Move in southern Syria, and explosions worsen Afghan situation

During the past week, Arab newspapers covered the situation in southern Syria, in addition to the escalation in Afghanistan, as well as the Lebanese crisis.

Division in As-Suwayda after a political conference... Daraa anticipation for settlement efforts

Al-sharq Al-Awsat newspaper spoke about the situation in southern Syria and said, "Under the title "Syria's South and Vision of Next Political Solution for Syria," and at the invitation of the newly formed "Syrian Brigade Party" in As-Suwayda, political and civil figures in As-Suwayda held a meeting to discuss the situation in the southern area in the governorates  of Daraa and As-Suwayda, and the future of the political process in Syria, considering it "the first Syrian conference in As-Suwayda which is held inside Syria and talks about the departure of the authority and the implementation of Resolution 2254."

As-Suwayda Network stated on Facebook that the participants "discussed the living reality in As-Suwayda Governorate and the security chaos," holding the Syrian authority "full of responsibility for the reality in As-Suwayda and the entire Syrian provinces, including the deterioration of living and service conditions."

They stressed that Syria "has become up for grabs for other countries, as the Syrian authority owns only 17% of the coast and the rest is sold to Russia and Iran, and that Iran has purchased many lands in As-Suwayda, such as Al-Daythah area, lands in Rashida village, Khalkhala Airport, and many other lands in addition to the towers built in the city center of the Iranian embassy funds."

The attendees affirmed, according to a statement, their rejection of the "continuous bombardment and siege by Iranian militias of Daraa Governorate," and stressed that "in the event that Daraa al-Balad is stormed and occupied by Iranians, As-Suwayda will be the next step for them, and that Daraa and As-Suwayda are in one trench against one enemy." They also discussed solutions that can be worked on for the transition of power in Syria by peaceful means with the departure of the authority, the implementation of Resolution 2254, the peaceful transfer of power, and an end to the state of war in the country.

The writer and researcher Jamal Al-Shoufi from As-Suwayda told Asharq Al-Awsat that the meeting met with positive comments calling for serious steps for these ideas, while others considered that the dispute is not over the outputs or ideas that were put forward and discussed by the conferees. The content is approved by most of the opposition groups in As-Suwayda, but they reject the agenda of the project and the figures who promote it, especially since they consider it an ambiguous and unclear project so far."

He added, "The division came against the backdrop of the Syrian Brigade Party, the external support that it announced and its acceptance of the idea of the ​autonomous administration in future stages, and this is rejected for a large percentage of As-Suwayda, but you find others who encourage this idea under the title, "Salvation Unless It Is on the Syrian Level in General, So Let It Be a Special Salvation at the Level of As-Suwayda," noting that until today, practical and actual steps for a serious project on the ground have not been clear."

The city of Daraa al-Balad witnessed the resumption of shelling and clashes on Monday, after a cautious calm for the past two days, as the intense shelling of residential neighborhoods and attempts to storm the city stopped, with the siege and encirclement of the city by the forces of the Fourth Division, preventing the entry and exit of people, amid a deteriorating humanitarian situation. Sources said that a solution is looming in coordination with the Russian-backed Fifth Corps in Daraa.

Terrorist threats darken the Afghan scene

As for Al-Arab newspaper, it touched on the Afghan situation and said, "The Pentagon announced on Thursday that an explosion occurred in the vicinity of the airport of the Afghan capital, Kabul, in the midst of the ongoing evacuations, amid warnings from Western governments of the possibility of terrorist attacks targeting the airport, which has become the only way out of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban.

Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby wrote on Twitter, "We can confirm that the explosion near Abbey Gate at Kabul Airport resulted in an unknown number of casualties."

Abbey Gate is one of the three entrances to the airport campus, where for 12 days thousands of Afghans who cooperated with Westerners have been seeking to leave the country for fear of Taliban reprisals.

Kirby explained that the explosion at Abbey Gate at the airport in the Afghan capital, Kabul, was the result of a complex attack and resulted in deaths and injuries, noting that there were Americans among the victims of the explosion.

But he added that the information received is based on preliminary reports, warning that what was stated in it may change. He stressed that there were victims, but it was not clear yet the number or nationalities.

A source familiar with the statements in the US Congress on the situation in Afghanistan said on Thursday that US officials have a strong belief that the Islamic State-Khorasan Province is responsible for carrying out Thursday's attack at Kabul Airport.

Another US government source familiar with intelligence activities said the government is still investigating, but the airport attack bore "all the hallmarks" of an attack carried out by ISIS-K.

The branch of ISIS in Afghanistan, called ISIS-Khorasan, is seen as the main threat to the evictions. There are real fears that the group will take advantage of the chaos at the airport to target foreign forces and innocent civilians.

The United States and its allies had warned of an "imminent" danger threatening Kabul Airport, based on intelligence information.

Pressure has increased to complete the evacuation of tens of thousands of foreigners and Afghans who helped Western countries during the 20-year war against the Taliban, and all US and coalition forces are scheduled to leave the airport next week.

But completing the withdrawal within the deadline requires more time, which complicates the evacuation of foreigners and Afghans who are most at risk after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. The US soldiers who are currently in charge of airport security are supposed to leave Afghanistan by Tuesday, August 31, the deadline set by US President Joe Biden.

The Lebanese government and the faltering attempts of formation... Will Mikati catch up with Hariri?

On the Lebanese issue, Al-Bayan newspaper said, "Attention was directed to the Baabda Palace to see the features of the advanced attempt that Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati was going to make by presenting his cabinet formation to Lebanese President General Michel Aoun, and trying to obtain a final agreement with him to announce the government birth. It was announced that the "13" meeting between them had been postponed to a date to be determined later, with the political narrowness that would apply to the government, at a time of urgent need, as there are no clear schedules that determine the time of formation.

While awaiting the outcome of the upcoming Baabda meeting, sources preferred not to be overly optimistic or pessimistic, only expressing to "Al-Bayan" their conviction that Aoun will not risk and waste the opportunity to form a government because he knows for sure that Mikati, when he visits Baabda, will hold the cabinet formation with the author's letter in one pocket and the apology book in the other. Will the upcoming 13^th meeting be positive and decisive? Is the number "13" not this time an ominous number?

Mikati's circles confirm that he is continuing his mission, leading to the formation of a government from a working group according to the stage, but without canceling the possibility of an apology.

On the other hand, there is talk that Aoun is continuing the game of "getting around chairs and names" to seize the blocking third, while Mikati will not accept. Accordingly, Mikati set the following equation in mind, "If authorship is not possible, it is better to apologize."