Author: Steven Sahiounie

While Russia and Turkey have once again managed to figure out a mutual solution in the Idlib standoff, the US is casting doubt on the longevity of the newly-struck ceasefire, seeking to reinstate itself as a major player in Syria and at the same time boost relations with Ankara, political analysts say. On 5 March, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan struck an agreement that envisages a ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib province beginning 6 March. However, US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey threw the rationale of the truce into doubt, claiming that Turkey is the only…

The Iranian missile programme has been harshly criticised by some Arab countries, as well as by the US. The latter claims that Tehran’s satellite space programme actually serves a purpose in the development of ballistic missiles, despite Iran denying this. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi has commented on recent statements by the informal Arab Ministerial Quartet Committee, made up of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt, saying that the country’s missiles do not threaten regional Arab and Muslim states. Mousavi noted that there can be no discussion regarding Iran’s missile programme. The spokesman further stressed the fact that…

By Joaquin Flores Late on March 3rd were confirmed attacks by the Turkish army in the area where the Russian military was located in the city of Sarakib in the east of Idlib province. The Russian Ministry of Defense has not spoken to this, although on Wednesday morning its official representative, Major General Igor Konashenkov, announced the merger of the Turkish “observation posts” in the Idlib de-escalation zone with the terrorist groups operating here . In the wee early hours of March 4th, these attacks continued on as Turkish artillery launched a further series of attacks on Sarakib, where Russian military police units were…

Units of the Russian Military Police entered the town of Saraqib in eastern Idlib following the second liberation of the town from al-Qaeda terrorists and Turkish forces. According to the Russian military, the deployment took place at 5:00pm local time on March 2 and was intended to provide security and allow traffic through the M4 and M5 highways. In fact, the Russians came to put an end to Turkish attempts to capture the town and cut off the M5 highway in this area. At the same time, the Syrian Army repelled attempts of al-Qaeda and Turkish forces to capture the…

By: Rana Aladdin  Lebanon’s already troubling economy is facing a debt burden, that experts call unbearable, as currently facing a March 9 deadline that requires Lebanon to pay $1.2 billion in Eurobonds. Government officials and bankers are divided on whether to pay or restructure the debt due. Economists argue the main concern right now should be to fix the country’s economy, instead of paying international creditors the Eurobond. Others say a debt default would damage Lebanon’s reputation with investors. Lebanon has one of the highest public debts in the world and is currently facing its worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990…

The United States has conducted an airstrike against the Taliban militant group’s positions in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand Province, just days after the two sides signed a “peace” deal. The Taliban militants “were actively attacking an (Afghan National Security Forces) checkpoint. This was a defensive strike to disrupt the attack,” Colonel Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for the US Forces in Afghanistan, said in a tweet on Wednesday. Leggett said the US was committed to peace but had the responsibility to defend its Afghan partners. He also called on the Taliban to stop “needless attacks” and uphold their commitments, invoking the deal…

Iran has no obligation to grant the UN’s nuclear watchdog access to sites in Iran when it deems that requests are based on “fabricated information,” Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Vienna said Wednesday. “Intelligence services’ fabricated information… creates no obligation for Iran to consider such requests,” said a statement from Kazem Gharib Abadi. It came a day after a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reprimanded Iran for refusing access to two sites which diplomats believe could be connected to the country’s nuclear activity. Gharib Abadi also accused the US and “Israel” of trying to “exert pressure on the…

The Kremlin has said it hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be able to agree on a set of joint measures for the Syrian province of Idlib when they meet for talks in Moscow on Thursday. “We plan to discuss the Idlib crisis,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “We expect to reach a common understanding on the crisis, the cause of the crisis, the harmful effects of the crisis and arrive at a set of necessary joint measures.” Erdogan reiterated on Wednesday that he expects his talks with Putin this week to result in the rapid…

by Lilia Dergacheva A surprise basis point cut in interest rates spearheaded by the Fed in a bid to nullify the negative effect of the spread of the coronavirus on the greenback is believed will usher in new ones in the months to come, with various governments remaining on the verge of calling for new spending plans. The dollar fell to as low as 106.85 yen on Wednesday, a five-month nadir. It fell to 0.9566 Swiss francs, equaling its weakest level in roughly two years. In the meantime, the US Federal Reserve stunned traders by reducing rates by 50 points to…

Steven Sahiounie, political commentator FRANCE 24’s Wassim Nasr, a specialist in jihadist networks, recently spoke via Skype with French recruiter Omar Omsen, the head of the jihadist group Furkat-al-Ghuraba, an Al Qaeda affiliate in Idlib.  There are numerous French terrorists in Idlib today, fighting to establish an Islamic state out of a small piece of secular Syria.  Their dream is a Sunni utopia on the Turkish border, where they can enjoy the full support of the Turkish President Erdogan, who is the head of the AK party which is a Muslim Brotherhood party which has dominated Turkey for about 20…