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WORLD NEWSFriday 12 January 2018
Syrian insurgents in counteroffensive in northwest Tunisia unrest:
By BASSEM MROUE This photo shows fighters from Ahrar al-Sham preparing for battle against Syrian government Arrests, clashes
PHILIP ISSA
Associated Press forces in the town of Atshan, in the northern Hama countryside of Syria. persist in cities
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian insur-
gent groups launched a (Ahrar al-Sham, via AP) By BEN BOUAZZA
counteroffensive Thursday Associated Press
against government forces U.N. and other relief organi- over the last two weeks, counter-offensive by mili- TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tu-
advancing toward a major nisian police arrested 328
rebel-held air base in the zations to reach 2.5 million according to the Britain- tants in Idlib by evening people and fired tear gas
country’s northwest Idlib as protesters hurled rocks
province, capturing several Syrians in need of aid on a based Syrian Observatory Thursday, the Observatory and burned tires during
villages and taking prison- further nationwide dem-
ers, opposition groups said. regular basis. They are Syr- for Human Rights monitor- reported. The government- onstrations over price rises.
The push by several fac- European governments
tions, including the al-Qai- ians in areas the U.N. classi- ing group. Attacks by Syr- controlled Syrian Central warned travelers about
da-linked Levant Liberation the multi-day outbreak of
Committee, slowed the fies as “besieged” or “hard- ian and Russian forces on Military Media said troops unrest in the birthplace of
government offensive to- the Arab Spring.
ward the Abu Zuhour air to-reach.” The U.N. deliv- eastern Ghouta damaged repelled the assault and The protests late Wednes-
base that has been held by day in multiple towns ap-
rebels since 2015. ered aid to an average 7.5 or destroyed four schools killed several militants in the peared somewhat less vio-
Recapturing the air base lent than previous nights,
has been a key govern- million people each month and killed eight children in fighting. as heavy security was de-
ment goal since late Octo- ployed at key sites to deter
ber and Syrian forces have last year. late October and early No- Idlib is the largest remain- rioters.
captured some 160 villages But the country remains
since first launched the of- The under-secretary-gener- vember 2017, according to ing territory in rebel hands, tense.
fensive. The operations also And more demonstrations
aim to secure the road link- al said he was “particularly a new report by the New and its population is swol- are planned in the com-
ing the capital, Damascus, ing days to mark seven
with Aleppo, Syria’s largest concerned about the fate York-based Human Rights len with more than 1.1 mil- years since the ouster of
city. The U.N.’s Under-Sec- longtime President Zine El
retary-General for Humani- of the besieged people Watch. Russia is a key mili- lion refugees who have fled Abidine Ben Ali on Jan. 14,
tarian Affairs Mark Low- 2011.
cock, in Damascus, said of (Eastern) Ghouta,” a tary backer of President fighting from other areas in Interior Ministry spokesman
he was “deeply worried” Khalifa Chibani said Thurs-
about civilians caught up pocket of the opposition in Bashar Assad. Syria, according to the U.N. day that the 328 arrested
in the violence in Idlib. The overnight are accused of
fighting has displaced an the suburbs of Damascus. “Syrian and Russian forces A statement Thursday by destroying property, loot-
estimated 100,000 people ing and theft. That’s in ad-
who have fled north to- Government forces have appear to view the lives of the International Rescue dition to more than 200 ar-
ward safer areas close to rested earlier this week.
the border with Turkey. waged a punishing aerial children in Eastern Ghouta Committee said it received Speaking on Mosaique
Lowcock, on his first mission radio, he said 21 officers
to Syria since his appoint- and artillery campaign on as utterly disposable,” said hundreds of newly dis- were injured in the latest
ment last year, called for skirmishes. He didn’t give
agreements to allow the eastern Ghouta after reb- Bill Van Esveld, senior chil- placed people from the estimates of the number of
protesters that were hurt.
els launched an attack on dren’s rights researcher at southeast of the province Clashes notably erupted
in working class neighbor-
a nearby military base in Human Rights Watch. in the past few days, joining hoods on the outskirts of
the capital, Tunis.
November. The bombard- Government forces had thousands who fled over Groups of young people,
some masked, threw rocks
ment has killed 170 civilians largely beaten back the the past month.q at a police station and
were met by volleys of tear
Majority of Egypt wants president to run again gas, and had running scuf-
fles through nearby streets,
By HAMZA HENDAWI candidate announced each in 15 of Egypt’s 29 ments have been put up witnesses said.
Associated Press last week he wouldn’t en- provinces. Rather than across Cairo imploring el- In a Tunis suburb, citizens
CAIRO (AP) — More than ter the race; two others waiting for el-Sissi to seek Sissi to run. “So you can intervened to help police
500 of Egypt’s 596 lawmak- have faced prosecution recommendations, the build it,” is the catch phrase hold off rioters armed with
ers have signed “recom- in the courts. Most oppo- lawmakers rushed to offer of one such campaigns, al- knives and firebombs trying
mendations” supporting a sition figures are either in them first. luding to the president’s fo- to attack a train.
re-election bid by President jail, living abroad or stay- “Parliament achieves a cus on overhauling Egypt’s In the central city of Kasser-
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, even ing on the sidelines after record number in support- infrastructure and his ambi- ine, the army intervened
before he has formally an- a general crackdown on ing el-Siss,” ran the top tious program to overhaul after protesters set fire to a
nounced his candidacy, dissent since el-Sissi led the headline in the Al-Masry Al- the battered economy police station.
according to news reports military’s 2013 ouster of an Youm newspaper. A photo and build mega projects. Protesters blocked roads
published Thursday. Islamist president. showed smiling lawmakers El-Sissi has said he will an- with flaming tires in several
El-Sissi is considered virtually Under the constitution, to standing in a half circle with nounce his candidacy regions, from the western
certain to run in the March qualify to run, any would- copies of their recommen- after receiving feedback region of Sousse to Beja
26-28 election and to win a be candidate must gather dations in hand. The Egyp- on his track record since in the north, according to
second four-year term. So formal recommendations tian parliament is packed taking office. He did not media reports.q
far, no candidate who can from at least 20 elected with el-Sissi supporters and elaborate, but his office this
pose a serious challenge to members of parliament, or has since its election acted week invited Egyptians to
the general-turned-presi- alternatively 25,000 recom- more like a rubber-stamp submit questions online for
dent has emerged. mendations from voters, chamber. him to answer on live televi-
One prominent potential with a minimum of 1,000 Hundreds of advertise- sion. q
