Category Archives: Middle East and North Africa

Syrian protests enter second week with calls for Assad to go

Posted on by

Demonstrations have grown steadily throughout the south, centring around the province of Suwayda

A spate of protests and strikes across government-held areas in southern Syria have continued into their second week, with demonstrators increasingly unafraid to call for the removal of the president, Bashar al-Assad.

Protesters gathered in the southern city of Suwayda on Monday, closing provincial roads. The province of Suwayda has remained under government control since Syria’s 2011 uprising and is home to much of the country’s Druze minority.

Continue reading...

Israeli airstrikes force closure of Aleppo airport, Syrian state media reports

Posted on by

Latest attack damages only working runway, forcing flights to be diverted to Damascus and Latakia

Israeli airstrikes on Aleppo airport in northern Syria have caused the grounding of flights, the Syrian state news agency Sana has reported, citing a military source.

During more than 12 years of civil war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on its territory, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, as well as Syrian army positions.

Continue reading...

Libya suspends foreign minister after Israel meeting sparks protests

Posted on by

Protesters in Tripoli wave Palestinian flags and block roads over what Libyan foreign ministry called a ‘chance and unofficial encounter’ with Israeli counterpart

The leader of Libya’s government has suspended his foreign minister after her Israeli counterpart announced he had held talks with her last week in Rome, despite the countries not having formal relations.

Prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said on Sunday evening that minister Najla al-Mangoush has been “temporarily suspended” and would be subject to an “administrative investigation” by a commission chaired by the justice minister.

Continue reading...

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband criticises US-Iran prisoners release deal

Posted on by

Two US residents, one of whom is on death row, are being unfairly excluded, says Richard Ratcliffe

Two US residents, one in fear of execution, are being unfairly excluded from an imminent deal between US-Iran to release prisoners, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has claimed.

Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife was freed after five years in a Tehran prison
in 2022, said there was no legal reason why the two residents were not included in a deal to release five US citizens in return for the unfreezing of $6bn (£4.8bn) of Iranian assets in South Korea. It is also expected that four Iranians will be released from US jails.

Continue reading...

Anti-government protests shake Syrian provinces amid anger over economy

Posted on by

Demonstrations against the Assad regime have taken hold in two southern provinces after the government ended fuel subsidies

Rare protests against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government continued on Friday, with demonstrations reported in a string of towns in Daraa and Sweida provinces.

The protests began late last week after the government ended fuel subsidies, dealing a heavy blow to Syrians reeling from years of war and economic crisis.

Continue reading...

Supermodel Bella Hadid called an ‘Israel hater’ by far-right, pro-settler minister

Posted on by

Hadid had denounced Itamar Ben-Gvir for saying Jewish settlers had more rights than Palestinians in occupied territories

The far-right Israeli national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has called the Palestinian American supermodel Bella Hadid an “Israel hater” after she joined denunciations of his claim that Jewish settlers have more rights than Arabs in the occupied territories.

Ben-Gvir told Israeli television this week that freedom of movement for settlers in the West Bank outweighs the rights of Palestinians. The remarks followed two deadly attacks on Israelis in the West Bank, the latest in a series of killings by both settlers and Palestinians in the territory, known as Judea and Samaria to Israelis.

Continue reading...

Could reported death of Wagner chief push African leaders closer to Kremlin?

Posted on by

Smooth transition of mercenary group’s network and holdings in Africa may not be straightforward for Moscow

The reported death of the founder and leader of the Wagner group in a plane crash in Russia could have huge consequences for a motley crew of regimes and warlords across Africa, but also for hundreds of millions of ordinary people, the west and all the powers battling for influence on the continent.

Some analysts now suggest that the demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin may strengthen the Kremlin’s hand in Africa among powerful actors who have relied on Wagner’s loose network of shadowy companies and paramilitaries to bolster their own power – and impress others who may be thinking of doing the same.

Continue reading...

Civilians targeted in war-torn Khartoum as poor and elderly remain trapped

Posted on by

Latest atrocities in Sudan war include the shelling of house of traditional healer, who died with her children and neighbours

People trapped in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and its twin city of Omdurman say civilians are being deliberately targeted in shelling by the warring parties.

A woman who had been helping wounded soldiers was killed along with her three children and six neighbours when her home was shelled by Sudanese army forces earlier this week.

Continue reading...

Brics to more than double with admission of six new countries

Posted on by

Major expansion as economic bloc that includes Russia and China attempts to provide counterweight to the US and western allies

The Brics group of big emerging economies has announced the admission of six new members, in an attempt to reshape the global world order and provide a counterweight to the US and its allies.

From the beginning of next year, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Argentina, the UAE and Ethiopia will join the current five members – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – it was announced at a summit in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Continue reading...

UK ‘seeking to block ICJ ruling’ on Israeli occupation of Palestine

Posted on by

Dismay over UK statement that opposes hearing altogether and is accused of ignoring significant facts

The UK has been accused of “seeking to block the international court of justice (ICJ) from addressing important international humanitarian law matters” in a submission to the world court on the legality of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

A 43-page legal opinion, seen by the Guardian, was submitted by the UK last month as part of the ICJ’s fact-finding stage before an expected advisory opinion from the court on the legal consequences of the “occupation, settlement and annexation” of Palestinian land.

An advisory opinion would effectively settle Israel’s “bilateral dispute” without the state’s consent.

The court is not equipped to examine a “broad range of complex factual issues concerning the entire history of the parties’ dispute”.

An advisory opinion would conflict with existing agreements between the parties and negotiation frameworks endorsed by the UN.

The request is not appropriate as it asks the court to “assume unlawful conduct on the part of Israel”.

Continue reading...

African Union issues ambiguous view on possible Niger military intervention

Posted on by

AU opposes countries outside Africa getting involved, but gives more nuanced position on any Ecowas military action

The African Union (AU) appears to have left room open for military intervention by a west African political bloc to restore democracy in Niger, as Algerian state radio said it had refused a French request to fly over its airspace for a military operation.

France’s joint defence staff, however, denied the country had made any request to Algeria to use its airspace for a military operation in Niger.

Continue reading...

‘Fired on like rain’: Saudi border guards accused of mass killings of Ethiopians

Posted on by

Report by Human Rights Watch details alleged attacks using explosive weapons and small arms on Saudi Arabia-Yemen border

Saudi border guards have been accused of killing hundreds of Ethiopians using small arms and explosive weapons in a targeted campaign that rights advocates suggest may amount to a crime against humanity.

The shocking claims are made in a detailed investigation by Human Rights Watch, which interviewed dozens of Ethiopian people who said they were attacked by border guards while they tried to cross into Saudi Arabia from Yemen.

Continue reading...

Thousands flee homes after rebel attack in southern Sudan city

Posted on by

Families said to have run away with nothing as three forces fight in South Kordofan state

Thousands of people have fled their homes in the capital of South Kordofan state in Sudan after an attack by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North rebel group, one of three forces now fighting in the area.

The SPLMN has been trying to capture the city from the regular army, known as the Sudanese Armed Forces, since June, when it entered the conflict that broke out in April between the SAF, led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

Continue reading...

Two Israelis killed in suspected Palestinian shooting at West Bank car wash

Posted on by

Incident forms part of the worst escalation of violence in the occupied territory for nearly two decades

Two Israelis, reportedly a father and son, have been killed in a suspected Palestinian shooting attack on a car wash in a volatile stretch of the occupied West Bank, the latest outburst of violence in the region.

The Israeli military said it was searching for suspects and setting up roadblocks near the town of Hawara, a flashpoint area in the northern West Bank, which has been the scene of repeated shooting attacks and a rampage by Jewish settlers who set light to Palestinian property.

Continue reading...

At least 500 Bahraini prisoners on hunger strike over conditions

Posted on by

Detainees at Jau prison that mainly houses prisoners of conscience began refusing food on 7 August

At least 500 prisoners are on hunger strike inside a Bahraini prison primarily used to detain prisoners of conscience, refusing food in protest at their detention conditions.

Detainees began refusing food on 7 August, and increasing numbers have joined since.

Continue reading...

Jordan’s secret police accused of targeting LGBTQ+ community

Posted on by

Jordanian security services are abducting, harassing and ‘outing’ LGBTQ+ people, activists say, despite repeal of anti-gay laws

Jordanian secret police have been accused of intimidating gay people by “outing” them to their families and of forcing the closure of two LGBTQ+ organisations.

Human rights groups say activists have been abducted, harassed and monitored, as well as having their sexuality revealed to religiously conservative families.

Continue reading...

Martin Scorsese backs Iranian director jailed over Cannes screening

Posted on by

Oscar winner urges signing of petition after Iran court finds Saeed Roustaee guilty of ‘contributing to propaganda’ for showing banned movie

Martin Scorsese has backed a petition against the jailing of the prominent Iranian movie director Saeed Roustaee for screening a film at the Cannes film festival.

Scorsese, the Oscar-winning director of Taxi Driver and Goodfellas, reposted a campaign launched by his daughter Francesca this week after news of Roustaee’s prison sentence emerged.

Continue reading...

Iran’s foreign minister visits Saudi Arabia as diplomatic thaw continues

Posted on by

Talks in Riyadh declared successful by Tehran after years of hostility between regional rivals

Iran’s foreign minister has visited Saudi Arabia, the first such trip in years, marking the continuing thaw in relations between two powers who recently have been locked in destabilising competition.

The visit by Hossein Amir-Abdollahian comes as the countries have been trying to ease tensions including over Iran’s nuclear programme, the Saudi-led war in Yemen and security across the region’s waterways.

Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak and Saudi crown prince hope to meet ‘at earliest opportunity’

Posted on by

Leaders discuss plans to ‘progress UK-Saudi cooperation’ amid reports that Mohammed bin Salman has been invited to UK this autumn

Downing Street has confirmed Rishi Sunak plans to meet the Saudi crown prince “at the earliest opportunity”, following reports that the UK has invited Mohammed bin Salman to visit this autumn.

A No 10 readout of Thursday’s conversation between the prime minister and Prince Mohammed gave more indications of the shift towards a renewed UK embrace of Saudi Arabia, after a hiatus in the wake of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the dissident and Washington Post columnist, in 2018.

Continue reading...

Thursday briefing: Vice took millions from Saudi Arabia – but has its deal backfired?

Posted on by

In today’s newsletter: As the upstart media company faces bankruptcy, it has developed strong ties with the country, leaving some to question what compromises companies are willing to make to do business

• Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First Edition

It’s hard to put into words the transformation that Saudi Arabia has undergone in the past six years.

Mohammed bin Salman, commonly referred to as MBS, was appointed the crown prince in 2017 and is now the de facto ruler of the kingdom. There have been notable reforms under his new regime. Women are allowed to drive; the guardian system – under which men have legal powers over women – has been relaxed; and cinemas reopened after 35 years.

Continue reading...