Thursday News Roundup from Hizb ut-Tahrir Radio Syria Province 2025/10/30

Thursday News Roundup from Hizb ut-Tahrir Radio Syria Province

2025/10/30 AD

Headlines:

Al-Shara' receives the German Foreign Minister in Damascus.
"QSD" carries out a raid with the support of the International Coalition in Granij, Deir ez-Zor, and anger in Al-Hasakah after the closure of private schools and the imposition of a new curriculum.
The Minister of Justice announces "public trials" for those involved in the events of the coast, and a Syrian security delegation discusses combating "terrorism and drugs" in Lebanon.
The Minister of Finance announces talks with international financial institutions and paving the way for new investments.
The Secretary-General of the Syrian Presidency discusses "bilateral cooperation" with Russia in Moscow.

Details:

Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara' received in the capital, Damascus, on Thursday, a high-level delegation from the Federal Republic of Germany headed by Johann Wadephul, the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad al-Shibani. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on its official Facebook page, the meeting discussed bilateral relations between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany and ways to enhance cooperation in the political, economic and humanitarian fields, in addition to discussing regional and international developments of common interest. The statement indicated that the two sides stressed the importance of diplomatic dialogue and direct communication in supporting regional stability and enhancing opportunities for mutual cooperation in a way that serves the interests of the two friendly peoples. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul had previously announced that he would pay a visit to Damascus on Thursday.

On Thursday morning, the "QSD" militia carried out a security raid in the "Al-Huwaish" neighborhood and the "Al-Fares" neighborhood in the town of Granij in the eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside, with the support of warplanes and helicopters of the International Coalition. Local sources reported hearing gunfire in the area during the operation, and the raid resulted in the arrest of Muwaffaq al-Muhaidi, Hammadi al-Muhaidi, and a woman, according to sources in the region, while the civilian Fadi al-Huwaish was wounded by QSD bullets during the operation. Local media circulated pictures and information about a military convoy consisting of 12 military vehicles from the International Coalition forces, accompanied by QSD patrols, which moved at dawn today from the town of Al-Shuhail, passing through the towns of Dhiban, Al-Hawaij, Al-Tayyana and Al-Jurdi, heading east, coinciding with intense helicopter flight. Following the operation, the QSD militia withdrew from the area, while local parties continue to follow developments and await further details about the detainees.

Two soldiers were martyred and a third was seriously injured yesterday, Wednesday, after forces known as "QSD" targeted one of the Syrian army's deployment points in the vicinity of the Tishrin Dam with a guided missile. The "SANA" news agency quoted the Media and Communication Department of the Ministry of Defense as saying that this act "constitutes a renewal by those forces of their rejection of all previous understandings and agreements, and a disregard for them by targeting army points and killing its members." The ministry explained that this targeting represents a dangerous escalation that violates prior commitments and understandings, and contributes to destabilizing stability and threatening security in the region.

The city of Al-Hasakah in Syria witnessed widespread protests after forces affiliated with the "QSD" Autonomous Administration forcibly closed a number of private schools and assaulted some of their educational staff. The Synod Complex in Al-Hasakah issued a statement denouncing these measures and describing them as arbitrary, holding the "armed militias" fully responsible. The closure is linked to the policy of imposing a new educational curriculum to replace the Syrian curriculum, which faces widespread rejection from the population, who consider it unrecognized locally and internationally.

The Syrian Minister of Justice, Mazhar Al-Awais, said that the trials regarding the events of the coast will be held soon in public, calling on the media to follow these trials. He added in a statement to the "Al-Mashhad" channel, quoted on Wednesday, "There will be no impunity," whether from those involved from the "remnants" or those who committed violations against civilians. The Minister of Justice affirmed that "Syria has taken strict measures against all those who incited sectarianism during the recent period." Millions of fake accounts that were proven to have spread rumors in Syria have been suspended, according to the minister. The minister said, "Al-Assad will be held accountable before a Syrian court, and new laws specific to war crimes must be enacted." He also stressed the need to do justice to the victims in Syria by holding accountable those involved in all crimes, as well as compensating those affected.

A Syrian security delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, Major General Abdul Qadir Tahan, discussed with Lebanese security officials issues related to border control, combating terrorism and drugs. During the visit that took place yesterday, the delegation held several meetings with the Directorates of General Security, Internal Security, and State Security in Lebanon, and concluded with meetings with the Lebanese Minister of Interior, Ahmed Hajjar, according to the Syrian Ministry of Interior. The meetings, according to what Tahan told the official "SANA" agency, resulted in practical understandings for exchanging information and field coordination. For his part, the Lebanese Minister of Interior, Ahmed Al-Hajjar, said that his country is working to enhance security cooperation with Syria in various fields, most notably combating drugs, criminal offenses, border management, and combating terrorism, noting that this coordination comes within the framework of the renewed relations between the two countries after a series of mutual official visits, according to what the Lebanese Ministry of Interior published. Al-Hajjar explained that the meetings with the Syrian security delegation discussed ways to organize direct field cooperation, noting that an agreement was reached on joint coordination mechanisms to provide protection to the Lebanese and Syrian communities from various types of crimes, especially in light of the presence of large numbers of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

The Syrian Minister of Finance, "Yusr Barnieh," revealed that talks were held on the sidelines of the Future Investment Forum in Riyadh with international financial institutions, most notably the Japanese Mitsubishi Group, one of the largest banking groups in the world. He explained that the discussion focused on the possibility of the Japanese group contributing to financing strategic projects inside Syria, especially in the infrastructure and energy sectors, noting that the group expressed genuine interest and began communicating with investors to study opportunities to enter the Syrian market. The minister also held a meeting with the regional director of Visa, who expressed his enthusiasm to work in the Syrian market and explore opportunities for cooperation in the field of digital payments and modern financial infrastructure. The minister confirmed that these meetings reflect increasing indications of international interest in the Syrian economy, which may open the door for the return of financing and investment during the next stage.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Vershinin, discussed with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Syria, Geir Pedersen, in a telephone call, the developments in Syria and its surroundings, with a focus on security threats and the risks of destabilizing the country's internal stability. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said yesterday, Wednesday, that the two sides addressed "the continuing security threats in the region and the importance of maintaining stability." The statement pointed to the two sides' affirmation of the importance and feasibility of the basic principles of Security Council Resolution 2254, which supports Syria's sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity, in addition to "promoting a comprehensive political process led and owned by Syria." The discussions also included UN activities in Syria in light of the strategic review conducted by the General Secretariat, as Pedersen's term as Special Envoy nears its end.

The Secretary-General of the Syrian Presidency, Maher al-Shara', met in Moscow with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Vershinin, and the two sides discussed "the development of bilateral cooperation" between the two countries, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday, Wednesday: "On October 29, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin held a meeting in Moscow with the Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic, and the co-chair of the Russian-Syrian Standing Committee for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, Maher al-Shara'." He added that during the meeting, "the situation in and around Syria was discussed in detail, with a focus on facilitating the reconstruction of the country after the conflict. Current issues related to the development of multifaceted Russian-Syrian cooperation were also discussed in depth." The Foreign Ministry concluded its statement by saying that the two sides "agreed to continue the political dialogue with the aim of coordinating positions on regional and international issues, including within the framework of the United Nations."

Thursday News Round-up from Hizb ut-Tahrir Radio, Wilayah Syria

08/28/2025

Headlines:

Listening devices found near Jabal al-Mane' before the site was targeted by Jewish airstrikes, followed by an airborne landing on the outskirts of Al-Kiswah in the Damascus countryside.
The trumpets of the defunct regime... promote federalism, secession, and sectarianism, and the Ministry of Interior insists on opening the Damascus-Suwayda road amidst joint exercises of the International Coalition forces and QSD in the Al-Hasakah countryside.
Instead of boycotting it: Damascus discusses development and reconstruction files with the World Bank and the British "Gulf Sands" to rehabilitate oil fields.
Ahead of the Beirut talks... simultaneous Syrian-Lebanese protests demand the closure of the detainees' file.
Dozens of settlers storm the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the occupation police, and four deaths, including two children, as a result of the starvation war in Gaza.

Details:

Sources reported that the occupation army carried out an airborne landing in the Al-Kiswah area in the Damascus countryside yesterday, Wednesday, preceded by airstrikes targeting a military site. According to the sources, the area witnessed intensive reconnaissance aircraft activity during the airborne landing operation. The wave of attacks is the second in 24 hours on the military site in Jabal al-Mane' near Al-Kiswah. The same sources indicated that the air strikes, on Tuesday (August 26), targeted a site containing listening devices that the Syrian army tried to dismantle, resulting in martyrs in its ranks. The sources confirmed that the occupation planes and drones prevented access to the area until late Wednesday evening. For its part, the "SANA" agency, quoting a government source, stated that elements of the Syrian army were subjected to raids while dealing with monitoring and listening devices that they found during a field tour in Jabal al-Mane', south of Damascus, which led to martyrs and injuries in their ranks and the destruction of vehicles. Later, according to the source, the planes launched several raids on the site on Wednesday evening, followed by an airborne landing, the details of which are not yet known.

The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced the completion of the final steps to secure the road linking the capital Damascus and the Suwayda governorate, in preparation for opening it to transportation and trade. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry affirmed its firm commitment to meeting the needs of the people in Suwayda, ensuring their freedom of movement, and overcoming the effects of the crisis, expressing its appreciation for the "sacrifices made by the internal security forces units to accomplish this national task." This comes at a time when the advisor in the National Security Council of the Jewish entity, Anan Wahbi, said on Wednesday that “the stage of Suwayda’s separation from Syria has begun.” On Wednesday, residents of Suwayda, southern Syria, organized a protest in the city center, during which they demanded a return to their homes, and the accountability of government officials “for their involvement in the recent events in the city.”

(A formation active through social media called the "Political Council for Central and Western Syria") issued a video statement read by the sectarian journalist, a supporter of the defunct regime, "Kinan Waqaf", in which he demands federalism and the division of the country into regions, using the slogans of "civil peace" and "transitional justice", in a move that local activists described as a secessionist plan under a false political cover.

The International Coalition base in the countryside of the town of Tal Tamr, north of Al-Hasakah, witnessed joint military exercises between the International Coalition forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) yesterday evening, Wednesday. The sounds of drone aircraft and successive explosions were heard, along with heavy gunfire, in the vicinity of the "Qasrka" base of the International Coalition, north of Al-Hasakah, near the town of Tal Tamr. The same base had witnessed similar military exercises between the Coalition forces and the SDF last Monday evening. "Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve" said, through its official platforms this Thursday morning, that the recent exercises focused on close air support procedures, with the aim of enhancing operational coordination between the Coalition forces and the partner forces.

The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced yesterday, Wednesday, the participation of robots and modern reconnaissance aircraft in securing the Damascus International Fair in its sixty-second session, which is the first after the fall of the Assad regime. The Syrian Interior Ministry broadcast images of the work of the security reconnaissance unit of its forces in securing the Damascus International Fair using robots and modern reconnaissance aircraft. The activities of the sixty-second session of the Damascus International Fair kicked off on Wednesday evening on the grounds of the Exhibition City in the Damascus countryside, in the presence of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, with the participation of about 800 local and international companies.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met in Damascus with the World Bank Regional Director for Middle East Management, Jean-Christophe Carret. The Foreign Ministry stated on its "Facebook" page that the meeting discussed prospects for strengthening the partnership between Syria and the World Bank in the areas of reconstruction and economic development. This meeting comes after talks held by the Deputy Head of the Central Authority for Control and Inspection, on a problem, on July 31, with representatives of the World Bank on the implementation of the project to strengthen and manage public financial capabilities in Syria, and its repercussions on the financial sector and Syrian society. It is worth mentioning that the International Monetary Fund announced last May its readiness to support the international community's efforts to help Syria rehabilitate its economy, stressing its readiness to provide advice and technical assistance.

The families of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons organized a protest on Wednesday at the Jousieh crossing in the Homs countryside, coinciding with another sit-in in front of Roumieh prison in Lebanon, to demand the closure of the detainees' file and end the suffering of their families that has continued for years. Dozens of families gathered at the Jousieh border crossing, raising banners demanding that the fate of their sons detained in Lebanon be revealed, amid chants calling on the Lebanese authorities to quickly release them. In parallel, the vicinity of Roumieh prison in Lebanon witnessed a sit-in at the invitation of the families of Syrian detainees there, under the slogan: "Release the Syrian revolution and its supporters", where the protesters demanded a radical solution to this file. These moves coincide with talk of an upcoming visit by a Syrian security-judicial delegation to Beirut to discuss the file of Syrian detainees with the Lebanese authorities, in a step that may open the door to settling this file that has been stalled for years.

Minister of Energy, Engineer Muhammad Al-Bashir, met on Wednesday with John Bell, Director of the British company Gulf Sands, to discuss ways of cooperation in the oil sector and the possibility of the company returning to work in Syria, within the framework of efforts to rehabilitate oil fields and strengthen partnerships with international companies. The Syrian Ministry of Energy conveyed through its official platforms the Minister Al-Bashir’s confirmation during the meeting of the importance of developing cooperation with oil companies in a way that contributes to supporting the national energy sector and meeting increasing needs, stressing that the Syrian government attaches utmost priority to the file of rehabilitating the fields. For his part, the director of Gulf Sands expressed interest in reactivating the company's activity and contributing to rehabilitation and production programs during the next stage, pointing out that restoring the operation of the fields in a safe and transparent manner can alleviate the economic crisis that the country is suffering from. The British company Gulf Sands Petroleum dates back to 2003, when it concluded, in partnership with the Chinese company SinoChem, a production sharing agreement with the Syrian government to develop "Block 26" in the northeast of the country, an oil field covering an area of 5,414 square kilometers. Production in the fields there reached about 25,000 barrels per day in 2011 before activity stopped with the imposition of sanctions and the declaration of "force majeure." Since 2017, the company has reported that entities affiliated with the "Autonomous Administration" have begun exploiting the fields illegally, causing huge economic losses, estimated by the company at more than $14 billion US dollars last year, at a time when Syrians are facing stifling economic and environmental crises as a result of this exploitation. In 2023, "Gulf Sands" launched an initiative called "Project Hope", which aims to invest oil resources in a legitimate and transparent manner in line with Security Council Resolution (2254), and to provide revenues of $15-20 billion annually that can be directed towards humanitarian projects and early reconstruction programs. According to the company's estimates, "Block 26" alone contains more than one billion barrels of recoverable resources, with production potential that may exceed 100,000 barrels per day if development is completed.

Dozens of settlers stormed the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque today, Thursday, under heavy protection from the occupation police. Local sources reported that dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in groups, carried out provocative tours in its courtyards, and performed Talmudic rituals, under the protection of the occupation forces. The sources added that the occupation police turned the Old City of occupied Jerusalem into a military barracks, and hundreds of its members were deployed at close distances, especially at the gates of Al-Aqsa. Al-Aqsa Mosque is subjected daily to a series of violations and raids by settlers, under the protection of the occupation police, in an attempt to impose full control over the mosque, and divide it temporally and spatially.

The Minister of National Security in the Jewish entity, Itamar Ben Gvir, said: "I am the only one in the Ministerial Cabinet who believes that humanitarian aid should not be brought into Gaza." The government media office in Gaza said: "The occupation continues to close all crossings and prevent the entry of 430 types of food into the Gaza Strip, where only 14% of the residents' needs have been allowed in during the past thirty days, resulting in a deficit of 86% in the required aid." The office continued: "The occupation also prevents the organization of aid distribution operations and refuses to secure them, but rather facilitates their theft, at a time when more than 95% of the population has no source of income or money to buy what is available in the markets." The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced today, Thursday, the death of 4 citizens, including two children, as a result of famine and malnutrition, recorded by hospitals in the Gaza Strip, during the past 24 hours. It reported that the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition has risen to 317 martyrs, including 121 children.