▲ In an image provided by the interim government of Syria, UN special envoy Geir Pedersen during his meeting yesterday in Damascus with the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammed al Jolani (right), who He now uses his real name, Ahmed al Sharaa.Photo Afp
Afp and Ap
La Jornada Newspaper
Monday, December 16, 2024, p. 22
Jerusalem. Israel launched dozens of airstrikes on Syria yesterday, despite rebel leader Abu Mohammed al Jolani stating that his group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) was not interested in a conflict with Tel Aviv, reported Guardian.
The latest Israeli air offensive follows statements by Defense Minister Israel Katz that Because of what is happening in Syria, it is of enormous importance in terms of security for Israel to maintain the peak.
The military operation targeted different Syrian army bases, in addition to sites with heavy weapons and places associated with the missile and chemical weapons program of the former government of Bashar al Assad, they also destroyed the small Syrian naval force in the port of Latakia, he indicated. the British media.
Last night, intense Israeli air offensives in the coastal region of Tartus hit air defense units and surface-to-surface missile depotsaccording to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH), which described the bombings as the strongest since 2012in the area that houses a Russian naval base.
Meanwhile, the Israeli government approved a project by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to double the population in the Syrian part of the Golan Heights occupied and annexed by Israel, the premier’s office published.
The government unanimously approved Netanyahu’s project for the demographic development of the towns of the Golan and the (city of) Katzrin for a sum of 40 million shekels (almost 11 million 119 thousand dollars)according to a statement.
Following the announcement, Saudi Arabia condemned the Israeli plan and denounced a sabotage of the opportunities to restore security and stability in Syria.
A British organization urged a international effort to remove mines and unexploded shells in Syria, warning that thousands of people returning to their homes are extremely vulnerable.
After more than 13 years of war, global support is necessary to remove millions of cluster munitions, mines and other unexploded ordnance to protect the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrians and prepare the ground for lasting peacedeclared the British organization Halo Trust.
Tens of thousands of people cross mine-infested areas every daywarned Damian O’Brien, in charge of the organization specialized in demining for Syria.
Meanwhile, in a festive atmosphere, dozens of children and adolescents in uniform returned to the study centers in Damascus yesterday, a week after the fall of Al Assad.
God willing, there will be more development, security and construction in this beloved countrysaid Maysoun al Ali, director of the Nahla Zaidan school, which is located in the Mezzah neighborhood, where teachers raised the three-star revolutionary flag.
University centers also reopened, but only a handful of employees attended. One worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, shared that most of the students come from other provinces and it will take some time for things to return to normal.
On the other hand, several foreign foreign ministries yesterday multiplied their efforts to establish contact with the new Islamist power in Damascus.
Syria’s new leaders now face the challenge of reassuring the international community, while the population remains shocked by harsh accounts of torture under the previous government.
A Qatari delegation arrived in Syria on Sunday to meet with officials of the transitional government, announced the Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The diplomatic delegation arrived in Damascus to complete the necessary procedures for the opening of the Qatari embassyMinistry spokesman Majed al Ansari said in a statement.
With the return to normality, Syrians face an economic disaster due to the impact of almost 14 years of war and the effects of international sanctions.