Tag Archives: Syria
Putin Warns Merkel That Europe Can't Afford a New Syria Refugee Crisis
Turkey ready to create more safe zones in Syria
Turkey said on Sunday it had finalised preparations to create more safe areas in Syria, which would allow the return of refugees who have fled the civil war. Speaking at his AK Party’s provincial headquarters in the Black Sea city of Trabzon, President Tayyip Erdogan said a quarter of a million people had already returned to liberated areas in Syria. “God willing soon we will have liberated more places and made more areas safe,” he said.
Syria weapons depot blast kills 12 civilians: monitor
An explosion of unknown origin at a weapons depot in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib killed at least 12 civilians on Sunday, a war monitor said. An AFP correspondent at the site in the rebel-held town of Sarmada near the Turkish border said the explosion caused two buildings to collapse. On Sunday morning, rescue workers used a bulldozer to remove rubble and extract trapped people, the correspondent said.
Fierce Syria bombardment kills 53 civilians: monitor
At least 53 civilians including 28 children, have been killed in fierce bombardment Friday that targeted rebel-held areas of northern Syria, a war monitor said updating an earlier toll. The air strikes and barrel bombs targeted the key opposition-held province of Idlib and a rebel town in the adjacent province of Aleppo, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In a new toll Saturday, the war monitor said 41 civilians, including 25 children, were killed in the rebel town of Orum al-Kubra in Aleppo province while 12 civilians, three of them children, died in Idlib.
Pro-regime Druze militia in Syria hangs IS member: monitor
Pro-government Druze militiamen hanged a member of the Islamic State group in Syria’s Sweida on Tuesday, a monitor said, just days after the jihadists executed a young hostage from the minority group. IS abducted more than 30 Druze civilians — women and their children — from a remote village less than two weeks ago, during a brutal onslaught in the southern province. “A member of IS was detained during an attack against a pro-regime position in the Sweida countryside,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Israel minister welcomes Syria scientist killing
Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz on Tuesday welcomed the killing of a leading Syrian weapons scientist but declined to comment on reports his government was behind the fatal bombing. General Aziz Asbar, head of a Syrian government weapons research centre, was killed along with his driver when the bomb hit his car on Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Asbar headed the Maysaf research centre in Hama, which was hit by Israeli air strikes last month and in September last year, the Observatory said.
Israel reinforces troops, steps up humanitarian aid to Syria
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Sunday it would be reinforcing troops along the frontier with Syria and stepping up its humanitarian efforts in the area amid a fierce Syrian government offensive that has displaced thousands of people.
Regime reclaims more ground in south Syria: monitor
A string of rebel-held locations in southern Syria passed into regime control Sunday as the government regained more ground under Russian-brokered deals, a war monitor said. Talks involving rebels, local officials and regime ally Russia saw agreements struck for four villages and a strategic town near the border with Jordan, extending government control to some 60 percent of the southern Daraa province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Since June 19, Russia-backed regime forces have ramped up bombardment against opposition fighters in southern Syria as Damascus pushes to retake the area.
Syria regime advances in south as air strikes kill 15
At least eight battered rebel-held towns in southern Syria returned to regime control under Russian-brokered deals on Saturday as air strikes killed at least 15 civilians, a monitor said. Since June 19, backed by its ally Russia, the Damascus regime has carried out a deadly bombing campaign in southern Syria as it pushes to retake the strategic area bordering Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. As of Saturday, government forces controlled more than half of Daraa, up from just 30 percent at the start of the operation, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.
Turkey condemns Syria regime's 'inhuman' assault on Daraa
Turkey on Friday condemned regime attacks on rebel-held towns in southern Syria as “inhuman”, calling on Damascus’ allies to stop the offensive that has killed dozens of civilians. With Russia’s help, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s army has battered Daraa province for over a week with air strikes, rocket fire and crude barrel bombs. Thursday was the bloodiest day yet after dozens of strikes identified as Russian killed 25 civilians, mostly in the town of Al-Mseifra, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.
