Syria’s air defences intercepted an Israeli strike in the sky over the southeastern countryside near Homs, Syrian state news reported Sunday. SANA said Syrian air defences were responding to “hostile targets” over Homs province, adding that some missiles were shot down. It gave no further details. According to Israeli media, the strikes occurred after Israeli warplanes were reportedly seen flying over neighbouring Lebanon, whose airspace Israeli air forces are sometimes said to cross to carry out attacks on Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.
The Fatwa Council of Syria declared it Haram (religiously forbidden) for Syrians to endanger their lives and belongings to go to Europe. The council said travelling to European countries via unsafe routes, which involves dangers and violating laws, is not permissible, the Arabi21 website reported. Any trip that is not safe and in which the traveller faces the threats of death, disappearance or drowning in the sea is religiously Haram, and anyone who embarks on such a trip is a sinner, it said. This includes land trips in which there is a danger as a result of hunger, thirst or attacks by wild animals, it stated. The council added that those who are involved in facilitating such trips, like human traffickers, also commit sins.
Differences Widening Within Ahrar al-Sham: 80% of Elite Forces Support New Commander
A Turkish drone on Sunday targeted a car in Amude, in Hassakeh province, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor reported on Sunday. According to SOHR, Turkey has carried out 65 drone attacks in northeast Syria since early 2022. A total of 64 fighters and 11 children were killed in these attacks. Moreover, 107 persons were injured in these attacks.
The Russian general overseeing the war against Ukraine benefited from lucrative deals that involved his wife’s businesses, Syrian phosphate mines, and shady payments from a Kremlin-connected businessman, a new investigation has found. According to Radio Free Europe, the conclusions by investigators from the organization of jailed opposition activist Aleksei Navalny add to the public picture of General Sergei Surovikin, who commanded Russia’s operations in Syria in the late 2010s and who has earned the nickname “General Armageddon” for his reputation for brutality there. Two days after being promoted to command Russia’s faltering war on Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin unleashed a punishing barrage of air strikes on the country. President Vladimir Putin appointed Surovikin the overall commander of Russian forces in Ukraine on October 8th, in a bid by the Kremlin and Defense Ministry to put the war effort back on track after numerous setbacks.
