Mass grave uncovered near Syrian capital; most victims women and children
Syrian civil defence teams have discovered a new mass grave east of Douma, near the capital Damascus, recovering the remains of 20 people — most of ...
A high-level ministerial meeting between Syria and Israel is scheduled to take place on Thursday in Baku, Azerbaijan, to address rising security concerns in southern Syria, a diplomat told AFP, and according to The Times of Israel.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer are expected to attend the talks, which follow a similar meeting held in Paris last week. The Baku meeting will also come after Shaibani’s unprecedented visit to Moscow on the same day.
According to the diplomat, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, the meeting will focus on “the security situation, particularly in southern Syria,” an area that has seen escalating violence in recent months.
Tensions have surged in Syria’s southern Sweida province, a region with a significant Druze population. Deadly clashes broke out earlier this month between local Druze groups and Bedouin tribes, eventually drawing in Syrian government forces and prompting Israeli military involvement. Israel later stated that its intervention was aimed at protecting the Druze population. The fighting reportedly resulted in hundreds of casualties.
In the wake of the violence, Israel carried out targeted strikes on the Syrian presidential palace and army headquarters in Damascus. A ceasefire between the two sides was announced overnight on 18 July by the United States, a key ally of Israel that has also expressed support for Syria’s current authorities.
Russia, which was a principal backer of former President Bashar al-Assad before his ousting in December, has recently hosted Syrian officials, with Shaibani’s trip to Moscow on Thursday seen as a further shift in the country’s foreign engagements.
Israel and Syria have technically remained at war since 1948, and while direct diplomatic relations do not exist, discreet contacts have taken place in recent years. According to diplomatic sources, Shaibani and Dermer previously met in Baku on 12 July, before the latest wave of violence erupted.
Thursday’s meeting in Azerbaijan is part of a series of quiet but significant diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions and seeking common ground on security matters amid shifting geopolitical alignments in the Middle East.
These talks highlight Azerbaijan's growing strategic location for hosting and facilitating discussions on conflicts in the Middle East.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Syrian civil defence teams have discovered a new mass grave east of Douma, near the capital Damascus, recovering the remains of 20 people — most of them women and children.
China’s imports of Russian crude oil increased in September, highlighting Beijing’s continued energy cooperation with Moscow despite persistent pressure from the United States to desist.
Several countries and international organisations have welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan, describing it as a vital step towards easing tensions and fostering regional stability.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance was holding talks in Israel on Tuesday as Washington tries to stabilise the first, shaky, phase of the Gaza ceasefire and push Israel and Hamas towards the harder concessions asked of each side in coming talks.
Turkish nationalist leader Devlet Bahceli said the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state should hold a parliamentary vote to join Türkiye, two days after Turkish Cypriots elected a candidate in favour of restarting talks with Greek Cypriots.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment