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.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Khalid Essa, Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammad Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoon Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
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How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
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