The United States wants a "strong Europe" and is willing to help its ally, but Europe must be fair when it comes to sharing the defence burden, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday.

"We want a strong Europe, it's very important to us and whichever way we can do it the best and more efficient would be something we both want," Trump said in remarks after being greeted by President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

Asked what he meant when he tweeted that he felt insulted by Macron's comments that Europe should reduce its dependence on the United States for security, Trump said: "We want to help Europe but it has to be fair. Right now the burden sharing has been largely on the United States."

Macron said he shared Trump's view that Europe needed to finance a greater share of the NATO military alliance's costs. "That's why I do believe my proposals for European defence are fully consistent with that," he said, speaking in English.

The two leaders would discuss issues including Iran, the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, climate change and trade during an hour-long meeting, Macron said.

Trump has toned down his threat of tariffs on cars manufactured in the European Union while the two sides discussed the removal of tariffs on EU aluminium and steel imports.

Trump said negotiations were making progress.

"We'll see if we can get it over the line," Trump added.

The United States wants a "strong Europe" and is willing to help its ally, but Europe must be fair when it comes to sharing the defence burden, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday.

The United States wants a "strong Europe" and is willing to help its ally, but Europe must be fair when it comes to sharing the defence burden, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday. "We want a strong Europe, it's very important to us and whichever way we can do it the best and more efficient would be something we both want," Trump said in remarks after being greeted by President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Asked what he meant when he tweeted that he felt insulted by Macron's comments that Europe should reduce its dependence on the United States for security, Trump said: "We want to help Europe but it has to be fair. Right now the burden sharing has been largely on the United States." Macron said he shared Trump's view that Europe needed to finance a greater share of the NATO military alliance's costs. "That's why I do believe my proposals for European defence are fully consistent with that," he said, speaking in English. The two leaders would discuss issues including Iran, the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, climate change and trade during an hour-long meeting, Macron said. Trump has toned down his threat of tariffs on cars manufactured in the European Union while the two sides discussed the removal of tariffs on EU aluminium and steel imports. Trump said negotiations were making progress. "We'll see if we can get it over the line," Trump added.

Trump says wants 'strong Europe', but more defence cost-sharing

Jordan said on Thursday it was in talks with Washington and Moscow to empty a desert camp used by 50,000 displaced Syrians, a move aimed at defusing security tensions near a potential military flashpoint on its northeast border with Syria.

Jordan`s foreign ministry said the kingdom backed a Russian plan to arrange the voluntary return of the inhabitants of Rukban camp to their home areas in eastern Syria following their recapture by the Syrian government from Islamic State.

"Jordanian-US-Russian talks have begun with the aim of finding a fundamental solution to Rukban by ensuring the right conditions of their voluntary return to their cities and towns," Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al Qatarneh said.

"Jordan supports the Russian plan to create the conditions that allow the emptying of the camp," he said in a statement.&nbsp;

He did not elaborate.

Intelligence sources say the Russian plan entails negotiating with Syrian tribal leaders and former Western-backed rebels sheltering in the camp area to provide safe passage for returnees to go to opposition areas in northern Syria, and to help those who want to go their homes in state-held areas.&nbsp;

Many camp inhabitants are not ready to go back to homes in state-held areas for fear of being drafted for conscription, tribal figures in the camp say.&nbsp;

Developments at Rukban are watched closely around the region because it is near a US garrison in southeastern Syria at Tanf on the Iraq-Syria border.

The camp falls within a so-called deconfliction zone set up by the Pentagon to try to shield the Tanf garrison from attacks by pro-government forces.

Damascus says the US forces are occupying Syrian territory and providing a safe-haven in that area for rebels it deems terrorists.&nbsp;

Jordan officials have repeatedly said they suspect the camp is infiltrated with IS sleeper cells, a security nightmare that has haunted Amman since an IS militant in 2016 drove a car bomb into a Jordanian military border post, killing seven guards.

In the last three years, tens of thousands of Syrians trekked to the camp where the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. They fled expanded Russian and US-led coalition air strikes against IS-held areas in central and eastern Syria.

Intelligence sources say a siege of the camp last month by the Syrian army that depleted food stores in the compound and raised the spectre of starvation was aimed at piling pressure on Washington.

Russia`s defence ministry in August repeated an accusation that Washington has been harbouring Islamic State militants within the zone.

Washington, however, responded to growing Russian pressure by conducting rare military exercises in the base last month, and General Joseph Votel, head of US Central Command, made an unannounced visit to Tanf.

Tanf lies on the strategic Damascus-Baghdad highway, once a major supply route for Iranian weapons into Syria. This makes the base a bulwark against Iran and part of a larger campaign against Iranian influence in the Middle East.&nbsp;

Jordan said on Thursday it was in talks with Washington and Moscow to empty a desert camp used by 50,000 displaced Syrians, a move aimed at defusing security tensions near a potential military flashpoint on its northeast border with Syria.

Jordan said on Thursday it was in talks with Washington and Moscow to empty a desert camp used by 50,000 displaced Syrians, a move aimed at defusing security tensions near a potential military flashpoint on its northeast border with Syria. Jordan`s foreign ministry said the kingdom backed a Russian plan to arrange the voluntary return of the inhabitants of Rukban camp to their home areas in eastern Syria following their recapture by the Syrian government from Islamic State. "Jordanian-US-Russian talks have begun with the aim of finding a fundamental solution to Rukban by ensuring the right conditions of their voluntary return to their cities and towns," Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al Qatarneh said. "Jordan supports the Russian plan to create the conditions that allow the emptying of the camp," he said in a statement. He did not elaborate. Intelligence sources say the Russian plan entails negotiating with Syrian tribal leaders and former Western-backed rebels sheltering in the camp area to provide safe passage for returnees to go to opposition areas in northern Syria, and to help those who want to go their homes in state-held areas. Many camp inhabitants are not ready to go back to homes in state-held areas for fear of being drafted for conscription, tribal figures in the camp say. Developments at Rukban are watched closely around the region because it is near a US garrison in southeastern Syria at Tanf on the Iraq-Syria border. The camp falls within a so-called deconfliction zone set up by the Pentagon to try to shield the Tanf garrison from attacks by pro-government forces. Damascus says the US forces are occupying Syrian territory and providing a safe-haven in that area for rebels it deems terrorists. Jordan officials have repeatedly said they suspect the camp is infiltrated with IS sleeper cells, a security nightmare that has haunted Amman since an IS militant in 2016 drove a car bomb into a Jordanian military border post, killing seven guards. In the last three years, tens of thousands of Syrians trekked to the camp where the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. They fled expanded Russian and US-led coalition air strikes against IS-held areas in central and eastern Syria. Intelligence sources say a siege of the camp last month by the Syrian army that depleted food stores in the compound and raised the spectre of starvation was aimed at piling pressure on Washington. Russia`s defence ministry in August repeated an accusation that Washington has been harbouring Islamic State militants within the zone. Washington, however, responded to growing Russian pressure by conducting rare military exercises in the base last month, and General Joseph Votel, head of US Central Command, made an unannounced visit to Tanf. Tanf lies on the strategic Damascus-Baghdad highway, once a major supply route for Iranian weapons into Syria. This makes the base a bulwark against Iran and part of a larger campaign against Iranian influence in the Middle East.

Jordan says in talks with US and Russia to dismantle Syria camp

US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Thursday that more sanctions were possible on Iran just days after a new round of measures touted as the most punishing ever on Tehran entered into force.

Bolton said two rounds of unilateral US sanctions introduced by President Donald Trump in August and most recently on Monday had had a "quite significant" effect on the Iranian economy and the country's actions abroad.

"I think that you're going to see even more sanctions coming into play over time and much tighter enforcement of the sanctions," Bolton told reporters in Paris.

Asked what would be the target of the sanctions, he replied, "There are other things we can do in the terrorism and counterterrorism area."

The International Monetary Fund forecasts that the sanctions will cause Iran's economy to contract 1.5 per cent this year and 3.6 per cent next year -- pain that Trump has boasted about.

"We've seen indications that it has affected their belligerent activity in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Not enough yet, but it's beginning to have that effect," Bolton said.

"We've seen a continuation and exacerbation of political discontent inside Iran. That opposition continues to manifest itself. Economically the Iranian currency is going through the floor, inflation has quadrupled and the country is clearly in recession."

He said "the objective is still to drive Iranians exports of oil to zero" despite waivers given to the biggest buyers of Iranian oil, including China, India and South Korea.&nbsp;

"It's with some satisfaction that I noticed today the price of oil is down. We have worked with the Saudis, the Emiratis, and other producers to make sure production is up so that historic buyers of Iranian oil are not disadvantaged," he added.

US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Thursday that more sanctions were possible on Iran just days after a new round of measures touted as the most punishing ever on Tehran entered into force.

US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Thursday that more sanctions were possible on Iran just days after a new round of measures touted as the most punishing ever on Tehran entered into force. Bolton said two rounds of unilateral US sanctions introduced by President Donald Trump in August and most recently on Monday had had a "quite significant" effect on the Iranian economy and the country's actions abroad. "I think that you're going to see even more sanctions coming into play over time and much tighter enforcement of the sanctions," Bolton told reporters in Paris. Asked what would be the target of the sanctions, he replied, "There are other things we can do in the terrorism and counterterrorism area." The International Monetary Fund forecasts that the sanctions will cause Iran's economy to contract 1.5 per cent this year and 3.6 per cent next year -- pain that Trump has boasted about. "We've seen indications that it has affected their belligerent activity in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Not enough yet, but it's beginning to have that effect," Bolton said. "We've seen a continuation and exacerbation of political discontent inside Iran. That opposition continues to manifest itself. Economically the Iranian currency is going through the floor, inflation has quadrupled and the country is clearly in recession." He said "the objective is still to drive Iranians exports of oil to zero" despite waivers given to the biggest buyers of Iranian oil, including China, India and South Korea. "It's with some satisfaction that I noticed today the price of oil is down. We have worked with the Saudis, the Emiratis, and other producers to make sure production is up so that historic buyers of Iranian oil are not disadvantaged," he added.

US's Bolton says more sanctions likely on Iran

Border Trade back in Syria

France has issued its first <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ready-to-cooperate-with-new-un-envoy-syria-175423">international arrest warrants </a>for three senior Syrian intelligence officials, a move hailed by rights groups Monday as an important step towards prosecuting war criminals.

The warrants -- one of them for National Security Bureau director Ali Mamluk -- were issued for "complicity in acts of torture", "complicity in crimes against humanity" and "complicity in war crimes".

Jamil Hassan, head of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence, is also targeted along with Abdel Salam Mahmoud, in charge of the Air Force Intelligence investigative branch at the Mezzeh military aport in Damascus.

All three warrants were issued in connection with the deaths of two Franco-Syrian nationals, father and son Mazen and Patrick Dabbagh.

Mazen Dabbagh was a 57-year-old official working at a French school in Damascus, where Patrick, 22, was a student.&nbsp;

The pair were arrested in November 2013 and went missing after being detained in the Mezzeh detention centre, according to the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).

The FIDH says that neither was active in the opposition movement against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and that their arrests remain unexplained.&nbsp;

They were officially declared dead this summer.

Arrest warrants for the three Syrians were issued on October 8, but made public only on Monday, according to the FIDH.

France is not the first European country to launch legal cases against members of the Syrian regime: similar cases are being pursued in Britain, Germany and the Netherlands.

In June, German magazine Der Spiegel reported that German prosecutors had also issued an international arrest warrant for Hassan on charges of overseeing the torture and murder of hundreds of detainees.

Both the French and German investigations have drawn on evidence provided by a former Syrian police photographer known as "Caesar".

He fled Syria in 2013, taking with him 55,000 graphic photographs showing the brutal torture of detainees.

Clemence Bectarte, litigation coordinator for the FIDH, said the French warrants send "a strong signal saying 'impunity must not prevail'."

"It's the first time the French courts have issued international arrest warrants against senior Syrian dignitaries," she told AFP.

"These arrest warrants are the highest level of what the French courts can do," she added.

"It's a very important signal, and a very important symbol, of the level of responsibility that is being placed on the highest echelons of Syria's repressive apparatus."

According to the FIDH, the three officials could be put on trial in France, regardless of whether the arrest warrants were executed, under a process of "extraterritorial jurisdiction" which can be applied to crimes against humanity.

The Syrian government has not ratified the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court, and its powerful ally Russia would block any war crimes investigation via the United Nations.

More than 350,000 people are believed to have been killed in the Syrian war, which started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

According to the FIDH, between 250,000 and a million civilians have been arrested and detained by government forces and affiliated militias since the start of the protests.

France has issued its first international arrest warrants for three senior Syrian intelligence officials, a move hailed by rights groups Monday as an important step towards prosecuting war criminals.

France has issued its first international arrest warrants for three senior Syrian intelligence officials, a move hailed by rights groups Monday as an important step towards prosecuting war criminals. The warrants -- one of them for National Security Bureau director Ali Mamluk -- were issued for "complicity in acts of torture", "complicity in crimes against humanity" and "complicity in war crimes". Jamil Hassan, head of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence, is also targeted along with Abdel Salam Mahmoud, in charge of the Air Force Intelligence investigative branch at the Mezzeh military aport in Damascus. All three warrants were issued in connection with the deaths of two Franco-Syrian nationals, father and son Mazen and Patrick Dabbagh. Mazen Dabbagh was a 57-year-old official working at a French school in Damascus, where Patrick, 22, was a student. The pair were arrested in November 2013 and went missing after being detained in the Mezzeh detention centre, according to the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). The FIDH says that neither was active in the opposition movement against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and that their arrests remain unexplained. They were officially declared dead this summer. Arrest warrants for the three Syrians were issued on October 8, but made public only on Monday, according to the FIDH. France is not the first European country to launch legal cases against members of the Syrian regime: similar cases are being pursued in Britain, Germany and the Netherlands. In June, German magazine Der Spiegel reported that German prosecutors had also issued an international arrest warrant for Hassan on charges of overseeing the torture and murder of hundreds of detainees. Both the French and German investigations have drawn on evidence provided by a former Syrian police photographer known as "Caesar". He fled Syria in 2013, taking with him 55,000 graphic photographs showing the brutal torture of detainees. Clemence Bectarte, litigation coordinator for the FIDH, said the French warrants send "a strong signal saying 'impunity must not prevail'." "It's the first time the French courts have issued international arrest warrants against senior Syrian dignitaries," she told AFP. "These arrest warrants are the highest level of what the French courts can do," she added. "It's a very important signal, and a very important symbol, of the level of responsibility that is being placed on the highest echelons of Syria's repressive apparatus." According to the FIDH, the three officials could be put on trial in France, regardless of whether the arrest warrants were executed, under a process of "extraterritorial jurisdiction" which can be applied to crimes against humanity. The Syrian government has not ratified the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court, and its powerful ally Russia would block any war crimes investigation via the United Nations. More than 350,000 people are believed to have been killed in the Syrian war, which started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011. According to the FIDH, between 250,000 and a million civilians have been arrested and detained by government forces and affiliated militias since the start of the protests.

France issues arrest warrant against three Syrian intelligence officials

As the Syrian war winds down, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/jordan-syria-border-crossing-reopens-after-3-years-171521">life is coming back on track also in neighbouring Jordan</a>. The border between the two countries recently reopened and trade is slowly restarting bringing much-awaited relief in both countries.

Now civilians are allowed to cross and cars queue up while awaiting security permits to get to the southern Syrian governorates. Shops close to the crossing are renovating and are ready to open soon.

In Amman, business has picked up with drivers patiently waiting for customers to fill their white cars and leave for Damascus. A one-way trip between the two capital cities now costs around $35, and those who have been there deem it a safe drive.

"From Amman to Damascus driving is not a problem. The road is good, there is now everything in place, there is no war, things are ok,” Ahmed, a long distance cab driver in Amman confirms.

However, the situation is not yet similar to the pre-war era. Khaled, who has been a driver for 30 years, complains that the border is open only for a few hours, making it hard to do more than one trip per day.

“The problem is that the border is open only from 8am to 4pm and there is a lot of traffic, there are many Jordanian cars crossing the border,” Khaled rues.

Some small travel agents have found a way around it and use Syrian number plates to avoid long queues, but the majority of them need to wait until authorities deem Syria safe enough to keep the gates open 24/7.

In areas close to the Jaber border, Syrian goods have started showing up in markets.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Meanwhile, Syrian traders have set up a large wholesale market close to Jordan to facilitate trade between the two countries. It is good news for local customers, but not for Jordanian farmers who have a hard time selling their products.

Small fruit shops sell only vegetables purchased beyond the border but the price is half of what it would cost in any Jordanian market.

As the Syrian war winds down, life is coming back on track also in neighbouring Jordan. The border between the two countries recently reopened and trade is slowly restarting bringing much-awaited relief in both countries.

As the Syrian war winds down, life is coming back on track also in neighbouring Jordan. The border between the two countries recently reopened and trade is slowly restarting bringing much-awaited relief in both countries. Now civilians are allowed to cross and cars queue up while awaiting security permits to get to the southern Syrian governorates. Shops close to the crossing are renovating and are ready to open soon. In Amman, business has picked up with drivers patiently waiting for customers to fill their white cars and leave for Damascus. A one-way trip between the two capital cities now costs around $35, and those who have been there deem it a safe drive. "From Amman to Damascus driving is not a problem. The road is good, there is now everything in place, there is no war, things are ok,” Ahmed, a long distance cab driver in Amman confirms. However, the situation is not yet similar to the pre-war era. Khaled, who has been a driver for 30 years, complains that the border is open only for a few hours, making it hard to do more than one trip per day. “The problem is that the border is open only from 8am to 4pm and there is a lot of traffic, there are many Jordanian cars crossing the border,” Khaled rues. Some small travel agents have found a way around it and use Syrian number plates to avoid long queues, but the majority of them need to wait until authorities deem Syria safe enough to keep the gates open 24/7. In areas close to the Jaber border, Syrian goods have started showing up in markets. Meanwhile, Syrian traders have set up a large wholesale market close to Jordan to facilitate trade between the two countries. It is good news for local customers, but not for Jordanian farmers who have a hard time selling their products. Small fruit shops sell only vegetables purchased beyond the border but the price is half of what it would cost in any Jordanian market.

Jordan-Syria border area comes back to life

The Islamic State group killed 12 US-backed fighters in a surprise attack Sunday from the jihadists' holdout in eastern Syria on the Iraqi border, a Britain-based monitor said.

Twelve fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed and 20 wounded in a suicide car bombing and subsequent clashes in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

An SDF spokesman, however, denied any members of his Kurdish-led alliance had been killed.

"There are counter-attacks every day and the clashes are ongoing, but the talk of martyrs among our ranks is not true," Mustefa Bali said.

According to Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, Sunday's attack "started with a car bomb driven by a suicide attacker against an SDF position between Hajin and Al-Bahra".

The attack allowed IS to advance towards Al-Bahra from its holdout around Hajin, and push back the first lines of defence of the SDF, which is backed by the US-led coalition, the Observatory said.

The monitor said 14 civilians and nine IS jihadists were killed Saturday in coalition air strikes in Hajin and the nearby towns of Sousa and Al-Shaafa.

A coalition spokesman said those strikes targeted IS positions.

"The strikes killed ISIS terrorists and destroyed three operational facilities critical to ISIS's operations," Sean Ryan told AFP, using an alternative acronym for IS.

The SDF, with the support of coalition air strikes, in September launched an offensive to wrest the Deir Ezzor pocket including Hajin from IS, making slow advances.

But the alliance suffered a major setback as they retreated last week from the entire pocket after IS suicide bombings and low visibility due to sand storms.

Last Wednesday, the SDF suspended its fight against the jihadists after Turkish forces fired on the group's positions in northern Syria.&nbsp;

The coalition estimates 2,000 IS fighters remain in the Hajin pocket near the border with Iraq, which has reinforced military positions near its Al-Qaim crossing to prevent a spillover of clashes.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across land it controlled.

But the jihadist group has since lost most of that territory to various offensives in both countries.

In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and Hajin.

A total of more than 360,000 people have been killed since Syria's multi-front war erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

The Islamic State group killed 12 US-backed fighters in a surprise attack Sunday from the jihadists' holdout in eastern Syria on the Iraqi border, a Britain-based monitor said.

The Islamic State group killed 12 US-backed fighters in a surprise attack Sunday from the jihadists' holdout in eastern Syria on the Iraqi border, a Britain-based monitor said. Twelve fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed and 20 wounded in a suicide car bombing and subsequent clashes in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. An SDF spokesman, however, denied any members of his Kurdish-led alliance had been killed. "There are counter-attacks every day and the clashes are ongoing, but the talk of martyrs among our ranks is not true," Mustefa Bali said. According to Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, Sunday's attack "started with a car bomb driven by a suicide attacker against an SDF position between Hajin and Al-Bahra". The attack allowed IS to advance towards Al-Bahra from its holdout around Hajin, and push back the first lines of defence of the SDF, which is backed by the US-led coalition, the Observatory said. The monitor said 14 civilians and nine IS jihadists were killed Saturday in coalition air strikes in Hajin and the nearby towns of Sousa and Al-Shaafa. A coalition spokesman said those strikes targeted IS positions. "The strikes killed ISIS terrorists and destroyed three operational facilities critical to ISIS's operations," Sean Ryan told AFP, using an alternative acronym for IS. The SDF, with the support of coalition air strikes, in September launched an offensive to wrest the Deir Ezzor pocket including Hajin from IS, making slow advances. But the alliance suffered a major setback as they retreated last week from the entire pocket after IS suicide bombings and low visibility due to sand storms. Last Wednesday, the SDF suspended its fight against the jihadists after Turkish forces fired on the group's positions in northern Syria. The coalition estimates 2,000 IS fighters remain in the Hajin pocket near the border with Iraq, which has reinforced military positions near its Al-Qaim crossing to prevent a spillover of clashes. IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across land it controlled. But the jihadist group has since lost most of that territory to various offensives in both countries. In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and Hajin. A total of more than 360,000 people have been killed since Syria's multi-front war erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Islamic State attack kills 12 US-backed fighters in east Syria: Monitor

Syria is ready to cooperate with new UN envoy Geir Pedersen as long as he avoids the methods of his predecessor, its deputy foreign minister said in remarks published Sunday.

Pedersen, who assumes the role at the end of November, is the fourth negotiator to have been appointed the UN's special envoy to Syria since the country's war broke out in 2011.

A seasoned Norwegian diplomat, he replaces Staffan de Mistura, who announced he is leaving the post last month after a four-year stint.

"Syria will cooperate with the new UN envoy Geir Pedersen provided he avoids the methods of his predecessor," Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad said, quoted by Al-Watan newspaper.

It would work with him if "he announces his support for the unity of Syria's land and people and does not side with the terrorists as his predecessor did," he added, referring to rebel groups.

The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has long accused de Mistura of bias during his tenure.

Its opponents have said the change in UN envoy would have little impact on the fate of the country as international will and consensus were lacking.

Yahya al-Aridi, spokesman for the Syrian Negotiations Commission, this week told AFP he hoped Pedersen would be "more decisive" and call things out for what they are.

De Mistura, an Italian-Swedish diplomat, announced he was stepping down to spend more time with his family after four years in the demanding post.

He had been appointed in July 2014 after veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi resigned following two years in the position.

Brahimi stepped in after late UN chief Kofi Annan quit just six months into the role which he described as "mission impossible".

Pedersen was a member of the Norwegian team to the secret negotiations that led to the signing of the 1993 Oslo accords between Israel and the Palestinians.

Syria is ready to cooperate with new UN envoy Geir Pedersen as long as he avoids the methods of his predecessor, its deputy foreign minister said in remarks published Sunday.

Syria is ready to cooperate with new UN envoy Geir Pedersen as long as he avoids the methods of his predecessor, its deputy foreign minister said in remarks published Sunday. Pedersen, who assumes the role at the end of November, is the fourth negotiator to have been appointed the UN's special envoy to Syria since the country's war broke out in 2011. A seasoned Norwegian diplomat, he replaces Staffan de Mistura, who announced he is leaving the post last month after a four-year stint. "Syria will cooperate with the new UN envoy Geir Pedersen provided he avoids the methods of his predecessor," Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad said, quoted by Al-Watan newspaper. It would work with him if "he announces his support for the unity of Syria's land and people and does not side with the terrorists as his predecessor did," he added, referring to rebel groups. The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has long accused de Mistura of bias during his tenure. Its opponents have said the change in UN envoy would have little impact on the fate of the country as international will and consensus were lacking. Yahya al-Aridi, spokesman for the Syrian Negotiations Commission, this week told AFP he hoped Pedersen would be "more decisive" and call things out for what they are. De Mistura, an Italian-Swedish diplomat, announced he was stepping down to spend more time with his family after four years in the demanding post. He had been appointed in July 2014 after veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi resigned following two years in the position. Brahimi stepped in after late UN chief Kofi Annan quit just six months into the role which he described as "mission impossible". Pedersen was a member of the Norwegian team to the secret negotiations that led to the signing of the 1993 Oslo accords between Israel and the Palestinians.

Ready to cooperate with new UN envoy: Syria

An aid convoy on Saturday reached a camp for displaced Syrians near the Jordanian border, the United Nations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said, in the first such delivery since January.

"The UN and SARC are delivering humanitarian assistance to 50,000 people in need at Rukban camp in southeast Syria," the UN said in a statement, adding the delivery was expected to take three to four days.

The convoy included much-needed food, as well as health assistance, the UN and SARC said.

"We are delivering food, sanitation and hygiene supplies, nutrition and health assistance in addition to other core relief items," the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Syria Ali Al-Zaatari said in a statement.

"We are also conducting an emergency vaccination campaign to protect some 10,000 children against measles, polio and other deadly diseases."&nbsp; 
More than 70 trucks would ferry in more than 10,000 food parcels and bags of flour, as well as clothes for 18,000 children, the Red Crescent said.

The aid would also include newborn baby kits for 1,200 children, medicines, medical supplies and nutritional supplements for children and women, it said. It was the first aid convoy to arrive in Rukban from&nbsp;Damascus, after the last delivery from Jordan in January.

"This is SARC's first convoy to Rukban camp after guarantees from all parties have been obtained," SARC president Khaled Hboubati also said in a statement.

Conditions, since the last aid arrived, have deteriorated, with most inhabitants unable to afford what little food is smuggled across the Jordanian border, and no health facilities in the camp.

Abu Karim, a camp resident, welcomed the fresh assistance but insisted it should be regular to have a lasting effect.

"The aid arriving has provided some relief to the displaced, but if it then stops and does not continue on a regular basis, the camp will return to its bad state," he said.

He pointed to the lack of health care for the displaced as winter draws closer.

"The aid entering will solve the food crisis in the camp, but there's still the health issue," he told AFP via a messaging app.

"There's great suffering as we have no doctors, hospitals or even field hospitals or a place for first aid."&nbsp;

To access a basic clinic, residents have to cross into Jordan -- through a border that has been largely closed since 2016.

Last month, a girl of four months died of blood poisoning and dehydration, and a five-day-old boy lost his life to blood poisoning and severe malnutrition, according to the UN's children agency UNICEF.

A suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group in June 2016 killed seven Jordanian soldiers in no-mans-land close to the nearby&nbsp; 
Rukban crossing.

Soon afterwards, the army declared Jordan's desert regions that stretch northeast to Syria and east to Iraq "closed military zones".

The kingdom, part of the US-led coalition fighting IS, has allowed several humanitarian aid deliveries to the area following UN requests, but the&nbsp; 
borders remain largely closed.

The camp, home to displaced people from across Syria, also lies close to the Al-Tanf base used by the US-led coalition fighting IS.

Syria's civil war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.&nbsp;

An aid convoy on Saturday reached a camp for displaced Syrians near the Jordanian border, the United Nations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said, in the first such delivery since January.

An aid convoy on Saturday reached a camp for displaced Syrians near the Jordanian border, the United Nations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said, in the first such delivery since January. "The UN and SARC are delivering humanitarian assistance to 50,000 people in need at Rukban camp in southeast Syria," the UN said in a statement, adding the delivery was expected to take three to four days. The convoy included much-needed food, as well as health assistance, the UN and SARC said. "We are delivering food, sanitation and hygiene supplies, nutrition and health assistance in addition to other core relief items," the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Syria Ali Al-Zaatari said in a statement. "We are also conducting an emergency vaccination campaign to protect some 10,000 children against measles, polio and other deadly diseases." More than 70 trucks would ferry in more than 10,000 food parcels and bags of flour, as well as clothes for 18,000 children, the Red Crescent said. The aid would also include newborn baby kits for 1,200 children, medicines, medical supplies and nutritional supplements for children and women, it said. It was the first aid convoy to arrive in Rukban from Damascus, after the last delivery from Jordan in January. "This is SARC's first convoy to Rukban camp after guarantees from all parties have been obtained," SARC president Khaled Hboubati also said in a statement. Conditions, since the last aid arrived, have deteriorated, with most inhabitants unable to afford what little food is smuggled across the Jordanian border, and no health facilities in the camp. Abu Karim, a camp resident, welcomed the fresh assistance but insisted it should be regular to have a lasting effect. "The aid arriving has provided some relief to the displaced, but if it then stops and does not continue on a regular basis, the camp will return to its bad state," he said. He pointed to the lack of health care for the displaced as winter draws closer. "The aid entering will solve the food crisis in the camp, but there's still the health issue," he told AFP via a messaging app. "There's great suffering as we have no doctors, hospitals or even field hospitals or a place for first aid." To access a basic clinic, residents have to cross into Jordan -- through a border that has been largely closed since 2016. Last month, a girl of four months died of blood poisoning and dehydration, and a five-day-old boy lost his life to blood poisoning and severe malnutrition, according to the UN's children agency UNICEF. A suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group in June 2016 killed seven Jordanian soldiers in no-mans-land close to the nearby Rukban crossing. Soon afterwards, the army declared Jordan's desert regions that stretch northeast to Syria and east to Iraq "closed military zones". The kingdom, part of the US-led coalition fighting IS, has allowed several humanitarian aid deliveries to the area following UN requests, but the borders remain largely closed. The camp, home to displaced people from across Syria, also lies close to the Al-Tanf base used by the US-led coalition fighting IS. Syria's civil war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

First aid since January reaches displaced Syrians near Jordan border: UN

The leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Turkey stressed the importance on Saturday of a lasting ceasefire in Syria, and said a committee to create a new constitution should meet by the end of the year.

The leaders of the four countries gathered for a summit in Istanbul to discuss Syria, where violence this week in the last remaining major rebel stronghold has highlighted the fragility of a deal to avert a massive government offensive.

Ankara, which has long backed rebels seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, and Moscow, Assad's principal foreign ally, brokered a deal last month to create a demilitarised zone in the northwest Idlib region.

Idlib and adjacent areas are the last stronghold of the rebels, who rose up against Assad in 2011. The area is home to an estimated 3 million people, more than half of whom have already fled other areas as government forces advanced.

"Russia and Turkey have negotiated an agreement that must be strictly implemented. Assurances were made on this point... We will all be extremely vigilant to ensure that these commitments are met and that the ceasefire is stable and sustainable," French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters.

"We are counting on Russia to exert a very clear pressure on the (Syrian) regime which very clearly owes it its survival."

Shelling in Idlib killed at least seven civilians on Friday, the largest one-day loss of life there since Russian air strikes stopped in mid-August, a war monitor said.

Under their deal last month, Turkey and Russia agreed to set up a buffer zone running 15-20 km (9-13 miles) into rebel territory that had to be evacuated of all heavy weapons and all jihadist fighters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Turkey was fulfilling its obligation regarding the agreement on Idlib. The process was not easy, and Russia plans to continue cooperating, he said.

Macron, Putin, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel also called for the convening of a constitutional committee by the end of the year, according to their joint communique.

Erdogan told reporters that should be done "as soon as possible", adding he hoped it would be before the end of the year.

Participants at a Syrian peace conference in Russia in January agreed to form the 150-member committee to rewrite the Syrian constitution, with a third chosen by the government, a third by opposition groups and a third by the United Nations.

UN&nbsp;envoy Staffan de Mistura told the Security Council on Friday that Damascus now wants the United Nations to facilitate the writing of the constitution, but does not want it to name a third of the committee members.

The leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Turkey stressed the importance on Saturday of a lasting ceasefire in Syria, and said a committee to create a new constitution should meet by the end of the year.

The leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Turkey stressed the importance on Saturday of a lasting ceasefire in Syria, and said a committee to create a new constitution should meet by the end of the year. The leaders of the four countries gathered for a summit in Istanbul to discuss Syria, where violence this week in the last remaining major rebel stronghold has highlighted the fragility of a deal to avert a massive government offensive. Ankara, which has long backed rebels seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, and Moscow, Assad's principal foreign ally, brokered a deal last month to create a demilitarised zone in the northwest Idlib region. Idlib and adjacent areas are the last stronghold of the rebels, who rose up against Assad in 2011. The area is home to an estimated 3 million people, more than half of whom have already fled other areas as government forces advanced. "Russia and Turkey have negotiated an agreement that must be strictly implemented. Assurances were made on this point... We will all be extremely vigilant to ensure that these commitments are met and that the ceasefire is stable and sustainable," French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters. "We are counting on Russia to exert a very clear pressure on the (Syrian) regime which very clearly owes it its survival." Shelling in Idlib killed at least seven civilians on Friday, the largest one-day loss of life there since Russian air strikes stopped in mid-August, a war monitor said. Under their deal last month, Turkey and Russia agreed to set up a buffer zone running 15-20 km (9-13 miles) into rebel territory that had to be evacuated of all heavy weapons and all jihadist fighters. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Turkey was fulfilling its obligation regarding the agreement on Idlib. The process was not easy, and Russia plans to continue cooperating, he said. Macron, Putin, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel also called for the convening of a constitutional committee by the end of the year, according to their joint communique. Erdogan told reporters that should be done "as soon as possible", adding he hoped it would be before the end of the year. Participants at a Syrian peace conference in Russia in January agreed to form the 150-member committee to rewrite the Syrian constitution, with a third chosen by the government, a third by opposition groups and a third by the United Nations. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura told the Security Council on Friday that Damascus now wants the United Nations to facilitate the writing of the constitution, but does not want it to name a third of the committee members.

Russia, Germany, France and Turkey call for lasting ceasefire, constitutional meeting for Syria

The leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Turkey gathered in Istanbul on Saturday for a summit on Syria, where violence this week in the last remaining major rebel stronghold highlighted the fragility of a deal to avert a massive government offensive.

Ankara, which has long backed rebels seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, and Moscow, Assad's principal foreign ally, brokered the deal last month to create a demilitarised zone in the northwest Idlib region.

Idlib and adjacent areas are the last stronghold of the rebels, who rose up against Assad in 2011. The area is home to an estimated 3 million people, more than half of whom have already fled other areas as government forces advanced.

Shelling in Idlib killed at least seven civilians on Friday, the largest one-day loss of life there since Russian air strikes stopped in mid-August, a war monitor said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Erdogan are due to have four-way talks in Istanbul on Saturday. Putin spoke ahead of the summit by phone to Macron and Erdogan.

UN&nbsp;Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is stepping down at the end of next month for family reasons, is also taking part.

Under their deal last month, Turkey and Russia agreed to set up a buffer zone running 15-20 km (9-13 miles) into rebel territory that had to be evacuated of all heavy weapons and all jihadist fighters.

The leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Turkey gathered in Istanbul on Saturday for a summit on Syria, where violence this week in the last remaining major rebel stronghold highlighted the fragility of a deal to avert a massive government offensive.

The leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Turkey gathered in Istanbul on Saturday for a summit on Syria, where violence this week in the last remaining major rebel stronghold highlighted the fragility of a deal to avert a massive government offensive. Ankara, which has long backed rebels seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, and Moscow, Assad's principal foreign ally, brokered the deal last month to create a demilitarised zone in the northwest Idlib region. Idlib and adjacent areas are the last stronghold of the rebels, who rose up against Assad in 2011. The area is home to an estimated 3 million people, more than half of whom have already fled other areas as government forces advanced. Shelling in Idlib killed at least seven civilians on Friday, the largest one-day loss of life there since Russian air strikes stopped in mid-August, a war monitor said. Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Erdogan are due to have four-way talks in Istanbul on Saturday. Putin spoke ahead of the summit by phone to Macron and Erdogan. UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is stepping down at the end of next month for family reasons, is also taking part. Under their deal last month, Turkey and Russia agreed to set up a buffer zone running 15-20 km (9-13 miles) into rebel territory that had to be evacuated of all heavy weapons and all jihadist fighters.

Russia, Germany, France and Turkey meet for four-way Syria summit

Syria reopened a wing of the capital's famed antiquities museum on Sunday after six years of closure to protect its exhibits and visitors from rebel rocket fire in the civil war.

Officials swung open the large wooden door of the building in central Damascus for the first time since 2012.

On display were "some of the artefacts that used to be exhibited at the National Museum dating from the most historic periods, from prehistory to the Islamic era", antiquities official Ahmad Deeb said.

Authorities were working "to prepare the whole museum in the coming period" to be reopened, he said.

The Damascus museum, founded in 1920, was closed one year into the civil war as the then national head of antiquities took action to protect its artefacts from rebel rocket fire or shelling.

Its gardens, however, remained open to the public, even as rockets intermittently hit Damascus from the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta, northeast of the capital.

Syria is home to more than 700 archeological sites, many of which have been destroyed, damaged or looted since the start of the war.

All warring sides have been accused of looting artifacts during the conflict, from both major archeological sites and the country's museums.

The most famous include the ancient city of Palmyra, a UNESCO-listed heritage site overrun by the Islamic State group until the Russia-backed army retook it last year.

From 2012 onwards, the museums authority stored some 300,000 items and thousands of manuscripts from around the country at secret locations protected from fires, shelling and floods.

More than seven years into the conflict, President Bashar Assad's regime has secured the capital, after expelling rebels and jihadists from its outskirts earlier this year with Russian military support.

Assad's forces are now in control of around two-thirds of the country.

More than 360,000 people have been killed since the war started in March 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Syria reopened a wing of the capital's famed antiquities museum on Sunday after six years of closure to protect its exhibits and visitors from rebel rocket fire in the civil war.

Syria reopened a wing of the capital's famed antiquities museum on Sunday after six years of closure to protect its exhibits and visitors from rebel rocket fire in the civil war. Officials swung open the large wooden door of the building in central Damascus for the first time since 2012. On display were "some of the artefacts that used to be exhibited at the National Museum dating from the most historic periods, from prehistory to the Islamic era", antiquities official Ahmad Deeb said. Authorities were working "to prepare the whole museum in the coming period" to be reopened, he said. The Damascus museum, founded in 1920, was closed one year into the civil war as the then national head of antiquities took action to protect its artefacts from rebel rocket fire or shelling. Its gardens, however, remained open to the public, even as rockets intermittently hit Damascus from the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta, northeast of the capital. Syria is home to more than 700 archeological sites, many of which have been destroyed, damaged or looted since the start of the war. All warring sides have been accused of looting artifacts during the conflict, from both major archeological sites and the country's museums. The most famous include the ancient city of Palmyra, a UNESCO-listed heritage site overrun by the Islamic State group until the Russia-backed army retook it last year. From 2012 onwards, the museums authority stored some 300,000 items and thousands of manuscripts from around the country at secret locations protected from fires, shelling and floods. More than seven years into the conflict, President Bashar Assad's regime has secured the capital, after expelling rebels and jihadists from its outskirts earlier this year with Russian military support. Assad's forces are now in control of around two-thirds of the country. More than 360,000 people have been killed since the war started in March 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Syria reopens Damascus antiquities museum

The Islamic State group has ousted a US-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab forces from its holdout in eastern Syria, killing dozens of fighters, a monitoring group said Sunday.

A Syrian Democratic Forces commander, asking not to be named, confirmed the SDF retreat from the Hajin pocket near the Iraqi border seven weeks into an offensive.

The SDF, who are backed by air strikes of the US-led coalition, launched its campaign to retake the IS holdout on September 10.

But they have faced a fierce fightback from the jihadists, including under the cover of sandstorms, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.

"In counterattacks since Friday to Sunday dawn, IS has taken back all positions to which the SDF had advanced inside the Hajin pocket," the monitoring group's chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The Observatory reported 72 SDF fighters killed, as IS took advantage of the storm that hampered coalition air cover and dispatched suicide bombers as part of their fightback.

The SDF commander told AFP that his forces had faced a "strong dust storm" and lacked local knowledge of the terrain.

Unlike IS, "our forces don't know the area and can't move around in conditions of zero visibility," he said.

"Military reinforcements and heavy weapons have been sent to the front and some units will be replaced by more experienced ones," the commander said.

"We will launch a new military campaign as soon as those reinforcements have arrived," he said.

More than 300 SDF fighters and around 500 IS jihadists have been killed in the past seven weeks of fighting, the Observatory says.

The coalition estimates that 2,000 IS fighters remain in the Hajin area.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across land it controlled.

But the jihadist group has since lost most of that territory to various offensives in both countries.

In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert also in the east and the Hajin pocket.

A total of more than 360,000 people have been killed since Syria's war erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

The Islamic State group has ousted a US-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab forces from its holdout in eastern Syria, killing dozens of fighters, a monitoring group said Sunday.

The Islamic State group has ousted a US-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab forces from its holdout in eastern Syria, killing dozens of fighters, a monitoring group said Sunday. A Syrian Democratic Forces commander, asking not to be named, confirmed the SDF retreat from the Hajin pocket near the Iraqi border seven weeks into an offensive. The SDF, who are backed by air strikes of the US-led coalition, launched its campaign to retake the IS holdout on September 10. But they have faced a fierce fightback from the jihadists, including under the cover of sandstorms, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. "In counterattacks since Friday to Sunday dawn, IS has taken back all positions to which the SDF had advanced inside the Hajin pocket," the monitoring group's chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The Observatory reported 72 SDF fighters killed, as IS took advantage of the storm that hampered coalition air cover and dispatched suicide bombers as part of their fightback. The SDF commander told AFP that his forces had faced a "strong dust storm" and lacked local knowledge of the terrain. Unlike IS, "our forces don't know the area and can't move around in conditions of zero visibility," he said. "Military reinforcements and heavy weapons have been sent to the front and some units will be replaced by more experienced ones," the commander said. "We will launch a new military campaign as soon as those reinforcements have arrived," he said. More than 300 SDF fighters and around 500 IS jihadists have been killed in the past seven weeks of fighting, the Observatory says. The coalition estimates that 2,000 IS fighters remain in the Hajin area. IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across land it controlled. But the jihadist group has since lost most of that territory to various offensives in both countries. In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert also in the east and the Hajin pocket. A total of more than 360,000 people have been killed since Syria's war erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

IS repels US-backed forces from east Syria holdout: Monitor

The Islamic State group has killed 60 US-backed fighters in Syria who are battling to oust the jihadists from their eastern holdout of Hajin on the Iraqi border, a war monitor said Saturday.

IS late Friday dispatched suicide bombers as part of a counter-attack against the Syrian Democratic Forces, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights.

The SDF fighters, who are backed by US-led coalition air strikes, were killed overnight, the Observatory said.

In a statement on the Telegram messaging app, IS said it had attacked the village of Sousa late Friday and detonated a car bomb near the village of Al-Baghuza further south, down the Euphrates river.

The SDF last month launched an offensive against the jihadists in the Hajin pocket on the eastern banks of the Euphrates, in Deir Ezzor province.

IS has staged a bloody fightback.

Since September 10, 270 SDF fighters and 496 IS jihadists have been killed in the offensive, the Observatory says.

The coalition estimates that 2,000 IS fighters remain in the Hajin area.

Last week, the Observatory said coalition air strikes had killed 41 civilians in Sousa, 10 of them children, on October 18 and 19.

But the coalition said it had targeted an IS command post on October 18, and denied carrying out any strikes in the area the following day.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across land it controlled.

But the jihadist group has since lost most of that territory to various offensives in both countries.

In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the Hajin pocket.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

The Islamic State group has killed 60 US-backed fighters in Syria who are battling to oust the jihadists from their eastern holdout of Hajin on the Iraqi border, a war monitor said Saturday.

The Islamic State group has killed 60 US-backed fighters in Syria who are battling to oust the jihadists from their eastern holdout of Hajin on the Iraqi border, a war monitor said Saturday. IS late Friday dispatched suicide bombers as part of a counter-attack against the Syrian Democratic Forces, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights. The SDF fighters, who are backed by US-led coalition air strikes, were killed overnight, the Observatory said. In a statement on the Telegram messaging app, IS said it had attacked the village of Sousa late Friday and detonated a car bomb near the village of Al-Baghuza further south, down the Euphrates river. The SDF last month launched an offensive against the jihadists in the Hajin pocket on the eastern banks of the Euphrates, in Deir Ezzor province. IS has staged a bloody fightback. Since September 10, 270 SDF fighters and 496 IS jihadists have been killed in the offensive, the Observatory says. The coalition estimates that 2,000 IS fighters remain in the Hajin area. Last week, the Observatory said coalition air strikes had killed 41 civilians in Sousa, 10 of them children, on October 18 and 19. But the coalition said it had targeted an IS command post on October 18, and denied carrying out any strikes in the area the following day. IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across land it controlled. But the jihadist group has since lost most of that territory to various offensives in both countries. In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the Hajin pocket. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Islamic State group kills 60 US-backed fighters in eastern Syria: Monitor

The Israeli army on Saturday accused the Syrian government and Iran of ordering Palestinian militants in Gaza.

Dozens of rockets were fired into southern Israel and Israel also threatened to retaliate whatever it chose.

"The rockets that were launched against Israel... we know that the orders, incentives were given from Damascus with the clear involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force," Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told journalists, referring to the Guards' foreign operations unit.

The rockets were launched by Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group. They said it had signed up to an Egyptian-brokered truce with Israel to cease hostilities, though there was no Israeli confirmation.

At least 39 rockets have been fired since late Friday killing six people on the Gaza-Israel border, with 17 of them intercepted by air defences and the rest hitting open ground, the army said.

The army also said that Israeli aircraft struck eight Islamic Jihad sites and also targeted approximately 90 sites belonging to the territory's Islamist rulers Hamas.

The Israeli army on Saturday accused the Syrian government and Iran of ordering Palestinian militants in Gaza. Dozens of rockets were fired into southern Israel and Israel also threatened to retaliate whatever it chose.

The Israeli army on Saturday accused the Syrian government and Iran of ordering Palestinian militants in Gaza. Dozens of rockets were fired into southern Israel and Israel also threatened to retaliate whatever it chose. "The rockets that were launched against Israel... we know that the orders, incentives were given from Damascus with the clear involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force," Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told journalists, referring to the Guards' foreign operations unit. The rockets were launched by Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group. They said it had signed up to an Egyptian-brokered truce with Israel to cease hostilities, though there was no Israeli confirmation. At least 39 rockets have been fired since late Friday killing six people on the Gaza-Israel border, with 17 of them intercepted by air defences and the rest hitting open ground, the army said. The army also said that Israeli aircraft struck eight Islamic Jihad sites and also targeted approximately 90 sites belonging to the territory's Islamist rulers Hamas.

Israel accuses Syria, Iran of ordering Palestinian militants in Gaza

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/freed-japanese-journalist-says-syria-kidnap-ordeal-was-hell-173430">Japanese journalist Jumpei Yasuda</a> who was in captivity with the Syrian militants for a period of over three years has said that he was not allowed to move or make any noise during the confinement.

Calling the capitivity as physical and psychological hell, he said that the military would not let him move or make any noise even while sleeping.&nbsp;

Yasuda added that he was not allowed to bath or wash his clothes.

"Because I couldn't wash my hair, my head itched - but when I scratched, that made noise," he said on flight back to Japan.

"Breathing through my nose, cracking my knuckles, moving while I slept - everything was forbidden."

Kept at a space just 1.5 metres high and 1 metre wide, Yasuda was confined with the Syria military for over three years.

Jumpei Yasuda was kidnapped in Syria in 2015.

He arrived back in Japan on Thursday night.

The Japanese government has thanked Qatar and Turkey for their cooperation in freeing Yasuda, but has denied paying a ransom for his release.

Yasuda also had to face criticism on social media where the netizens targetted him saying that he was not even Japanese.

"He is disturbing society," wrote one Twitter user. "He's an anti-citizen," charged another.

Perhaps anticipating the criticism, Yasuda's only statement upon arrival, read to reporters by his wife Myu, was dominated by an apology.

"I apologise for causing such trouble and worry, but thanks to all of you, I was able to come home safely," he said.

A string of kidnappings of journalists in Syria at the height of the country's war exposed differences in how governments and public responded.

Some governments paid ransoms, while others refused, and while countries celebrated their journalists as heroes, others quietly criticised them for taking unnecessary risks.

(With inputs from agencies)

Japanese journalist Jumpei Yasuda who was in captivity with the Syrian militants for a period of over three years has said that he was not allowed to move or make any noise during the confinement.

Japanese journalist Jumpei Yasuda who was in captivity with the Syrian militants for a period of over three years has said that he was not allowed to move or make any noise during the confinement. Calling the capitivity as physical and psychological hell, he said that the military would not let him move or make any noise even while sleeping. Yasuda added that he was not allowed to bath or wash his clothes. "Because I couldn't wash my hair, my head itched - but when I scratched, that made noise," he said on flight back to Japan. "Breathing through my nose, cracking my knuckles, moving while I slept - everything was forbidden." Kept at a space just 1.5 metres high and 1 metre wide, Yasuda was confined with the Syria military for over three years. Jumpei Yasuda was kidnapped in Syria in 2015. He arrived back in Japan on Thursday night. The Japanese government has thanked Qatar and Turkey for their cooperation in freeing Yasuda, but has denied paying a ransom for his release. Yasuda also had to face criticism on social media where the netizens targetted him saying that he was not even Japanese. "He is disturbing society," wrote one Twitter user. "He's an anti-citizen," charged another. Perhaps anticipating the criticism, Yasuda's only statement upon arrival, read to reporters by his wife Myu, was dominated by an apology. "I apologise for causing such trouble and worry, but thanks to all of you, I was able to come home safely," he said. A string of kidnappings of journalists in Syria at the height of the country's war exposed differences in how governments and public responded. Some governments paid ransoms, while others refused, and while countries celebrated their journalists as heroes, others quietly criticised them for taking unnecessary risks. (With inputs from agencies)

Forbidden from moving or making noise, Japanese journalist recounts Syrian torment

A Japanese journalist held hostage by militants for 40 months left for Japan from Turkey on Wednesday after being freed and said he was happy to be going home.

Jumpei Yasuda, a 44-year-old freelance journalist who was reported to have been captured by an al Qaeda affiliate after entering Syria from Turkey in 2015, was released a day earlier after three years in captivity.

Japanese diplomats in Turkey earlier confirmed that the released man was Yasuda, and Japan's foreign minister said the journalist would be brought home as soon as possible.

Speaking to Reuters on board a flight from Antakya in southern Turkey en route to Istanbul, from where he flew back to Tokyo, Yasuda said he did not know what the future held for him.

"I am happy that I can return to Japan. At the same time, I don't know what will happen from here or what I should do," he said. "I am thinking about what I need to do."

He also said he had not spoken Japanese for 40 months and was struggling to find the right words.

In an earlier video released by Turkish officials, Yasuda gave thanks for his freedom and said he was safe.

"My name is Jumpei Yasuda, Japanese journalist. I have been held in Syria for 40 months, now in Turkey. Now I'm in safe condition. Thank you very much," a bearded Yasuda said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had earlier voiced relief, while still waiting for confirmation of the identity of the freed man.

Both Abe and Foreign Minister Taro Kono thanked Qatar and Turkey for their cooperation in freeing the man. A government spokesman said that no ransom was paid for Yasuda's release.

"He looks to be in good health, but our staff will check his condition and transport him to Japan as soon as possible," Kono told reporters earlier on Wednesday.

Yasudo's three years in captivity were not the first time he had been detained in the Middle East.

He was held in Baghdad in 2004 and drew criticism at home for drawing the government into negotiations for his release.

In Tokyo, Yasuda's parents spoke to reporters outside their house.

Yasuda's mother, Sachiko Yasuda, choked back tears as she clutched a white handkerchief.

"I could do nothing but pray. So I've been praying every day," she said.

His father, Hideaki Yasuda, said all he wanted was to see his son in good condition.

"Above everything else, I want to see him being fine," he said.

"When he's back, I want to tell him one thing, and that'll be 'good job hanging in there'," he said.

A Japanese journalist held hostage by militants for 40 months left for Japan from Turkey on Wednesday after being freed and said he was happy to be going home. Jumpei Yasuda, a 44-year-old freelance journalist who was reported to have been captured by an al Qaeda affiliate after entering Syria from Turkey in 2015, was released a day earlier after three years in captivity.

A Japanese journalist held hostage by militants for 40 months left for Japan from Turkey on Wednesday after being freed and said he was happy to be going home. Jumpei Yasuda, a 44-year-old freelance journalist who was reported to have been captured by an al Qaeda affiliate after entering Syria from Turkey in 2015, was released a day earlier after three years in captivity. Japanese diplomats in Turkey earlier confirmed that the released man was Yasuda, and Japan's foreign minister said the journalist would be brought home as soon as possible. Speaking to Reuters on board a flight from Antakya in southern Turkey en route to Istanbul, from where he flew back to Tokyo, Yasuda said he did not know what the future held for him. "I am happy that I can return to Japan. At the same time, I don't know what will happen from here or what I should do," he said. "I am thinking about what I need to do." He also said he had not spoken Japanese for 40 months and was struggling to find the right words. In an earlier video released by Turkish officials, Yasuda gave thanks for his freedom and said he was safe. "My name is Jumpei Yasuda, Japanese journalist. I have been held in Syria for 40 months, now in Turkey. Now I'm in safe condition. Thank you very much," a bearded Yasuda said. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had earlier voiced relief, while still waiting for confirmation of the identity of the freed man. Both Abe and Foreign Minister Taro Kono thanked Qatar and Turkey for their cooperation in freeing the man. A government spokesman said that no ransom was paid for Yasuda's release. "He looks to be in good health, but our staff will check his condition and transport him to Japan as soon as possible," Kono told reporters earlier on Wednesday. Yasudo's three years in captivity were not the first time he had been detained in the Middle East. He was held in Baghdad in 2004 and drew criticism at home for drawing the government into negotiations for his release. In Tokyo, Yasuda's parents spoke to reporters outside their house. Yasuda's mother, Sachiko Yasuda, choked back tears as she clutched a white handkerchief. "I could do nothing but pray. So I've been praying every day," she said. His father, Hideaki Yasuda, said all he wanted was to see his son in good condition. "Above everything else, I want to see him being fine," he said. "When he's back, I want to tell him one thing, and that'll be 'good job hanging in there'," he said.

Japanese journalist held hostage by militants in Syria heads home

A Japanese journalist who was held in Syria for more than three years before being freed this week has described his lengthy captivity as "hell."

Jumpei Yasuda was freed earlier this week and taken to Turkey, where Japanese government officials confirmed his identity before announcing Wednesday that he was free.

He boarded a plane bound for Tokyo on Thursday, speaking briefly to journalists in an interview broadcast by Japanese media.

"It was hell," he said, sporting a long beard peppered with grey hair.

"Not only physically, but mentally as well. The thought each day that 'I'm not being released today either' left me losing control over myself bit by bit."

Yasuda, who is expected to arrive in Tokyo on Thursday evening, spoke calmly, but appeared slightly overwhelmed and tired, if otherwise healthy.

"For about 40 months, I have not spoken a word of Japanese. Words don't come to my mind easily," he said.

"I am happy that I am returning to Japan. At the same time, I have no idea what will happen now and how I should conduct myself. I am at loss and don't know what to think."

Yasuda was kidnapped in Syria in June 2015, and was reportedly initially a hostage of the group previously known as the Al-Nusra Front, a former Al-Qaeda affiliate.

But the group's current iteration, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, denied any involvement in his kidnapping in a statement earlier this week.

There was only sporadic news of Yasuda throughout his captivity, including a bizarre video that emerged in August showing him and a man identified as an Italian called Alessandro Sandrini.

Both men appealed for their release, dressed in orange jumpsuits, as masked, armed men stood behind them.

Yasuda gave his name as Omar and described himself as South Korean, but his wife Myu confirmed that it was her husband in the video.

The video did not identify who was holding the men or what their demands were. There has been no word on the fate of Sandrini since.

Yasuda told journalists he believed he was held for all of his captivity in Idlib, a province in northwestern Syria that is one of the last parts of the country still held in part by rebels and jihadists.

The details of how Yasuda was freed have remained murky, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, saying a ransom was paid.

But Japan's government has denied that.

In 2015, militants from the Islamic State group beheaded Japanese war correspondent Kenji Goto and his friend Haruna Yukawa in Syria.

The Japanese government was criticised for what detractors saw as its flat-footed response to the crisis at the time, including apparently missed opportunities to free both men.

But other Japanese hostages who have been freed and made it home safely have also faced heavy public criticism for what some have deemed reckless behaviour.

A Japanese journalist who was held in Syria for more than three years before being freed this week has described his lengthy captivity as "hell." Jumpei Yasuda was freed earlier this week and taken to Turkey, where Japanese government officials confirmed his identity before announcing Wednesday that he was free.

A Japanese journalist who was held in Syria for more than three years before being freed this week has described his lengthy captivity as "hell." Jumpei Yasuda was freed earlier this week and taken to Turkey, where Japanese government officials confirmed his identity before announcing Wednesday that he was free. He boarded a plane bound for Tokyo on Thursday, speaking briefly to journalists in an interview broadcast by Japanese media. "It was hell," he said, sporting a long beard peppered with grey hair. "Not only physically, but mentally as well. The thought each day that 'I'm not being released today either' left me losing control over myself bit by bit." Yasuda, who is expected to arrive in Tokyo on Thursday evening, spoke calmly, but appeared slightly overwhelmed and tired, if otherwise healthy. "For about 40 months, I have not spoken a word of Japanese. Words don't come to my mind easily," he said. "I am happy that I am returning to Japan. At the same time, I have no idea what will happen now and how I should conduct myself. I am at loss and don't know what to think." Yasuda was kidnapped in Syria in June 2015, and was reportedly initially a hostage of the group previously known as the Al-Nusra Front, a former Al-Qaeda affiliate. But the group's current iteration, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, denied any involvement in his kidnapping in a statement earlier this week. There was only sporadic news of Yasuda throughout his captivity, including a bizarre video that emerged in August showing him and a man identified as an Italian called Alessandro Sandrini. Both men appealed for their release, dressed in orange jumpsuits, as masked, armed men stood behind them. Yasuda gave his name as Omar and described himself as South Korean, but his wife Myu confirmed that it was her husband in the video. The video did not identify who was holding the men or what their demands were. There has been no word on the fate of Sandrini since. Yasuda told journalists he believed he was held for all of his captivity in Idlib, a province in northwestern Syria that is one of the last parts of the country still held in part by rebels and jihadists. The details of how Yasuda was freed have remained murky, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, saying a ransom was paid. But Japan's government has denied that. In 2015, militants from the Islamic State group beheaded Japanese war correspondent Kenji Goto and his friend Haruna Yukawa in Syria. The Japanese government was criticised for what detractors saw as its flat-footed response to the crisis at the time, including apparently missed opportunities to free both men. But other Japanese hostages who have been freed and made it home safely have also faced heavy public criticism for what some have deemed reckless behaviour.

Freed Japanese journalist says Syria kidnap ordeal was 'hell'

The Islamic State group has released six of 27 Druze hostages it seized during a deadly July attack in Syria's Sweida province in exchange for a prisoner swap and ransom, a monitor said Saturday.

"Two women and four children from the province of Sweida were released last night," Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitor group, told AFP.&nbsp;

He added that the releases were the "first wave" and part of an agreement sealed with the Syrian government to exchange all the hostages for "60 Islamic State prisoners held by the regime and a ransom of $27 million."

The jihadist group abducted around 30 people -- mostly women and children -- from Sweida in late July during the deadliest attack on Syria's Druze community of the seven-year civil war.

During the coordinated assaults on July 25, IS waged a series of suicide bombings, shootings and stabbings that left more than 250 people dead across the southwestern province, most of them civilians.

Sweida province is the heartland of the country's Druze minority, which made up around three percent of Syria's pre-war population -- or around 700,000 people.

IS executed a 19-year-old male student among the captives in August and then a 25-year-old female captive in early October. The group said a 65-year-old female captive also died from illness.

Families of those kidnapped held protests to demand action by the Syrian government to free them.

Negotiations between the government's Russian ally and the jihadists for the release of the captives had stalled.

Government forces have battled IS in the volcanic plateau of Tulul al-Safa in the east of the province since the July attack.

The Islamic State group has released six of 27 Druze hostages it seized during a deadly July attack in Syria's Sweida province in exchange for a prisoner swap and ransom, a monitor said Saturday.

The Islamic State group has released six of 27 Druze hostages it seized during a deadly July attack in Syria's Sweida province in exchange for a prisoner swap and ransom, a monitor said Saturday. "Two women and four children from the province of Sweida were released last night," Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitor group, told AFP. He added that the releases were the "first wave" and part of an agreement sealed with the Syrian government to exchange all the hostages for "60 Islamic State prisoners held by the regime and a ransom of $27 million." The jihadist group abducted around 30 people -- mostly women and children -- from Sweida in late July during the deadliest attack on Syria's Druze community of the seven-year civil war. During the coordinated assaults on July 25, IS waged a series of suicide bombings, shootings and stabbings that left more than 250 people dead across the southwestern province, most of them civilians. Sweida province is the heartland of the country's Druze minority, which made up around three percent of Syria's pre-war population -- or around 700,000 people. IS executed a 19-year-old male student among the captives in August and then a 25-year-old female captive in early October. The group said a 65-year-old female captive also died from illness. Families of those kidnapped held protests to demand action by the Syrian government to free them. Negotiations between the government's Russian ally and the jihadists for the release of the captives had stalled. Government forces have battled IS in the volcanic plateau of Tulul al-Safa in the east of the province since the July attack.

IS releases six of 27 Druze hostages held in southern Syria: Monitor

An offensive by US-backed forces against the Islamic State group's last redoubt in eastern Syria killed 35 jihadists on Saturday, a Britain-based war monitor said.

Twenty-eight IS members were killed in air strikes by the US-led coalition around the town of Hajin, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Another seven jihadists were killed in ground fighting with the Syrian Democratic Forces, who launched a coalition-backed offensive against the IS-held pocket in the Euphrates Valley last month.

Fighting has killed 414 jihadists and 227 SDF fighters in total since the assault began on September 10, the Observatory said.

Coalition air strikes on IS targets in another part of the pocket on Thursday and Friday killed at least 41 civilians, 10 of them children, the monitor said.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across the land it controlled.

But the jihadist group has since lost most of its territory to various offensives in both countries.

In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the Hajin pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor near the Iraqi border.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

An offensive by US-backed forces against the Islamic State group's last redoubt in eastern Syria killed 35 jihadists on Saturday, a Britain-based war monitor said.

An offensive by US-backed forces against the Islamic State group's last redoubt in eastern Syria killed 35 jihadists on Saturday, a Britain-based war monitor said. Twenty-eight IS members were killed in air strikes by the US-led coalition around the town of Hajin, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Another seven jihadists were killed in ground fighting with the Syrian Democratic Forces, who launched a coalition-backed offensive against the IS-held pocket in the Euphrates Valley last month. Fighting has killed 414 jihadists and 227 SDF fighters in total since the assault began on September 10, the Observatory said. Coalition air strikes on IS targets in another part of the pocket on Thursday and Friday killed at least 41 civilians, 10 of them children, the monitor said. IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across the land it controlled. But the jihadist group has since lost most of its territory to various offensives in both countries. In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the Hajin pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor near the Iraqi border. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

US-backed Syria offensive kills 35 Islamic State fighters

French, German, Turkish and Russian leaders are set to meet in Istanbul on October 27 to discuss the ongoing Syrian crisis and figure out ways to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in the country's Idlib region, the French presidency said on Friday.

A statement issued by French President Emmanuel Macron's office stated France's commitment toward ensuring that the ceasefire in Idlib remains in place.&nbsp;

The statement also noted that France wants to prevent a new exodus of refugees and provide new momentum for peace talks.

Meanwhile, according to Russian media, President Vladimir Putin, next week, will discuss conditions for the return of refugees to Syria at the summit.&nbsp;

Besides this, the Russian President may also discuss the reconstruction of infrastructure in Syria, news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

Leaders from Turkey, Russia, Germany and France will take part in a four-way summit next week which aims to have the Syrian crisis at the heart of the discussions.

The latest developments in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province and the political process for the resolution of the conflict would be discussed at the summit.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

French, German, Turkish and Russian leaders are set to meet in Istanbul on October 27 to discuss the ongoing Syrian crisis and figure out ways to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in the country's Idlib region, the French presidency said on Friday.

French, German, Turkish and Russian leaders are set to meet in Istanbul on October 27 to discuss the ongoing Syrian crisis and figure out ways to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in the country's Idlib region, the French presidency said on Friday. A statement issued by French President Emmanuel Macron's office stated France's commitment toward ensuring that the ceasefire in Idlib remains in place. The statement also noted that France wants to prevent a new exodus of refugees and provide new momentum for peace talks. Meanwhile, according to Russian media, President Vladimir Putin, next week, will discuss conditions for the return of refugees to Syria at the summit. Besides this, the Russian President may also discuss the reconstruction of infrastructure in Syria, news agency Reuters reported. Leaders from Turkey, Russia, Germany and France will take part in a four-way summit next week which aims to have the Syrian crisis at the heart of the discussions. The latest developments in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province and the political process for the resolution of the conflict would be discussed at the summit. (With inputs from Reuters)

Istanbul summit: France will ensure Idlib ceasefire remains, Russia to discuss return of Syrian refugees

The main border crossing between Jordan and Syria finally reopened on Monday at 8 am after having been closed for three years.

The Jaber gate had been closed since April 2015 when anti-Assad armed groups took control of the Syrian southern governorates of Daraa and Quneitra.

The Syrian government and its Russian allies launched an offensive in July and after days of bombing, the anti-Assad forces surrendered,&nbsp;abandoning the border crossings.

The Jaber border crossing was one of the most important gateways for Syrian goods heading towards the Gulf countries — the route was used to ferry billions of dollars of trade — a vital market for every country in West Asia.

When the gate was open, the people living here and the cities they were living in were well off.

The closure of the border took a heavy toll on Jordan, which is estimated to have lost a billion US dollars.

The gate shut and the cafes and restaurants on the Amman-Damascus highway were abandoned, and they still lie in disarray with some functioning as shelters for Syrian families waiting to go back to their homeland.

The Syrian war has taken a heavy toll on the neighbouring regions.&nbsp;

It was common in the old days for Jordanians to leave in the early hours of a Friday&nbsp;to go to Syria, buy all sort of goods, and enjoy lavish lunches in Damascus.&nbsp;

The reopening of the Jaber border crossing is crucial for all of West Asia.

Lebanon now has the possibility of transporting its goods through Syria and Jordan.

When the war started, authorities in Beirut were forced to resort to sea shipments, which are more expensive and time-consuming.

Jordan and Syria have agreed to reopen the border only for commercial purposes.

Civilians will still have to wait before being allowed to cross, but hopes are running very high as locals see finally some light at the end of the tunnel.

The main border crossing between Jordan and Syria finally reopened on Monday at 8 am after having been closed for three years. The Jaber gate had been closed since April 2015 when anti-Assad armed groups took control of the Syrian southern governorates of Daraa and Quneitra.

The main border crossing between Jordan and Syria finally reopened on Monday at 8 am after having been closed for three years. The Jaber gate had been closed since April 2015 when anti-Assad armed groups took control of the Syrian southern governorates of Daraa and Quneitra. The Syrian government and its Russian allies launched an offensive in July and after days of bombing, the anti-Assad forces surrendered, abandoning the border crossings. The Jaber border crossing was one of the most important gateways for Syrian goods heading towards the Gulf countries — the route was used to ferry billions of dollars of trade — a vital market for every country in West Asia. When the gate was open, the people living here and the cities they were living in were well off. The closure of the border took a heavy toll on Jordan, which is estimated to have lost a billion US dollars. The gate shut and the cafes and restaurants on the Amman-Damascus highway were abandoned, and they still lie in disarray with some functioning as shelters for Syrian families waiting to go back to their homeland. The Syrian war has taken a heavy toll on the neighbouring regions. It was common in the old days for Jordanians to leave in the early hours of a Friday to go to Syria, buy all sort of goods, and enjoy lavish lunches in Damascus. The reopening of the Jaber border crossing is crucial for all of West Asia. Lebanon now has the possibility of transporting its goods through Syria and Jordan. When the war started, authorities in Beirut were forced to resort to sea shipments, which are more expensive and time-consuming. Jordan and Syria have agreed to reopen the border only for commercial purposes. Civilians will still have to wait before being allowed to cross, but hopes are running very high as locals see finally some light at the end of the tunnel.

Hope runs high as main border crossing between Syria and Jordan reopens

WION Gravitas: Jordan-Syria border reopened after 3 years

Journalist Daniel Pagani reporting from Nassib Border

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