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World Offers Support, Condolences to Lebanon After Deadly Explosions

Two huge explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut, killing scores and wounding thousands of people, shaking buildings and sending huge plumes of smoke billowing into the sky
Two huge explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut, killing scores and wounding thousands of people, shaking buildings and sending huge plumes of smoke billowing into the sky
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World Offers Support, Condolences to Lebanon After Deadly Explosions

Two huge explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut, killing scores and wounding thousands of people, shaking buildings and sending huge plumes of smoke billowing into the sky
Two huge explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut, killing scores and wounding thousands of people, shaking buildings and sending huge plumes of smoke billowing into the sky

Close allies and traditional adversaries of Lebanon paid tribute on Tuesday to the victims of massive and deadly twin blasts in Beirut, as condolences and offers of help poured in.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab called on "friendly countries" to support the country already reeling from its worst economic crisis in decades as well as the coronavirus pandemic.

Gulf nations were among the first to react, with Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry confirming on Tuesday that it is following with great concern the consequences of Beirut's port explosion.

In a statement, the ministry also affirmed the kingdom's full support and solidarity with the Lebanese people.

The United Arab Emirates' Vice President and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, also expressed condolences to the "beloved people in Lebanon."

Kuwait said it would also send emergency medical aid.

Egypt expressed "deep concern" at the destruction, and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboulgheit offered condolences, stressing "the importance of finding the truth about the explosions".

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Amman was ready to provide any help Lebanon needed,

Outside the region, President Vladimir Putin said that "Russia shares the grief of the Lebanese people," according to a Kremlin statement, AFP reported.

"I ask you to convey words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all affected."

Washington said it too would help.

"We extend our deepest condolences to all those affected, and stand ready to offer all possible assistance," a State Department spokesperson said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the country was "ready to provide assistance according to the needs expressed by the Lebanese authorities".

Cyprus, too, said it stood ready to offer medical aid to neighboring Lebanon after the massive blast.

"Cyprus is ready to accept injured persons for treatment and send medical teams if required," Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides told state broadcaster CyBC.

Tuesday's explosion was heard throughout Cyprus, which lies about 100 miles (160 kms) away.

For its part, Iran also said it was "fully prepared to render assistance in any way necessary".

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun about the massive explosion and said Turkey was ready to provide humanitarian aid as needed, the presidency said.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's Supreme Defense Council declared Beirut a disaster-stricken city after the massive explosion rocked the capital and recommended the cabinet declare a state of emergency when it meets on Wednesday, according to a statement published sent to Reuters and carried by local media.

The explosion which took place in a port warehouse district killed more than 50 people and injured over 2,500.

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US Troops Need to Stay in Syria to Counter ISIS, Austin Says

FILE - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin makes a speech at Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin makes a speech at Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
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US Troops Need to Stay in Syria to Counter ISIS, Austin Says

FILE - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin makes a speech at Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin makes a speech at Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

The US needs to keep troops deployed in Syria to prevent the ISIS group from reconstituting as a major threat following the ouster of Bashar Assad's government, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told The Associated Press.
American forces are still needed there, particularly to ensure the security of detention camps holding tens of thousands of former ISIS fighters and family members, Austin said Wednesday in one of his final interviews before he leaves office.
According to estimates, there are as many as 8,000-10,000 ISIS fighters in the camps, and at least 2,000 of them are considered to be very dangerous.
If Syria is left unprotected, “I think ISIS fighters would enter back into the mainstream,” Austin said at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where he traveled to discuss military aid for Ukraine with about 50 partner nations.
“I think that we still have some work to do in terms of keeping a foot on the throat of ISIS," he said.
President-elect Donald Trump tried to withdraw all forces from Syria in 2018 during his first term, which prompted the resignation of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. As the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, advanced against Assad last month, Trump posted on social media that the US military needed to stay out of the conflict.
The US has about 2,000 troops in Syria to counter ISIS, up significantly from the 900 forces that officials said for years was the total number there. They were sent in 2015 after the militant group had conquered a large swath of Syria.
The continued presence of US troops was put into question after a lightning insurgency ousted Assad on Dec. 8, ending his family’s decades long rule.
US forces have worked with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces on operations against ISIS, providing cover for the group that Türkiye considers an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which it identifies as a terror organization.
The Syrian transitional government is still taking shape, and uncertainty remains on what that will mean going forward.
The SDF “have been good partners. At some point, the SDF may very well be absorbed into the Syrian military and then Syria would own all the (ISIS detention) camps and hopefully keep control of them,” Austin said. "But for now I think we have to protect our interests there.”