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Russia Says It Respects Türkiye’s Concerns in Syria but Calls for Restraint

Two Syrian soldiers conduct a demining exercise near Damascus on June 19. (AFP)
Two Syrian soldiers conduct a demining exercise near Damascus on June 19. (AFP)
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Russia Says It Respects Türkiye’s Concerns in Syria but Calls for Restraint

Two Syrian soldiers conduct a demining exercise near Damascus on June 19. (AFP)
Two Syrian soldiers conduct a demining exercise near Damascus on June 19. (AFP)

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it respects what it calls Türkiye’s "legitimate" security concerns over Syria but said all parties there should avoid steps that could worsen the situation. 

Türkiye launched air strikes on Kurdish militant bases in northern Syria and Iraq on Sunday and President Tayyip Erdogan has said it may deploy ground forces as it targets groups it blames for a bombing in Istanbul on Nov. 13. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that while there were disagreements between Russia and Türkiye in their approach to Syria, Moscow understood Türkiye’s security concerns. 

"We understand and respect Turkey's concerns about ensuring its own security. We believe this is Türkiye’s legitimate right. At the same time, we call on all parties to refrain from steps that could lead to the destabilization of the overall situation," he said. 

Russia supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's 11-year war, while Ankara has backed opposition factions fighting to topple him. 

Earlier, Alexander Lavrentyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy on Syria, said Moscow hoped Türkiye would exercise "restraint" and refrain from "any excessive use of force" in Syria.  

"We hope to convince our Turkish colleagues to refrain from resorting to excessive use of force on Syrian territory" to "avoid the escalation of tensions", Lavrentyev told reporters in Astana. 

At least 37 people were killed in the strikes, according to a report by Britain-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.  

"Russia has for months ... done everything possible to prevent any large-scale ground operation," Lavrentyev said in the Kazakh capital, which is hosting a tripartite meeting between Russia, Türkiye and Iran on Syria.  

Erdogan has been threatening to launch a new military operation in northern Syria since May. 

"We will make those who disturb us on our territory pay," he said on Monday, adding that consultations were ongoing "to decide the level of force that should be used by our ground forces". 

The Turkish air offensive, codenamed Operation Claw-Sword, came a week after a blast in central Istanbul killed six people and wounded 81, an attack Türkiye has blamed on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).  

The PKK has waged a bloody insurgency in Türkiye for decades and is designated a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. But it has denied involvement in the Istanbul explosion. 

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Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
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Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)

As Lebanese authorities proceed with the deportation of Egyptian activist Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, the son of the late cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, to the United Arab Emirates, an Egyptian source involved in the case told Asharq Al-Awsat that Cairo plans to formally request his extradition from Abu Dhabi once he arrives there.

Controversy has surrounded the case since Lebanon announced that the government had approved the deportation of Qaradawi to the UAE instead of Egypt, where he holds citizenship.

Former Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that citizenship is not an obstacle in extradition cases between countries, saying that a state may decide to extradite a person to another country even if they hold the nationality of a third state, as in the case of Qaradawi’s son.

According to Lebanese sources, the decision to extradite Qaradawi to the UAE is based on a warrant issued by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers. As a member of the council, Lebanon is obligated to comply with the UAE’s request, despite the absence of a direct bilateral extradition agreement between the two countries.

Additionally, the extradition decision was influenced by the fact that the charges against Qaradawi are criminal, not political, as political charges would prevent extradition and instead warrant protection under international conventions.

An Egyptian judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the International Cooperation Office of Egypt’s Public Prosecutor had prepared a comprehensive file containing all rulings issued against Qaradawi to ensure that the extradition request met all legal requirements. This file was sent to Lebanese judicial authorities through official channels. However, Egypt has yet to receive a response from Lebanon, though one is expected in the coming days.

Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Mehran, a member of the American and European societies for international law, told Asharq Al-Awsat that international law generally allows extradition when the individual is either a citizen of the requesting state, has committed a crime on its territory, or when the requesting state has a direct legal interest in the case.

As Qaradawi is an Egyptian citizen, Egypt “has the legal right to request his extradition under international law and bilateral agreements, provided all legal conditions are met,” Mehran said.

Meanwhile, Qaradawi’s lawyer, Mohammed Sablouh, confirmed plans to file an urgent appeal in Lebanese courts to prevent his client’s extradition, according to Reuters. Mehran explained that extradition laws grant the individual the right to appeal in court, while the requesting states also have the right to challenge decisions.

Mehran suggested that if Qaradawi is ultimately handed over to the UAE, it is highly likely he will later be extradited to Egypt after procedural requirements in the Emirates are fulfilled. This is due to the strong bilateral relations and close security coordination between Egypt and the UAE.

Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, who holds dual Egyptian and Turkish citizenship, was arrested in Lebanon on December 28 after returning from Syria. His arrest followed an Interpol red notice issued based on an in absentia ruling by an Egyptian court sentencing him to five years in prison for spreading false news, inciting violence, and terrorism. Before his arrest, Qaradawi appeared in a video filmed at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, where he made remarks considered offensive to both Egypt and the UAE.