Turkey has assured its armed allies in Syria that a possible easing of hostilities with Damascus will not result in their disbanding or handing over of rebel areas to the regime, sources within the Syrian opposition to President Bashar Al Assad said on Thursday, after unrest in Ankara's zone of influence in the country.
At least seven people were killed this week when violence broke out targeting Turkish interests in its area of influence in Syria over signs of a rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus. The attacks were also in reaction to new waves of violence against Syrian refugees in Turkey.
Turkey's sphere of influence in Syria, comprising areas in the north-west border provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, is vital for Ankara's aim to pledge itself as a key external player in the 13-year civil war. The Turkish-aligned militias in these areas are instrumental in countering perceived threats to Turkey's security, particularly by secular Kurdish militias supported by the United States.
"I got the impression that the Turks will give Assad nothing substantial," a senior opposition member who met with Turkish officials in Istanbul on Thursday told The National.
Turkey told its allies in the north-west that they will continue to receive Turkish support, even if Ankara makes steps to restore ties with Damascus, the opposition member said.
"Ankara's policy continues to be to have channels with everyone," he added.
The violence this week, however, has undermined Turkey's image as a force for potential stabilisation in Syria and as a protector of the Sunni majority - who dealt the brunt of the violence throughout the civil war.
The war started in the second half of 2011, after security forces suppressed a peaceful revolt against President Assad.
But this time, the unrest was directed towards Turkey, after Ankara had instructed its Syrian allies to open a formal crossing for goods between the Turkish zone of control in Syria and areas under Syrian government control, the opposition sources said.
A number of Turkish lorries that were heading to the crossing were attacked and set on fire on Monday, residents said.
Another opposition member who attended a separate meeting with Turkish officials in Istanbul on Thursday told The National that Russia - and to a lesser degree Iran - have been lobbying Ankara to open the crossing. Both Moscow and Tehran have been staunch supporters of President Assad.
Russia and Turkey came close to direct escalation over north-west Syria before a deal in March 2020 curbed the confrontation between the two powers.
"The Turkish reasoning is that there is massive smuggling between the regime and opposition areas anyway, and that Turkey has not ceded anything really by opening the crossing," he said.
The authorities in Ankara, he said, regard any restoration of commercial exchange with Damascus "separate to the political and military files".
Turkish forces are stationed in the areas of north-west Syria, outside Syrian government control. The region is mainly divided into areas controlled by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), an Al Qaeda offshoot with channels with Turkey, and the Syrian National Army, a Turkish proxy set up in 2018.
Members of HTS participated in the attacks on Turkish targets this week, residents and other sources said.
A military source in the opposition said that the group has made it clear to Turkey that it "will not tolerate being played with".
"The Turks' relationship with the HTS is a major plank of their power in Syria, and they cannot afford to lose it," the source said.
In a statement, the group denied taking part in the violence in the north-west this week.
Serhat Erkmen, Director of the Ankara-based Pros&Cons Security and Risk Assessment Center, said Turkey will not change its position in the short run.
"In the long run, the future of these regions will be determined by the regional dynamics and Turkey's relations with Russia," he told The National.
Wonka
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
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Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
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MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
Zayed Sustainability Prize
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
FIXTURES
Saturday, November 3
Japan v New Zealand
Wales v Scotland
England v South Africa
Ireland v Italy
Saturday, November 10
Italy v Georgia
Scotland v Fiji
England v New Zealand
Wales v Australia
Ireland v Argentina
France v South Africa
Saturday, November 17
Italy v Australia
Wales v Tonga
England v Japan
Scotland v South Africa
Ireland v New Zealand
Saturday, November 24
|Italy v New Zealand
Scotland v Argentina
England v Australia
Wales v South Africa
Ireland v United States
France v Fiji
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam
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