DUBAI: Yemen’s Houthis on Wednesday released mariners held since a July attack on the ship Eternity C in the Red Sea, an assault that killed at least four on board and sank the vessel.
The Houthis, who have been targeting ships during the Israel-Hamas war, said via their Al-Masirah satellite news channel that Oman had taken custody of the mariners, who were flying to the sultanate.
Oman did not immediately acknowledge the release.
The Philippines on Tuesday said it expected nine Filipino mariners held by the Houthis since the attack to be released. The Foreign Ministry in Manila described the mariners as being “held hostage by the Houthis” since the attack.
The Houthis offered no immediate breakdown on the nationalities of those released.
The attack on the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier also left 11 people missing.
The Houthis have targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones in their campaign, sinking four vessels. The attacks have killed at least nine mariners, after a crew member aboard one vessel targeted, the Minervagracht, died of his wounds in October.
The Houthis stopped their attacks during a brief, earlier ceasefire in the war in Gaza. They later became the target of a weeks long campaign of airstrikes ordered by US President Donald Trump before he declared a ceasefire had been reached with the group. The current ceasefire in the war has again seen the Houthis hold their fire.
Yemen’s Houthis release mariners held since July ship attack
https://arab.news/z97zg
Yemen’s Houthis release mariners held since July ship attack
- Assault on Eternity C in the Red Sea killed at least four on board and sank the vessel
- Philippines said it expected nine Filipino mariners to be released
Syria’s growth accelerates as sanctions ease, refugees return
- Economy grows much faster than World Bank’s 1% estimate, fueling plans for currency’s relaunch
NEW YORK: Syria’s economy is growing much faster than the World Bank’s 1 percent estimate for 2025 as refugees flow back after the end of a 14-year civil war, fueling plans for the relaunch of the country’s currency and efforts to build a new Middle East financial hub, central bank Governor AbdulKader Husrieh has said.
Speaking via video link at a conference in New York, Husrieh also said he welcomed a deal with Visa to establish digital payment systems and added that the country is working with the International Monetary Fund to develop methods to accurately measure economic data to reflect the resurgence.
The Syrian central bank chief, who is helping guide the war-torn country’s reintegration into the global economy after the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime about a year ago, described the repeal of many US sanctions against Syria as “a miracle.”
The US Treasury on Nov. 10 announced a 180-day extension of the suspension of the so-called Caesar sanctions against Syria; lifting them entirely requires approval by the US Congress.
Husrieh said that based on discussions with US lawmakers, he expects the sanctions to be repealed by the end of 2025, ending “the last episode of the sanctions.”
“Once this happens, this will give comfort to our potential correspondent banks about dealing with Syria,” he said.
Husrieh also said that Syria was working to revamp regulations aimed at combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism, which he said would provide further assurances to international lenders.
Syria’s central bank has recently organized workshops with banks from the US, Turkiye, Jordan and Australia to discuss due diligence in reviewing transactions, he added.
Husrieh said that Syria is preparing to launch a new currency in eight note denominations and confirmed plans to remove two zeroes from them in a bid to restore confidence in the battered pound.
“The new currency will be a signal and symbol for this financial liberation,” Husrieh said. “We are glad that we are working with Visa and Mastercard,” Husrieh said.
