The Swiss Federal Council affirmed that the Turkish attacks are in violation to international laws and do not comply with the charters of the United Nations, calling on Turkey to fulfill its obligations within the framework of international law and prevent killing of civilians. ANF News Agency stated that the Swiss Federal Council answered a draft of parliamentary questions from the Socialist Party in the National Parliament, Claudia Friedel and Nicholas Walder from the Green Party, regarding the Turkish occupation state’s attacks with chemical weapons and the occupation attacks on NE Syria as follows: “The Swiss Federal Foreign Ministry is in contact with the Turkish authorities to express its concerns after the Turkish air strikes, which are not in accordance with international law and the charters of the United Nations, and demanded that Turkey fulfill its obligations under international law and prevent the killing of civilians, whatever the circumstances, Switzerland which hosts the Geneva meetings supports peace and security in the region in a bilateral and multilateral manner.
Turkey stressed the need to extend a vital border crossing into Syria that would enable continued access for the people to reach aid in the war-torn country during talks with Russia. “The vital role of the extension of the U.N.’s cross-border aid mechanism for Syria to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to over 4 million people in need was reaffirmed. Benefits of the ongoing implementation of the crossline assistance were also recognized,” a Foreign Ministry statement read on Saturday. The long-running aid operation has been in place since 2014 and the most recent six-month authorization expires on Jan. 10, 2023. “Today, 44% of the population in northwestern Syria cannot afford bread. As of September 2022, the average price of a WFP (World Food Programme) food basket, comprising bread, vegetable oil, sugar, lentils and rice, has increased nearly fourfold in two years. Over the last seven months alone, the price of vegetable oil and wheat flour has increased by over 40% because of the impacts of the crisis in Ukraine,” the U.N. said.
The Israel Defense Forces reportedly drops flyers in the Quneitra area of southern Syria, near the border with the Golan Heights, warning the Syrian army against collaborating with the Hezbollah terror group, The Times of Israel reported. The flyers are dropped following reports by opposition media of an alleged Israeli airstrike in the as-Suwayda area last night. There is no comment on the alleged strike by Syria’s state media or other regime-affiliated outlets. The flyers matched the style of similar leaflets that have been dropped in Syria in the past and included the silhouette of an eagle — the symbol of the IDF’s 210th “Bashan” Division, which is tasked with defending Israel’s frontier with Syria and the Golan Heights. The IDF refused to comment on the matter.
Jihadist fighters in northwestern Syria opposed to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda wing, are claiming that groups affiliated with HTS have taken part in the security operation that led to the killing of Islamic State (IS) leader Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in the countryside of Daraa province, in southern Syria, in mid-October. Al-Monitor quoted a spokesman for IS as saying that Qurayshi was killed in battle recently, without adding more details as to the location or time of death. As reports about the circumstances of Qurayshi’s death are circulating, jihadists opposed to HTS claim that members of the jihadist group were part of the operation that killed the IS leader.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
