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US Strikes Target Extremists in Syria

Smoke billows from an airstrike near Idlib. (AP)
Smoke billows from an airstrike near Idlib. (AP)
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US Strikes Target Extremists in Syria

Smoke billows from an airstrike near Idlib. (AP)
Smoke billows from an airstrike near Idlib. (AP)

US forces attacked extremist leaders in Syria Saturday, the Pentagon said, in what a battlefield monitor called a missile strike that left at least 40 dead.

The US Defense Department said the attack targeted leaders of Al-Qaeda in Syria north of Idlib. It did not say what kind of weapon was used or give any details.

The missiles targeted leaders of radical groups and allied factions near Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syrian regime airstrikes on the extremist-run Idlib region had stopped on Saturday, after the regime agreed to a Russia-backed ceasefire following four months of deadly bombardment, the monitor said.

But "a missile attack targeted a meeting held by the leaders of Hurras al-Deen, Ansar al-Tawhid and other allied groups inside a training camp" near Idlib city, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Observatory.

The attack killed at least 40 extremist leaders, the Britain based monitor said.

The US Central Command said in a statement that the attack targeted leaders of Al-Qaeda in Syria (AQ-S) "responsible for attacks threatening US citizens, our partners and innocent civilians. Additionally, the removal of this facility will further degrade their ability to conduct future attacks and destabilize the region."

An AFP correspondent saw clouds of black smoke rising over the area after blasts rocked the area.

Ambulances rushed to the site of the attack, which was closed off to journalists, he said.

It was not immediately clear if the missiles were launched from war planes or positions on the ground, the monitor said.

CENTCOM declined to say what kind of weaponry was used.

Al-Qaeda-linked Hurras al-Deen was established in February 2018 and has some 1,800 fighters, including non-Syrians, according to the Observatory.

The group and its ally Ansar al-Tawhid both operate in the Idlib region and are members of a joint extremist operation room that also includes Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Most of Idlib province and parts of neighboring Aleppo and Latakia provinces are controlled by HTS.

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Macron and Tebboune Announce Return of Normal ‘French-Algerian’ Relations

The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
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Macron and Tebboune Announce Return of Normal ‘French-Algerian’ Relations

The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on Monday confirmed a normalization of ties after months of strained relations and agreed to reestablish political dialogue and relaunch cooperation on security and migration.
During a phone call, Macron urged Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune to show “mercy and humanity” towards a jailed French-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, the Elysee palace said in a statement.
The author was sentenced last Thursday to five years in prison after an interview he gave to a French far-right media outlet was deemed to undermine Algeria's territorial integrity.
Macron “called for a gesture of mercy and humanity towards Mr Boualem Sansal, given the age and state of health of the writer,” the Elysee statement said.
French nationals living in Algeria and who mostly own private companies, are concerned that the diplomatic rift between both countries would affect their businesses.
They hope discussions between French and Algerian high ranking officials would halt the deterioration in bilateral relations.
Michel Bisac, president of the Algerian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the French-language news website Tout sur l'Algérie, that French residents in Algeria working in companies or in the finance and business fields, are “always welcomed by their Algerian partners.”
“The problem is mainly political,” he said in an attempt to minimize the escalated relations between both countries and its impact on jobs, and French investments in Algeria.
Bisac said most French companies have performed well in 2024, but the diplomatic escalation between the two countries has raised concerns.
“French companies in Algeria do not face any retaliatory measures. As for administrative difficulties, especially with regard to imports, they affect all foreign investors, and do not specifically target France,” he added.
Bisac said there is no campaign against France despite the tense relations, affirming that professional ties remain strong, and expatriates continue to work in a stable environment.
But as bilateral relations continue to deteriorate, he said, the economy could be affected, threatening years of Franco-Algerian cooperation.
Meanwhile, the government in Paris is divided on the French-Algerian crisis. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau vowed a “gradual response” after Algeria refused Paris’ demand to readmit Algerian nationals from France that local authorities have deemed a threat and are seeking to expel.
In return, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will travel to Algiers on April 11 at the invitation of his Algerian counterpart, Ahmed Attaf, as part of the effort to mend ties between both countries. He is expected to meet with Tebboune.
Recently, Algerians have shown a willingness to dialogue, but the local press has continued its attacks on right-wing French officials, including presidential candidate Bruno Retailleau, who has called for the termination of the 1968 Franco-Algerian immigration agreement.
In return, Algeria's parliament established a commission to draft a law criminalizing French colonial rule, a move deemed “historical” and backed by local lawmakers, historians, and legal experts. Observers expect Algeria to abandon this step when relations between Algiers and Paris return to normal.