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US, UN Efforts Underway to Ease Escalation, Revive Peace in Yemen

Yemen’s foreign minister holds talks with US envoy Tim Lenderking in Riyadh. (Saba
Yemen’s foreign minister holds talks with US envoy Tim Lenderking in Riyadh. (Saba
    Aden, Riyadh – Ali Rabih and Abdulhadi Habtor
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US, UN Efforts Underway to Ease Escalation, Revive Peace in Yemen

Yemen’s foreign minister holds talks with US envoy Tim Lenderking in Riyadh. (Saba
Yemen’s foreign minister holds talks with US envoy Tim Lenderking in Riyadh. (Saba

The United Nations and United States’ envoys to Yemen have been intensifying their efforts to ease the escalation in the war-torn country and revive peace efforts.

UN envoy Martin Griffiths and newly-appointed US envoy Tim Lenderking are both in Riyadh to pursue these efforts.

Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmad bin Mubarak held separate talks on Tuesday with the envoys, expressing the legitimate government’s commitment to peace based on the three references and accusing the Iran-backed Houthi militias of dismissing peace and serving Tehran’s expansionist agenda in the region.

The meetings were held as the Houthis continued their offensive in the oil-rich northern Marib province, despite their mounting losses, which have topped hundreds of casualties and wounded in just the past two weeks of fighting against the national army.

Bin Mubarak said: “The terrorist Houthis have grown addicted to war and they completely disregard the lives of Yemenis, especially children whom they are recruiting to their losing battles at the orders of the Iranian regime.”

The Saba news agency reported that the minister is preparing to embark on a tour of Gulf capitals.

During his meeting with Lenderking, he warned of the “growing massive humanitarian toll of the Houthis’ ongoing escalation in Marib.” He cited the militias’ violations against displacement camps, which he said they are using as human shields.

The authority overseeing the management of refugee camps in Yemen revealed on Tuesday that in the past two weeks, over 12,000 people have been displaced due to the Marib fighting. Ninety percent of the displaced came from the Sirwah region in western Marib.

Official sources said Bin Mubarak had urged Lenderking and the international community to exert “real pressure” on the Houthis to force them to cease their violence and accept a political solution that would achieve peace in Yemen based on the three references and relevant UN resolutions.

For his part, the US official renewed Washington’s position for the Houthis to stop all military operations in Marib and refrain from actions that destabilize Yemen. He stressed that there could be no military solution to the crisis, reiterating his country’s support for the legitimate government.

The UN and US envoys are hoping their efforts would lead to a cessation of hostilities that would pave the way for a political settlement.

Several observers believe the goal is still very hard to reach given the Houthis’ opting for war as they continue to pursue Iran’s agenda in the region.

Lenderking, meanwhile, is on a tour of the Gulf, which he kicked off on Monday. Beside bin Mubarak, he has so far met with Saudi Minster of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir. He is set to conclude his tour on March 3.

Diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US and Europe are coordinating efforts to ease the escalation in Yemen and revive the peace process.

Amid this push, Houthi leaders have in recent days announced that their assault on Marib is aimed at capturing oil and gas fields. One leader even alleged that the militias were fighting Americans and Israelis in Marib in an attempt to manipulate naïve youths into joining their ranks.

On the ground, Yemeni military sources said Tuesday that the national army is continuing to deter Houthi attacks on various fronts in Marib, as it made advances east of the city of al-Hazim.

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Arab World

Syrian Foreign Minister Reviews 606 Days of ‘New Syria’ Diplomacy

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and presidential media adviser Ahmad Muwafaq Zaidan (SANA) 
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and presidential media adviser Ahmad Muwafaq Zaidan (SANA) 
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Syrian Foreign Minister Reviews 606 Days of ‘New Syria’ Diplomacy

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and presidential media adviser Ahmad Muwafaq Zaidan (SANA) 
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and presidential media adviser Ahmad Muwafaq Zaidan (SANA) 

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani outlined the record of 606 days of Syria’s new diplomacy, describing a shift from “hard power to soft power” and efforts to promote stability and build balanced international relations for the first time in decades.

During a dialogue lasting more than three hours at the presidential Tishreen Palace, al-Shaibani fielded questions from journalists, researchers, members of parliament and Foreign Ministry officials. The session was coordinated by presidential media adviser Ahmad Muwaffaq Zaidan.

Addressing repeated Israeli attacks, al-Shaibani described Israel as an expansionist “bad neighbor.” He noted that after nearly a year of negotiations, both sides had come to understand each other’s approach. Israel aimed to keep matters ambiguous to continue its provocations, he argued, while Syria wanted stability and sought to avoid being drawn into confrontation.

He revealed that Damascus was working with Washington on a memorandum of understanding aimed at halting Israeli attacks.

Sweida and the SDF

Al-Shaibani maintained that the situation in Sweida was being addressed and was no longer a source of concern, rejecting allegations that Damascus had imposed a blockade or cut roads. More than 1,500 commercial vehicles enter and leave the province daily, he noted.

He added that separatist calls in Sweida no longer posed a serious threat, arguing that the prospect of partition had ended with the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Significant and rapid progress had been made toward integrating the SDF, although some issues remained unresolved. Al-Shaibani described President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s latest meeting with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi as positive but acknowledged continued hesitation over fully committing to integration with the state. Outstanding issues include the fate of commanders and entities yet to be incorporated, as well as disagreements over matters such as education.

He continued that Damascus was approaching the issue “with considerable patience and calm,” adding that the Autonomous Administration was expected to announce its dissolution within two weeks.

US Embassy set to reopen

Turning to foreign policy, al-Shaibani recalled that immediately after the “liberation,” Syria turned first to its Arab partners, particularly Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.

After a challenging first year, Damascus moved toward “political normalization,” reintegration into the international system and the restoration of diplomatic missions. There are now 55 diplomatic missions in Damascus, preparations are underway to reopen the US Embassy, and Syria maintains active relations with 97 countries.

Al-Shaibani described relations with Jordan as very good, saying Amman had become a strong supporter of Syria after decades of strained ties. Damascus was also pursuing an “open-door policy” toward Iraq, with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi expected to visit Damascus following a recent visit by Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zidan.

Al-Shaibani disclosed that Syria had asked Iraq and Lebanon to deploy regular forces along their borders with Syria and keep militias away — specifically Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

New approach to Lebanon

On Lebanon, al-Shaibani reaffirmed a new Syrian approach fundamentally different from Damascus’ traditional role there, centered on supporting the Lebanese state in establishing a state monopoly over weapons and implementing the Taif Agreement.

Discussing his recent visit to Lebanon, he noted that it was intended to be “comprehensive” and had been coordinated with the Lebanese state. Some meetings with political and party representatives outside official state channels were aimed at explaining Syria’s new approach, including talks with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, which he described as “very positive.” Others were meant as a gesture of loyalty to Lebanese opponents of the Assad regime who had paid a heavy price for their stance.

Al-Shaibani stressed that the large public reception he received in Tripoli had not been planned but occurred spontaneously, adding that his remarks there were national in character. “I am not Qassem Soleimani,” he remarked.

Syrian detainees

Al-Shaibani also addressed Syrians accused of ISIS membership who had been transferred to Iraq, noting that Damascus was working, in coordination with Washington, on an agreement for their handover.

In Lebanon, around 1,700 Syrians remain detained without trial, some for years. Damascus has raised the issue with Lebanese officials since their first meeting, he noted, adding that a Lebanese amnesty law could offer a way forward if signed by President Joseph Aoun.

The session also underscored Syria’s emphasis on soft power. Syrian chef Malakeh Jazmati, known as the “ambassador of Syrian cuisine,” prepared the dinner, with her success during her years as a refugee in Germany presented as an example of the new image Syria seeks to project.

 

 

Arab World

Khaddam Recounts Final Damascus Meeting… Bashar to Hariri: ‘Whoever Defies Me, I Will Break His Bones’

Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam (Reuters)
Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam (Reuters)
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Khaddam Recounts Final Damascus Meeting… Bashar to Hariri: ‘Whoever Defies Me, I Will Break His Bones’

Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam (Reuters)
Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam (Reuters)

Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam reveals new details in his memoirs about a meeting between former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Damascus in the summer of 2004, describing it as the harshest encounter in the period leading up to Hariri’s assassination.

The memoirs, edited and introduced by Ibrahim Hamidi, are due to be published in early September by Raff Publishing, a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG).

The book cover

According to the memoirs, Assad summoned Hariri in July for a meeting at 7:30 a.m. attended by Maj. Gen. Ghazi Kanaan, Brig. Gen. Rustom Ghazaleh and Col. Mohammed Khallouf. Assad’s harsh words caused Hariri’s blood pressure to rise and his nose to bleed.

The memoirs trace the roots of the crisis to the 1998 election of Lebanese army commander Gen. Emile Lahoud as president. Khaddam recounts that Bashar al-Assad pushed for Lahoud to succeed President Elias Hrawi, persuading his father, President Hafez al-Assad, to back the army commander despite objections from most Lebanese leaders close to Damascus, including Walid Jumblatt, Nabih Berri and Hariri. Khaddam also says Ghazi Kanaan pressured Lebanese lawmakers to support Lahoud.

Khaddam says he subsequently asked Hafez al-Assad to relieve him of responsibility for the Lebanon portfolio because his opposition to Lahoud was well known. The file then passed to Bashar al-Assad.

“Thus ended the political management of this complicated file, and it fell into the hands of the Syrian security services,” Khaddam writes.

Later that same morning, Khaddam says he was scheduled to meet Assad and found him “agitated and tense.” Assad recounted his meeting with Hariri directly to him.

“Rafik Hariri was here, and I spoke to him clearly and frankly in the presence of the officers,” Khaddam quotes Assad as saying. “I told him he was not allowed to work to bring in a president other than Emile Lahoud. I am the one who chooses who governs Lebanon, and whoever defies me, I will break his bones.”

From right: Fares Boueiz, Rafik Hariri, Farouk al-Sharaa, Elias Hrawi, Abdel Halim Khaddam, and Ghazi Kanaan during a meeting at Baabda Palace (Getty)

Khaddam says he was stunned by the remarks and challenged Assad: “You are speaking to the prime minister of Lebanon, who represents the Sunni Muslims in his country. Have you considered the repercussions if your words reach the media? How can you address Lebanon’s prime minister this way in the presence of these officers?”

According to Khaddam’s account, Assad then calmed down and asked his vice president to invite Hariri to meet him in an effort to “erase the consequences” of the encounter.

The memoirs say Hariri initially refused, telling Khaddam by telephone: “After my last visit, I will not visit Damascus.”

He later agreed to meet Khaddam in Bloudan, northwest of Damascus, where he appeared “hurt.”

“I will never forget my meeting with Bashar al-Assad as long as I live,” Hariri told him.

Bashar al-Assad meeting with Emile Lahoud, Nabih Berri, and Rafik Hariri (Getty)

The memoirs go on to recount the dispute over extending Lahoud’s presidential term. On Aug. 18, 2004, Khaddam says Assad told him he had decided against an extension.

“No one in the world supports Lahoud. The Arab states do not support him, and the majority of Lebanese oppose him,” Assad is quoted as saying, adding that he had been “firm” with the Lebanese president.

Just three days later, however, while Khaddam was in France, Hariri called to tell him that Assad had changed his mind and summoned him to Damascus for a brief and tense meeting.

“You have to decide where you stand. Are you with Syria or against it?” Assad told Hariri, according to Khaddam’s account of what Hariri later told him.

Khaddam writes that Hariri told him Jumblatt had advised him to accept the extension and then resign. Khaddam himself advised Hariri to agree to the extension, leave Lebanon and announce his resignation from abroad.

Hariri subsequently informed Rustom Ghazaleh that he accepted the extension and traveled to Sardinia to join his family. Days later, Khaddam says, Hariri called him and asked: “If I return to Lebanon, will my life be in danger?”

Khaddam reassured him that he had agreed to everything demanded of him and that Assad “still needs him because the constitutional amendment has not yet been completed.”

The memoirs also recount a last-minute attempt, through Spanish mediation, to avert a UN Security Council meeting. After five hours of contacts, Washington, Paris and London agreed to cancel the session in return for a Syrian commitment to abandon the extension.

But Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa told his Spanish counterpart: “Lebanon is an independent state and we have nothing to do with the matter.”

Hafez al-Assad and to his left, Abdul Halim Khaddam in 1999 (Getty)

The Security Council met the following day and adopted Resolution 1559, which called for respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and political independence, the withdrawal of remaining foreign forces and a presidential election free from foreign interference.

The memoirs characterize the resolution as having been adopted under Chapter VII and as placing the Syrian regime under Security Council scrutiny.

Khaddam’s testimony carries particular significance because of his position at the heart of Syria’s governance of Lebanon. For decades, he was the Syrian official responsible for the Lebanon portfolio before, as he recounts, responsibility passed to Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian security services.

In his account, a single threat uttered during a deeply personal confrontation becomes a key to understanding a period that culminated in a complete breakdown between Damascus and broad segments of Lebanese society.

The full account of the meeting, as well as the events preceding and following it, appears in the book’s chapter titled “The Assassination of Rafik Hariri.”

Arab World

Lebanon Hands Assad-era General to Syria in 1st Such Transfer Since Assad’s Fall

Former Syrian Major General Adel Issa. Photo: Syria’s interior ministry
Former Syrian Major General Adel Issa. Photo: Syria’s interior ministry
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Lebanon Hands Assad-era General to Syria in 1st Such Transfer Since Assad’s Fall

Former Syrian Major General Adel Issa. Photo: Syria’s interior ministry
Former Syrian Major General Adel Issa. Photo: Syria’s interior ministry

Lebanese authorities handed a former senior Syrian army officer to Damascus on Wednesday to face charges including murder and torture, Syria’s interior ministry said, marking the first handover of an Assad-era military officer by Lebanon since former President Bashar al-Assad was toppled in 2024.

Major General Adel Issa, a former commander of the Syrian army’s 17th Division and later ground forces in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, was transferred to Syrian custody after Lebanese authorities detained him earlier this month.

The ministry said Issa was wanted under an arrest warrant on charges including intentional homicide, facilitating a felony, killing more than two people, torture leading to death, and crimes aimed ⁠at inciting civil war ⁠and sectarian strife.

His case is now before a Damascus referral judge before it can be sent to a criminal court for trial, the ministry added.

Issa denied the accusations while held in Lebanon, according to two people familiar with his arrest and extradition.

The transfer could set a precedent for scores of former Syrian security and military officials ⁠believed to have fled across the border after fighters led by now President Ahmed al-Sharaa ousted Assad in December 2024.

Issa, 67, was detained on August 8 after going to the Syrian embassy in Beirut to complete paperwork. Embassy officials alerted Lebanon’s prosecutor’s office that he was wanted in Syria, and Lebanese investigators took him into custody, the people said.

His transfer follows months of pressure by Damascus on Beirut to act against former Assad officers who sought refuge in Lebanon after his government collapsed.

Reuters reported in January that Syrian authorities had given Lebanese security officials ⁠a list ⁠of more than 200 former senior officers wanted by Damascus. A senior Syrian security official had travelled to Beirut in December to discuss their whereabouts, legal status and possible prosecution or extradition.