This is Beirut

Chevron Signs Agreement with Syria and Qatari Conglomerate for Syrian Energy Exploration

This is Beirut, 04/02 19:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Chevron has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian Petroleum Company and UCC Holding, a Qatari conglomerate, on assessing offshore oil and gas exploration off Syria’s coast, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. U.S. Syria envoy Tom Barrack also attended the signing of the agreement, signaling U.S. approval as the ...

Turkey Again Blocks Aid Convoy for Kurds in Syria: NGO

This is Beirut, 04/02 11:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Kurds Kobane SyriaConflict HumanRights Turkey

Turkish authorities have blocked for a second time an aid convoy from reaching the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane that's been overwhelmed by people fleeing fighting, a local NGO said on Wednesday. As the Syrian army and Kurdish forces clash in Syria, Kobane has been inundated by people trying to escape the hostilities. Last week, Turkish ...

Syrian Security Forces Enter Hasakeh City Under Deal with Kurds

This is Beirut, 02/02 16:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Syria Kurds

Syrian government security personnel on Monday entered Hasakeh city, a stronghold of Kurdish forces, under an integration deal agreed with the Kurds last week, an AFP team reported. The two sides reached a comprehensive agreement on Friday to gradually integrate the Kurds' military and civilian institutions into the state, after Kurdish ...

Iraq Opens Probe Into ISIS Detainees Transferred From Syria

This is Beirut, 02/02 12:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus United States ISIS Syria Iraq

Iraq’s judiciary announced on Monday that it has begun investigations into more than 1,300 suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) group who were recently transferred from Syria as part of a U.S.-led operation. In a statement, the judiciary’s media office said investigative proceedings had started against 1,387 members of the “Daesh ...

Syria Says Hezbollah Weapons Used in Damascus Airport Attacks

This is Beirut, 02/02 11:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Damascus Hezbollah MezzehAirport PostAssad

Syrian authorities said on Sunday they had detained a group responsible for a series of rocket attacks targeting the Mezzeh military airport in the capital, adding that investigators traced the weapons used in the strikes to Hezbollah. In a statement, the Syrian Interior Ministry said security units arrested all members of the group after weeks ...

Syria–Kurds Reach Integration Deal After Weeks of Fighting

This is Beirut, 30/01 13:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Damascus Syria Kurds SDF

Syria’s government and Kurdish forces on Friday reached a broad agreement to gradually integrate Kurdish military units and administrative structures into the central state, following weeks of clashes that ended in a ceasefire. The deal, confirmed by both the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian state television, comes ...

Syrian President al-Sharaa Meets Putin as Russia Repositions Military Presence

This is Beirut, 28/01 17:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ahmed al-Sharaa Vladimir Putin Donald Trump Syria Russia

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa traveled to Moscow on Wednesday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the future of the two countries’ relationship. Their meeting is expected to focus on Russia’s military presence in Syria and bilateral economic relations. On Tuesday, Russian troops and military assets were withdrawn from ...

Syrian Security Thwarts Weapons Smuggling Attempt Bound for Lebanon

This is Beirut, 26/01 13:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Damascus Syria

Syrian internal security forces announced on Monday that they had thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large shipment of weapons into Lebanese territory, following coordinated operations in central and southern Syria. According to the Internal Security Directorate in the Al-Qusayr area of Homs, acting in cooperation with the Internal Security ...

More IS Detainees Heading to Iraq from Syria: Iraqi Officials

This is Beirut, 24/01 18:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Iraq USMilitary ISIS

Hundreds of Islamic State group detainees were being transferred from Syria to Iraq on Saturday, the second batch since the US announced plans to relocate the jihadists there, two Iraqi security officials told AFP. "The prisoner transfer operation is ongoing, with US forces transporting detainees by land and air," an Iraqi security official said, ...

U.S. Weighs Full Military Withdrawal From Syria

This is Beirut, 23/01 09:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Middle East Syria Kurds

The United States is considering a full military withdrawal from Syria, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, which said Washington is reassessing its presence amid rapidly changing conditions on the ground. The newspaper reported that internal discussions within the Trump administration are exploring multiple scenarios to reduce, or ...

PM Salam: Arms Consolidation Plan Covers All Lebanese Territory

This is Beirut, 22/01 16:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanese Army Lebanon Damascus Hezbollah Syria Litani South Lebanon

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reiterated on Thursday that the Lebanese Army’s (LAF) plan to consolidate all arms under state authority applies to the entirety of Lebanon, not only areas south of the Litani River, underscoring the government’s commitment to restoring the state’s exclusive control over weapons. In an interview with ...

Israel Says Struck Syria-Lebanon Border Crossings Used by Hezbollah

This is Beirut, 21/01 22:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Lebanon Syria Border Airstrikes

The Israeli military said it struck four crossings along the Syria-Lebanon border on Wednesday that were used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons, after earlier launching fresh strikes on the militant group in Lebanon. "A short while ago, the (Israeli military) struck four border crossings on the Syria-Lebanon border used by Hezbollah to smuggle ...

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