Egypt Begins Repatriating 3,000 Citizens Stranded in Qatar

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during a visit to a factory in Cairo on Saturday, June 13, 2020. (Egyptian government)
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during a visit to a factory in Cairo on Saturday, June 13, 2020. (Egyptian government)
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Egypt Begins Repatriating 3,000 Citizens Stranded in Qatar

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during a visit to a factory in Cairo on Saturday, June 13, 2020. (Egyptian government)
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during a visit to a factory in Cairo on Saturday, June 13, 2020. (Egyptian government)

The Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation has started operating 18 special flights via the Omani capital, Muscat, to bring back around 3,000 Egyptian citizens stranded in Qatar.

Egyptians stuck in Qatar would be repatriated via a company from Doha to Muscat, from where they would be flown to Cairo International Airport, the ministry said in a statement.

Despite suspending flights mid-March, the government has recently repatriated tens of thousands of stranded citizens from various world countries.

It has pledged to repatriate all its citizens who want to return to Cairo.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Hala Zayed dismissed director of El Mataria Teaching Hospital in Cairo from his post over his dereliction of duty.

The director was also referred to an investigative panel after the death of a Sudanese patient at the hospital.

Zayed took her decision after a video went viral on social media, documenting the death of the Sudanese patient.

Each patient has the right to access health services, the minister said, adding that no leniency will be shown in this regard.

A committee uncovered some technical and administrative violations by the hospital, and it will continue its work to identify the shortcomings and refer the negligent officials to the judiciary.

A woman published a video on social media showing a patient who had died inside the hospital and who was still in his bed alongside other patients who are still receiving treatment.

“Directly after the incident, Zayed directed opening an urgent and immediate probe,” the statement read, adding that the results will be presented to the Minister of Health and Population to be referred later to competent authorities.

Separately, in line with the government’s efforts to resume various activities, Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly visited Saturday a number of factories in the 6th of October City.

He was accompanied by Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea and Executive Director of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones Mohamed Abd El Wahab.



Türkiye Will Do ‘Whatever It Takes’ If Syria Govt Cannot Address Kurd Militia Issue, FM Says

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
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Türkiye Will Do ‘Whatever It Takes’ If Syria Govt Cannot Address Kurd Militia Issue, FM Says

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)

Türkiye will do "whatever it takes" to ensure its security if the new Syrian administration cannot address Ankara's concerns about US-allied Kurdish groups it views as terrorist groups, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday.

Türkiye regards the YPG, the militant group spearheading the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have fought an insurgency against the Turkish state for 40 years and are deemed terrorists by Ankara, Washington, and the European Union.

Hostilities have escalated since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad less than two weeks ago, with Türkiye and Syrian groups it backs seizing the city of Manbij from the SDF on Dec. 9. Assad's fall has left the Kurdish factions on the back foot as they seek to retain political gains made in the last 13 years.

In an interview with France 24, Fidan said Ankara's preferred option was for the new administration in Damascus to address the problem in line with Syria's territorial unity, sovereignty, and integrity, adding that the YPG should be disbanded immediately.

"If it doesn't happen, we have to protect our own national security," he said. When asked if that included military action, Fidan said: "Whatever it takes."

Asked about SDF commander Mazloum Abdi's comments about the possibility of a negotiated solution with Ankara, Fidan said the group should seek such a settlement with Damascus, as there was "a new reality" there now.

"The new reality, hopefully, they will address these issues, but at the same time, (the) YPG/PKK, they know what we want. We don't want to see any form of military threat to ourselves. Not the present one, but also the potential one," he added.

Ankara, alongside Syrian allies, has mounted several cross-border offensives against the YPG-led SDF in northern Syria, while repeatedly demanding that its NATO ally Washington halt support for the fighters.

The US-backed SDF played a major role defeating ISIS militants in 2014-2017 with US air support, and still guards its fighters in prison camps. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the extremist group would try to re-establish capabilities in this period.

Fidan said he didn't find the recent uptick in US troops in Syria to be the "right decision", adding the battle against ISIS was an "excuse" to maintain support for the SDF.

"The fight against ISIS, there is only one job: to keep ISIS prisoners in prisons, that's it," he said.

Fidan also said that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which swept into Damascus to topple Assad, had "excellent cooperation" with Ankara in the battle against ISIS and al-Qaeda in the past through intelligence sharing.

He also said Türkiye was not in favor of any foreign bases, including Russian ones, remaining in Syria, but that the choice was up to the Syrian people.