The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution authorizing the formation of an autonomous organization tasked with investigating the fate of over 130,000 individuals who went missing during the Syrian conflict. Notably, Qatar and Kuwait were the sole Arab nations to endorse this initiative. Meanwhile, in a separate development, Israeli warplanes conducted an airstrike on the Homs region, with indications suggesting the operation targeted Iranian involvement within Syria.
UN to investigate fate of 130,000 people missing in Syria war
The United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution that will establish an independent body to determine what happened to more than 130,000 people missing as a result of the conflict in Syria, Al-Jazeera reported.
The resolution, an important response to appeals by their families and loved ones, was adopted on Thursday by the 193-member world body with 83 votes in favour, 11 opposed and 62 abstentions.
Among those opposing the resolution was Syria, which said it will not cooperate with the new institution. Russia, China, Belarus, North Korea, Cuba and Iran also voted no.
The resolution, spearheaded by Luxembourg, noted that after 12 years of fighting in Syria “little progress has been achieved in alleviating the suffering of families by providing answers as to the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons“.
The resolution authorises the establishment of an Independent Institution of Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic, under UN auspices, “to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons … and to provide adequate support to victims, survivors and the families of those missing”.
Victims, survivors and the families of the missing should be represented in the new body, which will be guided by principles including “do no harm”, impartiality, transparency and the confidentiality of sources and information, according to the resolution.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres must now present terms of reference for the new institution within 80 working days and take steps to speedily establish the body and put it into operation.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said the new organisation needs to have the right tools at its disposal to do its job.
“UN member countries should ensure that this new institution has the staff and resources necessary to determine what happened to so many thousands of people who vanished during Syria’s 12 years of conflict,” Louis Charbonneau, the group’s UN director, said in a statement.
Israeli warplanes target Syrian air defence battery
Israeli warplanes targeted a Syrian air defence battery from which an anti-aircraft missile was launched toward Israel, an Israeli military spokesman said early on Sunday, Arab News reported.
The warplanes also attacked other targets in the area, while no casualties were reported from the Syrian missile, said the spokesman, Avichay Adraee.
Syrian state media SANA earlier said the country’s air defences intercepted an Israeli missile strike across central parts of the country and downed most of the missiles.
Quoting an army statement, the Syrian Arab News Agency said missiles that flew over parts of Lebanon’s capital Beirut hit locations in the vicinity of the city of Homs, resulting only in material damage.
Israel has in recent months intensified strikes on Syrian airports and air bases to disrupt Iran’s increasing use of aerial supply lines to deliver arms to allies in Syria and Lebanon, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah
The Israeli strikes are part of an escalation of what has been a low-intensity conflict that has been going on for years with a goal of slowing Iran’s growing entrenchment in Syria, Israeli military experts say.
Tehran’s influence has grown in Syria since it began supporting President Bashar Assad in the civil war that started in 2011.
Fighters allied to Iran, including Hezbollah, now hold sway in areas in eastern, southern, and northwestern Syria and in several suburbs around the capital.
Syria also launched a missile
The Israeli army said early Sunday that a missile was launched from Syrian territory towards Israel. The army clarified in a statement carried by Reuters that the anti-aircraft missile exploded mid-air.
Israeli military spokesman was quoted as saying Israeli warplanes targeted a Syrian air defence battery from which an anti-aircraft missile was launched. He said the warplanes also attacked other targets in the area, while no casualties were reported from the Syrian missile.
Syrian state media SANA earlier said the country’s air defences intercepted an Israeli missile strike across central parts of the country and downed most of the missiles.
Quoting an army statement, the Syrian Arab News Agency said missiles that flew over parts of Lebanon’s capital Beirut hit locations in the vicinity of the city of Homs, resulting only in material damage.
Israel has in recent months intensified strikes on Syrian airports and air bases to disrupt Iran’s increasing use of aerial supply lines to deliver arms to allies in Syria and Lebanon, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah
From Brussels to Damascus, how fringe delegations to Syria are frustrating EU lawmakers
The New Arab has published an analytical article discussing how fringe delegations from Europe to Syria are frustrating EU lawmakers and undermining the EU’s policy of political isolation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. While Assad’s return to the Arab League signalled a normalization of relations in the region, the EU remains steadfast in maintaining sanctions against the Syrian government. However, some members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been voicing support for Assad through unofficial visits, social media comments, and voting patterns.
One prominent MEP mentioned is Thierry Mariani from the French far-right National Rally party, who has visited Syria multiple times and met with Assad. Mariani’s voting record consistently aligns with Syrian government interests, including advocating for the lifting of sanctions. Estonian Centre Party MEP Yana Toom is another MEP who has met with Assad and faced criticism for misrepresenting EU interests in Syria. The article highlights the blurred line between official and unofficial visits by MEPs and the potential for misrepresentation.
The article also mentions two left-wing MEPs, Clare Daly and Mick Wallace, who have visited Syria and become vocal opponents of sanctions against Assad. Despite their efforts, the EU recently increased sanctions targeting Assad’s relatives and inner circle, accusing them of involvement in illegal activities.
The analysis notes that the convergence of Europe’s radical left and right fringes on issues such as migration, Russia, and the wars in Ukraine and Syria is creating a strange alliance. The mounting EU assistance to Syria and the upcoming elections contribute to the motivations of these fringe politicians.
The article raises concerns about the EU’s current policy of political isolation of Syria and the conflicting views among MEPs, which undermine the EU’s united stance. The lack of clarity regarding what constitutes an official visit and the potential for MEPs to be influenced by propaganda during such visits add to the complexity of the situation. Overall, the article highlights the challenges faced by EU lawmakers in dealing with fringe delegations and their impact on EU-Syria relations.
What’s behind the latest Russian airstrikes in Syria?
DW discussed the recent Russian airstrikes in Syria are believed to be part of a power struggle between Moscow, Damascus, and Ankara, with Syrian civilians paying the price.
In a Russian airstrike on a market in Jisr al-Shughur, at least nine people were killed and dozens injured, making it the deadliest attack so far in 2023. The province of Idlib, where the attack took place, is the last rebel-held region in Syria and is predominantly controlled by Islamist militias.
According to the DW report, the airstrikes are seen as a show of force by Russia, particularly after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s readmission to the Arab League. It is believed that Russia aims to reinforce the perception that brute force is an effective means of achieving its goals.
Additionally, the conflict between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, may have played a role in the airstrikes. The Wagner Group’s recent mutiny could have prompted Putin to demonstrate his strength through increased attacks in Idlib.
Another factor in the airstrikes is the tension between Moscow and Ankara. Russian and Syrian forces have also targeted the Jabal al-Zawiya region, which is within the buffer zone established by Russia and Turkey. Turkey’s presence in northern Syria, its support for the armed opposition, and its occupation of certain areas have been a source of disagreement with Damascus.
Moscow wants Turkey to normalize its relations with Syria, as it would send a signal to Europe and NATO. However, Turkey has different interests, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aims to create a larger security zone in Syrian territory and repatriate Syrian refugees.
The conflicting interests between Turkey, Syria, and Russia – DW argues – have hindered a resolution to the situation in Idlib. Turkey does not want to withdraw its troops from Syria, while Assad seeks to regain control over the entire country. The presence of Turkish troops has prevented Damascus and Moscow from launching a full military offensive to retake Idlib.
The airstrikes in Syria highlight the complexity of the power dynamics and conflicts of interest in the region. Syrian civilians continue to suffer as the struggle between these actors unfolds.
Putin’s Syria policy hangs on amid Russian crackdown on Wagner
Can the Kremlin live without Wagner in Syria?
Probably, writes Anton Mardasov from Moscow, in a must-read analysis of the implications of the ill-fated Wagner coup threat for Russia’s foreign policies in Africa and the Middle East.
The article discusses the implications of the recent mutiny within Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary army that has been involved in various foreign operations aligned with Russian foreign policy. The mutiny has raised questions about the future of Wagner’s activities in Syria and Africa.
While replacing Wagner in Africa may be difficult, the challenges may be less in Syria. There, “it is hypothetically easiest to replace over time the extensive military and administrative structure of the Wagner PMC and solve the problem of mercenary salaries, which are several times higher than the salary of a Russian contract servicemen,” writes Mardasov.
“In addition to the cadre of military personnel in Syria, there is Redut PMC, created by the [Russian] MoD, staffed and funded by Airborne reservists. Also, the projects of Gennady Timchenko, a businessman close to the Kremlin, continue to operate in Syria, which may well absorb Prigozhin’s economic projects in Homs and several other provinces,” he writes.
Russian experts agree that changes within Russia’s political system, particularly in the defense sector, are now inevitable following the mutiny. There are indications that the Kremlin intends to deprive Prigozhin of his political tools within Russia. However, the situation is more complicated when it comes to foreign projects.
Prigozhin’s foreign projects have included information campaigns targeting American electoral processes and mercenary military operations in Syria and other countries. These projects have often been carried out in coordination with Russian authorities. In Libya, for example, Wagner’s presence was activated when the Russian Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry began supporting Khalifa Hifter. However, when Hifter’s advances failed, the level of Wagner’s presence was reduced, and the Foreign Ministry shifted its engagement.
The future of Wagner’s activities in Syria and Africa is uncertain. The Russian government has informed authorities in Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali, and other countries that it is taking control of the Wagner Group, indicating a potential reorganization. However, it is challenging to reorganize Wagner’s work without consequences and accidents. The removal of Wagner’s assets abroad could lead to a rapid compression of Russian influence, particularly in Africa.
Overall, the mutiny within Wagner has significant implications for Russia’s foreign policy activities and highlights the complexities of managing mercenary groups involved in sensitive operations abroad.
Biden administration tightens limits on airstrikes excluding Syria
North Press reports that U.S. military and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) drone operators must obtain advance permission from President Biden to target a suspected militant outside a conventional war zone, excluding Syria and Iraq, the New York Times reported.
They must have “near certainty” at the moment of any strike that civilians will not be injured, according to the New York Times.
The rules tightened constraints on drone strikes and commando raids that President Donald Trump had loosened in 2017.
The Biden administration partly declassified and disclosed the document, along with an 18-page national security memo laying out its international counterterrorism strategy, after The New York Times filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.
A senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the government currently considers only Iraq and Syria, where operations against Islamic State (ISIS) continue.
