Author: M Barbu

The Transformation of Damascus’ Mezzeh Neighborhood Amid Iranian Influence and Israeli Strikes

In Mezzeh, a neighbourhood reshaped by geopolitical stakes, the lives of ordinary people are caught in a struggle that has fundamentally altered their community, 963 Media writes.

Once one of Damascus’ most prestigious neighbourhoods, Mezzeh has shifted from a symbol of sophistication to a flashpoint in Syria’s complex regional conflict. In recent years, increased militarization—driven by Iranian and Hezbollah presence—has made Mezzeh a target of Israeli airstrikes, disrupting daily life and eroding the neighbourhood’s allure. Originally known for its diplomatic institutions, embassies, and exclusive residential zones, Mezzeh’s transformation illustrates how the Syrian war has reached into even the most established areas of the capital.

Mazlum Abdi Calls for Diplomatic Solutions with Turkey Amid Ongoing Talks with Syrian Regime

Abdi voiced concern over how reduced coalition presence could affect the region’s security, Syria TV says.

Mazlum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has called for sustained diplomatic efforts by international mediators to address escalating tensions with Turkey. Abdi noted that dialogues with the Syrian regime have been in progress for years, despite the limited outcomes thus far.

Coinciding with Israel’s Escalation: Russia Intensifies Efforts to Control Iranian Influence in Syria

Russia seeks to persuade Iran not to launch attacks from Syrian territory, Syria TV says.

Since the onset of the Israeli war on Gaza, Syria has remained closely involved, as Israeli aircraft have intensified strikes on Iranian targets within its borders. This territory has become a hub of military and security activity for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and their affiliated groups.

Sources for Al-Watan: Prospects of a Turkish Invasion Diminish as SDF-Controlled Areas Stabilize

Sources told al-Watan that this change was influenced by a veto communicated by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin to his Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler.

The areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern and northeastern Syria have experienced a cautious calm over the past two days following a five-day barrage of intense air and ground bombardments by Turkish forces. This violence had resulted in significant damage to infrastructure, including oil, gas, and electricity facilities, amid accusations from the Turkish administration that the SDF was responsible for an attack on the Aviation and Space Industries Company (TOSAS) near Ankara last Thursday.

Hungary Won’t Let Its Arms & Ammo Be Used Against Russia Unlike Serbia

Hungary’s military neutrality towards the NATO-Russian proxy war in Ukraine angers the West much more than Serbia’s economic neutrality.

Viktor Orban’s chief of staff Gergely Gulyas confirmed that his country foiled plots by some foreign spy agencies, including those of unnamed nominal NATO allies, to redirect Hungarian-purchased arms and ammo to Ukraine and Africa where they’d respectively be used directly and indirectly against Russia. Hungary remains military neutral in the NATO-Russian dimension of the New Cold War despite going along with the EU’s anti-Russian sanctions. Orban has also recently sought to mediate in Ukraine.

The Case for a New Arab Peace Initiative

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, American officials have insisted that the eventual creation of a Palestinian state that would exist side by side with Israel is the only way to end the conflict in the Middle East. “The only real solution to the situation is a two-state solution,” declared President Joe Biden during his March 2024 State of the Union address. In May, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that “a two-state solution is the only way to ensure a strong, secure, Jewish, democratic state of Israel, as well as a future of dignity, security, and prosperity for the Palestinian people.” And throughout her presidential campaign this year, including after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in July, Vice President Kamala Harris has promoted a two-state solution, describing it as the “only path” forward.

Violent Criminal Gangs Displace and Disrupt North West Nigeria

Criminal gangs in Nigeria’s North West region have grown increasingly lethal, routinizing mass abductions, seizing farms in an important breadbasket, and causing massive internal displacement.

The escalating violence of criminal gangs in Nigeria’s North West region has triggered growing instability in this ethnically diverse breadbasket of some 60 million people. The violence perpetrated by these criminal gangs, known locally as “bandits,” is on pace to make 2024 the worst year of insecurity in the region’s recent history. The 1,380 violent events and 3,980 fatalities projected for the year exceed the record levels observed in 2022, following declines in 2023. Fatalities linked to criminal gangs in the North West region now exceed those tied to militant Islamist groups in the North East region, a shift observed since 2021.

Israel orders Baalbek evacuation as Hezbollah chief vows to fight

It was the first citywide evacuation notice Israel has issued in its five-week war, forcing thousands to flee the ancient city and UNESCO world heritage site.

The Israeli military broadened its air campaign in Lebanon on Wednesday, striking the northeastern city of Baalbek after ordering residents to flee, as the new leader of Hezbollah, in his inaugural speech, said the group is prepared to fight “a long war” with Israel.