BEIRUT: Regime forces have retaken several villages in northwestern Syria, a monitor said on Thursday, a move that could tee up an offensive against the last major insurgent bastion of Idlib.
More than six years into the deadly Syria conflict, Idlib province, which borders Turkey, is the only major region in the country still completely beyond regime control.
Fierce clashes have in recent days pitted regime forces against Fateh Al-Sham Front, a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, on the edge of the province, the Syrian Observatory for Huan Rights said.
“The army took several villages,” the head of the Britain-based monitor, Rami Abdel Rahman, said.
He said the regime push was backed by Russian airstrikes and added that the “regime wants to seize the southeast of Idlib province.”
The latest fighting took place in villages on the border between Idlib and Hama provinces where clashes have been ongoing for two months.
The regime has had no presence in Idlib province since 2015.
Fateh Al-Sham, previously known as Al-Nusra Front, crushed its former allies in the summer to become the dominant force there.
Idlib is one of four “de-escalation” zones in Syria covered by a deal meant to reduce violence levels that was struck in May by Russia, Iran and Turkey.
Regime forces seize villages in Idlib offensive
Regime forces seize villages in Idlib offensive
Saudi Arabia, Indonesia sign key agreements to boost trade and mining cooperation
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have signed a series of memoranda of understanding aimed at enhancing bilateral trade and expanding cooperation in the mining sector.
As part of an official visit to Jakarta, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef, signed an MoU with Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, to promote strategic collaboration and the exchange of expertise in mining and mineral resources.
According to a joint press statement, the agreement will foster cooperation in areas including mineral exploration, geological surveying, sustainable mining practices, mineral production and processing, and the development of modern technologies for the mining and metallurgical industries.
The deal was signed during Alkhorayef’s official trip to Indonesia, which also saw discussions on deepening industrial ties and enhancing knowledge transfer between the two nations.
In a parallel move, the Saudi Export-Import Bank signed an MoU with Indonesia Eximbank to establish a framework for strengthening trade relations and promoting joint investment initiatives, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
“This MoU marks a significant step toward improving export and import efficiency and facilitating bilateral trade. It also reflects our commitment to enhancing partnerships and commercial exchange between the two countries,” said Saad Al-Khalb, CEO of Saudi EXIM, as quoted by SPA.
He added: “The agreement will serve as a catalyst for trade development and joint investment projects across various sectors. We are committed to encouraging Saudi exporters to seize promising investment opportunities, and are fully dedicated to enabling the export of Saudi non-oil products to the Indonesian market.”
The agreement includes provisions for exchanging best practices related to export credit policies and developing new export products, while also encouraging collaboration between Saudi and Indonesian companies.
Sukatmo Padmosukarso, acting executive director of Indonesia Eximbank, described the agreement as “more than a ceremonial step,” adding: “It marks the beginning of real, actionable cooperation. We hope to soon realize joint projects in renewable energy, co-financing, and export ventures, supported by dedicated teams from both sides.”
During the visit, Saudi EXIM officials also held meetings with Indonesian financial institutions, export credit agencies, and trade organizations to explore opportunities for expanding trade, strengthening economic ties, and supporting local exporters in scaling their international operations.
Trade between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia remains robust. In January alone, Saudi Arabia exported non-oil goods to Indonesia worth SR202.7 million ($54 million), underlining the growing importance of economic collaboration between the two countries.
Iranian foreign minister to discuss Iran-US nuclear talks during Moscow visit
- The US and Iran held talks in Oman last weekend that both sides described as positive and constructive
- Russia, a longstanding ally of Tehran, plays a role in Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the West as a veto-wielding UN Security Council member
MOSCOW: Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei sent his foreign minister to Russia on Thursday with a letter for Russian President Vladimir Putin, aiming to shore up support from Moscow ahead of a second round of nuclear negotiations with the United States.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with bombing and extending tariffs to third countries that buy its oil if Tehran does not come to an agreement with Washington over its disputed nuclear program. The United States has moved additional warplanes into the region.
The US and Iran held talks in Oman last weekend that both sides described as positive and constructive. Ahead of a second round of talks set to take place in Rome this weekend, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday that Iran’s right to enrich uranium is not negotiable.
Russia, a longstanding ally of Tehran, plays a role in Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the West as a veto-wielding UN Security Council member and a signatory to an earlier nuclear deal Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.
“Regarding the nuclear issue, we always had close consultations with our friends China and Russia. Now it is a good opportunity to do so with Russian officials,” Araqchi told state TV. He said he was conveying a letter to Putin that discussed regional and bilateral issues.
Western powers say Iran is refining uranium to a high degree of fissile purity beyond what is justifiable for a civilian energy program and close to the level suitable for an atomic bomb. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and says it has a right to a civilian nuclear program.
Moscow has bought weapons from Iran for the war in Ukraine and signed a 20-year strategic partnership deal with Tehran earlier this year, although it did not include a mutual defense clause. The two countries were battlefield allies in Syria for years until their ally Bashar Assad was toppled in December.
Putin has kept on good terms with Khamenei as both Russia and Iran are cast as enemies by the West, but Moscow is keen not to trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
Russia has said that any military strike against Iran would be illegal and unacceptable. The Kremlin on Tuesday declined to comment when asked if Russia was ready to take control of Iran’s stocks of enriched uranium as part of a possible future nuclear deal between Iran and the United States.
Lebanon detains several people on suspicion of firing rockets at Israel
- A Hamas official told the AP that several members of the group were detained in Lebanon recently and released shortly afterward
BEIRUT: The Lebanese military said it has detained a group of people linked to firing rockets into Israel last month.
In a statement issued late Wednesday night, the army said it had detained several people, including a number of Palestinians, who were involved in firing rockets in two separate attacks toward Israel in late March that triggered intense Israeli airstrikes on parts of Lebanon. Lebanon’s Hezbollah group denied at the time it was behind the firing of rockets.
The army said that a vehicle and other equipment used in the rockets attacks were confiscated and the detainees were referred to judicial authorities. The army said it had carried out raids in different parts of Lebanon to detain the suspects without giving further details.
On Thursday, the state-run National News Agency reported that Gen. Rodolph Haikal briefed a weekly cabinet meeting about the security situation along the border and the ongoing implementation of the UN Security Council resolution that ended the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war.
Three security and one judicial officials told The Associated Press that four Palestinians linked to the Hamas group are being questioned.
A Hamas official told the AP that several members of the group were detained in Lebanon recently and released shortly afterward adding that they were not involved in firing rockets into Israel. He said in one case authorities detained a Hamas member who was carrying an unlicensed pistol.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Hezbollah started launching attacks on Israel a day after the Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023 with the Palestinian militants’ attack on southern Israel. The war that left more than 4,000 people dead in Lebanon and caused wide destruction ended in late November with a US-brokered ceasefire.
Since the ceasefire went into effect in late November, Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes that left dozens of civilians and Hezbollah members dead.
On Tuesday, the office of the UN high commissioner for human rights said that at least 71 civilians, including 14 women and nine children, have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since a ceasefire took effect.
Pakistan and Hungary scrap diplomatic visa requirement, sign cultural cooperation deals
- The development took place as the two countries mark 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations
- Hungarian foreign minister says Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign is also protecting Europe
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Hungary on Thursday signed an agreement to abolish visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders of both countries, along with two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of culture and archaeology to enhance bilateral cooperation.
Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó is visiting Islamabad on the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar with a high-level delegation, including 17 businessmen, to explore investment opportunities in the country.
The visit marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, which have enjoyed cooperation in energy, with Hungarian company MOL Group actively investing in Pakistan’s oil and gas exploration sector since the early 2000s.
“We are happy that we were able to sign the agreement of lifting the visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders,” Szijjártó said during a joint news conference with the Pakistani foreign minister.
“We are also proud to be able to sign the agreements about cooperation in the fields of culture and archaeology.”
The Hungarian minister also praised Pakistan’s war against militancy in the region, saying his country valued and appreciated Islamabad’s efforts since they also contributed to Europe’s security.
“Regardless of all huge international efforts, there’s still a big threat of terror stemming from Afghanistan,” he continued. “And this threat of terror comes with the danger of launching of further illegal migratory waves toward Europe.”
Szijjártó’s remarks come at a time when Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in militant violence in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan, prompting security forces to launch intelligence-based operations and blame the administration in Kabul for “facilitating” cross-border attacks by militant outfits, an allegation the Afghan government denies.
Pakistan is also carrying out a deportation drive of “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghan nationals, citing security reasons. The move is part of a larger repatriation drive that began in November 2023, with over 900,000 Afghans expelled from Pakistan since.
On the occasion, Dar said the signing of MoUs and the visa agreement would “deepen our government-to-government and people-to-people” connections on regional matters.
This visit marks Islamabad’s push to attract investment from European countries in its priority sectors to achieve sustainable growth after pursuing agreements in trade, energy, tourism, livestock, mining and minerals with regional allies, including Gulf countries in recent months.
Top US, Indonesian diplomats discuss tariffs, defense in meeting
- The top diplomats also discussed US reciprocal tariffs on Indonesia
DUBAI: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed tariffs and ways to deepen defense and security cooperation with Indonesia in a meeting with the Indonesian foreign minister on Wednesday, the US State Department said.
Rubio and Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono “discussed ways to deepen defense and security cooperation, including efforts to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law,” the State Department said in a statement.
The top diplomats also discussed US reciprocal tariffs on Indonesia, and Rubio “welcomed Indonesia’s efforts to introduce economic reforms toward a fair and balanced trade relationship,” the department added.
