Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed hope that the dialogue between Turkey and the United States will gain momentum after Presdient-elect Donald Trump takes office, Reuters reported.

He hoped of reaching a consensus on regional issues after Trump takes over as the president.

&quot;I believe we will accelerate dialogue when Mr Trump takes office. I believe we will reach a consensus with Mr Trump, particularly on regional issues,&quot; Erdogan told Turkish ambassadors gathered in Ankara for an annual conference, Reuters reported.

Turkey is a key NATO ally crucial to the US-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. 
&nbsp; 
Relations between the US and the Turkey have been strained after a failed coup attempt last year sought to overthrow the Turkish president.&nbsp;

Erdogan blames the failed coup attempt on Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania in US.

Turkey wants US to extradite Gulen.

Another important issue that has created a rift between the two allies is US support for the YPG militia, a Syrian Kurdish group that is fighting the Islamic State.

Turkey sees the group as an extension of the PKK, which is behind a string of terror attacks in Turkey and seeks to achieve its goal of Kurdish autonomy.

Turkey&#39;s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey expects Washington to extradite Gulen and end its cooperation with the Syrian YPG militia, Reuters reported.

The US on its part has skirted the issue of extradition by passing the responsibilty of extradition to the courts.

Trump&#39;s policy on the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia is unclear.&nbsp;

Trump, however, has clearly outlined that his priority is to fight the Islamic State and not to force Assad out of power, something that Turkey has long desired.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Turkey hopes of reaching a consensus on regional issues after Trump takes over as the president

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed hope that the dialogue between Turkey and the United States will gain momentum after Presdient-elect Donald Trump takes office, Reuters reported. He hoped of reaching a consensus on regional issues after Trump takes over as the president. "I believe we will accelerate dialogue when Mr Trump takes office. I believe we will reach a consensus with Mr Trump, particularly on regional issues," Erdogan told Turkish ambassadors gathered in Ankara for an annual conference, Reuters reported. Turkey is a key NATO ally crucial to the US-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Relations between the US and the Turkey have been strained after a failed coup attempt last year sought to overthrow the Turkish president. Erdogan blames the failed coup attempt on Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania in US. Turkey wants US to extradite Gulen. Another important issue that has created a rift between the two allies is US support for the YPG militia, a Syrian Kurdish group that is fighting the Islamic State. Turkey sees the group as an extension of the PKK, which is behind a string of terror attacks in Turkey and seeks to achieve its goal of Kurdish autonomy. Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey expects Washington to extradite Gulen and end its cooperation with the Syrian YPG militia, Reuters reported. The US on its part has skirted the issue of extradition by passing the responsibilty of extradition to the courts. Trump's policy on the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia is unclear. Trump, however, has clearly outlined that his priority is to fight the Islamic State and not to force Assad out of power, something that Turkey has long desired. (With inputs from Reuters)

Turkey looks forward to improving ties with US during Trump presidency

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim paid a two-day&nbsp;visit to his Iraqi counterpart Haider Al-Abadi over the weekend in the attempt to restart a dialogue after relations between the two countries worsened&nbsp;in the last few months.&nbsp;

In a joint press statement, Al-Abadi requested Turkey to gradually withdraw his troops and Yildirim confirmed the commitment.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After a round of talks, the two countries have agreed to: boost their mutual effort to fight terrorism, respect&nbsp;each side&#39;s sovereignty, join efforts in post-war reconstruction, and&nbsp;resume all the investments they stopped due to the conflict. They also signed common water management projects. &nbsp;

The two heads of state also discussed the presence of a 500-soldier&nbsp;Turkish contingent on Iraqi&nbsp;soil, which was at the root&nbsp;of the diplomatic standstill.&nbsp;

In October 2016, Turkey repeatedly insisted on deploying its soldiers for the Mosul offensive, in Iraq, claiming it was their right to fight terrorists. The Iraqi prime minister denied authorisation, pointing out that their presence on its&nbsp;soil was a violation of Iraq&#39;s sovereignty. Ankara replied to the accusation,&nbsp;saying their troops entered the country on the Kurdistan Regional Government&#39;s invitation. &nbsp;

After a tough blame game, the two countries recalled their ambassadors and relations have been frozen ever since. &nbsp;

Yildrim&#39;s visit is not only about the two countries, it is part of a larger effort his country is taking to regain its powe&nbsp;in West Asia in a moment when it risks&nbsp;becoming&nbsp;isolated and vulnerable. &nbsp;

The massive purge and the round of arrests after the failed coup d&#39;&eacute;tat in July 2016 cost&nbsp;the country much of its international support. Several terror attacks have hit&nbsp;Turkey since, killing tens of citizens. The Russian ambassador was murdered in cold blood in front of the world&#39;s eyes. Kurdish autonomist organisations resumed the fight in the southeastern provinces after a fragile ceasefire broke. Iran and Lebanon are using all their influence to send money and weapons to Shia militias fighting terrorist organisations in both Iraq and Syria, a strategic move which indirectly expands their sphere of influence. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, heavily backed by Russia, is regaining momentum and he is a man Turkey has never perceived as a plausible ally. The US is providing air support to the Kurdish People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG), an organisation Ankara&nbsp;labels&nbsp;terrorists. &nbsp;

The fear of isolation is probably&nbsp;the main reason behind Turkey&#39;s decision to send troops directly within Syrian borders to attack the Islamic State.&nbsp;

Turkey-backed militias and the country&#39;s regular troops are now fighting in the vicinity of the Syrian town of Al Bab, some 40 kilometres&nbsp;from Aleppo. &nbsp;

The country had not played an active role in Syria until&nbsp;late August 2016, when they launched operation Euphrates Shield with the aim to close and secure the last 95 kilometres&nbsp;of border still under terrorist control. Many have accused&nbsp;Turkey of not&nbsp;having&nbsp;done enough to retake such a minor part of its border, through&nbsp;which IS terrorists, weapons and oil passed for five years.

Fighting the Islamic State is not&nbsp;Turkey&#39;s only aim&nbsp;in Syria though. President Erdogan has repeatedly declared his intention to stop the activities of the US-backed Kurdish and Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who are fighting boots-on-the-ground against the IS in northern Syria. The Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) are the backbone of the SDF forces, and Turkey is staunchly opposed&nbsp;to&nbsp;any&nbsp;semi-autonomous Kurdish region in Syria, whatever the cost.&nbsp;

This last intention will probably involve directly the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), an organisation fighting a three-decade war against Turkey,&nbsp;now&nbsp;headquartered&nbsp;on the Qandil mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan.&nbsp;

Recovering diplomatic and economic relations with Iraq could turn out to be vital for Turkey&nbsp;to get back on track in West Asia, where Iran is currently becoming the strongest regional actor.&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Binali Yildirim's visit is part of a larger effort Turkey is taking to avoid isolation in West Asia

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim paid a two-day visit to his Iraqi counterpart Haider Al-Abadi over the weekend in the attempt to restart a dialogue after relations between the two countries worsened in the last few months. In a joint press statement, Al-Abadi requested Turkey to gradually withdraw his troops and Yildirim confirmed the commitment. After a round of talks, the two countries have agreed to: boost their mutual effort to fight terrorism, respect each side's sovereignty, join efforts in post-war reconstruction, and resume all the investments they stopped due to the conflict. They also signed common water management projects. The two heads of state also discussed the presence of a 500-soldier Turkish contingent on Iraqi soil, which was at the root of the diplomatic standstill. In October 2016, Turkey repeatedly insisted on deploying its soldiers for the Mosul offensive, in Iraq, claiming it was their right to fight terrorists. The Iraqi prime minister denied authorisation, pointing out that their presence on its soil was a violation of Iraq's sovereignty. Ankara replied to the accusation, saying their troops entered the country on the Kurdistan Regional Government's invitation. After a tough blame game, the two countries recalled their ambassadors and relations have been frozen ever since. Yildrim's visit is not only about the two countries, it is part of a larger effort his country is taking to regain its powe in West Asia in a moment when it risks becoming isolated and vulnerable. The massive purge and the round of arrests after the failed coup d'état in July 2016 cost the country much of its international support. Several terror attacks have hit Turkey since, killing tens of citizens. The Russian ambassador was murdered in cold blood in front of the world's eyes. Kurdish autonomist organisations resumed the fight in the southeastern provinces after a fragile ceasefire broke. Iran and Lebanon are using all their influence to send money and weapons to Shia militias fighting terrorist organisations in both Iraq and Syria, a strategic move which indirectly expands their sphere of influence. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, heavily backed by Russia, is regaining momentum and he is a man Turkey has never perceived as a plausible ally. The US is providing air support to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), an organisation Ankara labels terrorists. The fear of isolation is probably the main reason behind Turkey's decision to send troops directly within Syrian borders to attack the Islamic State. Turkey-backed militias and the country's regular troops are now fighting in the vicinity of the Syrian town of Al Bab, some 40 kilometres from Aleppo. The country had not played an active role in Syria until late August 2016, when they launched operation Euphrates Shield with the aim to close and secure the last 95 kilometres of border still under terrorist control. Many have accused Turkey of not having done enough to retake such a minor part of its border, through which IS terrorists, weapons and oil passed for five years. Fighting the Islamic State is not Turkey's only aim in Syria though. President Erdogan has repeatedly declared his intention to stop the activities of the US-backed Kurdish and Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who are fighting boots-on-the-ground against the IS in northern Syria. The Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) are the backbone of the SDF forces, and Turkey is staunchly opposed to any semi-autonomous Kurdish region in Syria, whatever the cost. This last intention will probably involve directly the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), an organisation fighting a three-decade war against Turkey, now headquartered on the Qandil mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan. Recovering diplomatic and economic relations with Iraq could turn out to be vital for Turkey to get back on track in West Asia, where Iran is currently becoming the strongest regional actor. (WION)

Turkey Prime Minister travels to Iraq to mend relations

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with French media to be aired on Monday that his forces are on the road to victory after recapturing the key city of Aleppo last month.

&quot;We do not consider that (retaking Aleppo from the rebels) as a victory because victory will be when we have eliminated all the terrorists,&quot; Assad said, according to a French translation of his remarks provided by France&#39;s RTL television.

&quot;But it is a critical moment in this war because we are on the path to victory.&quot;

Earlier Sunday in Damascus, Assad told visiting French lawmakers that he was &quot;optimistic&quot; about new peace talks planned for later this month in Kazakhstan.

Lawmaker Thierry Mariani said the Syrian president also declared himself willing to negotiate with nearly 100 rebel groups fighting against his government, excluding jihadist organisations.

The talks in Astana are being organised by regime allies Russia and Iran and rebel backer Turkey, following a fragile nationwide ceasefire currently in effect in Syria.

(AFP)

We do not consider retaking Aleppo as a victory because victory will be when we have eliminated all the terrorists, Assad said

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with French media to be aired on Monday that his forces are on the road to victory after recapturing the key city of Aleppo last month. "We do not consider that (retaking Aleppo from the rebels) as a victory because victory will be when we have eliminated all the terrorists," Assad said, according to a French translation of his remarks provided by France's RTL television. "But it is a critical moment in this war because we are on the path to victory." Earlier Sunday in Damascus, Assad told visiting French lawmakers that he was "optimistic" about new peace talks planned for later this month in Kazakhstan. Lawmaker Thierry Mariani said the Syrian president also declared himself willing to negotiate with nearly 100 rebel groups fighting against his government, excluding jihadist organisations. The talks in Astana are being organised by regime allies Russia and Iran and rebel backer Turkey, following a fragile nationwide ceasefire currently in effect in Syria. (AFP)

Syrian forces on road to victory after recapturing Aleppo, says Assad

&nbsp;

The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for two car bomb&nbsp;explosion in Baghdad on Thursday. Police and medical sources say 14 people died and at least 15 were&nbsp;injured.&nbsp;

The explosive devices were placed in cars parked on the side of the road. In an online&nbsp;statement released by the IS, the attack was targeted at the city&#39;s Shia community.&nbsp;

This new attack is part of a growing&nbsp;wave of violence that has hit Iraq&#39;s capital city since 2016. The Islamic State is carrying on several attacks in retaliation to the war the country is fighting against them alongside the US-led coalition. &nbsp;

It is an effective, deadly and unpredictable strategy as&nbsp;more than 60 people have been killed in Baghdad over the past week alone. In 2016, IS&#39; attacks killed&nbsp;more than 600 people in Baghdad and injured nearly a thousand. &nbsp;

The worst bombing happened in July last year, when shortly after midnight a truck exploded in the mainly Shia district of Karrada. The area was busy with families shopping and eating at the end of a long day of Ramzan. More than 300 people died and hundreds were injured.&nbsp;

The aggressive&nbsp;upsurge comes after&nbsp;a year of heavy losses the Islamic State faced in West&nbsp;Asia. &nbsp;

In Iraq IS&nbsp;remains in control of the sole western part of Mosul, once their stronghold and de facto capital. The battle to retake the city is ongoing; the Iraqi army is fighting an urban guerrilla warfare which has resulted in heavy casualties, but the Islamic State is almost completely isolated and is unlikely hold Mosul for very long.&nbsp;

Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati, Iraq&#39;s joint operation commander, said that the country&#39;s army now controls nearly 70 per cent of Mosul&#39;s eastern part.&nbsp;

The Islamic State has been deprived of all the oil fields it used to control in Iraq, a major blow to its&nbsp;finances which has severely dented its&nbsp;military capabilities. In an interview released to WION, Iraqi Major General Najim Abdullah al-Jubouri, commander of the Niniveh&nbsp;operation, said that the IS funded many of its activities, even in neighbouring countries, by selling Iraqi oil.&nbsp;

The terrorist organisation is stronger in Syria, but it is suffering daily defeats due to a successful on-the-ground advance by Arabs and Kurds fighting within the ranks of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The US has been&nbsp;providing air support aimed at&nbsp;retaking&nbsp;the city of Raqqa, the self-proclaimed&nbsp;capital of the caliphate. Turkish troops and Ankara-backed armed groups have been involved in the campaign for the last six months. &nbsp;

The anti-Islamic State offensive in Syria is still at the initial stage and it will probably take several months before the city of Raqqa can be directly attacked. &nbsp;

Islamic State terrorism has morphed from an Iraqi and Syrian&nbsp;&#39;problem&#39; into a&nbsp;global security menace. Turkey has recently become the prime&nbsp;target for elements inspired by the group&#39;s propaganda. Many of the terrorist acts&nbsp;carried out in Europe and Asia have been the brainchildren of &#39;lone wolves&#39; or small groups, radical&nbsp;elements who have been inspired by carefully manipulated IS video propaganda, responsible for carrying out deadly attacks across Europe recently. &nbsp;

Islamic state may resort to sudden attacks as twin strategy to not only survive but also to spread terror. The organisation is under attack in its strongholds and the only way it can hit the enemy is a possible surprise attack, not only in Iraq &amp; Syria but anywhere in Europe. This will primarily &#39;divert&#39; the focal point of the conflict and will force the enemy to divide its forces giving it much-needed breathing space&nbsp;in its war in West Asia. &nbsp;

(WION with input from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Police and medical sources say 14 people died and at least 15 were injured in the attack meant to hit the city's Shia community

The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for two car bomb explosion in Baghdad on Thursday. Police and medical sources say 14 people died and at least 15 were injured. The explosive devices were placed in cars parked on the side of the road. In an online statement released by the IS, the attack was targeted at the city's Shia community. This new attack is part of a growing wave of violence that has hit Iraq's capital city since 2016. The Islamic State is carrying on several attacks in retaliation to the war the country is fighting against them alongside the US-led coalition. It is an effective, deadly and unpredictable strategy as more than 60 people have been killed in Baghdad over the past week alone. In 2016, IS' attacks killed more than 600 people in Baghdad and injured nearly a thousand. The worst bombing happened in July last year, when shortly after midnight a truck exploded in the mainly Shia district of Karrada. The area was busy with families shopping and eating at the end of a long day of Ramzan. More than 300 people died and hundreds were injured. The aggressive upsurge comes after a year of heavy losses the Islamic State faced in West Asia. In Iraq IS remains in control of the sole western part of Mosul, once their stronghold and de facto capital. The battle to retake the city is ongoing; the Iraqi army is fighting an urban guerrilla warfare which has resulted in heavy casualties, but the Islamic State is almost completely isolated and is unlikely hold Mosul for very long. Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati, Iraq's joint operation commander, said that the country's army now controls nearly 70 per cent of Mosul's eastern part. The Islamic State has been deprived of all the oil fields it used to control in Iraq, a major blow to its finances which has severely dented its military capabilities. In an interview released to WION, Iraqi Major General Najim Abdullah al-Jubouri, commander of the Niniveh operation, said that the IS funded many of its activities, even in neighbouring countries, by selling Iraqi oil. The terrorist organisation is stronger in Syria, but it is suffering daily defeats due to a successful on-the-ground advance by Arabs and Kurds fighting within the ranks of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The US has been providing air support aimed at retaking the city of Raqqa, the self-proclaimed capital of the caliphate. Turkish troops and Ankara-backed armed groups have been involved in the campaign for the last six months. The anti-Islamic State offensive in Syria is still at the initial stage and it will probably take several months before the city of Raqqa can be directly attacked. Islamic State terrorism has morphed from an Iraqi and Syrian 'problem' into a global security menace. Turkey has recently become the prime target for elements inspired by the group's propaganda. Many of the terrorist acts carried out in Europe and Asia have been the brainchildren of 'lone wolves' or small groups, radical elements who have been inspired by carefully manipulated IS video propaganda, responsible for carrying out deadly attacks across Europe recently. Islamic state may resort to sudden attacks as twin strategy to not only survive but also to spread terror. The organisation is under attack in its strongholds and the only way it can hit the enemy is a possible surprise attack, not only in Iraq & Syria but anywhere in Europe. This will primarily 'divert' the focal point of the conflict and will force the enemy to divide its forces giving it much-needed breathing space in its war in West Asia. (WION with input from agencies)

Islamic State claims responsibility for car bomb attack in Baghdad

A dozen Syrian rebel factions have suspended talks on new peace negotiations, accusing President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime of violating a four-day-old ceasefire with attacks near Damascus that continued Tuesday.

In the northwestern province of Idlib, an air strike killed at least 25 members of former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, including senior figures.

The rebels&#39; decision threatens the process sponsored by regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, which began with a truce and is meant to lead to negotiations in the Kazakh capital Astana this month.

The ceasefire has brought quiet to large parts of the country but has been undermined by sporadic violence, particularly fighting in the Wadi Barada region north of Damascus that supplies the capital&#39;s water.

Government forces backed by fighters from Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah continue to press a two-week offensive there, despite the ceasefire which began on December 30.

A dozen rebel groups announced late Monday the &quot;freezing of all discussion linked to the Astana negotiations&quot;.

They said they had respected the ceasefire, but accused the regime of &quot;major and frequent violations, notably in the (rebel) regions of Wadi Barada and Eastern Ghouta&quot;, near Damascus.

&quot;If things don&#39;t return to how they were before, the accord will be considered null and void,&quot; they said.

It was signed by a dozen groups, including the Army of Islam, Faylaq al-Sham and the Sultan Murad Brigade, which is close to Turkey.

&nbsp;&#39;Critical phase&#39;&nbsp;

Fierce fighting in Wadi Barada continued Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Government forces used barrel bombs and artillery after advancing Monday to the outskirts of the Ain al-Fijeh spring, the area&#39;s main water source, the Britain-based monitor said.

Regime shelling killed two civilians in Wadi Barada as well as one in the town of Douma, which is east of Damascus, it added.&nbsp;

The regime accuses rebels of deliberately damaging infrastructure, poisoning the water supply with fuel then cutting the flow to Damascus altogether.

Rebels say government strikes caused the damage, which has left four million people in Damascus without water since December 22.

The regime says Fateh al-Sham is in the area, a claim opposition fighters deny. Fateh al-Sham, along with the Islamic State (IS) group, is excluded from the truce.

The Observatory said an air strike by unidentified aircraft on Tuesday killed at least 25 Fateh al-Sham members including senior figures and at least four prisoners near Sarmada in Idlib province.

Fateh al-Sham, on its Telegram account, accused the US-led coalition of carrying out the raid.

An AFP correspondent saw several strikes hitting the town including one on a Fateh al-Sham checkpoint.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman warned the truce was in a &quot;critical phase&quot; and faced &quot;collapse&quot; if sponsors Russia and Turkey did not intervene to save it.

The monitor and Russia&#39;s defence ministry reported on Tuesday dozens of ceasefire violations.

Spillover in Turkey

The ceasefire and planned talks are the latest effort to negotiate an end to Syria&#39;s conflict, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-government protests in March 2011.

Ankara and Moscow back opposing sides in the conflict but have worked closely of late, brokering a deal allowing civilians and rebels to leave Aleppo city before government troops seized it last month.

The UN Security Council has backed the Russian-Turkish efforts, despite them offering a competing track to UN-sponsored talks set to resume in Geneva in February.

Both Russia and Turkey have launched military interventions in Syria. Moscow entered on the government&#39;s side in September 2015, while Ankara began an offensive against IS and Kurdish militants in August 2016.

The conflict has spilled into Turkey, with a string of deadly attacks claimed by or blamed on IS or Kurdish groups.

On Monday, IS took responsibility for a New Year&#39;s attack on an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people.

(AFP)

A dozen Syrian rebel factions have suspended talks, accusing the Assad regime of the regime of 'major and frequent violations'

A dozen Syrian rebel factions have suspended talks on new peace negotiations, accusing President Bashar al-Assad's regime of violating a four-day-old ceasefire with attacks near Damascus that continued Tuesday. In the northwestern province of Idlib, an air strike killed at least 25 members of former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, including senior figures. The rebels' decision threatens the process sponsored by regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, which began with a truce and is meant to lead to negotiations in the Kazakh capital Astana this month. The ceasefire has brought quiet to large parts of the country but has been undermined by sporadic violence, particularly fighting in the Wadi Barada region north of Damascus that supplies the capital's water. Government forces backed by fighters from Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah continue to press a two-week offensive there, despite the ceasefire which began on December 30. A dozen rebel groups announced late Monday the "freezing of all discussion linked to the Astana negotiations". They said they had respected the ceasefire, but accused the regime of "major and frequent violations, notably in the (rebel) regions of Wadi Barada and Eastern Ghouta", near Damascus. "If things don't return to how they were before, the accord will be considered null and void," they said. It was signed by a dozen groups, including the Army of Islam, Faylaq al-Sham and the Sultan Murad Brigade, which is close to Turkey. 'Critical phase' Fierce fighting in Wadi Barada continued Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Government forces used barrel bombs and artillery after advancing Monday to the outskirts of the Ain al-Fijeh spring, the area's main water source, the Britain-based monitor said. Regime shelling killed two civilians in Wadi Barada as well as one in the town of Douma, which is east of Damascus, it added. The regime accuses rebels of deliberately damaging infrastructure, poisoning the water supply with fuel then cutting the flow to Damascus altogether. Rebels say government strikes caused the damage, which has left four million people in Damascus without water since December 22. The regime says Fateh al-Sham is in the area, a claim opposition fighters deny. Fateh al-Sham, along with the Islamic State (IS) group, is excluded from the truce. The Observatory said an air strike by unidentified aircraft on Tuesday killed at least 25 Fateh al-Sham members including senior figures and at least four prisoners near Sarmada in Idlib province. Fateh al-Sham, on its Telegram account, accused the US-led coalition of carrying out the raid. An AFP correspondent saw several strikes hitting the town including one on a Fateh al-Sham checkpoint. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman warned the truce was in a "critical phase" and faced "collapse" if sponsors Russia and Turkey did not intervene to save it. The monitor and Russia's defence ministry reported on Tuesday dozens of ceasefire violations. Spillover in Turkey The ceasefire and planned talks are the latest effort to negotiate an end to Syria's conflict, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-government protests in March 2011. Ankara and Moscow back opposing sides in the conflict but have worked closely of late, brokering a deal allowing civilians and rebels to leave Aleppo city before government troops seized it last month. The UN Security Council has backed the Russian-Turkish efforts, despite them offering a competing track to UN-sponsored talks set to resume in Geneva in February. Both Russia and Turkey have launched military interventions in Syria. Moscow entered on the government's side in September 2015, while Ankara began an offensive against IS and Kurdish militants in August 2016. The conflict has spilled into Turkey, with a string of deadly attacks claimed by or blamed on IS or Kurdish groups. On Monday, IS took responsibility for a New Year's attack on an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people. (AFP)

Fighting puts Syria peace talks at risk

About 10 Syrian rebel groups announced Monday they were suspending talks about planned peace negotiations this month in the Kazakh capital Astana, due to &quot;violations&quot; by Damascus of a four-day old truce.

&quot;As these violations are continuing, the rebel factions announce... the freezing of all discussion linked to the Astana negotiations,&quot; they said in a joint statement, referring to talks planned for late January organised by Russia, which supports the Syrian regime, and Turkey which backs the rebels.

(AFP)

The four-day old peace plan was brokered by Russia and Turkey

About 10 Syrian rebel groups announced Monday they were suspending talks about planned peace negotiations this month in the Kazakh capital Astana, due to "violations" by Damascus of a four-day old truce. "As these violations are continuing, the rebel factions announce... the freezing of all discussion linked to the Astana negotiations," they said in a joint statement, referring to talks planned for late January organised by Russia, which supports the Syrian regime, and Turkey which backs the rebels. (AFP)

Syrian rebels suspend peace talks over 'violations' by government forces

Syrian warplanes resumed their bombardment of the rebel-held Wadi Barada valley northwest of Damascus on Sunday after nearly 24 hours with no air raids, a rebel official and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

Rebels threatened on Saturday to abandon a Russian- and Turkish-backed ceasefire deal, which took effect on Friday, if the Syrian government and its allies continued to violate it.

The Observatory and a military news outlet run by Lebanese Hezbollah, a Damascus ally, said hundreds of civilians had left Wadi Barada in the last day for government-controlled areas nearby.

(Reuters)

Rebels had threatened to abandon a Russian-Turkish backed ceasefire deal if the Syrian government violated it

Syrian warplanes resumed their bombardment of the rebel-held Wadi Barada valley northwest of Damascus on Sunday after nearly 24 hours with no air raids, a rebel official and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Rebels threatened on Saturday to abandon a Russian- and Turkish-backed ceasefire deal, which took effect on Friday, if the Syrian government and its allies continued to violate it. The Observatory and a military news outlet run by Lebanese Hezbollah, a Damascus ally, said hundreds of civilians had left Wadi Barada in the last day for government-controlled areas nearby. (Reuters)

Syrian warplanes strike rebel-held areas near Damascus, say rebels, monitors

A ceasefire held across most of Syria on Saturday as Russia and Turkey secured unanimous passage of a UN resolution backing their efforts to &quot;jumpstart&quot; talks aimed at ending the nearly six-year conflict.

The Security Council resolution aims to pave the way for talks next month in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana, under the aegis of Russia and Iran, both Syrian government supporters,&nbsp;and of rebel backer Turkey.

Turkey and Russia say the talks will supplement, not replace, UN-backed peace efforts, including negotiations set to resume February 8 in Geneva.

The text of the UN measure &quot;welcomes and supports the efforts by Russia and Turkey to end violence in Syria and jumpstart a political process&quot;. It hails the Astana talks as &quot;an important step&quot;.

The measure also calls for the &quot;rapid, safe and unhindered&quot; delivery of humanitarian aid in Syria.

Russia and Turkey brokered the current ceasefire and, while backing opposing forces in the conflict, have been working increasingly closely on Syria, including to allow evacuations from the besieged city of Aleppo.

The Syrian conflict has occasionally spilled over into neighbouring Turkey, with several attacks blamed on Islamic State jihadists or Kurdish militants.

In the latest bloodshed, at least 35 people were killed and 40 wounded when gunmen reportedly dressed as Santa stormed an Istanbul nightclub where partygoers were celebrating the New Year.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Turkey has launched an incursion into Syria to oust IS and Kurdish militants from the border area.

Washington has been conspicuously absent from the new process to end the Syrian conflict but has called the truce &quot;positive.&quot; Moscow has said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s administration on board once he takes office in January.

Russia&#39;s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin had earlier voiced hope the Security Council would endorse the planned talks in Kazakhstan and back the resolution unanimously.

But several council members had demanded clarifications over the reach of the resolution, what it would mean for the UN talks, how it might affect rebels recently ousted from Aleppo, and what it would mean for humanitarian aid.

The French foreign ministry expressed hope the ceasefire would be &quot;fully respected,&quot; calling for a prompt resumption of political negotiations brokered by the UN.

&quot;The unanimous adoption of Resolution 2336 demonstrates how important implementing a ceasefire in Syria truly is for the international community,&quot; the statement added.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the war, said most of Syria remained calm, despite limited clashes.

Two children were killed in the evening by regime artillery fire targeting rebel territory near Aleppo, the observatory said. 
Separately, in the coastal town of Tartus two suicide bombers who were trying to join New Year festivities blew themselves up at a security roadblock, killing two members of the regime forces, it said.

The government in Damascus called the ceasefire a &quot;real opportunity&quot; to find a political solution to a war that has claimed more than 310,000 lives and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Clashes were reported around Wadi Barada near Damascus, and the southern city of Daraa, where one opposition fighter was killed.

The fighting in Wadi Barada has led to water shortages that have affected four million people in the capital.

Five rebel fighters and two civilians have been killed in Wadi Barada and the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus since the truce started on Friday, said Syrian Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

The Observatory said a total of 60,000 people were killed in violence across Syria in 2016, more than 13,000 of them civilians.

The forces in Wadi Barada include Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front. That group and the Islamic State group are excluded from the truce.Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem held talks in key ally Iran with President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani.

Rouhani said &quot;vigilance&quot; was needed to ensure the rebels did not reorganise.

The official IRNA news agency also quoted Shamkhani as warning that any political solution to the Syrian conflict must not lead to &quot;the weakening&quot; of the Damascus government.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would reduce Moscow&#39;s military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year.

But he added Russia would continue to fight &quot;terrorism&quot; and maintain its support for Assad&#39;s government.

(AFP)

Turkey and Russia say the talks will supplement, not replace, UN-backed peace efforts

A ceasefire held across most of Syria on Saturday as Russia and Turkey secured unanimous passage of a UN resolution backing their efforts to "jumpstart" talks aimed at ending the nearly six-year conflict. The Security Council resolution aims to pave the way for talks next month in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, under the aegis of Russia and Iran, both Syrian government supporters, and of rebel backer Turkey. Turkey and Russia say the talks will supplement, not replace, UN-backed peace efforts, including negotiations set to resume February 8 in Geneva. The text of the UN measure "welcomes and supports the efforts by Russia and Turkey to end violence in Syria and jumpstart a political process". It hails the Astana talks as "an important step". The measure also calls for the "rapid, safe and unhindered" delivery of humanitarian aid in Syria. Russia and Turkey brokered the current ceasefire and, while backing opposing forces in the conflict, have been working increasingly closely on Syria, including to allow evacuations from the besieged city of Aleppo. The Syrian conflict has occasionally spilled over into neighbouring Turkey, with several attacks blamed on Islamic State jihadists or Kurdish militants. In the latest bloodshed, at least 35 people were killed and 40 wounded when gunmen reportedly dressed as Santa stormed an Istanbul nightclub where partygoers were celebrating the New Year. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. Turkey has launched an incursion into Syria to oust IS and Kurdish militants from the border area. Washington has been conspicuously absent from the new process to end the Syrian conflict but has called the truce "positive." Moscow has said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trump's administration on board once he takes office in January. Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin had earlier voiced hope the Security Council would endorse the planned talks in Kazakhstan and back the resolution unanimously. But several council members had demanded clarifications over the reach of the resolution, what it would mean for the UN talks, how it might affect rebels recently ousted from Aleppo, and what it would mean for humanitarian aid. The French foreign ministry expressed hope the ceasefire would be "fully respected," calling for a prompt resumption of political negotiations brokered by the UN. "The unanimous adoption of Resolution 2336 demonstrates how important implementing a ceasefire in Syria truly is for the international community," the statement added.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the war, said most of Syria remained calm, despite limited clashes. Two children were killed in the evening by regime artillery fire targeting rebel territory near Aleppo, the observatory said. Separately, in the coastal town of Tartus two suicide bombers who were trying to join New Year festivities blew themselves up at a security roadblock, killing two members of the regime forces, it said. The government in Damascus called the ceasefire a "real opportunity" to find a political solution to a war that has claimed more than 310,000 lives and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Clashes were reported around Wadi Barada near Damascus, and the southern city of Daraa, where one opposition fighter was killed. The fighting in Wadi Barada has led to water shortages that have affected four million people in the capital. Five rebel fighters and two civilians have been killed in Wadi Barada and the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus since the truce started on Friday, said Syrian Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. The Observatory said a total of 60,000 people were killed in violence across Syria in 2016, more than 13,000 of them civilians. The forces in Wadi Barada include Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front. That group and the Islamic State group are excluded from the truce.Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem held talks in key ally Iran with President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani. Rouhani said "vigilance" was needed to ensure the rebels did not reorganise. The official IRNA news agency also quoted Shamkhani as warning that any political solution to the Syrian conflict must not lead to "the weakening" of the Damascus government. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would reduce Moscow's military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year. But he added Russia would continue to fight "terrorism" and maintain its support for Assad's government. (AFP)

UN backs Russia on Syria truce, Kazakhstan talks

The ceasefire deal between Syrian government forces and rebels that came into effect from midnight held early on Friday, with reports of isolated clashes and gunfire in the initial stages, a monitoring group and a rebel official told Reuters.

According to media reports, the ceasefire was violated shortly after it came to effect with clashes taking place in the northwest of the country.

But hours later, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the general &quot;calm continues&quot;, said Reuters.

A rebel official in the Jaish al-Nasr group told Reuters that there had been &quot;some shelling during the night, but today it&#39;s stopped ... until now the situation is good.&quot;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The truce was violated shortly after it came into effect but hours later a monitor said the general 'calm continues'

The ceasefire deal between Syrian government forces and rebels that came into effect from midnight held early on Friday, with reports of isolated clashes and gunfire in the initial stages, a monitoring group and a rebel official told Reuters. According to media reports, the ceasefire was violated shortly after it came to effect with clashes taking place in the northwest of the country. But hours later, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the general "calm continues", said Reuters. A rebel official in the Jaish al-Nasr group told Reuters that there had been "some shelling during the night, but today it's stopped ... until now the situation is good." (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Syria: Ceasefire survives after initial clashes

Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced that the Syrian regime led by Bashar al-Assad and the rebels have signed a ceasefire agreement, <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/truce-deal-signed-for-syria-russian-president-putin.aspx?pageID=238&amp;nID=107899&amp;NewsCatID=352">reported Daily News</a>.

In what is being seen as a setback to the US-led NATO alliance, its main ally Turkey along with Russia will be the guarantors for the ceasefire agreement.

Both sides have also agreed to initiate peace talks in what is being seen as a shot in the arm for the Russia-Syria alliance.

Turkey, Russia and Iran had met in Moscow on December 20 to look for a possible peace deal between the rebels and the Syrian regime.

(WION)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Both sides have also agreed to initiate peace talks in what is being seen as a shot in the arm for the Russia-Syria alliance

Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced that the Syrian regime led by Bashar al-Assad and the rebels have signed a ceasefire agreement, reported Daily News. In what is being seen as a setback to the US-led NATO alliance, its main ally Turkey along with Russia will be the guarantors for the ceasefire agreement. Both sides have also agreed to initiate peace talks in what is being seen as a shot in the arm for the Russia-Syria alliance. Turkey, Russia and Iran had met in Moscow on December 20 to look for a possible peace deal between the rebels and the Syrian regime. (WION)

Russia, Turkey guarantee new Syrian peace deal

Midnight means lights out in Syria&#39;s Aleppo: as the clock strikes 12, overworked power generators shut off across the city, plunging war-ravaged neighbourhoods and heritage sites into darkness.

It will take many months and millions of dollars to breathe life back into Aleppo&#39;s devastated water, electricity, and transportation networks.

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Four years of fighting have transformed it from Syria&#39;s industrial and commercial powerhouse to a divided and dysfunctional city.

&quot;We sold our vacuum cleaner, what&#39;s the point in having one if we don&#39;t have electricity?&quot; asked Umm Fayez, a housewife who lives in the central district of Furqan.

&quot;It&#39;s been two years since we used our washing machine. We wash everything by hand, but the water is too cold now and I can&#39;t take it any more,&quot; the mother-of-two told AFP, sitting in the dark amid piles of dirty laundry.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad declared full control over Syria&#39;s second city last week, after a landmark evacuation deal ended years of clashes.

Rocket fire, air strikes and shelling partly or totally destroyed more than half Aleppo&#39;s infrastructure and buildings, according to a &quot;preliminary, optimistic evaluation&quot; by local authorities.

Water shortages

The main power station at Safirah to the southeast has been off line for two years because of the fighting.

Aleppo&#39;s residents are forced to rely on noisy generators that supply electricity through a web of thick cables snaking through scarred streets.

But they are shut down at midnight to save diesel supplies.

Umm Fayez&#39;s husband walks home every night from his sweetshop using a small torch to guide the way through pitch-black darkness.

&quot;We have two projects that will re-establish electricity to Aleppo,&quot; an electricity ministry official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said new power lines would be laid from the neighbouring province of Hama within a year, but that it would cost more than four billion Syrian pounds, or about $8 million (7.6 million euros).

Residents are also impatient for water shortages to end, with the main pumping station currently operating at just a third of its capacity.

&quot;We can only pump water to 20 per cent of Aleppo. Before the crisis, it was 70 per cent,&quot; said Issa Korj, chief mechanic at the Suleiman al-Halabi water plant.

He said it would take &quot;many months&quot; to repair the facility, but even then, water provision was likely to remain a problem for residents.

Most of the water pumped to Aleppo comes from the Euphrates Dam in the adjacent province of Raqa, which is held by the Islamic State jihadist group.&nbsp;

&quot;They regularly cut off the water,&quot; said Fakher Hamdo, who heads Aleppo&#39;s water administration.

He added that global economic sanctions imposed on Syria since 2011 make spare parts nearly impossible to import.

&#39;Aleppo is one&#39;&nbsp; 
But before any major rebuilding projects can begin, local authorities must clear away barricades and sand berms that had divided Aleppo between the rebel-controlled east and the government-held west.

Bulldozers can already be seen in the bombed-out streets, clearing rubble and dismantling metal barriers.

&quot;The municipality immediately mobilised to open up the main thoroughfares,&quot; said city administrator Nadim Rahmoun.

&quot;Opening up the roads will allow us to pump life back into the city with economic and social activity and public services,&quot; he added.

Aleppo&#39;s Old City, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site -- is at the heart of this effort.

The district witnessed some of the most brutal moments of the battle for Aleppo, and restoring its celebrated buildings will pose major challenges.

Municipal teams are carefully sorting through the rubble, setting aside original centuries-old stonework that will be used in the restoration.

In the nearby district of Aqyul, Abduljawad Najed, 32, had to negotiate heaps of sand to check on his brother&#39;s house.&nbsp;

&quot;It took more than an hour and a half,&quot; he said.

After the barricades were cleared, the same journey took Najed 10 minutes.

&quot;Things were much easier and I was able to come by car,&quot; he said, loading some household effects into his small pick-up.

Najed&#39;s enthusiasm was shared by furniture store owner Zakariya, 42.

&quot;Thank God, all the roads are now linked together. Aleppo is one again,&quot; he said.

(AFP)

Four years of fighting have transformed it from Syria's industrial and commercial powerhouse to a divided and dysfunctional city

Midnight means lights out in Syria's Aleppo: as the clock strikes 12, overworked power generators shut off across the city, plunging war-ravaged neighbourhoods and heritage sites into darkness. It will take many months and millions of dollars to breathe life back into Aleppo's devastated water, electricity, and transportation networks. We sold our vacuum cleaner, what's the point in having one if we don't have electricity?' asked Umm Fayez, a housewife who lives in the central district of Furqan × Four years of fighting have transformed it from Syria's industrial and commercial powerhouse to a divided and dysfunctional city. "We sold our vacuum cleaner, what's the point in having one if we don't have electricity?" asked Umm Fayez, a housewife who lives in the central district of Furqan. "It's been two years since we used our washing machine. We wash everything by hand, but the water is too cold now and I can't take it any more," the mother-of-two told AFP, sitting in the dark amid piles of dirty laundry. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad declared full control over Syria's second city last week, after a landmark evacuation deal ended years of clashes. Rocket fire, air strikes and shelling partly or totally destroyed more than half Aleppo's infrastructure and buildings, according to a "preliminary, optimistic evaluation" by local authorities. Water shortages The main power station at Safirah to the southeast has been off line for two years because of the fighting. Aleppo's residents are forced to rely on noisy generators that supply electricity through a web of thick cables snaking through scarred streets. But they are shut down at midnight to save diesel supplies. Umm Fayez's husband walks home every night from his sweetshop using a small torch to guide the way through pitch-black darkness. "We have two projects that will re-establish electricity to Aleppo," an electricity ministry official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said new power lines would be laid from the neighbouring province of Hama within a year, but that it would cost more than four billion Syrian pounds, or about $8 million (7.6 million euros). Residents are also impatient for water shortages to end, with the main pumping station currently operating at just a third of its capacity. "We can only pump water to 20 per cent of Aleppo. Before the crisis, it was 70 per cent," said Issa Korj, chief mechanic at the Suleiman al-Halabi water plant. He said it would take "many months" to repair the facility, but even then, water provision was likely to remain a problem for residents. Most of the water pumped to Aleppo comes from the Euphrates Dam in the adjacent province of Raqa, which is held by the Islamic State jihadist group. "They regularly cut off the water," said Fakher Hamdo, who heads Aleppo's water administration. He added that global economic sanctions imposed on Syria since 2011 make spare parts nearly impossible to import. 'Aleppo is one' But before any major rebuilding projects can begin, local authorities must clear away barricades and sand berms that had divided Aleppo between the rebel-controlled east and the government-held west. Bulldozers can already be seen in the bombed-out streets, clearing rubble and dismantling metal barriers. "The municipality immediately mobilised to open up the main thoroughfares," said city administrator Nadim Rahmoun. "Opening up the roads will allow us to pump life back into the city with economic and social activity and public services," he added. Aleppo's Old City, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site -- is at the heart of this effort. The district witnessed some of the most brutal moments of the battle for Aleppo, and restoring its celebrated buildings will pose major challenges. Municipal teams are carefully sorting through the rubble, setting aside original centuries-old stonework that will be used in the restoration. In the nearby district of Aqyul, Abduljawad Najed, 32, had to negotiate heaps of sand to check on his brother's house. "It took more than an hour and a half," he said. After the barricades were cleared, the same journey took Najed 10 minutes. "Things were much easier and I was able to come by car," he said, loading some household effects into his small pick-up. Najed's enthusiasm was shared by furniture store owner Zakariya, 42. "Thank God, all the roads are now linked together. Aleppo is one again," he said. (AFP)

Aleppo: The massive task of rebuilding a shattered city

Recordings from the black box of the Russian military plane that crashed in the Black Sea Sunday have revealed that the crash happened because of a fault in its flaps, Russian media said. &nbsp;

The investigation into the plane crash suggested the flaps malfunctioned because of which the plane came down on Christmas day.

The Life news website says this led the pilots to lose control as the plane was at a critical angle, BBC reported.&nbsp;

The plane took off from Sochi in Russia where it had landed briefly for refuelling.

All the 92 passengers on board died in the accident.&nbsp;Among those killed in the fateful accident were&nbsp;64 members of the famed Alexandrov military music ensemble, as well as one of Russia&#39;s best-known humanitarian,&nbsp;Yelizaveta Glinka. The choir&nbsp;was&nbsp;supposed to perform at a&nbsp;New Year concert.

The plane was heading for Latakia, Russia&#39;s air force base in Syria.

(WION)

Recordings from the black box reveal that the plane came down because of a faulty flap

Recordings from the black box of the Russian military plane that crashed in the Black Sea Sunday have revealed that the crash happened because of a fault in its flaps, Russian media said. The investigation into the plane crash suggested the flaps malfunctioned because of which the plane came down on Christmas day. The Life news website says this led the pilots to lose control as the plane was at a critical angle, BBC reported. The plane took off from Sochi in Russia where it had landed briefly for refuelling. All the 92 passengers on board died in the accident. Among those killed in the fateful accident were 64 members of the famed Alexandrov military music ensemble, as well as one of Russia's best-known humanitarian, Yelizaveta Glinka. The choir was supposed to perform at a New Year concert. The plane was heading for Latakia, Russia's air force base in Syria. (WION)

Probe finds faulty wing behind Russian military plane crash

&quot;We reached a point where we are nearly forced to swear we exist. We exist, I swear,&rdquo; quips&nbsp;Yassin al Haj Saleh, a Syrian writer and dissident now living in exile in Turkey. One can&#39;t miss the bitter laugh that he breaks into.

&nbsp;&ldquo;Our struggle is not new. We have been fighting the Assads since two generations. I was arrested as a young man during my university years and I have spent 16 years in jail. We have always refused to be humiliated, to be treated as second-class human beings. And&nbsp;we paid for this. We have been tortured and many of us are forced to live in exile,&rdquo; he goes on.

&nbsp;&ldquo;For the first two years of&nbsp;protests in Syria, we were part of&nbsp;those peaceful demonstrations. We created coordinating committees, it is because of us that people took to the streets. Secular organisations are still present&nbsp;but they have been sidelined by the war.&rdquo;

&nbsp;Yassin is a native of Raqqah, the current capital city of the Islamic State. He is part of the leftwing secular section of the Syrian society who started demonstrating against President Bashar Al Assad in 2011, asking for greater&nbsp;democracy and more freedom. His wife Samira Khalil is also a political dissident and is missing since December 2013&nbsp;when a group of Islamists abducted her along with human right activists Razan Zaitouneh, Wael Hamada and Nazem Hammadi. &ldquo;Samira was my beloved and also my assistant and our destiny, along with the one of our friends, represents the tragedy of being Syrian today and&nbsp;living in a society built on political genocide.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The mainstream narrative seems to have forgotten the role of secular and pro-democracy moderate groups in the Syrian uprising. The narrative is now majorly flattered on the war on terror: sovereign nations on one side and the Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda on the other. There is no space for liberal, progressive, pro-democracy dissidents who risk&nbsp;being labelled&nbsp;terrorists. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
2012 is when the situation started getting militarised in Syria. More and more weapons started arriving&nbsp;on the streets&nbsp;on both&nbsp;sides. The main armed anti-Assad group, the Free Syrian Army where many former military personnel fight, was involved in a fullscale fight against regular troops. It was a civil war, Syrians against Syrians.&nbsp;

In this environment, terrorist organisations started gaining ground. &ldquo;Since August 2011, Syrians asked for international protection&nbsp;but nothing happened. Day by day, people started feeling&nbsp;they were left to their fate. We felt left alone, without any protection,&rdquo; recalls Yassin but &ldquo;nobody wanted to passively suffer another Hama massacre.&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;

He refers to what happened in the city of Hama in 1982. Under the order of then president Hafez Al Assad, the Syrian Army attacked the town to stop an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood, killing thousands of citizens.&nbsp;

Frustration, mistrust, anger and constant war served as lifeline for hardline Islamists. &ldquo;These organisations are nihilist, they want to destroy everything in the world who is against them. They are a minority, but they have a lot of visibility. It is the dynamic of the production of the &lsquo;desired enemy&rsquo; and it helped the regime and its allies: you need terrorists to justify the war on terror,&rdquo; says Yassin.&nbsp;

The 2013 open intervention of Lebanese Hezbollah forces played an important role and started a new phase of the Syrian crisis&nbsp;which started to be increasingly described as a conflict between Shia countries against Sunni radical groups. &nbsp;

&ldquo;Sectarianism is a strategy of control: it is the old &lsquo;divide and rule&rsquo; colonial principle. It is one of the ways elites used to stay in power,&rdquo; says Yassin. &ldquo;If Kurds do not like Arabs who do not trust Christians who are suspicious of Muslims or Sunnis do not like Shias and so on, a regime becomes the solution instead of the problem. As long as you rely on sectarianism, you can stay in power forever. The war in Syria has nothing to do with primordial identities or religion, the regime just wants power and resources. Their project is to stay in power forever.&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Sectarianism in West&nbsp;Asia&#39;s societies is a dangerous element, often used in an opportunistic way to hide political and economic interests. Iran and Saudi Arabia are valuable examples of this strategy. Tehran openly funds Shia paramilitary groups fighting both in Iraq and Syria with the aim of protecting Shiite&nbsp;followers and shrines from Sunni terrorists&nbsp;but this is also a way to expand their regional influence. Saudi Arabia plays the same game and funds Salafi organisations in order to penetrate societies and expand its influence.&nbsp;

&ldquo;When Russia stepped in, an imperialist phase of the war started,&rdquo; says Yassin. &ldquo;We (the leftwing) became invisible, we came to the point that our very existence was a controversial issue,&rdquo; says Yassin. &nbsp;

The US, who armed several anti-Assad groups since the very beginning without taking enough care of who they were, accused Russia of war crimes due to their heavy bombings. The Kremlin replied this is how they fight the terrorists Washington armed. &nbsp;

Five years of conflict have led to&nbsp;more than 4,00,000&nbsp;deaths, 13.5 million refugees, destroyed cities and have seen different countries involved.&nbsp;The Syrian civil war is not about Syria anymore. It has become a power struggle between regional and international actors who are fighting for&nbsp;political hegemony in&nbsp;West&nbsp;Asia.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We the people of Syria live in an impossible situation. We are attacked from every front, we are killed in hundreds of thousands, we are displaced in millions and we are blamed at the same time. We do not even have on our side the concept of sacrifice, of dying for a reason.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(WION)

He spent 16 years in jail for opposing Assad's father and is part of the secular left wing which organised the 2011 pro-democracy protests

"We reached a point where we are nearly forced to swear we exist. We exist, I swear,” quips Yassin al Haj Saleh, a Syrian writer and dissident now living in exile in Turkey. One can't miss the bitter laugh that he breaks into. “Our struggle is not new. We have been fighting the Assads since two generations. I was arrested as a young man during my university years and I have spent 16 years in jail. We have always refused to be humiliated, to be treated as second-class human beings. And we paid for this. We have been tortured and many of us are forced to live in exile,” he goes on. “For the first two years of protests in Syria, we were part of those peaceful demonstrations. We created coordinating committees, it is because of us that people took to the streets. Secular organisations are still present but they have been sidelined by the war.” Yassin is a native of Raqqah, the current capital city of the Islamic State. He is part of the leftwing secular section of the Syrian society who started demonstrating against President Bashar Al Assad in 2011, asking for greater democracy and more freedom. His wife Samira Khalil is also a political dissident and is missing since December 2013 when a group of Islamists abducted her along with human right activists Razan Zaitouneh, Wael Hamada and Nazem Hammadi. “Samira was my beloved and also my assistant and our destiny, along with the one of our friends, represents the tragedy of being Syrian today and living in a society built on political genocide.” The mainstream narrative seems to have forgotten the role of secular and pro-democracy moderate groups in the Syrian uprising. The narrative is now majorly flattered on the war on terror: sovereign nations on one side and the Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda on the other. There is no space for liberal, progressive, pro-democracy dissidents who risk being labelled terrorists. 2012 is when the situation started getting militarised in Syria. More and more weapons started arriving on the streets on both sides. The main armed anti-Assad group, the Free Syrian Army where many former military personnel fight, was involved in a fullscale fight against regular troops. It was a civil war, Syrians against Syrians. In this environment, terrorist organisations started gaining ground. “Since August 2011, Syrians asked for international protection but nothing happened. Day by day, people started feeling they were left to their fate. We felt left alone, without any protection,” recalls Yassin but “nobody wanted to passively suffer another Hama massacre.” He refers to what happened in the city of Hama in 1982. Under the order of then president Hafez Al Assad, the Syrian Army attacked the town to stop an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood, killing thousands of citizens. Frustration, mistrust, anger and constant war served as lifeline for hardline Islamists. “These organisations are nihilist, they want to destroy everything in the world who is against them. They are a minority, but they have a lot of visibility. It is the dynamic of the production of the ‘desired enemy’ and it helped the regime and its allies: you need terrorists to justify the war on terror,” says Yassin. The 2013 open intervention of Lebanese Hezbollah forces played an important role and started a new phase of the Syrian crisis which started to be increasingly described as a conflict between Shia countries against Sunni radical groups. “Sectarianism is a strategy of control: it is the old ‘divide and rule’ colonial principle. It is one of the ways elites used to stay in power,” says Yassin. “If Kurds do not like Arabs who do not trust Christians who are suspicious of Muslims or Sunnis do not like Shias and so on, a regime becomes the solution instead of the problem. As long as you rely on sectarianism, you can stay in power forever. The war in Syria has nothing to do with primordial identities or religion, the regime just wants power and resources. Their project is to stay in power forever.” Sectarianism in West Asia's societies is a dangerous element, often used in an opportunistic way to hide political and economic interests. Iran and Saudi Arabia are valuable examples of this strategy. Tehran openly funds Shia paramilitary groups fighting both in Iraq and Syria with the aim of protecting Shiite followers and shrines from Sunni terrorists but this is also a way to expand their regional influence. Saudi Arabia plays the same game and funds Salafi organisations in order to penetrate societies and expand its influence. “When Russia stepped in, an imperialist phase of the war started,” says Yassin. “We (the leftwing) became invisible, we came to the point that our very existence was a controversial issue,” says Yassin. The US, who armed several anti-Assad groups since the very beginning without taking enough care of who they were, accused Russia of war crimes due to their heavy bombings. The Kremlin replied this is how they fight the terrorists Washington armed. Five years of conflict have led to more than 4,00,000 deaths, 13.5 million refugees, destroyed cities and have seen different countries involved. The Syrian civil war is not about Syria anymore. It has become a power struggle between regional and international actors who are fighting for political hegemony in West Asia. “We the people of Syria live in an impossible situation. We are attacked from every front, we are killed in hundreds of thousands, we are displaced in millions and we are blamed at the same time. We do not even have on our side the concept of sacrifice, of dying for a reason.” (WION)

Exclusive: Syrians living a political genocide, says writer and dissident Yassin al-Haj Saleh

Syrian President Bashar al Assad told Russia on Sunday he was saddened by the crash of a Russian military plane on its way to Syria but the countries&#39; fight against Islamist militants would not be affected.

In a condolence message sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Assad said the two countries were partners in the &quot;fight to lay the foundations of stability, security and peace&quot; in Syria.

&quot;Our prayers are with you ... our sorrows and joys are one,&quot; Assad told Putin.

&quot;The plane had dear friends who had come to join us and the people of Aleppo in their joy with victory and Christmas feasts.&quot;

Russian-backed Syrian forces ousted the last rebels from the city of Aleppo on Thursday after years of fighting.

The TU-154 carrying 92 people, including dozens of Red Army Choir singers, dancers and orchestra members, crashed into the Black Sea on its way to Syria on Sunday, killing everyone on board, Russia said.

Russian jets have, since the rebel pullout, resumed heavy bombing of rebel-held Aleppo countryside and also the northwestern Idlib province where Islamist rebels are the dominant force, rebels and a war monitor said.

With Russian air cover, pro-government Iranian backed militias kept up pressure on rebels in southwestern rural fringes of Aleppo late on Saturday, rebels said.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

Assad said their two countries' fight against Islamist militants would not be affected

Syrian President Bashar al Assad told Russia on Sunday he was saddened by the crash of a Russian military plane on its way to Syria but the countries' fight against Islamist militants would not be affected. In a condolence message sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Assad said the two countries were partners in the "fight to lay the foundations of stability, security and peace" in Syria. "Our prayers are with you ... our sorrows and joys are one," Assad told Putin. "The plane had dear friends who had come to join us and the people of Aleppo in their joy with victory and Christmas feasts." Russian-backed Syrian forces ousted the last rebels from the city of Aleppo on Thursday after years of fighting. The TU-154 carrying 92 people, including dozens of Red Army Choir singers, dancers and orchestra members, crashed into the Black Sea on its way to Syria on Sunday, killing everyone on board, Russia said. Russian jets have, since the rebel pullout, resumed heavy bombing of rebel-held Aleppo countryside and also the northwestern Idlib province where Islamist rebels are the dominant force, rebels and a war monitor said. With Russian air cover, pro-government Iranian backed militias kept up pressure on rebels in southwestern rural fringes of Aleppo late on Saturday, rebels said. (Reuters)

Assad to Putin: Saddened by crash, but fight will go on

Syrian rebels shelled Aleppo and air strikes resumed around the city on Friday as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies said the insurgents&#39; withdrawal from the city could pave the way towards a political solution for the country.

A day after the last rebels left their remaining pocket of territory in the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - a war monitor based in Britain - said about 10 shells fell in its southwestern al-Hamdaniya district.

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<h5>The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - a war monitor based in Britain - said about 10 shells fell in east Aleppo&#39;s al-Hamdaniya district</h5>
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The Observatory said six people, including two children, were killed. State television said at least three people died.

Insurgents seeking to oust Assad have shelled government-controlled areas of Aleppo throughout the conflict, which began in 2011. The destruction in those parts of the city has been far less than in eastern districts rebels held until this month.

Air strikes resumed in rebel-held areas of the countryside near Aleppo on Friday for the first time since the end of the evacuation operation.

Strikes hit to the west, south-west and south of the city, areas which had not been hit for at least a week. The Britain-based Observatory had no information on casualties yet.

After months of bombardment and a final few weeks of intense air strikes and Syrian army advances on the besieged, rebel-held part of Aleppo, a local ceasefire was reached on Dec. 15 which allowed thousand of civilians and then fighters to leave.

The last left the city late on Thursday for countryside immediately to the west. The International Committee of the Red Cross said about 35,000 people, mostly civilians, had departed.

Many of those who left are living as refugees in the areas to the west and south of Aleppo, including in Idlib province where bulldozers were used to clear heavy snowfall on Friday morning, the opposition Orient television showed.

On Friday, the army and its allies, including Lebanese group Hezbollah, searched districts abandoned by the rebels, to clear them of mines and other dangers, the Observatory reported.

State television showed empty streets lined with apartment blocks smashed by air strikes in the al-Ansari district.

Damascus water cut

In the capital Damascus, the water authority has been forced to cut supplies coming into the Syrian capital for a few days and use reserves instead after rebels polluted the water with diesel, it said on Friday.

The al-Fija spring which supplies Damascus with water is in the rebel-held Wadi Barada valley north-west of the capital in a mountainous area near the Lebanese border.

The government controls much of the surrounding territory and on Friday carried out aerial attacks and shelled the rebel-held area, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

A military news outlet run by Hezbollah said the rebels in the valley had refused to leave the area and the Syrian Arab Army began an offensive against them on Friday morning.

Through a series of so-called settlement agreements and army offensives, the Syrian government, backed by Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, has been steadily suppressing armed opposition around the capital.

Peace talks?

During the long struggle to re-take Aleppo, Assad&#39;s forces were supported by heavy Russian air strikes, Iran-backed militias and fighters from Iran-backed Shi&#39;ite Hezbollah.

On Friday, Assad thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for having been Syria&#39;s main partner in the battle&nbsp;and said the city&#39;s fall had opened the door to a political process.

Putin said Russia, Iran, Turkey and Assad had agreed the Kazakh capital of Astana should be the venue for new peace negotiations, and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the defeat of the rebels in the city could pave the way to a political solution.

Turkey backs rebels fighting Assad and Islamic State.

United Nations-backed peace talks in Geneva broke down earlier this year as violence escalated, particularly around Aleppo.

(Reuters)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said six people, including two children, were killed

Syrian rebels shelled Aleppo and air strikes resumed around the city on Friday as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies said the insurgents' withdrawal from the city could pave the way towards a political solution for the country. A day after the last rebels left their remaining pocket of territory in the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - a war monitor based in Britain - said about 10 shells fell in its southwestern al-Hamdaniya district. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - a war monitor based in Britain - said about 10 shells fell in east Aleppo's al-Hamdaniya district × The Observatory said six people, including two children, were killed. State television said at least three people died. Insurgents seeking to oust Assad have shelled government-controlled areas of Aleppo throughout the conflict, which began in 2011. The destruction in those parts of the city has been far less than in eastern districts rebels held until this month. Air strikes resumed in rebel-held areas of the countryside near Aleppo on Friday for the first time since the end of the evacuation operation. Strikes hit to the west, south-west and south of the city, areas which had not been hit for at least a week. The Britain-based Observatory had no information on casualties yet. After months of bombardment and a final few weeks of intense air strikes and Syrian army advances on the besieged, rebel-held part of Aleppo, a local ceasefire was reached on Dec. 15 which allowed thousand of civilians and then fighters to leave. The last left the city late on Thursday for countryside immediately to the west. The International Committee of the Red Cross said about 35,000 people, mostly civilians, had departed. Many of those who left are living as refugees in the areas to the west and south of Aleppo, including in Idlib province where bulldozers were used to clear heavy snowfall on Friday morning, the opposition Orient television showed. On Friday, the army and its allies, including Lebanese group Hezbollah, searched districts abandoned by the rebels, to clear them of mines and other dangers, the Observatory reported. State television showed empty streets lined with apartment blocks smashed by air strikes in the al-Ansari district. Damascus water cut In the capital Damascus, the water authority has been forced to cut supplies coming into the Syrian capital for a few days and use reserves instead after rebels polluted the water with diesel, it said on Friday. The al-Fija spring which supplies Damascus with water is in the rebel-held Wadi Barada valley north-west of the capital in a mountainous area near the Lebanese border. The government controls much of the surrounding territory and on Friday carried out aerial attacks and shelled the rebel-held area, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A military news outlet run by Hezbollah said the rebels in the valley had refused to leave the area and the Syrian Arab Army began an offensive against them on Friday morning. Through a series of so-called settlement agreements and army offensives, the Syrian government, backed by Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, has been steadily suppressing armed opposition around the capital. Peace talks? During the long struggle to re-take Aleppo, Assad's forces were supported by heavy Russian air strikes, Iran-backed militias and fighters from Iran-backed Shi'ite Hezbollah. On Friday, Assad thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for having been Syria's main partner in the battle and said the city's fall had opened the door to a political process. Putin said Russia, Iran, Turkey and Assad had agreed the Kazakh capital of Astana should be the venue for new peace negotiations, and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the defeat of the rebels in the city could pave the way to a political solution. Turkey backs rebels fighting Assad and Islamic State. United Nations-backed peace talks in Geneva broke down earlier this year as violence escalated, particularly around Aleppo. (Reuters)

Syria rebels shell Aleppo, air strikes resume

At least 88 civilians have been killed in 24 hours of Turkish air strikes on an Islamic State group bastion in northern Syria, a monitoring group said on Friday.

A barrage of raids hit Al-Bab on Thursday, killing 72 civilians including 21 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.&nbsp;

Bombardment continued on Friday, leaving another 16 civilians dead, including three children.

&quot;Eighty-eight civilians have been killed in 24 hours,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.&nbsp;

He said it was the bloodiest attack by Turkish forces that his monitoring group had recorded since Ankara began its intervention in Syria in late August.&nbsp;The Observatory says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved.

Turkish forces and their Syrian rebel allies have been seeking to capture Al-Bab, about 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the northern Syrian border, for weeks.&nbsp;

On Thursday, IS released a video purportedly showing two captured Turkish soldiers being burned alive, after Ankara vowed to respond to 16 of its troops being killed in the fight against the jihadist group.&nbsp;

Turkish troops entered Syria on August 24 in support of pro-Ankara Syrian rebels, with the aim of ousting IS jihadists as well as Kurdish militia from the border area.

Turkish forces regularly carry out air strikes in support of the ground operation in Syria, but officials insist that the utmost is done to avoid civilian casualties.

(AFP)

A barrage of raids hit Al-Bab on Thursday, killing 72 civilians including 21 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

At least 88 civilians have been killed in 24 hours of Turkish air strikes on an Islamic State group bastion in northern Syria, a monitoring group said on Friday. A barrage of raids hit Al-Bab on Thursday, killing 72 civilians including 21 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Bombardment continued on Friday, leaving another 16 civilians dead, including three children. "Eighty-eight civilians have been killed in 24 hours," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. He said it was the bloodiest attack by Turkish forces that his monitoring group had recorded since Ankara began its intervention in Syria in late August. The Observatory says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved. Turkish forces and their Syrian rebel allies have been seeking to capture Al-Bab, about 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the northern Syrian border, for weeks. On Thursday, IS released a video purportedly showing two captured Turkish soldiers being burned alive, after Ankara vowed to respond to 16 of its troops being killed in the fight against the jihadist group. Turkish troops entered Syria on August 24 in support of pro-Ankara Syrian rebels, with the aim of ousting IS jihadists as well as Kurdish militia from the border area. Turkish forces regularly carry out air strikes in support of the ground operation in Syria, but officials insist that the utmost is done to avoid civilian casualties. (AFP)

88 killed in last 24 hours of Turkish raids on IS-held Syria town: Monitor

In 1945, West Germany was 400 million cubic metres of rubble. Almost 80 per cent of historical buildings in the main cities of Germany were levelled, some were restored later and some lost forever. The trains were not working, not enough food, and almost 70 per cent of the houses were destroyed, forcing people to stay in refugee camps once the war ended. Many men&nbsp;died in the&nbsp;war, severely impacting the labour force required to rebuild the country.&nbsp;

It is difficult to peg the exact economic cost of&nbsp;rebuilding Germany after the war, but the Marshall Plan, also known as&nbsp;the European Recovery Project, gives a partial figure. Beginning in 1949, the Marshall Plan provided $1.4 billion to Germany to&nbsp;promote&nbsp;economic recovery. According to a 2006 report by the Federation of American Scientists, the United States provided financial assistance to Germany for rebuilding its cities from 1946-1952, an amount equivalent to $29.3 billion, as per dollar conversion rates in 2005.&nbsp;

The reconstruction of&nbsp;Germany lasted up to the 1980s &mdash; almost 35 years. Even as late as the 2000s, certain parts of Germany were still being rebuilt, with&nbsp;Berlin having maximum damages.&nbsp;

It takes centuries for an economy to evolve. People from other countries migrate, and settle in a country, bringing new traits of commerce with them. With time&nbsp;these traits become a part of the settled country,&nbsp;enriching its economy, and building it further. Several civilisations contribute to building a country, its economy, and help it reach where it stands at a given point of time.

But&nbsp;one war disrupts it all and sets a country back by generations. In September 2012, Syrian government forces shelled the rebel forces, bankrupting 40,000 traders in the city of Aleppo overnight. &nbsp; &nbsp;

For the past five&nbsp;years, Syria has been witnessing war between&nbsp;Islamic militants and&nbsp;government forces. The population, as well as the GDP (gross domestic product) of&nbsp;Syria, has shrunk miserably since the inception of war, with the maximum damage being borne by the manufacturing and crude oil sectors. According to the data released by the Syrian government, the Syrian pound has lost about 80 per cent&nbsp;of its value since the conflict began.

In February 2016, Syrian President Bashar Assad put the estimated economic loss to Syria from war at $200 billion. According to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, rebuilding war-ravaged Syria may cost as much as $180 billion.

Aleppo, once envied for its trade and commerce, is now reduced to rubble. A World Bank-led preliminary assessment of damage in six cities of Syria &mdash; Aleppo, Dar&#39;a, Hama, Homs, Idlib, and Latakia &mdash; over seven sectors &mdash; housing, health, education, energy, water and sanitation, transport and agriculture &mdash; estimated a cost-of-repair bill of $ 3.6 billion to $4.5 billion as of 2014-end. &nbsp;

Even the countries bordering Syria such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and&nbsp;Egypt are suffering from the spillover effects of war. The World Bank estimates that the influx of more than 630,000 Syrian refugees has cost Jordan over $2.5 billion a year. This amounts to 6 per cent of Jordan&#39;s GDP and one-fourth of its government&rsquo;s annual revenue.

War is the greatest negative disruptor for any economy making all its growth over the years futile. War does not end in a day or even a year. It continues for several years and puts the economy in a freeze. Post World War II, it took 35 years and several billion dollars to rebuild Germany, Syria has a tougher road ahead. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(WION)

From Berlin in WW II to Aleppo, the economic cost of armed conflict, putting aside the human toll, should be enough to end war

In 1945, West Germany was 400 million cubic metres of rubble. Almost 80 per cent of historical buildings in the main cities of Germany were levelled, some were restored later and some lost forever. The trains were not working, not enough food, and almost 70 per cent of the houses were destroyed, forcing people to stay in refugee camps once the war ended. Many men died in the war, severely impacting the labour force required to rebuild the country. It is difficult to peg the exact economic cost of rebuilding Germany after the war, but the Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Project, gives a partial figure. Beginning in 1949, the Marshall Plan provided $1.4 billion to Germany to promote economic recovery. According to a 2006 report by the Federation of American Scientists, the United States provided financial assistance to Germany for rebuilding its cities from 1946-1952, an amount equivalent to $29.3 billion, as per dollar conversion rates in 2005. The reconstruction of Germany lasted up to the 1980s — almost 35 years. Even as late as the 2000s, certain parts of Germany were still being rebuilt, with Berlin having maximum damages. It takes centuries for an economy to evolve. People from other countries migrate, and settle in a country, bringing new traits of commerce with them. With time these traits become a part of the settled country, enriching its economy, and building it further. Several civilisations contribute to building a country, its economy, and help it reach where it stands at a given point of time. But one war disrupts it all and sets a country back by generations. In September 2012, Syrian government forces shelled the rebel forces, bankrupting 40,000 traders in the city of Aleppo overnight. For the past five years, Syria has been witnessing war between Islamic militants and government forces. The population, as well as the GDP (gross domestic product) of Syria, has shrunk miserably since the inception of war, with the maximum damage being borne by the manufacturing and crude oil sectors. According to the data released by the Syrian government, the Syrian pound has lost about 80 per cent of its value since the conflict began. In February 2016, Syrian President Bashar Assad put the estimated economic loss to Syria from war at $200 billion. According to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, rebuilding war-ravaged Syria may cost as much as $180 billion. Aleppo, once envied for its trade and commerce, is now reduced to rubble. A World Bank-led preliminary assessment of damage in six cities of Syria — Aleppo, Dar'a, Hama, Homs, Idlib, and Latakia — over seven sectors — housing, health, education, energy, water and sanitation, transport and agriculture — estimated a cost-of-repair bill of $ 3.6 billion to $4.5 billion as of 2014-end. Even the countries bordering Syria such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt are suffering from the spillover effects of war. The World Bank estimates that the influx of more than 630,000 Syrian refugees has cost Jordan over $2.5 billion a year. This amounts to 6 per cent of Jordan's GDP and one-fourth of its government’s annual revenue. War is the greatest negative disruptor for any economy making all its growth over the years futile. War does not end in a day or even a year. It continues for several years and puts the economy in a freeze. Post World War II, it took 35 years and several billion dollars to rebuild Germany, Syria has a tougher road ahead. (WION)

War disrupts it all: It will take $180 billion to rebuild Syria

Hundreds of rebel fighters and civilians, including small children swaddled in thick blankets, were bused out of war-ravaged Aleppo in heavy snow on Wednesday as the evacuation of former rebel strongholds entered its final phase.

Scenes of buses slowly driving out of Aleppo in a shroud of white offered an evocative finale to what has been one of the most brutal chapters in Syria&#39;s civil war.

The departures from Aleppo pave the way for President Bashar Assad to assume full control there, after more than four years of fighting over Syria&#39;s largest city. It marks the most significant victory for Assad since an uprising against his family&#39;s four-decade rule swept the country in 2011.

The evacuations were set in motion last week after Syria&#39;s opposition agreed to surrender its last footholds in eastern Aleppo. Since then, about 25,000 fighters and civilians have been bused out, according to the United Nations. On Wednesday, buses began evacuating the last rebels and civilians, an estimated 3,000 people.

By nightfall, 25 buses carrying hundreds of people had driven in a rare snow storm from eastern Aleppo to opposition-held areas in the countryside near the city, said opposition activist Ahmad Primo, who was monitoring arrivals at the main drop-off point in the Rashideen district.

The evacuees got off the buses wearing thick jackets and carrying sacks with belongings. One woman dressed in a black robe and face veil carried a small child swaddled in a heavy yellow blanket. A man held a toddler whose face was peeking out from under a blanket shielding him from falling snow.

The opposition&#39;s Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday evening that with the evacuation of the last group of rebels from eastern Aleppo, Assad was in full control, save for a few positions on the western outskirts of the city that were still in rebel hands.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said patients and all those requiring medical care had been evacuated from the last hospital in the city&#39;s east.

Pro-government forces repeatedly struck medical facilities in rebel-held neighborhoods in their push to expel the opposition from Aleppo this year. In November, the UN said it believed there were no more functioning medical facilities in the eastern part of the city. 
Wednesday&#39;s bus movements came after evacuations had been suspended for 24 hours, one of several snags and delays since the first bus convoys left the city last week.

Frequent disagreements have erupted between the rebels and the government, as well as among rebel groups, over compliance with a wider deal that also includes evacuations from two rebel-besieged villages, Foua and Kfarya.

(PTI)&nbsp;

The last rebel fighters and civilians, including small children in blankets, were bused out of war-ravaged Aleppo Wednesday

Hundreds of rebel fighters and civilians, including small children swaddled in thick blankets, were bused out of war-ravaged Aleppo in heavy snow on Wednesday as the evacuation of former rebel strongholds entered its final phase. Scenes of buses slowly driving out of Aleppo in a shroud of white offered an evocative finale to what has been one of the most brutal chapters in Syria's civil war. The departures from Aleppo pave the way for President Bashar Assad to assume full control there, after more than four years of fighting over Syria's largest city. It marks the most significant victory for Assad since an uprising against his family's four-decade rule swept the country in 2011. The evacuations were set in motion last week after Syria's opposition agreed to surrender its last footholds in eastern Aleppo. Since then, about 25,000 fighters and civilians have been bused out, according to the United Nations. On Wednesday, buses began evacuating the last rebels and civilians, an estimated 3,000 people. By nightfall, 25 buses carrying hundreds of people had driven in a rare snow storm from eastern Aleppo to opposition-held areas in the countryside near the city, said opposition activist Ahmad Primo, who was monitoring arrivals at the main drop-off point in the Rashideen district. The evacuees got off the buses wearing thick jackets and carrying sacks with belongings. One woman dressed in a black robe and face veil carried a small child swaddled in a heavy yellow blanket. A man held a toddler whose face was peeking out from under a blanket shielding him from falling snow. The opposition's Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday evening that with the evacuation of the last group of rebels from eastern Aleppo, Assad was in full control, save for a few positions on the western outskirts of the city that were still in rebel hands. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said patients and all those requiring medical care had been evacuated from the last hospital in the city's east. Pro-government forces repeatedly struck medical facilities in rebel-held neighborhoods in their push to expel the opposition from Aleppo this year. In November, the UN said it believed there were no more functioning medical facilities in the eastern part of the city. Wednesday's bus movements came after evacuations had been suspended for 24 hours, one of several snags and delays since the first bus convoys left the city last week. Frequent disagreements have erupted between the rebels and the government, as well as among rebel groups, over compliance with a wider deal that also includes evacuations from two rebel-besieged villages, Foua and Kfarya. (PTI)

Aleppo evacuated in heavy snow

At least 29 civilians including eight children were killed on Thursday in Turkish air strikes on an Islamic State group bastion in northern Syria, a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes were carried out on the flashpoint town of Al-Bab, which Turkish forces have been seeking to capture for weeks in the biggest test of a four-month incursion into Syria.

The raids came a day after 14 Turkish soldiers were killed by jihadists around Al-Bab, in the country`s biggest loss of the campaign so far.

Turkish troops entered Syria on August 24 in support of pro-Ankara Syrian rebels, with the aim of ousting IS jihadists as well as Kurdish militia from the border area.

Turkish forces regularly carry our air strikes in support of the ground operation in Syria but officials insist the utmost is done to avoid any civilian casualties.

Defence Minister Fikri Isik told parliament on Thursday that 1,005 IS jihadists and 299 fighters affiliated to the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG) had been killed so far in the Syria operation, but made no mention of any civilian casualties.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim vowed Thursday to press on with the fight, saying: &quot;Turkey is in the midst of a great struggle,our fight against terror continues both in our country and outside our borders.&quot;

The army has suffered increasing casualties in the fight for Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the border -- with some three dozen soldiers believed to have been killed so far.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes were carried out on the flashpoint town of Al-Bab

At least 29 civilians including eight children were killed on Thursday in Turkish air strikes on an Islamic State group bastion in northern Syria, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes were carried out on the flashpoint town of Al-Bab, which Turkish forces have been seeking to capture for weeks in the biggest test of a four-month incursion into Syria. The raids came a day after 14 Turkish soldiers were killed by jihadists around Al-Bab, in the country`s biggest loss of the campaign so far. Turkish troops entered Syria on August 24 in support of pro-Ankara Syrian rebels, with the aim of ousting IS jihadists as well as Kurdish militia from the border area. Turkish forces regularly carry our air strikes in support of the ground operation in Syria but officials insist the utmost is done to avoid any civilian casualties. Defence Minister Fikri Isik told parliament on Thursday that 1,005 IS jihadists and 299 fighters affiliated to the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG) had been killed so far in the Syria operation, but made no mention of any civilian casualties. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim vowed Thursday to press on with the fight, saying: "Turkey is in the midst of a great struggle,our fight against terror continues both in our country and outside our borders." The army has suffered increasing casualties in the fight for Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the border -- with some three dozen soldiers believed to have been killed so far. (AFP)

Turkish strikes on IS bastion in northern Syria kills 29 civilians: Monitor

India&#39;s foreign minister Sushma Swaraj will undergo kidney transplant at New Delhi&#39;s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Saturday.&nbsp;

Swaraj, who suffers from diabetes was admitted to AIIMS for kidney failure on November 7.&nbsp;

She has been on dialysis for weeks and tweeted about her condition from the hospital.&nbsp;

The minister, who is known for her quick response on Twitter is still reaching out to the public and trying to help.&nbsp;

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Geeta - You have been issued Visa for Australia. <a href="https://t.co/kB3biWWCNu">https://t.co/kB3biWWCNu</a>
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/805655861280411648">December 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
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AIIMS recieved numerous offers to donate a kidney to Swaraj.&nbsp;

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Some friends have also offered their kidneys for my transplant. I have no words to express my deep sense of gratitude towards them.
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/799210118382370816">November 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
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(WION with inputs from ANI)

The vote to establish an evidence-gathering body won 105-15, with countries like China, Russia and Iran opposed to the measure

India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj will undergo kidney transplant at New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Saturday. Swaraj, who suffers from diabetes was admitted to AIIMS for kidney failure on November 7. She has been on dialysis for weeks and tweeted about her condition from the hospital. The minister, who is known for her quick response on Twitter is still reaching out to the public and trying to help. Geeta - You have been issued Visa for Australia. https://t.co/kB3biWWCNu — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 5, 2016 × AIIMS recieved numerous offers to donate a kidney to Swaraj. Some friends have also offered their kidneys for my transplant. I have no words to express my deep sense of gratitude towards them. — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 17, 2016 × (WION with inputs from ANI)

UN to set up Syria war crimes panel

Seven-year-old Syrian blogger, whose heart-rending account of life in war-torn Aleppo drew global attention, met Turkish President&nbsp;Tayyip Erdogan at his palace in Ankara on Wednesday.

Photos circulated by the Turkish government show blogger&nbsp;Bana Alabed hugging Erdogan as she sat on his lap. Bana was accompanied to the palace by her mother Fatemah.

&quot;I was pleased to host @AlabedBana and her family at the Presidential Complex today. Turkey will always stand with the people of Syria,&quot; Erdogan said on his official Twitter account.

While Bana has been praised by people across the world for painting a stricken picture of Aleppo, the Syrian government has accused her and her mother of propaganda.

Bana&#39;s Twiitter account is followed by 352,000 people ever since Bana started uploading images and videos of grisly events she witnessed during the six-year battle of Aleppo.

Turkey is housing 2.7 million Syrian refugees ever since war broke out between the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and fighters backed by the US and other western countries.

However, Turkey has now stopped the influx of refugees, granting permission to only those who are wounded or those with special cases.&nbsp;

More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Photos circulated by the Turkish government show blogger?Bana Alabed hugging President Tayyip Erdogan

Seven-year-old Syrian blogger, whose heart-rending account of life in war-torn Aleppo drew global attention, met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at his palace in Ankara on Wednesday. Photos circulated by the Turkish government show blogger Bana Alabed hugging Erdogan as she sat on his lap. Bana was accompanied to the palace by her mother Fatemah. "I was pleased to host @AlabedBana and her family at the Presidential Complex today. Turkey will always stand with the people of Syria," Erdogan said on his official Twitter account. While Bana has been praised by people across the world for painting a stricken picture of Aleppo, the Syrian government has accused her and her mother of propaganda. Bana's Twiitter account is followed by 352,000 people ever since Bana started uploading images and videos of grisly events she witnessed during the six-year battle of Aleppo. Turkey is housing 2.7 million Syrian refugees ever since war broke out between the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and fighters backed by the US and other western countries. However, Turkey has now stopped the influx of refugees, granting permission to only those who are wounded or those with special cases. More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Seven-year-old Syrian blogger meets Turkey's Erdogan

Turkish police have detained six people over the killing of the Russian ambassador, state media said, who was shot in the back as he gave a speech in Ankara on Monday by an off-duty police officer shouting &quot;Don&#39;t forget Aleppo&quot; and &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot;.

The state-run Anadolu agency said on Tuesday the attacker&#39;s mother, father, sister and two other relatives were held in the western province of Aydin, while his flatmate in Ankara was also detained.

Police paced up and down behind a cordon on Tuesday morning outside the art gallery where the ambassador, Andrey Karlov, was shot. A crime scene investigation van was parked outside the building.

The United States said its three missions in Turkey would be closed on Tuesday after a gun was fired in front of the US&nbsp;embassy in Ankara overnight. The embassy was near the art gallery where Karlov was shot and Turkish police detained a man over the incident, state media reported.

Russia&#39;s foreign ministry said on Tuesday the two countries&#39; foreign ministers had underlined the need to put more effort into effectively fighting terrorism in a phone call overnight.

The Russian, Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers will meet in Moscow later on Tuesday to discuss the crisis in Syria. A Russian delegation was due to arrive in Ankara at 11 am&nbsp;to conduct investigations into the attack, broadcaster CNN Turk reported.

&nbsp;

SECURITY THREATS

Turkey faces multiple security threats, including from the Islamic State militant group. A spokesman for the hardline Sunni Muslim group urged sympathisers around the world this month to carry out a fresh wave of attacks, singling out Turkish diplomatic, military and financial interests as preferred targets.

However, a senior Turkish security official said there were &quot;very strong signs&quot; the gunman belonged to the network of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara says orchestrated a failed coup in July. Erdogan has denounced Gulen as a terrorist, but the cleric, a former ally, denies the accusation, and has also denied any role in the assassination.&nbsp;

Russia is an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its air strikes helped Syrian forces end rebel resistance last week in the northern city of Aleppo. Turkey, which seeks Assad&#39;s ouster, has been repairing ties with Moscow after shooting down a Russian warplane over Syria last year.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

The state-run Anadolu agency said Turkish police detained the attacker's mother, father, sister, two other relatives and also his flatmate

Turkish police have detained six people over the killing of the Russian ambassador, state media said, who was shot in the back as he gave a speech in Ankara on Monday by an off-duty police officer shouting "Don't forget Aleppo" and "Allahu Akbar". The state-run Anadolu agency said on Tuesday the attacker's mother, father, sister and two other relatives were held in the western province of Aydin, while his flatmate in Ankara was also detained. Police paced up and down behind a cordon on Tuesday morning outside the art gallery where the ambassador, Andrey Karlov, was shot. A crime scene investigation van was parked outside the building. The United States said its three missions in Turkey would be closed on Tuesday after a gun was fired in front of the US embassy in Ankara overnight. The embassy was near the art gallery where Karlov was shot and Turkish police detained a man over the incident, state media reported. Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday the two countries' foreign ministers had underlined the need to put more effort into effectively fighting terrorism in a phone call overnight. The Russian, Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers will meet in Moscow later on Tuesday to discuss the crisis in Syria. A Russian delegation was due to arrive in Ankara at 11 am to conduct investigations into the attack, broadcaster CNN Turk reported. SECURITY THREATS Turkey faces multiple security threats, including from the Islamic State militant group. A spokesman for the hardline Sunni Muslim group urged sympathisers around the world this month to carry out a fresh wave of attacks, singling out Turkish diplomatic, military and financial interests as preferred targets. However, a senior Turkish security official said there were "very strong signs" the gunman belonged to the network of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara says orchestrated a failed coup in July. Erdogan has denounced Gulen as a terrorist, but the cleric, a former ally, denies the accusation, and has also denied any role in the assassination. Russia is an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its air strikes helped Syrian forces end rebel resistance last week in the northern city of Aleppo. Turkey, which seeks Assad's ouster, has been repairing ties with Moscow after shooting down a Russian warplane over Syria last year. (Reuters)

Turkish police detain six after Russian ambassador assassination: State media

Some 350 people were able to leave despite evacuations officially suspended until further notice, a medical official said.

Ahmad al-Dbis, who heads a team of doctors coordinating evacuations to Khan al-Assal told AFP, &quot;Five buses carrying the evacuees arrived from besieged parts of east Aleppo.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;They were in a terrible state, Dbis told AFP.

&quot;They hadn&#39;t eaten, they had nothing to drink, the children had caught colds, they were not even able to go to the toilet,&quot; he added.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that 350 people were able to be evacuated after Russia and Turkey urged the Syrian regime to allow the buses to pass its final control point.

From Khan al-Assal people will be able to travel to Idlib and other parts of Aleppo.

The evacuation process had been postponed after buses were attacked and torched by armed men.

The buses were meant for&nbsp;two Shiite villages, Fuaa and Kafraya. &nbsp;

There was a dispute over how many people would be evacuated from the two villages.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security guarantee was needed before evacuation process resumed, after one bus driver was killed in the attack.

The Rights monitor also said the buses will not leave until the people of Fuaa and Kafraya were&nbsp;able to leave.

Before the suspension, buses had arrived in Aleppo under&nbsp;Red Crescent and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) &nbsp;&quot;to bring the remaining terrorists and their families out,&quot; state news agency SANA said, referring to the rebels.

Some&nbsp;100 buses would take people out, SANA had reported.&nbsp;

Under the terms of deal signed between the Syrian government and the rebels, the rebels and their families along with civilians will be allowed to leave for government-held areas.&nbsp;

Evacuations will also take place&nbsp;from Zabadani and Madaya, two regime-besieged rebel towns in Damascus province, as part of the deal, a rebel representative had confirmed.

Before evacuation operations were halted around 8,500 people, including some 3,000 rebels, left for rebel-held territory elsewhere in the north, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

 
&nbsp;

The evacuations have been stopped until further notice after gunmen torched buses sent for people from two Shitte villages, Fuaa and Kafraya

Some 350 people were able to leave despite evacuations officially suspended until further notice, a medical official said. Ahmad al-Dbis, who heads a team of doctors coordinating evacuations to Khan al-Assal told AFP, "Five buses carrying the evacuees arrived from besieged parts of east Aleppo." "They were in a terrible state, Dbis told AFP. "They hadn't eaten, they had nothing to drink, the children had caught colds, they were not even able to go to the toilet," he added. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that 350 people were able to be evacuated after Russia and Turkey urged the Syrian regime to allow the buses to pass its final control point. From Khan al-Assal people will be able to travel to Idlib and other parts of Aleppo. The evacuation process had been postponed after buses were attacked and torched by armed men. The buses were meant for two Shiite villages, Fuaa and Kafraya. There was a dispute over how many people would be evacuated from the two villages. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security guarantee was needed before evacuation process resumed, after one bus driver was killed in the attack. The Rights monitor also said the buses will not leave until the people of Fuaa and Kafraya were able to leave. Before the suspension, buses had arrived in Aleppo under Red Crescent and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) "to bring the remaining terrorists and their families out," state news agency SANA said, referring to the rebels. Some 100 buses would take people out, SANA had reported. Under the terms of deal signed between the Syrian government and the rebels, the rebels and their families along with civilians will be allowed to leave for government-held areas. Evacuations will also take place from Zabadani and Madaya, two regime-besieged rebel towns in Damascus province, as part of the deal, a rebel representative had confirmed. Before evacuation operations were halted around 8,500 people, including some 3,000 rebels, left for rebel-held territory elsewhere in the north, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Aleppo: 350 people manage to leave despite postponed evacuations

Several buses which were on its way to rescue the injured people from the besieged Syrian villages of&nbsp;al-Foua and Kefraya were burned by an &quot;unknown rebel group&quot; on Sunday.

The Syrian state media said &quot;armed terrorists&quot; attacked and burned five buses en route to the villages.

The Syrian government and rebels had decided to renew the evacuation process from east Aleppo if the injured in&nbsp;al-Foua and Kefraya villages could be rescued as well. It was a demand made by President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government.

Rebel officials said an angry crowd of people, possibly alongside pro-government forces, carried out the attack.

A resident in the area told Reuters it was not carried out by the group formerly known as the Nusra Front, which had previously said it had not agreed to the evacuation of the two villages.

Most of al-Foua and Kefraya`s residents are Shi`ite Muslims.&nbsp;

The development comes hours after Red Cross said it hoped to rescue stranded civilians on Sunday.

UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had earlier said that al-Nusra, a rebel front, were thwarting aid buses from entering the two villages.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

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Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had earlier said that al-Nusra, a rebel front, were thwarting the buses from entering two villages

Several buses which were on its way to rescue the injured people from the besieged Syrian villages of al-Foua and Kefraya were burned by an "unknown rebel group" on Sunday. The Syrian state media said "armed terrorists" attacked and burned five buses en route to the villages. The Syrian government and rebels had decided to renew the evacuation process from east Aleppo if the injured in al-Foua and Kefraya villages could be rescued as well. It was a demand made by President Bashar al-Assad's government. Rebel officials said an angry crowd of people, possibly alongside pro-government forces, carried out the attack. A resident in the area told Reuters it was not carried out by the group formerly known as the Nusra Front, which had previously said it had not agreed to the evacuation of the two villages. Most of al-Foua and Kefraya`s residents are Shi`ite Muslims. The development comes hours after Red Cross said it hoped to rescue stranded civilians on Sunday. UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had earlier said that al-Nusra, a rebel front, were thwarting aid buses from entering the two villages. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Buses burned, attacked en route to evacuate Syrian villages

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