Syria, Iran Discuss Joint Military Drill with Syria
Syria’s Minister of Defense, General Ali Mahmoud Abbas, travelled to Tehran in an unannounced visit to discuss further military cooperation.
SANA reported that Abbas held talks in Tehran on Monday with the chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, on bilateral relations and the promotion of joint cooperation to serve the interests of the two friendly countries and peoples.
General Abbas pointed out that the close cooperation between the two countries had fruitful results in defeating terrorism and aggressive plots and that the victory achieved over terrorism is a joint victory.
Joint military drill
Tasnim news agency, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, reported that General Baqeri lauded “Syria for its resistance and supporting Palestine from the outset of occupation of the Palestinian territories by the Zionist regime.”
“Some Arab countries that took the path of normalizing relations betrayed the cause of Palestine, the Arab world, and the Islamic world, and they must be held accountable,” he added.
The senior commander stressed the need for staging “a joint military exercise between Iran and Syria.”
He condemned the recurrent Israeli acts of aggression against Arab country that has violated international law.
He noted that Iran has provided advisory support for the Syrian Army so far, expressing the Islamic Republic’s readiness to help the Syrian military forces in restructuring, training, and supplying equipment.
Mehr News agency also covered the visit. It quoted Bagheri as emphasizing that security in the West Asian region is interconnected.
Bagheri stated that one area of the region could not be insecure without affecting the other parts.
Bagheri went on to say that the cooperation between the government and armed forces of Iran and Syria can be a complete role model for the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
For this reason, he continued, “many arrogant powers oppose this cooperation and do not accept it.”
Syria and the UN Discuss Cooperation
Syrian officials continue to meet with UN officials to “enhance cooperation and bilateral relations.”
Minister of Education, Dr. Darem Tabbaa, met with the United Nations ‘ High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Syria Sivanka Dhanapala.
The pair, according to SANA, discussed “ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the educational domain.”
Tabbaa affirmed the Syrian government’s commitment to providing qualitative education and a safe school environment for all Syrian students in all governorates.
A booklet will be issued containing procedures to be followed when Syrian refugee students return to the country to enroll at schools, Tabbaa noted.
In turn, Sivanka pointed out to the Ministry’s support in the areas of renovating schools, which amounted to 25 ones, in addition to participating in carrying out the hosting program, which includes exams for students coming from areas controlled by terrorist groups and from Lebanon, as well as the catch-up lessons for children who have dropped out of schools.
WFP
Meanwhile, the Governor of Damascus, Eng. Muhammad Tariq Krishati, discussed on Monday with Deputy Country Director for Financial and Administrative Affairs of WFP in Syria, Layla Ahada, ways to enhance joint cooperation, the reality of relief work and the services it provides, as well as issues related to its activities in Damascus.
Krishati affirmed the governorate’s readiness to provide all support and facilitations for the work of the program and its humanitarian projects, and the importance of increasing aid to reach the largest number of beneficiaries, appreciating the efforts already made .
Syrian Kurds deny stealing oil and wheat
The External Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration in Northeast Syria (AANES) on Sunday denied reports that it was stealing Syrian oil and wheat, and transferring it to neighbouring countries.
“The reports referred to what has been described as “theft” of resources and their transfer to neighbouring countries as part of deals struck between the (US-led)-coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).”
“We stress that all these reports are false and mere political statements,” the AANES said in a statement about reports in Syrian government-affiliated outlets and a statement of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
“We officially deny this information. It is noteworthy that the amount of wheat available amid years of drought in the region is barely enough to fulfill the needs of the locals. As for oil, this region was liberated from Daesh (ISIS) and terrorism after a struggle that lasted years, and most of the wells have been destroyed and are out of order,” the AANES said.
“Therefore, the production capacity is weak, and the oil is barely enough for local consumption, while part of it is allocated to other Syrian regions. We hope this matter will be dealt with logically, reasonably, and realistically.”
U.S. military says it captured two Islamic State members in Syria
Reuters reported that American forces had captured two other Islamic State members during an air and ground assault in eastern Syria, the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement released on Sunday.
According to Col. Joe Buccino, a Central Command spokesperson, the raid happened on Saturday, adding that one civilian received “minor injuries” during the attack and was treated at a nearby medical facility before being released back to his family.
