Arab Parliament: Turkish Military Intervention Worsens Libyan Situation

Speaker of the Arab parliament Meshaal al-Salami. Asharq Al-Awsat
Speaker of the Arab parliament Meshaal al-Salami. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Arab Parliament: Turkish Military Intervention Worsens Libyan Situation

Speaker of the Arab parliament Meshaal al-Salami. Asharq Al-Awsat
Speaker of the Arab parliament Meshaal al-Salami. Asharq Al-Awsat

Speaker of the Arab Parliament Meshaal al-Salami stressed on Wednesday the importance of disarming militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli and halting Turkey’s support for them.

He stated that the Turkish military intervention worsens the situation in Libya and spurs division among different factions. It also prolongs the conflict, curbs peace efforts, hinders a political solution, destabilizes the region and jeopardizes Libya’s neighboring countries and Arab national security.

Salami addressed the UN Secretary General, and heads of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the European Parliament, the Pan-African Parliament and NATO Parliamentary Assembly with written letters.

In his letters, he rejected and denounced the decision of the Turkish parliament to dispatch troops to Libya in violation of international law and Security Council resolutions that have imposed an arms embargo on Libya.

The Arab Parliament decried all forms of support to militias, including the transfer of terrorists to Libya. It demanded the disarming of militias and called on the UN Security Council to take urgent steps to prevent the infiltration of foreign terrorists to Libya.

Moreover, the Parliament requested a clear mechanism to oversee and sanction parties funding the conflict in Libya.

In addition, it welcomed the ceasefire as a step towards finding a political solution to the country’s war. It underscored that the political solution is the only viable option in Libya, away from foreign intervention.

The Parliament agreed with the Libyan legislature’s rejection of the Turkish intervention in the country’s internal affairs, demanding prompt action from the international community.



Syrian Police Impose Curfew in Homs after Unrest

Syrian children play on a damaged tank in Homs, on December 20, 2024. (AFP)
Syrian children play on a damaged tank in Homs, on December 20, 2024. (AFP)
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Syrian Police Impose Curfew in Homs after Unrest

Syrian children play on a damaged tank in Homs, on December 20, 2024. (AFP)
Syrian children play on a damaged tank in Homs, on December 20, 2024. (AFP)

Syrian police have imposed an overnight curfew in the city of Homs, state media reported, after unrest there linked to demonstrations that residents said were led by members of the minority Alawite and Shiite communities.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the demands of the demonstrators nor the degree of disturbance that took place.

Some residents said the demonstrations were linked to pressure and violence in recent days aimed at members of the Alawite minority, a sect long seen as loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled by opposition fighters on Dec. 8.

Spokespeople for Syria’s new ruling administration led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the curfew.

State media said the curfew was being imposed for one night, from 6pm (1500 GMT) local time until 8am on Thursday morning.

The country's new leaders have repeatedly vowed to protect minority religious groups.

Small demonstrations also took place in other areas on or near Syria’s coast, where most of the country’s Alawite minority live, including in the city of Tartous.

The demonstrations took place around the time an undated video was circulated on social networks showing a fire inside an Alawite shrine in the city of Aleppo, with armed men walking around inside and posing near human bodies.

The interior ministry said on its official Telegram account that the video dated back to the opposition offensive on Aleppo in late November and the violence was carried out by unknown groups, adding that whoever was circulating the video now appeared to be seeking to incite sectarian strife.

The ministry also said that some members of the former regime had attacked interior ministry forces in Syria’s coastal area on Wednesday, leaving a number of dead and wounded.