IRAQ

Kirkuk's environmental crisis: rising concerns over oil industry's impact

2024-12-06 

Shafaq News/ Kirkuk, a historic oil hub in Iraq, is now facing an environmental crisis fueled by decades of unregulated oil extraction and processing. The persistent gas odor haunting the outskirts of Kirkuk has left residents not only concerned but also questioning the long-term implications for their health and the environment.

Citizens Voice Concerns

Residents frequently protest against the recurring foul odors, particularly the gases and unpleasant smells emanating from the northern parts of the province, where the oil wells operated by the North Oil Company are located.

Hussein Adel, a resident of Kirkuk, told Shafaq News Agency that the city had recently experienced a surge in the smell of gas, which he attributed to activities at the oil refineries and facilities of the North Oil Company.

"These odors are polluting Kirkuk’s environment," Adel said, emphasizing the proximity of the affected areas to oil wells. He added that "oil companies should take responsibility by supporting environmental initiatives and increasing green spaces."

While residents express their frustrations, officials have zeroed in on the North Oil Company as the primary source of the problem.

North Oil Company: The Major Polluter

The Directorate of Environment in Kirkuk has identified the North Oil Company (NOC) as the region’s largest polluter, responsible for 80% of the environmental contamination in the area.

Ali Ezzedin, the Directorate’s head, told Shafaq News Agency, "The North Oil Company burns associated gas, releasing harmful emissions into the atmosphere."

Ezzedin elaborated that “the company operates around 28 oil fields equipped with gas flaring towers. These towers, lacking proper filtration systems, fail to meet environmental standards.”

"The associated gas, instead of being burned, could be used for power generation and other productive purposes," he explained, adding, "If properly managed, this could significantly reduce environmental risks in Kirkuk. Unfortunately, the company has yet to adopt these measures."

In comparison, he noted that the North Gas Company (NGC) adheres to environmental regulations and is less polluting than the North Oil Company.

Oil Valley: Formation and Consequences

The Oil Valley, a 10-kilometer-long land depression originating from the NOC, has become a dumping ground for the company’s daily production waste. It channels around 150,000 barrels of waste each day, stretching from Kirkuk towards Saladin province.

Environmental expert Salam Jameel highlighted the damaging impact of oil operations on local waterways.

Speaking to Shafaq News Agency, Jameel explained, "The water used for injecting oil wells, mixed with black crude oil, is discharged into a river that flows through the Oil Valley.

This waste accumulates in areas southwest of Kirkuk, creating large oil-laden water surfaces."

The Oil Valley runs parallel to Kirkuk-Dibis Road, extending to the subdistrict of Yaychi and beyond, ultimately reaching areas near al-Multaqa. The waste, often oil-laden, gathers in stagnant pools, posing long-term environmental challenges.

The black crude oil discharged into the Oil Valley is one of the significant pollutants. This waste, a mixture of crude oil and water used during extraction, cannot be refined or added to production.

Jameel noted that NOC employs a method called "water injection into wells," commonly known as water flooding, to enhance the recovery of oil from a reservoir by maintaining or increasing pressure and displacing oil towards production wells.

Previously, the company used around 60,000 barrels of water daily, but this figure has now surpassed one million barrels due to ongoing field development.

The environmental costs of these operations also have far-reaching economic implications.

Economic Implications and Future Solutions

Economic expert Ali Khalil criticized oil companies in Kirkuk for failing to install filtration systems on extraction towers, which exacerbate environmental degradation. He highlighted Iraq’s ambitious plans to halt gas flaring entirely by 2028.

"By ending gas flaring, Iraq can significantly reduce emissions and harness this energy for power generation and industrial development," Khalil explained.

Khalil noted that “Iraq's utilization rate of associated gas rose from 51% in 2022 to over 65% in 2023, driven by collaborative projects with global companies. With reserves exceeding 145 billion barrels of oil and over 130 trillion cubic feet of confirmed gas reserves, Iraq aims to enhance its global standing in energy production while addressing environmental challenges.”

“The North Oil Company, under a new contract with British Petroleum (BP), is expected to install filtration systems on its towers and establish a central processing plant. This initiative could transform gas currently burned into electricity, creating a sustainable energy solution for the region.”

Kirkuk’s oil reserves, estimated at 10-13 billion barrels, represent 12% of Iraq’s total reserves. However, this wealth comes with environmental costs. As key fields like Baba Gurgur, Khabbaz, and Bai Hassan operate at reduced capacities, the environmental toll of decades-long unregulated practices continues to rise.

Experts and officials agree that without immediate intervention, Kirkuk’s environmental crisis will worsen, impacting not only local ecosystems but also public health and economic stability.

Analyst: Multiple regional, international actors shape Syrian landscape

ByIFP Editorial Staff

December 8, 2024

Syria, a critical geostrategic point in West Asia, has long been a battleground for numerous regional and international actors, each pursuing their own interests, a former Iranian diplomat believes.

In a new op-ed published a day before the fall of the government in Damascus, former Iranian diplomat and political analyst, Sabah Zanganeh, wrote that Syria’s proximity to the Mediterranean, Palestine, and Jordan makes it a pivotal area of contention.

“Russia, with its significant presence in Syria, particularly in Tartus and Hmeimim, seeks to maintain its influence in the region. Conversely, the US is active in northern Syria, primarily aiming to control oil and gas resources and support Israel,” he noted.

Zanganeh further explained that Turkey’s historical ties to Syria trace back to the Ottoman era, and it continues to assert its influence, particularly in Idlib, where Ankara supports opposition groups and proxies.

However, the picture is not complete yet, as he argues the ongoing conflict in the country has drawn in other actors.

“Ukraine, currently at odds with Russia, is reportedly providing training to insurgents, including in drone operations, to exert pressure on Iranian allies in Syria,” he elaborated.

The situation is so grave that Persian Gulf states like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have expressed concerns over the presence of terrorists and advocate for stability, he stated.

The complex web of interests and alliances underscores the multifaceted nature of the Syrian conflict, where geopolitical strategies and historical ties intertwine to shape the country’s future, Zanganeh wrote.

Celebrations in Lebanon's Tripoli over Assad regime collapse

Local media report festivities in Tripoli, al-Beddawi, and Danniyeh

Faruk Hanedar |08.12.2024 - TRT/AA



BEIRUT

Residents of Lebanon's Tripoli marked the takeover of Syria’s capital, Damascus, by anti-regime armed groups on Sunday.

According to Lebanese media, celebrations were primarily held in al-Nur Square in Tripoli, where the crowd set off fireworks to commemorate the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Similar gatherings took place in northern Lebanese areas, including al-Beddawi and Danniyeh.

In Akkar, near the Lebanese-Syrian border, signs of the Syrian Ba'ath Party were reportedly removed.

Developments in Syria

Clashes between Assad regime forces and anti-regime groups erupted on Nov. 27 in rural areas west of Aleppo, a significant city in northern Syria.

On Nov. 30, anti-regime forces captured most of Aleppo’s center and secured full control of Idlib province. Last Thursday, following intense clashes, they seized the city center of Hama.

The groups also advanced in Homs, a strategically crucial province leading to Damascus, capturing key settlements.

In Daraa province near the Jordanian border, opposition forces launched an operation on Friday, regaining control of the city center. The same day, they took over Suwayda province in the south and Quneitra’s provincial center.

By Saturday, anti-regime groups had seized Homs' provincial center and begun advancing into Damascus' southern suburbs. Regime forces abandoned key locations, including the Defense and Interior ministries and Damascus International Airport.

By Sunday morning, the Assad regime had lost all control over the capital.

Meanwhile, in ‘Operation Dawn of Freedom’ launched on Dec. 1, the opposition Syrian National Army liberated the Tel Rifaat district center from the PKK/YPG terrorist organization in Aleppo's rural areas.


*Writing by Serdar Dincel in Ankara

Assad’s fall followed years of bloodshed and division in Syria

Reuters 

 December 8, 2024 

Smoke rises as people gather in Damascus, after Syrian rebels said on Sunday that they have ended Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year authoritarian rule, in their first announcement on state television following a lightning offensive that took the world by surprise, Syria December 8, 2024. Photo: Reuters


The sudden collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s rule over Syria marks the culmination of a nearly 14-year rebellion and a key moment in a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced half the population and drew in outside powers.

Syrian rebels say they have toppled Assad in state television announcement

This is how it unfolded:


2011 - The first protests against Assad quickly spread across the country, and are met by security forces with a wave of arrests and shootings. Some protesters take up guns and military units defect as the uprising becomes an armed revolt that will gain support from Western and Arab countries and Turkiye.


2012 - A bombing in Damascus is the first by al Qaeda’s new Syrian affiliate, the Nusra Front, which gains in power and starts crushing groups with a nationalist ideology. World powers meet in Geneva and agree on the need for a political transition, but their divisions on how to achieve it will foil years of UN-sponsored peace efforts. Assad turns his air force on opposition strongholds, as rebels gain ground and the war escalates with massacres on both sides.


2013 - Lebanon’s Hezbollah helps Assad to victory at Qusayr, halting rebel momentum and showing the Iran-backed group’s growing role in the conflict. Washington has declared chemical weapons use a red line, but a gas attack on rebel-held eastern Ghouta near Damascus kills scores of civilians without triggering a US military response.


2014 - Islamic State group suddenly seizes Raqqa in the northeast and swathes more territory in Syria and Iraq. Rebels in the Old City of Homs surrender, agreeing to move to an outer suburb - their first big defeat in a major urban area and a precursor to future “evacuation” deals. Washington builds an anti-Islamic State coalition and starts air strikes, helping Kurdish forces turn the militant tide but creating friction with its ally Turkiye.


2015 - With better cooperation and more arms from abroad, rebel groups gain more ground and seize northwestern Idlib, but militants are taking a bigger role. Russia joins the war on Assad’s side with air strikes that turn the conflict against the rebels for years to come.


2016 - Alarmed by Kurdish advances on the border, Turkiye launches an incursion with allied rebels, making a new zone of Turkish control. The Syrian army and its allies defeat rebels in Aleppo, seen at the time as Assad’s biggest victory of the war. The Nusra Front splits from al Qaeda and starts trying to present itself in a moderate light, adopting a series of new names and eventually settling on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).


2017 - Israel acknowledges air strikes against Hezbollah in Syria, aiming to degrade the growing strength of Iran and its allies. US-backed, Kurdish-led forces defeat Islamic State in Raqqa. That offensive, and a rival one by the Syrian army, drive the jihadist group from nearly all its land.


2018 - The Syrian army recaptures eastern Ghouta, before quickly retaking the other insurgent enclaves in central Syria, and then the rebels’ southern bastion of Deraa.


2019 - Islamic State loses its last scrap of territory in Syria. The US decides to keep some troops in the country to prevent attacks on its Kurdish allies.


2020 - Russia backs a government offensive that ends with a ceasefire with Turkiye that freezes most front lines. Assad holds most territory and all main cities, appearing deeply entrenched. Rebels hold the northwest. A Turkiye-backed force holds a border strip. Kurdish-led forces control the northeast.


2023 - The Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 triggers fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, ultimately reducing the group’s presence in Syria and fatally undermining Assad.


2024 - Rebels launch a new assault on Aleppo. With Assad’s allies focused elsewhere his army quickly collapses. Eight days after the fall of Aleppo the rebels have taken most major cities and enter Damascus, driving Assad from power.

STEALINING THE GOLAN

Israel army says deploying in Syria buffer zone

Syria's war began in 2011

 AFP | 12/08/2024

An Israeli soldier walks past tanks deployed near the Israel-Syria border in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on December 8. Photo: AFP

The Israeli military said Sunday it had deployed forces to a demilitarised buffer zone in southwest Syria abutting the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights after Damascus fell to rebel forces.

Israel had already said the day before, as the Islamist-led rebels swiftly advanced across Syria, that its soldiers had entered the UN-patrolled buffer zone to assist peacekeepers in repelling an attack.


On Sunday, the army announced a troop deployment there, citing "the possible entry of armed individuals into the buffer zone".

"Following the recent events in Syria... the IDF (army) has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in several other places necessary for its defence, to ensure the safety of the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel," a military statement said.

Israeli forces "will continue to operate as long as necessary in order to preserve the buffer zone and defend Israel", it added.

The statement stressed that the Israeli military "is not interfering with the internal events in Syria".

Since the rebel coalition, led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, began its renewed offensive against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad on November 27, Syrian government forces have left positions near the Israeli-held Golan, according to a war monitor.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said on Saturday that army forces had withdrawn from positions in Quneitra province, which includes part of the Golan Heights.

Most of the plateau has been occupied since 1967 by Israel, which later annexed it in a move not recognised by most of the international community.

In 1974 the buffer zone was established, separating the Israeli-held and Syrian territories, with UN peacekeepers stationed there since.

A UN Peacekeeping spokesperson said on Saturday that UNDOF personnel had observed "unidentified armed individuals in the area of separation, including approximately 20 who went into one of the mission's positions in the northern part of the area of separation".

The Israeli army said it was "assisting the UN forces in repelling the attack".

The UN spokesperson said that "peacekeepers continue to carry out their mandated activities on the Golan".

On Sunday, Lebanese media outlets reported an Israeli strike on Quneitra targeting an arms depot. The Israeli military declined to comment.

In a separate statement, the Israeli military said schools in the northern Golan Heights, in an area covering four Druze towns, would move to online teaching, also declaring a "closed military zone" in agricultural lands in the area.

Early in Syria's war, which began in 2011 following the repression of anti-government protests, rebel forces and jihadist groups had taken over parts of Quneitra province.

In August 2014, Islamist rebels attacked UNDOF and took more than 40 Fijian peacekeepers hostage, holding them captive for almost two weeks.

Israel and Syria: Eternal enemies and perpetual war - explainer

The State of Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic have never had formal ties since the inception of both countries in the 20th century.

By ALEX WINSTON

DECEMBER 8, 2024 

JERUSALEM POST

Illustrative of an Israel flag and Syria flag, with soldiers and weapons.(photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

Scenes of enraptured crowds celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad emerged from Damascus on Sunday as Syrian rebels declared the removal of Assad’s regime after taking control of the capital, marking the end of his family’s 50-year grip on power.

The Islamist forces of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who led the rebel groups to almost final victory in the Syrian Civil War, also significantly undermined the regional influence of Assad’s key backers, Russia and Iran, who played crucial roles in sustaining his regime during critical phases of the conflict.

Assad reportedly fled Damascus earlier on Sunday, heading to an undisclosed location, according to senior military sources. Rebel forces, now in control of the capital, reported no visible resistance from government forces as they entered the city.

In a statement, the rebels celebrated their victory, referencing Sednaya prison, infamous for housing thousands of government detainees. “We rejoice with the Syrian people in breaking their chains and the end of the era of oppression,” they declared.

The coalition of opposition groups announced plans to transition power to an interim governing authority with full executive powers. “The Syrian revolution has progressed from overthrowing Assad’s regime to rebuilding a nation worthy of its people’s sacrifices,” the group stated

.

A rebel fighter gestures in Homs countryside, in Syria, December 7, 2024 (credit: REUTERS/Mahmoud Hasano)

Crowds of Syrians gathered in Damascus on Sunday morning, waving flags and chanting “Freedom” to celebrate the end of the Assad family’s decades-long rule. Witnesses described scenes of jubilation as thousands filled the streets.

This stunning turn of events is a significant blow to Russia and Iran, who lose a pivotal ally in the Middle East. Iran, in particular, in its existential battle against Israel, will see the loss of a close ally on the Jewish State’s borders as a major blow to its operations with proxy group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israel and Syria – A brief history of relations

The State of Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic have never had formal ties since the inception of both countries in the 20th century.

The two countries have been locked in a perpetual state of war since the establishment of Israel in May 1948 and an immediate declaration of war. The Syrian army initially captured territories in the newly formed State of Israel near the Sea of Galilee during the War of Independence.

Following the July 1949 Armistice Agreement, much of this land was returned to Israel and designated as Demilitarized Zones (DMZs). However, disputes over borders, territorial ownership, and agricultural rights in these zones led to intermittent skirmishes until the Six Day War in 1967.

In the early 1950s, Syria gradually regained control over some disputed areas along the Golan Heights, particularly around the Sea of Galilee. These territorial disputes were exacerbated by conflicts over water rights, including Israel’s attempts to use water from the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee for irrigation and drinking purposes.

From 1964 to 1966, Syria undertook a project to divert the Jordan River’s tributaries, which would have significantly impacted Israel’s water supply. This provoked intensified clashes, culminating in one of the key crises that led to the Six Day War.

The United Arab Republic (UAR) was officially formed on February 1, 1958, as an early step towards achieving broader pan-Arab unity between Syria and Egypt.

The initiative was first proposed to Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser by a group of influential political and military figures from Syria and saw the cementing of ties between the two countries, which would lead them to much failure in their battles against Israel.

Syria, with its strong pan-Arab sentiment, was a natural proponent of such a union. Nasser had become an iconic leader across the Arab world following his defiance of Western powers during the 1956 Suez Crisis, bolstering his popularity in Syria.

The Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party emerged as one of the most vocal advocates for this merger, reflecting the broader aspirations for Arab solidarity and unification.

Although the Syrian front was largely quiet for the first four days of the Six Day War, Syrian artillery began shelling northern Israel, and twelve Syrian jets attacked Israeli settlements in the Galilee.

Israel responded with military force, and by June 10, the IDF concluded its final military operation in the Golan Heights; a ceasefire agreement followed the next day.

As a result of the war in the North, Israel captured the Golan Heights, and an estimated 100,000 fled the region into Syria and neighboring Lebanon. The Golan Heights also provided Israel with an increased buffer zone against Syria.
The Assads

The Arab defeat in the Six Day War provoked a furious response inside Syria, with increased tensions between the civilian and military leadership over who was responsible for the loss of the Golan Heights.

In a 1970 coup d’etat in the country, Defense Minister Hafez Assad, an Alawite from Qardahah, ousted de facto strongman Salah Jadid and took power, beginning the rule of the Assad clan until its fall this weekend.

On October 6, 1973, Syria and Egypt responded to their humiliation of ‘67 by invading Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar – Yom Kippur. In a shock attack, Syrian forces invaded Israel and made territorial gains in the Golan Heights.

After three days, Israel had pushed most of the Syrians back to the Purple Line, the ceasefire line from the Six Day War. Israel then launched a counteroffensive into Syria, shelling the outskirts of Damascus with IDF troops stationed only 30 km. from the Syrian capital.

Syria lost some 3,000 troops in its third major war with Israel.

The US-brokered 1974 disengagement agreement, facilitated by former secretary of state Henry Kissinger, marked a significant moment in Syrian-Israeli relations. Syria recovered some lost territory, including Quneitra, as part of this agreement.

UN forces have monitored its implementation since. Kissinger also played a role in delivering a list of Israeli prisoners of war held by Syria, helping to pave the way for a prisoner exchange and troop disengagement in the northern theater.

In December 1981, the Knesset passed legislation applying Israeli law to the portion of the Golan Heights under its control. This move was met with international criticism, and the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution urging Israel to revoke the decision.

The following year, in 1982, Israel launched an invasion of southern Lebanon aimed at expelling the PLO. Syrian forces joined the conflict in support of Lebanon but faced significant defeats by Israeli forces. Despite this, Syria maintained its backing for Lebanese terror groups, a dynamic that persisted until the IDF’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000.

During the 1990s peace talks, Syria demanded that Israel withdraw to the pre-1967 borders. Despite these efforts, the territorial dispute over the Golan Heights persists.

Syria’s attempts to reclaim the Golan during the 1973 Yom Kippur War were unsuccessful, aside from recovering limited areas through the 1974 agreement, which required Syrian forces to pull back even further from their previous positions.

In June 2000, Hafez Assad died, and his son Bashar took the reins of power, formally taking the role of president in July of that year.

The younger Assad had no intentions or aspirations of improved relations with Israel. In 2006, Syria threatened to enter the Second Lebanon War on the side of Hezbollah, to which it continuously provided support, and allowed the Iranians to use Syria as a route to ship supplies to the Lebanese terror group.

This continued through 2024, as Israel has routed Hezbollah from southern Lebanon, attacked Iranian proxies in Syria, and dealt the Islamic Republic a blow by attacking its oil infrastructure.

Despite a lack of any ties, Israel did provide some assistance during the Syrian Civil War, which began when demonstrations began against Assad’s presidency in 2011 and then erupted into military campaigns, lasting well over a decade.

Humanitarian aid provided to Syrians became a focus of the Israelis, and in June 2016, the IDF began Operation Good Neighbor, a humanitarian relief operation to provide aid to Syrians who live along the border and provide basic or advanced medical treatment.

There have also been several small agreements to allow members of the Druze community who live in the Golan Heights to enter Israel and Syria for both business and familial reasons.

Israel will be watching the consequences of Assad’s fall closely. Not only has an enemy regime fallen, but observers will be keen to note how any replacement government, whether Islamist or not, deals with the Jewish State as its neighbor.

Iran’s role in Syria will have been severely undermined due to Assad’s fall, as will the provisions it can provide to Hezbollah through the country. Israeli politicians, meanwhile, have been using the regime change to signify an opportunity to create a new regional alliance, one that has never existed since Israel came into being in 1948.

UPDATED: Syria's former president Assad arrives in Moscow

UPDATED: Syria's former president Assad arrives in Moscow / Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

By bne Tehran bureau December 7, 2024

Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family after accepting the Kremlin's offer of asylum, Russian state news agency TASS reported on December 8.

Assad departed Damascus by private jet late December 7, initially landing in Abu Dhabi, as opposition forces closed within kilometres of the Syrian capital. The timing of his subsequent departure from the United Arab Emirates to Moscow remains unclear, according to diplomatic sources.

The departure comes amid a dramatic collapse of government control across Syria. Opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and their leader Ahmed Hussein al-Shar'a, otherwise known as Abu Al-Jolani, have captured three major cities in a lightning offensive that began last week with the fall of Aleppo.

Flight tracking data showed multiple return flights by private aircraft between Damascus and the UAE on December 7 before another jet allegedly crashed and landed in the Syrian countryside. Reuters reported that speculation over whether Assad was on that plane.

Diplomatic positions appear to be shifting rapidly in recent hours. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking in Doha, modified Moscow's stance toward the Syrian opposition for the first time since 2016, with the Kremlin in confirmed talks with different groups over its military base in Tartus, now under opposition control.  

Iran has similarly adjusted its rhetoric, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi referring to opposition forces as "legal occupants" during an interview in Doha, abandoning the previous characterisation of all opposition as "terrorists."

The developments follow a week of rapid territorial losses for the Syrian government. Opposition forces have advanced to the outskirts of Homs, while regime loyalists have fled toward the Mediterranean coast.

Assad had already sent his wife and three children to Moscow in the previous week, presaging his own departure.

The sudden exit of Syria's leader after more than two decades in power marks a dramatic turning point in the country's civil conflict and the end of the 53-year-old government of father and son.

Reports suggest Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may have died in a plane crash

 CONSPIRACY THEORY; WELL THAT DID NOT TAKE LONG

 8 December 2024 14:30 

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is reportedly presumed to have died in a plane crash, according to Reuters, citing two sources within Syria, Azernews reports.

While there is speculation that the plane's transponder may have been turned off, leading to its disappearance from radar, one of the sources suggested that the plane could have been shot down.

The aircraft, an Il-76 with registration number YK-ATA, was believed to have been traveling from Damascus when it made an unexpected turn. Initially headed towards the Iraqi border, the plane veered northeast, over Syria's Mediterranean coast where loyalist Alawites and Russian military bases are located. It then made a sharp turn back in the opposite direction before disappearing from radar near the rebel-held city of Homs.

Flight data from FlightRadar shows that the plane's altitude and speed decreased sharply before it vanished, with its last known location near the Syrian Air Force base in Al-Qusayr, an area currently under rebel control. The status of the base remains unclear.

Russia claims Assad left Syria after giving instructions to transfer power peacefully

By Associated Press - Sunday, December 8, 2024

MOSCOW — Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed Sunday that Bashar Assad had left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups, and gave “instructions” to “transfer power peacefully.”

In a post on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday, the ministry said Moscow had not directly participated in these talks. It also said it has been following the “dramatic events” in Syria “with extreme concern.”


It also said Russian troops stationed in Syria have been put on high alert and that as of early afternoon Sunday, there was “no serious threat” to the security of Russia’s military bases there.

Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, teaming up with Iran to allow Assad’s government to fight armed opposition groups and reclaim control over most of the country.

While Russia now concentrates the bulk of its military resources in Ukraine, it has maintained a military foothold in Syria and keeps troops at its bases there.

Whereabouts of Syria’s Assad unknown with army officers saying he boarded flight

Rebels seize Damascus, oust Bashar al-Assad from power after 24 years as president

Reuters 

December 8, 2024 

A portrait of President Bashar al-Assad is seen on a building near Umayyad Square in Damascus on December 8, 2024. Photo: AFP


AMMAN: Syria’s Bashar al-Assad boarded a plane in Damascus for an unknown destination early on Sunday, two senior army officers said, as rebels seized the city and ousted him from power after 24 years as president.

Assad has not spoken in public since the sudden rebel advance a week ago, when insurgents seized northern Aleppo in a surprise attack before marching into a succession of cities as frontlines crumbled.

His whereabouts now - and those of his wife Asma and their two children - remain unknown.


A Syrian Air plane took off from Damascus airport around the time the capital was reported to have been taken by rebels, according to data from the Flightradar website.

Syrian rebels say they have toppled Assad in state television announcement

The aircraft initially flew towards Syria’s coastal region, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect, but then made an abrupt U-turn and flew in the opposite direction for a few minutes before disappearing off the map.

Syrian Kurds celebrate next to the destroyed statue of late President Hafez al-Assad, father of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, as they celebrate the fall of capital Damascus to anti-government fighters, in the city of Qamishli on December 8, 2024. Photo: AFP

Reuters could not immediately ascertain who was on board.

Two Syrian sources said there was a very high probability that Assad may have been killed if he was on the plane, as it took a surprise U-turn and disappeared off the map according to data from the Flightradar website.

“It disappeared off the radar, possibly the transponder was switched off, but I believe the bigger probability is that the aircraft was taken down…,” said one Syrian source without elaborating.

People celebrate in the central city of Homs on December 8, 2024, after rebel forces entered Syria’s third city overnight. Photo: AFP

The plane departed Damascus soon after rebels had taken the central city of Homs, cutting the capital off from the coast where Assad’s Russian ally has air and naval bases.

The only trackable flight departing Syria visible after midnight on Flightradar24, a flight tracking site, left Homs for the UAE, but that was hours after rebels had captured the city.

As the rebel advance gathered steam over the past week, there was speculation that he may seek refuge in Moscow or with his other main ally Iran.

Syrian state media said on Saturday he was still in Damascus. They have not commented on his whereabouts since.

He was visiting Moscow just before the rebel offensive and Iranian news agencies published a photograph of him on Saturday that they said showed him meeting a top Iranian official in Damascus.

 

Iranian embassy in Damascus ransacked, Russian embassy on lockdown

Iran's Damascus embassy has been ransacked, while the Russian embassy in the Syrian capital is on lockdown. / bne IntelliNews

By bne Tehran bureau December 8, 2024

Iran’s embassy in Damascus has been ransacked, with its items stolen by residents of the Syrian capital, according to a video on social media on December 8.

Iranian officials and military were removed from the country in the runup to former President Basher al-Assad reportedly leaving on December 7 by private jet to Abu Dhabi, bne IntelliNews’ reported earlier.  

Footage shot by several people inside the building shows diplomatic documents and items including cigarettes and fridges being removed by locals, with reports later confirmed by Iran Front Page.

Video purportedly released by Iranian militias inside the Shrine of Zaynab inside Damascus showed dozens of Iranian uniformed officers bidding their farewells to the religious site.

Syrian opposition forces have now taken the entirety of the capital city, with the country’s former prime minister offering a transition arrangement.

Video from inside Syrian state television shows the opposition's green, white and black flag draped on the chair in the main news studio following an announcement broadcast by the rebels led by Hayat al-Sham.

Earlier on December 7, Iran’s former ambassador to Syria Hossein Akbari said that the diplomatic staff had not departed the country and talks were ongoing with the former Syrian regime.

A few hours earlier, Iran's Ambassador in Syria had rejected the evacuation of the embassy, saying Iranian "diplomats and forces" are at work.

"Some are raising these rumours to demoralise the Syrians and our comrades and to strengthen the morale of the armed opposition. Our forces in different locations across Syria are standing by the Syrian government, resisting and helping, and we hope that these efforts will bear fruit," he had said.

The Russian embassy in Damascus said on December 8 that there were no reports of Russian casualties in the current escalation of fighting in Syria while urging remaining Russian nationals to consider leaving the country amid deteriorating security conditions.

The call for an evacuation came as commercial air travel options became increasingly limited, with opposition forces having captured airfields around the Syrian capital and Damascus International Airport suspending operations, according to diplomatic sources.

"The embassy continues to function, maintaining its consular and diplomatic operations," a Russian embassy spokesperson told TASS news agency.

Iran and Russia stood by the government of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad during the civil war that began in 2011.

Iran's late Revolutionary Guards General Qassem Soleimani was Iran's top commander and a key figure in protecting the Assad regime, but he was killed during a mission in Baghdad in a drone strike by the United States in 2020 ordered by President Donald Trump.

Iranian officials expressed strong support for the Assad administration after opposition groups began advancing across the country in November 27.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi began diplomatic talks with his counterparts from Russia and Turkey, with which the two countries have long worked on a peace process named the Astana Process. Other regional countries also attended the talks. In unprecedented remarks, Araghchi later called for dialogue between the Assad government and the "legitimate opposition".

Iranian staff evacuate Syrian embassy: Spokesperson

ByIFP Media Wire

December 8, 2024

Iranian diplomats in Damascus left the embassy before members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) stormed it on Sunday, reports Tehran Times, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei.

Baqaei stated on Sunday that Iranian diplomats at Tehran’s embassy in Damascus had evacuated the premises prior to an attack by militants early that morning.

He confirmed that all Iranian staff are safe and left the embassy before the attackers arrived.

Foreign-backed militants, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, have ransacked the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus after the government of President Bashar al-Assad fell early Sunday.

Videos circulated online Sunday showed the militants tearing down the poster that depicted martyred Iranian anti-terror commander General Qassem Soleimani and Hezbollah chief Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, at the diplomatic mission’s exterior.

They also broke the windows of the embassy and looted its offices.

Sabri Ok: Abdullah Öcalan never compromised his stance and showed his will for a solution

Sabri Ok said that the recent developments and discussions about Abdullah Öcalan are important.


ANF
BEHDINAN
Sunday, 8 December 2024, 07:50

In the second part of this interview, Sabri Ok, member of the KCK Executive Council, spoke about the recent visit to Abdullah Öcalan in Imrali.

Part one of this interview can be read here, and part two here.

The isolation of the people's leader Abdullah Ocalan continues, and so does, accordingly, the struggle against it by the Kurdish people and their international friends. At the same time, there were discussions in Turkey about a meeting with Abdullah Öcalan. How do you evaluate the current developments in this regard?

Undoubtedly, the recent developments and discussions about Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] are important. Rêber Apo has been a hostage in Imrali for 26 years. He is always on the agenda of our movement, our people, and the Turkish state. Last year, a global campaign was developed under the leadership of the international friends of the Kurdish people for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. That is an important campaign. Many international organizations, especially women, youth, and non-governmental organizations, but also politicians and academics, participate in this movement. From Asia to America, from Europe to the Middle East, women all over the world stand up for it and develop it gradually. Neither we, our people, nor our international friends will accept the current situation. The aim of this global campaign is to ensure the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. All struggle and efforts are based on this and won’t end as long as this situation prolongs.

As it is known, Ömer Öcalan was able to meet Rêber Apo a few weeks ago. In this meeting, Rêber Apo said that the isolation continues, and he also said that he has the theoretical and practical power to move the process from the grounds of conflict and violence to the legal and political grounds if the conditions arise. We and our people are aware of the isolation that Rêber Apo is in. Our duty is to wage a more radical, more organized, and wider struggle to break it. Not only for the lifting of the isolation but also for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. Rêber Apo has been under severe isolation and oppression in Imrali for 26 years. One can only guess what is happening in Imrali. We understand from the statements of Bahceli and Erdogan that there is a great struggle regarding Imrali. Bahceli stated that the DEM Party delegation should go and see Rêber Apo as soon as possible. He had already previously said that Rêber Apo should come to the parliament and speak there. It is hard to tell what their true intention is, but what is known is that there is a great pressure against Rêber Apo and that he is fighting against it. Whatever the Turkish state was aiming for, they failed to achieve it; their calculations did not work.

The Turkish state, particularly the AKP-MHP, is showing great hypocrisy regarding the Kurdish question. They are not honest and still are trying to mock people’s minds; they want to change the agenda, deceive society, and manipulate. Whatever their calculations, they have realized that without Rêber Apo, the democratization of Turkey and the solution of the Kurdish question are not possible. We always say that Rêber Apo is the address for a solution, and now the Turkish state has also had to accept this reality. They have realized that nothing can be achieved without Rêber Apo. They are now stuck. They calculated that they would destroy the guerrilla, subjugate the society, the PKK would become isolated, and then they would achieve their goals and solve the Kurdish question in their own way. But their calculations didn’t add up. The guerrilla is still standing, resisting with great heroism. On this occasion, I salute all the friends who are currently resisting in the war tunnels and at the front and wish them success. The Turkish state cannot achieve results against this will, against this resistance. And that although they use all their means. They trample on international law and the laws of war; they use the collaboration of the KDP, and NATO always supports them. They use the most advanced technology against us, but the result is clearly visible to everyone. Their calculations do not work, and they cannot achieve results.

Many developments are taking place in the Middle East; new processes are developing. If the Turkish state insists on the same way, it will reach the same result. That’s why they started a search. For four years they have been imposing a heavy isolation and great pressure on Rêber Apo in Imrali. Rêber Apo never compromised his stance and showed that he had the will for a solution. So, the Turkish state got trapped in a dead end there too and failed to get results. When their neo-Ottoman calculations regarding the Middle East failed, this time they became scared and started looking for different ways. They made calculations to manipulate the PKK, to play on internal problems, if possible, to separate Rêber Apo from the PKK, and to confuse the Kurdish politics on a legal level. In this way, they wanted to find a way and achieve their goals. The process is still going on in this way.

Rêber Apo expressed that he has the theoretical and practical power to move this process from the ground of conflict and violence to the legal and political ground. But the Turkish state is just talking and does not take a step and still does not take responsibility. This is also evident in their speeches. Every day its academics and advisors say that there are no Kurds, that there just is the Turkish nation. Would it be okay if I used the same rhetoric and said, “There are no Turks; they are Arabs or they are English”? That makes about as much sense as saying that there are no Kurds or that Kurds are Turks. Kurds are Kurds, and Turks are Turks. There is no point in being ashamed of this, and there is also no reason to consider themselves superior to other nations. But the Turkish state still says there are no Kurds, there is no Kurdish question, there is a terrorist problem. They say no to federation, autonomy, and education in mother tongue. There is denial and rejection of the Kurdish people. With such a mentality, no solution can develop.

They are probably calculating that they still can deceive the Kurds, change the agenda, and develop a dystopia among the Kurds. But they must realize that they have not been able to achieve results with these dirty policies over the last centuries. They have to accept the Kurdish reality. The solution of the Kurdish question means the democratization of Turkey. Our people say that the recent developments in Turkey are a game they play. The Turkish state should openly express what is needed to solve the Kurdish question. If they are honest, if they really want to solve the question, then Rêber Apo has to be physically free and take part in this process. Our people say this and do not compromise on their struggle. On the one hand, the Turkish regime talks about a solution and says that Rêber Apo should come and speak in the parliament; on the other hand, it usurps the will of the Kurdish people by implementing trustees every day. The DEM Party won the municipality of Elih (tr. Batman), which has the highest count of votes in all of Turkey and Kurdistan, but still a trustee was installed, and they still call it democracy.

The Kurdish people see this, and for them it is not possible to digest and accept this. This approach is not about solving the Kurdish question but rejecting it. It is the mentality of denying the Kurdish people and insisting on war. If they would be serious and honest, Rêber Apo would always be ready; our movement and our people are ready for a solution. Recently the information leaked that the Turkish state has spent 3 trillion dollars since the beginning of the war. This is enough budget for a whole country. If the economy of the Turks has collapsed today, if people are poor and hungry, the main reason for this is the war against the Kurdish people. But Turkish trade unions and Turkish politicians do not talk about this. This war has upset the life, future, psychology, and politics of Turkish society. The Turkish state is blocked not only inside but also outside; they have been disgraced. No matter how much they say they will expand everywhere in the Middle East with their neo-Ottoman mindset, they are hitting dead ends wherever they go. They have no choice; either they accept and solve the Kurdish question, or they will lose everything.

The Turkish state is trying to cover up how its war against the freedom guerrilla of Kurdistan is going on. For example, in July the Turkish state has only publicly announced the deaths of five of its soldiers. One of them died in Somalia, one in Syria, and three in the operation they call ‘Claw Lock’. But most recently, the head of the Zafer Party, Umit Ozdag, admitted the truth and said that 44 soldiers died in July only in the area of the so-called ‘Claw Lock’ operation. How do you evaluate this situation?

One of the main pillars of the special war that has been waged against us, against our people, for 50 years is lies and manipulation. The Turkish state never reveals the truth. The HPG announces its martyrs. The HPG says announces when a friend of ours was martyred, and mostly a few days later the Turkish state makes a statement saying that they murdered that friend. It never shows its own casualties and deaths accurately. It has prepared many of its personnel accordingly. They also make them sign agreements; they tell the families that if their son dies, the state has the right not to disclose it. They have created a legal basis for themselves. If one looks at the statements they make, if one looks at the number of guerrillas they have allegedly murdered in the last four years, one could almost think that the guerrillas are a huge army consisting of hundreds of thousands of fighters, which is obviously not the case. They are simply lying.

A massive war is being waged. They are attacking using the most advanced technology. They are waging an unlawful war in which chemical weapons are used, and against all these attacks, our friends are resisting 24/7. Of course, we also give martyrs, we do not deny this, as I said, the YJA Star, HPG publishes their identities. But the Turkish state has built everything on lies, and the bad thing is that the society is not aware of this, or they do not realize it often. Especially the society in Turkey, the Kurdish people are of course a more political people; they know the war, but the society in Turkey is not very aware of the realities. Turkish politicians, all politicians in general, should tell the Turkish society about the reality of the war. Three trillion dollars were spent in this war; they could have built Turkey twice with this money. There would be no poverty, unemployment, or hunger in Turkey. Turkey would have been democratized. But the Turkish state will never admit that they spent three trillion dollars on the war. They don’t want the society to understand this because the society will act accordingly and criticize. That’s why they don’t want the public to know. Even someone like Umit Ozdag gets desperate and confesses, and what he says is not exactly true, but it is close to the truth. They cannot hide it anymore. Even a fascist like Umit Ozdag, who is nothing less than Bahceli, has no tolerance left against AKP-MHP. He gets desperate and announces how many people have died. This reveals the state they are in. Suleyman Soylu was saying that they know everything about the guerrilla, even the size of their shoes. Again they were saying they would end the struggle of the guerrilla within four months; another one was saying that we will bring them to their end next year, but our struggle has revealed that no matter which state, which government, or which power, if they do not approach the Kurdish question seriously, if they do not produce a solution, they themselves will perish.

Since the beginning of this war, dozens of General Staffs, dozens of Prime Ministers, dozens of Presidents, dozens of security and intelligence officers have come and gone, but the PKK is still standing. This is the dialectic. We say that we started from scratch, and this is the truth. Rêber Apo started from scratch. Of course the Kurdish people had a legacy of resistance; there are honorable leaders like Sheikh Said, Seyit Riza, etc. in our history, but the Turkish state attacked the Kurdish people in such a brutal way that the Kurds had nothing left. Rêber Apo started from scratch, based on the truth and reached millions. The 46th anniversary of the founding of the PKK was celebrated by millions of people all over the world. We are openly saying the reality of the war, what the situation is. Our movement gives people confidence, but the Turkish state is not like that, they lie to each other, they lie to their society, they lie to everyone and these lies are exposed every day. They cannot hide it anymore.