Israel attacks military sites in Syria

The UN envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called this Sunday for increased humanitarian aid and to avoid acts of «vengeance»after his arrival in Damascus, a week after the fall of President Bashar el-Assad, overthrown by the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), former Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, which claims to have broken with jihadism but remains classified “terrorist” by several Western capitals, including Washington. Le Figaro takes stock of the situation this Sunday, October 15.

Military sites on Syrian coast hit by Israel

Intense Israeli strikes targeted military sites in the coastal region of Tartus in Syria overnight from Sunday to Monday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“Israeli warplanes launched strikes” at several sites, including air defense units and “surface-to-surface missile depots”according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, in what the NGO describes as “heaviest strikes since 2012” in this coastal region of Tartous, which is home to a Russian naval base.

7,600 Syrians have returned since the fall of Bashar al-Assad

During an 11-day offensive launched from Idleb (northwest), a coalition of rebel factions led by the radical Sunni group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the former Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, captured a large part of the country, including Damascus, from government forces, putting an end to half a century of power for the Assad family on December 8. Led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, HTS claims to have broken with jihadism but remains classified “terrorist” by several Western capitals, including Washington. Le Figaro takes stock of the situation this Sunday, October 15.

Some 7,600 Syrian migrants crossed the Turkish border to return to their country during the five days following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad a week ago, the Turkish Interior Minister said this Sunday, October 15.

In a press release published on the social network X, Ali Yerlikaya specifies that 7,621 Syrians are “voluntarily returned from Turkey” in their country between December 9 and 13

“Part” of Russian diplomatic staff evacuated by plane on Sunday

Part of the Russian diplomatic staff in Damascus was repatriated from Syria to Russia on Sunday, the Kremlin announced, a week after the fall of its ally Bashar al-Assad.

“On December 15, the withdrawal of part of the personnel of the Russian (diplomatic) representation in Damascus was carried out during a special flight of the Russian Air Force (…) departing from the air base of Hmeimim» in Syria, the crisis situations department of the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Telegram. It specifies that the flight arrived at Chkalovsky airport, near Moscow, but does not indicate how many people were repatriated.

Members of the diplomatic missions of Belarus, North Korea and Abkhazia, a separatist region of Georgia supported by Moscow, were also on board this flight from Syria, adds this source.

“The Russian Embassy in Damascus continues to operate”concludes the press release published on Telegram.

The UN envoy to Damascus

Geir Pedersen arrived in Damascus this Sunday, his spokesperson said, without revealing his program. “He just arrived” et “should speak when he arrives”Jenifer Fenton told AFP, without specifying whether he was going to meet Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, the leader of the armed coalition dominated by Islamists who took power in Syria.

Geir Pedersen has called for a transition in recent days «inclusive» to avoid a “new civil war” in Syria. In Jordan, a country neighboring Syria, he participated on Saturday in discussions bringing together American, Arab, European and Turkish diplomats, who agreed that the transition process must “be led (…) by the Syrians themselves and result in an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government”according to a joint press release.

“We must ensure that Syria receives increased immediate humanitarian assistance for the population and for all refugees who wish to return”said Geir Pedersen, whose visit is the first by a senior UN official since Mr. Assad fled to Russia. He also called for avoiding acts of «vengeance».

Several states including France make contact with the new power

Paris announced the sending of a diplomatic mission to Damascus on Tuesday, the first in 12 years, to notably “establish first contacts” with the new authorities.

After Washington on Saturday, the United Kingdom also announced on Sunday that it had established “diplomatic contacts” with the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), leading the coalition of rebel groups.

Doha announced the arrival of a delegation in Syria where it met officials of the transitional government, while preparing the reopening of its embassy. Turkey, a major player in the conflict in Syria and support of the new authorities, had already reopened its embassy in Damascus on Saturday after more than 12 years of closure.

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A French diplomatic mission will visit Syria on Tuesday, a first in 12 years

Possible dismissal of proceedings against Assad’s uncle in Switzerland

The Swiss federal criminal court plans to dismiss the proceedings against an uncle of the deposed Syrian president, Rifaat el-Assad, prosecuted for war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to the Sunday press and an NGO.

Rifaat el-Assad, former commander of the Defense Brigades, is accused by the Swiss federal prosecutor of having, within the framework of the armed conflict and the widespread attack launched in February 1982 against the population of this Syrian city, “ordered killings, acts of torture, cruel treatment and illegal detentions”. This massacre, which left between 10,000 and 40,000 dead, earned him the nickname “butcher of Hama”. The date of his trial was never announced but, on November 29, a few days before the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, the federal criminal court informed the civil parties “that he wishes to close the procedure”Swiss newspapers indicated this Sunday Sunday Morning et Sunday newspaper. The octogenarian defendant is said to suffer from illnesses preventing him from traveling and participating in his trial.

It was following a denunciation by the Swiss non-governmental organization Trial International, in December 2013, that the federal prosecutor’s office opened the criminal procedure, by virtue of universal jurisdiction and the imprescriptibility of war crimes. Alerted by Syrians living in Geneva, the NGO found his trace in a large Geneva hotel. “Trial confirms the intention expressed by the court to the parties to close. But the formal decision has not yet been taken.Benoit Meystre, legal advisor of the NGO, confirmed to AFP on Sunday. “In the event of closure, the opportunity for an appeal will be examined and it is very likely that this decision will be contested”he indicated, specifying however that “Trial does not have the capacity to appeal, if there is recourse it will be due to the will of the complaining parties, victims”.

Presenting himself as an opponent of Bashar el-Assad, Rifaat el-Assad returned to Syria in 2021 after 37 years of exile in France, to escape a 4-year prison sentence which had been imposed on him in France for money laundering. organized gang and embezzlement of Syrian public funds. He left his country in 1984 after a failed coup attempt against his brother Hafez.