syria

syria

BACKGROUND

Syria has a fascinating and complex history of intersecting peoples and civilizations. The modern state gained full independence in 1946. Syria has had a tumultuous history and, particularly within the last decade, has become known for civil war and the ensuing refugee crisis that has had global ramifications. The country, however, has a diverse ethnic and religious population; before the civil war, 10% of the Syrian population was Christian, but now, given the number of Christians who have fled, the proportion of Christians there is now considerably smaller.  

LATEST NEWS

  • The Syrian Ministry of Finance has seized all assets belonging to Bashar al-Assad's cousin Rami Makhlouf, his wife and his children. The Ministry of Communication exchanged words with Makhlouf on Facebook regarding SyriaTel, deciding that the company will not face any prosecution. -Al Masdar News 

  • On Tuesday, the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen held a statement on the situation in Syria. In his speech he stated that the situation is relatively calm in Idlib after the Turkish and Russian agreement on ceasefire, which is holding to some extent. He also expressed concern over the transfer of fighters from Syria to Libya through Turkey. - UN.org 

  • The Middle East Eye revealed how the British government covertly established a network of Syrian journalists in 2012 to shape a specific perception of the conflict, after the UK parliament refused to authorize the British army to invade Syria. The citizen journalists in Syria had no knowledge of the fact that they were being directed from London but instead were recruited by Syrians in the diaspora to counter pro-government reporting from Syrian, Iranian, and Russian-backed media. - Middle East Eye 

archive

  • Independence anniversary (17 April 1946) 
  • The Turkish forces and its terrorists continue attacking people in villages and towns in northwestern Hassakeh countryside. Since October 9, the Turkish forces and its allied terrorists have conducted criminal operations against the Syrian people within Syrian territory. This has led to large displacements of civilians to the cities Hassakeh and Qamishli in northeast Syria. - Tishreen 
  • On Thursday 16 April, the Aleppo Industry Chamber launched its first Syrian-made ventilator called AMAL (‘hope’ in Arabic). The ventilator will be handed to the Health Ministry in Syria, and if adopted, the Chamber will produce more to confront COVID-19. - SANA News 
  • The Syrian Interior Ministry has extended the curfew in the country to May 2, 2020 due to COVID-19 and to confront the spread of it. - SANA News 
  • An earthquake occurred 115 km northwest of Damascus on 14 April. The earthquake registered 3.3 on the Ritcher Scale. -SANA News 
  • Khodr Ali Taher has expanded his diversified business holdings in Syria. Taher is sanctioned by the EU because he is, according to the EU, “a leading businessman working in multiple sectors of the Syrian economy, including private security, mobile phone trading, hotel management, advertising services, and local financial transfer.” Taher is also reported to be close to Maher Al-Assad, the brother of Bashar al-Assad. A recent report from “Middle East Directions” said that there’s an economic relation between Taher and the fourth division of the Syrian Army, which is under Maher’s control.  – Akhbar Alaan