Author: Anadolu Agency

Preserving Syrian prison records is crucial for uncovering the fate of detainees and forcibly disappeared people, as well as identifying the perpetrators of violations under the deposed regime, Fadel Abdul Ghani, the head of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), told Anadolu. This came as detainees continue to emerge from Syrian prisons, providing testimonies about torture and abuse, along with their physical scars that summarize the tragic reality they endured in the dungeons of the now-vanished Bashar al-Assad regime. Anti-regime groups captured the capital, Damascus, on Sunday after regime forces withdrew from public institutions, marking the end of 61…

Türkiye will assess the conditions in Syria over reopening its embassy there, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told reporters in the capital Ankara on Tuesday. On Israel’s aggression in Syria and its intentions in the wake of the fall of the Bashar Assad regime, Fidan said Tel Aviv “wants to make all the equipment in the hands of the current (Syrian) administration unusable.” The Israeli military launched airstrikes on at least 250 targets across Syria following the regime’s collapse, according to Israeli Army Radio. The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned Israel on Tuesday for violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement by advancing into…

Syrians who sought refuge in Türkiye during the civil war in their home country have started returning to Syria following the fall of the 61-year-old Baath Party regime.
 At the Cilvegözü Border Gate in Hatay, southeastern province of Türkiye, Syrians lined up at the border gate in Reyhanlı on Monday morning, waiting for customs procedures. To prevent overcrowding, gendarmerie teams set up a separate control point about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the border. After checks at this point, Syrians deemed eligible for crossing were directed to the Cilvegözü Border Gate. Adem Muhammed Zin, a Syrian national, told Anadolu Agency…

UN chief Antonio Guterres urged Monday global leaders to intensify efforts to prevent genocide and bring perpetrators to justice as he marked the 76th anniversary of the Genocide Convention. Saying that the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted in the aftermath of the Holocaust, Guterres in a statement said: “The Convention is a pledge to the victims and survivors of genocide to ensure that these atrocities never occur again.” “Tragically, in a world plagued by division, mistrust and violence, the dark spectre of genocide is still with us,” he said. Urging all countries…

South Korea on Monday imposed an overseas travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol amid the ongoing political crisis triggered by his failed martial law attempt. The country’s Justice Ministry imposed the ban on Yoon, KBS broadcaster reported. The travel ban request was filed by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. Yoon is being investigated over alleged treason, insurrection, mutiny, and abuse of power after the majority of lawmakers rejected his martial law declaration last week. However, he survived an impeachment motion over the move. “Securing the necessary materials comes first… We are deciding based on a comprehensive review,…

Taiwan on Monday said it raised the alert level among its combat units after Taipei detected movement by the Chinese military around the island nation. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had set up seven “air reserves zones” around eastern Fujian and Zhejiang provinces for a two-day period ending Wednesday. It added the PLA had dispatched naval vessels, as well as coast guard boats, while Taipei initiated “combat readiness drills” and its military units on its outlying islands “heightened their vigilance.” Beijing has yet to announce whether it plans any military drills.…

The Kremlin on Monday confirmed that deposed head of the Syrian regime Bashar al-Assad and his family were given asylum by Russia. “Of course, such decisions cannot be made without the head of state. It is his (Russian President Vladimir Putin) decision,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow. Noting that Putin’s official schedule does not include a meeting with Assad, Peskov said there is also “nothing to tell” about his current whereabouts. Peskov said that Moscow is working to contact those who can ensure the security of Russian military bases in Syria, while the Russian military is also…

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Israel this week to discuss key issues, including cease-fire efforts in Gaza, developments in Syria, and the situation in Lebanon, his spokesperson announced Monday. “Sullivan is traveling to Israel this week to meet with Israeli officials as part of our close consultations on a range of important issues including efforts to reach a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza, the latest developments in Syria, and for discussions about Lebanon and Iran,” National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement. Sullivan’s planned visit also comes after a cease-fire…

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reiterated condemnation “in the strongest terms” of Israel’s military aggression against Lebanon, reaffirming Islamabad’s “unwavering” support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a phone conversation with his Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati, he welcomed the Lebanon-Israel cease-fire and called for a similar cease-fire agreement in Gaza, said a statement from Sharif’s office. Referring to “brotherly and warm” relations between the two nations, Sharif stated that the “entire” Pakistani nation stands in solidarity with the people of Lebanon during these challenging times. Pakistan has already provided humanitarian assistance to Lebanon. Both leaders exchanged views…

NATO’s secretary general on Monday hailed what he called a “moment of joy” in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime, voicing hope for a peaceful transition. Writing on X, “Good to speak with (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan about Syria,” Mark Rutte added: “This is a moment of joy but also uncertainty for millions. We hope for a peaceful transition, respect for the rule of law & protection of minorities.” Rutte also said that Russia and Iran were “complicit in the crimes of Assad.” Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups…