Air strikes and shelling killed 13 civilians in northwestern Syria on Tuesday, a monitor said, in the latest escalation to rattle a months-old truce and spark displacement.

At least 53 fighters have also been killed since Monday, in one of the deadliest flare-ups since a demilitarised zone around the Idlib region was agreed in September last year, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.&nbsp;

Several deadly skirmishes have occurred since the deal was reached between regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, but the last few weeks have seen an uptick in violence inside the planned buffer zone.&nbsp;

The region of some three million people is under the control of a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, in one of the last parts of Syria which President Bashar al-Assad has yet to take back.&nbsp;

The September deal aimed to avoid an all-out government offensive on the enclave.

But a surge in attacks since April 20 has raised new fears a government offensive is imminent, prompting thousands of civilians to flee their homes towards quieter areas deeper inside Idlib province.

"This is the third time we have been displaced but this time is the scariest," said Abu Ahmad, a 40-year-old from southern Idlib who was fleeing Tuesday with his family towards areas near the border with Turkey.

"Overflights by warplanes and shelling have been relentless," said the father of three, his blue pick-up truck stacked with mattresses, bed sheets and household appliances.

'Urgent de-escalation'

Battles between jihadists and pro-government forces raged overnight around a hilltop in the northern countryside of Hama province, following an advance by Assad's forces.

Twenty-four pro-government fighters were killed in fierce fighting, the Observatory said, along with 29 jihadists.

The latter were members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group dominated by fighters from a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, and of the Turkistan Islamic Party, a Uighur-dominated jihadist group.

Fighting subsided early Tuesday after pro-government forces thwarted several counter-attacks and consolidated new positions, Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP.

But the air and artillery bombardment continued for an eighth straight day, killing the 13 civilians, the war monitor said.

At least nine civilians were killed in shelling and air strikes on Monday.

State news agency SANA said Syrian troops launched rocket attacks on armed groups in northwestern Hama province on Tuesday, killing several fighters, but it did not provide any toll.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his "extreme concern" over the heightened violence.

"The humanitarian situation in Syria is critical and no military option is acceptable," he said on Twitter Tuesday.&nbsp;

"We demand a halt to the violence and support the UN in backing a necessary political solution."

UN chief Antonio Guterres has called "for urgent de-escalation of the situation as the holy month of Ramadan begins" and urged "the parties to recommit fully to the ceasefire arrangements of the memorandum signed on 17 September 2018."&nbsp;

A UN statement said Guterres was alarmed by "reports of aerial attacks on population centres and civilian infrastructure".

At least seven health facilities have been hit since April 28, it said.&nbsp;

Nine schools have also been struck since April 30, and many more have closed their doors indefinitely, it added.&nbsp;

'Limited offensive'

It remains unclear whether the Syrian government and its Russian ally are planning to launch a full-scale assault.

Aron Lund, from the US think tank The Century Foundation, said, "a limited offensive into Idlib, peeling off a few areas, should be easily within their capabilities".

He said the recapture of two key highways running through Idlib -- the M4 and the M5 -- could be among the "many goals" behind such an operation.

Under the September deal, hardliners were supposed to withdraw from the planned buffer zone, allowing traffic to once again flow along the two strategic highways, which connect government-held areas with the Turkish border.

Turkey has failed, however, to secure the jihadists' withdrawal, prompting government forces to take matters into their own hands, Syria specialist Fabrice Balanche said.

Taking the two highways would help Assad boost the recovery of Syria's nearby second city Aleppo, which remains cut off from most of its countryside and poorly connected to the rest of the country, he told AFP.

"Restoring traffic on these two axes will reduce transport costs to Aleppo," he said.

Retaking the road between the regime's coastal stronghold of Latakia and Aleppo, in particular, would cut the rebel-held region in two, making it easier for government forces to recapture its southern part and isolate the jihadists in the north, Balanche added.&nbsp;

Air strikes and shelling killed 13 civilians in northwestern Syria on Tuesday, a monitor said, in the latest escalation to rattle a months-old truce and spark displacement.

Air strikes and shelling killed 13 civilians in northwestern Syria on Tuesday, a monitor said, in the latest escalation to rattle a months-old truce and spark displacement. At least 53 fighters have also been killed since Monday, in one of the deadliest flare-ups since a demilitarised zone around the Idlib region was agreed in September last year, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Several deadly skirmishes have occurred since the deal was reached between regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, but the last few weeks have seen an uptick in violence inside the planned buffer zone. The region of some three million people is under the control of a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, in one of the last parts of Syria which President Bashar al-Assad has yet to take back. The September deal aimed to avoid an all-out government offensive on the enclave. But a surge in attacks since April 20 has raised new fears a government offensive is imminent, prompting thousands of civilians to flee their homes towards quieter areas deeper inside Idlib province. "This is the third time we have been displaced but this time is the scariest," said Abu Ahmad, a 40-year-old from southern Idlib who was fleeing Tuesday with his family towards areas near the border with Turkey. "Overflights by warplanes and shelling have been relentless," said the father of three, his blue pick-up truck stacked with mattresses, bed sheets and household appliances. 'Urgent de-escalation' Battles between jihadists and pro-government forces raged overnight around a hilltop in the northern countryside of Hama province, following an advance by Assad's forces. Twenty-four pro-government fighters were killed in fierce fighting, the Observatory said, along with 29 jihadists. The latter were members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group dominated by fighters from a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, and of the Turkistan Islamic Party, a Uighur-dominated jihadist group. Fighting subsided early Tuesday after pro-government forces thwarted several counter-attacks and consolidated new positions, Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP. But the air and artillery bombardment continued for an eighth straight day, killing the 13 civilians, the war monitor said. At least nine civilians were killed in shelling and air strikes on Monday. State news agency SANA said Syrian troops launched rocket attacks on armed groups in northwestern Hama province on Tuesday, killing several fighters, but it did not provide any toll. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his "extreme concern" over the heightened violence. "The humanitarian situation in Syria is critical and no military option is acceptable," he said on Twitter Tuesday. "We demand a halt to the violence and support the UN in backing a necessary political solution." UN chief Antonio Guterres has called "for urgent de-escalation of the situation as the holy month of Ramadan begins" and urged "the parties to recommit fully to the ceasefire arrangements of the memorandum signed on 17 September 2018." A UN statement said Guterres was alarmed by "reports of aerial attacks on population centres and civilian infrastructure". At least seven health facilities have been hit since April 28, it said. Nine schools have also been struck since April 30, and many more have closed their doors indefinitely, it added. 'Limited offensive' It remains unclear whether the Syrian government and its Russian ally are planning to launch a full-scale assault. Aron Lund, from the US think tank The Century Foundation, said, "a limited offensive into Idlib, peeling off a few areas, should be easily within their capabilities". He said the recapture of two key highways running through Idlib -- the M4 and the M5 -- could be among the "many goals" behind such an operation. Under the September deal, hardliners were supposed to withdraw from the planned buffer zone, allowing traffic to once again flow along the two strategic highways, which connect government-held areas with the Turkish border. Turkey has failed, however, to secure the jihadists' withdrawal, prompting government forces to take matters into their own hands, Syria specialist Fabrice Balanche said. Taking the two highways would help Assad boost the recovery of Syria's nearby second city Aleppo, which remains cut off from most of its countryside and poorly connected to the rest of the country, he told AFP. "Restoring traffic on these two axes will reduce transport costs to Aleppo," he said. Retaking the road between the regime's coastal stronghold of Latakia and Aleppo, in particular, would cut the rebel-held region in two, making it easier for government forces to recapture its southern part and isolate the jihadists in the north, Balanche added.

Escalation in Syria's Idlib rattles months-old truce

Art, in any form, is an expression of the inner desires and feelings. Years of bottled up fears and oppression lead to a Syrian theatre group to enact the horrors of living in a country like Syria. Watch this and many more stories like this from the West-Asian part of the world, on The West Asia Post, every Friday at 8:30pm, only on WION, World Is One.

The West Asia Post: Theatre recounts torture in Syria

Russian and Syrian forces intensified air strikes and shelling in northwestern Syria overnight in the heaviest assault on the last rebel-held area since it was declared a demilitarised zone under a Russian-Turkish deal, sources said on Thursday.&nbsp;

The targeted villages and towns in northern Hama and southern Idlib fall within a buffer zone agreed last September between Russia and Turkey as part of a deal which averted a major offensive on the area.

Earlier this week Washington warned violence in the buffer zone "will result in the destabilization of the region".

Since Tuesday the Russian and Syrian military attacks have forced thousands of civilians to flee to camps further north along the Turkish border and damaged four medical facilities, according to Idlib civil defence officials and a US medical aid organisation working in the area.&nbsp;

"Medical facilities are being evacuated, leaving the most vulnerable with no access to medical care. We are on the edge of a humanitarian catastrophe," Khaula Sawah, vice president of the US-based Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations -USA (UOSSM US) said in a statement on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Syrian army helicopters have dropped barrel bombs, which are drums or cylinders packed with explosives and shrapnel that cause indiscriminate destruction, killing at least 15 civilians and injured dozens, rescuers in Idlib province said.

Opposition-run civil defence agencies say hundreds of people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Russian and Syrian strikes since the September deal which prevented a potentially devastating offensive on Idlib and nearby areas controlled by rebels and now home to over 3 million people.

Syrian state media, quoting army sources, blamed rebels for the attacks and said it had targeted "terrorist groups" in towns in northern Hama including Kfr Nabouda. It also said al Qaeda-inspired groups have stepped up drone attacks on Russia`s main air base near the Syrian Mediterranean coast, but that these have been unsuccessful.

Idlib is held by an array of rebel groups. The most powerful is Tahrir al-Sham, an amalgamation of Islamist groups dominated by the former Nusra Front - an al Qaeda affiliate until 2016.

Turkey, which has supported the rebels and has troops to monitor the truce, has been negotiating with Moscow to halt the strikes with little success.

The main Turkey-backed rebel grouping said they were rushing extra fighters to the main fronts to face all "possibilities".

In response to the escalation, rebels said they mounted several rocket attacks on army positions including the Breideej army base in northern Hama, injuring and killing at least four Russian soldiers in a mortar attack that hit their vehicle.

"We have stepped up our readiness and sent troop reinforcements to confront any attack the regime and the Russians on any area," Naji al-Mustafa, spokesman for the National Liberation Front coalition of rebel groups told Reuters.

"We cannot leave matters like this.. we are preparing for any possibility.." he added.

A military defector told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the latest campaign could signal a ground offensive aimed at taking control of territory in northern rural Hama province and southern Idlib countryside.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Russian and Syrian forces intensified air strikes and shelling in northwestern Syria overnight in the heaviest assault on the last rebel-held area since it was declared a demilitarised zone under a Russian-Turkish deal, sources said on Thursday.

Russian and Syrian forces intensified air strikes and shelling in northwestern Syria overnight in the heaviest assault on the last rebel-held area since it was declared a demilitarised zone under a Russian-Turkish deal, sources said on Thursday. The targeted villages and towns in northern Hama and southern Idlib fall within a buffer zone agreed last September between Russia and Turkey as part of a deal which averted a major offensive on the area. Earlier this week Washington warned violence in the buffer zone "will result in the destabilization of the region". Since Tuesday the Russian and Syrian military attacks have forced thousands of civilians to flee to camps further north along the Turkish border and damaged four medical facilities, according to Idlib civil defence officials and a US medical aid organisation working in the area. "Medical facilities are being evacuated, leaving the most vulnerable with no access to medical care. We are on the edge of a humanitarian catastrophe," Khaula Sawah, vice president of the US-based Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations -USA (UOSSM US) said in a statement on Wednesday. Syrian army helicopters have dropped barrel bombs, which are drums or cylinders packed with explosives and shrapnel that cause indiscriminate destruction, killing at least 15 civilians and injured dozens, rescuers in Idlib province said. Opposition-run civil defence agencies say hundreds of people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Russian and Syrian strikes since the September deal which prevented a potentially devastating offensive on Idlib and nearby areas controlled by rebels and now home to over 3 million people. Syrian state media, quoting army sources, blamed rebels for the attacks and said it had targeted "terrorist groups" in towns in northern Hama including Kfr Nabouda. It also said al Qaeda-inspired groups have stepped up drone attacks on Russia`s main air base near the Syrian Mediterranean coast, but that these have been unsuccessful. Idlib is held by an array of rebel groups. The most powerful is Tahrir al-Sham, an amalgamation of Islamist groups dominated by the former Nusra Front - an al Qaeda affiliate until 2016. Turkey, which has supported the rebels and has troops to monitor the truce, has been negotiating with Moscow to halt the strikes with little success. The main Turkey-backed rebel grouping said they were rushing extra fighters to the main fronts to face all "possibilities". In response to the escalation, rebels said they mounted several rocket attacks on army positions including the Breideej army base in northern Hama, injuring and killing at least four Russian soldiers in a mortar attack that hit their vehicle. "We have stepped up our readiness and sent troop reinforcements to confront any attack the regime and the Russians on any area," Naji al-Mustafa, spokesman for the National Liberation Front coalition of rebel groups told Reuters. "We cannot leave matters like this.. we are preparing for any possibility.." he added. A military defector told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the latest campaign could signal a ground offensive aimed at taking control of territory in northern rural Hama province and southern Idlib countryside.

Russia and Syrian army step up attacks on rebel held northwestern Syria: Sources

After The Release Of A Video Of ISIS Leader Al-Baghdadi, Questions Over The Authenticity Of The Video Remain..

WION Gravitas: Experts question the authenticity of the baghdadi video

In the 18-minute video from the Al Furqan network, a bearded man with Baghdadi's appearance says the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka were IS's response to losses in its last territorial stronghold of Baghouz in Syria.

WION Gravitas: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi alive, absconding

IS, the brand of terror is rising since 2014 and now it has started using internet to spread it's hateful ideologies through social media. Watch this video to know more.

WION Gravitas: IS using social media to spread it's hateful ideologies

WION Fineprint: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi alive, absconding

The elusive chief of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has purportedly appeared for the first time in five years in a propaganda video released Monday by the jihadist organisation.

It is unclear when the footage was filmed, but the man said to be Baghdadi referred in the past tense to the months-long fight for Baghouz, IS's final bastion in eastern Syria, which ended last month.

"The battle for Baghouz is over," the man said, sitting cross-legged on a cushion and addressing three men whose faces have been blurred.

But he insisted that IS's operations against the West were part of a "long battle," and that IS would "take revenge" on members who had been killed.

"There will be more to come after this battle," he said.

Baghdadi, 47, had a long grey beard that appeared dyed with henna and spoke slowly, often pausing for several seconds in the middle of his sentences.

He appeared for the first and last time in public in Mosul in 2014, where he declared an Islamic "caliphate" in the swathes of territory IS then held in Syria and Iraq.

He was reported killed or injured multiple times since then.

His last voice recording to his supporters was released in August, eight months after Iraq announced it had defeated IS and as US-backed forces closed in next door in Syria.

The elusive chief of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has purportedly appeared for the first time in five years in a propaganda video released Monday by the jihadist organisation.

The elusive chief of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has purportedly appeared for the first time in five years in a propaganda video released Monday by the jihadist organisation. It is unclear when the footage was filmed, but the man said to be Baghdadi referred in the past tense to the months-long fight for Baghouz, IS's final bastion in eastern Syria, which ended last month. "The battle for Baghouz is over," the man said, sitting cross-legged on a cushion and addressing three men whose faces have been blurred. But he insisted that IS's operations against the West were part of a "long battle," and that IS would "take revenge" on members who had been killed. "There will be more to come after this battle," he said. Baghdadi, 47, had a long grey beard that appeared dyed with henna and spoke slowly, often pausing for several seconds in the middle of his sentences. He appeared for the first and last time in public in Mosul in 2014, where he declared an Islamic "caliphate" in the swathes of territory IS then held in Syria and Iraq. He was reported killed or injured multiple times since then. His last voice recording to his supporters was released in August, eight months after Iraq announced it had defeated IS and as US-backed forces closed in next door in Syria.

IS chief Baghdadi appears for first time in five years in propaganda video

Against a backdrop of hanging nooses and chants that were once a sign of the uprising in Syria, Mohamed al-Zeer and fellow actors recount tales of prison, torture and suffering in their war-stricken country as part of 'Crypt of Death'&nbsp;performance.

The 25-year-old student was briefly detained in Syrian prisons after the war erupted following mass protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad in 2011.

"I talked about my brother who was in jail, I spoke about my experience with prison and the torture I was subject to," said Zeer, an electronics engineering student whose academic journey was suspended because of the war.

On stage at the Arab Cultural Centre, where members of the Pawn theatre troupe founded in 2017 perform, the young actor who was detained for one month plays the role of a man who lost his mind after being subject to torture in prison.

"A person who was used to freedom and is suddenly exposed to the reality of prison. He became in shock and living behind bars," he said.

The troupe worked for five months to collect real-life stories, some of which were lived by the actors themselves as Syrian prisons, director Ibrahim Sarmini, who leads the performance said.

"The performance tackles the issue of political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, prisoners of the Syrian revolution," Sarmini explained.

Most of the troupe members were professional actors who performed before the uprising, and some others were trained to join the performance.

The self-financed actors usually run rehearsals at their homes and perform in front of their audiences in a number of rebel-held cities including Idlib, controlled by the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group. They also perform in cities controlled by the Free Syrian Army (FSA).

The performance comes at a time where different forms of artistic productions in Syria are reviving after years of war.

Like most other sectors of the economy in Syria, the film, television, and theatre business has been hit hard by a war that has killed half a million people, forced millions from their homes and laid waste to swathes of the country since 2011.

During the war, many famous Syrian actors left to work in other Arab states.&nbsp;

Against a backdrop of hanging nooses and chants that were once a sign of the uprising in Syria, Mohamed al-Zeer and fellow actors recount tales of prison, torture and suffering in their war-stricken country as part of 'Crypt of Death' performance.

Against a backdrop of hanging nooses and chants that were once a sign of the uprising in Syria, Mohamed al-Zeer and fellow actors recount tales of prison, torture and suffering in their war-stricken country as part of 'Crypt of Death' performance. The 25-year-old student was briefly detained in Syrian prisons after the war erupted following mass protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad in 2011. "I talked about my brother who was in jail, I spoke about my experience with prison and the torture I was subject to," said Zeer, an electronics engineering student whose academic journey was suspended because of the war. On stage at the Arab Cultural Centre, where members of the Pawn theatre troupe founded in 2017 perform, the young actor who was detained for one month plays the role of a man who lost his mind after being subject to torture in prison. "A person who was used to freedom and is suddenly exposed to the reality of prison. He became in shock and living behind bars," he said. The troupe worked for five months to collect real-life stories, some of which were lived by the actors themselves as Syrian prisons, director Ibrahim Sarmini, who leads the performance said. "The performance tackles the issue of political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, prisoners of the Syrian revolution," Sarmini explained. Most of the troupe members were professional actors who performed before the uprising, and some others were trained to join the performance. The self-financed actors usually run rehearsals at their homes and perform in front of their audiences in a number of rebel-held cities including Idlib, controlled by the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group. They also perform in cities controlled by the Free Syrian Army (FSA). The performance comes at a time where different forms of artistic productions in Syria are reviving after years of war. Like most other sectors of the economy in Syria, the film, television, and theatre business has been hit hard by a war that has killed half a million people, forced millions from their homes and laid waste to swathes of the country since 2011. During the war, many famous Syrian actors left to work in other Arab states.

Theater troupe in rebel-held city recounts tales of Syria's 'Crypt of Death'

Children born to Yazidi women as a result of rape by Islamic State group fighters will not be permitted to join the community in northern Iraq, the faith's Supreme Spiritual Council said.&nbsp;

The Yazidi community once numbered around 500,000 members in the mountainous Sinjar region of northwest Iraq, but it was ravaged by IS's 2014 sweep into the area.&nbsp;

Jihadists killed Yazidi men, forced boys to join their ranks as fighters and abducted and imprisoned thousands of Yazidi women as sex slaves.&nbsp;

The children born of those rapes have been the subject of fierce debate in the insular community, which only recognises children as Yazidis if both their parents hail from the sect.

Last week, the head of the Supreme Spiritual Council Hazem Tahsin Said issued what appeared to be a landmark shift, publishing an order "accepting all survivors (of IS crimes) and considering what they went through to have been against their will".

The decision was hailed as "historic" by Yazidi activists, who understood it to mean that children born of rape would now be allowed to live among their Yazidi relatives.&nbsp;

But late Saturday, the Council published a clarification that the decision "does not include children born of rape, but refers to children born of two Yazidi parents".&nbsp;

The Yazidi community had long considered any women marrying outside the sect to no longer be Yazidi, initially including those assaulted by IS in 2014.

But Yazidi spiritual leader Baba Sheikh issued a decision the following year welcoming those women back home, without resolving the fate of their children.

Many Yazidi women who were kidnapped by IS have escaped in recent years, and dozens more fled to safety in the last few months as IS's "caliphate" crumbled in Syria.&nbsp;

Those who had children with IS fighters faced a difficult choice: either remain ex-communicated from their Yazidi relatives, or leave the children behind.&nbsp;

Dozens who returned to the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar in northwest Iraq in recent months chose the latter.&nbsp;

In Iraq, children inherit the religious sect and nationality of their father, so those born to Sunni Muslim men would have the same religion.

Those born to suspected IS fighters who are either missing or dead are at risk of remaining stateless because of lack of proof of their father's identity.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Iraqi President Barham Saleh proposed a bill to parliament that would provide reparations for Yazidi female survivors of IS crimes and establish a court to clarify "civil status" issues.&nbsp;

Children born to Yazidi women as a result of rape by Islamic State group fighters will not be permitted to join the community in northern Iraq, the faith's Supreme Spiritual Council said.

Children born to Yazidi women as a result of rape by Islamic State group fighters will not be permitted to join the community in northern Iraq, the faith's Supreme Spiritual Council said. The Yazidi community once numbered around 500,000 members in the mountainous Sinjar region of northwest Iraq, but it was ravaged by IS's 2014 sweep into the area. Jihadists killed Yazidi men, forced boys to join their ranks as fighters and abducted and imprisoned thousands of Yazidi women as sex slaves. The children born of those rapes have been the subject of fierce debate in the insular community, which only recognises children as Yazidis if both their parents hail from the sect. Last week, the head of the Supreme Spiritual Council Hazem Tahsin Said issued what appeared to be a landmark shift, publishing an order "accepting all survivors (of IS crimes) and considering what they went through to have been against their will". The decision was hailed as "historic" by Yazidi activists, who understood it to mean that children born of rape would now be allowed to live among their Yazidi relatives. But late Saturday, the Council published a clarification that the decision "does not include children born of rape, but refers to children born of two Yazidi parents". The Yazidi community had long considered any women marrying outside the sect to no longer be Yazidi, initially including those assaulted by IS in 2014. But Yazidi spiritual leader Baba Sheikh issued a decision the following year welcoming those women back home, without resolving the fate of their children. Many Yazidi women who were kidnapped by IS have escaped in recent years, and dozens more fled to safety in the last few months as IS's "caliphate" crumbled in Syria. Those who had children with IS fighters faced a difficult choice: either remain ex-communicated from their Yazidi relatives, or leave the children behind. Dozens who returned to the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar in northwest Iraq in recent months chose the latter. In Iraq, children inherit the religious sect and nationality of their father, so those born to Sunni Muslim men would have the same religion. Those born to suspected IS fighters who are either missing or dead are at risk of remaining stateless because of lack of proof of their father's identity. Earlier this month, Iraqi President Barham Saleh proposed a bill to parliament that would provide reparations for Yazidi female survivors of IS crimes and establish a court to clarify "civil status" issues.

Children born to IS fathers not considered Yazidi: Council

Attacks by two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jihadist-attacks-kill-17-syria-pro-regime-fighters-monitor-213864">jihadist groups</a> killed at least 22 Syrian government troops and militiamen in the northern province of Aleppo early on Saturday, a war monitor said.

Thirty others were wounded in the assaults by Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and its ally Hurras al-Deen, which remains affiliated to the global jihadist network, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The attacks in the southern and southwestern countryside of Aleppo province were launched shortly after midnight and triggered clashes that continued until dawn, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

He said the fighting subsided after Russian aircraft struck jihadist positions in the area, prompting the fighters to pull back.

Eight jihadists were killed, he added.

Russia aircraft also carried out strikes in neighbouring Hama province early on Saturday, killing five civilians, the Observatory said.

On Friday, Russian strikes killed 10 civilians in Idlib province, the hub of territory held by the jihadists of HTS in northwestern Syria.

Russia and rebel-backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to avert a massive government offensive on the Idlib region, but the deal has never been implemented.

The region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since HTS took full control of it in January.

The latest Russian air raids came after two days of talks on the Syrian conflict between Turkey, Russia and fellow government backer Iran in Kazakhstan earlier this week.

The three governments expressed concern over the growing power of HTS in Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces, and determination to cooperate to eliminate the jihadist group.

The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it began with the bloody repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Attacks by two jihadist groups killed at least 22 Syrian government troops and militiamen in the northern province of Aleppo early on Saturday, a war monitor said.

Attacks by two jihadist groups killed at least 22 Syrian government troops and militiamen in the northern province of Aleppo early on Saturday, a war monitor said. Thirty others were wounded in the assaults by Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and its ally Hurras al-Deen, which remains affiliated to the global jihadist network, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The attacks in the southern and southwestern countryside of Aleppo province were launched shortly after midnight and triggered clashes that continued until dawn, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. He said the fighting subsided after Russian aircraft struck jihadist positions in the area, prompting the fighters to pull back. Eight jihadists were killed, he added. Russia aircraft also carried out strikes in neighbouring Hama province early on Saturday, killing five civilians, the Observatory said. On Friday, Russian strikes killed 10 civilians in Idlib province, the hub of territory held by the jihadists of HTS in northwestern Syria. Russia and rebel-backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to avert a massive government offensive on the Idlib region, but the deal has never been implemented. The region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since HTS took full control of it in January. The latest Russian air raids came after two days of talks on the Syrian conflict between Turkey, Russia and fellow government backer Iran in Kazakhstan earlier this week. The three governments expressed concern over the growing power of HTS in Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces, and determination to cooperate to eliminate the jihadist group. The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it began with the bloody repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Jihadist attacks kill 22 Syria pro-regime fighters: Report

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-invited-to-form-new-government-in-israel-211343&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjEluT1sPDhAhVZiXAKHXNiAHQQFjAFegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3UoFqShGfVG1w50ZdQMHMN">Israel</a> will release two prisoners after the remains of an Israeli soldier missing since 1982 were recovered by Russian special forces in Syria, an Israeli official said.

Russia, a key Damascus ally, this month handed over the remains and personal effects of Zachary Baumel who was 21 when he was declared missing in action along with two other soldiers in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub during Israel's invasion of Lebanon.

A Syrian government source told Reuters that two or more Syrian hostages would be freed from Israeli prisons after Russian mediation.

The source said authorities had pressured Moscow to secure the prisoners' release after the news of the Israeli soldier's remains were being handed over.

Both sides appeared to step away from any suggestion that the release was part of a negotiated swap between the two enemy states Israel and Syria.

"Israel decided in the past few days to release two prisoners as a goodwill gesture, only after the return of Zachary Baumel's remains," the Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday.

There was no immediate comment from Russian authorities.

A spokesman for the Israeli military declined to comment. 
&nbsp;

Israel will release two prisoners after the remains of an Israeli soldier missing since 1982 were recovered by Russian special forces in Syria, an Israeli official said.

Israel will release two prisoners after the remains of an Israeli soldier missing since 1982 were recovered by Russian special forces in Syria, an Israeli official said. Russia, a key Damascus ally, this month handed over the remains and personal effects of Zachary Baumel who was 21 when he was declared missing in action along with two other soldiers in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub during Israel's invasion of Lebanon. A Syrian government source told Reuters that two or more Syrian hostages would be freed from Israeli prisons after Russian mediation. The source said authorities had pressured Moscow to secure the prisoners' release after the news of the Israeli soldier's remains were being handed over. Both sides appeared to step away from any suggestion that the release was part of a negotiated swap between the two enemy states Israel and Syria. "Israel decided in the past few days to release two prisoners as a goodwill gesture, only after the return of Zachary Baumel's remains," the Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday. There was no immediate comment from Russian authorities. A spokesman for the Israeli military declined to comment.

Israel to free two Syrian prisoners after recovering soldier's remains

Attacks by two jihadist groups killed at least 17 Syrian government troops and militiamen in the northern province of Aleppo early on Saturday, a war monitor said.

Thirty others were wounded in the assaults by Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and its ally Hurras al-Deen, which remains affiliated to the global jihadist network, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The attacks in the southern and southwestern countryside of Aleppo province were launched shortly after midnight and triggered clashes that continued until dawn, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

He said the fighting subsided after Russian aircraft struck jihadist positions in the area, prompting the fighters to pull back.

Eight jihadists were killed, he added.

Russia aircraft also carried out strikes in neighbouring Hama province early on Saturday, killing five civilians, the Observatory said.

On Friday, Russian strikes killed 10 civilians in Idlib province, the hub of territory held by the jihadists of HTS in northwestern Syria.

Russia and rebel-backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to avert a massive government offensive on the Idlib region, but the deal has never been implemented.

The region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since HTS took full control of it in January.

The latest Russian air raids came after two days of talks on the Syrian conflict between Turkey, Russia and fellow government backer Iran in Kazakhstan earlier this week.

The three governments expressed concern over the growing power of HTS in Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces, and determination to cooperate to eliminate the jihadist group.

The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it began with the bloody repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Attacks by two jihadist groups killed at least 17 Syrian government troops and militiamen in the northern province of Aleppo early on Saturday, a war monitor said.

Attacks by two jihadist groups killed at least 17 Syrian government troops and militiamen in the northern province of Aleppo early on Saturday, a war monitor said. Thirty others were wounded in the assaults by Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and its ally Hurras al-Deen, which remains affiliated to the global jihadist network, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The attacks in the southern and southwestern countryside of Aleppo province were launched shortly after midnight and triggered clashes that continued until dawn, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. He said the fighting subsided after Russian aircraft struck jihadist positions in the area, prompting the fighters to pull back. Eight jihadists were killed, he added. Russia aircraft also carried out strikes in neighbouring Hama province early on Saturday, killing five civilians, the Observatory said. On Friday, Russian strikes killed 10 civilians in Idlib province, the hub of territory held by the jihadists of HTS in northwestern Syria. Russia and rebel-backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to avert a massive government offensive on the Idlib region, but the deal has never been implemented. The region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since HTS took full control of it in January. The latest Russian air raids came after two days of talks on the Syrian conflict between Turkey, Russia and fellow government backer Iran in Kazakhstan earlier this week. The three governments expressed concern over the growing power of HTS in Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces, and determination to cooperate to eliminate the jihadist group. The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it began with the bloody repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Jihadist attacks kill 17 Syria pro-regime fighters: Monitor

Momentous developments across North and East Africa suggest the long-drawn-out process of political transition in the region — as well as the Middle East — is still in its infancy. So too does popular discontent in Syria, despite eight years of war, as well as in Egypt, notwithstanding a 2013 military coup that rolled back the advances of protests in 2011 that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.

What developments across North Africa and the Middle East demonstrate is that the drivers of the 2011 Arab Spring that swept the region and forced the leaders of Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen to resign not only still exist, but constitute black swans that can upset the apple cart at any moment. The situation also suggests that the regional struggle between forces of change and ancient régimes and militaries backed by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia is far from decided. 
 
Algeria and Sudan

If anything, protesters in Algeria and Sudan have learned something from the failed 2011 results: Don’t trust militaries, even if they seemingly align themselves with demonstrators, and don’t surrender the street until protester demands have been met. Distrust of the military has prompted an increasing number of Sudanese protesters to question whether chanting “the people and the army are one” is still appropriate. Slogans such as “freedom, freedom” and “revolution, revolution” alongside calls on the military to protect the protesters have become more frequent.

The protests in Algeria and Sudan have entered a critical phase in which protesters and militaries — worried that they could be held accountable for decades of economic mismanagement, corruption and repression — are tapping in the dark. With protesters emboldened by their initial successes in forcing leaders to resign, both the demonstrators and the militaries, including officers with close ties to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are internally divided about how to proceed. Moreover, neither side has any real experience in managing the crossroads at which they find themselves, while it is dawning on the militaries that their tired playbooks are not producing results.

In a telling sign, Sudan’s interim leader, Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan, praised his country’s “special relationship” with Saudi Arabia and the UAE as he recently met with a Saudi-Emirati delegation at the military compound in Khartoum, a focal point of the protests. Saudi Arabia has expressed support for the protests, in what many suspect is part of an effort to ensure that Sudan does not become a symbol of the power of popular sovereignty and its ability to defeat autocracy.

Syria

The ultimate outcome of the dramatic developments in Algeria and Sudan and how the parties maneuver is likely to have far-reaching consequences in a region pockmarked by powder kegs ready to explode. Mounting anger as fuel shortages caused by Western sanctions against Syria and Iran bring life to a halt have sparked rare and widespread public criticism of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government. The anger is fueled by reports that government officials cut in line at petrol stations to fill up their tanks and buy rationed cooking gas and take more than is allowed.

Syria is Here, an anonymous Facebook page that reports on economics in government-controlled areas, took officials to task after state-run television showed the oil minister, Suleiman al-Abbas, touring petrol stations that showed no signs of shortage. “Is it so difficult to be transparent and forward? Would that undermine anyone’s prestige? We are a country facing sanctions and boycotted. The public knows and is aware,” the Facebook page charged.

The manager of Hashtag Syria, another Facebook page, was arrested when the site demanded that the oil ministry respond to reports of anticipated price hikes with comments rather than threats. The site charged that the ministry was punishing the manager “instead of dealing with the real problem.” Syrian journalist Danny Makki said, “It [Syria] is a pressure cooker.”

Egypt and Libya 
 
Similarly, authorities in Egypt, despite blocking its website, have been unable to stop an online petition against proposed constitutional amendments that could extend the rule of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi until 2034. The petition, entitled Batel (meaning “void” in Arabic), is, according to Netblocks — a group that maps web freedom — one of an estimated 34,000 websites blocked by Egyptian internet providers in a bid to stymie opposition to the amendments.

President Sisi is a reminder of how far Arab militaries and their Gulf backers are willing to go in defense of their vested interests in a bid to oppose popular sovereignty. Libyan renegade Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar is another. General Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) is attacking the capital Tripoli, the seat of the UN-recognised Libyan government that he and his Emirati, Saudi and Egyptian backers accuse of being dominated by Islamist terrorists.

The three Arab states’ military and financial support of Haftar is but the tip of the iceberg. 
 
The general has modeled his control of much of Libya on Sisi’s example of a military that not only dominates politics, but also the economy. As a result, the LNA is engaged in businesses ranging from waste management, metal scrap and waste export, and agricultural mega projects to the registration of migrant labor workers and control of ports, airports and other infrastructure. The LNA is also eyeing a role in the reconstruction of Benghazi and other war-devastated or underdeveloped regions.

What for now makes 2019 different from 2011 is that both sides of the divide realise that success depends on commitment to be in it for the long haul. Protesters also understand that trust in military assertions of support for the people can be self-defeating. They further grasp that they are up against a regional counterrevolution that has no scruples.

All of that gives today’s protesters a leg up on their counterparts from the Arab Spring of 2011. The jury is out on whether that will prove sufficient to succeed where the people of eight years ago failed. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The Fair Observer. Read the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/arab-world-algeria-sudan-protests-arab-spring-khalifa-haftar-libya-39083/">original article)</a>

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Momentous developments across North and East Africa suggest the long-drawn-out process of political transition in the region — as well as the Middle East — is still in its infancy.

Momentous developments across North and East Africa suggest the long-drawn-out process of political transition in the region — as well as the Middle East — is still in its infancy. So too does popular discontent in Syria, despite eight years of war, as well as in Egypt, notwithstanding a 2013 military coup that rolled back the advances of protests in 2011 that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. What developments across North Africa and the Middle East demonstrate is that the drivers of the 2011 Arab Spring that swept the region and forced the leaders of Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen to resign not only still exist, but constitute black swans that can upset the apple cart at any moment. The situation also suggests that the regional struggle between forces of change and ancient régimes and militaries backed by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia is far from decided. Algeria and Sudan If anything, protesters in Algeria and Sudan have learned something from the failed 2011 results: Don’t trust militaries, even if they seemingly align themselves with demonstrators, and don’t surrender the street until protester demands have been met. Distrust of the military has prompted an increasing number of Sudanese protesters to question whether chanting “the people and the army are one” is still appropriate. Slogans such as “freedom, freedom” and “revolution, revolution” alongside calls on the military to protect the protesters have become more frequent. The protests in Algeria and Sudan have entered a critical phase in which protesters and militaries — worried that they could be held accountable for decades of economic mismanagement, corruption and repression — are tapping in the dark. With protesters emboldened by their initial successes in forcing leaders to resign, both the demonstrators and the militaries, including officers with close ties to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are internally divided about how to proceed. Moreover, neither side has any real experience in managing the crossroads at which they find themselves, while it is dawning on the militaries that their tired playbooks are not producing results. In a telling sign, Sudan’s interim leader, Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan, praised his country’s “special relationship” with Saudi Arabia and the UAE as he recently met with a Saudi-Emirati delegation at the military compound in Khartoum, a focal point of the protests. Saudi Arabia has expressed support for the protests, in what many suspect is part of an effort to ensure that Sudan does not become a symbol of the power of popular sovereignty and its ability to defeat autocracy. Syria The ultimate outcome of the dramatic developments in Algeria and Sudan and how the parties maneuver is likely to have far-reaching consequences in a region pockmarked by powder kegs ready to explode. Mounting anger as fuel shortages caused by Western sanctions against Syria and Iran bring life to a halt have sparked rare and widespread public criticism of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government. The anger is fueled by reports that government officials cut in line at petrol stations to fill up their tanks and buy rationed cooking gas and take more than is allowed. Syria is Here, an anonymous Facebook page that reports on economics in government-controlled areas, took officials to task after state-run television showed the oil minister, Suleiman al-Abbas, touring petrol stations that showed no signs of shortage. “Is it so difficult to be transparent and forward? Would that undermine anyone’s prestige? We are a country facing sanctions and boycotted. The public knows and is aware,” the Facebook page charged. The manager of Hashtag Syria, another Facebook page, was arrested when the site demanded that the oil ministry respond to reports of anticipated price hikes with comments rather than threats. The site charged that the ministry was punishing the manager “instead of dealing with the real problem.” Syrian journalist Danny Makki said, “It [Syria] is a pressure cooker.” Egypt and Libya Similarly, authorities in Egypt, despite blocking its website, have been unable to stop an online petition against proposed constitutional amendments that could extend the rule of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi until 2034. The petition, entitled Batel (meaning “void” in Arabic), is, according to Netblocks — a group that maps web freedom — one of an estimated 34,000 websites blocked by Egyptian internet providers in a bid to stymie opposition to the amendments. President Sisi is a reminder of how far Arab militaries and their Gulf backers are willing to go in defense of their vested interests in a bid to oppose popular sovereignty. Libyan renegade Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar is another. General Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) is attacking the capital Tripoli, the seat of the UN-recognised Libyan government that he and his Emirati, Saudi and Egyptian backers accuse of being dominated by Islamist terrorists. The three Arab states’ military and financial support of Haftar is but the tip of the iceberg. The general has modeled his control of much of Libya on Sisi’s example of a military that not only dominates politics, but also the economy. As a result, the LNA is engaged in businesses ranging from waste management, metal scrap and waste export, and agricultural mega projects to the registration of migrant labor workers and control of ports, airports and other infrastructure. The LNA is also eyeing a role in the reconstruction of Benghazi and other war-devastated or underdeveloped regions. What for now makes 2019 different from 2011 is that both sides of the divide realise that success depends on commitment to be in it for the long haul. Protesters also understand that trust in military assertions of support for the people can be self-defeating. They further grasp that they are up against a regional counterrevolution that has no scruples. All of that gives today’s protesters a leg up on their counterparts from the Arab Spring of 2011. The jury is out on whether that will prove sufficient to succeed where the people of eight years ago failed. (This article was originally published on The Fair Observer. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

The Battle for the future of the Arab World

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anti-haftar-forces-near-libya-capital-launch-counter-attack-212186">Anti-Haftar forces near Libya capital launch counter-attack</a>

Forces loyal to Libya's unity government announced Saturday a counter-attack against military strongman&nbsp;Khalifa Haftar's fighters, as clashes south of the capital Tripoli intensified.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/attack-at-government-office-building-kills-11-in-kabul-212189">Attack at government office building kills 11 in Kabul</a>

Eleven people were killed and eight civilians wounded after assailants armed with guns, grenades and suicide bomb jackets stormed an 18-story&nbsp;government office building in Afghanistan's capital&nbsp;of Kabul on Saturday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-comedian-eyes-presidency-ukraine-braces-for-uncertain-future-212184">As comedian eyes presidency, Ukraine braces for uncertain future</a>

Ukraine readied Saturday for a change in leadership as a young comedian appeared set to crush his incumbent rival in presidential polls, delivering a stinging rebuke to the old elite.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/50-syrian-soldiers-killed-in-is-attacks-212191">50 Syrian soldiers killed in Islamic State attacks</a>

At least 50 Syrian soldiers have been killed in attacks carried out by Islamic State and al Qaeda in the last few days, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-30000-displaced-in-libya-after-haftar-offensive-212187">Over 30,000 displaced in Libya after Haftar offensive</a>

Expressing "grave concern" over the violation of International Humanitarian Law in Libya, United Nations said nearly 30,200 people have been displaced so far amid&nbsp;hostilities in the country.

Anti-Haftar forces near Libya capital launch counter-attack Forces loyal to Libya's unity government announced Saturday a counter-attack against military strongman Khalifa Haftar's fighters, as clashes south of the capital Tripoli intensified.

Anti-Haftar forces near Libya capital launch counter-attack Forces loyal to Libya's unity government announced Saturday a counter-attack against military strongman Khalifa Haftar's fighters, as clashes south of the capital Tripoli intensified. Attack at government office building kills 11 in Kabul Eleven people were killed and eight civilians wounded after assailants armed with guns, grenades and suicide bomb jackets stormed an 18-story government office building in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Saturday. As comedian eyes presidency, Ukraine braces for uncertain future Ukraine readied Saturday for a change in leadership as a young comedian appeared set to crush his incumbent rival in presidential polls, delivering a stinging rebuke to the old elite. 50 Syrian soldiers killed in Islamic State attacks At least 50 Syrian soldiers have been killed in attacks carried out by Islamic State and al Qaeda in the last few days, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday. Over 30,000 displaced in Libya after Haftar offensive Expressing "grave concern" over the violation of International Humanitarian Law in Libya, United Nations said nearly 30,200 people have been displaced so far amid hostilities in the country.

News brief: Big stories of the day

At least 50 Syrian soldiers have been killed in attacks carried out by Islamic State and al Qaeda in the last few days, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday.

According to Al Jazeera, IS on Thursday attacked Syrian forces in central Homs. The clash lasted two days leaving 27 soldiers dead till Saturday.

The IS has lost its territory in Syria in March, however, fighters remain active in the desert where they have taken refuge and increasingly target government troops and allies` militia.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) last month announced that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) has lost its last stronghold, Baghouz, in eastern Syria.

"Syrian Democratic Forces declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and 100 per cent territorial defeat of ISIS. On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made victory possible," tweeted Mustafa Bali, head of SDF press office.

The terror group had once controlled vast territories of land stretching from western Syria to eastern Iraq.

At least 50 Syrian soldiers have been killed in attacks carried out by Islamic State and al Qaeda in the last few days, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday.

At least 50 Syrian soldiers have been killed in attacks carried out by Islamic State and al Qaeda in the last few days, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday. According to Al Jazeera, IS on Thursday attacked Syrian forces in central Homs. The clash lasted two days leaving 27 soldiers dead till Saturday. The IS has lost its territory in Syria in March, however, fighters remain active in the desert where they have taken refuge and increasingly target government troops and allies` militia. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) last month announced that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) has lost its last stronghold, Baghouz, in eastern Syria. "Syrian Democratic Forces declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and 100 per cent territorial defeat of ISIS. On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made victory possible," tweeted Mustafa Bali, head of SDF press office. The terror group had once controlled vast territories of land stretching from western Syria to eastern Iraq.

50 Syrian soldiers killed in Islamic State attacks

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-condemns-sri-lanka-attacks-as-such-cruel-violence-212289">Pope Francis on Sunday</a> urged world leaders to try again to bring peace to Libya and in Syria where millions of refugees and people displaced by conflict should be helped to return home.

In his traditional Easter Sunday address to the faithful at the Vatican, where some 70,000 were gathered in Saint Peter's square, the pope also expressed his "sadness" at news of the deadly bomb attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka.

Francis noted how in Libya violence has flared up again as strongman Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army attacked Tripoli, seat of the UN-backed government.

"May conflict and bloodshed cease in Libya, where defenceless people are once more dying in recent weeks," Francis said.

"I urge the parties involved to choose dialogue over force and to avoid reopening wounds left by a decade of conflicts and political instability."

In Syria, where President Bashar Al-Assad has steadily recovered territory lost to rebel groups, the pope lamented the fate of "the beloved Syrian people, victims of an ongoing conflict to which we risk becoming ever more resigned and even indifferent."

"Now is instead the time for a renewed commitment for a political solution able to respond to people’s legitimate hopes for freedom, peace and justice, confront the humanitarian crisis and favour the secure re-entry of the homeless, along with all those who have taken refuge in neighbouring countries, especially Lebanon and Jordan."

The Pope noted how Easter, the holiest Christian festival, "makes us keep our eyes fixed on the Middle East, torn by continuing divisions and tensions."

Turning to South Sudan, Pope Francis urged rival leaders President Salva Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar -- who met recently at the Vatican -- to sink their differences to pursue national reconciliation.

On Saturday, Kiir called on Machar to return home "urgently" to help form a government of national unity.&nbsp;

Pope Francis on Sunday urged world leaders to try again to bring peace to Libya and in Syria where millions of refugees and people displaced by conflict should be helped to return home.

Pope Francis on Sunday urged world leaders to try again to bring peace to Libya and in Syria where millions of refugees and people displaced by conflict should be helped to return home. In his traditional Easter Sunday address to the faithful at the Vatican, where some 70,000 were gathered in Saint Peter's square, the pope also expressed his "sadness" at news of the deadly bomb attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. Francis noted how in Libya violence has flared up again as strongman Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army attacked Tripoli, seat of the UN-backed government. "May conflict and bloodshed cease in Libya, where defenceless people are once more dying in recent weeks," Francis said. "I urge the parties involved to choose dialogue over force and to avoid reopening wounds left by a decade of conflicts and political instability." In Syria, where President Bashar Al-Assad has steadily recovered territory lost to rebel groups, the pope lamented the fate of "the beloved Syrian people, victims of an ongoing conflict to which we risk becoming ever more resigned and even indifferent." "Now is instead the time for a renewed commitment for a political solution able to respond to people’s legitimate hopes for freedom, peace and justice, confront the humanitarian crisis and favour the secure re-entry of the homeless, along with all those who have taken refuge in neighbouring countries, especially Lebanon and Jordan." The Pope noted how Easter, the holiest Christian festival, "makes us keep our eyes fixed on the Middle East, torn by continuing divisions and tensions." Turning to South Sudan, Pope Francis urged rival leaders President Salva Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar -- who met recently at the Vatican -- to sink their differences to pursue national reconciliation. On Saturday, Kiir called on Machar to return home "urgently" to help form a government of national unity.

Pope Francis urges Libya peace, return of refugees to Syria

An attack Saturday by jihadists linked to<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/bomb-attack-kills-13-in-syrias-raqa-war-monitor-209122&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjcvYbuxN7hAhWBN48KHYBAD0AQFggHMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1B560mzFpnl_OMZZD_oDN3"> Syria</a>'s former<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/al-qaeda-linked-syria-group-kills-21-regime-forces-monitor-200898&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjj4vyLxd7hAhXBu48KHaLjBcoQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1_KLqCPzZ_Xn2PJLFcxCd9"> Al-Qaeda</a> affiliate killed 13 regime fighters on the outskirts of the northern city of Aleppo, a war monitor said.

A faction linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham "early Saturday attacked checkpoints and positions of regime forces on the western outskirts of Aleppo city", the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Heavy fighting and shelling broke out between both sides, so far "killing at least 13 regime troops and allies fighters", the Britain-based monitoring group said.

The ongoing clashes have also taken the lives of at least eight members of the Abu Bakr Al-Sadeeq Army jihadist faction, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman added.

Islamist and jihadist factions control the countryside to the west of Aleppo, which is part of the broader Idlib region under the administrative control of HTS.

That region is in theory protected from a massive regime military offensive by a deal inked in September by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey.

But the accord has unwound as HTS took full control of the region in January after defeating rival rebels, and the area has come under increasing bombardment.&nbsp;

The Observatory said Saturday's attack came after regime bombardment overnight hit the western part of Aleppo province and the southeastern part of Idlib province.

A planned buffer zone around the region was never fully implemented as jihadists refused to withdraw from it.

President Bashar al-Assad's troops have managed to claw back some two-thirds of the country since Russia intervened militarily in 2015, but Idlib remains beyond regime control.&nbsp;

On Friday, Assad insisted the main aim of the Idlib deal was to "eliminate terrorists" after they failed to pull out from the planned demilitarised area.

He urged progress on removing "obstacles" to the stalled deal ahead of talks to be attended by Russia, fellow ally Iran, and Turkey next week in Kazakhstan.

Saturday's attack comes after the Observatory reported that the Islamic State group had killed at least 35 regime fighters in 48 hours in the country's Badia desert further south.

They were the deadliest attacks since US-backed forces announced the defeat of that jihadist group's "caliphate" on the border with Iraq last month.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since the conflict began with the repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

An attack Saturday by jihadists linked to Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate killed 13 regime fighters on the outskirts of the northern city of Aleppo, a war monitor said.

An attack Saturday by jihadists linked to Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate killed 13 regime fighters on the outskirts of the northern city of Aleppo, a war monitor said. A faction linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham "early Saturday attacked checkpoints and positions of regime forces on the western outskirts of Aleppo city", the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Heavy fighting and shelling broke out between both sides, so far "killing at least 13 regime troops and allies fighters", the Britain-based monitoring group said. The ongoing clashes have also taken the lives of at least eight members of the Abu Bakr Al-Sadeeq Army jihadist faction, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman added. Islamist and jihadist factions control the countryside to the west of Aleppo, which is part of the broader Idlib region under the administrative control of HTS. That region is in theory protected from a massive regime military offensive by a deal inked in September by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey. But the accord has unwound as HTS took full control of the region in January after defeating rival rebels, and the area has come under increasing bombardment. The Observatory said Saturday's attack came after regime bombardment overnight hit the western part of Aleppo province and the southeastern part of Idlib province. A planned buffer zone around the region was never fully implemented as jihadists refused to withdraw from it. President Bashar al-Assad's troops have managed to claw back some two-thirds of the country since Russia intervened militarily in 2015, but Idlib remains beyond regime control. On Friday, Assad insisted the main aim of the Idlib deal was to "eliminate terrorists" after they failed to pull out from the planned demilitarised area. He urged progress on removing "obstacles" to the stalled deal ahead of talks to be attended by Russia, fellow ally Iran, and Turkey next week in Kazakhstan. Saturday's attack comes after the Observatory reported that the Islamic State group had killed at least 35 regime fighters in 48 hours in the country's Badia desert further south. They were the deadliest attacks since US-backed forces announced the defeat of that jihadist group's "caliphate" on the border with Iraq last month. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since the conflict began with the repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Jihadist attack kills 13 regime fighters in north Syria: Monitor

Several Russian envoys met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and discussed a constitutional committee, trade, as well as the ways to improve Syria's relations with neighbouring Arab countries, Russia's Foreign Ministry said.

Formation of a constitutional committee is key to political reforms and new elections meant to unify Syria and end an eight-year war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced about half of Syria's pre-war 22 million population.

Syria's opposition last year agreed to join the process of rewriting the constitution under UN&nbsp;auspices following a peacemaking conference in the Russian city of Sochi.

Russia has been a close ally of Assad and in 2015 launched a military intervention there to support his forces, turning the tide of the war in Assad's favour.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Friday that Assad met Russia's Syria envoy Alexander Lavrentiev, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin and several Russian Defence Ministry officials.

Separately, Interfax news agency, citing the Russian government, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov would meet Assad in Damascus later on Saturday to talk about cooperation in trade and economy.

&nbsp;

Several Russian envoys met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and discussed a constitutional committee, trade, as well as the ways to improve Syria's relations with neighbouring Arab countries, Russia's Foreign Ministry said.

Several Russian envoys met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and discussed a constitutional committee, trade, as well as the ways to improve Syria's relations with neighbouring Arab countries, Russia's Foreign Ministry said. Formation of a constitutional committee is key to political reforms and new elections meant to unify Syria and end an eight-year war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced about half of Syria's pre-war 22 million population. Syria's opposition last year agreed to join the process of rewriting the constitution under UN auspices following a peacemaking conference in the Russian city of Sochi. Russia has been a close ally of Assad and in 2015 launched a military intervention there to support his forces, turning the tide of the war in Assad's favour. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Friday that Assad met Russia's Syria envoy Alexander Lavrentiev, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin and several Russian Defence Ministry officials. Separately, Interfax news agency, citing the Russian government, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov would meet Assad in Damascus later on Saturday to talk about cooperation in trade and economy.

Russian envoys meet Syria's Assad, discuss post-war efforts, trade

President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hosted representatives of the Kurdish-led force that defeated <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-at-least-six-killed-seven-wounded-in-rocket-fire-launched-by-jihadists-210420">Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syri</a>a, assuring them of France's support in the fight against remaining jihadists.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had in late March flushed out IS from their last bastion in Syria but still warn the jihadists remain a threat in places.

The SDF is an umbrella force of Kurds and Arabs dominated by Kurds from the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia. It is regarded with huge distrust by neighbouring Turkey which sees the YPG as a terror group.&nbsp;

Macron assured the SDF representatives, who were not named, of the "active support of France in the fight against Daesh which continues to be a menace for collective security," the presidency said in a statement, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Particularly important was the support in the "handling of terrorist fighters held as prisoners along with their families."

European capitals are all keeping a careful eye on the IS prisoners held by the SDF after the defeat of the jihadists, given many are dual nationals.

Macron also vowed that financial support would be allocated to "respond to the humanitarian needs and the socio-economic stabilisation of civilian populations in Syria."

The SDF were the key ally of the West in defeating IS and waged the bulk of the fighting on the ground.

But they fear being abandoned by their patrons now IS is beaten, after US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of American forces from Syria.&nbsp;

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had in April announced $1.1 million&nbsp;in humanitarian aid for camps housing displaced people, notably Al-Hol which holds thousands of women and children who lived in IS-held areas.

France's past contacts with the SDF's Syrian Kurds have angered Turkey, which regards the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The PKK has waged a 35-year insurrection against the Turkish state.

Macron also made clear of the importance to Paris of "the security of Turkey and a de-escalation along the Syrian-Turkish border," the presidency said.

President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hosted representatives of the Kurdish-led force that defeated Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria, assuring them of France's support in the fight against remaining jihadists.

President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hosted representatives of the Kurdish-led force that defeated Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria, assuring them of France's support in the fight against remaining jihadists. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had in late March flushed out IS from their last bastion in Syria but still warn the jihadists remain a threat in places. The SDF is an umbrella force of Kurds and Arabs dominated by Kurds from the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia. It is regarded with huge distrust by neighbouring Turkey which sees the YPG as a terror group. Macron assured the SDF representatives, who were not named, of the "active support of France in the fight against Daesh which continues to be a menace for collective security," the presidency said in a statement, using an Arabic acronym for IS. Particularly important was the support in the "handling of terrorist fighters held as prisoners along with their families." European capitals are all keeping a careful eye on the IS prisoners held by the SDF after the defeat of the jihadists, given many are dual nationals. Macron also vowed that financial support would be allocated to "respond to the humanitarian needs and the socio-economic stabilisation of civilian populations in Syria." The SDF were the key ally of the West in defeating IS and waged the bulk of the fighting on the ground. But they fear being abandoned by their patrons now IS is beaten, after US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of American forces from Syria. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had in April announced $1.1 million in humanitarian aid for camps housing displaced people, notably Al-Hol which holds thousands of women and children who lived in IS-held areas. France's past contacts with the SDF's Syrian Kurds have angered Turkey, which regards the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The PKK has waged a 35-year insurrection against the Turkish state. Macron also made clear of the importance to Paris of "the security of Turkey and a de-escalation along the Syrian-Turkish border," the presidency said.

Macron meets Syrian Kurds, vows French support in fight against Islamic State

Regime shelling killed seven civilians in<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-at-least-six-killed-seven-wounded-in-rocket-fire-launched-by-jihadists-210420"> Syria's jihadist-controlled Idlib</a> region on Thursday, in the latest violence to threaten a seven-month-old truce, a war monitor said.

Rocket fire targeted a village and an adjacent camp for the internally displaced in Idlib's southeastern countryside, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Two women and three children were among the seven civilians killed, the monitor said.

Another 30 people were wounded, it said.

Regime ally Russia and rebel-backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to prevent a massive regime offensive on the Idlib region, near the Turkish border.

But the region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took full control of it in January.

The UN has expressed concern over escalating violence, warning that the flare-up is threatening aid deliveries to some 2.7 million people in need.

More than 86,500 people fled their homes in February and March as a result of the surge in violence, it said.

Iran, Russia and Turkey are set to discuss the Idlib deal during a fresh round of talks on April 25-26 in Kazakhstan.

Delegations from the Syrian regime and armed opposition groups are also expected to participate, according to the Kazakh foreign ministry.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif this week visited Damascus and met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

The trio of foreign brokers have taken the diplomatic lead through the so-called "Astana process" that has largely sidelined UN diplomacy since its launch in January 2017.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since the conflict began with the repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Regime shelling killed seven civilians in Syria's jihadist-controlled Idlib region on Thursday, in the latest violence to threaten a seven-month-old truce, a war monitor said.

Regime shelling killed seven civilians in Syria's jihadist-controlled Idlib region on Thursday, in the latest violence to threaten a seven-month-old truce, a war monitor said. Rocket fire targeted a village and an adjacent camp for the internally displaced in Idlib's southeastern countryside, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Two women and three children were among the seven civilians killed, the monitor said. Another 30 people were wounded, it said. Regime ally Russia and rebel-backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to prevent a massive regime offensive on the Idlib region, near the Turkish border. But the region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took full control of it in January. The UN has expressed concern over escalating violence, warning that the flare-up is threatening aid deliveries to some 2.7 million people in need. More than 86,500 people fled their homes in February and March as a result of the surge in violence, it said. Iran, Russia and Turkey are set to discuss the Idlib deal during a fresh round of talks on April 25-26 in Kazakhstan. Delegations from the Syrian regime and armed opposition groups are also expected to participate, according to the Kazakh foreign ministry. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif this week visited Damascus and met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. The trio of foreign brokers have taken the diplomatic lead through the so-called "Astana process" that has largely sidelined UN diplomacy since its launch in January 2017. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since the conflict began with the repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Army shelling kills seven in Syria's Idlib: Monitor

New Zealand revealed Monday that it had dispatched a special forces unit to Syria to search for nurse Louisa Akavi who was abducted by the Islamic State group more than five years ago.

Details of the kidnapping had been kept under wraps until the International Committee of the Red Cross appealed on Sunday for news about 62-year-old Akavi and two Syrian drivers kidnapped with her in October 2013.

They were in a Red Cross convoy delivering supplies to medical facilities in Idlib, northwest Syria when armed men stopped the vehicles and abducted seven people. Four were released the next day.&nbsp;

New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said information about the kidnapping had not been previously released for fear that any publicity would place them at greater risk.

But he said it was believed Akavi was still held by IS and there were ongoing operations to locate her which included the deployment of a small multi-agency team based in Iraq.

"This has involved members of the NZDF (New Zealand defence force) drawn from the Special Operations Force, and personnel have visited Syria from time to time as required," Peters said.

"This non-combat team was specifically focused on locating Louisa and identifying opportunities to recover her."

The New York Times has reported the Red Cross has reason to believe she is alive because at least two people described seeing her in December at a clinic in Sousa, one of the final villages to be held by IS jihadists.

Some of the witnesses said they saw her performing medical duties at clinics and hospitals under IS control, indicating that she was no longer held in a cell and was able to use her nursing skills to win a modicum of freedom.

New Zealand revealed Monday that it had dispatched a special forces unit to Syria to search for nurse Louisa Akavi who was abducted by the Islamic State group more than five years ago.

New Zealand revealed Monday that it had dispatched a special forces unit to Syria to search for nurse Louisa Akavi who was abducted by the Islamic State group more than five years ago. Details of the kidnapping had been kept under wraps until the International Committee of the Red Cross appealed on Sunday for news about 62-year-old Akavi and two Syrian drivers kidnapped with her in October 2013. They were in a Red Cross convoy delivering supplies to medical facilities in Idlib, northwest Syria when armed men stopped the vehicles and abducted seven people. Four were released the next day. New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said information about the kidnapping had not been previously released for fear that any publicity would place them at greater risk. But he said it was believed Akavi was still held by IS and there were ongoing operations to locate her which included the deployment of a small multi-agency team based in Iraq. "This has involved members of the NZDF (New Zealand defence force) drawn from the Special Operations Force, and personnel have visited Syria from time to time as required," Peters said. "This non-combat team was specifically focused on locating Louisa and identifying opportunities to recover her." The New York Times has reported the Red Cross has reason to believe she is alive because at least two people described seeing her in December at a clinic in Sousa, one of the final villages to be held by IS jihadists. Some of the witnesses said they saw her performing medical duties at clinics and hospitals under IS control, indicating that she was no longer held in a cell and was able to use her nursing skills to win a modicum of freedom.

Special forces in search for New Zealand nurse held hostage by Islamic State

By Jonathan Hall

Involved in armed conflicts on two fronts, in eastern Ukraine and Syria, the Russian Federation’s dual campaigns are often closely associated with one another. Experts looking at Russia’s ongoing operations in the Syrian Civil War often attempt to link them to the conflict in Ukraine. In doing so, analysts and policymakers may inadvertently fail to see the full range of consequences the renewed Russian presence in the Middle East brings. This in no way implies a lack of relationship between the two, but rather that the economic and political benefits Moscow is reaping should be appreciated before such a causal relationship can be understood.

Two main factors of Russia’s intervention in Syria will affect future calculi between interlocutors attempting to resolve the war in the Donbas region and the illegal annexation of Crimea. The first factor that needs addressing is the near-term consequences. Because of its military cooperation with Bashar al-Assad’s regime and other regional players, Moscow has managed to secure billions of dollars from states in the Middle East such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Along with rising global oil prices, Russia has further insulated itself against Western sanctions.

The second implication is the geopolitical importance of Russia’s growing presence in the region, which it is utilising to cast influence throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Its significance comes in the shape of a favorable bargaining position within and without the Minsk framework (for the resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine) for two reasons: geoeconomic clout vis-à-vis the energy market and political leverage over the European Union as it attempts to manage issues related to immigration flows from the MENA region.&nbsp;

Inextricably Linked

September 30, 2015, marked the beginning of Russia’s official involvement in Syria at the request of President Assad, opening with airstrikes around the cities of Homs and Hama in western Syria against the mainstream opposition forces. With the war in eastern Ukraine already being waged for over a year at that point, the two conflicts have since been inextricably linked. Some analysts posit that Russia’s incursion into Syria serves the same purpose as prior aggressions in Ukraine, namely dismantling the current Western-led world order that has been in place since World War II.

Concerning this link, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin likely knew he would be able to use any gains in the Middle East in his favour concerning Ukraine. However, these gains, when seen through a wider lens than just the regional context of Ukraine, provide a clearer analysis of the economically and geopolitically revitalised bargaining position given to the Kremlin on issues with transatlantic partners writ large and, therefore, certainly concerning Donbas and Crimea.

Throughout 2014, as US and EU sanctions began to accumulate, the ruble was at one point devalued by roughly 50 per cent. While Moscow has reclaimed some economic stability, the strength of the Russian currency, which is currently priced at 65 against the US dollar, is no where near its former status of around 35 rubles against the dollar.

While sanctions have certainly hurt Russia’s economy, the drop in the global oil prices had a much more significant effect. Russia’s long-term budget projections placed oil above $100 per barrel; however, at certain points in 2016, the price fell below $30. Moscow’s economic difficulties were further compounded by the budgetary pressures self-imposed by its activities in Ukraine, as well as the economic shock experienced during the 2008-09 global financial crisis that drained central reserves. Even if the sanctions were never imposed, some suggest the Kremlin would still have found itself in a difficult position.

Irrespective of sanctions staying in place, last year the State Duma reviewed the federal budget and projected a surplus of 0.5 per cent of GDP, equating to around $7.7 billion. This was the first expected surplus since 2011, which displays the preponderant effect of oil over Western sanctions given that 2012 marked the beginning of a drop in global oil prices. The World Bank confirmed such reports, forecasting 1.5 per cent&nbsp;GDP growth in 2018, followed by an increase of 1.8 per cent&nbsp;from 2019-20.

Entering Syria

Although the financial losses due to sanctions have not had the same effect as declining oil prices, they have certainly taken their toll. Resumed business with the EU and the US would be the best-case scenario for Russia. However, this would only begin to be a possibility after the Kremlin put forth a concerted effort to work with the international community to bring about peace in the region.

Moscow, however, understands that an abrupt end to the fighting in Donbas, in which it has only marginally admitted involvement, would be highly unlikely, especially while trying to save face on both the international stage as well as in front of domestic audiences. Given this reality, Russia appears fully committed to increasing relations in the Middle East not only militarily, but also economically, as part of its eastward pivot toward the MENA region and Asia. 
 
Important to note is that on the list of sanctioned individuals and entities is Vnesheconombank (VEB), of which Russia’s sovereign wealth fund (SWF), the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), is a fully owned subsidiary. Put simply, SWFs serve as state-owned instruments in public finance. Largely funded by revenues from commodity exports or from foreign exchange reserves in a state’s central bank, SWFs may be used to invest globally. As such, Russia has begun to circumvent the economic hardship of sanctions and severed business partnerships in the West by contractually binding itself to other sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East.

While not an exhaustive list of SWF partnerships, the following are the most lucrative of contracts set up through the RDIF, which represent short-term financial reprieve and long-term economic bargaining power for the Kremlin: the Qatari Investment Authority has committed over $2.5 billion in assets to Russia, mostly within Russia’s oil giant Rosneft; Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund invested $10 billion, mostly focused on technology and energy; and Abu Dhabi, for its part, has set up a $3 billion fund with the RDIF, focused on developing Russia’s southern infrastructure and agricultural sectors. 
 
Arms Sales

Apart from direct SWF investment, Russia’s arms industry has also received a huge boon since Russia commenced military operations in Syria. The importance of this can be seen from former deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, stating that “arms sales are the most important element of Moscow’s relations with other countries.” For example, in 2009 Moscow sold roughly $9 billion in arms to the MENA region. In 2016, that number rose to $21.4 billion. With the MENA region quickly becoming Russia’s most profitable destination in terms of exporting arms, behind Asia, the correlation of foreign policy interests is clear.

The Kremlin has used the war as effective advertising from the very beginning. In early October, shortly after Russia officially entered the war on behalf of Assad’s regime, Moscow fired 26 cruise missiles from its Caspian Sea flotilla, hitting various targets in Syria. Although it could be argued that the same objective could have been carried out through military capabilities already in-country, Russia was able to broadcast its new technology on a global scale.

Shortly after, customers from the Middle East and abroad began to line up to buy various weapons systems. The key example of this success would be Tehran resuming its position as a top-tier client following the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (and Russia’s assistance in the process) placing weapon orders to the sum of $10 billion.

For the near future, any economic gains achieved by the Russian Federation may directly affect its position moving forward concerning Ukraine. The Kremlin has been hemorrhaging money in backing separatist activities and financing its own operations in Donbas and Crimea. Arms sales and economic partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa will provide the monetary reprieve Russia needs to shield itself from the financial backlash currently being sustained. 
 
Longterm Benefits

While economic deals amongst SWFs and recent increases in arms sales provide Russia assistance in the near-term to face the previous shock to global oil prices as well as Western sanctions, the mid to long-term implications of Russia’s involvement in the Syrian Civil War are the most important to analyze. In terms of bilateral cooperation in the Middle East, relations with Iran are the most important for Russia. A major consumer of Russian arms, Moscow sees Tehran as a “regional superpower” given Iran’s extensive involvement in the war in Syria, its support for Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as the question of its future nuclear capabilities.

Russia also views Tehran as a reliable partner with whom it can successfully counter the US presence in the Black Sea, the Caspian region and the Middle East, in addition to controlling Sunni extremism within Russia’s near-abroad — the North Caucasus and Central Asia. While the war in Syria will eventually come to an end, Russia has now successfully locked itself into the region through its access to the Syrian port of Tartus and the Khmeimim airbase, which it will maintain for at least the next 48 years.

The geopolitical importance of Russia’s permanent military presence in the region, in concert with growing forms of economic cooperation, may be better realized through discussion of the north-south corridor. Introduced by President Putin in 2007, this strategic initiative is based upon a mixture of financial planning and political enterprise. Moscow’s goal with the so-called north-south corridor is to utilize its partnerships in the Middle East and create a staging ground for further economic and political cooperation in Africa and the “global south.”

One example of this is a deal likely brokered thanks to SWF investments in Abu Dhabi’s defense sector for Moscow to create an air hub in the UAE. Through this hub, Russia will be able to deliver infrastructure projects and humanitarian aid.

Should Russia continue to gain political clout throughout the MENA region, the European Union may find itself dealing with Russia as its main interlocutor for issues such as the ongoing refugee crisis. In many European countries, issues concerning migration flows are dominating the discourse in the media and political spheres. Domestic political concerns will likely take precedence over the war in Ukraine. Therefore, Russia’s ability to provide concessions — for example through growing its influence in Libya — to work with the EU in dealing with migration may, in turn, lead to unfavorable tradeoffs for Ukraine.&nbsp;

The trends regarding military and economic cooperation between Russia and its Middle Eastern partners may have begun well before the annexation of Crimea. However, it is apparent that Western sanctions and political pressure have since driven the Kremlin farther east, accelerating its efforts. This divergence does not appear to be coming solely out of desperation after the loss of Western investment, but rather because of the real promise Moscow sees in its increasingly eastward-leaning strategic focus.

Russia’s enlarged presence in the Middle East, particularly as it relates to renewed ties with Iran and the potential access this will give the Kremlin to developments in Africa, clearly displays the war in Syria as just the beginning.

Any increased influence in these regions will come at the expense of transatlantic partners and will shift bargaining positions when it comes to its dealings with Russia, namely as it pertains to Ukraine. If these trends persist, in addition to rising oil prices, some rethinking will be required when it comes to countering Russia in Ukraine as sanctions may become less and less relevant. If this is the case, expect the Russian Federation to become economically more viable, geographically more influential and, as a result, perhaps more aggressive in eastern Ukraine.

 
(Jonathan Hall is a security and political risk analyst focused on Eurasian geopolitics, military affairs, and emerging technologies)

(This article was originally published on The Fair Observer. Read the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/western-sanctions-russia-economy-syria-ukraine-middle-east-news-00171/">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) &nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

By Jonathan Hall Involved in armed conflicts on two fronts, in eastern Ukraine and Syria, the Russian Federation’s dual campaigns are often closely associated with one another.

By Jonathan Hall Involved in armed conflicts on two fronts, in eastern Ukraine and Syria, the Russian Federation’s dual campaigns are often closely associated with one another. Experts looking at Russia’s ongoing operations in the Syrian Civil War often attempt to link them to the conflict in Ukraine. In doing so, analysts and policymakers may inadvertently fail to see the full range of consequences the renewed Russian presence in the Middle East brings. This in no way implies a lack of relationship between the two, but rather that the economic and political benefits Moscow is reaping should be appreciated before such a causal relationship can be understood. Two main factors of Russia’s intervention in Syria will affect future calculi between interlocutors attempting to resolve the war in the Donbas region and the illegal annexation of Crimea. The first factor that needs addressing is the near-term consequences. Because of its military cooperation with Bashar al-Assad’s regime and other regional players, Moscow has managed to secure billions of dollars from states in the Middle East such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Along with rising global oil prices, Russia has further insulated itself against Western sanctions. The second implication is the geopolitical importance of Russia’s growing presence in the region, which it is utilising to cast influence throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Its significance comes in the shape of a favorable bargaining position within and without the Minsk framework (for the resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine) for two reasons: geoeconomic clout vis-à-vis the energy market and political leverage over the European Union as it attempts to manage issues related to immigration flows from the MENA region. Inextricably Linked September 30, 2015, marked the beginning of Russia’s official involvement in Syria at the request of President Assad, opening with airstrikes around the cities of Homs and Hama in western Syria against the mainstream opposition forces. With the war in eastern Ukraine already being waged for over a year at that point, the two conflicts have since been inextricably linked. Some analysts posit that Russia’s incursion into Syria serves the same purpose as prior aggressions in Ukraine, namely dismantling the current Western-led world order that has been in place since World War II. Concerning this link, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin likely knew he would be able to use any gains in the Middle East in his favour concerning Ukraine. However, these gains, when seen through a wider lens than just the regional context of Ukraine, provide a clearer analysis of the economically and geopolitically revitalised bargaining position given to the Kremlin on issues with transatlantic partners writ large and, therefore, certainly concerning Donbas and Crimea. Throughout 2014, as US and EU sanctions began to accumulate, the ruble was at one point devalued by roughly 50 per cent. While Moscow has reclaimed some economic stability, the strength of the Russian currency, which is currently priced at 65 against the US dollar, is no where near its former status of around 35 rubles against the dollar. While sanctions have certainly hurt Russia’s economy, the drop in the global oil prices had a much more significant effect. Russia’s long-term budget projections placed oil above $100 per barrel; however, at certain points in 2016, the price fell below $30. Moscow’s economic difficulties were further compounded by the budgetary pressures self-imposed by its activities in Ukraine, as well as the economic shock experienced during the 2008-09 global financial crisis that drained central reserves. Even if the sanctions were never imposed, some suggest the Kremlin would still have found itself in a difficult position. Irrespective of sanctions staying in place, last year the State Duma reviewed the federal budget and projected a surplus of 0.5 per cent of GDP, equating to around $7.7 billion. This was the first expected surplus since 2011, which displays the preponderant effect of oil over Western sanctions given that 2012 marked the beginning of a drop in global oil prices. The World Bank confirmed such reports, forecasting 1.5 per cent GDP growth in 2018, followed by an increase of 1.8 per cent from 2019-20. Entering Syria Although the financial losses due to sanctions have not had the same effect as declining oil prices, they have certainly taken their toll. Resumed business with the EU and the US would be the best-case scenario for Russia. However, this would only begin to be a possibility after the Kremlin put forth a concerted effort to work with the international community to bring about peace in the region. Moscow, however, understands that an abrupt end to the fighting in Donbas, in which it has only marginally admitted involvement, would be highly unlikely, especially while trying to save face on both the international stage as well as in front of domestic audiences. Given this reality, Russia appears fully committed to increasing relations in the Middle East not only militarily, but also economically, as part of its eastward pivot toward the MENA region and Asia. Important to note is that on the list of sanctioned individuals and entities is Vnesheconombank (VEB), of which Russia’s sovereign wealth fund (SWF), the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), is a fully owned subsidiary. Put simply, SWFs serve as state-owned instruments in public finance. Largely funded by revenues from commodity exports or from foreign exchange reserves in a state’s central bank, SWFs may be used to invest globally. As such, Russia has begun to circumvent the economic hardship of sanctions and severed business partnerships in the West by contractually binding itself to other sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East. While not an exhaustive list of SWF partnerships, the following are the most lucrative of contracts set up through the RDIF, which represent short-term financial reprieve and long-term economic bargaining power for the Kremlin: the Qatari Investment Authority has committed over $2.5 billion in assets to Russia, mostly within Russia’s oil giant Rosneft; Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund invested $10 billion, mostly focused on technology and energy; and Abu Dhabi, for its part, has set up a $3 billion fund with the RDIF, focused on developing Russia’s southern infrastructure and agricultural sectors. Arms Sales Apart from direct SWF investment, Russia’s arms industry has also received a huge boon since Russia commenced military operations in Syria. The importance of this can be seen from former deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, stating that “arms sales are the most important element of Moscow’s relations with other countries.” For example, in 2009 Moscow sold roughly $9 billion in arms to the MENA region. In 2016, that number rose to $21.4 billion. With the MENA region quickly becoming Russia’s most profitable destination in terms of exporting arms, behind Asia, the correlation of foreign policy interests is clear. The Kremlin has used the war as effective advertising from the very beginning. In early October, shortly after Russia officially entered the war on behalf of Assad’s regime, Moscow fired 26 cruise missiles from its Caspian Sea flotilla, hitting various targets in Syria. Although it could be argued that the same objective could have been carried out through military capabilities already in-country, Russia was able to broadcast its new technology on a global scale. Shortly after, customers from the Middle East and abroad began to line up to buy various weapons systems. The key example of this success would be Tehran resuming its position as a top-tier client following the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (and Russia’s assistance in the process) placing weapon orders to the sum of $10 billion. For the near future, any economic gains achieved by the Russian Federation may directly affect its position moving forward concerning Ukraine. The Kremlin has been hemorrhaging money in backing separatist activities and financing its own operations in Donbas and Crimea. Arms sales and economic partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa will provide the monetary reprieve Russia needs to shield itself from the financial backlash currently being sustained. Longterm Benefits While economic deals amongst SWFs and recent increases in arms sales provide Russia assistance in the near-term to face the previous shock to global oil prices as well as Western sanctions, the mid to long-term implications of Russia’s involvement in the Syrian Civil War are the most important to analyze. In terms of bilateral cooperation in the Middle East, relations with Iran are the most important for Russia. A major consumer of Russian arms, Moscow sees Tehran as a “regional superpower” given Iran’s extensive involvement in the war in Syria, its support for Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as the question of its future nuclear capabilities. Russia also views Tehran as a reliable partner with whom it can successfully counter the US presence in the Black Sea, the Caspian region and the Middle East, in addition to controlling Sunni extremism within Russia’s near-abroad — the North Caucasus and Central Asia. While the war in Syria will eventually come to an end, Russia has now successfully locked itself into the region through its access to the Syrian port of Tartus and the Khmeimim airbase, which it will maintain for at least the next 48 years. The geopolitical importance of Russia’s permanent military presence in the region, in concert with growing forms of economic cooperation, may be better realized through discussion of the north-south corridor. Introduced by President Putin in 2007, this strategic initiative is based upon a mixture of financial planning and political enterprise. Moscow’s goal with the so-called north-south corridor is to utilize its partnerships in the Middle East and create a staging ground for further economic and political cooperation in Africa and the “global south.” One example of this is a deal likely brokered thanks to SWF investments in Abu Dhabi’s defense sector for Moscow to create an air hub in the UAE. Through this hub, Russia will be able to deliver infrastructure projects and humanitarian aid. Should Russia continue to gain political clout throughout the MENA region, the European Union may find itself dealing with Russia as its main interlocutor for issues such as the ongoing refugee crisis. In many European countries, issues concerning migration flows are dominating the discourse in the media and political spheres. Domestic political concerns will likely take precedence over the war in Ukraine. Therefore, Russia’s ability to provide concessions — for example through growing its influence in Libya — to work with the EU in dealing with migration may, in turn, lead to unfavorable tradeoffs for Ukraine. The trends regarding military and economic cooperation between Russia and its Middle Eastern partners may have begun well before the annexation of Crimea. However, it is apparent that Western sanctions and political pressure have since driven the Kremlin farther east, accelerating its efforts. This divergence does not appear to be coming solely out of desperation after the loss of Western investment, but rather because of the real promise Moscow sees in its increasingly eastward-leaning strategic focus. Russia’s enlarged presence in the Middle East, particularly as it relates to renewed ties with Iran and the potential access this will give the Kremlin to developments in Africa, clearly displays the war in Syria as just the beginning. Any increased influence in these regions will come at the expense of transatlantic partners and will shift bargaining positions when it comes to its dealings with Russia, namely as it pertains to Ukraine. If these trends persist, in addition to rising oil prices, some rethinking will be required when it comes to countering Russia in Ukraine as sanctions may become less and less relevant. If this is the case, expect the Russian Federation to become economically more viable, geographically more influential and, as a result, perhaps more aggressive in eastern Ukraine. (Jonathan Hall is a security and political risk analyst focused on Eurasian geopolitics, military affairs, and emerging technologies) (This article was originally published on The Fair Observer. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Western sanctions are driving Russia’s focus on the Middle East

A New Zealand nurse believed abducted with two drivers by Islamic State militants in Syria in 2013 may still be alive, the International Committee of the Red Cross has revealed for the first time in an appeal for news of her whereabouts.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/special-forces-in-search-for-nz-nurse-held-hostage-by-is-210469&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi-iYP-69HhAhXK7HMBHSz4AaYQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0gELFC1mUrYv8Is-lWtsk3">Louisa Akavi</a> was snatched along with Syrian drivers Alaa Rajab and Nabil Bakdounes while travelling in a Red Cross convoy delivering supplies to Idlib, in the northwest of the country.

Armed men stopped their convoy on October 13, 2013, and abducted seven people, four of whom were released the following day.

The ICRC said it believed they were abducted by the Islamic State group (IS).

"Our latest credible information indicates that Louisa was alive in late 2018," the group said Sunday in a statement from Geneva.

"The ICRC has never been able to learn more details about Alaa and Nabil, and their fate is not known."

New Zealand said it disagreed with making the abduction public but did confirm it had dispatched a special forces unit to Syria to search for Akavi.

"This has involved members of the NZDF (New Zealand defence force) drawn from the Special Operations Force, and personnel have visited Syria from time to time as required," New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said Monday.

"This non-combat team was specifically focused on locating Louisa and identifying opportunities to recover her.

"The efforts to locate and recover Louisa are ongoing, and there are a number of operational or intelligence matters the government won't be commenting on," he said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed disappointment at the information released by the ICRC and refused to answer questions at her weekly press conference on Monday.

"It absolutely remains the government's view that it would be preferable if this case was not in the public domain," she said.

'Compassionate humanitarian'

Peters said information about the kidnapping had not been previously released for fear that any publicity would place the hostages at greater risk, and New Zealand media outlets which knew Akavi had been taken hostage agreed not to publish the story.

"In these situations, the priority must be the safety of the hostage and we received clear advice that any publicity would place Louisa at even greater risk," Peters said.

"The government is very grateful for the cooperation of media outlets over many years in respecting this advice and undertaking not to publish ... and we thank them for their principled approach."

ICRC operations director Dominik Stillhart said it was an "extremely difficult time" for the families of the three.

"Louisa is a true and compassionate humanitarian. Alaa and Nabil were committed colleagues and an integral part of our aid deliveries.

"We call on anyone with information to please come forward. If our colleagues are still being held, we call for their immediate and unconditional release."

Akavi had carried out 17 field missions with the ICRC and the New Zealand Red Cross, the statement said. Rajab and Bakdounes were "dedicated husbands and caring fathers", it added.

A spokesman for Akavi's family, Tuaine Robati, said she knew the dangers she faced.

"She's been through tough times in her job before but she's stuck at it because she loves it," he said.

"Louisa is an incredibly experienced nurse and aid worker who knew the risks of her job. Our family misses her very much and is concerned for her safety."

The war in Syria, which began in 2011, has claimed more than 370,000 lives and forced millions of people to flee their homes.&nbsp;

The Kurdish-led SDF, backed by a US-led coalition, captured the last IS bastion in eastern Syria on March 23 and had detained thousands of suspected IS fighters.

But this could make it more difficult to find Akavi.

The New York Times has reported the Red Cross has reason to believe she is alive because at least two people described seeing her in December at a clinic in Sousa, one of the final villages to be held by IS jihadists.

"We are speaking out today to publicly honour and acknowledge Louisa's, Alaa's, and Nabil's hardship and suffering," the ICRC statement said.

The organisation has 98 foreign workers and 580 Syrians working in the country.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights accuses IS of abducting thousands of people since 2014.

A New Zealand nurse believed abducted with two drivers by Islamic State militants in Syria in 2013 may still be alive, the International Committee of the Red Cross has revealed for the first time in an appeal for news of her whereabouts.

A New Zealand nurse believed abducted with two drivers by Islamic State militants in Syria in 2013 may still be alive, the International Committee of the Red Cross has revealed for the first time in an appeal for news of her whereabouts. Louisa Akavi was snatched along with Syrian drivers Alaa Rajab and Nabil Bakdounes while travelling in a Red Cross convoy delivering supplies to Idlib, in the northwest of the country. Armed men stopped their convoy on October 13, 2013, and abducted seven people, four of whom were released the following day. The ICRC said it believed they were abducted by the Islamic State group (IS). "Our latest credible information indicates that Louisa was alive in late 2018," the group said Sunday in a statement from Geneva. "The ICRC has never been able to learn more details about Alaa and Nabil, and their fate is not known." New Zealand said it disagreed with making the abduction public but did confirm it had dispatched a special forces unit to Syria to search for Akavi. "This has involved members of the NZDF (New Zealand defence force) drawn from the Special Operations Force, and personnel have visited Syria from time to time as required," New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said Monday. "This non-combat team was specifically focused on locating Louisa and identifying opportunities to recover her. "The efforts to locate and recover Louisa are ongoing, and there are a number of operational or intelligence matters the government won't be commenting on," he said. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed disappointment at the information released by the ICRC and refused to answer questions at her weekly press conference on Monday. "It absolutely remains the government's view that it would be preferable if this case was not in the public domain," she said. 'Compassionate humanitarian' Peters said information about the kidnapping had not been previously released for fear that any publicity would place the hostages at greater risk, and New Zealand media outlets which knew Akavi had been taken hostage agreed not to publish the story. "In these situations, the priority must be the safety of the hostage and we received clear advice that any publicity would place Louisa at even greater risk," Peters said. "The government is very grateful for the cooperation of media outlets over many years in respecting this advice and undertaking not to publish ... and we thank them for their principled approach." ICRC operations director Dominik Stillhart said it was an "extremely difficult time" for the families of the three. "Louisa is a true and compassionate humanitarian. Alaa and Nabil were committed colleagues and an integral part of our aid deliveries. "We call on anyone with information to please come forward. If our colleagues are still being held, we call for their immediate and unconditional release." Akavi had carried out 17 field missions with the ICRC and the New Zealand Red Cross, the statement said. Rajab and Bakdounes were "dedicated husbands and caring fathers", it added. A spokesman for Akavi's family, Tuaine Robati, said she knew the dangers she faced. "She's been through tough times in her job before but she's stuck at it because she loves it," he said. "Louisa is an incredibly experienced nurse and aid worker who knew the risks of her job. Our family misses her very much and is concerned for her safety." The war in Syria, which began in 2011, has claimed more than 370,000 lives and forced millions of people to flee their homes. The Kurdish-led SDF, backed by a US-led coalition, captured the last IS bastion in eastern Syria on March 23 and had detained thousands of suspected IS fighters. But this could make it more difficult to find Akavi. The New York Times has reported the Red Cross has reason to believe she is alive because at least two people described seeing her in December at a clinic in Sousa, one of the final villages to be held by IS jihadists. "We are speaking out today to publicly honour and acknowledge Louisa's, Alaa's, and Nabil's hardship and suffering," the ICRC statement said. The organisation has 98 foreign workers and 580 Syrians working in the country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights accuses IS of abducting thousands of people since 2014.

Nurse kidnapped by Islamic State five years ago may be alive: Red Cross

At least six civilians were killed on Sunday when the rockets were fired by jihadists in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the state news agency reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor said 20 rockets were fired into neighbourhoods of Aleppo.

The state media reported that seven people were also wounded in the rocket fire.

Aleppo is located in the north of the country next to Idlib, a province dominated by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

At least six civilians were killed on Sunday when the rockets were fired by jihadists in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the state news agency reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor said 20 rockets were fired into neighbourhoods of Aleppo.

At least six civilians were killed on Sunday when the rockets were fired by jihadists in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the state news agency reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor said 20 rockets were fired into neighbourhoods of Aleppo. The state media reported that seven people were also wounded in the rocket fire. Aleppo is located in the north of the country next to Idlib, a province dominated by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Syria: At least six killed, seven wounded in rocket fire launched by jihadists

Iraq has begun trial proceedings for nearly 900 Iraqi suspected members of the Islamic State group caught fleeing jihadist territory in neighbouring Syria, a judicial source told AFP on Sunday.&nbsp;

They were handed over to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-unearths-mass-grave-of-kurds-killed-by-saddam-210294">Iraqi authorities</a> by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which ousted IS from swathes of eastern Syria including territory bordering Iraq.&nbsp;

"We received the interrogation files of nearly 900 Iraqi Daesh (IS) members coming from Syria," the court official said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

"The specialised terrorism court has begun setting dates for their trial in batches," the source added.&nbsp;

The nearly 900 suspected jihadists were transferred by the SDF to Iraqi custody in recent months as the remnants of IS' once sprawling self-declared "caliphate" collapsed in neighbouring Syria.&nbsp;

Additional Iraqi suspects are in SDF custody and awaiting transferral, a security source told AFP Sunday.

"They will be handed over in batches on the Syrian-Iraqi border. They include very influential leaders, but IS had sought to keep them hidden," the security source said.&nbsp;

One of those destined to be handed over was deeply involved in IS' efforts to develop chemical weapons, he said.

Iraq has already tried thousands of its own nationals arrested on home soil for joining IS -- including women -- and has sentenced hundreds to death.&nbsp;

The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, according to an Amnesty International report released last week.

The number of death sentences issued by Iraqi courts more than quadrupled from 65 in 2017 to at least 271 in 2018.

But fewer were actually carried out, according to Amnesty, with 52 executions in 2018 compared to 125 in 2017.&nbsp;

In addition to locals, Iraq has also tried hundreds of foreigners, condemning many to life in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed.&nbsp;

Among those awaiting trial in Baghdad are 12 accused French IS members, who were caught in Syria and transferred to Iraqi custody in February.&nbsp;

Baghdad has offered to try all foreign fighters in SDF custody -- estimated at around 1,000 -- in exchange for millions of dollars, Iraqi government sources have told AFP.

Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have criticised these trials, which they say often rely on circumstantial evidence or confessions obtained under torture.

Iraq has begun trial proceedings for nearly 900 Iraqi suspected members of the Islamic State group caught fleeing jihadist territory in neighbouring Syria, a judicial source told AFP on Sunday.

Iraq has begun trial proceedings for nearly 900 Iraqi suspected members of the Islamic State group caught fleeing jihadist territory in neighbouring Syria, a judicial source told AFP on Sunday. They were handed over to Iraqi authorities by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which ousted IS from swathes of eastern Syria including territory bordering Iraq. "We received the interrogation files of nearly 900 Iraqi Daesh (IS) members coming from Syria," the court official said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media. "The specialised terrorism court has begun setting dates for their trial in batches," the source added. The nearly 900 suspected jihadists were transferred by the SDF to Iraqi custody in recent months as the remnants of IS' once sprawling self-declared "caliphate" collapsed in neighbouring Syria. Additional Iraqi suspects are in SDF custody and awaiting transferral, a security source told AFP Sunday. "They will be handed over in batches on the Syrian-Iraqi border. They include very influential leaders, but IS had sought to keep them hidden," the security source said. One of those destined to be handed over was deeply involved in IS' efforts to develop chemical weapons, he said. Iraq has already tried thousands of its own nationals arrested on home soil for joining IS -- including women -- and has sentenced hundreds to death. The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, according to an Amnesty International report released last week. The number of death sentences issued by Iraqi courts more than quadrupled from 65 in 2017 to at least 271 in 2018. But fewer were actually carried out, according to Amnesty, with 52 executions in 2018 compared to 125 in 2017. In addition to locals, Iraq has also tried hundreds of foreigners, condemning many to life in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed. Among those awaiting trial in Baghdad are 12 accused French IS members, who were caught in Syria and transferred to Iraqi custody in February. Baghdad has offered to try all foreign fighters in SDF custody -- estimated at around 1,000 -- in exchange for millions of dollars, Iraqi government sources have told AFP. Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have criticised these trials, which they say often rely on circumstantial evidence or confessions obtained under torture.

Iraq begins trial proceedings for 900 jihadist suspects

An<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-launches-gaza-strikes-after-rockets-fired-at-tel-aviv-203444"> Israeli </a>air strike in central<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-army-says-israeli-strikes-hit-northern-aleppo-city-damages-materials-only-206124"> Syria </a>wounded three combatants early Saturday, the official SANA news agency reported.

A Britain-based war monitor said the strike killed several Iranian fighters and wounded 17 Syrian troops and their allies.

An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment on the foreign media report.

"Around 2:30 am (2330 GMT Friday)... the Israeli air force carried out a strike targeting one of our military positions in the town of Misyaf," in Hama province north of Damascus, SANA quoted a military source as saying.

"Our air defence batteries intercepted some of the Israeli missiles," the source said, adding that the strike "wounded three combatants and destroyed buildings".

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike targeted a Syrian military college in the town and two buildings used by Iranian forces in nearby villages -- a development centre for medium-range missiles in Zawi and a training camp in Sheikh Ghadban.&nbsp;

Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets.

With the support of the US administration of President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed repeatedly to take whatever military action he deems necessary to prevent archfoe Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah establishing a continuing military presence.

Late last month, Trump broke with decades of international consensus to recognise Israel's unilateral annexation of the strategic Golan Heights, seized from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967.

The move was a diplomatic prize for Israel but met with a chorus of opposition from US foes and allies alike.

Iran and Hezbollah have both intervened in Syria's civil war, which erupted in 2011 to support forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

They were joined in 2015 by Russia, which supplied its S300 air defence system to Assad's forces after a Russian aircraft was downed by mistake by Syrian defence systems during an Israeli raid on September 17, killing all 15 people on board.

After several months of frosty relations, Russia and Israeli resumed coordination of their military operations in Syria and Israel's bombing campaign picked up again.

An Israeli air strike in central Syria wounded three combatants early Saturday, the official SANA news agency reported. A Britain-based war monitor said the strike killed several Iranian fighters and wounded 17 Syrian troops and their allies.

An Israeli air strike in central Syria wounded three combatants early Saturday, the official SANA news agency reported. A Britain-based war monitor said the strike killed several Iranian fighters and wounded 17 Syrian troops and their allies. An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment on the foreign media report. "Around 2:30 am (2330 GMT Friday)... the Israeli air force carried out a strike targeting one of our military positions in the town of Misyaf," in Hama province north of Damascus, SANA quoted a military source as saying. "Our air defence batteries intercepted some of the Israeli missiles," the source said, adding that the strike "wounded three combatants and destroyed buildings". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike targeted a Syrian military college in the town and two buildings used by Iranian forces in nearby villages -- a development centre for medium-range missiles in Zawi and a training camp in Sheikh Ghadban. Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets. With the support of the US administration of President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed repeatedly to take whatever military action he deems necessary to prevent archfoe Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah establishing a continuing military presence. Late last month, Trump broke with decades of international consensus to recognise Israel's unilateral annexation of the strategic Golan Heights, seized from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967. The move was a diplomatic prize for Israel but met with a chorus of opposition from US foes and allies alike. Iran and Hezbollah have both intervened in Syria's civil war, which erupted in 2011 to support forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. They were joined in 2015 by Russia, which supplied its S300 air defence system to Assad's forces after a Russian aircraft was downed by mistake by Syrian defence systems during an Israeli raid on September 17, killing all 15 people on board. After several months of frosty relations, Russia and Israeli resumed coordination of their military operations in Syria and Israel's bombing campaign picked up again.

Israel raid wounds three in central Syria: state media

By Harout Akdedian

The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over. What then does this loss of territorial control actually mean for IS?

At its height, the self-proclaimed “caliphate” controlled an estimated 34,000 square miles across Syria and Iraq, so its defeat on the ground is clearly a severe blow for it. Nevertheless, IS is now expected to evolve. Its networks will disperse into virtual, online spaces and become largely invisible. It will focus on insurgency tactics and terror attacks with a wider reach.

In the face of this evolution, it may seem like maintaining IS in a contained geographic pocket would have been better than eradicating its primary territorial base altogether.

With its defeat on the ground in Syria and Iraq, however, IS and its offshoots will have a more limited capacity for recruitment, indoctrination and growth.

The importance of territory

The success of rebel groups to survive protracted armed conflicts is dependent on their ability to maintain territorial control. They require it to extract resources and enlist local recruits.

Territorial control allows armed groups to force local populations into compliance and conformity with their ideological outlook. Since its inception, IS understood that its radical “Islamic” community does not locally exist. Instead, the organisation set about creating it, reshaping communities under its control in its own image.

Comparative evidence from civil wars around the world demonstrates how territorial control does not depend on a local population’s ideological agreement with the forces in place. Instead, in his book The Logic of Violence in Civil War, Stathis Kalyvas argues that a combination of coercive measures and local administrative bodies allows a force to maintain order, stability and compliance.

For example, during the Liberian civil war in the early 1990s, NPFL (The National Patriotic Front of Liberia) rebels, led by Charles Taylor, used administrative bodies and courts in the territory they controlled to create an alternative order backed up by displays of brutality and violence. This led to an intricate system of patronage and loyalty that created new dependencies between local communities and the new regime.

These Taylor-era Liberian courts are comparable to IS’s religious courts which controlled the issuing of permits for cross border activities, defined the educational content of local schools, distributed social services – and carried out extreme public punishments.

In enduring armed conflict, these administrative bodies, social services and displays of order encourage the cooperation of the local population. In other words, territorial control allows the occupier to manage the behaviour and, potentially, the ideology of the people under its control.

Instruments of control

Under IS, spectacles of brutality and violence were a key part of this. Public executions involved people being incinerated, stoned, decapitated and thrown off towers. Staged in front of local people, these executions were carefully choreographed and meticulously documented and disseminated – both locally and internationally.

IS explicitly claimed that these acts of brutality were intended to create a vacuum by disrupting local societal structures that could then be “filled” and “managed” by them. Essentially, displays of violence were used as an instrument of social organisation.

Data personally collected between 2012 and 2014 shows that many living under the rule of radicalised groups such as IS judge these groups based on their own immediate day-to-day conditions rather than the organisation’s overall performance or outlook.

If administrative structures function and people have access to food and basic services, for example, local populations may overlook – or even adhere to – the occupying force’s ideology (albeit under duress). And those that don’t are severely and publicly punished as an “example” to others.

The 2014 executions of members of the Sunni Arab al-Sheitaat tribe, in Deir el-Zor, Syria, are a case in point. IS took the lives of more than 700 of its members for revoking a pledge of allegiance. In addition, IS incessantly targeted other Jihadi or predominantly Sunni rebel formations. Indeed, the tally of those killed continues to increase as more mass graves are discovered.

Violent consolidation 
 
Such atrocities were examples of IS consolidating its power through the elimination of rivals and the suppression of potential or real dissent within its area of control. Faced with this, local populations had no choice but to imitate expressions of religiosity as defined by IS and to demonstrate compliance. For local people, this was a method of adaptation and survival – but IS’s loss of territorial control now greatly reduces its capacity to control and indoctrinate local residents in this way.

The question of how IS’s methods impacted local populations, in the long run, is yet to be answered. A lot will depend on what happens next in its former territory and to those living there now.

Either way, while IS is badly incapacitated, it certainly is not finished. It will most likely splinter into new organisations which might try to establish territorial control elsewhere. Parts of North Africa and the Maghreb are particularly susceptible, where control over vast swathes of land remain contested. In the meantime, IS will continue to try to nurture its virtual communities and seek new audiences online.

(Harout Akdedian is Carnegie SFM Postdoctoral fellow, Central European University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/islamic-state-the-caliphate-is-off-the-map-for-now-but-will-evolve-in-dangerous-ways-114831">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

By Harout Akdedian The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over.

By Harout Akdedian The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over. What then does this loss of territorial control actually mean for IS? At its height, the self-proclaimed “caliphate” controlled an estimated 34,000 square miles across Syria and Iraq, so its defeat on the ground is clearly a severe blow for it. Nevertheless, IS is now expected to evolve. Its networks will disperse into virtual, online spaces and become largely invisible. It will focus on insurgency tactics and terror attacks with a wider reach. In the face of this evolution, it may seem like maintaining IS in a contained geographic pocket would have been better than eradicating its primary territorial base altogether. With its defeat on the ground in Syria and Iraq, however, IS and its offshoots will have a more limited capacity for recruitment, indoctrination and growth. The importance of territory The success of rebel groups to survive protracted armed conflicts is dependent on their ability to maintain territorial control. They require it to extract resources and enlist local recruits. Territorial control allows armed groups to force local populations into compliance and conformity with their ideological outlook. Since its inception, IS understood that its radical “Islamic” community does not locally exist. Instead, the organisation set about creating it, reshaping communities under its control in its own image. Comparative evidence from civil wars around the world demonstrates how territorial control does not depend on a local population’s ideological agreement with the forces in place. Instead, in his book The Logic of Violence in Civil War, Stathis Kalyvas argues that a combination of coercive measures and local administrative bodies allows a force to maintain order, stability and compliance. For example, during the Liberian civil war in the early 1990s, NPFL (The National Patriotic Front of Liberia) rebels, led by Charles Taylor, used administrative bodies and courts in the territory they controlled to create an alternative order backed up by displays of brutality and violence. This led to an intricate system of patronage and loyalty that created new dependencies between local communities and the new regime. These Taylor-era Liberian courts are comparable to IS’s religious courts which controlled the issuing of permits for cross border activities, defined the educational content of local schools, distributed social services – and carried out extreme public punishments. In enduring armed conflict, these administrative bodies, social services and displays of order encourage the cooperation of the local population. In other words, territorial control allows the occupier to manage the behaviour and, potentially, the ideology of the people under its control. Instruments of control Under IS, spectacles of brutality and violence were a key part of this. Public executions involved people being incinerated, stoned, decapitated and thrown off towers. Staged in front of local people, these executions were carefully choreographed and meticulously documented and disseminated – both locally and internationally. IS explicitly claimed that these acts of brutality were intended to create a vacuum by disrupting local societal structures that could then be “filled” and “managed” by them. Essentially, displays of violence were used as an instrument of social organisation. Data personally collected between 2012 and 2014 shows that many living under the rule of radicalised groups such as IS judge these groups based on their own immediate day-to-day conditions rather than the organisation’s overall performance or outlook. If administrative structures function and people have access to food and basic services, for example, local populations may overlook – or even adhere to – the occupying force’s ideology (albeit under duress). And those that don’t are severely and publicly punished as an “example” to others. The 2014 executions of members of the Sunni Arab al-Sheitaat tribe, in Deir el-Zor, Syria, are a case in point. IS took the lives of more than 700 of its members for revoking a pledge of allegiance. In addition, IS incessantly targeted other Jihadi or predominantly Sunni rebel formations. Indeed, the tally of those killed continues to increase as more mass graves are discovered. Violent consolidation Such atrocities were examples of IS consolidating its power through the elimination of rivals and the suppression of potential or real dissent within its area of control. Faced with this, local populations had no choice but to imitate expressions of religiosity as defined by IS and to demonstrate compliance. For local people, this was a method of adaptation and survival – but IS’s loss of territorial control now greatly reduces its capacity to control and indoctrinate local residents in this way. The question of how IS’s methods impacted local populations, in the long run, is yet to be answered. A lot will depend on what happens next in its former territory and to those living there now. Either way, while IS is badly incapacitated, it certainly is not finished. It will most likely splinter into new organisations which might try to establish territorial control elsewhere. Parts of North Africa and the Maghreb are particularly susceptible, where control over vast swathes of land remain contested. In the meantime, IS will continue to try to nurture its virtual communities and seek new audiences online. (Harout Akdedian is Carnegie SFM Postdoctoral fellow, Central European University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Islamic State is off the map for now, but war against the organisation is far from over

A double bomb attack Tuesday in the northern Syrian city of Raqa, a former bastion of the Islamic State group, killed 13 people, mostly civilians, a war monitor said.

A car bomb and explosive ordinance struck a crowded street, killing nine civilians and four US-backed fighters, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack near a military outpost of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who have been fighting IS.

A Raqa resident said he saw black smoke rising above the site of the attack as ambulance sirens rang out.

He said he saw "blotches of blood on the ground".

"There is panic and fear in the area after the bombings," he added.

Raqa city was captured by the SDF in 2017 after a massive operation against the jihadists.

The SDF declared it had defeated the jihadists' so-called "caliphate" last month, after a months-long offensive in Syria's east.

IS fighters, however, retain a presence in Syria's vast Badia desert and various other hideouts, and continue to claim deadly attacks in SDF-held territory.

Earlier on Tuesday, a car bomb targeted a patrol of the US-led coalition in the northeastern town of Shadadi, the war monitor said.

But it failed to hit its target, leading only to the death of the suicide bomber, it said.

Sleeper cells

Last month, IS fighters killed seven US-backed fighters in an attack on the northern city of Manbij.

The SDF has warned that a new phase has begun in anti-IS operations, and appealed for sustained coalition assistance to help hunt down sleeper cells.

IS seized a large swathe of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, declaring a "caliphate" in the lands it controlled.

After various offensives saw the jihadists lose their main cities in 2017, the SDF on March 23 declared they had vanquished its last patch of territory in the eastern village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border.

At the height of their rule, the extremists ruled millions of people in a proto-state the size of the United Kingdom.

They collected taxes, minted their own coins, and meted out brutal punishment on anyone who disobeyed or opposed them.

Saturday's deaths are the latest in Syria's devastating eight-year war, which has killed more than 370,00 people since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-regime protests.

A double bomb attack Tuesday in the northern Syrian city of Raqa, a former bastion of the Islamic State group, killed 13 people, mostly civilians, a war monitor said.

A double bomb attack Tuesday in the northern Syrian city of Raqa, a former bastion of the Islamic State group, killed 13 people, mostly civilians, a war monitor said. A car bomb and explosive ordinance struck a crowded street, killing nine civilians and four US-backed fighters, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack near a military outpost of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who have been fighting IS. A Raqa resident said he saw black smoke rising above the site of the attack as ambulance sirens rang out. He said he saw "blotches of blood on the ground". "There is panic and fear in the area after the bombings," he added. Raqa city was captured by the SDF in 2017 after a massive operation against the jihadists. The SDF declared it had defeated the jihadists' so-called "caliphate" last month, after a months-long offensive in Syria's east. IS fighters, however, retain a presence in Syria's vast Badia desert and various other hideouts, and continue to claim deadly attacks in SDF-held territory. Earlier on Tuesday, a car bomb targeted a patrol of the US-led coalition in the northeastern town of Shadadi, the war monitor said. But it failed to hit its target, leading only to the death of the suicide bomber, it said. Sleeper cells Last month, IS fighters killed seven US-backed fighters in an attack on the northern city of Manbij. The SDF has warned that a new phase has begun in anti-IS operations, and appealed for sustained coalition assistance to help hunt down sleeper cells. IS seized a large swathe of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, declaring a "caliphate" in the lands it controlled. After various offensives saw the jihadists lose their main cities in 2017, the SDF on March 23 declared they had vanquished its last patch of territory in the eastern village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border. At the height of their rule, the extremists ruled millions of people in a proto-state the size of the United Kingdom. They collected taxes, minted their own coins, and meted out brutal punishment on anyone who disobeyed or opposed them. Saturday's deaths are the latest in Syria's devastating eight-year war, which has killed more than 370,00 people since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-regime protests.

Bomb attack kills 13 in Syria's Raqa: War monitor

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to&nbsp;in Moscow on Monday.

Erdogan mentioned earlier that during his visit he would discuss a Turkish military operation in Syria with Putin.

''Another part of our cooperation is that we are continuing our joint fight against terrorist groups that pose a threat to our region. This especially concerns the steps we already took and will be taking in Syrian direction," Erdogan said.

Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-margin-too-small-for-opposition-to-claim-istanbul-win-208771">Erdogan said that the margin of votes</a> between Istanbul's top two candidates was too small for the opposition to have claimed victory, as his ruling party seeks a full recount to deal with what he called "organised crime."

Last week's initial results showed a narrow mayoral victory for Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in the March 31 municipal elections.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to in Moscow on Monday. Erdogan mentioned earlier that during his visit he would discuss a Turkish military operation in Syria with Putin.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to in Moscow on Monday. Erdogan mentioned earlier that during his visit he would discuss a Turkish military operation in Syria with Putin. ''Another part of our cooperation is that we are continuing our joint fight against terrorist groups that pose a threat to our region. This especially concerns the steps we already took and will be taking in Syrian direction," Erdogan said. Meanwhile, Erdogan said that the margin of votes between Istanbul's top two candidates was too small for the opposition to have claimed victory, as his ruling party seeks a full recount to deal with what he called "organised crime." Last week's initial results showed a narrow mayoral victory for Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in the March 31 municipal elections.

Erdogan, Putin to discuss Syria in Moscow

Heavy bombardment by the Syrian army of the jihadist-controlled Idlib region has killed 22 civilians, a monitor said Thursday, the latest violence to threaten a seven-month-old truce.

The ceasefire was brokered by the main foreign backers of the warring parties in September to head off a government offensive that prompted UN warnings of humanitarian disaster for the region's three million residents.

But since the region was overrun by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance led by former Al-Qaeda fighters in January, the fragile truce has come under mounting assault.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem accused Turkey, which signed the September deal on behalf of the rebels, of failing to honour its commitments and warned that his government's patience was running out.

The UN humanitarian affairs office said the escalating violence threatened aid deliveries to some 2.7 million people in need.

In the latest flare-up, army artillery and rocket fire on the Idlib towns of Kafrnabel and Maaret al-Noman killed 13 people on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

It came after the shelling of adjacent jihadist-held areas of Hama and Aleppo provinces killed nine people late on Wednesday, the Britain-based watchdog said.

The UN humanitarian office said that the escalating violence had already killed 90 civilians in the Idlib region in March, nearly half of them children.

More than 86,500 people fled their homes in February and March as a result of the escalation, it added.&nbsp;

The UN expressed concern over "increased shelling along front lines, an intensification of air strikes and a growing number of attacks involving improvised explosive devices in urban areas."&nbsp;

The Syrian foreign minister said his government was growing impatient to recapture Idlib, the last region outside its control apart from the Kurdish-held north and northeast where Washington retains a troop presence.

Muallem said Turkey had failed to ensure the withdrawal of jihadist forces from a planned buffer zone along the front line as stipulated by the truce agreed in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"It is known that Turkey is responsible for a delay in implementing" the deal, he said at a joint press conference with his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza.&nbsp;

"Honestly, we are still waiting for the Sochi deal to be implemented but our patience has its limits and we must liberate this land.

"We are losing patience," he warned.

More than half of the population of the Idlib region have already fled government offensives on other rebel-held regions of Syria.

Many live in tent cities where they are dependent on humanitarian aid and deeply vulnerable to a resurgence of all-out conflict.

At least 370,000 people have died in Syria since the civil war erupted in 2011.

Heavy bombardment by the Syrian army of the jihadist-controlled Idlib region has killed 22 civilians, a monitor said Thursday, the latest violence to threaten a seven-month-old truce.

Heavy bombardment by the Syrian army of the jihadist-controlled Idlib region has killed 22 civilians, a monitor said Thursday, the latest violence to threaten a seven-month-old truce. The ceasefire was brokered by the main foreign backers of the warring parties in September to head off a government offensive that prompted UN warnings of humanitarian disaster for the region's three million residents. But since the region was overrun by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance led by former Al-Qaeda fighters in January, the fragile truce has come under mounting assault. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem accused Turkey, which signed the September deal on behalf of the rebels, of failing to honour its commitments and warned that his government's patience was running out. The UN humanitarian affairs office said the escalating violence threatened aid deliveries to some 2.7 million people in need. In the latest flare-up, army artillery and rocket fire on the Idlib towns of Kafrnabel and Maaret al-Noman killed 13 people on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It came after the shelling of adjacent jihadist-held areas of Hama and Aleppo provinces killed nine people late on Wednesday, the Britain-based watchdog said. The UN humanitarian office said that the escalating violence had already killed 90 civilians in the Idlib region in March, nearly half of them children. More than 86,500 people fled their homes in February and March as a result of the escalation, it added. The UN expressed concern over "increased shelling along front lines, an intensification of air strikes and a growing number of attacks involving improvised explosive devices in urban areas." The Syrian foreign minister said his government was growing impatient to recapture Idlib, the last region outside its control apart from the Kurdish-held north and northeast where Washington retains a troop presence. Muallem said Turkey had failed to ensure the withdrawal of jihadist forces from a planned buffer zone along the front line as stipulated by the truce agreed in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. "It is known that Turkey is responsible for a delay in implementing" the deal, he said at a joint press conference with his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza. "Honestly, we are still waiting for the Sochi deal to be implemented but our patience has its limits and we must liberate this land. "We are losing patience," he warned. More than half of the population of the Idlib region have already fled government offensives on other rebel-held regions of Syria. Many live in tent cities where they are dependent on humanitarian aid and deeply vulnerable to a resurgence of all-out conflict. At least 370,000 people have died in Syria since the civil war erupted in 2011.

Army shelling kills 22 civilians in Syria's Idlib: Monitor

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