This news round covers several key developments involving Syria, including Turkish President Erdogan urging Russia, Iran, and Syria to act against Israel following an alleged Israeli airstrike on Damascus. U.S. airstrikes also targeted Islamic State camps in Syria to curb extremist activities. Turkey criticized the U.S. for extending sanctions related to Syria, while Syrian activist Loubna Meri reflected on Hezbollah’s destructive role in Syria. Additionally, an investigation revealed the EU’s complicity in Turkey’s forced deportation of refugees to dangerous regions, raising serious concerns over human rights violations.
Erdogan: Russia, Iran, Syria must take measures against Israel after alleged Damascus strike
Russia, Syria and Iran should take more effective measures to protect Syria’s territorial integrity, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday, when asked about Israel’s recent alleged strike on Damascus.
“We will defend an urgent and permanent peace in Syria… Israel is the most concrete threat to regional and global peace,” Erdogan said in an interview with Turkish media.
“It is essential that Russia, Iran and Syria take more effective measures against this situation, which poses the greatest threat to Syria’s territorial integrity,” according to a readout of the interview from the Turkish presidency.
An alleged Israeli airstrike on Damascus on Tuesday targeted a top Hezbollah official who is part of a unit tasked with delivering weapons from Iran and its proxies to the terror group in Lebanon, according to a Saudi report.
US airstrikes target multiple militant camps in Syria
A series of U.S. airstrikes targeted several camps run by the Islamic State group in Syria in an operation the U.S. military said will disrupt the extremists from conducting attacks in the region and beyond, AP reported.
The U.S. Central Command said the airstrikes were conducted Friday, without specifying in which parts of Syria. About 900 U.S. troops have been deployed in eastern Syria alongside the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that were instrumental in the fight against IS militants.
Despite their defeat, attacks by IS sleeper cells in Iraq and Syria have been on the rise over the past years, with scores of people killed or wounded.
The U.S. military said the strikes will disrupt the ability of the Islamic State group to plan, organize and conduct attacks against the United States, its allies and partners, and civilians throughout the region and beyond.
Türkiye slams extension of US Order on Syria
by Daily Sabah reported that a one-year extension of U.S. Executive Order 13894 on Syria drew the ire of Ankara. “The decision by the U.S. Government to extend Executive Order 13894, first issued in 2019 within the context of developments in Syria, for a further year is incompatible with the realities on the ground,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said in a statement. On Thursday, the U.S. extended Executive Order 13894, citing an “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”
Responding to the move, Keçeli said: “Instead of repeating such prejudiced steps, supporting Turkey’s policies prioritizing Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity would contribute to regional stability.”
In 2019, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Oct. 9, invoking its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. The operation aimed to neutralize terrorist groups, particularly YPG, in northern Syria, and ensure border security.
At that time, the U.S., which had been cooperating with the terrorist group under the guise of fighting against Daesh, declared a national emergency for Syria, claiming that the conditions in Syria were disrupting the fight against Daesh. This executive order also granted the U.S. power to impose sanctions.
Hezbollah Waged War Against the People of My Country
Syrian writer and activist Loubna Meri published a detailed report in The Atlantic Council, explaining the destructive role of Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Loubna wrote that the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last month sparked vastly different reactions in Syria and Lebanon. In Syria, particularly in Idlib and Aleppo, people celebrated his death, calling for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad to be next ¹. However, in southern Lebanon, a wave of grief swept through the region.
The contrasting reactions highlight the complexity of the region. Syrians who welcomed Nasrallah’s assassination weren’t necessarily celebrating the Israeli involvement, but rather saw it as a rare victory ¹. Many Syrians hold Nasrallah responsible for Hezbollah’s role in the Syrian conflict, which they believe was a war against the Syrian people, not just armed factions.
Nasrallah’s death brought a sense of justice to those who suffered under Hezbollah’s actions in Syria. However, some Syrians are now questioning whether celebrating his death is morally justifiable, considering the potential destruction of Lebanon, which is already struggling with economic collapse and other crises ¹.
The situation is further complicated by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has killed thousands of civilians. For many Syrians who oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza, Nasrallah’s death, although seen as justice, is difficult to celebrate due to the circumstances surrounding it ¹
The EU is helping Turkey forcibly deport migrants to Syria and Afghanistan
An in-depth investigation by Politico and several other media outlets revealed that EU funds are helping Turkey forcibly deport refugees to unsafe regions, like Syria and Afghanistan. Despite the EU’s €11 billion aid package intended to support refugees and strengthen border control, Turkey has increasingly used this funding to detain and deport migrants, violating international laws that prohibit returning individuals to places where they face persecution or death. Conditions in detention centers are dire, with reports of physical abuse, neglect, and coercion to sign false “voluntary return” documents.
The investigation highlighted several cases of mistreatment in EU-funded removal centers, where detainees, many fleeing violence in their home countries, were subjected to inhumane conditions. Syrians and Afghans interviewed reported overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, and even torture. Many were pressured or tricked into signing documents indicating they were returning to their home countries voluntarily, despite the threat of violence and persecution upon their return. The EU’s continued financial contributions—€213 million for detention centers alone—are critical to maintaining this deportation infrastructure, including the construction and refurbishment of centers across Turkey.
Turkey, facing rising anti-refugee sentiment and economic difficulties, has ramped up deportations, with over 715,000 Syrians allegedly “voluntarily repatriated” since 2016, though many of these returns are reportedly forced. Afghan migrants have also been frequently deported, often under threat or after experiencing violence in detention. Despite these violations, the EU has largely ignored internal and external warnings, continuing to finance Turkey’s migration system, even as human rights concerns mount.
The EU justifies its funding by claiming it improves the conditions in removal centers and helps manage migration. However, the investigation uncovered that the EU flag is visible throughout the detention facilities, on everything from mattresses to vehicles used in deportations. While Brussels asserts it monitors the use of its funds, critics argue that it is turning a blind eye to the abuses happening within the very facilities it finances, effectively enabling Turkey’s deportation machine.
As part of the broader 2016 Turkey-EU deal to curb the flow of asylum seekers to Europe, Turkey has received billions in aid, with the EU focused on preventing further refugee arrivals. This arrangement has drawn criticism for outsourcing Europe’s migration challenges to neighboring countries, with little accountability for how funds are used. Turkey’s aggressive deportation policies, supported by EU money, have led to widespread human rights abuses, raising questions about the ethical implications of the EU’s involvement in Turkey’s handling of refugees.
The investigation concludes that EU taxpayers’ money is being used to fund a deportation system that violates international law, with both Turkey and the EU showing little regard for the safety and dignity of the migrants caught in this system. Despite clear evidence of mistreatment and forced returns, the EU has yet to address the serious human rights violations occurring in the facilities it helps maintain.
