A high-level regional meeting on Sunday in Jordan condemned ”groups that target Syria’s security”, amid the worst fighting the country has suffered since the fall of the Assad regime in December, and fears of an ISIS resurgence.
“The participants affirmed … their condemnation of all attempts and groups that target the security of sovereignty and peace in brotherly Syria,” said a statement by the five countries after the one-day meeting, which comprised their foreign and defence ministers, and their intelligence chiefs.
Preserving Syria’s security and sovereignty is “fundamental” for the whole region, the statement said.
The talks took place after more than 1,300 people, including 830 citizens, mostly Alawites, were killed in clashes between Syrian security forces and forces linked to ousted president Bashar Al Assad, amid a wave of sectarian-fuelled revenge killings across the coastal area.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani, who did not speak of the continuing sectarian violence, said the new authorities have adopted a conciliatory approach towards loyalists of the former regime, and pardoned some of them.
“We know who did the killings in Syria: it is the [former] Assad regime,” Mr Al Shibani said. “We will not allow Assad regime remnants to destabilise Syria. Everyone who has contributed to the violence will be held accountable.”
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said that the five countries will jointly work “to create stability in Syria, which affects the region”.
“We [also] came to this meeting to plan how to combat ISIS, which has been regrouping its forces in Syria,” Mr Hussein said. He said the five nations will set up an operations room “to help exchange information and plan action against ISIS”.
The statement said that the five countries will work on finding ways to deal with thousands of prisoners suspected of links to ISIS under the custody of a US-backed Kurdish militia in eastern Syria. The prisoners are mostly Arab nationals.
They also condemned Israeli incursions into Syria, which increased since the former regime was ousted, as a “blatant violation” of international law.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the meeting discussed “combatting terrorism, drugs and arms smuggling.”
Hakan Fidan, the Turkish Foreign Minister, said that agitation aimed at raising sectarian tension in Syria must stop. He did not assign blame.
The meeting also discussed supporting Syria’s reconstruction to ensure the voluntary return of refugees.
Jordanian officials have said they were ready to help Syria rebuild and promised to help it ease its acute power shortages by supplying it with electricity and gas.
Last month, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Syria’s interim President Ahmad Al Shara agreed to work together to secure their common border against arms smuggling and drug trafficking.
The leaders said that co-ordination was crucial for border security and for curbing arms and drug smuggling, a phenomenon that Jordan struggled to contain along its border during the rule of Mr Al Assad.
In December, Jordan hosted the first international conference on Syria a week after the offensive that forced Mr Al Assad to flee the country. Officials in Amman say they want to see a peaceful political transition in Syria, fearing a return of chaos and instability along its borders.
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Cape Town Sevens on Saturday and Sunday: Pools A – South Africa, Kenya, France, Russia; B – New Zealand, Australia, Spain, United States; C – England, Scotland, Argentina, Uganda; D – Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Wales
HSBC World Sevens Series standing after first leg in Dubai 1 South Africa; 2 New Zealand; 3 England; 4 Fiji; 5 Australia; 6 Samoa; 7 Kenya; 8 Scotland; 9 France; 10 Spain; 11 Argentina; 12 Canada; 13 Wales; 14 Uganda; 15 United States; 16 Russia
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The specs
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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Creator: Mike White
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Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Everton 0
Manchester City 2 (Laporte 45 2', Jesus 90 7')
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
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Kareem Shaheen on Canada
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
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6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
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Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
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Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
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Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
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Scotland 54-17 Fiji
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
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Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
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Results
International 4, United States 1
Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (US) beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (International) 4 and 3.
Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (International) beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (US) 2 up.
Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (International) beat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (US) 2 and 1.
Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan (International) beat Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (US) 1 up.
Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (International) beat Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (US) 4 and 3.
