ANKARA/AMMAN: Turkey will send more troops into Syria’s Idlib province after striking a deal with Russia that has averted a government offensive and delighted rebels who said it kept the area out of President Bashar Assad’s hands.
The deal unveiled on Monday by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Assad’s most powerful ally, and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will create a demilitarised zone from which “radical” rebels must withdraw by the middle of next month.
Damascus also welcomed the agreement but vowed to continue its efforts to recover “every inch” of Syria. Iran, Assad’s other main ally, said that “responsible diplomacy” had averted a war in Idlib “with a firm commitment to fight extremist terror.”
The agreement halted a threatened Syrian government offensive. The United Nations had warned such an attack would create a humanitarian catastrophe in the Idlib region, home to about 3 million people.
The Idlib region and adjoining territory north of Aleppo represent the opposition’s last big foothold in Syria. Assad has recovered most of the areas once held by the rebels, with decisive military support from Iran and Russia.
But his plans to recover the northwest have been complicated by Turkey’s role on the ground. It has soldiers at 12 locations in Idlib and supplies weapons to some of the rebels.
Erdogan had feared another exodus of refugees to join the 3.5 million already in Turkey, and warned against any attack.
In striking the deal, Russia appears — at least for now — to have put its ties with Turkey ahead of advancing the goal of bringing all Syria back under Assad’s rule.
That goal is also obstructed by the presence of US forces in the quarter of Syria east of the Euphrates that is held by an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, and at a base near the borders with Jordan and Iraq.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis played down any notion the Turkey-Russia agreement had resolved the situation in Idlib.
“Idlib is one of the most complex problems in a complex theater (of conflict) right now. So I’m quite sure it’s not all sorted,” Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon.
Analysts cautioned that implementation of the deal faced big challenges, notably how to separate extremists from other rebels — a goal Ankara has been struggling to achieve.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the “moderate opposition” would keep its weapons and the “region will be cleared of radicals.” Turkey would “make additional troop deployments” and its 12 observation posts would remain.
The deal was “very important for the political resolution in Syria.” “If this (Idlib) had been lost too, there would be no opposition anymore,” he said.
Mustafa Sejari, a Free Syria Army (FSA) official, said the deal “buries Assad’s dreams of imposing his full control over Syria.”
Yahya Al-Aridi, spokesman for the opposition Syrian Negotiations Commission, expressed hope a government offensive was now off the table for good.
The Syrian government, in a statement published by state media, said it welcomed any agreement that spared blood. It also said the deal had a specific time frame, which it did not detail.
“I see it as a test of the extent of Turkey’s ability to implement this decision,” Ali Abdul Karim, Syria’s ambassador to Lebanon, said in an interview with Lebanon’s Al-Jadeed TV. “We do not trust Turkey ... but it’s useful for Turkey to be able to carry out this fight to rid these groups from their weapons.”
’Catastrophe averted’
Moscow said the deal “confirmed the ability of both Moscow and Ankara to compromise ... in the interests of the ultimate goal of a Syrian settlement by political and diplomatic means.”
“Is this merely a stay of execution? Or is it the beginning of a reprieve?” UN aid chief Mark Lowcock asked during a monthly meeting of the UN Security Council on Syria.
The demilitarised zone will be monitored by Russian and Turkish forces, the countries’ leaders said.
Neither Russia nor Turkey has explained how it plans to differentiate “radically minded” rebels from other anti-Assad groups. It was also not immediately clear how much of the city of Idlib fell within the zone.
Putin said the decision was to establish by Oct. 15 a demilitarised area 15 to 20 km (10-12 miles) deep along the contact line between rebel and government fighters.
Naji Abu Hufaiza, spokesman for the National Front for Liberation, said he did not have details of the agreement, but added that while he saw it as a success for Turkish diplomacy, his group did not trust Russia to uphold it.
Idlib is held by an array of rebels. The most powerful is Tahrir Al-Sham, an amalgamation of Islamist groups dominated by the former Nusra Front — an Al-Qaeda affiliate until 2016.
Other Islamists, and groups fighting as the Free Syrian Army banner, are now gathered with Turkish backing under the banner of the “National Front for Liberation.”
The area is also the last major haven for foreign extremists who came to Syria to fight the Alawite-led Assad government.
Putin said that, at Erdogan’s suggestion, by Oct. 10, all opposition heavy weapons, mortars, tanks, rocket systems would also be removed from the demilitarised zone.
Earlier this month, Putin publicly rebuffed a proposal from Erdogan for a truce when the two met along with Iran’s president at a summit in Tehran.
Syria’s Idlib spared attack, Turkey to send in more troops
Syria’s Idlib spared attack, Turkey to send in more troops
- Damascus also welcomed the agreement but vowed to continue its efforts to recover “every inch” of Syria
- The Idlib region and adjoining territory north of Aleppo represent the opposition’s last big foothold in Syria
EU to advocate for integrated solutions to land, water challenges at COP16
RIYADH: The EU is set to intensify global cooperation at COP16 in Riyadh, working with international partners to combat desertification, land degradation, and drought while also addressing critical issues such as food security, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity.
The 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, which runs from Dec. 2 to 13, will provide a platform for the EU to advocate for stronger action on these interconnected global challenges. These issues, compounded by climate change, threaten economic, social, and environmental stability, as noted in a recent press release.
The EU emphasizes that addressing these challenges is crucial for securing its strategic autonomy, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring long-term security.
Jessika Roswall, the EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and a Circular Competitive Economy, will lead the EU delegation at COP16.
“The world loses 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land every year — around twice the size of France. Without rich and fertile soils, we have no food. Without healthy land, people lose their livelihoods,” Roswall said.
She added: “The EU is committed to working with international partners and will play a crucial, leading role in the negotiations in Riyadh.”
At COP16, the EU will advocate for stronger connections between the three Rio Conventions — climate change, biodiversity, and desertification — and will focus on integrated solutions to the complex challenges of land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. The EU will also push for a shift from reactive, crisis-driven drought management to more proactive, long-term strategies.
Another key focus for the EU will be increasing the involvement of civil society organizations and the private sector in the UNCCD processes. The EU will also push for gender-balanced and gender-responsive approaches to policy implementation. Additionally, securing a robust budget for the UNCCD’s secretariat to support the implementation of agreements beyond 2030 will be a priority.
On Dec. 3, the EU will host the high-level One Water Summit, aimed at advancing global water governance and accelerating progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on water and sanitation, in preparation for the 2026 UN Water Conference.
During the conference, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, in collaboration with the UNCCD, will unveil the World Drought Atlas, providing a comprehensive global assessment of drought risks and offering actionable strategies for building resilience. The UNCCD will also release the Economics of Drought Report, which outlines the economic benefits of preventing droughts and the costs of inaction.
The EU is prioritizing the acceleration of global efforts to address the water crisis, driven by overuse, mismanagement, and the impacts of climate change. With global freshwater demand expected to exceed supply by 40 percent by 2030, the EU has positioned water resilience as a key strategy to tackle future crises in health, food, and energy.
Pakistan sectarian clashes toll reaches 133 since Nov. 21 — provincial government
- A tribal jirga, or council of elders, had been formed to ensure a truce that has remained elusive so far
- Government says bunkers set up by armed groups to be dismantled and heavy weaponry confiscated
PESHAWAR: The death toll from sectarian clashes in northwest Pakistan has risen to 133, the provincial government said Monday, as tribal elders failed to ensure a truce between the feuding Sunni and Shiite Muslim communities.
Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, but Kurram in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the border with Afghanistan, has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades.
At least “133 precious lives have been lost, and 177 people injured” in sporadic clashes since November 21, said a statement issued after a provincial cabinet meeting.
A tribal jirga, or council of elders, had been formed to ensure a truce that had remained elusive so far, it said.
“Bunkers set up by armed groups in Kurram will be dismantled and heavy weaponry ... will be confiscated,” the statement added.
The latest fighting broke out last Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims traveling under police escort were ambushed, killing more than 40.
Since then days of fighting with light and heavy weapons have brought the region to a standstill, with major roads closed and mobile phone services cut as the death toll surged.
Anfal Hussain, who owns a pharmacy in Parachinar area, said “2024 has been extremely tough for Kurram” with dozens killed in clashes.
“I’ve been running this pharmacy for 11 years, but during the recent clashes the highway has been practically closed since October. This has caused significant shortages of food supplies and medicines,” Hussain, 36, told AFP.
“Many major illnesses cannot be treated in Parachinar’s hospitals, but they remain helpless due to the road closures,” he added.
A senior security official in the provincial capital Peshawar, speaking on condition of anonymity, on Friday told AFP that officials with the help of tribal elders were “close to achieving a truce,” after two earlier deals had failed to stymie the fighting.
“There are only two villages now where the sporadic firing is still taking place,” he said.
Police have regularly struggled to control violence in Kurram, which was part of the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas until it was merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 79 people had been killed in the region between July and October in sectarian clashes.
The feuding is generally rekindled by disputes over land in the rugged mountainous region, and fueled by underlying tensions between communities from different sects.
COP16: Saudi Arabia launches $150m Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, supported by a $150 million investment, according to a top official.
Speaking during the first plenary meeting on the opening day of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the COP16 president and the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley explained that the initiative aims to promote multilateral efforts in the countries most impacted by drought.
This falls in line with the goal of the G20 Global Land Initiative, which was launched by the Kingdom and the UN in 2020, to reduce degraded land by 50 percent by 2040.
It also aligns with the country’s progressive stance on combating land degradation, as demonstrated by the Saudi Green Initiative. The nation has committed to rehabilitating over 74 million hectares of land, with 94,000 hectares already restored and 49 million plants and shrubs planted since 2021.
“The launching of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership aims at promoting multilateral efforts to promote resilience, namely in the countries most impacted by drought. It includes proactive partnerships to support the UNCCD,” Al-Fadley said.
“It is my pleasure to announce that the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will support this initiative with the amount of $150 million in the coming 10 years,” he added.
After the COP16 president underlined how drought is increasingly challenging our lives, Al-Fadley said: “The global partnership aims at promoting partnership between countries, organizations, and relevant stakeholders for the sake of a preventive approach, proactive approach by implementing strategies.”
It also addresses drought comprehensively by assessing risks, implementing early warning systems, transferring knowledge, and increasing capacity through innovative agricultural solutions, such as drought-resistant crops. Additionally, it will provide financing for infrastructure development, he added.
President and Group Chairman of Islamic Development Bank Muhammad Al-Jasser also spoke during the meeting on behalf of the Arab Coordination Group.
“I would like to emphasize that the magnitude and urgency of these challenges demand collective action. We must unite as a global community, forging partnerships that mobilize resources and deliver meaningful impact where it is most needed,” Al-Jasser said.
“Together, we can drive a just, fair and inclusive transition toward a sustainable future for both people and planet earth,” he added.
During the meeting, the Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Professor Johan Rockstrom also shed light on how the world is currently halfway through a decisive decade that will likely determine the future of humanity for generations to come.
“Unless we bend the curves and start truly transforming back within a safe operating space of a resilient and healthy planet. We are today finding overwhelming scientific evidence. We are at risk of destabilizing, of losing resilience and undermining life support at the planetary scale,” Rockstrom said.
“The latest finding shows we’re following a pathway that will take us to over 3 degrees Celsius of global mean surface temperature rise already by the end of this century,” he added.
The professor emphasized that the primary focus is gradually eliminating fossil fuels to ensure a smooth transition to a decarbonized global economy.
“But we today know scientifically that that will not be enough,” Rockstrom said.
“Investing in sustainable land use is critical not only to combat land degradation but it’s also fundamental for economics, it’s also fundamental for economic stability, it’s fundamental to avoid displacement, migration, and potentially also conflicts. It is fundamental for stability of societal development, it’s fundamental for climate stability and food security,” he said.
Saudi Aramco acquires 10% stake in HORSE Powertrain
RIYADH: Energy giant Saudi Aramco has finalized its acquisition of a 10 percent stake in HORSE Powertrain Ltd., advancing hybrid combustion technologies to drive down transport emissions.
According to a joint statement, the deal valued at €7.4 billion ($7.7 billion), followed the signing of definitive agreements on June 28, and subsequent regulatory approvals.
Renault Group and Geely, through Geely Holding and Geely Auto, retain 45 percent stakes each in HORSE Powertrain. This collaboration is set to leverage Aramco’s expertise in synthetic fuels and lower-carbon mobility solutions, aligning with HORSE Powertrain’s vision to become a premier Tier 1 powertrain supplier.
Strategic goals
Aramco’s investment supports ongoing research and development in lower-emission technologies.
Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Aramco’s executive vice president of technology and innovation, said: “Addressing transport emissions requires a wide range of approaches that consider the diverse nature of the global vehicle fleet, broad disparities in transport infrastructures, and the specific needs of motorists in different countries.”
He added: “At Aramco, we are pursuing a number of potential innovative solutions, from lower-carbon synthetic fuels to more efficient internal combustion engines, as we look for opportunities to make a difference.”
Al-Khowaiter highlighted that Aramco’s investment in HORSE Powertrain builds on its extensive research and development efforts, aiming to collaborate with two leading carmakers to advance lower-emission mobility solutions.
Matias Giannini, CEO of HORSE Powertrain, highlighted the partnership’s strategic value. “Aramco’s expertise in alternative and synthetic fuels makes Aramco the ideal partner for us to deliver lower-emission powertrain solutions,” he said.
Giannini added: “By strengthening our technology leadership with this partnership, HORSE Powertrain will only become more valuable as a partner to automotive brands looking to benefit from our expertise and global production footprint.”
Operational synergies
According to the statement, HORSE Powertrain will collaborate with Aramco and Valvoline Global Operations, focusing on innovations in internal combustion engine technology, alternative fuels, and lubricants.
Jamal Muashsher, CEO of Valvoline Global Operations, said: “As a technical partner and supplier to HORSE Powertrain, we look forward to applying Valvoline Global’s 150-plus years of automotive expertise and tradition of innovation to advance future-ready solutions in internal combustion engine technology, fuels, and lubricants.”
He added: “Our newest joint effort with HORSE Powertrain and Aramco builds on Valvoline Global’s strong history in original equipment manufacturer partnerships. Through collaboration, we are helping to shape the next generation of mobility.”
The partnership aims to accelerate the development of next-generation ICE and hybrid powertrains, enhancing HORSE Powertrain’s global production footprint.
This strategic alliance underscores Aramco’s commitment to sustainable energy transitions and reinforces HORSE Powertrain’s role as a key player in next-generation powertrain solutions.
Aramco has been actively expanding its global partnerships in recent months.
On Nov. 19, the company signed a framework agreement with China’s Rongsheng Petrochemical Co. to boost the expansion of SASREF, enhancing its refining and petrochemical capabilities.
Earlier, on Oct. 30, Aramco agreed to collaborate with Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, or Petrovietnam, on energy storage, supply, and trading. This agreement, formalized during the Vietnamese Prime Minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia, aims to optimize operations and drive value across both companies’ energy and petrochemical sectors.
Pakistani PM to attend One Water Summit in Riyadh tomorrow
- Summit is a joint initiative of Saudi Arabia, France, Kazakhstan and the World Bank
- Sharif expected to hold bilateral meetings and engagements on forum’s sidelines
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for Riyadh tomorrow, Tuesday, to attend the One Water Summit from Dec. 3-4, the premier’s office said in a statement on Monday.
A joint initiative of Saudi Arabia, France, Kazakhstan and the World Bank, the summit aims for high-level political commitments to promote global cooperation and a coherent international approach toward water resource management.
“At the Summit, the Prime Minister will deliver a keynote address at a roundtable focusing on restoration, preservation, and adaptation in the context of fresh water resources and wetlands,” Sharif’s office said.
“He will also highlight steps being taken by Pakistan to promote water conservation, strengthen climate resilience, improve water quality, create livelihoods, and conserve biodiversity.
“The prime minister will underline the importance of international cooperation to tackle the impact of climate-induced floods, erratic and extreme weather patterns, and heat stress on water resources and ecosystems. He will also call for meaningful international collaboration for sustainable water resource management.”
Sharif is also expected to hold bilateral meetings and engagements on the forum’s sidelines.
The summit is being held on the margins of the next high-level session of the sixteenth session of COP16 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). It aims to contribute to ongoing United Nations discussions and processes to enhance global water governance, accelerate action on SDG6 on water and sanitation, and build on the momentum of the UN Water Conference in 2023.
The forum will also act as an incubator for solutions in preparation for the next UN Water Conference in 2026, and integrate its agenda into the other existing water processes and initiatives such as the World Water Forum, the Dushanbe Conference and the World Water Week.
“The One Water Summit’s ambition is to scale-up projects by stimulating partnerships between states, international organizations, local authorities, development and private banks, businesses, philanthropies, scientific experts, NGOs and civil society, in line with previous One Planet Summits,” the forum’s website said.
