Page 10 - aruba-today-20180823

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 23 augusT 2018
Syria's al-Qaida leader vows to fight on in rebel province

By BASSEM MROUE ernment forces captured
BEIRUT (AP) — The leader of rebel-held suburbs of the
Syria's al-Qaida affiliate has capital, Damascus, as well
vowed to fight on in Idlib as the southern provinces
province, the country's last of Daraa, Quneitra and
major rebel stronghold, in Sweida.
the face of a possible gov- In parts of these regions,
ernment offensive there. rebels accepted to recon-
The rare public statement cile with the government,
by Abu Mohammed al- handing over their heavy
Golani came as Syrian weapons in return for am-
President Bashar Assad's nesty — or agreed to be
forces have been sending bussed out together with
reinforcements into areas their families and other ci-
around Idlib in the country's vilians to rebel-held areas
northwest, along the bor- in Idlib.
der with Turkey. But taking Idlib would be a
The United States, Britain much more difficult chal-
and France have expressed lenge for Assad's forces
concern at reports of the as the province is also the
Syrian military targeting ci- base of al-Golani's militant
vilians, schools, hospitals This undated file photo shows Abu Mohammed al-Golani of the militant Levant Liberation and heavily armed Levant
Committee and leader of Syria's al-Qaida affiliate, discussing battlefield details with field
and other civilian infrastruc- commanders, in Aleppo, Syria. Liberation Committee as
ture in Idlib and underlined Associated Press the al-Qaida branch in Syr-
"concern at the potential ia is known.
for further — and illegal — tough U.S. response if that "But, just so there's no con- edly stressed that it con- In his comments, which
use of chemical weapons" happens. fusion here, if the Syrian re- siders the use of chemical came in a video released
to bring the province under "We are obviously con- gime uses chemical weap- weapons an immoral act late on Tuesday, al-Golani
government control. cerned about the possi- ons we will respond very and condemns their use said state-sponsored sur-
In Jerusalem, U.S. Nation- bility that Assad may use strongly." anywhere and under any renders of rebel groups,
al Security Adviser John chemical weapons again. In return, Syria's Foreign circumstances," the minis- similar to those that recent-
Bolton on Wednesday We had hoped that our Ministry lashed out at the try said, reiterating allega- ly occurred elsewhere in
warned Syria against using (air) strikes had created West, especially the U.S., tions that insurgents are to Syria, won't happen in Idlib
chemical weapons as it structures of deterrents to France and Britain, for what blame for previous use of as such actions would be
prepares to launch an of- convince the Assad regime it called a "campaign of chemical weapons. considered "treason" by his
fensive on Idlib, vowing a not to do that," Bolton said. threats." "Syria has repeat- Earlier this year, Syrian gov- al-Qaida-linked fighters.q

Putin says latest US sanctions senseless

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV against such country as sire to remove a powerful
Associated Press Russia," adding that Mos- competitor and promote
MOSCOW (AP) — U.S. eco- cow expects Washington supplies of its own more
nomic sanctions against to realize their uselessness expensive liquefied natural
Russia are senseless, Presi- and engage in construc- gas to Europe.
dent Vladimir Putin said tive cooperation. "Russia is the optimum
Wednesday, voicing hope The Trump administration supplier for the European
that Washington will even- added to its growing list of economy," Putin said. "We
tually agree to a construc- sanctions against Russia on are ready to compete with
tive dialogue. Tuesday, blacklisting two anyone, but we expect a
Speaking after talks with companies and two indi- fair competition in line with
Finnish counterpart Sauli viduals suspected of try- international norms."
Niinisto in Sochi, Putin de- ing to circumvent earlier Putin also noted that Russia
scribed last month's Helsinki U.S. sanctions imposed in has to respond to NATO's
summit with U.S. President June in response to cyber- deployments near its bor-
Donald Trump as positive, attacks, and sanctioning ders. He emphasized that
but blamed Trump's admin- two Russian shipping com- Moscow is ready to discuss
istration for continuing to hit Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during his joint panies for suspected trade ways to increase mutual
Russia with sanctions. conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto following their with North Korea. trust, such as the security of
meeting in the Bocharov Ruchei residence, Russia, Wednesday,
"As for our meeting with Aug. 22, 2018. Commenting on the pro- military flights over the Bal-
Trump, I view it as posi- Associated Press spective Germany-bound tic, but claimed that NATO
tive and useful," Putin said. Nord Stream 2 natural gas has stonewalled Russian
"No one expected that all fied economic pressure on just the position of the U.S. pipeline that the U.S. has proposals on the subject.
disputed issues could be Moscow over its actions in president, but that of the threatened to target with "I don't think that the idea
settled during a two-hour Ukraine and Syria, as well so-called establishment, sanctions, Putin said that of reducing the degree of
meeting, but a direct con- as Russia's alleged efforts the ruling class in the broad Europe needs the project confrontation and increas-
versation and exchange of at meddling in the 2016 U.S. sense of the word which to satisfy its energy needs. ing the level of security in
opinions are always useful." presidential election and matters." Putin and other Russian of- the Baltic is dead," Putin
Even as Trump has sought disrupting other western He said the U.S. restrictions ficials have noted that the said. "Just the other way
closer ties with Putin, his democracies. are "counterproductive U.S. opposition to the new round, it has become even
administration has intensi- Putin noted that "it's not and senseless, especially pipeline stems from its de- more acute."q