The outright military victory for which the Assad regime is clamouring in the region of southern Syria would clash with Moscow’s interests, Western and Arab diplomats said on Tuesday.
Since the end of June, Syrian government forces and militias linked to Hezbollah have surrounded the old southern city of Deraa, known as Deaa Al Balad, and other rebel strongholds in the countryside.
Armed confrontations erupted and nearly eroded the control of the regime in large parts of Deraa governorate, which was retaken by the government forces three years ago.
The area, the birthplace of the Syrian revolt in 2011 against five decades of Assad family rule, is near Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The rebels surrendered their heavy weapons in 2018 after a tacit deal between Russia, the US and Israel to hand back territory to the regime. The Russians, who bombed Deraa province and other rebel regions in Syria, supervised the deal.
The two sides had reached a fragile truce on July 30 that was extended for 48 hours, but they were breached repeatedly when the Syrian military and militias supported by Iran launched an operation on the city.
Members of a praetorian guards unit at the top of the military hierarchy of the Assad regime were seen in videos, posted in late July on the Syrian Army’s social media accounts, shouting for revenge as they surrounded Deraa's old city.
Days earlier rebels broke through their lines and captured more than 140 of the regime's military and security personnel across the southern province. The rebels ordered many of the prisoners to shout slogans denouncing President Bashar Al Assad and filmed them doing so.
They released the prisoners in compliance with a request from the Russian military, which on Saturday imposed a truce between the two sides.
“We are coming to take our retribution,” shouted members of the Fourth Armoured Division in a video circulated this week on pro-regime internet sites.
“With our spirit with our blood we sacrifice ourselves for you, Bashar,” they chanted in front of Russian tanks belonging to the unit.
The Fourth Division is headed by Mr Al Assad’s younger brother Maher, the most dominant commander in the regime’s military.
His men are putting on a show of force and Deraa residents say the Fourth Division is shelling the city in breach of the truce.
The sources said a Russian officer, who goes by the name of Assadullah and is negotiating with the rebels, on Monday urged them to meet regime demands to enter Old Deraa and other areas ”so the situation could be contained”.
But Mr Al Assad’s military does not appear to have Russia's approval to storm old Deraa, several diplomats monitoring the situation from Jordan say.
“Deraa seems the only place in Syria where Moscow wants soft power to succeed,” said one European diplomat. “Moscow might need at least one area of Syria where there is no more regime massacres and decentralisation that could encourage international donors to put up money for reconstruction."
The Russian approach to Deraa contrasts markedly with Moscow having given leeway for the regime and allied militia supported by Iran to overrun rebel areas that surrendered after the Russian military intervention in late 2015.
Tass news agency last week quoted Russian mediator Vadim Kulit as saying that the regime’s military “have stabilised the situation” in Deraa. He said there is an agreement between the regime and the rebels “on settling the situation".
Russian planes bombed Deraa in 2018 as Moscow negotiated a tacit deal with Israel and the United States for the Assad regime to recapture Deraa.
Unlike areas where Russian military intervention tilted the civil war in favour of the regime and its pro-Iranian Shiite militia allies, the Deraa deal was not a total rebel surrender.
It was not followed by depopulation of civilians, the backbone of the 2011 revolt, which broke out in Deraa.
Thousands of civilians, along with many rebels, left in green Chinese buses to areas controlled by Turkish-allied groups in northern Syria since 2015.
And unlike numerous rebel regions since 2015, Russian planes did not bomb Old Deraa to help the regime and its militia allies, supervised by Hezbollah, advance.
The 2018 deal resulted in the rebels, who were supported mainly by Arab States and the US, handing over Deraa and swathes of southern Syria to the regime. They surrendered their heavy weapons.
But regime presence in former rebel areas of Deraa province was limited mostly to police stations and government departments.
Ibrahim, a notable figure from Deraa, said Moscow realises that the regime’s reliance on brute force is not sustainable.
“I think Moscow does not want to see another green bus scenario in Deraa,” he said by WhatsApp from Deraa.
“It is impossible for the central government in Damascus to impose its control all over Syria without a comprehensive international agreement."
The renewed uprising in Deraa forced Jordan at the weekend to close the main land border crossing with Syria.
The authorities in Amman eased cargo and other restrictions at the Nassib frontier.
The move came after King Abdullah called from Washington last month for accommodation with Mr Al Assad, saying the Syrian President had shown “longevity”. But the king said any international reconstruction aid would need to be contingent on political reform.
“Many in the international community realise that the only thing the regime can do is survival,” a senior Jordanian official said on condition of anonymity.
“Show me one regime area of Syria where reconstruction is possible,” the official said. “Its grip has to ease for that to happen.”
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
RESULTS
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner: Dirilis Ertugrul, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer)
2.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,400m
Winner: Kidd Malibu, Sandro Paiva, Musabah Al Muhairi
2.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,000m
Winner: Raakezz, Tadhg O’Shea, Nicholas Bachalard
3.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,200m
Winner: Au Couer, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar
3.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
Winner: Rayig, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m
Winner: King’s Shadow, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
How Beautiful this world is!
Fixtures (all times UAE)
Saturday
Brescia v Atalanta (6pm)
Genoa v Torino (9pm)
Fiorentina v Lecce (11.45pm)
Sunday
Juventus v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Inter Milan v SPAL (6pm)
Lazio v Udinese (6pm)
Parma v AC Milan (6pm)
Napoli v Bologna (9pm)
Verona v AS Roma (11.45pm)
Monday
Cagliari v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Match info
Deccan Gladiators 87-8
Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16
Maratha Arabians 89-2
Chadwick Walton 51 not out
Arabians won the final by eight wickets
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
MATCH INFO
Tottenham 4 (Alli 51', Kane 50', 77'. Aurier 73')
Olympiakos 2 (El-Arabi 06', Semedo')
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
