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Russian Report Considers Assad a ‘Burden'

FILE PHOTO: A Syrian soldier takes selfies pictures as Russian military vehicle is seen in convoy during re-opening the road between Homs and Hama in Rastan,Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki
FILE PHOTO: A Syrian soldier takes selfies pictures as Russian military vehicle is seen in convoy during re-opening the road between Homs and Hama in Rastan,Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki
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Russian Report Considers Assad a ‘Burden'

FILE PHOTO: A Syrian soldier takes selfies pictures as Russian military vehicle is seen in convoy during re-opening the road between Homs and Hama in Rastan,Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki
FILE PHOTO: A Syrian soldier takes selfies pictures as Russian military vehicle is seen in convoy during re-opening the road between Homs and Hama in Rastan,Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki

A report by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) said Moscow has become more serious about making changes in Syria because protecting President Bashar Assad has become a burden.

The report hints at the possibility that Russia, Turkey and Iran reach a consensus to remove Assad, and establish a ceasefire in exchange for forming a transitional government that includes the opposition, members of the regime and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Russia’s clear impatience with Assad emerged two weeks ago following vague and indirect messages urging Damascus to change its behavior.

The RIAC is led by former Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and is known to be close to the decision-makers in the Russian government.

The report said that since the beginning of its military intervention in Syria, Moscow has been keen to avoid being presented as the defender of Assad.

It added that in negotiations it has stressed that “the Syrian people will decide whether or not Assad will remain in power”.

Earlier this week, a former Russian ambassador, Alexander Aksenyonok wrote: “It is becoming increasingly obvious that the [Assad] regime is reluctant or unable to develop a system of government that can mitigate corruption and crime.”

Russia’s TASS news agency said Russia is suspecting that Assad is not only no longer able to lead the country, but that the head of the Syrian regime is dragging Moscow towards a scenario similar to the Afghan war, which is a very disconcerting possibility for Russia.

The news agency said Moscow is working on two scenarios: The first sees forces present in Syria accepting each other’s scope of influence.

As a result, Syria would remain divided into a region protected by Tehran and Moscow, the opposition region supported by Turkey, and the East Euphrates supported by Washington and the SDF.

As for the second option, TASS explained it requires a complete withdrawal of all foreign forces and the unification of the country after achieving a political transformation in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The news agency considered that this option is less costly for all parties.

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Arab World

Türkiye Plans First Overseas Deepwater Drilling in Somalia Next Month

Türkiye Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar speaks during the conference 'Energy Security in the World and Türkiye: Risks and Solutions in Critical Minerals' at the Sabanci University Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate (IICEC), in Istanbul, Türkiye, December 26, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
Türkiye Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar speaks during the conference 'Energy Security in the World and Türkiye: Risks and Solutions in Critical Minerals' at the Sabanci University Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate (IICEC), in Istanbul, Türkiye, December 26, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
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Türkiye Plans First Overseas Deepwater Drilling in Somalia Next Month

Türkiye Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar speaks during the conference 'Energy Security in the World and Türkiye: Risks and Solutions in Critical Minerals' at the Sabanci University Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate (IICEC), in Istanbul, Türkiye, December 26, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
Türkiye Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar speaks during the conference 'Energy Security in the World and Türkiye: Risks and Solutions in Critical Minerals' at the Sabanci University Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate (IICEC), in Istanbul, Türkiye, December 26, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Türkiye will send a drilling vessel to Somalia in February to carry out the country's first deepwater exploration project abroad, ‌Energy Minister ‌Alparslan Bayraktar ‌said.

He ‌said the operation with the Cagri Bey vessel will focus on offshore areas ⁠in Somali waters but did not ‍provide ‍details on targeted ‍reserves or investment size.

In 2024, Türkiye signed an energy exploration deal with Somalia. It has been ⁠seeking to diversify its energy sources and reduce reliance on imports, investing in exploration at home and overseas.

Arab World

Libya Says UK to Analyze Black Box from Crash That Killed General

Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
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Libya Says UK to Analyze Black Box from Crash That Killed General

Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)

Libya said on Thursday that Britain had agreed to analyze the black box from a plane crash in Türkiye on December 23 that killed a Libyan military delegation, including the head of its army.

General Mohammed al-Haddad and four aides died after a visit to Ankara, with Turkish officials saying an electrical failure caused their Falcon 50 jet to crash shortly after takeoff.

Three crew members, two of them French, were also killed.

The aircraft's black box flight recorder was found on farmland near the crash site.

"We coordinated directly with Britain for the analysis" of the black box, Mohamed al-Chahoubi, transport minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU), said at a press conference in Tripoli.

Haddad was very popular in Libya despite deep divisions between west and east.

Haddad was chief of staff for the Tripoli-based GNU.

Chahoubi told AFP a request for the analysis was "made to Germany, which demanded France's assistance" to examine the aircraft's flight recorders.

"However, the Chicago Convention stipulates that the country analyzing the black box must be neutral," he said.

"Since France is a manufacturer of the aircraft and the crew was French, it is not qualified to participate. The United Kingdom, on the other hand, was accepted by Libya and Turkey."

After meeting the British ambassador to Tripoli on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Taher al-Baour said a joint request had been submitted by Libya and Türkiye to Britain "to obtain technical and legal support for the analysis of the black box".

Chahoubi told Thursday's press briefing that Britain "announced its agreement, in coordination with the Libyan Ministry of Transport and the Turkish authorities".

He said it was not yet possible to say how long it would take to retrieve the flight data, as this depended on the state of the black box.

"The findings will be made public once they are known," Chahoubi said, warning against "false information" and urging the public not to pay attention to rumors.

Arab World

STC Says Handing over Positions to National Shield Forces in Yemen's Hadhramaut, Mahra

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
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STC Says Handing over Positions to National Shield Forces in Yemen's Hadhramaut, Mahra

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)

Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in Yemen began on Thursday handing over military positions to the government’s National Shield forces in the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen.

Local sources in Hadhramaut confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the handover kicked off after meetings were held between the two sides.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said the National Shield commanders met with STC leaderships to discuss future arrangements. The sourced did not elaborate, but they confirmed that Emirati armored vehicles, which had entered Balhaf port in Shabwah were seen departing on a UAE vessel, in line with a Yemeni government request.

The National Shield is overseen by Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi.

A Yemeni official described Thursday’s developments as “positive” step towards uniting ranks and legitimacy against a common enemy – the Houthi groups.

The official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, underscored to Asharq Al-Awsat the importance of “partnership between components of the legitimacy and of dialogue to resolve any future differences.”

Meanwhile, on the ground, Yemeni military sources revealed that some STC forces had refused to quit their positions, prompting the forces to dispatch an official to Hadhramaut’s Seiyun city to negotiate the situation.