Al-Eryani Hails Saudi Development, Reconstruction Program for Yemen

The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates  - SPA
The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates - SPA
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Al-Eryani Hails Saudi Development, Reconstruction Program for Yemen

The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates  - SPA
The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates - SPA

Yemeni Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Moammar Al-Eryani commended the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) for its substantial contributions to development across various sectors and governorates after visiting several of its projects and initiatives in Socotra Governorate.
Al-Eryani emphasized that SDRPY's projects in Yemen represent more than mere development initiatives; they symbolize the genuine brotherhood and unwavering support extended by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, SPA reported.

During his visit to Qalansiyah District, Al-Eryani inspected several projects undertaken by SDRPY, including a significant initiative to establish a new power station. The project is designed to boost electricity generation capacity in Socotra, ensure reliable and sustainable electricity supply, enhance the resilience of the power infrastructure to withstand challenging weather conditions, such as seasonal cyclones, and improve the skills and expertise of local operators through comprehensive training programs in operation and maintenance.
The project involves the installation of two powerful 1.46-megawatt generators, which will be seamlessly integrated into the existing public electricity grid.
Al-Eryani also visited the Qalansiyah model school, a state-of-the-art facility equipped with science and computer labs, as well as sports courts for volleyball and basketball. The school aims to enhance students' academic performance while fostering a well-rounded education by supporting extracurricular activities.
Al-Eryani emphasized the significant economic support provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Yemen, amounting to $500 million. This aid is crucial for strengthening the Yemeni government's budget, supporting the Central Bank of Yemen, and ultimately achieving stability and prosperity for the Yemeni people.
Al-Eryani commended the SDRPY for its impactful projects in Socotra covering key sectors such as infrastructure, transport, healthcare, economic development, and education.
The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates across eight vital sectors: education, health, water, energy, transportation, agriculture and fisheries, government capacity building, and development programs.



US Troops Need to Stay in Syria to Counter ISIS, Austin Says

FILE - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin makes a speech at Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin makes a speech at Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
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US Troops Need to Stay in Syria to Counter ISIS, Austin Says

FILE - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin makes a speech at Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin makes a speech at Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

The US needs to keep troops deployed in Syria to prevent the ISIS group from reconstituting as a major threat following the ouster of Bashar Assad's government, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told The Associated Press.
American forces are still needed there, particularly to ensure the security of detention camps holding tens of thousands of former ISIS fighters and family members, Austin said Wednesday in one of his final interviews before he leaves office.
According to estimates, there are as many as 8,000-10,000 ISIS fighters in the camps, and at least 2,000 of them are considered to be very dangerous.
If Syria is left unprotected, “I think ISIS fighters would enter back into the mainstream,” Austin said at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where he traveled to discuss military aid for Ukraine with about 50 partner nations.
“I think that we still have some work to do in terms of keeping a foot on the throat of ISIS," he said.
President-elect Donald Trump tried to withdraw all forces from Syria in 2018 during his first term, which prompted the resignation of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. As the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, advanced against Assad last month, Trump posted on social media that the US military needed to stay out of the conflict.
The US has about 2,000 troops in Syria to counter ISIS, up significantly from the 900 forces that officials said for years was the total number there. They were sent in 2015 after the militant group had conquered a large swath of Syria.
The continued presence of US troops was put into question after a lightning insurgency ousted Assad on Dec. 8, ending his family’s decades long rule.
US forces have worked with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces on operations against ISIS, providing cover for the group that Türkiye considers an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which it identifies as a terror organization.
The Syrian transitional government is still taking shape, and uncertainty remains on what that will mean going forward.
The SDF “have been good partners. At some point, the SDF may very well be absorbed into the Syrian military and then Syria would own all the (ISIS detention) camps and hopefully keep control of them,” Austin said. "But for now I think we have to protect our interests there.”