Cyprus Caught in the Crosshairs of Israeli, Syrian Battles
"The first assessment is that a Russian-made missile … which was part of the air defence system that took place last night in the face of an air strike against Syria, completed its range and fell into our country after it missed," Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Kudret Ozersay said in a post on Facebook.Here's the full story.
'United States Condemns Syrian President Bashar Assad Regime' – Donald Trump
"The regime's brutal war on the Syrian people, who have been calling for freedom and a representative government, not only endangers the Syrian people themselves, but also generates instability throughout the region."Here's the full story.
Assad's Army Captures Qalaat al-Madiq From Rebels-Residents
Syria's army, backed by Russian air power, launched ground operations this week against the southern flank of the rebel zone consisting of Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces.Here's the full story.
Arab-Kurdish Alliance Committed 'Treason' – Syrian Government Says
The Kurdish leaders of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) organised a conference with allied Arab tribes, titled "The Future of Northern and Eastern Syria and the Fight against Terror," in the northern town of Ain Issa.Here's the full story.
Russian, Syrian Forces Escalate Attacks On Rebel-Held Northwestern Syria
Russian and Syrian forces intensified air strikes and shelling in rebel-held northwestern Syria overnight, the heaviest assault since the area was declared a demilitarized zone under a Russian-Turkish deal, residents and medics said on Thursday. The targeted villages and towns in northern Hama and southern Idlib fall within a buffer zone agreed last September between Russia and Turkey as part of a deal which averted a major offensive on the area.
Schools, health facilities and residential areas have been hit, United Nations regional humanitarian coordinator Panos Moumtzis told Reuters on Thursday. "The barrel bombing is the worst we have seen for at least 15 months."
He added that 300,000 people live in the buffer zone where there are hostilities. Earlier this week, the United States warned violence in the buffer zone "will result in the destabilisation of the region".
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Syria New Russian S-300 Shoots Down Israeli War Plane
"Our air defense forces shot down an Israeli war plane and four missiles before they reached the targets", the source said. The attack was the first since Russia announced that it has given Syria the Russian S-300 air defense system.Here's the full story.
Syria Talks On Idlib Take Center Stage In Kazakhstan
The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad has blamed fighters in neighbouring Idlib for the attack, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said hospitalised 94 people.Here's the full story.
Netanyahu Proclaims: Golan Heights Will Forever Remain In Our Hands
"Israel will remain forever on the Golan Heights, and the Golan Heights will forever remain in our hands," Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, thanking the US leadership for voting against calls at the United Nations on Friday for the return of the Golan to Syria.Here's the full story.
Syrian Army Frees Hostages Abducted By Islamic State
The jihadist group, which lost most of its territory in Syria last year, seized about 30 people when it rampaged through Sweida from a desert enclave outside the city, killing more than 200 people and detonating suicide vests.Here's the full story.
Erdogan To Trump: End US-Kurdish Patrols Near Turkish-Syrian Border
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that U.S.-Kurdish joint patrols near the Turkish-Syrian border were unacceptable and he expected U.S. President Donald Trump to stop them.Here's the full story.
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Slams Erdogan Over Idlib Deal
Turkey rejected on Tuesday Syrian government accusations that it is not meeting its obligations under an agreement to create a demilitarised zone around the insurgent-held Idlib region, saying the deal was being implemented as planned. Here's the full story.
My 'Final Warning' On Syria – Turkish President Erdogan
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday issued what he said was a "final warning" to those who would endanger Turkey's borders, saying Ankara was determined to focus its attention on Syrian Kurdish fighters east of the Euphrates.Here's the full story.
Russia to Stay In Syria For The Long-Term: Here`s How
Russia, for example, wants to rebuild Syria's train network. "Russia built it in the first place, and wants to rebuild this and strategic economic ties," said independent Russian analyst Vyacheslav Matuzov. "Russia wants … a new Mideast security order," said Emile Hokayem, Middle East security expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.Here's the full story.
Revealed: Turkey Now Supplying Arms to Syrian Rebels
Turkey has stepped up arms supplies to Syrian rebels to help them stave off an expected offensive by the Syrian army and its Russian and Iran-backed allies in the northwest near the Turkish frontier, rebel sources told Reuters. The weapons, which have entered Syria in large quantities in recent days, include ammunition and GRAD rockets.
"These arms supplies and munitions will allow the battle to extend and ensure our supplies are not drained in a war of attrition," the rebel commander said. Here's the full story.
Erdogan Calls For Ceasefire In Syria's Idlib, Russia Opposes
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called for a ceasefire in the rebel-held region of Idlib in northwest Syria on Friday and said an anticipated government assault on insurgents there could result in a massacre. Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Moscow opposed a truce, and Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani said Syria must regain control over all its territory.Here's the full story.
Ursula von der Leyen Ready to Agree Another Brexit Delay