Arab Parliament: Turkish Military Intervention Worsens Libyan Situation

Speaker of the Arab parliament Meshaal al-Salami. Asharq Al-Awsat
Speaker of the Arab parliament Meshaal al-Salami. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Arab Parliament: Turkish Military Intervention Worsens Libyan Situation

Speaker of the Arab parliament Meshaal al-Salami. Asharq Al-Awsat
Speaker of the Arab parliament Meshaal al-Salami. Asharq Al-Awsat

Speaker of the Arab Parliament Meshaal al-Salami stressed on Wednesday the importance of disarming militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli and halting Turkey’s support for them.

He stated that the Turkish military intervention worsens the situation in Libya and spurs division among different factions. It also prolongs the conflict, curbs peace efforts, hinders a political solution, destabilizes the region and jeopardizes Libya’s neighboring countries and Arab national security.

Salami addressed the UN Secretary General, and heads of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the European Parliament, the Pan-African Parliament and NATO Parliamentary Assembly with written letters.

In his letters, he rejected and denounced the decision of the Turkish parliament to dispatch troops to Libya in violation of international law and Security Council resolutions that have imposed an arms embargo on Libya.

The Arab Parliament decried all forms of support to militias, including the transfer of terrorists to Libya. It demanded the disarming of militias and called on the UN Security Council to take urgent steps to prevent the infiltration of foreign terrorists to Libya.

Moreover, the Parliament requested a clear mechanism to oversee and sanction parties funding the conflict in Libya.

In addition, it welcomed the ceasefire as a step towards finding a political solution to the country’s war. It underscored that the political solution is the only viable option in Libya, away from foreign intervention.

The Parliament agreed with the Libyan legislature’s rejection of the Turkish intervention in the country’s internal affairs, demanding prompt action from the international community.



Syrian Christians Celebrate Christmas in Damascus Amid Tight Security

An aerial picture shows a view of a crowd around a Christmas tree in Damascus on December 25, 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
An aerial picture shows a view of a crowd around a Christmas tree in Damascus on December 25, 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
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Syrian Christians Celebrate Christmas in Damascus Amid Tight Security

An aerial picture shows a view of a crowd around a Christmas tree in Damascus on December 25, 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
An aerial picture shows a view of a crowd around a Christmas tree in Damascus on December 25, 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)

Syrian Christians gathered at churches in the country's capital Damascus on Wednesday amid tight security measures to celebrate their first Christmas after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

"Today there is a large deployment of security to protect the churches, fearing sabotage, but things are normal," Nicola Yazgi told dpa, while attending a mass in eastern Damascus.

Security forces affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is now leading Syria's interim government, were deployed outside churches and in the streets in Christian-majority neighborhoods in the capital, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

According to the UK-based war monitor, churches across Syria - including in the southern city of al-Sweida, and in the northern cities of Aleppo and Idlib - opened their doors for Christmas celebrations.

Yazgi said he was celebrating two things this year: "Christmas and the victory of the revolution and the fall of the tyrant. We hope that today will be the day of salvation from the era of al-Assad family injustices."

Suad al-Zein, an engineer, also joined the mass in Damascus. She expressed her joy despite the lack of decorations in the streets: "For us, joy is in our hearts."

Civil war broke out in Syria in 2011 following pro-democracy protests against al-Assad's regime.

In late November, HTS and other opposition groups launched a rapid offensive, making major territorial gains before capturing Damascus earlier this month. Al-Assad fled to Russia with his family.

Since then, HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has tried to reassure minorities in Syria, promising moderation and respect for all religious sects.

A group of people burnt a Christmas tree in Hama province on Monday evening, prompting hundreds of protesters to take to the streets in several cities.