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#61 EXPERT: Coronavirus Pandemic Could Kill Tens of Millions | Laurie Garrett
Turkey kills over 300 Syria regime troops in retaliation to attack
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200228-turkey-kills-over-300-syria-regime-troops-in-retaliation-to-attack/
“Turkey has reportedly killed at least 309 Syrian regime soldiers and destroyed dozens of military vehicles and defence systems in retaliation for the regime’s offensive which killed 33 Turkish soldiers last night.
According to Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar today, they destroyed five regime military helicopters, two air defence systems (the SA-17 and SA-22), 23 tanks and 23 howitzer artillery weapons, as well as “neutralising” the 309 regime troops.
The revelation of Turkey’s devastating retaliation comes after it was announced by the Communications Director Fahrettin Altun early this morning that Turkey had put under fire all identified and known targets of the regime’s military in Idlib province, including their land and air vehicles.
Following the Syrian regime’s killing of at least 33 Turkish soldiers in overnight attacks, the decision was made to retaliate while an emergency security summit meeting was held at the Presidential complex in the capital Ankara to discuss the situation.
Altun said at the meeting: “The summit stressed that the [Syria’s] Assad regime is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Syrians, and agreed to retaliate against the illegitimate regime which has turned its barrel against our soldiers who are on duty to protect the rights and interests of the Republic of Turkey.”
He also compared the situation in Syria’s north-west Idlib province to the genocides and atrocities in Rwanda and Bosnia during the 1990s, insisting that such an occurrence cannot be repeated in Idlib…”
US, Saudi announce joint support for Syria opposition in Idlib
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200228-us-saudi-announce-joint-support-for-syria-opposition-in-idlib/
“US and Saudi officials met in Riyadh to discuss their mutual support for the Syrian opposition forces in Idlib, American officials said in a tweet.
The embassy made the announcement on Twitter saying: “We just finished a productive meeting with our Saudi partners. We discussed the U.S.-#Saudi Arabia partnership and close cooperation in support of the Syrian opposition and in support of a political solution to the Syrian conflict as envisioned in UNSCR 2254.”
The US mission in Saudi Arabia confirmed the embassy’s tweet, saying that Special Envoy for Syria Joel Rayburn has met with Saudi partners to discuss the Syrian file, especially the regime, Russian and Iranian assault on Idlib.
“He praised Saudi-U.S. partnership in support of the Syrian opposition and in support of a political solution per UNSCR2254,” the Twitter added.
The US embassy’s announcement came as a “surprise” to observers especially that Saudi Arabia has been strongly critical of Turkey which supports the Syrian opposition; accusing it of interfering in Arab affairs and working to expand its influence in Syria, Libya and other regions of the Arab world.
Moreover, there have been indications of rapprochement between Damascus and Riyadh. A delegation from the Syrian Journalists Union has been recently invited to visit Riyadh while the Syrian UN envoy was invited to a reception held by the Saudi mission to the United Nations.
There has been no official Saudi comment on the US announcement.”
NATO: We will continue to support Turkey air defences in Idlib
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200228-nato-we-will-continue-to-support-turkey-air-defences-in-idlib/
“NATO members held an emergency meeting today at the request of Turkey following the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in north-east Syria.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement after the meeting that the talks were held under Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, which allows any ally to request consultations if it feels its territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened.
“NATO continues to support Turkey with a range of measures, including by augmenting its air defences, which helps Turkey against the threat of missile attacks from Syria,” Stoltenberg added.
“Allies offer their deepest condolences for the death of Turkish soldiers in last night’s bombing near Idlib.”
“Today’s meeting is a sign of solidarity with Turkey.”…”
UN urges more support for Turkey on Syrian refugees
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200228-un-urges-more-support-for-turkey-on-syrian-refugees/
“The UN on Friday urged the international community to step up support for Turkey in managing and hosting Syrian refugees, Anadolu Agency reports.
Babar Baloch, a spokesman for the UN Refugee Agency, at a news briefing in Geneva said: “We have been appealing to neighbouring countries including Turkey to broaden admission for people who are on the run inside Syria.
“But let us not forget that Turkey hosts some 3.6 million Syrian refugees so the call goes broader to the international community as well that support to Turkey must be sustained and stepped up.”
Turkish officials said earlier on Friday they would no longer try to stop irregular migrants from reaching Europe, as incessant bombings by the Syrian regime and its allies on the Idlib de-escalation zone has resulted in a fresh wave of migrants moving toward Turkey’s borders.
Turkey, which hosts more Syrian refugees than any country in the world, says it cannot absorb another refugee wave…”
Kuwait’s coronavirus cases rise to 45
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200228-kuwaits-coronavirus-cases-rise-to-45/
“Kuwait confirmed two more cases of the new coronavirus today, taking the toll to 45, according to its Health Ministry.
“The two cases were in contact with the infected people who came from Iran before the outbreak was announced,” the ministry said.
The ministry asserted stable health conditions of all cases and “efficiency of medical staff dealing with them at three medical quarantine centers.”
Kuwait called off national day celebrations on Monday as part of its fight against the outbreak.
So far, Kuwait has evacuated around 800 citizens from Iran – which has been hit hard by the virus.
The coronavirus was first detected in China in December 2019 and has spread to more than 45 other countries, including the US, the UK, Singapore, France, Russia, Spain and India, raising global alarm.”
Swiss humanitarian channel to Iran takes effect
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2020/2/28/swiss-humanitarian-channel-to-iran-takes-effect
“A new Swiss payment mechanism allowing food, medicine and other humanitarian aid to be sent to Iran without stumbling over US sanctions has officially taken effect, Bern said on Thursday.
The Swiss mechanism comes at a critical time for Iran, as its health system struggles to contain the coronavirus epidemic.
The system was created to allow Swiss companies in the food, pharmaceutical and medical sectors to make aid shipments to Iran without drawing the wrath of Washington for breaching a vast range of sanctions against the Islamic country.
“The Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA), a payment mechanism to enable humanitarian goods to be delivered to Iran, came into effect on 27 February,” the Swiss economic affairs ministry (SECO) said in a statement.
Iran has been facing severe medical shortages since the US pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal and reimposed crippling sanctions on the country in 2018.
Washington had exempted humanitarian goods, especially medicines and medical equipment from its punitive measures.
But international purchases of such supplies are forestalled by banks being wary of conducting any business with Iran, for fear of falling foul of sanctions themselves.
This has sent medicine prices in Iran soaring and has had severe consequences, especially for people suffering from rare or special diseases that require imported medication.
An Iranian representative, Farhad Memelohi, for instance told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva Thursday that “at least 15 Iranian children with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) had died due to the lack of medication and equipment, resulting from US sanctions”.
He said the Swedish pharmaceutical company supplying protective bandages for patients who suffer from the genetic condition that results in easy and dangerous blistering of the skin, “halted their supplies due to the restrictions.”
The new coronavirus epidemic, which has hit Iran particularly hard, has put further pressure on the health system and there is a shortage of face masks.
Iran said Thursday it had recorded an additional 106 cases, bringing the total in the Islamic Republic to 245, of which 26 had proven fatal.
SECO said Swiss authorities had been working “intensively” since late 2018 to implement a humanitarian payment mechanism, hailing that the SHTA agreement had finally taken effect.
“In this way, Switzerland is helping to supply the Iranian population with agricultural commodities, food, medicines and medical equipment … in keeping with Switzerland’s humanitarian tradition,” it said.
Under the agreement, the US Treasury Department will provide involved Swiss banks and companies “with the necessary assurances that financial transactions can be processed in accordance with US legislation.”
In return, the exporters and banks will provide SECO with “detailed information about their business activities and business partners in Iran and the transactions they carry out,” the statement said.
Swiss authorities will then make that information available to their US counterparts, and they will work together to ensure “increased due diligence” regarding the transactions, it added.
A pilot transaction was conducted last month after the Swiss government approved the agreement in principle, allowing for an initial payment for the shipment of cancer drugs and medicines required for organ transplants to Iran.”
Ankara calls for no-fly zone over Syria’s Idlib after Turkish troops killed
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2020/2/28/turkey-calls-for-no-fly-zone-over-syrias-idlib
“Turkey on Friday called on the international community to establish a no-fly zone over the northwestern province of Idlib to protect civilians from Syrian regime bombardment a day after the killing of at least 33 Turkish soldiers.
“The international community must act to protect civilians and impose a no-fly-zone,” Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, said on Twitter.
Syrian regime forces backed by Russian air strikes have since December waged a brutal assault on the Idlib region, killing hundreds of people and forcing nearly a million more to flee their homes and shelters amid bitter cold.
The United Nations said on Monday that the latest fighting was coming “dangerously close” to the makeshift camps where displaced people were sheltering, risking an imminent “bloodbath”.
“Millions of civilians are being bombarded by air for months now. Infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, is being targeted by the regime systematically. A genocide is happening slowly before our eyes. Those with conscious and dignity must speak up!” Altun tweeted.
“The regime has taken advantage of the international silence in the face of its crimes for years. Abandoning Idlib to its fate will mean that the regime’s dreams will come true. They have been pursuing demographic and ethnic cleansing in this region. We cannot look the other way!”
More than 500,000 people have been killed and millions more displaced since the Syrian conflict began in 2011, mostly as a result of regime bombardment of civilian areas.
Syrian and international activists have previously called for the imposition of a no-fly zone to protect civilians from Assad regime bombardment, similar to the one imposed in Libya in 2011, but this has so far been rejected by NATO countries.”
Russia sends warships to Syria as tensions with Turkey soar
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2020/2/28/russia-sends-warships-to-syria-as-turkey-tensions-soar
“Two Russian warships armed with cruise missiles were on Friday transitting the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul on their way to Mediterranean waters, AFP reported, as tensions spiralled between Turkey and Russia following the deaths of at least 33 Turkish soldiers in Syria.
A Russian military spokesman said two Russian frigates – the Admiral Makarov and the Admiral Grigorovich – had left the port of Sevastopol on the peninsula of Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and were transiting the Bosphorus and then the Dardanelles straits.
“The frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Grigorovich – armed with highly accurate Kalibr-NK missile systems – are carrying out a planned transit from Sevastopol,” fleet spokesman Aleksei Rulev told the RIA Novosti and Interfax news agencies.
He did not specify where the ships were eventually heading, but Russian naval ships that pass through the Bosphorus normally head into the Mediterranean to back Moscow’s operations in Syria.
The transit came hours after Ankara announced at least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in Syria’s Idlib province after a strike it blamed on Russia’s ally Damascus.
Russia said the troops were “where they should not have been” and had been among “terrorists”.
The incident has raised new questions about the sustainability of the alliance between Turkey and Russia to bring peace to Syria.
As a Black Sea littoral state, Russia is allowed to have its military ships pass through the Bosphorus under the 1936 Montreux Convention on the Straits.
Under its terms, Turkey can only block Russian naval shipping if war is declared or if it feels under an imminent threat of war.
The intense traffic of Russian vessels to and from Syria – known as the Syrian Express – has caused immense curiosity in Istanbul where the warships pass through the heart of the city in full view of ship-spotters.”
Bombardment intensifies in Tripoli despite truce
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-security/bombardment-intensifies-in-tripoli-despite-truce-idUSKCN20M2CZ
“Bombardment of the Libyan capital Tripoli intensified on Friday, residents said, as the United Nations envoy called for a return to a ceasefire agreed last month and eastern forces said they shot down several drones.
Residents said the shelling was among the heaviest since the ceasefire was agreed on Jan. 12, as artillery blasts echoed through the city center and black smoke billowed near Mitiga airport held by the government.
The fighting, between the Libyan National Army (LNA) of eastern-based leader Khalifa Haftar and the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli, came as the United Nations tried to hold peace talks in Geneva.
Speaking in the Swiss city on Friday, U.N. special representative Ghassan Salame said the past 24 hours had seen “a very serious truce violation” and called for all sides to again respect the ceasefire…”
Another polio case emerges in Balochistan
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2165738/1-another-polio-case-emerges-balochistan/
Greece blocks hundreds of migrants at Turkish border
http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/nations/greece/2020/02/28/greece-blocks-hundreds-of-migrants-at-turkish-border_d1aff8ee-6d14-468d-a09f-62afe0ff61fd.html
“Greece closed its land border with Turkey in Kastanies Evros on Friday, preventing hundreds of migrants from entering the country, according to CNN.gr.
It said the alarm went off starting Friday morning with the news that about 300 people were moving towards the border, following the annoucement by Turkish government sources that Ankara would no longer prevent the passage of migrants to the EU.
Police reinforcements arrived in the area, as well as Greek Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis.(ANSAmed).”
Rédoine Faïd, notorious French gangster, wants his day in court – on his terms
https://www.france24.com/en/20200228-r%C3%A9doine-fa%C3%AFd-notorious-french-gangster-wants-his-day-in-court-%E2%80%93-on-his-terms
“Rédoine Faïd, the infamous armed robber who twice broke out of French jails, is staging a hunger strike and did not appear in court Thursday for the opening of his appeal of his conviction for a 2011 armoured-car robbery near Arras, France.
If Faïd, who refused to leave his prison cell, does not relent, he could be removed by force, or the trial could go on in his absence, French daily Le Figaro reported, saying that the 47-year-old objects to the conditions of his imprisonment.
Le Figaro also reported that one of Faïd’s lawyers, Yasmina Belmokthar, said that he, a week into his hunger strike and facing hour-long trips to the site of the appeal court in Saint-Omer, has been denied “the power to express himself”.
Sylvie Karas, the appeal court’s president, dryly remarked that Faïd was at least theoretically available for an appearance: “I don’t think he’s free…saving a breakout.”
Faïd is notorious in France for two widely-publicised jailbreaks…”
French jihadists are active in Battle of Idlib in Syria, FRANCE 24 reports
https://www.france24.com/en/20200228-french-jihadists-are-active-in-battle-of-idlib-in-syria-france-24-reports
“French jihadists are fighting in the Battle of Idlib against the Syrian regime. They are following orders from the French jihadi recruiter Omar Omsen, who claimed independence from the Islamic State (IS) group and al Qaeda.
Images show that dozens of French jihadists are active in Syria in the battle of Idleb.
“There are a few dozen people who have been in the area since 2013 and who have set up a camp on the Syrian-Turkish border,” said FRANCE 24’s Wassim Nasr, a specialist in jihadist networks, who spoke for two hours via Skype with French recruiter Omar Omsen, the head of the jihadist group Furkat-al-Ghuraba. Women and children are also there.
Having pledged allegiance to al Qaeda upon arrival in Syria, these French jihadists “reclaimed their independence in 2018”, according to Omar Omsen. Omsen maintains complicated relationships with local jihadi leaders and holds paradoxical positions, according to Nasr. “He has spoken out against the Nice bombings, which affected civilians, but maintains that the Charlie Hebdo attack was legitimate,” Nasr said.
“France has put a price on my head,” Omsen said. “But I never called for attacks in France and I even prevented them,” the jihadist recruiter said.”
Greece Reportedly Vetoes NATO Statement on Support for Turkey Amid Syria Escalation
https://sputniknews.com/europe/202002291078435289-greece-reportedly-vetoes-nato-statement-on-support-for-turkey-amid-syria-escalation/
“The Permanent Mission of Greece to NATO on Friday evening vetoed a statement that the alliance was preparing to make in support of Ankara, following the recent killing of 33 Turkish troops, Greek newspaper Vima reported, citing information from Greek sources.
According to the newspaper, the foreign minister of Greece, Nikos Dendias, issued direct instructions to representatives to use a veto if the text of the joint statement does not include a Greek proposal to refer to compliance with the March 2016 EU-Turkey declaration on refugees and migrants.
The Greek demand was reportedly met with resistance by a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and France.
Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu demanded to begin political consultations provided for in Article 4 of the Washington Treaty, which allows a member country to ask for the organization’s assistance if it considers that its security, territorial integrity or political independence are threatened.
Ankara also requested that its allies assist on air defense and intelligence in connection with the situation in Idlib, but no agreements have been reached on the issue, according to the publication.
The report comes as 33 Turkish troops were killed by a Syrian airstrike in the Idlib Governorate on Thursday. The Russian military later explained that the Syrian army targeted Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorists operating in the province, adding that Syrian government forces were not informed about the Turkish presence in the area.
The latest spike in fatal skirmishes follows several weeks of tensions triggered by attacks from Turkish-backed militants against the Syrian army.”