SDF advancing in Hajin, undeclared alliance between Turkey, Iran and Qatar

NEWS DESK

The Arab newspapers in today publications have tackled a number of issues related to the important situation in the area, foremost of which Syria’s.

Al-Sharq Al- Awsat : battles between "Democratic Syria" and "Daesh" near Deir ez-Zor continue

On the Syrian issue, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper referred to al-Jazeera Tempest campaign to eliminate IS in the east of the Euphrates. " a US military official said that his country needs training of 35 to 40 thousand local fighters in Syria, indicating to a qualification of 20% of them.

Russia Today quoted him saying "We believe that this number of local fighters is necessary to provide stability in their presence areas inside Syria,"

In addition, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored continuous clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces, Jaish al-Thuwar , Deir ez-Zor's Military Council forces, Manbij Military Council, al-Shaitat forces, and elements of IS organization on the other side on the axes of Hajin. Reliable sources confirmed that more than 70% of Hajin town lies under the control of SDF, while the remaining area is progressing slowly due to the density of the mines planted by the organization, in conjunction with the combing of the areas coming under control. "

Al-Hayat: International Coalition will not discount the fate of 700 foreign fighters detained in Syria

As for the IS' detainees in the Syrian Democratic Forces, Al-Hayat newspaper said " Canadian Defense Minister Hargit Sagan said on Thursday after an international meeting near Ottawa that the fate of some 700 foreign fighters detained in Syria will be determined by the countries from which they come,"

"All countries have to follow their own mechanism," Sagan said after Thursday's meeting in Chelsea near Ottawa of ministers and senior defense officials from 13 countries of the International Coalition.

In the meantime, the minister noted that "many efforts have been made in detention centers to ensure that they conform to (Western) standards." Syrian Democratic Forces” imprisoned these detainees, who came from 40 countries, according to US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Some members of the International Coalition do not want to return these fighters to their territory because it is difficult to collect evidence about them in a war zone and to avoid extremism within their prisons. But Washington hopes that the countries from which they came to return the fighters.

Al Quds Al Arabi: America warns of tampering with the site of a chemical attack… a number of Syrian regime officers in Daraa killed

In another Syrian matter, the US State Department warned Russia and Syria on Friday of tampering with a suspected chemical attack site in Aleppo on November and said it had received information indicating that soldiers from Russia and Syria had participated in what it described as an attack with tear gas.

A ministry spokesman said in a statement. "We warn Russia and the regime of tampering with the place of the suspected attack and urge them to ensure the safety of impartial and independent inspectors so that officials can be held accountable.

A number of Syrian army officers were killed in a bomb explosion in the southern province of Daraa on Friday. Sources close to the government forces said that «six lieutenant officers were killed in a mine explosion in Daraa, two weeks after graduating from the military academy of the Syrian army». The sources pointed to the responsibility of the opposition for the attack".

Al-Arab: an undeclared alliance between Turkey, Iran and Qatar: a bloc consolidating weakness

On the other hand, Al-Arab newspaper said: "Iran, Turkey and Qatar are tightening their grip on them, with the succession of political and diplomatic crises and their effects on the economy and hence on the social situation. Signs of an alliance still undeclared between Turkey, Iran and Qatar to meet what the three countries consider common challenges and in the face of the mood of international transformation towards Ankara, Tehran and Doha.

The newspaper's source pointed out "the benefits this year showed a cross-section of interests between the three countries against the backdrop of the tension in the US-Turkish relationship, the confrontation of the administration of US President Donald Trump against Iran, and Qatar's attempt to bully Turkey and Iran in the face of the Arab Quartet which it interrupted, it does not hide the fact that there are special interests for each country, for example the relationship of Qatar with the United States differs from Iran's relationship with it. The Turkish-American tension is centered on the contradiction between the options of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the strategy of the US administration in the Middle East, especially what is relevant to Syria."

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ANHA