(2021-04-29). Russia's Expanding Footprint In The Middle East — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Talmiz Ahmad* | Over the last month or so, the shadow of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has loomed large across the Middle East. In March, he visited the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He was soon back in the region, visiting Egypt and Iran on April 12-13. | Russia became a key player in the Middle East when it brought its armed forces into Syria in September 2015 to prevent externally sponsored regime change. Having achieved this fairly quickly, its diplomatic canvas has broadened to include all the regional states, with which it is building substantial ties in the areas of energy, economics and defe…
(2021-04-28). Chinese envoy calls for political settlement of Syria crisis. ecns.cn A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for efforts to promote the political settlement of the Syria crisis and alleviate the suffering of Syrian people.
(2021-04-28). Two Vehicles Destroyed In Guided Missile Attack In Turkish-Occupied Afrin In Northern Syria. southfront.org 
Screen grab from the April 26 ATGM attack video. | On April 28, an attack with anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) targeted the Turkish-occupied area of Afrin in northern Syria. | According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and several other sources, two vehicles were targeted with ATGMs in the town of Bosoufane in southern Afrin. The town is a hub for drug and arms smugglers. | Both vehicles were Hyundai Santa Fe SUVs. This model is preferred by militant commanders. So far, there have been no reports of…
(2021-04-28). Daraa's Former Rebels Sent Reinforcements To Counter ISIS In Central Syria. southfront.org 
File image, Via SANA | Daraa's former rebels have sent reinforcements to Syria's central region to support the Syrian Arab Army ongoing operations against ISIS. | On April 23, a large convoy of the 8th Brigade, a unit of the army's 5th Corps that is dedicated for former rebels in Daraa, arrived in the outskirts of the town of al-Sukhnah in eastern Homs. The convoy consisted of more than 70 military vehicles and carried 300 fighters. | According to the Horan Free League, 8th Brigade fighters established positions in al-Sukh…
(2021-04-28). Russian Aircraft Detected On Rare Flight From Israel To Syria's Hmeimim. southfront.org 
An old military vehicle can be seen positioned near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. IMAGE: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS | On April 27, a plane of the Ministry of Defense of Russia landed in Hmeimim Air Base on the Syrian coast after having taken off from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel's Tel Aviv. | The plane was a Tu-134 with the registration "RA-65992," which has previously been detected for the transport of Russia's senior defense and intelligence officials. | Aviation observers tracked the unusual f…
(2021-04-28). Syrian Army, Al-Fateh Al-Mubeen Snipers Exchange Fire On Greater Idlib Frontlines. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | On April 27, snipers from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the al-Fateh al-Mubeen Operations Room exchanged fire in the northwestern region of Greater Idlib. | A sniper of the SAA shot and killed a militant of al-Fateh al-Mubeen, that is led by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), near the town of Maaret Elnaasan. The town is located right on the administrative border between Idlib and Aleppo. | Al-Fateh al-Mubeen snipers responded soon after by targeting two Syrian soldiers in the town of Dadik…
(2021-04-28). Military Situation In Syria On April 28, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 28, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 31 times: 19 — in Idlib province, 10 — in Latakia province, 2 — in Hama province | On April 27, clashes between the SDF and Turkish-backed forces were reported in the Um al-Jolud area | On April 27, ISIS claimed responsibility for the assassination of a SDF member in the al-Sawr area | On April 27, ISIS claimed responsibility for the assassination of a SDF m…
(2021-04-28). Why Israel is alarmed. thealtworld.com Iran and its allies have had enough of Israeli attacks and provocations | It was no small matter for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convene a meeting of Israel's top military and security chiefs along with its defense and foreign ministers on Saturday, 24 hours after a Syrian missile landed near the Dimona nuclear complex. | The media were told the emergency conference was a response to the recent spate of missile firings from the Gaza Strip. Its supposed aim was to deliver a warning to Hamas that Israel would invade or carpet-bomb the territory if violations of the de-escalation agreements persist. | But t…
(2021-04-28). Skies of Lebanon, Writing with Fire, Captains of Zaatari and more: Desperate conditions, striking images, weak conclusions. wsws.org Increasingly, desperate conditions plague masses of people worldwide, dramatically worsened by the COVID-19 disaster. Popular suffering is reaching unbearable levels.
(2021-04-28). Iran envoy holds meetings with two Russian FM deputies. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) — The Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali held separate meetings with the Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers in Moscow to discuss the situation in West Asia region, as well as developments in Afghanistan and the Caucasus.
(2021-04-28). Iraq interested in Tehran-Riyadh relations: Ex-envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) — Former Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Iraq said that Iraq is interested in relationship between Islamic Republic of Iran and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
(2021-04-28). Revived peace process, lasting calm, and a new constitution needed in Syria. news.un.org In addition to the challenges that all Syrians have faced during a 10-year conflict, women have experienced sexual and gender-based violence, early and forced marriage and trafficking, the country's UN envoy told the Security Council on Wednesday.
(2021-04-28). Syrian parl. invites Iran parl. to observe presidential votes. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 29 (MNA) — Syrian parliament agreed Wed. to invite some parliaments of the brotherly and friendly countries, including Iran's to observe presidential elections in the country.
(2021-04-27). In Photos: Two Consecutive Explosions Hit Syria's Jarabulus, Child Reportedly Killed. southfront.org 
Click to see full see full-size image | On April 27, two consecutive explosions hit the town of Jarabulus in the north-eastern countryside of Aleppo. | According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an IED explosion hit a vehicle that belonged to a member of the Turkish-backed police, after that a motorcycle-bomb explosion took place near a former military headquarters in Jarabulus city. 14 people were reportedly injured, including a child, and as material damage was caused. According to Syria Civil Defence,…
(2021-04-27). Military Situation In Syria On April 27, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 27, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 31 times: 19 — in Idlib province, 10 — in Latakia province, 2 — in Hama province | On April 26, clashes between SAA and Turkish-backed forces were reported in the Tadef area | On April 26, the Russian Military Police and the Turkish forces conducted a joint patrol in the vicinity of the city of Ain al-Arab | On April 26, an agreement had been reached for a c…
(2021-04-27). Focusing Purely on Injustices in China and Russia with a Cold War Mindset Damages Human Rights Everywhere. counterpunch.org 
As we enter a second Cold War against China and Russia, there are lessons to be learned from the first, since much the same propaganda mechanisms are once again hard at work. Western governments and media unrelentingly criticise China for the persecution of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province, but there is scarcely a mention of the repression of Kashmiri Muslims in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Diplomatic and media outrage is expressed when Russia and the Syrian government bomb civilians in Idlib in Syria, but the bombing of civilians during the Western-backed, Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen, remains at the bottom…
(2021-04-27). How Syria Acted As A Regressive Force In The Lebanese Civil War — OpEd. eurasiareview.com April 9, 1976. The Syrian military intervened in Lebanon to fight against the National Movement (NM) and Palestinians. Kamal Jumblatt – the leader of the NM – was too radical for the liking of Damascus. With his anti-Zionist leanings, he could easily provoke Israel into invading Lebanon – increasing the strategic vulnerability of Syria. Thus, Hafez al-Assad – with the tacit consent of the US – proceeded to thwart any possibility of a leftist regime coming to power in Beirut. Tokenistic elections are held on May 16, 1976 under the watch of Syrian troops. Assad's favored candidate – Ilyas Sarkis – is made the pr…
(2021-04-27). When Did the "Cold War" End? Part III. libya360.wordpress.com Vladimir Acosta Convoy of U.S. armored vehicles near Al-Qahtaniyah, Syria In 1989, before the end of the Cold War, Bush I, Reagan's successor, invaded Panama, and in August 1990 attacked Iraq, starting the First Gulf War. In 1991, the Yugoslavian War began in Europe, which led to horrific massacres as a result of virulent nationalism…
(2021-04-27). Serbia welcomes latest batch of Sinopharm vaccines. ecns.cn Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic welcomed another batch of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccines together with Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo at the Belgrade Airport on Monday.
(2021-04-27). Ankara's Fourth War Front: Turkish Soldiers Killed in New Iraq Offensive. libya360.wordpress.com Rick Rozoff Iraqi riot police protect the Turkish embassy in Baghdad As long as Turkey serves as NATO's bulwark against Russia — and Iraq, Syria and Iran — its gross violations of international law and its military aggression from North Africa to the Caucasus are overlooked. Overlooked by the Russian government as well as the…