SDF Storms Regime Buildings in Hasaka, Syria

A military post for the Syrian regime forces near the town of Amuda, Asharq Al-Awsat
A military post for the Syrian regime forces near the town of Amuda, Asharq Al-Awsat
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SDF Storms Regime Buildings in Hasaka, Syria

A military post for the Syrian regime forces near the town of Amuda, Asharq Al-Awsat
A military post for the Syrian regime forces near the town of Amuda, Asharq Al-Awsat

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have stormed on Saturday Syrian government institutions in the northeastern province of Hasaka, state news agency SANA reported.

The SDF stormed the headquarters of the Grain Establishment, the Electricity Company, and the Sport City, the Industry Directorate, the Commercial Bank and others.

Hasaka Province and the city of Qamishli are controlled by both the Syrian government and the Kurdish forces, the latter of which have bigger parts.

It is still unclear how the Syrian regime will respond to the new escalation.

In other news, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi announced his forces’ complete willingness to apologize and compensate the victims of the Amuda massacre during a meeting with a committee tasked with achieving reconciliation with the north Hasakah town residents of Amuda.

Abdi tweeted that there was a meeting between the SDF leadership and families of the dead of Amuda tragedy (2013).

The SDF "offered apologies and moral and material compensation to the affected and the families of the dead of our people in the city of Amuda."

In ongoing efforts to further improve relations among Syrian Kurdish parties that have often seen one another as rivals, the People’s Protection Units (YPG) on Saturday apologized for the incident six years earlier in the town of Amuda in which the group's fighters killed six protesters.

In a video statement, YPG spokesperson Nouri Mahmoud described the violent outbreak that took place on June 27-28, 2013, as “a catastrophe,” stating that “such incidents should not be repeated in the history of Rojava (the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria) and all Kurds.”

On the other hand, Rojava officials expressed their fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in areas under their control, especially at refugee camps and other vulnerable spots which suffer a poor healthcare system after the aid coming through borders having been stopped.

The whole region is pending a humanitarian disaster after the US legislation known as Caesar Act , which sanctions the Syrian regime, have went into effect.



Geagea Calls on Hezbollah to Work with Lebanese Army

 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
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Geagea Calls on Hezbollah to Work with Lebanese Army

 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged on Friday Hezbollah to engage with the Lebanese army and devise a plan to dismantle its military infrastructure south and north of the Litani river.

In a press conference Friday, Geagea criticized Hezbollah for opening a front with Israel and accused the Shiite group of committing a “major crime” against the Lebanese people.

“We could have done without the martyrdom of more than 4,000 people, the displacement of thousands and the destruction across the country,” he said. “Despite all these tragedies, Hezbollah continues to talk about a victory using a bizarre and disconnected logic that has no basis in reality.”

Geagea’s comments came two days after a US-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel went into effect. More than 3,900 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel's conflict with Hezbollah escalated.

Geagea, whose Lebanese Forces Party holds the largest bloc in Lebanon’s 128-member parliament, also addressed Lebanon’s presidential deadlock. The country has been without a president for more than two years.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has scheduled a session for presidential elections in January. "Consultations with opposition factions and our allies will begin in the coming days to explore the possibility of agreeing on presidential candidates and bringing them to parliament,” Geagea said.