Ramtha hospital receives more than 65 Syrian war-wounded patients over past two weeks
By JORDAN TIMES – Jul 09,2015 – AMMAN — More than 65 Syrian war-wounded patients — most of whom were injured by barrel bombs — arrived at the Ramtha Hospital […]
Whoever triggered Syrian Conflict Has Made 4 Million Homeless
Syria conflict: Number of refugees passes four million Source: BBC Turkey is home to the the largest number of Syrians refugees Syria’s war Syria: The story of the conflict President […]
Syria conflict: Belgium rescues 200 Aleppo Christians
Syria conflict: Belgium rescues 200 Aleppo Christians Before the war, Aleppo had one of the biggest Christian communities in the Middle East Syria’s war Some 240 people, mainly Christians, have been brought out of Syria’s second city of Aleppo and taken to Belgium, the government in Brussels says. All the […]
UK to provide additional 100 million Pounds in aid for Syrian refugees and hosts
By JT – Jul 07,2015 – JORDAN TIMES AMMAN — The UK has announced additional £100 million in aid for Syrian refugees and the countries hosting them, a statement by the British embassy in Amman said Tuesday. The embassy said the announcement was made by International Development Secretary Justine Greening […]
Why British air strikes in Syria would be pointless
Shashank Joshi THE GUARDIAN Michael Fallon’s suggestion would be a futile gesture in the fight against Isis, not least because of a lack of allied ground forces ‘Syrian Kurds worked closely with US airpower to push out Isis from Kobane in January. But alliance with the Kurds has its […]
The seven wars in seven Muslim countries that are fuelling Isis
by Patrick Cockburn The aftermath of an Isis suicide bomb attack during the battle for Kobani On June 30 last year, Isis said it was establishing a caliphate in the territories under its control in Iraq and Syria. As part of a series by The Independent marking this anniversary, […]
Consequences of underfunding the Syrian crisis
Jun 24,2015 – JORDAN TIMES – Gustavo Gonsalez At the end of 2014, a wide range of national and international partners launched the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) to address the most challenging needs of refugees and host communities, as well as the longer-term socio-economic impact from the ongoing crisis […]
Syrian class divisions growing during civil war, helping Assad regime
MARK MACKINNON LONDON — The Globe and Mail Published Tuesday, Jun. 23, 2015 12:01AM EDT Syria is dissolving not only along sectarian lines, but also class lines, with a new report warning that the country’s economy has collapsed by more than 50 per cent through four years of bloody civil […]
State of fear: Survivors tell of life under Daesh rule
JORDAN TIMES ESKI MOSUL, Iraq — When Daesh burst into the Iraqi village of Eski Mosul, Sheikh Abdullah Ibrahim knew his wife was in trouble. Buthaina Ibrahim was an outspoken […]
Syrian Kurds, on the offensive, push deeper into Islamic State territory
BEIRUT | BY TOM PERRY REUTERS.COM Fighters of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) stand with children near a sign in Tel Abyad town, Raqqa governorate, June 16, 2015. REUTERS/RODI SAID Kurdish-led forces advanced on Monday deep into territory in Syria held by Islamic State, showing new momentum […]
No joy in Ramadan for Syrian refugees
A Syrian woman sits in front of her tent at an informal refugee camp in the Bekaa village of Jarahieh, Friday, June 19, 2015. (The Daily Star/Osama Kadiri) Ghinwa Obeid| The Daily Star BEKAA VALLEY, Lebanon: As she prepared stuffed vine leaves outside her refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley […]
In search of country, home and hope
Jun 20,2015 – Last updated at Jun 20,2015 Since 2012, I have seen the Syria crisis unfolding under my eyes and the subsequent tremendous generosity of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its citizens in providing assistance to the refugees. I am proud to say that the EU, along with […]
You can’t defeat ISIS with Facebook
Summary BY RAMI G. KHOURI, THE DAILY STAR, LEBANON Rarely has amateurism in American foreign policy in the Middle East been as glaring and shocking as it has been in the past year with regard to Washington’s policy toward ISIS. In almost every aspect of American policy related to […]
Finding Home Elsewhere
Jun 18,2015 – JORDAN TIMES In April 2011, approximately one month after the beginning of the conflict in Syria, Fayez, his wife and their six children had to flee their village in Homs. They remained displaced, moving from place to place across the country, for more than three years. Then, […]
Further fracturing Arab countries
Jun 17,2015 – JORDAN TIMES BY MICHAEL JANSEN The battle between Kurdish militiamen and Daesh over the strategic Syrian border town of Tel Abyan has been a crucial test for both sides; Daesh is certain to try to regain control. The town, across from the Turkish city of Akcakale, is […]
Syrian civil war: Ancient Islamic teachings treasured by rebels fighting Assad – discovered in a bombed-out cafe in the ghost city of Homs
One glance through the broken windows of this famous old cafe illustrates the Dresden-like ruins – all that remains of Homs by ROBERT FISK Thursday 11 June 2015 From the moment you push open the battered brass doors of the wrecked Beit al-Agha Restaurant in the ruined old city of Homs […]
Robert Fisk: Al-Nusra is pitching for US backing. But can there be a ‘moderate’ Islamist terror group? Al-Nusra’s PR campaign began on al-Jazeera, which just happens to be funded by Qatar
It’s an obvious pitch. Just when the Americans are frothing around for something sane to say about their non-existent policy in the Middle East, along comes the al-Nusra Front – al-Qaeda beheaders and sectarian killers – to suggest that they are just the “moderates” Washington wants to fight the Assad […]
The Journey: Syrian refugee Hashem Alsouki risks his life crossing the Mediterranean, his sights set on Sweden – and freedom for his family
Patrick Kingsley Migration correspondent THE GUARDIAN 9 June 2015 In the darkness far out to sea, Hashem Alsouki can’t see his neighbours but he can hear them scream. It’s partly his fault. They are two African women – perhaps from Somalia, but now is not the time to ask – […]
Al Qaeda's Syria chief says Daesh caliphate 'illegitimate'
By AFP – Jun 04,2015 – JORDAN TIMES BEIRUT — The chief of Al Qaeda’s Syria affiliate described the rival Daesh group’s self-proclaimed caliphate as “illegitimate”, in a wide-ranging television interview aired on Wednesday. In the second part of his appearance on the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera news channel, Al Nusra […]
Al Qaeda’s Syria chief says Daesh caliphate ‘illegitimate’
By AFP – Jun 04,2015 – JORDAN TIMES BEIRUT — The chief of Al Qaeda’s Syria affiliate described the rival Daesh group’s self-proclaimed caliphate as “illegitimate”, in a wide-ranging television interview aired on Wednesday. In the second part of his appearance on the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera news channel, Al Nusra […]