Tag: Syria

Deraa, birthplace of Syria rebellion, retaken through government forces

Image copyright AFP Image caption Govt supporters flew the national flag within the the city of Tafas, east of Deraa, on Thursday

Syrian executive forces are retaking control of the insurrection-held part of Deraa, the birthplace of the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad.

Troops, followed via Russian military police, entered the realm and raised the national flag, state media stated.

Rebels there have reportedly agreed to surrender in return for an amnesty or safe passage to the revolt-held north.

The military has recaptured massive swathes of Deraa’s surrounding province considering that launching an important offensive on 19 June.

The United Nations says up to 234,000 folks remain displaced by the combating, 70% of whom have sought shelter in neighbouring Quneitra province, near the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Symbol copyright AFP Symbol caption The First mass protests against President Assad’s rule erupted in Deraa in 2011

While the government used deadly drive to crush the dissent, protests not easy President Assad’s resignation erupted nationwide.

The unrest spread and the crackdown intensified. Opposition supporters took up palms, first to defend themselves and later to rid their areas of security forces.

The violence hastily escalated and the rustic descended right into a civil warfare that has left more than 350,000 other folks useless and displaced ELEVEN million others.

What ended in the rebels surrendering in Deraa?

South-western Syria were fairly calm within the previous 12 months as a result of a “de-escalation” agreement brokered by the united states and Jordan, which give a boost to the competition, and Russia, a staunch best friend of the government.

Symbol copyright AFP Image caption The Russian military negotiated the ceasefire with revolt commanders in Deraa province

But Mr Assad set his sights on regaining full regulate of the area after defeating rebels within the Japanese Ghouta, out of doors the capital Damascus, in April.

The unstoppable momentum of Assad ’s war Why is there a conflict in Syria?

Troops and allied militiamen, sponsored by way of Russian warplanes, advanced hastily after launching an offensive simply over 3 weeks ago.

Intense air, artillery and rocket strikes weakened the rebels, who had been informed through the u.s. that it might now not interfere militarily on their behalf, and prompted more than THREE HUNDRED,000 civilians to flee their homes and head towards Jordan and the Golan.

Whilst the Jordanian and Israeli govt refused to open their borders, the UN warned of a humanitarian crisis. It mentioned residing prerequisites on the makeshift camps for the displaced have been dire, with many people missing adequate refuge and regular get right of entry to to scrub consuming water and healthcare.

Dozens of rise up-held towns and villages agreed localised truces sooner than the main rise up factions opened negotiations with Russian mediators on a much wider deal.

Last week, after Russia guaranteed the safe go back of displaced civilians and the evacuation to rebel-held territory in Idlib and Aleppo provinces of individuals who wanted to go away, rebels surrendered their heavy and medium weapons in the geographical region east of Deraa city and the Jordanian border space.

On Thursday, rebels holed up within the south of Deraa city began discussions over their own handover with a Russian delegation, resources instructed Reuters news agency.

Is the preventing within the south over?

Pro-govt and rebellion forces have additionally been combating jihadist militants from an affiliate of the Islamic State staff, which controls a sliver of territory adjoining the occupied Golan Heights and isn’t a part of the ceasefire deal agreed with the rebels.

Symbol copyright AFP Image caption Tens of heaps of individuals have been returning to their houses in up to now riot-held cities

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UNITED KINGDOM-primarily based monitoring workforce, suggested on Thursday that contributors of the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army had seized the riot-held village of Hait overnight, regardless of Russian and government air strikes focused on their positions on Wednesday.

IS news shops claimed that militants had also captured nearby Khirbat Yali.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army attacked 3 Syrian military posts near the Golan frontier on Thursday, hours after it intercepted a drone approaching from Syria.

July 12, 2018
Syria conflict: 270,000 displaced by means of combating in south-west

Image copyright AFP Symbol caption Displaced civilians have arrange makeshift camps close to the border with Jordan

No Less Than 270,000 folks have fled their houses in south-western Syria since the army launched an attack on riot-held spaces weeks ago, the UN says.

Many of those displaced via the preventing in Deraa and Quneitra provinces have headed against the borders with Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

However neither u . s . has stated it is going to permit an influx of refugees, sparking fears of a humanitarian hindrance.

Government forces have been advancing with the assistance of Russian air strikes.

Over the weekend, greater than a dozen cities and villages reportedly agreed to give up and accept President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

UN officials said on Monday that greater than a third of the population living in rise up-held south-western Syria had fled their homes in response to the federal government’s extreme air, artillery and rocket strikes to boot as clashes on the ground.

“We were anticipating the collection of displaced in southern Syria to succeed in 2 HUNDRED,000, but it surely has already passed 270,000 folks in document time,” Mohammad Hawari, a spokesman for the UN Refugee Agency in Jordan, advised AFP news company.

Up to 70,000 of the displaced are reportedly amassed near the closed Nassib border crossing with Jordan, where many households are being pressured to reside in makeshift shelters or out within the open, without basic provides.

Symbol copyright AFP Image caption The Ones living within the camps close to the Jordanian border in searing warmth

“We misplaced our children, our homes, our places to take refuge,” one woman at a camp instructed AFP information company on Sunday. “we are sitting on the ground. we have no water to wash our hands. we have no water to drink, no meals to eat.”

The prime selection of displaced other folks has also increased the power on hospitals in border groups, which medics say were repeatedly targeted via Syrian government and Russian air moves since the executive offensive began.

UN Prime Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in Deraa and steered neighbouring nations to offer secure passage to these wishing to flee the violence.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Syrian govt forces have made important profits, retaking a couple of cities and villages

Jordan has stored its border closed and said it could not take care of taking in any more than the 660,000 registered refugees it already hosts, at the same time as Israel has said it will no longer allow Syrians to go into its territory.

After meeting UN officers on Monday, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stated it have been delivering aid to crossings with Syria, however that there have been problems getting permission from Damascus to transport it over the border.

“We consider that it’s in nobody’s pastime to have Syrians go away their u . s .,” he said. “there may be no scarcity of aid provides. The query is simply to get it across.”

Mr Safadi additionally said he would dangle talks together with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Tuesday, which he was hoping could “take us more steps ahead to include this concern and forestall more destruction”.

Symbol copyright Reuters Image caption Jordan’s government stated it used to be delivering bins of assist to Syrian border crossings

Russia has opened negotiations with riot factions on a much wider ceasefire deal on behalf of the government. However a number of revolt commanders have rejected a suggestion that they lay down their arms in return for promises of safety.

The Israeli army has additionally stepped up its humanitarian efforts.

On Friday, it took in six injured Syrians, including 4 young children, for emergency scientific remedy. It also provided tents, meals, baby method, clinical equipment, clothing and sneakers to camps within the Golan Heights demilitarised zone.

“we can proceed to defend our borders. we will extend humanitarian help to the extent of our skills. We will not allow access into our territory,” Israeli Top Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advised a cabinet meeting on Sunday.

July 3, 2018
Why is there a conflict in Syria?

Image copyright Reuters

What began as a calm uprising towards Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad 5 years ago became a full-scale civil warfare that has left greater than THREE HUNDRED,000 folks dead, devastated the country and drawn in international powers.

Why is there a warfare in Syria?

Long earlier than the war began, many Syrians complained about high unemployment, common corruption, an absence of political freedom and state repression underneath President Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded his father, Hafez, in 2000.

In March 2011, pro-democracy demonstrations impressed by means of the Arab Spring erupted within the southern city of Deraa. The government’s use of fatal drive to overwhelm the dissent soon induced national protests hard the president’s resignation.

Image copyright AP Image caption Protests in the southern city of Deraa in March 2011 had been suppressed by safety forces

because the unrest spread, the crackdown intensified. Opposition supporters started to take up fingers, first to defend themselves and later to expel security forces from their native spaces. Mr Assad vowed to overwhelm “foreign-subsidized terrorism” and restore state control.

Symbol copyright Reuters Image caption The Town of Homs, dubbed “the capital of the revolution” suffered well-liked destruction

The violence swiftly escalated and the rustic descended into civil conflict as masses of rebellion brigades were formed to struggle govt forces for keep an eye on of the rustic.

Image copyright AP Image caption Executive forces have lost keep an eye on of enormous swathes of the country to various armed teams

In essence, it has develop into greater than just a battle between the ones for or against Mr Assad.

A key issue has been the intervention of regional and world powers, together with Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United States Of America. Their military, monetary and political fortify for the federal government and opposition has contributed on to the intensification and continuation of the preventing, and grew to become Syria right into a proxy battleground.

Exterior powers have also been accused of fostering sectarianism in what used to be a widely secular state, pitching the country’s Sunni majority in opposition to the president’s Shia Alawite sect. Such divisions have inspired both sides to devote atrocities that have not only brought about loss of life but additionally torn aside communities, hardened positions and dimmed hopes for a political payment.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The northern Syrian town of Raqqa is the headquarters of the jihadist staff Islamic State (IS)

Jihadist teams have additionally seized on the divisions, and their rise has introduced a further dimension to the struggle. Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which used to be referred to as al-Nusra Front till it announced it was once breaking off formal ties with al-Qaeda in July 2016, is part of a powerful riot alliance that controls much of the north-western province of Idlib.

Meanwhile, so-known as Islamic State (IS), which controls huge swathes of northern and eastern Syria, is battling government forces, insurrection brigades and Kurdish teams, as well as going through air strikes through Russia and a US-led multinational coalition.

Symbol copyright AFP Symbol caption Hundreds of Iranian-sponsored Shia militiamen are helping Syrian government forces

Heaps of Shia militiamen from Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen say they are fighting alongside the Syrian army to protect holy sites.

Why are such a lot of outside powers concerned?

Image copyright Reuters Symbol caption Russia’s air campaign aimed to “stabilise” the government of President Bashar al-Assad

Russia, for whom President Assad’s survival is critical to keeping up its interests in Syria, introduced an air campaign in September 2015 with the aim of “stabilising” the federal government after a sequence of defeats. Moscow stressed out that it could aim most effective “terrorists”, but activists mentioned its moves basically hit Western-subsidized riot teams.

Six months later, having grew to become the tide of the warfare in his best friend’s favour, President Vladimir Putin ordered the “main part” of Russia’s forces to withdraw, saying their undertaking had “at the entire” been complete. Then Again, severe Russian air and missile strikes went directly to play a big function within the government’s siege of insurrection-held japanese Aleppo, which fell in December 2016.

Symbol copyright Reuters Image caption Rebels have received handiest limited army the aid of Western powers

Shia power Iran is believed to be spending billions of dollars a year to reinforce the Alawite-dominated govt, providing army advisers and subsidised weapons, as well as strains of credit score and oil transfers. it’s also extensively said to have deployed hundreds of battle troops in Syria.

Mr Assad is Iran’s closest Arab best friend and Syria is the main transit aspect for Iranian weapons shipments to the Lebanese Shia Islamist motion Hezbollah, which has despatched thousands of opponents to beef up government forces.

Image copyright Reuters Symbol caption A US-led coalition has been carrying out air moves on Islamic State militants in Syria considering the fact that 2014

The U.s., which says President Assad is responsible for in style atrocities and will have to step down, has provided simplest restricted military help to “moderate” rebels, frightened that complex weapons might finally end up within the hands of jihadists. For The Reason That September 2014, the us has performed air moves on IS in Syria, but it surely has not deliberately attacked executive forces.

Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, that’s looking to counter the affect of its rival Iran, has been a big provider of army and fiscal help to the rebels, including people with Islamist ideologies.

Symbol copyright Reuters Symbol caption Turkish troops are backing a Syrian rebellion offensive to take regulate of a northern border house

Turkey is another staunch supporter of the rebels, but it has additionally sought to contain US-subsidized Kurdish Widespread Coverage Gadgets (YPG) opponents who’re struggling with IS in northern Syria, accusing the YPG of being an extension of the banned Turkish Kurdistan Workers’ Birthday Celebration (PKK).

In August 2016, Turkish troops subsidized a revolt offensive to pressure IS militants out of one of the ultimate ultimate stretches of the Syrian aspect of the border now not managed via the Kurds.

What affect has the battle had?

Image copyright Reuters Image caption There are no reliably accurate statistics at the choice of people killed or wounded in the fighting

The UN says a minimum of 250,000 other people have been killed in the previous 5 years. Then Again, the organization stopped updating its figures in August 2015. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UNITED KINGDOM-primarily based monitoring staff, positioned the death toll at 310,000 in December 2016, even as a think-tank expected in February 2016 that the battle had led to 470,000 deaths, either directly or not directly.

more than 4.8 million other folks – most of them girls and children – have fled Syria. Neighbouring Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey have struggled to cope with one in every of the largest refugee exoduses in contemporary history.

Image copyright Getty Pictures

About 10% of Syrian refugees have sought protection in Europe, sowing political divisions as countries argue over sharing the load. a further 6.3 million people are internally displaced within Syria.

The UN estimates it is going to need $3.4bn (£2.7bn) to help the 13.5 million individuals who would require some type of humanitarian help within Syria in 2017. more than 7 million individuals are suffering from food lack of confidence and 1.75 million children are out of college.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Virtually 1/2 Syria’s pre-battle population of 23 million has been displaced through the conflict

The warring parties have compounded the issues through refusing humanitarian companies access to many of the ones in want. Some 4.9 million people live in besieged or laborious-to-achieve spaces.

What’s being performed to finish the struggle?

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Earlier makes an attempt by means of the UN to broker a political cost have failed

With neither side able to inflict a decisive defeat at the different, the world neighborhood way back concluded that just a political answer may just finish the conflict. The UN Security Council has called for the implementation of the 2012 Geneva Communique, which envisages a transitional governing frame with complete government powers “shaped at the foundation of mutual consent”.

Peace talks in early 2014, known as Geneva II, broke down after only two rounds, with the UN blaming the Syrian govt’s refusal to discuss opposition demands.

A yr later, the conflict with IS lent recent impetus to the search for a political solution in Syria. The U.s. and Russia persuaded representatives of the opponents to wait “proximity talks” in Geneva in January 2016 to discuss a security Council-counseled road map for peace, including a ceasefire and a transitional duration finishing with elections.

Symbol copyright Reuters Symbol caption a local truce within the Homs suburb of al-Wair in December 2015 allowed rebels to be evacuated

the first spherical broke down even as nonetheless within the “preparatory” phase, as executive forces launched an offensive round Aleppo. The talks resumed in March 2016, after the united states and Russia brokered a nationwide “cessation of hostilities”. However they collapsed the next month as preventing intensified.

What is left of insurrection territory?

Image copyright AFP Image caption A Number Of opposition-held districts and suburbs of Damascus are below siege

the autumn of Aleppo method the federal government now controls Syria’s 4 biggest towns. But massive portions of the rustic are nonetheless held by other armed groups.

Rise Up opponents and allied jihadists are estimated to regulate about 15% of Syrian territory, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

US officers mentioned in early December 2016 that there were 50,000 or more “moderate” rebels, focused in the north-western province of Idlib and the western Aleppo geographical region.

Image copyright Reuters Symbol caption Al-Qaeda-associated jihadists are a key part of the rebel alliance controlling Idlib province

Rebels also regulate smaller spaces within the valuable province of Homs, the southern provinces of Deraa and Quneitra, and the jap Ghouta agricultural belt out of doors Damascus.

Kurdish forces, who say they toughen neither the government nor the opposition, meanwhile control a lot of Syria’s border with Turkey, in addition as a large part of the rustic’s north-east.

And although they’ve suffered extensive losses within the earlier years, IS militants nonetheless hold massive parts of crucial and northern Syria, together with the town of Raqqa.

June 15, 2018
Syria battle: OPCW says Sarin was once used in March 2017 attack

Symbol copyright Abd al-Munaf Faraj al-Saleh via Human Rights Watch Symbol caption A rescue worker despatched Human Rights Watch a photograph of a deformed yellow gasoline cylinder that he said hit the Latamina health center roof on 25 March 2017

The Worldwide chemical guns watchdog says the nerve agent Sarin and chlorine are potentially to had been used in assaults on a Syrian village last year.

The Company for the Prohibition of Chemical Guns concluded Sarin used to be used as a weapon in the south of revolt-held Latamina on 24 March 2017, and chlorine at its clinic the following day.

It didn’t assign blame for the incidents, in line with its mandate.

But activists mentioned at the time the area used to be under attack by way of govt forces.

The executive has time and again denied ever the usage of chemical guns.

Witnesses informed investigators that the bomb made just a slight noise ahead of releasing a yellow-greenish smoke that smelled strongly of cleansing retailers.

a minimum of 32 folks were reportedly injured as a result of the attack. So Much of them suffered from annoyed throats and eyes, issue breathing, vomiting and frothing of the mouth.

The commission of inquiry has mentioned the director of the OPCW as saying that Sarin used to be launched in another assault on Latamina on 30 March 2017. no less than 85 other folks suffered breathing problems after an unidentified warplane dropped a bomb at the village that day, it stated.

The OPCW may be these days investigating a suspected chemical assault in April 2018 within the then rebellion-held the city of Douma, in which medics say 40 folks were killed.

the united states, UK and France stated they were assured that chemical weapons were used in Douma through executive forces and in reaction performed missile strikes on Syria’s “chemical weapons infrastructure”.

In a recent interview with the Day-To-Day Mail, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad insisted the three Western nations had “staged” the incident in Douma, which happened in a while before the city fell to govt forces.

“It was a lie. after we liberated that area our data showed the assault didn’t take place,” he mentioned. “The British government will have to prove with proof that the assault came about, and then they need to end up who’s responsible.”

June 15, 2018
Russia says Syrian government now in control of rebel town

The Russian military announced on Thursday that the Syrian government is now in full control of the last rebel-held town on the outskirts of Damascus that was the site of a suspected chemical attack o

BEIRUT (AP) — The Russian military announced on Thursday that the Syrian government is now in full control of the last rebel-held town on the outskirts of Damascus that was the site of a suspected chemical attack over the weekend.

The development would mark a major victory for the Syrian President Bashar Assad as the United States and allies consider punitive military attacks against Syria following the suspected chemical attack that killed 40 people.

However, there was no official announcement by Damascus, and no indication that Syrian government forces had entered the town of Douma on Thursday. One government flag was raised in the town, a war monitoring group said.

SEE ALSO: National security team springs to action after Trump warns of Syria strike

Syrian TV stations showed civilians in vehicles carrying the Syrian flag crossing from Damascus into Douma.

Douma and the enclave of eastern Ghouta, just east of Damascus, was a significant rebel stronghold during Syria’s civil war, now in its eighth year. Its effective surrender to government forces comes after years of siege by Assad’s troops and a months-long, intense military offensive.

Meanwhile, Syrians are bracing for a possible U.S. attack in retaliation for Saturday’s alleged chemical assault in Douma. The Foreign Ministry in Damascus has denounced President Donald Trump’s threat to attack the country as “reckless” and a danger to international peace and security.

Under an evacuation deal for eastern Ghouta that was mediated by Russia, Assad’s top ally, no Syrian troops are expected to enter Douma, only police. Another police force, incorporating former rebels, is also to be formed and deployed in Douma.

Evacuation of armed gunmen and civilians who refuse the deal is still underway. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war through activists on the ground, there were still rebel fighters inside Douma on Thursday.

But the leaders of Jaish al-Islam, or Army of Islam, the strongest rebel group in eastern Ghouta that controlled Douma, have all evacuated. It is not clear if any of the remaining rebel fighters will evacuate or hand in their weapons and take part in the new policing force.

The Russian Defense Ministry statement followed a chaotic day in Douma that saw rebels there open fire as opposition fighters were leaving with families under the deal. It appeared designed to quell the tension and ensure the deal, which has been fraught with bumps, remains on track.

The Russian ministry said the situation in Douma was “normalizing.” The Observatory said the Russian military is deploying to reassure thousands of remaining civilians in Douma.

Wednesday’s turmoil in Douma came during the evacuation of the latest batch of civilians and rebels after pro-government supporters attempted to raise government flags over buildings and chanted in support of Assad.

Some Russian journalists who had entered the town with a reconciliation delegation were wounded in the melee. The Observatory said more evacuations would take place on Thursday.

Amid earlier disagreements, a truce collapsed last week and the Syrian government pressed ahead with its offensive.

Then came Saturday’s suspected chemical attack in Douma, followed by international condemnation and threats of military action. Syria and Russia deny the attack took place.

The evacuation deal called for the formation of a local council to administer Douma. Thousands of civilians are staying in Douma, and some fighters are also expected to stay, on condition that they hand in their weapons. More than 13,500 Syrian rebel fighters and their families left Douma this month.

___

Vasilyeva reported from Moscow.

April 12, 2018
Russia issues more warnings against airstrikes on Syria

Russian lawmakers have warned the United States that Moscow would view an airstrike on Syria as a war crime, saying it could trigger a direct military clash between the two former Cold War adversaries

BEIRUT (AP) — Russian lawmakers have warned the United States that Moscow would view an airstrike on Syria as a war crime, saying it could trigger a direct military clash between the two former Cold War adversaries.

Russia’s ambassador to Lebanon went even further, saying any missiles fired at Syria would be shot down and the launching sites targeted — a stark warning of a potential major confrontation in Syria.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military action after last weekend’s suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held town near Damascus, which activists and rescuers say killed at least 40 people. The Syrian government and its ally Russia deny that such an attack happened.

SEE ALSO: Trump cancels South America trip in sign Syria military strike imminent

State news agency RIA Novosti on Wednesday quoted Andrei Krasov, deputy chairman of the State Duma’s defense committee, as saying that Russia will treat a U.S. airstrike on Syria “not just as an act of aggression but a war crime of the Western coalition.”

Vladimir Shamanov, a retired general who heads the defense affairs committee in the lower house of parliament, said in televised remarks Tuesday that a U.S. strike in Syria could hurt Russian servicemen and trigger retaliation.

He said that Russia has “the necessary means for that, and the Americans and their allies know that quite well.”

Shamanov emphasized that a retaliatory Russian strike could target U.S. navy ships and aircraft. He added that the use of nuclear weapons is “unlikely.”

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin, meanwhile, told Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV station that any missiles fired at Syria would be shot down. He said he was referring to a statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian armed forces chief of staff.

“If there is a strike by the Americans, then… the missiles will be downed and the source of the missiles targeted,” Zasypkin said.

Meanwhile, European airspace authorities warned aircraft to be careful over the coming days when flying close to Syria because of possible military action against President Bashar Assad’s forces.

The Eurocontrol airspace organization said that the European Aviation Safety Agency had sent a “Rapid Alert Notification” that flight operators needed to consider the possibility of air or missile strikes into Syria.

U.S. officials have consulted with global allies on a possible joint military response to Syria’s alleged poison gas attack.

In a notice posted to Eurocontrol’s website, EASA said: “Due to the possible launch of air strikes into Syria with air-to-ground and/or cruise missiles within the next 72 hours, and the possibility of intermittent disruption of radio navigation equipment, due consideration needs to be taken.”

April 12, 2018
praised for Russian sanctions

U.S. lawmakers on Sunday applauded the Trump administration’s most recent move to sanction Russian oligarchs for the country’s “malign” influence around the globe and said the economic pressure is esp

U.S. lawmakers on Sunday applauded the Trump administration’s most recent move to sanction Russian oligarchs for the country’s “malign” influence around the globe and said the economic pressure is especially important now in the wake of an apparent chemical attack in Syria — a key Russian ally.

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, Maryland Democrat, said that although the president could have acted faster on the sanctions, the targeting of oligarchs was “very important.”

“I really applaud the people in the State Department and in Treasury for taking this action,” said Mr. Cardin, his party’s ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Trump administration Friday slapped sanctions on Russian senior officials, oligarchs and the companies they own, going after those closest to President Vladimir Putin to punish Moscow’s activities around the world.

In a significant escalation of the sanctions, President Trump targeted oligarchs and companies in the energy sector, which is the lifeblood of the Russian economy.

Sen. Susan M. Collins, Maine Republican, said that stepping up pressure on Russia is particularly important after images shot around the world of a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of people in Syria over the weekend.

Russia is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose government has been battling rebel forces in a bloody civil war in the country for seven years.

“Last time this happened, the president did a targeted attack to take out some of the facilities — that may be an option that we should consider now,” Ms. Collins said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“But it is further reason why it is so important that the president ramp up the pressure and the sanctions on the Russian government, because, without the support of Russia, I do not believe that Assad would still be in office,” she said.

The sanctions also hit Mr. Putin’s son-in-law, who became a major energy sector player after marrying into the Putin family.

The sanctions froze all assets for seven Russian oligarchs and 12 companies they own or control, 17 senior Russian government officials, and a state-owned Russian weapons trading company and its banking subsidiary.

The Trump administration said the sanctions are intended to punish Russian oligarchs and elites who profit from the country’s “corrupt” system.

They follow sanctions on Russian officials and expulsions of 60 Russian diplomats last month over Moscow’s nerve agent assassination attempt in Britain on a former Russian double agent and his daughter.

The U.S. now has hit around 200 Russian individuals and entities with various sanctions.

The latest sanctions brought a swift condemnation from senior Russian officials, who accused the Trump administration of lashing out to mask America’s own mounting problems.

The Russian Foreign Ministry is looking at possible responses to the sanctions, said spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

“The response will be given. We always do it. We have drawn an entire list of possible measures we are looking at,” she said, according to the state-owned Tass news agency.

“It has nothing to do with some virtual meddling with elections, it has nothing to do with either Crimea or Ukraine. It is a strategy, a knock-down-Russia game,” Ms. Zakharova said Sunday in an interview on Rossiya-1 TV.

Before the sanctions were officially announced, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the phrase “Russian oligarchs” inappropriate.

“It’s been a long time since Russia had oligarchs. There are no oligarchs in Russia,” he said, according to The Moscow Times.

Mr. Trump, dogged by special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, also has struggled to shake the perception that he is soft on Mr. Putin, though he did criticize the Russian president by name on Sunday for supporting the Assad regime.

“President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad,” the president tweeted.

Mr. Cardin said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that he was pleased by the president’s Syria tweets. He said the specific mention of Mr. Putin’s name was a significant change for Mr. Trump.

“He has not done that in regards to the sanctions imposed against the oligarchs. And he certainly has not done that in regards to Mr. Putin’s interference in our own country,” Mr. Cardin said.

The administration would not say why Mr. Putin was not included on the sanctions list but stressed that he would feel the impact.

“This will be noticed far and wide,” said a senior administration official.

The Treasury has been preparing the sanctions for a long time, and they are directed at the “full range of Russian activities,” said another senior official.

The official said the moves are not a direct response to the recent assassination attempt in Britain, which triggered punitive action from governments around the world.

April 9, 2018
Israel F-16 fell, tension rises in Syria

Israeli war planes are claimed to bombard Syria. Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights in the ringing of a red alarm siren, Israeli Jordan and Syrian border on the borders of the explosion was heard.

Israel has announced that the F-16 type war plane belonging to Iran and targeting the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under Syria’s control has been dropped by the Syrian army. The two pilots on board were reported to have fallen to Israel and recovered.

After the plane was dropped, Israel launched new air attacks and air defense systems were introduced.

Israeli airplane was dropped in Syria!

February 11, 2018