The head of a Syrian government research facility thought responsible for developing chemical weapons, has been killed in a bomb attack on his car.
Gen Aziz Asbar and his driver were killed in the countryside of the central province of Hama, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said.
Asbar headed the Syrian Scientific Research Centre in Masyaf, Hama province, which the US claimed was developing sarin gas used by the Syrian regime. The claim was denied by the government, which said it had no chemical weapons since 2013, despite several instances of the gas being used.
Al-Watan, a pro-regime newspaper, confirmed the death, writing in its online edition: "Doctor Aziz Asbar, head of the scientific research centre in Masyaf, has been killed after an explosion targeted his car in the Hama countryside."
On July 22, Israeli air strikes targeted the research unit, which was said to have close links to Iran, according to the UK-based Observatory. Israel's military refused to comment on the reports.
The unit was said to be developing short-range surface-to-surface missiles with experts present from the Syrian regime's ally, Iran.
It is not yet known who was responsible for the attack on Asbar's car.
In April, missile strikes by the United States, Britain and France destroyed a scientific research centre in Damascus, in response to a suspected poison gas attack near the Syrian capital.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a UN watchdog, determined that the Syrian government used sarin in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in April last year that killed about 100 people and affected about 200 others.
The US imposed sanctions against 271 Syrian Scientific Research Centre employees weeks after the attack, saying the agency was responsible for "developing and producing non-conventional weapons and the means to deliver them." Asbar was not among the targeted individuals.
The US and its allies also blamed government forces for a sarin attack on the suburbs of Damascus in 2013 that killed around 1,000 people. Syria agreed to hand over its chemical weapons stockpiles and dismantle production facilities amid international outrage following that attack.
Syria's government has also been accused of using chlorine in several chemical attacks since an uprising against President Bashar Al Assad began in 2011.
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Read more: Israel strikes Syrian army base in Hama province
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars
