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Int'l Coalition to Defeat ISIS Welcomes Syria as a Member, Ready to Work Closely with it

Members of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS meet in Riyadh. (SPA)
Members of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS meet in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Int'l Coalition to Defeat ISIS Welcomes Syria as a Member, Ready to Work Closely with it

Members of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS meet in Riyadh. (SPA)
Members of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS meet in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS welcomed on Monday Syria as its newest member, saying it was ready to work closely with it.

The coalition convened in Riyadh, bringing together senior diplomatic and defense officials. Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji opened the meeting, which was co-chaired by US Special Envoy for Syria Ambassador Tom Barrack.

Participants expressed their appreciation for Saudi Arabia's continued role in supporting regional and international efforts to counter terrorism and promote stability.

They welcomed the comprehensive agreement between the Syrian government and Syrian Democratic Forces, including the permanent ceasefire and arrangements for the civil and military integration of northeast Syria.

They noted the Syrian government's stated intention to assume national leadership of counter-ISIS efforts and expressed appreciation for the sacrifices made by the SDF in the fight against ISIS. Participants also thanked the Iraqi government for its continued leadership in the fight against the extremist group.

The participants reiterated their priorities, including the swift transfer and safeguarding of ISIS detainees, third-country repatriation, the dignified reintegration of families from al-Hol and Roj camps in Syria to their communities of origin, and continued coordination with Damascus and Baghdad on the future of the ISIS campaign in Syria and Iraq.

Moreover, the participants welcomed the Syrian government as the 90th member of the coalition. They underscored their readiness to work closely with Damascus and encouraged members to provide direct support to Syrian and Iraqi efforts.

Officials commended Iraq’s efforts to securely detain ISIS fighters and welcomed Syria’s assumption of responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps housing ISIS fighters and their family members.

They also reiterated the need for countries to take responsibility for and repatriate their nationals from Iraq and Syria.

Coalition members expressed their gratitude to Iraq for its leadership and recognized that the transfer of detainees into Iraqi custody is essential to regional security. They stressed their shared commitment to defeating ISIS in Iraq and Syria, pledging continued support to both governments in securing ISIS-affiliated detainees.

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Gulf

King of Bahrain Assigns Crown Prince to Hold to Account Those who ‘Betrayed the Nation’

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
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King of Bahrain Assigns Crown Prince to Hold to Account Those who ‘Betrayed the Nation’

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa declared on Sunday that the state “will proceed firmly” in addressing the consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran, including Tehran’s attacks on the Gulf.

As he received senior officials, King Hamad revealed that Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has been assigned with implementing “comprehensive and decisive measures, including the introduction of programs to resolve any gaps that have been identified in the defense or economic sectors,” reported Bahrain’s state news agency BNA.

King Hamad directed the immediate launch “of the legal measures against those who have betrayed the nation or undermined its security and stability, alongside a review of cases relating to entitlement to Bahraini citizenship, with the appropriate legal procedures to be applied accordingly.”

“The situation remains sensitive and calls for steadfast adherence to national responsibility and the safeguarding of the homeland with no tolerance for negligence or dereliction of duty,” he warned.

“The nation deserves the utmost sacrifice,” he added, stressing that Bahrain “will remain committed to its positions advocating the resolution of crises through peaceful means and diplomatic efforts, in a manner that serves the interests of the peoples of the region and the world.”

King Hamad also expressed pride in the achievements of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad in advancing government work and driving further development across various sectors.

Gulf

WFP Hails Saudi Support in Easing Suffering in Yemen

KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
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WFP Hails Saudi Support in Easing Suffering in Yemen

KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)

As more than 17 million people across Yemen faced hunger in 2025, a US$25 million contribution from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) enabled the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to deliver lifesaving food assistance and strengthen livelihoods for vulnerable families, said the WFP last week.

“The KSrelief funded project allowed WFP to provide emergency food assistance to over 43,000 families in some of the most food insecure areas of Dhale governorate and the West Coast,” it noted in a statement.

“In parallel, the contribution supported longer term recovery efforts in Hadramawt, al-Mahra and Socotra, helping 6,500 families strengthen their livelihoods through vocational training programs and asset creation.”

“Through the same project, 1,208 acres of agricultural land were rehabilitated, 38,360 meters of irrigation channels repaired, and 26 greenhouses constructed, boosting local food production and building resilience to increasingly severe weather conditions,” added the statement.

“KSrelief stepped up at a critical moment,” said Elkhidir Daloum, WFP Country Director in Yemen.

“Reaching nearly 50,000 families with either emergency food assistance or livelihood support is no small achievement. This partnership made a tangible difference in the lives of people facing severe needs.”

In 2025, Yemen recorded its highest levels of food insecurity, with 70 percent of families reporting they were unable to access adequate food in July.

KSrelief has been a valued partner in WFP’s efforts to improve food security in Yemen, contributing more than US$300 million since 2020.

Gulf

MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
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MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned the attack targeting the French battalion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa reiterated the organization’s condemnation of attacks on UN agencies and their missions, as part of its broader rejection of all acts of violence and terrorism.

Al-Issa noted that the attack breaches international obligations concerning the safety and security of UN personnel.

He offered condolences to the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

A UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small arms fire Saturday morning, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three others wounded, two of them seriously, France's president and the force known as UNIFIL said.

Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the group denied involvement.

The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Hezbollah.