Blinken on ME Tour: Pledges to Work with Iraq Against IS Jihadists

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 17:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Antony Blinken United States Iraq ISIS syria

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised Friday to work with Iraq to ensure no resurgence of the Islamic State group after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow in neighboring Syria. On a regional tour devoted to a suddenly-changed Syria, the top US diplomat flew to Baghdad from the Turkish capital Ankara and headed into talks with Iraqi Prime ...

France: François Bayrou Named Prime Minister

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 14:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron appointed his centrist ally François Bayrou as Prime Minister on Friday, the French presidency announced. This followed tortuous consultations to find a successor to Michel Barnier, who was ousted by a historic no-confidence vote last week. "The President of the Republic has appointed Mr. ...

ReportSaydnaya: The Suffering of Families Who Still Have Hope

Elie Ziadé 2024-12-13 14:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Syria Prisons

The human slaughterhouse at Saydnaya, the Assad clan's prison 30 kilometers from Damascus, is still torturing Syrians, despite the fall of the regime last Sunday. Hundreds of families have no news of their loved ones, in some cases for more than a decade. In spite of everything, some try to search for clues to obtain proof of life... or death.  

ReportAleppo: Christmas Amid Hope and Concerns for Christians

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 13:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus Syria Christians

Where should the crown be placed? In the courtyard of the Marist Brothers in Aleppo, one of the eleven Christian communities in Syria’s second city (northwest), the question that is sparking debates is about the Christmas tree. Just days after their swift conquest of power in Damascus on December 8, the new rulers of the country, former ...

Damascus: HTS Leader Congratulates the People and Calls for Celebrations

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 12:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Damascus United States

The leader of the Islamist-dominated armed coalition that seized power in Syria on Friday called on residents to take to the streets en masse to celebrate the "victory of the revolution." In a video, Abou Mohammad al-Jolani, now using his real name, Ahmad al-Chareh, "congratulated the Syrian people on the revolution’s victory" and urged the ...

Ukraine: Massive Russian Strikes Target Energy Facilities

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 12:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Kyiv Ukraine USA Russia missiles

Ukrainian energy facilities were targeted on Friday morning in a "massive" missile attack by Russia, Ukrainian authorities announced, as Moscow continues its regular bombardment of such infrastructure, causing power outages across the country during the harsh winter season. Ukraine is also struggling on the front line, retreating for months in ...

Blinken in Turkey: Call to Continue the Fight Against ISIS in Syria After Assad's Fall

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 12:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Antony Blinken Ceasefire Hamas Palestine Turkey US Secretary of State

The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Friday that it is "imperative" to continue working against ISIS in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, during a visit to Ankara, the Turkish capital. "Our country has worked very hard (...) to ensure the elimination of ISIS's territorial caliphate, to ensure that this threat does not ...

The Order of Malta Lebanon Highlights Commitment to Humanitarian Relief at Berlin Event

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 11:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

The State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia hosted a high-profile event on Thursday evening to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and explore pathways for reconstruction and sustainable economic development, with the participation of Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock. Lebanon, a country deeply affected by ...

The Israeli Army Urged to Remain in the Syrian Buffer Zone Throughout the Winter

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 11:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Benjamin Netanyahu United Nations Syria

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday instructed the army to “prepare to stay” throughout the winter in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria, located atop the Golan Heights. Israel captured part of this strategic plateau during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Israel seized control of the demilitarized zone on Sunday, just hours after ...

G7 Leaders to Discuss Syria Crisis in Virtual Summit

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 10:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus G7 Turkey USA

G7 leaders will attempt Friday to forge a common approach to the new government of Syria, which has pledged to protect the rule of law after years of abuses under ousted president Bashar al-Assad. Assad fled Syria after a lightning offensive spearheaded by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and its allies, which brought a sudden end to ...

Blinken Meets Turkish Counterpart in Ankara

This is Beirut 2024-12-13 10:01 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Antony Blinken Middle East USA Syria

Mr. Blinken started his meeting with Mr. Fidan at 9:40 a.m. (6:40 GMT) on Friday, according to a U.S. official. He arrived in the Turkish capital on Thursday evening and held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a lounge at Ankara's airport. "Turkey will never show weakness in the fight against ISIS," President Erdogan told ...

Turkey Appoints Interim Envoy to Syria

This is Beirut 2024-12-12 22:40 - Reading : less than a minute

Damascus Turkey erdogan syria

Turkey has named a new chief-of-mission to its long-closed embassy in Damascus, which it has pledged to reopen following the overthrow of strongman Bashar al-Assad, the Anadolou news agency said Thursday. Burhan Koroglu was named as Turkey's temporary charge d'affaires at its embassy, Anadolou said, quoting foreign ministry sources who did not ...