Syrian regime forces pounded the southern rebel enclave of Deraa Al Balad with hundreds of rockets on Sunday after a Russia-mediated surrender deal fell through.
Opposition sources in Amman and witnesses said at least 400 rockets hit the besieged area over 12 hours while the enclave's defenders fought street battles with the Syrian army and Iran-backed militias.
“We have not seen bombing like this in the last 10 years,” said Samer, a resident of Deraa Al Balad.
“They are using multiple rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns against the neighbourhood.”
He said at least one person had been killed and dozens wounded, including a teenage girl who lost an arm after being hit by shrapnel.
Several hundred rebels are in Deraa Al Balad, along with a similar number of civilians, out of an original population of 40,000, opposition sources in Amman say.
The district, part of the city of Deraa, which is on the border with Jordan, has become the centre of international currents affecting the Syrian conflict.
Its residents are rural Sunnis, who formed the backbone of the 2011 revolt against President Bashar Al Assad. His father, Hafez Al Assad, took power in a 1963 coup along with a group of officers from Syria's Alawite minority.
The resistance in the enclave has hindered Jordan's efforts to rebuild ties with the Assad regime after its crackdown on the initially peaceful revolt. Unlike many countries in the region, Jordan has kept its embassy in Damascus open.
Regime attacks on Deraa Al Balad and other rebel areas in southern Syria killed at least 50 people in the past six weeks, activists in the area say.
The kingdom closed its border crossing with Syria last month, citing the violence, days after it lifted trading and movement restrictions with regime areas.
Jordan has not responded to a public appeal by civil leaders in Deraa Al Balad on Saturday for “safe passage” for civilians and fighters to flee the district.
Residents of Deraa Al Balad, and southern Syria as a whole, have close family links with clans just across the border in Jordan.
The appeal was issued in a videotaped message from five civil figures in the name of the “clans of Deraa Al Balad”. They asked Jordan’s King Abdullah II to use his international connections to let people flee to Jordan, if he could not stop the “annihilation and depopulation campaign” against the district.
One of the five, Faisal Aba Zeid, belongs to a prominent clan in southern Syria, while another, Adnan Al Masalmeh, has led negotiations with the Russian military on behalf of Deraa Al Balad.
Most of Deraa Al Balad’s population, about 38,000 people, have fled to areas near Russian positions in and around Deraa.
Russia, an Assad ally, entered southern Syria in 2018, following a deal between Moscow, Washington and Israel for the regime to return to southern Syria.
The latest attack on Deraa Al Balad came after a Russian-supervised surrender agreement collapsed for the second time in two weeks. The deal would have allowed some rebels to stay in the district without weapons. The rest would be deported to areas under the Turkish sphere of influence in northern Syria.
Differences persisted over the size of the regime's military presence and whether the district as a whole would have to disarm.
A member of the Syrian opposition in Amman said Russia wants to restore full regime control over Deraa Al Balad, whereas the 2018 deal allows for a measure of self-governance in opposition areas.
“The international picture three years ago was different,” he said. “Russia now has a free hand in southern Syria.”
The attacks on Deraa Al Balad are being led by the Fourth Division, a praetorian guard headed by Maher Al Assad, the president's only surviving brother and the second most powerful man in the regime.
Iraqi and Lebanese militiamen are also surrounding Deraa Al Balad, directed by Hezbollah commanders in the Syrian town of Izraa, 40 kilometres north of Deraa, defectors from the Syrian military in Amman say.
Although Russia has sought to portray itself as a peacemaker in southern Syria, the offensive on Deraa Al Balad could not have taken place without approval from Russia, they said.
Moscow is regarded as wanting to avoid the forced population transfers seen in other former rebel areas that came under Moscow’s influence since it intervened in Syria in 2015.
Russia’s intention, western diplomats in Amman say, is to encourage international funding for Syrian reconstruction by showing that the era of bloodshed in regime areas is over.
A European diplomat in Amman said a perception that the US position in the Middle East has weakened had encouraged the Russians to renege on the 2018 deal in southern Syria.
“The US withdrawal from Afghanistan has further weakened Washington,” the diplomat said.
“Beyond verbal condemnation, the US has been acquiescing to everything the Russians are doing in southern Syria.”
The%20Killer
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The%20specs
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYodawy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarim%20Khashaba%2C%20Sherief%20El-Feky%20and%20Yasser%20AbdelGawad%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2424.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlgebra%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20MEVP%20and%20Delivery%20Hero%20Ventures%2C%20among%20others%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20500%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
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Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
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Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
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What is a portfolio stress test?
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What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
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How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
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Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
US households add $601bn of debt in 2019
American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.
Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.
In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.
The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.
"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.
AIDA%20RETURNS
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khaldoon%20Bushnaq%20and%20Tariq%20Seksek%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20100%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20to%20date%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2415%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Schedule
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
Schedule for show courts
Centre Court - from 4pm UAE time
Johanna Konta (6) v Donna Vekic
Andy Murray (1) v Dustin Brown
Rafael Nadal (4) v Donald Young
Court 1 - from 4pm UAE time
Kei Nishikori (9) v Sergiy Stakhovsky
Qiang Wang v Venus Williams (10)
Beatriz Haddad Maia v Simona Halep (2)
Court 2 - from 2.30pm
Heather Watson v Anastasija Sevastova (18)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) v Simone Bolelli
Florian Mayer v Marin Cilic (7)
GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Avatar%3A%20The%20Way%20of%20Water
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWafeq%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJanuary%202019%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadim%20Alameddine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Esoftware%20as%20a%20service%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERaed%20Ventures%20and%20Wamda%2C%20among%20others%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
All%20The%20Light%20We%20Cannot%20See%20
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The%20Emperor%20and%20the%20Elephant
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