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Preparations Underway for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jassim Al-Budaiwi during their meeting in Damascus with the leader of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa (EPA)
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jassim Al-Budaiwi during their meeting in Damascus with the leader of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa (EPA)
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Preparations Underway for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jassim Al-Budaiwi during their meeting in Damascus with the leader of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa (EPA)
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jassim Al-Budaiwi during their meeting in Damascus with the leader of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa (EPA)

Efforts are in full swing to organize the upcoming Syrian National Dialogue Conference, with informed sources confirming the formation of a preparatory committee.

According to reports on Monday, 1,200 Syrians from both inside and outside the country are expected to be invited. The attendees will participate as individuals rather than representatives of organizations, with 70 to 100 participants from each governorate, encompassing all social groups.

Dr. Moayad Qablawi, the conference coordinator, announced in a recent interview that the preparatory committee will soon be officially unveiled, as preparations intensify for the event scheduled for January 4-5.

Local media reports indicate that the committee is finalizing invitations, organizing sessions, and drafting the conference schedule. Invitations will be extended to military personnel, clergy from various sects, politicians, civil society representatives, experts, and legal professionals. All participants will attend in their personal capacities, avoiding representation of external entities.

Excluded from the conference are groups such as the Syrian Coalition, the Negotiations Committee, and political or military factions formed during the 13-year Syrian crisis, which the new administration deems outdated following the regime change.

The conference is expected to lead to significant milestones, including drafting a new constitution for Syria, establishing a new government within a month, and dissolving the People’s Assembly and all armed factions, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTC), which played a key role in toppling the Assad regime.

Sources have also confirmed ongoing discussions with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdish National Council regarding their participation in the dialogue. Speaking to Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the HTS-leader-turned de facto ruler of Syria, highlighted the topics to be addressed during the conference in Damascus.

These include the disbanding of HTC and other armed factions, alongside the integration of such groups—including the SDF—into the Ministry of Defense. Key issues such as the constitution, elections, and broader national reconciliation will also be on the agenda.

According to the sources, messages of reassurance have been sent both domestically and internationally, emphasizing the preservation of Syria’s societal diversity and the inclusion of its various components.

The conference will feature a broad array of participants, including Syrian youth, women, clergy, and civil society representatives. Additionally, an advisory body will likely be formed to assist the interim president, comprising individuals chosen for their merit and competence.

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Arab World

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
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Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)

The Houthi militia has recently released several individuals it had abducted for celebrating Yemen’s September Revolution. However, over the past few days, it has detained hundreds of residents in its stronghold of Saada, accusing them of espionage.

The campaign coincides with the airing of alleged confessions from a purported spy cell and the abduction of a former employee of the US Embassy in Yemen.

Local sources in Saada province, approximately 242 kilometers north of Sanaa, report that the Houthis have launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting civilians. These individuals have been taken from their homes, workplaces, and businesses under allegations of collaborating with Western nations and Israel. Families of those detained have been warned to remain silent and refrain from discussing the arrests with the media or on social media platforms.

According to the sources, more than 300 individuals, including dozens of women, have been abducted across various districts in Saada. The arrests have also targeted relatives and associates of Othman Mujalli, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who hails from the region.

The sources suggest that the Houthis are detaining women as hostages to pressure their relatives, who may either be out of the militia’s reach or living outside Houthi-controlled areas. They also appear to be using the women to coerce confessions from male relatives. Last month, the Houthis accused Hamid Mujalli, Othman Mujalli’s brother, of engaging in espionage for Arab and Western nations for nearly two decades.

In a separate incident, the Houthis abducted a former employee of the US Embassy in Sanaa from his home on Monday without providing any explanation for their actions.

Release of Detainees

The Houthis recently released Sheikh Amin Rajeh, a tribal leader from Ibb province, after detaining him for four months. Several other individuals were also freed, none of whom had been formally charged during their detention. Rajeh, a member of the General People’s Congress Party, was one of many political activists, students, workers, and public employees abducted in September for celebrating Yemen’s September 26, 1962, revolution.

One of the released individuals, a shop owner, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was unaware of the reason for his detention. He had been abducted in November, two months after the Houthis initiated a crackdown on those commemorating the revolution.

Alleged Spy Cell

Houthi-controlled media recently broadcast confessions from what they claimed was a newly uncovered spy cell. The group linked the cell to its broader narrative of “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the West and Israel.

According to Houthi security officials, the alleged spy cell was working to compile a “target database,” monitor sites linked to missile forces and drones, and track specific military and security locations. They also claimed the cell had been observing the residences and movements of Houthi leaders.

In response, the Houthis issued warnings to residents, forbidding them from discussing or sharing information about militia-controlled sites, facilities, or the whereabouts of their leaders.

The Houthis’ actions reflect mounting concerns over potential strikes targeting their senior leadership, similar to the recent attacks on Hezbollah figures in Lebanon. Those fears come amid ongoing tensions with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, following the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel.