Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 20 augusT 2019

Airstrikes hit near Turkish convoy in Syria, raising tension

By ALBERT AJI the airstrikes, adding that
SUZAN FRASER they were “against existing
Associated Press agreements as well as our
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — cooperation and dialogue
Airstrikes targeted a Turk- with Russian.”
ish army convoy inside a The strikes hit near the high-
rebel-held part of north- way where the convoy was
western Syria on Monday, traveling, Syrian activists
killing three civilians and said.
wounding 12 others, the Turkey backs the rebels
Turkish Defense Ministry who have been in control
said. Syria, however, said of the region since 2012,
the Turkish convoy was car- while Russia backs the gov-
rying ammunition to rebels ernment of Syrian President
who have lost ground this Bashar Assad. It has vowed
month amid a government to take back Idlib.
offensive to retake their last Turkey’s private DHA news
stronghold in the country. agency said Syrian govern-
The incident ratcheted up ment planes targeted the
tensions in the region, a route of a Turkish military
current ground zero in Syr- convoy carrying reinforce-
ia’s long-running civil war in ment vehicles and person-
which Turkish, Russian, U.S. nel. It said the convoy was
and Iranian interests are Smoke rises in the background from bombardment around the area as fighters with the Free heading toward two Turkish
fighting. Syrian army drive their pick-up truck, left, past a Turkey Armed Forces convoy, at a highway observation posts when it
between Maaret al-Numan and Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, Syria, Monday, Aug. 19, 2019.
The Turkish Defense Minis- Associated Press came under Syrian aircraft
try gave no word on Turkish fire.
casualties, saying the con- erful militant group in the reached its outskirts ear- difficult for rebels and civil- The report said the convoy
voy was attacked while area. lier Monday. The town’s fall ians to move between Idlib could not proceed be-
heading to one of Turkey’s It was not immediately would also cut the high- and rebels in northern parts cause the route between
observation posts in rebel- clear whether the airstrikes way linking Idlib to northern of Hama province. Maaret al Numan and
controlled Idlib province. were carried out by Syr- parts of Hama province, Under a deal reached last Khan Sheikhoun was tar-
Syria’s Foreign Ministry said ian or Russian warplanes. home to one of Turkey’s 12 year between Russia and geted, and sheltered at a
the convoy of armored ve- The convoy consisted of observation posts on the Turkey, the highway was safe location. The agency
hicles was delivering weap- several armored vehicles edges of Idlib province. supposed to be open by did not report any casual-
ons to Khan Sheikhoun, and flatbed trucks carrying The Syrian Observatory the end of 2018 but it never ties.
a major rebel-held town tanks. for Human Rights, a war happened. Now, Syrian The Britain-based Observa-
that lies on the front line of The Turkish move into Idlib monitor, and Idlib-based troops appear to be trying tory said airstrikes believed
fighting along the southern appears to be a message opposition activist Mazen to open it by force. to be from Russian planes
edge of the Idlib enclave. by Ankara that it won’t al- al-Shami, reported that The Turkish Defense Min- struck near the highway
The town is a stronghold of low Syrian forces to cap- Syrian troops reached the istry’s brief statement did and forced the nearly
al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tah- ture Khan Sheikhoun. Syr- M5 highway north of Khan not provide details but 25-vehicle Turkish convoy
rir al-Sham, the most pow- ian government forces Sheikhoun, making it more “strongly condemned” to stop.q

Palestinian leader fires advisers, wants bonuses returned

Palestinian officials said the anonymity to discuss inter- net gave its members lavish
decisions, announced in nal deliberations. payouts. The documents
official statements, came Israel stopped delivering showed that ministers’ pay
as part of efforts to cut some of the tax revenues had climbed from $3,000 a
costs and recuperate funds it collects on behalf of the month to $5,000 — a 67%
after Israel stopped deliver- Palestinians to protest the raise — and that the prime
ing tax revenues earlier this Palestinian Authority’s pay- minister’s salary was raised
year. ments to the families of mili- to $6,000 a month.
The Palestinian Authority, tants who have been killed Abbas had secretly ap-
which governs parts of the or imprisoned. proved the raises, overrid-
Israeli-occupied West Bank, The Palestinians have de- ing a 2004 law fixing minis-
has long faced charges of fended those payments, terial salaries.
corruption and misman- saying they support needy The raises were applied ret-
agement. families who are victims of roactively to 2014, when
Abbas has cycled through the decades-long conflict. the Cabinet took office,
In this April 29, 2019 file photo, Palestinian President Mahmoud dozens of advisers since he In a separate decision, Ab- resulting in bonuses worth
Abbas chairs a cabinet meeting in the West Bank city of was first elected president bas ordered former Prime tens of thousands of dollars.
Ramallah.
Associated Press in 2005, with many continu- Minister Rami Hamdallah A $10,000 housing bonus
ing to receive salaries and and other Cabinet minis- intended for ministers living
By M. DARAGHMEH ers and ordered a former benefits after leaving of- ters to return bonuses the outside Ramallah, where
Associated Press prime minister and other fice. president had approved in the Palestinian Authority is
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) ex-Cabinet ministers to re- The officials said Abbas 2017. headquartered, was given
— Palestinian President turn tens of thousands of would reinstate some ad- Documents leaked earlier to all ministers, including
Mahmoud Abbas on Mon- dollars from a pay raise he visers in the coming days. this year showed that the those with homes in the
day laid off all of his advis- had secretly approved. They spoke on condition of technocratic former Cabi- West Bank city. q