AMMAN: Arabs in Syria’s Deir Ezzor have stepped up protests against the US-allied Kurdish militia that controls the oil-rich province after seizing it from Daesh, residents, protesters and tribal chiefs said on Sunday.
Starting five days ago, they said demonstrations against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had taken place in a string of towns, from Busayrah to Shuhail, in a strategic oil belt in the heart of Arab tribal territory, east of the Euphrates River.
Protesters burned tires along a major highway from Deir Ezzor to Hasaka that is used by tankers carrying oil, a lucrative trade the SDF took over from Islamic State after defeating the militant group there from late 2017.
“Where is our oil? We won’t accept after today to transport our wealth outside our areas,” said a banner held by demonstrators in the village of Al-Shanan, pictures of which were sent by residents to Reuters and published on social media.
Residents, protesters and tribal chiefs said convoys of tankers from the nearby oil field of al Omar, the largest under YPG control in Syria, had been turned back by local mobs angered by what they see as theft of oil from their region.
“No to Kurdish occupation,” chanted protesters in Husayn, one of the towns witnessing large protests.
Spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, the SDF has been the main US partner in Syria and has driven Daesh out of a swathe of the country’s north and east over the last four years.
The YPG has formally declined comment on the unrest but two officials privately told Reuters they had begun talks with tribal elders over demands from local residents that include ending arbitrary arrests.
The SDF has continued to sell oil to the Syrian government in Damascus despite US misgivings. It has increased shipments in recent weeks to ease acute fuel shortages caused partly by US sanctions on Iran, a main financial supporter of the Syrian government, which are hurting the Syrian economy.
By ousting Daesh from Deir Ezzor, the YPG laid its hands on some of Syria’s biggest oil fields, beating the Syrian army and its Russian backers to the prize.
The Syrian government controls areas west of the Euphrates river that are less endowed with oil resources.
But resentment against SDF rule in eastern Syria has grown among the predominately Arab population, residents and tribal elders say, with many objecting to compulsory conscription of young men and discrimination in top leadership layers.
With living conditions poor and many towns without electricity, Arab residents complain the YPG-led administration favors majority Kurdish areas in northeast Syria.
Detentions of Arabs have also angered locals but SDF officials have denied any discrimination, saying they themselves had long been victims of Arab nationalist policies that denied them their culture before Syria’s conflict began in 2011.
“In SDF prisons, Arabs are 100 percent and Kurds 0 percent. Where is Justice?,” said a banner held by angry demonstrators in the town of Tayanah on Sunday.
Reporting on the demonstrations, Syrian state television showed footage of oil tankers being blocked and diverted and alleged the SDF had fired live rounds at protesters.
Arabs in Syria’s Deir Ezzor protest against ruling Kurdish militia -residents
Arabs in Syria’s Deir Ezzor protest against ruling Kurdish militia -residents
- Reporting on the demonstrations, Syrian state television showed footage of oil tankers being blocked and diverted and alleged the SDF had fired live rounds at protesters
Heavy rains lash UAE and surrounding nations as the death toll in Oman flooding rises to 18
- Lightning flashed across the sky, occasionally touching the tip of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building
- Authorities sent tanker trucks out into the streets and highways to pump away the water
DUBAI: Heavy rains lashed the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, flooding out portions of major highways and leaving vehicles abandoned on roadways across Dubai. Meanwhile, the death toll in separate heavy flooding in neighboring Oman rose to 18 with others still missing as the sultanate prepared for the storm.
The rains began overnight, leaving massive ponds on streets as whipping winds disrupted flights at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel and the home of the long-haul carrier Emirates.
Police and emergency personnel drove slowly through the flooded streets, their emergency lights flashing across the darkened morning. Lightning flashed across the sky, occasionally touching the tip of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
Schools across the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms, largely shut ahead of the storm and government employees were largely working remotely if able. Many workers stayed home as well, though some ventured out, with the unfortunate stalling out their vehicles in deeper-than-expected water covering some roads.
Authorities sent tanker trucks out into the streets and highways to pump away the water.
Rain is unusual in the UAE, an arid, Arabian Peninsula nation, but occurs periodically during the cooler winter months. Many roads and other areas lack drainage given the lack of regular rainfall, causing flooding.
Initial estimates suggested over 30 millimeters (1 inch) of rain fell over the morning in Dubai, with as much as 128 mm (5 inches) of rain expected throughout the day.
Rain also fell in Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
In neighboring Oman, a sultanate that rests on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, at least 18 people had been killed in heavy rains in recent days, according to a statement Tuesday from the country’s National Committee for Emergency Management. That includes some 10 schoolchildren swept away in a vehicle with an adult, which saw condolences come into the country from rulers across the region.
Education in crisis: Gaza’s schools destroyed amid Israel’s war
- March report found approximately 87.7 percent of school facilities in Gaza had been either damaged or destroyed
LONDON: The long-term potential of and opportunities for children in Gaza is being severely threatened by the Israel-Hamas war, charity Save the Children has said.
All schools in Gaza have been closed since Israel launched its offensive in October, impacting 625,000 students. Meanwhile, relentless airstrikes have destroyed every university in the Strip.
Ahmad, a displaced father in Rafah, shared his despair for the future of his three children. “I can’t see a life for them anymore,” he said.
For Ahmad and countless other parents, the primary goal is keeping their children alive.
But, said Save the Children, many are aware that even if they survive the immediate threats of bombings and starvation, their education and development will be hugely impacted.
A report published in March found approximately 87.7 percent of school facilities in Gaza had been either damaged or destroyed. A total of 212 school buildings received direct hits, while a further 282 sustained various degrees of damage.
Access challenges, especially in the North Gaza governorates, has led the Education Cluster to conduct a satellite-derived damage assessment to confirm the state of educational facilities.
According to International Humanitarian Law, schools generally should not be targeted and such attacks represent severe violations against children. Prolonged absence from school is considered likely to cause not just a break in learning but regression in progress, according to Save the Children.
Past experiences indicate that children are less likely to return to school the longer they are away from it, jeopardizing their prospects for economic well-being and mental and physical health. They also face increased risk of violence and abuse.
“Children have no escape from the reality of war, no stable routine, no opportunity to learn or play – and for many, no family. These are essential protective factors that children need to mitigate against the risk of lasting mental harm,” said a statement from Save the Children.
Children in Gaza have consistently expressed a strong desire to return to school, citing it as one of their top priorities for restoring a sense of normalcy and continuing their educational and social development.
“A few days ago, one of my children told me, ‘I want to eat healthy food. I really want to go to school and live my old, normal life. And I want to play’,” said Maher, a father in Gaza.
Save the Children has called for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and an end to the siege on Gaza.
It has urged the reopening of all crossings to ensure the flow of both commercial and humanitarian goods, as well as demanding that the Israeli government ceases unlawful attacks on educational facilities and fully implements the Safe Schools Declaration.
Denmark to close its Iraq embassy
OSLO: Denmark will close down its embassy in Iraq on May 31, the Danish foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
The diplomatic mission in Baghdad was formally opened in 2020 to support the Danish command over and contribution to the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI).
The majority of the Danish military contribution has since been withdrawn.
Egypt, UN coordinator stress need for smooth aid delivery to Gaza
- Sameh Shoukry and Sigrid Kaag discussed the various facets of the humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory
- Kaag said she appreciated the pivotal role played by Egypt in containing the humanitarian repercussions of the crisis
CAIRO: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and the UN’s coordinator for the Gaza Strip Sigrid Kaag on Tuesday discussed the various facets of the humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory, the volume and quality of aid entering it and the priorities regarding the type of aid.
The meeting took place at the Foreign Ministry’s headquarters in Cairo where the two sides reviewed the ongoing endeavors with various parties to expedite the launch of the UN mechanism as soon as possible.
They affirmed the inevitability of intensifying the volume of aid to meet the needs of the Palestinian people as well as providing the necessary protection for international relief personnel present in the Strip.
Shoukry reaffirmed the legal and humanitarian responsibility incumbent upon international parties to ensure the implementation of the provisions of Security Council Resolution 2720 and all other UN resolutions relevant to the situation in Gaza.
He stressed the necessity of dealing seriously and urgently with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by reaching an immediate and permanent ceasefire, as well as sustaining aid access in a full, safe and intensive manner to all areas, the removal of impediments imposed by Israel in this regard and the opening of all land crossings to increase the flow of aid.
Kaag affirmed her keenness to continue coordination and consultation with Egypt to carry out her duties. She said she appreciated the pivotal role played by Egypt in containing the humanitarian repercussions of the crisis as well as the existing cooperation between the Egyptian Red Crescent, Egyptian civil society organizations and UN relief agencies to deliver aid.
Arab League condemns surge in West Bank settler attacks
- Gamal Roshdy: Incidents of violent crimes, arson and property destruction perpetrated by armed settlers have seen a noticeable surge
- Tensions in the West Bank have been especially high since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7
CAIRO: The Arab League on Tuesday strongly denounced relentless attacks carried out by Israeli settlers on Palestinian cities and towns across the West Bank.
“These attacks, often perpetrated under the tacit approval and protection of Israeli authorities, are exacerbating a pervasive state of impunity and continued oppression of Palestinian lives and properties,” the league said in a statement.
Gamal Roshdy, the secretary-general’s spokesperson, said that while daily atrocities committed by Israeli forces in Gaza demand attention, they must not overshadow the escalating violence in the West Bank.
He added: “Incidents of violent crimes, arson and property destruction perpetrated by armed settlers have seen a noticeable surge, facilitated by a settler-led government that shields them from accountability.”
Roshdy warned that the imposition of sanctions by some countries on settlers, though a belated gesture, falls short of addressing the escalating crisis and safeguarding Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.
He called for action from the UN Security Council to end the “shameful cycle and the culture of impunity prevailing in the West Bank,” and to “hold these settlers accountable for their reprehensible crimes against the Palestinian people.”
Tensions in the West Bank have been especially high since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7.
On Friday, dozens of Israeli settlers stormed a Palestinian village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, shooting at and burning houses and cars.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the settler violations and crimes against Palestinians across the West Bank.
