Syrian war criminals reaching Europe through opposition areas and Turkey
(Edited by Enab Baladi)
Enab Baladi – Khaled Jeratly
Despite their knowledge of illegal border crossings attempts by individuals suspected of war crimes seeking to flee to Turkey and then to Europe through their control in northern Syria, the opposition factions, failed in detering such smuggling operations because they are often organized in coordination or facilitation from human smugglers who have links with prominent opposition figures or people close to them.
The smuggling trip of war crimes suspects fleeing Syrian regime areas to opposition-held territories is a hazardous one. These people are often subject to retaliation acts or prosecuted in field courts when captured by opposition factions.
Saudi-Syrian meeting may help end decade of estrangement Riyadh no longer enjoys the unequivocal backing of the US administration
Thu, May 6, 2021, 19:54
A visit by the Saudi intelligence chief to Damascus to meet his Syrian counterpart and President Bashar al-Assad is regarded as a milestone on the road to restoring diplomatic relations after nearly a decade of estrangement.
The encounter between Saudi intelligence chief Khaled Humaidan and Syria’s Ali Mamluk followed a meeting in Baghdad between Humaidan and Iran’s intelligence chief Gen Ali Shamkhani, just as efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear pact opened in Vienna.
The renewal of contacts suggested Riyadh has dropped its opposition to the nuclear deal, which lifts sanctions on Iran in exchange for limiting its nuclear programme.
other Iran talks:
Rouhani notes 60-70% progress in Vienna. Let’s start in Vienna, where talks are underway for the return of both the United States and Iran to compliance with Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The details are trickling out and the messages are mixed, but the headline (cutting through the daily pressers and remarks, on and off the record) is that talks are ongoing and some type of roadmap to reconciliation may be emerging. While expressing all sorts of reservations and caution, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister
Abbas Araghchi nonetheless said on April 20 that the talks are on the right track. Iran President
April 20, 2021
ALEPPO, Syria The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces includes only eight women out of its 86 members, i.e., only 9% of its members are women. At the international level, the coalition is represented by 11 men and two women.
According to the coalition’s website, female members are independent figures. This means women in the coalition do not represent any of the political blocs that make up the coalition, including the Damascus Declaration, the Syrian local councils and the Kurdish National Council.
Hoda al-Absi was the only woman out of seven ministers in the interim government affiliated with the coalition, serving as minister of education. On April 14, she announced her resignation from the government, leaving behind an all-men government.