This is Beirut, 2024-12-08 08:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Syria Iran war HTS Bashar al-Assad
AFP looks back at almost a quarter-century of rule by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since he was propelled to power following the death of his father Hafez in 2000. 2000: takes over from father On July 17, 2000, Assad becomes Syria's new head of state, after the death of his father, aged 69, who ruled Syria with an iron grip for 30 years. He ...
This is Beirut, 2024-12-08 08:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Damascus Syria Bashar al-Assad Iran war Russia
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad oversaw a merciless crackdown on a pro-democracy revolt that morphed into one of the bloodiest wars of the century. On Sunday, as rebels entered the capital, a Syrian war monitor said he had left the country, in what could spell the end not just of his 24-year rule but the downfall of his clan's five-decade ...
This is Beirut, 2024-12-07 23:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Syria HTS Bashar al-Assad SOHR
Islamist-led rebels announced Sunday they had captured the strategic city of Homs, on the way towards Damascus where Syria's embattled government said it was setting up an impenetrable security cordon. The defence ministry earlier denied rebels had entered Homs, describing the situation there as "safe and stable". But the leader of ...
This is Beirut, 2024-12-07 22:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Syria Bashar Assad HTS Syrian Arab Army
Syria's embattled government said Saturday it was setting up a military cordon around Damascus, state media reported, as rebels on a lightning advance said they were bearing down on the city. "There is a very strong security and military cordon on the far edges of Damascus and its countryside, and no one... can penetrate this defensive line that ...
This is Beirut, 2024-12-07 18:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Russia Sergei Lavrov Syria HTS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday that Syria must not be allowed to fall into the hands of a "terrorist group" as Islamist-led rebels advance on President Bashar al-Assad's seat of power. Lavrov spoke after talks in the Gulf state of Qatar on Saturday with fellow Assad ally Iran and opposition supporter Turkey aimed at ...
This is Beirut, 2024-12-07 18:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
United States Syria Donald Trump
US President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States should "not get involved" in the situation in Syria, where fast-moving rebel forces say they have begun to encircle the capital Damascus. "Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO ...
This is Beirut, 2024-12-07 17:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Damascus Syria HTS Bashar al-Assad
Rebels on a lightning advance through Syria said they were nearing Damascus on Saturday, although Bashar al-Assad's government denied that the army had withdrawn from areas around the capital. "Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital," said rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani, with the Islamist-led alliance ...
Rayan Chami, 2024-12-07 17:35 - Reading : less than a minute
Lebanon Kidnapped Disappeared Syria
Following the release of Lebanese detainees in Syria, the Committee of the Families of the Kidnapped and Disappeared urges immediate government action. With renewed determination, families continue their fight for answers, as the search for missing loved ones remains a national priority.
This is Beirut, 2024-12-07 15:26 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Doha Russia Turkey Iran Syria meeting
The top diplomats from Iran, Turkey and Russia met in Qatar on Saturday for talks on Syria, where rebel forces have taken parts of the country in a lightning offensive. After the discussions in Doha with his Russian and Turkish counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and Hakan Fidan, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the parties agreed on the ...
This Is Beirut, 2024-12-07 15:00 - Reading : less than a minute
Hezbollah Israel Lebanon Syria
The US special envoy to Lebanon, Amos Hochstein, believes that “the war in Syria is not directly related to Lebanon, but it will have an impact on the country.” He declared, “I don't think we've eliminated or defeated Hezbollah, but it may no longer be strong enough to attack Israel or support President Bashar al-Assad.” In fact, he ...
Bassam Abou Zeid, 2024-12-07 13:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
With the escalation of the war in Syria and the expansion of areas controlled by opposition forces reaching the outskirts of the Homs area, concerns in Lebanon have grown about the possibility of the conflict spreading to its territory, particularly through the eastern borders in Arsal and Hermel. These concerns are heightened by Hezbollah’s ...
This is Beirut, 2024-12-07 11:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad failed to engage with his people and address issues like the return of refugees during a period of calm in the country's war, Qatar's prime minister said Saturday. "Assad didn't seize these opportunities to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people, and we didn't see any serious movement, ...