Serekaniye return and Assad’s execution top week’s headlines

Arab newspapers published over the past week covered developments in the Syrian file, with particular focus on the return of Serekaniye displaced people and death sentences against Bashar al-Assad and officials of his regime, alongside the repercussions of the Hormuz crisis, the Mecca Agreement, the Gaza file and regional transformations.

Return of Serekaniye Displaced People Under Scrutiny

The return of Serekaniye displaced people featured prominently in newspaper coverage after hundreds of families returned to the city following years of displacement, amid political and security arrangements aimed at organizing the return. Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that more than 400 families had returned, highlighting complications related to home ownership and changes to property conditions during the years of displacement.

Independent Arabia focused on the humanitarian and security aspects of the process, reporting that around 2,500 people had returned before the process was suspended following attacks on the first group.

The newspaper also reported condemnation of the attacks by Syrian Democratic Forces Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi, bringing the return issue back into the political and security sphere after initially being framed as a humanitarian matter concerning displaced people’s right to return to their city.

The coverage showed that the success of the process depends on security guarantees, resolving property ownership issues and creating conditions conducive to a stable return, away from pressures that could trigger new waves of displacement.

Death Sentences and the Path Toward Accountability for Assad

Death sentences against Bashar al-Assad, Maher al-Assad and Atef Najib received widespread attention, with media outlets differing in their assessments of their legal and political significance.

Asharq Al-Awsat viewed the sentences as a new stage in the process of holding former regime officials accountable, linking them to other files, including what it described as the “remnants of Assad’s nuclear legacy” and information related to “Site 99.”

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed described the ruling as the beginning of an accountability process linked to crimes committed in Syria since 2011. It also examined the ruling’s potential impact on the possibility of Bashar al-Assad being handed over by Russia, amid legal and political complications related to his presence outside Syria.

Al-Quds Al-Arabi highlighted celebrations of the ruling among victims’ families and in Daraa, while Al Arabiya focused on the obstacles that could hinder the pursuit of Assad and the implementation of the sentences.

Hormuz, the Mecca Agreement and the Reshaping of Security

Alongside the Syrian file, the crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and US-Iranian negotiations dominated attention. Asharq Al-Awsat focused on the continuing dispute over the conditions for ending the war and the future of the strait, while Al-Araby Al-Jadeed covered Tehran’s insistence on its conditions. An-Nahar examined the repercussions of economic pressure and the possibility of Iran shifting its response to other maritime routes.

The “Mecca Agreement” on joint defense between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan also emerged as a major issue, with analyses linking it to the reshaping of the regional security architecture. Asharq Al-Awsat quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as saying the agreement strengthens deterrence, while Euronews Arabic reported differing Iranian positions toward it.

Gaza and the Repercussions of the Next Phase

On Gaza, newspapers focused on the future of the Strip, Hamas’ weapons and arrangements for the next phase, amid continuing disagreements over the implementation of existing understandings.

Coverage also addressed the administration of the Strip and security arrangements, as well as Hamas’ position in the prospective political settlement, while the possibility of renewed escalation remains and continues to influence regional and international calculations.

ANHA