Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

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Syrian Prime Minister Wael Nader A
l-Halqi meets with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani at his office in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013 (AP Photo)

Syrian government reasserts position in run-up to Geneva peace conference

by Asharq Al-Awsat | Jan 1, 2014 | Middle East

London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Syrian Prime Minister Wael Al-Halqi reaffirmed the government’s position on Tuesday that any decisions made at the forthcoming international peace conference must be put to a referendum. In a speech at the final session of 2013 of the Syrian...

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Forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad are seen in the Qalamoun mountains north of Damascus. Syria’s army ambushed Islamist fighters in the Qalamoun mountains north of the capital Damascus on Friday, leaving as many as 60 people dead, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said (REUTERS/SANA/Handout via Reuters)

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights “received Al-Qaeda death threats”

by Thair Abbas | Jan 1, 2014 | Media

London, Asharq Al-Awsat—In another sign of the increasing predominance of extremist Islamist groups within the Syrian opposition, a prominent UK-based human rights watchdog claimed on Monday that it has received death threats from an Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant...

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Sacks of bread and other relief material are prepared ready for transportation to Syrian refugees encamped in Arsal, in the Lebanese Bekaa valley, on December 17, 2013 (AFP PHOTO/IBRAHIM CHALHOUB)

Lebanese forces fire at Syrian aircraft in Lebanese airspace

by Caroline Akoum | Dec 31, 2013 | Middle East

Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Military sources in Lebanon told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Lebanese army fired for the first time at Syrian military aircraft which violated its airspace on Monday morning. The sources said the army fired machine guns at Syrian military...

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Forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad run during clashes with Free Syrian Army fighters in the Alleramoun labs area of Aleppo December 29, 2013 (REUTERS/George Ourfalian).

Syria: Assad set to strengthen grip on country ahead of peace talks

by Michel Abu Najm | Dec 31, 2013 | Middle East

Paris, Asharq Al-Awsat—Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is seeking to retake control of as much territory as possible ahead of peace talks due to open in early 2014, as the Western-backed opposition still has not unified its stance over taking part in the talks,...

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A view of Salah al-Din neighbourhood in central Aleppo August 22, 2013. (REUTERS/Loubna Mrie.)

Opinion: We must highlight the Syrian tragedy more in 2014

by Diana Moukalled | Dec 31, 2013 | Opinion

In my last op-ed of the year, allow me to take the opportunity to resist colluding with the rest of the world regarding what is happening in Syria. There is a vital need to undertake creative and exceptional efforts to ensure that the situation in Syria returns to the...