World

Turkey, Russia and Iran Meet in Doha Seeking Exit From Syria Chaos

This is Beirut 07/12 15:26 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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 ...

Record S&P 500 and Nasdaq on Wall Street, Thanks to US Employment Figures

This is Beirut 07/12 14:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Economy New York Wall Street

The Nasdaq and the S&P hit fresh records on Friday after the November US jobs report came in better than expected, with the Dow edging down. The world's biggest economy gained 227,000 jobs in November, up from a revised 36,000 in October, according to the Department of Labor. "It's kind of being viewed as a Goldilocks jobs print," Tom Cahill ...

Qatar: Assad 'Didn't Seize Opportunity' to Engage with Syrian People

This is Beirut 07/12 11:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Qatar Syria HTS war

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, ...

Syria Islamist Rebel Commander Says no Place for 'Sectarianism'

This is Beirut 07/12 11:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Syria war minorities HTS religious

Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani sought to reassure religious minorities on Saturday, after Islamist-led fighters snatched key cities and swathes of territory from government control. His comments come as rebels sought to advance into Syria's third city of Homs, after their alliance led by the Islamist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ...

Syria Army Says 'Redeploying' in Southern Daraa, Sweida Provinces

This is Beirut 07/12 09:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria army war HTS

Syria's army said it was redeploying in two southern provinces on Saturday, after a war monitor reported government forces had lost control of most of Daraa province, the cradle of the country's 2011 uprising. "Our forces operating in Daraa and Sweida are redeploying and repositioning, and establishing a... security cordon in that direction after ...

Iran, Iraq Join Syria in Warning Rebel Advance Threatens Whole Region

This is Beirut 07/12 09:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Iran Syria Iraq war

Iran and Iraq issued a joint statement with Syria on Friday warning that sweeping rebel gains at the expense of President Bashar al-Assad's forces posed a danger to the whole region. "Threats against Syria's security constitute a danger for the stability of the region," said the statement issued after a meeting of the three countries' foreign ...

Syria's Jolani: From Jihadist to Pragmatist

This is Beirut 07/12 09:15 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Jolani HTS Syria war Assad

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the Islamist rebel alliance that has captured swathes of Syria in a lightning offensive, is an extremist who has adopted a more moderate posture to try to achieve his goals. At the head of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is rooted in Syria's branch of Al-Qaeda, Jolani says the goal of his offensive is to ...

AnalysisUnholy Alliance: The Dark Forces of Iran and Russia Undermining the Middle East

Amal Chmouny 07/12 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Iran Russia USA Middle East Washington

The relationship between Russia and Iran has always piqued interest, often characterized as a unique alliance shaped by the complex geopolitics of the Middle East. This partnership has been notably reinforced through their mutual support for the Assad regime in Syria, enabling both nations to strengthen their military and economic connections. ...

Syrian Rebels Take Control of Key City Daraa

This is Beirut 07/12 05:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Conflict Bachar el-Assad

Syrian government forces have lost control of Daraa city, a war monitor said, in another stunning blow for President Bashar al-Assad's rule after rebels wrested other key cities from his grip. Daraa was dubbed "the cradle of the revolution" early in Syria's civil war, after activists accused the government of detaining and ...

Syria: Government Forces Retreat on All Fronts

This is Beirut 06/12 23:22 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

Damascus Hezbollah Syria HTS SOHR Russia

According to a security source in Damascus, rebels have taken control of three army and police posts in Sweida, and most of Deraa is no longer in the hands of the regime. Rebel forces pressing a lightning offensive in Syria aim to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's rule, their Islamist leader said in an interview published on Friday. The ...

Statue of Former Syrian President Toppled in Hama Amid Cheering Crowd

This is Beirut 06/12 18:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Assad Syria statue Hama

The image is particularly symbolic: A statue of former President Hafez al-Assad, the father of Syria's current ruler Bashar, was toppled in Hama after Islamist-led rebels overran the country's fourth-largest city, a video authenticated by AFP showed. A machine's long mechanical arm tipped the towering statue over to cheers and cries of "Allahu ...

Syria: Despite Assad's Appeal, Russian and Iranian Support Remains Shy

This is Beirut 06/12 18:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Syria Iran war Russia Bashar al-Assad

As Islamist rebel forces from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) approach the city of Homs, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad desperately needs the help of his Russian and Iranian allies. However, Moscow and Tehran's military resources are already stretched thin due to the war in Ukraine and numerous conflicts in the Middle East. According to experts ...