind eye to Uyghur militants. An Uighur dressed in a Turkish military uniform and sporting an automatic weapon, claiming in a video clip posted on Twitter that he was fighting in the northern Syrian district of Afrin alongside Turkish-backed rebels, advised Han Chinese residents of China’s troubled north-western province of Xinjiang to leave the area. “Listen you dog bastards, do you see this? We will triumph! We will kill you all. Listen up Chinese civilians, get out of our East Turkestan. I am warning you. We shall return, and we will be victorious,” the Uyghur said. Syria in the wider Chinese Middle East policy Beyond its hesitancy of becoming embroiled in the Syrian war, China, despite its consistent backing of the Syrian government as a secular bulwark against Islamic extremism, feared that greater involvement in Syria could jeopardise its successful efforts to remain aloof in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran that influenced multiple disputes in the Middle East. That fear has receded with states in the GCC ending their long-standing support for anti-Assad rebels and cosying up to the Syrian leader in an effort to counter Iranian and Turkish influence. Chinese aloofness also shielded it from entering into direct competition with Russia and Iran in the post-war reconstruction phase. Deepening Chinese-Russian ties in the wake of the pandemic and perceived greater Iranian dependence on China may allow for a divvying up of the pie in ways that turn Syria into an important Belt and Road node. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China shows greater interest in Syria amid coronavirus pandemic and deteriorating ties with the US

By Shelley Inglis

Remember former President Barack Obama’s infamous red line speech in 2012? In that speech, the president made it clear that the US would not stand for the use of chemical or biological weapons by President Bashar al-Assad against opposition forces in Syria.

But, despite subsequent evidence of the use of these weapons by Assad’s forces, the US declined to directly confront the regime.

A complex, devastating conflict has continued ever since, killing close to 400,000 Syrians and forcing millions from their homes. It has involved a range of players over nine years: the Assad-controlled government regime, various rebel opposition groups, the Islamic State, Syria’s Kurdish minority and major international powers, including the United States, Iran, Turkey, Russia and the European Union.

Consequently, some confusion about current events and what they mean is understandable. So, here are some answers to key questions about why Syria is back in the news.

1. What’s going on right now?

The war in Syria has resulted in more than 11 million people displaced. Over half of these displaced people are refugees, with the vast majority currently hosted in the regional states of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.

The war has now reached a crisis point. Since December, the Russian-backed Assad regime has significantly increased air and ground assaults on civilian sites in Idlib province, causing destruction and mass displacement.

Idlib is considered the remaining stronghold of the rebel opposition to Assad’s regime. Lying in the northeast of Syria bordering Turkey, it is home to approximately 3.5 million people.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Nonetheless, the assaults continued.

2. How many people are fleeing?

Since December, nearly 950,000 people, an estimated 80 per cent of whom are women and children, have fled their homes because of ground and air assaults by the Russian-backed Assad forces during an uncharacteristically cold winter.

Many live in makeshift displaced persons camps in northern Syria. Reports show that women are burning plastic to keep warm, and babies and children are dying due to the cold.

The UN estimates that close to 2 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance. While aid is being delivered, it is insufficient to meet the needs of families for food, clean water and heating.

Local aid workers have also been killed.

3. Why is this considered a humanitarian crisis?

Until early January, humanitarian assistance was coming from international organizations into Syria through Iraq. Aid is currently coming in through Turkey, as it affords the most feasible route for people to seek refuge and for humanitarian assistance to get through to Syria.

However, Turkey has effectively closed its borders to those fleeing from Idlib, noting it already hosts over 3.6 million Syrian refugees.

Some reports put the death toll around Idlib in the thousands. The UN has recorded hundreds of deaths in Idlib and Aleppo due to the recent attacks, which are backed militarily by Russia. Many medical facilities and schools have been targeted or impacted.

Experts claim that the attacks are part of a strategy to explicitly target civilians. Such targeting of civilians, schools and hospitals could be war crimes – grave violations of the law of war.

The UN Commission of Inquiry and European courts are investigating crimes committed during the Syrian conflict.

4. Who is involved in this fight?

The conflict in Syria started with a peaceful uprising in 2011 against the four-decade authoritarian rule of the Assad family. Since then, it has become increasingly complicated, involving a number of countries near and far.

Iran has remained a steadfast supporter of Assad throughout the conflict, although its exact military and financial support is difficult to track.

In 2015, Russia, a historic ally of the Assad family, directly entered the conflict to support the government through airstrikes. It controls much of the airspace in northern Syria today.

The United States entered the war as part of a coalition in 2014. It has supported Syrian Kurdish militia, known as the People’s Protection Units, in a joint fight against the Islamic State, which had gained power in parts of Syria. The United States’ support of the Syrian Kurds has consistently rattled Turkey, which links the group to its own Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist group by neighbouring Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

In October, President Donald Trump ordered the removal of U.S. military personnel from northern Syria, abandoning the traditional support by the US for Syrian Kurds and opening up advantages for the Assad regime and Russia.

In response, Turkey intervened militarily to undermine the Syrian Kurds and create a safe zone along its borders. These actions infuriated Turkey’s western allies because it heightened the conflict in parts of the north that had been peacefully governed by the Syrian Kurds.

While Turkey and Russia do not agree on Syria, they have been coming closer since 2015, even overcoming crises like the downing of a Russian aircraft by Turkish forces near the Syrian border.

Turkey, the United States and European Union states are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, known as NATO. Deepening a divide between Turkey and NATO is considered by experts to be in the interest of Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin.

5. What now? 
The humanitarian crisis is grave, and the situation in flux. With the fighting around Idlib continuing, international tensions are flaring.

After 33 Turkish soldiers died in an attack by Russian-backed Syrian forces on Feb. 27, Turkey called for NATO to meet and has retaliated in Syria. Russia has denied any involvement in the specific assault.

Neither Turkey nor Russia appears to be decreasing their interventions in Syria.

With Russia wielding a veto power on the United Nations Security Council, the institution responsible for addressing threats to international peace and security has been unable to effectively intervene to halt the conflict and protect civilians.

Many experts contend that the war could be in its final throes and some victory for Assad is no longer in question. For now, the Trump administration has indicated it has no intention of reengaging in Syria to protect the people of Idlib.

However, in such a complex conflict, the delicate balance of interests can be disrupted. For example, Turkey has opened its borders for Syrian refugees to flow into Europe, creating a potential renewed crisis for the European Union.

Turkey has asked NATO for military support for a no-fly zone over Idlib, but has gained no traction so far. Experts agree that the best route to protect civilians would be such a zone and argue the United States must play a role.

Others are calling for an EU-NATO intervention to protect the people of Idlib. The EU is meeting to discuss the crisis.

For now, Turkey is taking on the Syrian forces alone and claiming some success. Russia and Turkey are set to meet to discuss the conflict on March 5.

(Shelley Inglis is Executive Director, University of Dayton Human Rights Center, University of Dayton)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-worst-humanitarian-crisis-of-the-21st-century-5-questions-on-syria-answered-132571"> original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Shelley Inglis Remember former President Barack Obama’s infamous red line speech in 2012? In that speech, the president made it clear that the US would not stand for the use of chemical or biological weapons by President Bashar al-Assad against opposition forces in Syria.

By Shelley Inglis Remember former President Barack Obama’s infamous red line speech in 2012? In that speech, the president made it clear that the US would not stand for the use of chemical or biological weapons by President Bashar al-Assad against opposition forces in Syria. But, despite subsequent evidence of the use of these weapons by Assad’s forces, the US declined to directly confront the regime. A complex, devastating conflict has continued ever since, killing close to 400,000 Syrians and forcing millions from their homes. It has involved a range of players over nine years: the Assad-controlled government regime, various rebel opposition groups, the Islamic State, Syria’s Kurdish minority and major international powers, including the United States, Iran, Turkey, Russia and the European Union. Consequently, some confusion about current events and what they mean is understandable. So, here are some answers to key questions about why Syria is back in the news. 1. What’s going on right now? The war in Syria has resulted in more than 11 million people displaced. Over half of these displaced people are refugees, with the vast majority currently hosted in the regional states of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. The war has now reached a crisis point. Since December, the Russian-backed Assad regime has significantly increased air and ground assaults on civilian sites in Idlib province, causing destruction and mass displacement. Idlib is considered the remaining stronghold of the rebel opposition to Assad’s regime. Lying in the northeast of Syria bordering Turkey, it is home to approximately 3.5 million people. The United Nations has repeatedly called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Nonetheless, the assaults continued. 2. How many people are fleeing? Since December, nearly 950,000 people, an estimated 80 per cent of whom are women and children, have fled their homes because of ground and air assaults by the Russian-backed Assad forces during an uncharacteristically cold winter. Many live in makeshift displaced persons camps in northern Syria. Reports show that women are burning plastic to keep warm, and babies and children are dying due to the cold. The UN estimates that close to 2 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance. While aid is being delivered, it is insufficient to meet the needs of families for food, clean water and heating. Local aid workers have also been killed. 3. Why is this considered a humanitarian crisis? Until early January, humanitarian assistance was coming from international organizations into Syria through Iraq. Aid is currently coming in through Turkey, as it affords the most feasible route for people to seek refuge and for humanitarian assistance to get through to Syria. However, Turkey has effectively closed its borders to those fleeing from Idlib, noting it already hosts over 3.6 million Syrian refugees. Some reports put the death toll around Idlib in the thousands. The UN has recorded hundreds of deaths in Idlib and Aleppo due to the recent attacks, which are backed militarily by Russia. Many medical facilities and schools have been targeted or impacted. Experts claim that the attacks are part of a strategy to explicitly target civilians. Such targeting of civilians, schools and hospitals could be war crimes – grave violations of the law of war. The UN Commission of Inquiry and European courts are investigating crimes committed during the Syrian conflict. 4. Who is involved in this fight? The conflict in Syria started with a peaceful uprising in 2011 against the four-decade authoritarian rule of the Assad family. Since then, it has become increasingly complicated, involving a number of countries near and far. Iran has remained a steadfast supporter of Assad throughout the conflict, although its exact military and financial support is difficult to track. In 2015, Russia, a historic ally of the Assad family, directly entered the conflict to support the government through airstrikes. It controls much of the airspace in northern Syria today. The United States entered the war as part of a coalition in 2014. It has supported Syrian Kurdish militia, known as the People’s Protection Units, in a joint fight against the Islamic State, which had gained power in parts of Syria. The United States’ support of the Syrian Kurds has consistently rattled Turkey, which links the group to its own Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist group by neighbouring Turkey, the European Union and the United States. In October, President Donald Trump ordered the removal of U.S. military personnel from northern Syria, abandoning the traditional support by the US for Syrian Kurds and opening up advantages for the Assad regime and Russia. In response, Turkey intervened militarily to undermine the Syrian Kurds and create a safe zone along its borders. These actions infuriated Turkey’s western allies because it heightened the conflict in parts of the north that had been peacefully governed by the Syrian Kurds. While Turkey and Russia do not agree on Syria, they have been coming closer since 2015, even overcoming crises like the downing of a Russian aircraft by Turkish forces near the Syrian border. Turkey, the United States and European Union states are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, known as NATO. Deepening a divide between Turkey and NATO is considered by experts to be in the interest of Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. 5. What now? The humanitarian crisis is grave, and the situation in flux. With the fighting around Idlib continuing, international tensions are flaring. After 33 Turkish soldiers died in an attack by Russian-backed Syrian forces on Feb. 27, Turkey called for NATO to meet and has retaliated in Syria. Russia has denied any involvement in the specific assault. Neither Turkey nor Russia appears to be decreasing their interventions in Syria. With Russia wielding a veto power on the United Nations Security Council, the institution responsible for addressing threats to international peace and security has been unable to effectively intervene to halt the conflict and protect civilians. Many experts contend that the war could be in its final throes and some victory for Assad is no longer in question. For now, the Trump administration has indicated it has no intention of reengaging in Syria to protect the people of Idlib. However, in such a complex conflict, the delicate balance of interests can be disrupted. For example, Turkey has opened its borders for Syrian refugees to flow into Europe, creating a potential renewed crisis for the European Union. Turkey has asked NATO for military support for a no-fly zone over Idlib, but has gained no traction so far. Experts agree that the best route to protect civilians would be such a zone and argue the United States must play a role. Others are calling for an EU-NATO intervention to protect the people of Idlib. The EU is meeting to discuss the crisis. For now, Turkey is taking on the Syrian forces alone and claiming some success. Russia and Turkey are set to meet to discuss the conflict on March 5. (Shelley Inglis is Executive Director, University of Dayton Human Rights Center, University of Dayton) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Syria civil war: The worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century

Tensions are running very high between Turkey and Russia-backed Syria. Syrian government forces are intensifying attacks on a Turkey-backed rebel stronghold.

The prospect of an all-out war leaves millions of Syrian civilians trapped in the middle. Two nights ago, thousands of Syrian refugees were pushing against the fence at the Greek border.

The Greek police deployed its anti-riot squad and fired tear gas against the refugees, including women and children, who were all stuck in the no man's land.

So, once the land routes were shut, they set sail in dinghies to the Greek islands. But, a Syrian boy has died after one of the rubber dinghies capsized. He is the first casualty of a fresh wave of migration.

It brings back haunting memories of the Syrian toddler, whose dead body washed up on a Turkish beach in 2015. The refugees can't return to their homes anytime soon

Turkey and Syria are locked in a bitter tit-for-tat conflict in the North-Eastern Syrian province of Idlib.

Amid heavy Russian bombardment, clashes are continuing between Syrian government forces and armed rebel groups in the province. Street battles in the key town of Saracen continue - neither side is able to hold the city.

But, Bashar al-Assad has pledged to 'confront the flagrant Turkish aggression'. It all began when the forces loyal to the Syrian government attacked the last rebel stronghold in Idlib.&nbsp;

Turkey immediately intervened for two reasons - first, the Syrian offensive triggered the largest single wave of displacement in the nine-year war.&nbsp;

It sent 9,50,000 Syrian refugees towards the Turkish border. Turkey already hosts 4.1 million refugees, including 3.7 million Syrians. So, it said it can't allow any more refugees to enter its borders.

Second, Turkey backs some rebel groups in Syria, so it sent tanks and troops as reinforcement to counter the Syrian offensive.&nbsp;

Idlib was designated a de-escalation&nbsp;zone in a 2018 agreement between Turkey and Russia, who back opposing sides and Ankara has repeatedly demanded that al-Assad's forces withdraw behind a line determined by Turkey.

Although Turkey showed restraint initially, it vowed revenge when Turkish soldiers were killed in a Syrian bombardment. In a recent attack, Turkey lost 34 soldiers to an airstrike, allegedly carried out by Syria. This provoked President Erdogan to threaten Russia and Syria to fall behind the line or face a ruthless offensive.

This raises the risk of direct military confrontation between Turkey and Russia. The prospect of an all-out war leaves millions of Syrian civilians trapped in the middle. The movement of migrants to the West could continue if the situation in Idlib deteriorates further.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour, and as always, civilians are paying the gravest price.

Tensions are running very high between Turkey and Russia-backed Syria. Syrian government forces are intensifying attacks on a Turkey-backed rebel stronghold. The prospect of an all-out war leaves millions of Syrian civilians trapped in the middle.

Tensions are running very high between Turkey and Russia-backed Syria. Syrian government forces are intensifying attacks on a Turkey-backed rebel stronghold. The prospect of an all-out war leaves millions of Syrian civilians trapped in the middle. Two nights ago, thousands of Syrian refugees were pushing against the fence at the Greek border. The Greek police deployed its anti-riot squad and fired tear gas against the refugees, including women and children, who were all stuck in the no man's land. So, once the land routes were shut, they set sail in dinghies to the Greek islands. But, a Syrian boy has died after one of the rubber dinghies capsized. He is the first casualty of a fresh wave of migration. It brings back haunting memories of the Syrian toddler, whose dead body washed up on a Turkish beach in 2015. The refugees can't return to their homes anytime soon Turkey and Syria are locked in a bitter tit-for-tat conflict in the North-Eastern Syrian province of Idlib. Amid heavy Russian bombardment, clashes are continuing between Syrian government forces and armed rebel groups in the province. Street battles in the key town of Saracen continue - neither side is able to hold the city. But, Bashar al-Assad has pledged to 'confront the flagrant Turkish aggression'. It all began when the forces loyal to the Syrian government attacked the last rebel stronghold in Idlib. Turkey immediately intervened for two reasons - first, the Syrian offensive triggered the largest single wave of displacement in the nine-year war. It sent 9,50,000 Syrian refugees towards the Turkish border. Turkey already hosts 4.1 million refugees, including 3.7 million Syrians. So, it said it can't allow any more refugees to enter its borders. Second, Turkey backs some rebel groups in Syria, so it sent tanks and troops as reinforcement to counter the Syrian offensive. Idlib was designated a de-escalation zone in a 2018 agreement between Turkey and Russia, who back opposing sides and Ankara has repeatedly demanded that al-Assad's forces withdraw behind a line determined by Turkey. Although Turkey showed restraint initially, it vowed revenge when Turkish soldiers were killed in a Syrian bombardment. In a recent attack, Turkey lost 34 soldiers to an airstrike, allegedly carried out by Syria. This provoked President Erdogan to threaten Russia and Syria to fall behind the line or face a ruthless offensive. This raises the risk of direct military confrontation between Turkey and Russia. The prospect of an all-out war leaves millions of Syrian civilians trapped in the middle. The movement of migrants to the West could continue if the situation in Idlib deteriorates further. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour, and as always, civilians are paying the gravest price.

Civilians pay the gravest price as war in Syria escalates

Syrian rebels shot down a government helicopter west of Aleppo in Syria's northwestern Idlib region, where violence and displacement has spiked in recent weeks, Turkish and Syrian state media reported on February 14.

Syrian helicopter downed by Turkey-backed rebels

Syrian regime and Russian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thirty-killed-across-syria-as-violence-rages-265808">air strikes </a>on Saturday killed 19 civilians, eight of them children, in the country's last major opposition bastion, a war monitor said.

The air raids in the jihadist-run northwestern region of Idlib also wounded several others, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Air strikes by regime ally Russia killed four civilians including a child in the village of Al-Bara in the south of the region, the Observatory said.

An AFP correspondent at the scene saw rescue workers pick through the rubble of a two-storey home whose concrete roof had collapsed.

Rescuers carried away the body of a victim wrapped in a blanket on a stretcher.

Russian raids also killed nine civilians including three children in the nearby village of Balyun, the Observatory said.

Crude barrel bombs dropped by government helicopters killed five civilians including three children in the village of Abadeeta, also in the same area.

In the southeast of the embattled region, a raid by a regime aircraft killed another child in the village of Bajghas, the Observatory said.&nbsp;

The Britain-based monitor, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria, says it determines the provenance of an air strike by looking at flight patterns and the aircraft and munitions involved.

The Idlib region, which is home to some three million people including many displaced by Syria's civil war, is controlled by the country's former Al-Qaeda affiliate.

The Damascus regime has repeatedly vowed to take back control of Idlib.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces launched a blistering military campaign against the region in April, killing around 1,000 civilians and displacing more than 400,000 people from their homes.

A ceasefire announced by Moscow has largely held since late August.

But the Observatory says deadly bombardment and skirmishes have persisted, with more than 200 civilians killed in the region since the deal.

Syria's war has killed over 370,000 people and displaced millions from their homes since beginning in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests.

Syrian regime and Russian air strikes on Saturday killed 19 civilians, eight of them children, in the country's last major opposition bastion, a war monitor said.

Syrian regime and Russian air strikes on Saturday killed 19 civilians, eight of them children, in the country's last major opposition bastion, a war monitor said. The air raids in the jihadist-run northwestern region of Idlib also wounded several others, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Air strikes by regime ally Russia killed four civilians including a child in the village of Al-Bara in the south of the region, the Observatory said. An AFP correspondent at the scene saw rescue workers pick through the rubble of a two-storey home whose concrete roof had collapsed. Rescuers carried away the body of a victim wrapped in a blanket on a stretcher. Russian raids also killed nine civilians including three children in the nearby village of Balyun, the Observatory said. Crude barrel bombs dropped by government helicopters killed five civilians including three children in the village of Abadeeta, also in the same area. In the southeast of the embattled region, a raid by a regime aircraft killed another child in the village of Bajghas, the Observatory said. The Britain-based monitor, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria, says it determines the provenance of an air strike by looking at flight patterns and the aircraft and munitions involved. The Idlib region, which is home to some three million people including many displaced by Syria's civil war, is controlled by the country's former Al-Qaeda affiliate. The Damascus regime has repeatedly vowed to take back control of Idlib. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces launched a blistering military campaign against the region in April, killing around 1,000 civilians and displacing more than 400,000 people from their homes. A ceasefire announced by Moscow has largely held since late August. But the Observatory says deadly bombardment and skirmishes have persisted, with more than 200 civilians killed in the region since the deal. Syria's war has killed over 370,000 people and displaced millions from their homes since beginning in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests.

Air strikes kill 19 civilians in northwest Syria: Monitor

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/15-killed-in-airstrikes-in-northwest-syria-265777">Air strikes </a>killed 19 civilians Monday in Syria's last major opposition bastion, the site of the deadliest clashes between regime forces and armed groups since an August ceasefire came into force, a monitoring group said.

More than 100 kilometres (60 miles) to the north, a separate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eight-children-among-nine-killed-in-turkish-shelling-on-north-syria-monitor-265784">Turkish artillery attack </a>on a Kurdish-held city in Aleppo province killed 11 civilians, including eight children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.&nbsp;

Syria's bloody eight-year-long conflict has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011.

It continues to claim scores of civilian lives, especially in areas outside government control.

In the province of Idlib, largely under the control of a group dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, regime air raids killed 13 civilians in a market in the town of Maaret al-Numan, the Britain-based Observatory said.&nbsp;

An AFP correspondent saw rescue workers carry a wounded man away on a stretcher while a body lay motionless amid spilt oranges and bags of onions.

Maher Mohammed, 35, a vendor in the market, said it was the most frightening bombardment he had witnessed in years.

"We ran inside the shops and threw ourselves on the ground," the father of five told AFP.

"They bombarded half the market. Our neighbours were killed," as were two women in a car who had come to do some shopping, he said.

The Observatory said six others died in Russian and regime bombardment in other parts of the province, including a woman and her two children in a Russian strike on an Idlib prison.

Fighting rages&nbsp;

On the southeastern edge of the region, regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes, with almost 100 fighters killed in two days, according to the war monitor.

The battles on the fringes of Idlib since Saturday are the most deadly since a Russia-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late August, it said.

Fifty-four regime fighters had been killed, while 47 of their foes including 33 jihadists had also lost their lives since Saturday, the Observatory said.

President Bashar al-Assad has long maintained that his government will eventually reimpose its control over the northwestern region on the border with Turkey.

During a meeting on Monday with Russia's special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, Assad agreed to "continue the fight against terrorism" so that Idlib would not become "a permanent haven for terrorists," the presidency said.

The late August ceasefire came months into a devastating Russia-backed regime offensive that killed around 1,000 civilians and ousted hundreds of thousands from their homes.

But sporadic clashes and deadly Russian and regime bombardment on the jihadist-held bastion have continued, with 179 civilians including 45 children killed during that time.

Turkish attack&nbsp;

In the strategic city of Tal Rifaat, controlled by local Kurdish fighters, a Turkish artillery attack hit near a school as students were leaving the building.

Most of the 11 civilians killed in the shelling had been displaced from the Afrin region captured last year by Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Footage released by Kurdish-run media purported to show bloody and bandaged young men being carried into a crowded medical facility after the attack.

Wrapped in thick wool blankets, the corpses of the deceased were lined up on the floor of an empty room in the same facility, in the footage.

Outside, relatives broke-down crying.

Tal Rifaat, a strategic town 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Turkey's frontier, is the site of regular confrontations between Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish fighters.&nbsp;

Turkey threatened to launch a cross-border offensive to capture Tal Rifaat last year after taking Afrin from the US-backed People's Protection Units (YPG) militia.

But Russia intervened to stop the planned offensive.

In October, it said it agreed to work with Turkey to remove all YPG militia "elements and their weapons" from Tal Rifaat.&nbsp;

But in early November, Turkish President Reep Tayyip Erdogan said Kurdish "terror groups" had still not left.

Tal Rifaat is held by local Kurdish fighters displaced from Afrin, the Observatory head said, adding that Russian forces and regime troops are also currently deployed inside the town.

Turkey in October launched a cross-border operation south of its frontier against Syrian Kurdish forces.

In the two months since the operation began, it has established a so-called "safe zone" in a 120-kilometre-long strip along the border, where it says it wants to resettle Syrian refugees.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Air strikes killed 19 civilians Monday in Syria's last major opposition bastion, the site of the deadliest clashes between regime forces and armed groups since an August ceasefire came into force, a monitoring group said.

Air strikes killed 19 civilians Monday in Syria's last major opposition bastion, the site of the deadliest clashes between regime forces and armed groups since an August ceasefire came into force, a monitoring group said. More than 100 kilometres (60 miles) to the north, a separate Turkish artillery attack on a Kurdish-held city in Aleppo province killed 11 civilians, including eight children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Syria's bloody eight-year-long conflict has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011. It continues to claim scores of civilian lives, especially in areas outside government control. In the province of Idlib, largely under the control of a group dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, regime air raids killed 13 civilians in a market in the town of Maaret al-Numan, the Britain-based Observatory said. An AFP correspondent saw rescue workers carry a wounded man away on a stretcher while a body lay motionless amid spilt oranges and bags of onions. Maher Mohammed, 35, a vendor in the market, said it was the most frightening bombardment he had witnessed in years. "We ran inside the shops and threw ourselves on the ground," the father of five told AFP. "They bombarded half the market. Our neighbours were killed," as were two women in a car who had come to do some shopping, he said. The Observatory said six others died in Russian and regime bombardment in other parts of the province, including a woman and her two children in a Russian strike on an Idlib prison. Fighting rages On the southeastern edge of the region, regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes, with almost 100 fighters killed in two days, according to the war monitor. The battles on the fringes of Idlib since Saturday are the most deadly since a Russia-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late August, it said. Fifty-four regime fighters had been killed, while 47 of their foes including 33 jihadists had also lost their lives since Saturday, the Observatory said. President Bashar al-Assad has long maintained that his government will eventually reimpose its control over the northwestern region on the border with Turkey. During a meeting on Monday with Russia's special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, Assad agreed to "continue the fight against terrorism" so that Idlib would not become "a permanent haven for terrorists," the presidency said. The late August ceasefire came months into a devastating Russia-backed regime offensive that killed around 1,000 civilians and ousted hundreds of thousands from their homes. But sporadic clashes and deadly Russian and regime bombardment on the jihadist-held bastion have continued, with 179 civilians including 45 children killed during that time. Turkish attack In the strategic city of Tal Rifaat, controlled by local Kurdish fighters, a Turkish artillery attack hit near a school as students were leaving the building. Most of the 11 civilians killed in the shelling had been displaced from the Afrin region captured last year by Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. Footage released by Kurdish-run media purported to show bloody and bandaged young men being carried into a crowded medical facility after the attack. Wrapped in thick wool blankets, the corpses of the deceased were lined up on the floor of an empty room in the same facility, in the footage. Outside, relatives broke-down crying. Tal Rifaat, a strategic town 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Turkey's frontier, is the site of regular confrontations between Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish fighters. Turkey threatened to launch a cross-border offensive to capture Tal Rifaat last year after taking Afrin from the US-backed People's Protection Units (YPG) militia. But Russia intervened to stop the planned offensive. In October, it said it agreed to work with Turkey to remove all YPG militia "elements and their weapons" from Tal Rifaat. But in early November, Turkish President Reep Tayyip Erdogan said Kurdish "terror groups" had still not left. Tal Rifaat is held by local Kurdish fighters displaced from Afrin, the Observatory head said, adding that Russian forces and regime troops are also currently deployed inside the town. Turkey in October launched a cross-border operation south of its frontier against Syrian Kurdish forces. In the two months since the operation began, it has established a so-called "safe zone" in a 120-kilometre-long strip along the border, where it says it wants to resettle Syrian refugees.

Thirty killed across Syria as violence rages

More than 7,000 people have left a desperate desert camp for displaced Syrians near the Jordanian border since March, a United Nations spokesperson said Friday.

According to the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA, around 36,000 people remained in the isolated Rukban camp near Al-Tanf base used by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group, after over 4,000 left between March and April 21.

The Syrian government and key backer Russia said in February they had opened corridors out of the camp, calling on residents to leave.&nbsp;

"Since March, over 7,300 people have left Rukban," OCHA spokesman David Swanson told AFP, including some 3,000 who left after April 21.&nbsp;

Those who have quit the camp have moved to collective shelters in the central city of Homs or resettled in their areas of origin in the province of the same name, OCHA said Thursday.

It said Rukban residents were organising their own transportation to the edge of a de-escalation zone established around Al-Tanf, from where they either continued in their vehicles or were transferred by private or government-provided vehicles to four collective shelters in Homs city.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says those returning to government-held parts of Homs from Rukban had struck so-called "reconciliation deals" with the Syrian government.

Conditions inside Rukban are dire, with many surviving on just one simple meal a day, often bread and olive oil or yoghurt, according to one resident.

The camp has been particularly difficult to reach due to its location on the Jordanian border and the proximity of US forces and the rebels they support.

In February, a humanitarian convoy of 133 trucks delivered food, clothes, healthcare items and medical supplies to the camp's residents.&nbsp;

The February 6 delivery was just the second in three months.

Syria's civil war killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

More than 7,000 people have left a desperate desert camp for displaced Syrians near the Jordanian border since March, a United Nations spokesperson said Friday. According to the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA, around 36,000 people remained in the isolated Rukban camp near Al-Tanf base used by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group, after over 4,000 left between March and April 21.

More than 7,000 people have left a desperate desert camp for displaced Syrians near the Jordanian border since March, a United Nations spokesperson said Friday. According to the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA, around 36,000 people remained in the isolated Rukban camp near Al-Tanf base used by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group, after over 4,000 left between March and April 21. The Syrian government and key backer Russia said in February they had opened corridors out of the camp, calling on residents to leave. "Since March, over 7,300 people have left Rukban," OCHA spokesman David Swanson told AFP, including some 3,000 who left after April 21. Those who have quit the camp have moved to collective shelters in the central city of Homs or resettled in their areas of origin in the province of the same name, OCHA said Thursday. It said Rukban residents were organising their own transportation to the edge of a de-escalation zone established around Al-Tanf, from where they either continued in their vehicles or were transferred by private or government-provided vehicles to four collective shelters in Homs city. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says those returning to government-held parts of Homs from Rukban had struck so-called "reconciliation deals" with the Syrian government. Conditions inside Rukban are dire, with many surviving on just one simple meal a day, often bread and olive oil or yoghurt, according to one resident. The camp has been particularly difficult to reach due to its location on the Jordanian border and the proximity of US forces and the rebels they support. In February, a humanitarian convoy of 133 trucks delivered food, clothes, healthcare items and medical supplies to the camp's residents. The February 6 delivery was just the second in three months. Syria's civil war killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

More than 7,000 Syrians quit camp near Jordan border: United Nations

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