The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said eight government-affiliated forces and three opposition fighters died in the clashes Thursday.
Tensions between Syria’s pro-government forces and opposition fighters have escalated in Daraa, the Syrian city considered the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against the regime.
Russia has unveiled plans to open a Naval School in the Syrian port of Tartous, as part of its plans to consolidate influence in Syria, according to North Press.
On Sunday, the Syrian port of Tartous witnessed large-scale exercises in preparation for a military parade celebrating the Russian Navy, as Russia prepares to open a naval school in the coastal city.
Charities based south of Damascus, and led by the “godfather of reconciliation,” Saleh al-Khatib, are reportedly stealing donations, according to Sowt al-Asima.
Many residents of the town of Yalda, south of Damascus, filed complaints against two “charitable” associations working to raise funds from the region. The complaints came after discovering that the charities had failed to distribute the funds and instead had used them for “personal” purposes, as they appear to be stealing donations.
The wave of sanctions targets eight military prisons, including the notorious Saydnaya prison outside the capital Damascus that rights groups have described as a “human slaughterhouse.”
The Biden administration on Wednesday issued its first round of Syria-related sanctions since taking office, designating a number of regime detention centers and prison officials, as well as a Turkish-backed Syrian rebel group.
His Majesty King Abdullah, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a trilateral summit on Wednesday in Athens.
The summit, convening for the third time, focused on the importance of the deep-rooted ties and partnership between the three countries, leading to expanding cooperation prospects across all sectors, and contributing to achieving peace and enhancing security and stability in the region and beyond, according to a Royal Court statement.
Daesh group militants killed at least seven soldiers and militiamen in eastern Syria on Wednesday, the latest in a series of deadly attacks, a Britain-based war monitor said.
Tunisia’s largest party, Ennahda, is accused of accepting funding from abroad for its political campaigns, as political turmoil continues in the North African country.
A Tunisian prosecutor announced an investigation into three political parties on Wednesday, including the Islamist Ennahda party. Tunisia has been gripped by political turmoil since the president sacked the government over the weekend.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader has recently boasted about his group’s growing weapons arsenal and military capabilities, as the Syrian government forces escalate their attacks on Idlib.
The commander of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, ruled out a ground attack by the Syrian government forces on Jabal al-Zawiya, in the southern Idlib countryside, although he expected an escalation of the shelling.
Tunisia’s largest party, Ennahda, is accused of accepting funding from abroad for its political campaigns, as political turmoil continues in the North African country.
A Tunisian prosecutor announced an investigation into three political parties on Wednesday, including the Islamist Ennahda party. Tunisia has been gripped by political turmoil since the president sacked the government over the weekend.
A Conversation with Pakistani National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf
Since the country’s founding, Pakistan’s national security priorities have been largely defined by the realities of its geopolitical neighborhood. Now, with escalating violence in Afghanistan, intensifying competition between the United States and China, limited hopes for rapprochement with India, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan’s neighborhood is evolving — and Pakistan’s national security approach will have to evolve with it.
Join USIP for a conversation with Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf. The discussion will look at what these developments mean for Pakistan’s national security outlook towards its neighbors and its relationship with the United States, as well as how the pandemic impacts Pakistan’s security and economic policy.
Take part in the conversation on Twitter with #USIPPakistan.
Speaker
Dr. Moeed Yusuf
National Security Advisor, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
The Honorable Stephen J. Hadley, moderator (to be confirmed)
Chair, Board of Directors, U.S. Institute of Peace