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Guterres Extends Mandate of Special Tribunal for Lebanon

Guterres Extends Mandate of Special Tribunal for Lebanon
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Guterres Extends Mandate of Special Tribunal for Lebanon

Guterres Extends Mandate of Special Tribunal for Lebanon

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres extended on Thursday the mandate of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) for a further period of two years.

“The UNSC extended the Tribunal’s mandate from 1 March 2021 for a further period of two years, or until the completion of the cases before the STL, if sooner, or until the exhaustion of available funds, if sooner. The extension is in accordance with Security Council resolution 1757 (2007),” a statement by UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

Guterres reaffirmed the UN commitment to support the STL in the fight against impunity for the crimes under its jurisdiction, in order to bring those responsible to justice.

Following Guterres’ decision, STL President Judge Ivana Hrdlicková said: "I am grateful for the international community’s continued support towards the STL’s work, which serves as a strong global message that terrorist crimes will not go unpunished."

"Together with my colleagues at the Tribunal, I remain highly committed to fulfilling the STL’s mandate in a timely manner and render justice to the victims through fair and transparent proceedings.”

Hrdlicková had requested the two-year extension to allow the Tribunal to progressively draw down its activities and complete the judicial work before the different Chambers.

The mandate of the STL, which is based near The Hague in the Netherlands, is to hold trials for those accused of carrying out the attack of 14 February 2005 in Beirut, which killed 22 people, including the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri, and injured 226 more.

On 18 August 2020, Salim Jamil Ayyash was convicted in relation to five counts relating to the attack.

Pre-trial proceedings began in 2019 against Ayyash in relation to three attacks against Marwan Hamade, Georges Hawi and Elias El-Murr that occurred on 1 October 2004, 21 June 2005 and 12 July 2005, respectively.

Recently, the UN Secretary-General said he intends to request approximately $25 million from the General Assembly to cover the anticipated shortfall in funding the STL from the Lebanese government and donors in 2021.

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As Syrian Opposition Sweep into Aleppo, Army Closes Airport and Roads

A destroyed Syrian army tank in the village of Anjara on the outskirts of Aleppo, Nov. 29. (AP)
A destroyed Syrian army tank in the village of Anjara on the outskirts of Aleppo, Nov. 29. (AP)
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As Syrian Opposition Sweep into Aleppo, Army Closes Airport and Roads

A destroyed Syrian army tank in the village of Anjara on the outskirts of Aleppo, Nov. 29. (AP)
A destroyed Syrian army tank in the village of Anjara on the outskirts of Aleppo, Nov. 29. (AP)

Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport as well as all roads leading into the city on Saturday, three military sources told Reuters, as the groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad said they had reached the heart of Aleppo.
The opposition fighters, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, carried out a surprise sweep through government-held towns this week and reached Aleppo nearly a decade after having been forced out by Assad and his allies.
Russia, one of Assad's key allies, has promised Damascus extra military aid to thwart the opposition, two military sources said, adding new hardware would start arriving in the next 72 hours.
The Syrian army has been told to follow "safe withdrawal" orders from the main areas of the city that the opposition have entered, three army sources said.
The fighters began their incursion on Wednesday and by late Friday an operations room representing the offensive said they were sweeping through various neighbourhoods of Aleppo.
They are returning to the city for the first time since 2016, when Assad and his allies Russia, Iran, and regional Shi'ite militias retook it, with the insurgents agreeing to withdraw after months of bombardment and siege.
Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza opposition brigade, said their speedy advance this week had been helped by a lack of Iran-backed manpower in the broader Aleppo province. Iran's allies in the region have suffered a series of blows at the hands of Israel as the Gaza war has expanded through the Middle East.
The opposition fighters have said the campaign was in response to stepped-up strikes in recent weeks against civilians by the Russian and Syrian air force on areas in opposition-held Idlib, and to preempt any attacks by the Syrian army.
Opposition sources in touch with Turkish intelligence said Turkiye, which supports the opposition, had given a green light to the offensive.
But Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said on Friday that Turkiye sought to avoid greater instability in the region and had warned recent attacks undermined de-escalation agreements.
The attack is the biggest since March 2020, when Russia and Turkiye agreed to a deal to de-escalate the conflict.
CIVILIANS KILLED IN FIGHTING
On Friday, Syrian state television denied opposition had reached the city and said Russia was providing Syria's military with air support.
The Syrian military said it was fighting back against the attack and had inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib.
David Carden, UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, said: "We're deeply alarmed by the situation unfolding in northwest Syria."
"Relentless attacks over the past three days have claimed the lives of at least 27 civilians, including children as young as 8 years old."
Syrian state news agency SANA said four civilians including two students were killed on Friday in Aleppo by insurgent shelling of university student dormitories. It was not clear if they were among the 27 dead reported by the UN official.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Moscow regarded the attack as a violation of Syria's sovereignty.
"We are in favor of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible," he said.