Russia's Top Investigator, Syrian Officials Discuss Joint Cooperation

Russian military vehicles are seen in eastern Ghouta near Douma, in Damascus (Reuters)
Russian military vehicles are seen in eastern Ghouta near Douma, in Damascus (Reuters)
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Russia's Top Investigator, Syrian Officials Discuss Joint Cooperation

Russian military vehicles are seen in eastern Ghouta near Douma, in Damascus (Reuters)
Russian military vehicles are seen in eastern Ghouta near Douma, in Damascus (Reuters)

The head of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, met with the head of the Syrian National Security Bureau, Ali Mamlouk, and Justice Minister Ahmed al-Sayyid to discuss joint cooperation in countering terrorism.

In a statement issued following the meeting, the Russian committee announced that the two parties discussed the results of joint work in combating extremism as well as the recent developments of the investigation into the death of Russian servicemen who were killed in an attack earlier in Syria.

In addition, the parties agreed to further expand cooperation to strengthen the Syrian legitimate authority.

The spokeswoman of the Russian Investigative Committee, Svetlana Petrenko, announced that Bastrykin and Mamlouk agreed to further expand cooperation between the Russian and Syrian security agencies.

The two parties also discussed exchanging intelligence information as well as scientific and training experiences, including improving quality of training specialists from both countries.

Later, Bastrykin held a meeting at the Russian embassy in Damascus to arrange full logistical support for the investigations into the attack on Russian military personnel last August, which killed a general and injured two soldiers.

The Russian official also visited Russian Hmeimim air base, near Latakia, and discussed the recent results with the investigation team that submitted its initial report.



Israeli Airstrike Targets Hezbollah Weapons Facility in Syria

This picture shows a crater caused by an Israeli strike on the road leading to Syria's Jousieh border crossing with Lebanon on October 28, 2024. (AFP)
This picture shows a crater caused by an Israeli strike on the road leading to Syria's Jousieh border crossing with Lebanon on October 28, 2024. (AFP)
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Israeli Airstrike Targets Hezbollah Weapons Facility in Syria

This picture shows a crater caused by an Israeli strike on the road leading to Syria's Jousieh border crossing with Lebanon on October 28, 2024. (AFP)
This picture shows a crater caused by an Israeli strike on the road leading to Syria's Jousieh border crossing with Lebanon on October 28, 2024. (AFP)

The Israeli military said it conducted an airstrike on a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in Syria on Tuesday.

The military said the strike targeted the facility run by Hezbollah’s munitions unit in the Syrian town of al-Qusayr, near the border with Lebanon. It said Hezbollah had recently expanded its facilities in the area to step up weapons smuggling into Lebanon from Syria.

The strikes hit an industrial zone in al-Qusayr, according to Syrian state media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a conflict-monitoring group. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria over recent years, primarily targeting government-controlled areas, but it rarely acknowledges or discusses these operations. The strikes often target Syrian forces or Iranian-backed groups.

On Monday, an Israeli airstrike struck near the Sayida Zeinab suburb, south of Damascus, an area where Iran-backed groups are active. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for killing the head of Hezbollah’s military branch in Syria, whom it identified as Mahmoud Mohammed Shaheen.

For the past month, Israel has been carrying out an escalated bombardment campaign in Lebanon, aiming to cripple the Hezbollah armed group, which is allied with Syria and Iran. Israel has also launched ground incursions just across the Israel-Lebanon border, saying it aims to put an end to a year of Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel.