Syrian Opposition March Through the Capital in a Show of Force

A drone view of a military parade held by Khaled Brigade, a part of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), after Syria's Bashar al-Assad was ousted, in Damascus, Syria, December 27, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
A drone view of a military parade held by Khaled Brigade, a part of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), after Syria's Bashar al-Assad was ousted, in Damascus, Syria, December 27, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
TT
20

Syrian Opposition March Through the Capital in a Show of Force

A drone view of a military parade held by Khaled Brigade, a part of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), after Syria's Bashar al-Assad was ousted, in Damascus, Syria, December 27, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
A drone view of a military parade held by Khaled Brigade, a part of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), after Syria's Bashar al-Assad was ousted, in Damascus, Syria, December 27, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano

Hundreds of members of the main opposition group that overthrew former President Bashar Assad from power marched through the streets of the capital in a show of force.
The fighters with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, gathered at the Abbasiyeen square on Friday afternoon before driving vehicles mounted with heavy machine guns through different neighborhoods of Damascus.
The show of force by HTS came days after members of Assad’s minority Alawite sect protested in different parts of the country, leading to exchanges of fire in some areas.
Until Assad’s fall earlier this month, Alawites held senior positions in the military and security agencies in Syria. HTS fighters are Sunni Muslims who are the majority sect in the country.



Türkiye Says Hamas Would be More Open to Deal Seeking Lasting Peace with Israel

Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
TT
20

Türkiye Says Hamas Would be More Open to Deal Seeking Lasting Peace with Israel

Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday that talks with Palestinian militant group Hamas in recent days had shown the group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel.

On April 19, Fidan and Türkiye's intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, held talks with Hamas officials in Ankara to discuss the latest efforts for a ceasefire and the situation in Gaza, Reuters reported.

Speaking in Doha, Fidan said those talks showed Hamas would be more willing to sign a deal that also addresses the issue of occupied Palestinian territories and other issues.

He also noted that the crisis could be turned into an opportunity to implement the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.