English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 13/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers none of these will inherit the kingdom of God.
First Letter to the Corinthians 06/01-11: "When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels to say nothing of ordinary matters? If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to decide between one believer and another, but a believer goes to court against a believer and before unbelievers at that? In fact, to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud and believers at that. Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 12-13/2025
Political Islam Is A Constant Threat of Deception and War/Elias Bejjani/March 12/2025
The Obligation of Gratitude: A Fundamental Virtue in the Believer's Life/Elias Bejjani / March 11, 2025
Statement of Condemnation for the Massacres Committed by Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s Jihadi Regime in Alawite Areas/Elias Bejjani/March 09/2025
Video link for a compelling video interview with writer and director Youssef Y. El Khoury.
US steps in as Israel, Lebanon prepare for border negotiations: Key details revealed
Israel eyes diplomatic shift in Lebanon border talks amid skepticism: Is normalization the endgame?
Ceasefire committee meets in Naqoura to discuss full implementation of 1701
Israel, Lebanon Start US-Backed Border Talks as Ceasefire Holds
Israel says senior Hezbollah militant, several 'suspects' hit in south strikes
Lebanese army removes barbed wire placed by Israeli forces in southern border area
Israeli official says Israel wants to 'reach normalization with Lebanon'
Lebanon receives four detainees released by Israel
Who Would Lead Lebanon’s Security Institutions
Govt. to approve security appointments Thursday after agreements reached
Fares Soaid's brother, Karim, emerges as leading candidate for central bank chief post
New Syrian Displaced Persons in Akkar: The Number Rises to 8,500
Meeting discusses World Bank's infrastructure reconstruction project for Lebanon
IMF's 'rocky' relationship with Lebanon: Can a new agreement break the cycle of failed reforms?
Lebanese President stresses importance of medical tourism for economic recovery
Hezbollah’s Comeback Plan and How to Counter It/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This Is Beirut/March 12/2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 12-13/2025
Israel Says Syrian Druze Permitted to Work in Golan Heights
Israeli defense minister says military watching Ahmad al-Sharaa from Mt. Hermon
Kremlin says waiting for US to inform it about Ukraine ceasefire proposal
Trump Says He Hopes Putin Will Agree to Ukraine Ceasefire
Iran's Khamenei Says US Threats of Military Action 'Unwise'
Iran says it received Trump's letter: Iranian media
Iran's Khamenei says 'not seeking nuclear weapon'
Yemen’s Houthi rebels say they are resuming attacks on shipping
Syrian Kurds celebrate deal with Damascus
Who was behind mass killings on Syria's coast?
Entire families killed in Syria sectarian violence, UN says
Egypt Asks to Host Some 2034 World Cup Matches
US Trading Partners Hit Back on Steel, Aluminum Tariffs
Rubio Says Not Going to Discuss How to 'Take Over Canada' at G7

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 11-12/2025
Iran cracks down on armed nationalist group/Janatan Sayeh/FDD's Long War Journal/March 12/2025
After SDF-Damascus deal, a spotlight on US forces in Syria/Seth J. Frantzman/ FDD's Long War Journal/March 12/2025
What Data Tells Us About The Violence In Syria/Kian Sharifi/https://www.rferl.org/March 12/2025
New Era of Peace? The Middle East at a Crossroads/This is Beirut/March 12/2025
Christian Leaders’ Letter to President Trump Calls for Urgent Action on 24 Christian Hostages/Save Armenia: A Judeo-Christian Alliance

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 12-13/2025
Political Islam Is A Constant Threat of Deception and War
Elias Bejjani/March 12/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141141/
Political Islam, both Sunni and Shia, poses a serious and ongoing threat to any society it seeks to control. In its ideology, the world is divided into two categories: Dar al-Islam (House of Islam)—where Islamic rule is established, and Dar al-Harb (House of War)—where all means, including deception and violence, are justified to bring it under Islamic rule.
This is not just a theoretical belief; it is a deeply rooted strategy followed by jihadist movements. A key historical example is the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which Prophet Muhammad signed with the Jewish tribes when he was weak, only to break it once he gained enough power. Today, this same tactic is used by Islamist movements, whether Sunni—such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Boko Haram—or Shia—led by Iran and its armed proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
History Repeats Itself: Political Islam and the Hudaybiyyah Strategy
When Prophet Muhammad signed the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, his goal was to buy time until he could grow stronger. As soon as the balance of power shifted in his favor, he broke the agreement and attacked his former allies. This strategy remains a core principle of political Islam today. It is the foundation of Taqiyya, the Islamic practice of deception, where agreements are made only to be abandoned when power is secured.
A modern example of this Hudaybiyyah strategy is Iran’s nuclear deal with the West. When Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015, it used Taqiyya to deceive the international community.
The Iranian regime presented itself as a responsible actor willing to limit its nuclear ambitions in exchange for economic relief. However, from the beginning, Iran never intended to fully comply. Instead, it used the deal to buy time, expand its regional influence, develop its ballistic missile program, and secretly advance its nuclear capabilities. The moment Iran felt strong enough, it openly violated the agreement, accelerating uranium enrichment and defying Western sanctions. Just like Muhammad’s Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Iran’s nuclear deal was nothing more than a temporary truce—meant to be broken once the regime gained the upper hand.
Sunni and Shia Political Islam:
Two Sides of the Same Coin
There is no fundamental difference between Sunni and Shia political Islam. Both operate under the same principles of expansion and domination. Iran, the main force behind Shia political Islam, never views treaties as permanent. Instead, it uses them to expand its control—whether through so-called “settlements” in Lebanon and Syria or by infiltrating governments in Iraq and Yemen. Likewise, Sunni Islamist movements, such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Nusra Front, follow the same method: they negotiate, they deceive, and then they strike when the time is right.
Ahmad al-Sharaa’s Agreements in Syria: A Repeat of the Hudaybiyyah Deception
Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Joulani, has become a key figure in political Islam thanks to Turkish and Qatari support, combined with Western naïveté. As an Islamist ideologue and a firm believer in the Hudaybiyyah strategy, his agreements with various ethnic and sectarian groups—such as the Kurds, Druze, and others in Syria—should not be mistaken for genuine peace efforts. Sharaa views his current agreements as temporary tools to consolidate power and the moment he feels strong enough, he will turn against his so-called partners, enforcing his Islamist rule through force and intimidation.
History offers countless examples of Islamist movements using deception to gain power before betraying their agreements. Iran did the same with its nuclear deal, and Hamas has done the same in every ceasefire it signed before resuming its attacks. Sharaa is no different. Those who trust his agreements are either unaware of history or deliberately choosing to ignore it.
The future of Syria under Sharaa is clear: any agreement he signs today will be meaningless tomorrow. He is an extremist who sees Syria not as a nation, but as a battlefield for Islamic rule. Those who believe they can coexist with him under negotiated settlements will soon learn the hard lesson that jihadist ideology does not recognize permanent peace—only temporary truces that are broken when the time is right.
The Final Message: No Middle Ground with Political Islam
No agreement with Islamist movements—whether Sunni or Shia—can be trusted. These groups follow the Hudaybiyyah strategy and practice Taqiyya, meaning they will make deals when they are weak and break them when they are strong. Iran’s nuclear deal is just another proof that political Islam cannot be contained with diplomacy. History is clear, and recent events confirm that these groups understand only one language: the language of power. Any compromise with them is not a step toward peace but a step toward future war and destruction.
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com

The Obligation of Gratitude: A Fundamental Virtue in the Believer's Life
Elias Bejjani / March 11, 2025
Gratitude, the acknowledgment of goodness, is one of the highest human virtues that every individual must embody. It is an expression of appreciation and recognition toward those who have helped us in times of need. Conversely, denying acts of kindness and refusing to assist those who once extended a helping hand reflect traits that contradict sound human nature and religious teachings.
In the Christian faith, gratitude is not merely a moral behavior but an essential component of the human relationship with the Creator. God granted us life and intellect freely and bestowed upon us His countless blessings. The Lord Jesus underscored this principle when He commanded His disciples during their mission to spread the Gospel: "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). This is an invitation to unconditional giving and to gratitude for the blessings we have received as gifts from a loving Father.
The Holy Bible emphasizes the importance of gratitude in the believer’s life. In the First Epistle to the Thessalonians (5:16-18), there is an explicit call to practice this virtue: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Gratitude is not only linked to times of prosperity but must be a continuous practice, whether in ease or hardship.
The Psalms repeatedly call for praise and acknowledgment of God’s goodness. As Psalm 136:1 declares: "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." This reveals that gratitude should be constant, stemming from our awareness of God's eternal mercy. Likewise, King David expresses his deep gratitude to God after overcoming trials, proclaiming in Psalm 30: "O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me... You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever" (Psalm 30:1-12).
Even in difficult times, gratitude remains a spiritual necessity. The prophet Job, despite losing everything, never lost the spirit of thanksgiving, stating: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). This teaches us that gratitude should not be conditioned by comfort or material wealth but should be rooted in deep faith in God's wisdom and care.
The Apostle Paul also emphasizes that gratitude is a defining trait of the true believer, manifesting as a continuous act of worship infused with self-respect, respect for others, and reverence.
Gratitude to God liberates a person from selfishness and despair, reminding him that the good he receives is not by his effort alone but is a divine gift. Expressing gratitude shifts the focus from personal desires and daily hardships to the recognition that God is the supreme Master of life. As the Apostle James affirms: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17).
The obligation of gratitude extends beyond our relationship with God to our dealings with others. Just as we seek God's blessings, we must also show appreciation to those who have been kind to us and never forget those who stood by us in difficult times. It has been wisely said that he who does not thank people does not thank God—a profound human value that should define our way of life.
Among the greatest expressions of gratitude is the duty children owe to their parents. Parents dedicate their lives to raising their children with love and sacrifice, often setting aside their personal needs for the well-being of their offspring. As they age, the responsibility of children does not end upon their independence; rather, they must continue to honor and care for their parents, especially in their old age when they are vulnerable. The Holy Bible commands this explicitly in the Fifth Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12). This commandment is not mere advice but a divine obligation, reminding us that gratitude toward parents is an essential part of faith and righteousness. Neglecting parents in their old age is a grave moral failure that contradicts the values of love and respect taught in the Bible. The sacrifices parents make in raising their children should never be forgotten; it is the duty of every child to repay this kindness with love, care, and dedication.
The believer and the wise person understand that righteousness toward parents is one of the most beloved deeds to God. In the end, gratitude is a virtue that not only elevates a person spiritually but also fills the heart with peace and contentment. The more we cultivate gratitude within ourselves, the more we grow in happiness and fulfillment. By embracing gratitude, we walk in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ and follow the teachings of the Holy Bible, which call us to be a thankful people who recognize every moment of life as an opportunity for praise and glorification.

Statement of Condemnation for the Massacres Committed by Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s Jihadi Regime in Alawite Areas
Elias Bejjani/March 09/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141021/
We strongly condemn the horrific massacres committed by Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s jihadi regime in Alawite areas along the Syrian coast. Hundreds of civilians were brutally executed with no respect for human dignity or basic rights. These crimes add another dark chapter to Syria’s suffering after the fall of the criminal Assad regime.
Our firm opposition to Assad’s oppressive rule does not mean accepting the barbaric and extremist alternative represented by Ahmad Al-Sharaa. He took power through a violent coup and brought even more suffering to the Syrian people. The horrifying executions of Alawite civilians by bearded jihadi fighters, carried out for sectarian reasons, are a dangerous development that cannot be ignored.
Syria is a diverse country with many ethnic and religious communities and cannot be ruled by an Islamist extremist regime that seeks to erase others. Ahmad Al-Sharaa and his jihadi movement, with their long history of terrorism, cannot succeed in imposing their rule on Syria. They are not a legitimate alternative to Assad’s brutal dictatorship. We strongly denounce these massacres and urge Arab countries and the international community not to support Al-Sharaa’s regime. Iran’s mullahs are directly responsible for this destruction, as they have armed and incited extremist groups, just as they once backed Assad. Their terrorist proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, is sheltering former Assad officials and military officers while continuing Iran’s agenda of chaos and violence. What happened in northern Syria is a direct result of Iran’s aggressive policies. Its leaders, including Supreme Leader Khamenei, have repeatedly threatened to spread chaos in Syria. The world must take firm action to hold those responsible accountable and prevent further bloodshed. Syria’s stability and the safety of its people must be protected from the forces of terrorism and destruction.

Video link for a compelling video interview with writer and director Youssef Y. El Khoury.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141154/
Video link for a compelling video interview from the "DNA" platform with writer and director Youssef Y. El Khoury. In his distinct style, he dissects the pressing concerns of the Lebanese people—from the government’s failures to the inevitability of war and the collapse of the political establishment. War is no longer a question of if but when, and Nawaf Salam's international standing has crumbled.

US steps in as Israel, Lebanon prepare for border negotiations: Key details revealed
LBCI/March 12/2025
At the same time that Israel released Lebanese detainees, the United States revealed that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to begin negotiations to resolve their border disputes. U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus called for the swift convening of diplomatic working groups to address the unresolved issues between the two countries. Sources confirmed to LBCI that the proposal presented to Lebanon involves forming three committees to address three key issues: The first issue relates to border disputes. Lebanon and Israel have had 13 disputed points along the Blue Line since 2006, with Israel refusing to recognize them as Lebanese territory, although the total area amounts to 485,000 square meters. Seven of these points have been resolved, and they are located within 25 meters of the Israeli border. The remaining six unresolved points extend more than 25 meters and represent the largest area of dispute. Additionally, Israel recognizes 17 points as Lebanese but has placed them within its technical fence. The second issue for negotiation is the five points that Israel continued to occupy after its last withdrawal on February 18. The Israeli army also created several buffer zones, such as in the Dhayra area, the Kfarkela-Odaisseh road, and the Bastra farm, where access is prohibited. The third issue concerns detainees. Israel still holds civilians, likely seven, in addition to Hezbollah captives, which it has acknowledged as seven. However, Hezbollah cannot confirm the exact number because many members are missing. Lebanon has stated that these are the initial negotiation mechanisms through committees, pending the arrival of a comprehensive U.S.-French proposal before moving forward with the formation of the committees. According to information received by the Lebanese side, Israel has also formed three committees, and negotiations will take place through the five-party committee overseeing the ceasefire. However, the exact timing of the talks is still unclear, though Lebanese sources remain optimistic about reaching solutions that align with Lebanon's interests.

Israel eyes diplomatic shift in Lebanon border talks amid skepticism: Is normalization the endgame?
LBCI/March 12/2025
Is Israel trying to turn any agreement with Lebanon into a precedent for expanding the Abraham Accords, as desired by Washington and supported by Tel Aviv? This question has been raised in Israel following the announcement by the ceasefire monitoring committee that land border demarcation talks between the two countries have begun. These discussions will cover the 13 disputed land points, the five sites occupied by the Israeli army during its latest war, and the issue of Lebanese detainees held in Israel. Israel has two main objectives in these talks: Gaining time for military operations – The negotiations provide Israel’s army with more time to dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities, particularly in areas it has not yet reached. Securing a path to normalization – The success of the talks could lead to Hezbollah halting military operations, ending the war, and ultimately opening the door to normalization with Lebanon. However, this prospect has been met with skepticism from politicians, experts, and military analysts. Israeli officials indicate that despite efforts to push the plan forward, the Israeli army’s artillery and air force will continue operations in Lebanon to enforce the ceasefire agreement. The objective is to ensure that the Lebanese army can secure southern Lebanon, making it a stable, threat-free area both now and in the future.

Ceasefire committee meets in Naqoura to discuss full implementation of 1701
Naharnet/March 12/2025
The ceasefire monitoring committee met for the sixth time in Naqoura Tuesday. UNIFIL hosted the meeting, with the United States serving as chair, and was joined by France, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israeli army. The attendees discussed advancing the full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, the full implementation of the November 26, 2024, Cessation of Hostilities arrangement, and next steps for addressing outstanding issues between Israel and Lebanon. After the meeting and at the request of the United States, Israel returned five Lebanese citizens being held in Israeli custody to Lebanon. The United States and French Embassies in Lebanon and UNIFIL said in a joint statement that the committee will continue to meet regularly to achieve full implementation of the cessation of hostilities. The meetings will discuss three major issues between Israel and Lebanon, including five locations in southern Lebanon that remain under Israeli military control, the border between Israel and Lebanon — which has never officially been determined — and the issue of Lebanese detainees held by Israel. According to the terms of the ceasefire, Israel must withdraw from all of Lebanon, including the five points along the border it's still occupying.

Israel, Lebanon Start US-Backed Border Talks as Ceasefire Holds
Dan Williams and Kateryna Kadabashy/Bloomberg L.P/March 12, 2025
Israel and Lebanon held preliminary talks on potentially completing an Israeli troop withdrawal from the Arab country and could eventually discuss properly delineating their long-disputed land border. Delegates from the countries, which do not have formal relations, met along with US and French mediators at a border liaison position on Monday, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. While there’s no guarantee the talks will progress, the fact they’ve started suggests a truce between Israel and and Hezbollah — a Lebanon-based militant group backed by Iran — is likely to hold for the time being. The sides “agreed to form three joint working groups, the objective of which is to stabilize the area,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. Israel was to free five Lebanese war detainees “as a gesture to the new president of Lebanon,” it added. Morgan Ortagus, US President Donald Trump’s deputy special envoy for the Middle East, told Lebanon’s AlJadeed TV she was optimistic the talks would be successful. Lebanon’s government has not commented on the negotiations. Israel and Hezbollah started a ceasefire in late November. Under the deal, Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops were meant to leave southern Lebanon and the Lebanese national army would take over. The truce has largely held, though Lebanon and Israel have accused each other of breaking the terms. Israel has withdrawn most troops but retained five outposts just inside Lebanon, which Hezbollah and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun have criticized. The future of those positions and “discussions on the Blue Line and points still in dispute” will be addressed by the working groups, the Israeli statement said. The Blue Line refers to the land border between Israel and Lebanon. Its position has been a key source of tension been the countries for years. Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization by the US and many other Western nations, started firing on Israel on Oct. 8, 2023 in solidarity with Hamas, which a day before triggered the war in Gaza by attacking Israel. The conflict killed thousands of people in Lebanon and forced tens of thousands of Israelis to leave their homes in the north. Israel severely weakened Hezbollah — considered one of the world’s most powerful militias — by destroying most of its missiles stockpiles and killing leaders including long-standing chief Hassan Nasrallah.

Israel says senior Hezbollah militant, several 'suspects' hit in south strikes
Agence France Presse/March 12/2025
The Israeli military said Tuesday it had carried out an air strike against several Hezbollah militants in the area of Froun in southern Lebanon, in addition to an earlier attack in the area of Nabatiyeh. "Earlier today (Tuesday), several terrorists were identified in a site used by Hezbollah in the area of Froun in southern Lebanon. An IAF (air force) aircraft struck the suspects," the army said in a statement. Earlier, in the separate strike on Nabatiyeh, the Israeli military said it killed a senior Hezbollah militant who was reportedly responsible for a drone and rocket arsenal. "Earlier today, the IAF (air force) conducted a precise intelligence-based strike in the area of Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon, eliminating Hassan Abbas Ezzedine, the head of Hezbollah’s aerial array in the Bader regional unit," the military said in a statement.

Lebanese army removes barbed wire placed by Israeli forces in southern border area
LBCI/March 12/2025
The Lebanese Army Command - Directorate of Orientation announced in a statement that a unit from the army worked to remove a barbed wire strip in the Barkat Risha area in the south, which had been recently placed Israeli forces inside Lebanese territory.
The Army Command also reported that an Israeli army unit had set up an earth berm near an army post on the outskirts of the town of Rmeish, near the southern border, and efforts are underway to remove it.

Israeli official says Israel wants to 'reach normalization with Lebanon'
Naharnet/March 12/2025
Against the backdrop of the U.S.-led negotiations that have opened with Lebanon, an Israeli political source has said that "the discussions are part of a broad and comprehensive plan."“The Prime Minister's policy has already changed the Middle East, and we want to continue the momentum and reach normalization with Lebanon. Just as Lebanon has claims regarding the borders, so do we. We will discuss these matters," the source told Israel’s Channel 12. "We and the Americans think that this is possible after the changes that have occurred in Lebanon," the source said. The United States announced Tuesday that it will be “bringing together Lebanon and Israel for talks aimed at diplomatically resolving several outstanding issues between the two countries.”A statement issued by Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus said the issues that will be discussed are “the release of Lebanese prisoners, the remaining disputed points along the Blue Line, and the remaining 5 points where Israeli forces are still deployed.”“Military to military talks concluded in Naqoura, Lebanon today, and subsequently 5 Lebanese prisoners have been released back to Lebanon from Israel,” Ortagus added. “Everyone involved remains committed to maintaining the ceasefire agreement and to fully implement all its terms. We look forward to quickly convening these diplomat-led working groups to resolve outstanding issues, along with our international partners,” she said. "We want to get a political resolution, finally, to the border disputes," Ortagus said in an interview on Al-Jadeed television. "When it comes to the border agreement, the land border agreement, there are 13 points -- I think that six are still problematic," she added. Ortagus added that Israel had "withdrawn from over 99 percent of the territory." "I feel fairly confident that... we can have final resolution on the five points and ultimately on the remaining issues related to the Blue Line," she said. In its Wednesday edition, the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper warned that “America has plunged Lebanon into the normalization adventure” and that it is “dragging Lebanon into peace negotiations.”It also quoted the head of the U.S.-based Hostage Aid Worldwide organization Nizar Zakka as saying that “what happened in the file of captives is aimed at paving the way for any peace initiatives and negotiations with Lebanon,” adding that “this is what the U.S. administration is looking for.”

Lebanon receives four detainees released by Israel
Agence France Presse/March 12/2025
Lebanon received on Tuesday four detainees who had been taken into custody by Israel during the war, the presidency said, with a fifth to be released the Wednesday. "Lebanon received four Lebanese prisoners who were detained by Israeli forces during the last war, and a fifth prisoner will be handed over tomorrow (Wednesday)," the presidency said in a statement Tuesday.

Who Would Lead Lebanon’s Security Institutions
This is Beirut/March 12/2025
Lebanon is poised to usher in new leadership at the helm of its security institutions. In the current politically and economically complex environment, these appointments are crucial for the nation’s stability and sovereignty. Here is a look at the individuals expected to lead Lebanon’s key security agencies.
Rodolphe Haykal, Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Army
Brigadier General Rodolphe Haykal might be confirmed as the next Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). A highly experienced officer, Haykal currently serves as the Army’s Director of Operations.
Originally from Aaqtanit in the Saida district, Haykal rose through the army ranks, holding key leadership positions, including command of the First Brigade and oversight of the Southern Litani sector.
His potential appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as the LAF plays an essential role in maintaining national stability. Haykal’s priorities will include strengthening cooperation with international forces, particularly in southern Lebanon, while preserving internal cohesion within the military amid regional tensions.
Hassan Choucair, Director of General Security
Brigadier General Hassan Choucair is set to assume leadership of General Security, pending final confirmation.
A distinguished officer, Choucair is widely recognized for his expertise in intelligence and internal security. Hailing from Mays al-Jabal in southern Lebanon, he began his career at the Military Academy in 1992, before rising through the ranks of the Directorate of Intelligence, where he held several critical and sensitive positions.
In March 2022, Choucair was appointed Deputy Director of State Security, a move that underscored the authorities’ confidence in his abilities. His potential appointment to General Security reflects his long-standing commitment to safeguarding internal security and combating terrorism.
Raed Abdallah, Director-General of the Internal Security Forces
Brigadier General Raed Abdallah is expected to head the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces (ISF). With a strong background in intelligence and countering crime, Abdallah has held several key posts, particularly within the ISF’s Information Division, where he led major investigations into terrorism and espionage.
Abdallah’s appointment was reportedly finalized after deliberations that initially saw his name compete with that of General Mahmoud Kobrosli. His primary mission will be to modernize the ISF’s capabilities, improve security cooperation with international partners, and strengthen the fight against organized crime.
Edgar Lawandos, Director of State Security
Brigadier General Edgar Lawandos is set to lead State Security. A senior officer in the Lebanese Army, Lawandos has held several strategic posts, including command of the Southern Litani sector. He played an instrumental role in coordinating with UNIFIL and maintaining stability in this sensitive region.
Lawandos will be tasked with enhancing Lebanon’s intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities, while ensuring effective coordination with both local and international security institutions. Though his deputy has not yet been officially named, two candidates, Generals Mourched Sleiman and Fawzi Chamoun are currently under consideration.

Govt. to approve security appointments Thursday after agreements reached
Naharnet/March 12/2025
Consultations between President Joseph Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have led to agreements over security appointments, which will be approved in one batch in Thursday’s cabinet session, media reports said.
Brig. Gen. Rudolph Haykal will be named army chief, Brig. Gen. Hassan Shqeir will be named General Security chief, Brig. Gen. Edgard Lawandos will be named State Security chief while Brig. Gen. Raed Abdallah will be appointed Internal Security Forces chief, the reports said. The agreements were reached after the “Sunni and Shiite hurdles” were resolved, with Aoun and Berri agreeing on Shqeir for the General Security chief post. The PSP’s al-Anbaa news portal meanwhile reported that the judicial appointments have also been put on the front burner, following talks between Aoun, Justice Minister Adel Nassar and Higher Judicial Council chief Judge Suheil Abboud.

Fares Soaid's brother, Karim, emerges as leading candidate for central bank chief post
Naharnet/March 12/2025
Legal consultant Karim Soaid, the brother of ex-MP Fares Soaid, has emerged as the leading candidate for the central bank governor post. According to Al-Akhbar newspaper, Karim Soaid has a “special relation” with President Joseph Aoun.
“The economic advisers around Aoun back Soaid, who also enjoys the support of ex-PM Fouad Saniora, with the latter trying to convince the prime minister (Nawaf Salam) with endorsing him,” the daily added.

New Syrian Displaced Persons in Akkar: The Number Rises to 8,500
This is Beirut/March 12/2025
The number of newly displaced Syrians recorded in Akkar, in northern Lebanon, has reached 8,500 people, according to the latest report published Tuesday evening by the Akkar Disaster and Crisis Management Unit. This increase is directly linked to the recent violent events on the Syrian coast. According to the report, this figure includes 1,791 families, among them 40 Lebanese families (all of Alawite faith). The displaced individuals have been accommodated in temporary shelters and housing centers spread across nineteen towns and villages in the Akkar plain and the Dreib region.
If we compare these figures with those in the Red Cross report published on Sunday evening, we can see that almost 2,400 people have arrived in two days. In this context, Akkar Governor Imad Labaki held a meeting on Tuesday with the heads of municipal councils in the Akkar plain, in the presence of several representatives from the municipalities of Dreib, which is hosting these families. The discussions focused on the situation of the newly displaced persons, as well as the available accommodation capacities. Additionally, Labaki presented the plan that the Disaster Management Unit will follow to provide assistance to the families. “The security forces are ready to handle any developments,” assured the governor, emphasizing “the need for an accurate census of the people present in each village to ensure the effective delivery of aid.”
He also stated that he had contacted several humanitarian organizations to mobilize additional support and announced his intention to appeal to the Lebanese state and the UN “if the presence of the displaced persons becomes prolonged.” According to him, this would require “the establishment of new reception centers, as the existing ones are already at full capacity.”

Meeting discusses World Bank's infrastructure reconstruction project for Lebanon
LBCI/March 12/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam chaired a meeting dedicated to discussing the infrastructure reconstruction project presented by the World Bank. During the meeting, the World Bank presented an overview of the methodology used for the infrastructure reconstruction project. Prime Minister Salam emphasized prioritizing the border areas that had suffered significant destruction, facilitating the reopening of roads and the return of citizens to their areas. The project's total value is approximately one billion dollars, with around 250 million dollars allocated as a loan, and the remaining funding to be secured through international aid. The project includes waste management and the rebuilding of infrastructure based on an economic measurement methodology.

IMF's 'rocky' relationship with Lebanon: Can a new agreement break the cycle of failed reforms?
LBCI/March 12/2025
The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) experience with Lebanon has been unsuccessful both before and after the financial and economic crisis. Before the crisis broke out in October 2019, the IMF warned about the cost of policies to stabilize the exchange rate, national debt, and budget deficit, urging the implementation of reforms, but there was no response. After the crisis, the IMF called for the adoption of a financial and economic recovery plan. Once again, however, "no one listened." The plan was not adopted, the capital control law was not passed, the banking sector was not restructured, and the exchange rate remained ununified for a long period. Despite this, in April 2022, a preliminary agreement was reached between the Lebanese government and the IMF, paving the way for a program under which Lebanon would borrow $3 billion and rebuild trust with the world. However, once again, internal interests and disputes stalled the program, and today, it has become outdated and irrelevant. Now, an IMF delegation has returned to Beirut. They have renewed their willingness to cooperate and negotiate with the relevant parties to reach a new agreement that would allow Lebanon not only to borrow funds but also to open the door to other financial contributions. However, the delegation has conditioned this on the presence of a financial and economic recovery plan agreed upon by all stakeholders, including the government, parliament, central bank, commercial banks, and depositors. The plan must clearly outline how to address the deposit crisis and the timeframe for resolving it. The IMF delegation also conditioned the Lebanese parliament's approval of financial reform laws, with the most important being the restructuring of the banking system and addressing the gaps in the banking secrecy law, an issue on which the IMF had previously raised written concerns. This attempt by the IMF comes under circumstances different from those during the economic crisis. The political balance in Lebanon has shifted, and Arab and international attention has returned strongly, as evidenced by the IMF delegation's meetings with Saudi Ambassador Waleed Bukhari and their ongoing communication with the economic team at the French Embassy, as well as the influential role of the United States in shaping the IMF's steps and decisions. The question now is whether those who previously obstructed financial reforms will understand that the "game over" is here and that no progress can be made without reforms and stability, which must be enforced by Resolution 1701.

Lebanese President stresses importance of medical tourism for economic recovery
LBCI/March 12/2025
President Joseph Aoun emphasized the significant role of medical tourism in Lebanon's economic recovery during a meeting with a delegation from the Lebanese Union of Health Professions. President Aoun highlighted that Lebanon's healthcare sector is both advanced and resilient, making it a key pillar of national development. He noted that in order for Lebanon to be recognized as a modern and progressive nation in both politics and justice, equal focus must be given to the renewal and enhancement of the healthcare and medical sectors. “Medical tourism is one of the most prominent sectors that can contribute to Lebanon’s economic revival,” said Aoun, underscoring the importance of investing in the healthcare sector to help drive Lebanon’s growth.

Hezbollah’s Comeback Plan and How to Counter It
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This Is Beirut/March 12/2025
If the glass at your house got shattered during Hezbollah’s war with Israel, the Iran-backed militia would pay you $1,200 to fix it, a hefty sum by Lebanese standards. Reports, perhaps exaggerated, suggest that Hezbollah sits on a $10 billion budget allocated for reconstructing its partisans’ residential and commercial units. Spending at this level guarantees Hezbollah’s chokehold on Lebanon’s Shia and its control of all 27 Shia seats in parliament, and by extension, its ability to twist the arm of the state, at every corner, under the pretext of required “national consensus.”
Israel knocked out Hezbollah militarily, but the militia still has a pulse and is planning its comeback. First, Hezbollah must absorb and deflect the anger of its partisans who have lost their houses and livelihoods. To do so, the party’s chief Naim Qassem said that Hezbollah has delegated any post-war responsibility to the Lebanese state. While such a position has won the militia applause from some Lebanese, who argued that the party was moderating, the move was a maneuver.When the Shia partisans express anger, Hezbollah channels it against the government. When the government fails to convince Israel to withdraw from the five Lebanese hilltops because Hezbollah did not disarm, the militia will argue that it gave the state a couple of years to “liberate” the Lebanese land, but since the state failed, then “resistance” became inevitable. Hezbollah understands that time is on its side. Israel’s military momentum, and with its international support, will weaken, which will give the Lebanese militia more freedom in rebuilding itself. And while Hezbollah rebuilds its military capabilities, it has to ensure that its parliamentary bloc remains as strong. In the spring of 2026, Lebanon will elect a new Parliament. Winning all 27 Shia seats, for itself and its junior partner Speaker Nabih Berri, is imperative. Once all Shia lawmakers are in Hezbollah’s pocket, the speaker — who enjoys vast authority in dictating who governs Lebanon and how — will remain one of the militia’s loyalists.
Second, Hezbollah will try to maintain, or even expand, the parliamentary bloc that it controls with its allies. If the Iran-backed militia manages to keep its current numbers in parliament, the next prime minister will certainly be a Hezbollah loyalist.
Hezbollah also understands that its opponents are too reluctant to face it, even when the militia is at its weakest point. President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have yet to utter the phrase “disarming Hezbollah,” even though such a phrase is spelled out in UNSC Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire and enforcement mechanism that Berri and Hezbollah signed in November. Aoun and Salam seem to think that Hezbollah will be disarmed by happenstance and that their role in the process is marginal.
In 2016, when Michel Aoun won the presidential election and picked Saad Hariri as his prime minister, the duo threw their hands in the air whenever anyone brought up the issue of Hezbollah’s arms. Aoun and Hariri argued that Hezbollah was a global problem and that the Lebanese state was too weak to deal with it.While the second Aoun and Salam are not saying that Hezbollah is not Beirut’s problem, they are certainly behaving this way. Unless Aoun and Salam show more spine against the militia, it is unlikely that any Shia opposition will emerge to take on Hezbollah in the coming election.
In 2022, 17 percent of the Shia electorate went to the polls and elected against Hezbollah and Berri. But the electoral law was designed in such a way that the Shia opposition received zero seats, instead of four or five, as proportionality would have mandated.
Also in 2022, Hezbollah twisted the arms of strong Hezbollah opponents. Rifaat al-Masri, the leader of a powerful Shia clan in the Bekaa, was forced to withdraw his candidacy, and so did cleric Abbas al-Jawhari. There is no reason to think that, under weak Aoun and Salam, Hezbollah opponents will feel safe enough to defy the militia and run against it in 2026.
Policy recommendations for those who want to see the 2026 election finish off Hezbollah, is to tie foreign assistance to the Lebanese state to verifiable measures that Aoun and Salam take to disarm the militia. Israel handed over to the 1701 Enforcement Committee a list of over 80 spots of Hezbollah arms depots. How many of these spots have the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) taken over, confiscated, or destroyed? The more the LAF asserts itself, the more U.S. funds it will get. The less it does, the less American money. Furthermore, wealthy Arab capitals should be encouraged to fund anti-Hezbollah tickets. If Tehran is spending $10 billion on its Lebanese loyalists, regional capitals should consider spending a fraction of this amount, say up to $100 million, on tickets that run against the Hezbollah-led alliance. Defeating Hezbollah and preventing its comeback is a marathon, not a sprint. Israel’s victory over Hezbollah put the party in the rearview mirror of its opponents. But if the opponents do not step up, and if their sponsors don’t put their money where their mouth is, then it won’t take long before Hezbollah catches up and overtakes its opponents, restoring its dominance over Lebanon.
*Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, DC.
https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/articles/1310078/hezbollahs-comeback-plan-and-how-to-counter-it#

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 12-13/2025
Israel Says Syrian Druze Permitted to Work in Golan Heights
FDD/March 12/2025
Defense Minister Invites Syrian Druze to Work in Israel: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on March 9 that Israel would permit Syrian Druze to work in the country’s northern communities. “We will soon allow Druze laborers from Syria to come to work in the Golan Heights Communities in Israel,” Katz said. The announcement came months after the IDF moved its forces into the Syrian Buffer Zone and captured the Syrian Mount Hermon following the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Israeli Pledge to Protect Druze in Syria After Assad Ouster: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this month that he instructed the IDF to “prepare to defend” the Druze suburb of Jaramana on the outskirts of Damascus after transitional Syrian government forces raided the city. Katz separately added that Israel would not allow Syria’s extremist Islamic regime to harm the Druze.Reports of Druze Integration: Syria’s new government, led by transitional president Ahmad al-Sharaa, reportedly reached a deal on March 11 with Druze leaders in al-Suwayda to reintegrate the province into a Syrian state. According to reports, 300 security personnel will be deployed to al-Suwayda and 600 local residents will join the Syrian police force. Reports of the agreement emerged after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces signed an agreement with the Syrian state to merge with the Syrian military and place specific Kurdish areas under the control of al-Sharaa’s transitional government.
FDD Expert Response
“Israel opening its borders to Syrian Druze workers is a mistake. Israel will expose itself to unnecessary security and intelligence-gathering risks by admitting workers from a foreign country controlled by potentially hostile authorities where agents of Iran likely continue to operate. It was precisely such a move that allowed Hamas to gather intelligence on the Israeli communities along the border with Gaza.” — David Daoud, Senior Fellow
“Many Syrian Druze face economic hardship due to Syria’s deteriorating economy. While Israel’s decision to allow workers in the Golan may offer relief, many still refuse aid from IDF troops in southern Syria and will object to working in the Golan Heights, viewing it as recognition of Israeli control and a betrayal of their loyalty to Syria.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst

Israeli defense minister says military watching Ahmad al-Sharaa from Mt. Hermon
Associated Press/March 12/2025
Israel's defense minister warned Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa that Israel “is watching him from the heights of Mt. Hermon,” which Israeli forces captured as part of a buffer zone inside Syria last year, and said Israel struck 40 military targets overnight in southern Syria. Israel plans to allow members of the Druze minority from Syria to work in Israeli-controlled parts of the Golan Heights as soon as the coming week, Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement Tuesday issued from Mt. Hermon. He stressed that Israel plans to remain in the Syrian buffer zone for an “indefinite period” to ensure that southern Syria remains demilitarized and does not pose a threat to residents of Israel or the Golan Heights. The Israeli minister’s comments come days after Syrian government-linked forces killed hundreds of civilians in revenge attacks primarily targeting members of the Alawite religious minority. The Druze minority straddles Israel, the Golan Heights, Syria, and Lebanon. Israel’s deputy foreign minister said Tuesday that deadly sectarian violence in neighboring Syria amounted to “ethnic cleansing” and said Israel was working to prevent a threat along its border from Syria’s new “jihadi regime.”“Israel is committed to preventing what we saw in Syria this weekend from happening on our border,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said at a news conference in Jerusalem. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said 1,130 people were killed in the clashes, including 830 civilians, most of them from ousted leader Bashar Assad's Alawite community. Since Islamist-led insurgents ousted Assad in December, Israel has voiced concern that the group could seize Syrian military assets and use them against it, or that instability could spill over into its territory. Israel has deployed troops inside a buffer zone and vowed to prevent the new Syrian forces from entering the area south of Damascus. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said its fighter jets struck military targets in southern Syria, including radars and equipment.

Kremlin says waiting for US to inform it about Ukraine ceasefire proposal
Agence France Presse/March 12/2025
The Kremlin said Wednesday it was waiting for the U.S. to inform it about the details of a proposed ceasefire in Ukraine that Kyiv agreed to after talks in Saudi Arabia. "We assume that Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio and Advisor (Michael) Walz through various channels in the coming days will inform us on the negotiations that took place and the understandings reached," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding Moscow did not rule out a "high-level" phone call with the US.

Trump Says He Hopes Putin Will Agree to Ukraine Ceasefire
This is Beirut/With AFP/March 12/2025
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that negotiators were headed to Russia "right now" for talks on a possible ceasefire with Ukraine, after Kyiv agreed to a 30-day truce. "People are going to Russia right now as we speak. And hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with Ireland's prime minister. The U.S. president told the press from the White House that he hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept the proposed ceasefire. "I hope he's going to have a ceasefire," Trump told reporters at the White House, as Russia says it is waiting to be officially informed of the US proposal.

Iran's Khamenei Says US Threats of Military Action 'Unwise'
This is Beirut/March 12/2025
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Wednesday that US threats were "unwise" after President Donald Trump sent him a letter urging negotiations and warning of possible military action if Tehran refused. "The US is threatening militarism. In my opinion, this threat is unwise," Khamenei said in a meeting with students. "Iran is capable of retaliating and will definitely inflict a blow."The remarks came as local media in Iran reported that foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had received Trump's letter, which was delivered by senior United Arab Emirates official Anwar Gargash. Khamenei, who noted he had not yet personally received the letter, said its invitation to talks was aimed at "deceiving the world's public opinion" by presenting the United States as ready to negotiate and Iran as unwilling. "We sat down and negotiated for several years; this same person threw the finished, completed, and signed agreement off the table and tore it up," he added, referring to Washington's withdrawal from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal during Trump's first term in office, which ended in 2021. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has called for a new nuclear deal with Tehran while reinstating his "maximum pressure" sanctions policy over concerns Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
Tehran denies the allegations.
Iran has officially ruled out direct talks as long as sanctions remain, and on Wednesday Khamenei said talks with the US "will not lift sanctions... and will make the sanctions knot tighter."."Regarding nuclear weapons, it is said that we will not let Iran obtain nuclear weapons. If we wanted to make nuclear weapons, America could not stop us," Khamenei said. "The fact that we do not have nuclear weapons and are not seeking nuclear weapons is because we ourselves do not want them."Khamenei, who has final say in state matters, said Iran "was not seeking war, but if someone takes action, our response will be decisive and certain.".

Iran says it received Trump's letter: Iranian media
LBCI/AFP/March 12/2025
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi received a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday, which was delivered to Tehran by a senior United Arab Emirates diplomat, Iranian media reported. "Trump's letter has been delivered to Iran by the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president," Anwar Gargash, the Fars news agency said. Trump announced on Friday that he had sent a letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging nuclear talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refuses.

Iran says to receive Trump letter 'soon'
Agence France Presse/March 12/2025
Iran's top diplomat said Wednesday an Arab country will soon deliver it a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called for striking a nuclear deal with the Islamic republic. "The letter has not reached us yet but an envoy from an Arab country is set to deliver it soon in Tehran," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters after a cabinet meeting. He did not elaborate on the identity of the Arab country or the timing of the letter's delivery. On Friday, Trump said he wrote a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for talks to forge a new deal on Tehran's nuclear program, or face a potential military option. But Iran has rejected talks under "maximum pressure" policy that Trump reinstated after his return to the White House in January. Under the policy, Trump pulled out of Iran's nuclear accord in 2018 and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran and imposed new ones. In February, Khamenei urged the government not to negotiate with the United States, citing Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. Last week he also slammed "bullying" tactics by some governments that insist on negotiations that "are not aimed at solving problems," but at "domination".

Iran's Khamenei says 'not seeking nuclear weapon'
LBCI/AFP/March 12/2025
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday his country "does not have nuclear weapons" and was "not seeking" one after Donald Trump sent a letter urging talks. "Regarding nuclear weapons, it is said that we will not let Iran obtain nuclear weapons. If we wanted to make nuclear weapons, America could not stop us. The fact that we do not have nuclear weapons and are not seeking nuclear weapons is because we ourselves do not want them," said Khamenei during a meeting with students.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels say they are resuming attacks on shipping
Associated Press/March 12/2025
The Iran-backed rebels’ secretive leader had warned Friday that attacks against Israel-linked vessels would resume within four days if Israel didn’t let aid into Gaza. As the deadline passed Tuesday, the Houthis said they were again banning Israeli vessels from the waters off Yemen. Although no attacks were reported, the warning has put shippers on edge. The rebels targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors. This time, the Yemeni rebels only mentioned targeting Israeli ships. Before the ceasefire in Gaza, the Houthis had said they attacked ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the United Kingdom to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked had little or no connection to the conflict.

Syrian Kurds celebrate deal with Damascus
Associated Press/March 12/2025
Residents in northeastern Syria danced in the streets to celebrate a breakthrough pact between local Kurdish-led authorities and the new central government, while thousands of people continued to flee other areas where sectarian violence has targeted Alawites. The mostly ethnic Kurdish revelers in the northeastern city Qamishli chanted "One, one, one — the Syrian people are one," as cars drove by honking in celebration following Monday night's declaration, which includes a ceasefire and integration of Kurdish forces into the national army. It was in sharp contrast to the grim scenes elsewhere in the aftermath of sectarian violence that broke out following clashes between government-linked forces and groups associated with deposed President Bashar Assad. Monitoring groups said hundreds of civilians were killed in revenge attacks in coastal communities, primarily targeting members of the Alawite religious minority to which Assad belongs.
A new wave of refugees in Lebanon
Thousands fled to neighboring Lebanon, mostly through irregular border crossings in the country's north. The U.N. refugee agency reported at least 7,616 people had fled to northern Lebanon where humanitarian organizations were handing out food and blankets. Lebanon is hosting more than 755,000 registered Syrian refugees, with hundreds of thousands more believed to be unregistered. Since the fall of Assad, the flow had begun to reverse, with the U.N. reporting that nearly 260,000 Syrian refugees have returned home since November, about half of them coming from Lebanon.
But the outbreak of violence last week has threatened to reverse that flow again. While a tense calm prevailed over most of the Syrian coast Tuesday, families were still wading across a river marking the border between Syria and northern Lebanon's Akkar province, some carrying children on their backs. Radwan Alo fled his home in the countryside outside Qardaha, the hometown of the Assad family, and crossed the river into Lebanon. Alo said his twin uncles were killed by armed men, who he believes aimed at "a complete extermination of the Alawite sect." He has been unable to reach his wife and children who stayed behind to find out if they are safe. The U.N. Human Rights Office has documented the killing of 111 civilians so far, saying in a statement Tuesday, "the process of verification is ongoing, and the actual number of people killed is believed to be significantly higher." The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, has reported nearly 1,000 civilians killed. The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify the figure. Syrian authorities have formed a committee tasked with investigating the attacks on civilians and in recent days announced a series of arrests of people who allegedly took part in the massacres. At a news conference Tuesday, Yasser Al-Farhan, spokesman for the committee, promised that "no one is above the law" and said that the panel will present its findings to the president's office and the judiciary. He said the committee will set up a witness protection program for those who come forward to report crimes.
Russian airbase hosts fleeing families
Some families took refuge in a Russian air base in the coastal province of Latakia.
At a store in Qamishli, Russian soldiers stationed at a nearby military airbase were buying baby formula, diapers and food to send to the displaced people staying in the Hmeimim airbase on the coast. At the Hmeimim base, Syrian Arab Red Crescent staff were evacuating wounded people to take them to a hospital in Latakia. Amjad Sultan, a local official from the nearby town of Jableh, who came with a delegation bringing aid to the base, said they were trying to "bring a message to the people in Hmeimim that the situation outside has become safe and the security forces have spread out to control the area." But many of the families remained unconvinced. In Jableh, people were beginning to return to the streets, although many of the stores remained shuttered. "We were under siege for three days with no electricity or water, but thank God now life is returning, people are returning to their homes," said resident Mohammad al-Hamoud. Louay Bogha blamed "remnants of the regime" for sparking the conflict, which he said reminded him of the fighting that had spurred him to flee Aleppo more than a decade earlier during the country's civil war.Militants "didn't distinguish between Alawites and Sunnis, they burned all the stores," he said. "People were killed who had nothing to do with anything."
Kurds see hope in agreement with Damascus
Meanwhile, Kurds in northeast Syria were hopeful that the agreement announced Monday, which includes a ceasefire and the merging of the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into the Syrian army, would end years of fighting between Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed groups in northern Syria and allow displaced people to return home. While the details of its implementation remain to be worked out, the deal signaled a step toward stabilizing Syria and consolidating control of the country under a single central authority in Damascus. Malak Ibrahim, a Kurdish man who was displaced to Qamishli from the town of Afrin eight years earlier when Turkish-backed forces seized control of his area, said he is now hopeful that "the injustice will end, so we all can go back to our homes." The agreement inked Monday promises to protect the rights of the Kurds. Arab residents of the area also said they hope the deal will bring an end to years of conflict. "We want to end the bloodshed," said Majdal Hamza, an Arab from Qamishli countryside: "We are all brothers in one country."

Who was behind mass killings on Syria's coast?
Agence France Presse/March 12/2025
For several days, Syria's Mediterranean coast has been gripped by extreme violence that has seen mass killings mainly targeting members of the Alawite minority. Authorities have not provided a toll, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor put the number of dead at 1,225 civilians, mostly Alawites. Human Rights Watch said "hundreds" were killed. Since former president Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December, many Alawites -- his sect -- have feared reprisals for his brutal rule. Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who led the Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that toppled Assad, has vowed to prosecute those behind the "bloodshed of civilians" and set up a fact-finding committee.
What happened?
Survivors, witnesses and rights groups described a wave of violence since last Thursday targeting Alawite civilians in their coastal heartland. "In a number of extremely disturbing instances, entire families -- including women, children and individuals 'hors de combat' (non-combatants) -- were killed, with predominantly Alawite cities and villages targeted in particular," UN human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan said Tuesday. "According to many testimonies collected by our office, perpetrators raided houses, asking residents whether they were Alawite or Sunni before proceeding to either kill or spare them accordingly. "Some survivors told us that many men were shot dead in front of their families," he added. A witness who requested anonymity told AFP he had seen a man, his wife and their two children being forced from their home in an Alawite village in Latakia province and executed against a wall. In Jableh, also in Latakia, a resident said armed groups had terrorised his town. "More than 50 people from among my family and friends have been killed," he said, speaking anonymously for his safety. "They gathered bodies with bulldozers and buried them in mass graves." The Observatory and social media users shared footage showing bodies piled outside a house, and men in military garb shooting people at close range.
AFP could not verify the images.
Who was involved? -
No group can be singled out as having been behind the killings.
"Unidentified armed groups and individuals -- many entering Tartus and Latakia governorates from other parts of Syria following official calls for general mobilization -- joined these operations," said Human Rights Watch. Fighters came from Idlib in the northwest, HTS's stronghold before it seized power, but also from areas further east controlled by Turkey-backed groups. HTS, an offshoot of the former Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, and forces allied to it have been disbanded and integrated into the new security forces. Syria researcher Cedric Labrousse said at least three armed factions were involved. Thousands of fighters from those groups flooded into the region, he said, many of them following calls for mobilization. These are namely Syrian groups that reject the new authorities in Damascus, "warlords who have rallied their troops behind the new Syrian army" that notably include pro-Turkey factions, and finally "groups of foreign jihadists".He noted that these foreign jihadists, including "Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, and Chechens... were expelled from the region in early January 2025 by the new authorities in order to calm the situation on the coast". Human Rights Watch said that "accountability for atrocities must include all parties", including groups such as the HTS that "now constitute Syria's new security forces".
Why now?
In the aftermath of Assad's ouster, tensions had simmered on the coast, with repeated attacks targeting the new government's forces, as well as reports of atrocities targeting Alawites. But on Thursday, the authorities said they faced coordinated attacks targeting their forces and government buildings, as well as hospitals. At least 231 security personnel were killed in ensuing clashes, according to their official toll, while the Observatory said 250 pro-Assad fighters were killed. These attacks came shortly after an Assad-era general, Ghiath Dalla, announced on social media the formation of a "military council for the liberation of Syria". He was a former officer in the much-feared Fourth Brigade, which was commanded by the deposed president's brother, Maher al-Assad, according to a source from the brigade. The Alawites, estimated at 1.7 million, or around nine percent of the population, are an offshoot of Shiite Islam, and are considered heretics by Sunni jihadist groups. During the 13-year civil war, they were overrepresented in the army and paramilitary forces and were accused of involvement in mass atrocities against dissidents.

Entire families killed in Syria sectarian violence, UN says
Kareem El Damanhoury and Sandi Sidhu, CNN/March 12, 2025
Armed groups killed entire families, including women and children, during an outbreak of sectarian violence in Syria last week, the United Nations’ human rights office said on Tuesday. The bloodshed in the coastal heartland of former ruler Bashar al-Assad saw more than 800 people killed in clashes between armed groups loyal to the toppled dictator and forces loyal to the new Syrian regime, according to a war monitor. Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCR) spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said the agency had documented at least 111 killings, though the number was believed to be far higher. “Some survivors told us that many men were shot dead in front of their families,” Al-Kheetan told a regular press briefing in Geneva, adding that many of the “summary executions” targeted members of the Alawite minority. The Assad family, which ruled Syria for more than half a century, are members of the minority Shiite Muslim sect, which lives predominantly in Sunni-majority Syria. Al-Kheetan said the killings “appear to have been carried out on a sectarian basis, in Tartus, Latakia and Hama governorates - reportedly by unidentified armed individuals, members of armed groups allegedly supporting the caretaker authorities’ security forces.”“In a number of extremely disturbing instances, entire families – including women, children and individuals hors de combat - were killed, with predominantly Alawite cities and villages targeted in particular,” he said. The United Kingdom-based Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said on Tuesday that among the 803 killed, “non-state armed groups” loyal to Assad were responsible for the deaths of 383 people, including 172 members of state security forces and 211 civilians. Meanwhile, eyewitness testimonies and video verified by CNN showed government loyalists carrying out field executions, with some speaking of “purifying” the country. Teacher Ahmed Ali Al Mousa was killed by armed men who came to his home in the coastal city of Baniyas last Thursday and asked whether he was Sunni or Alawite, a family member who escaped the violence told CNN.
“By God I will drink your blood,” one of the men said, according to the relative, who CNN is not naming to protect their safety. The men abducted Mousa and he was found five hours later lying in the street with gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen, the relative said. Mousa died in hospital the next day, they said. The same day, Mousa’s sister-in-law Itithad Mohammed Kamal Saud and 15-year-old nephew Mudar Safwan Mousa were killed when another armed group entered their apartment and shot them both in the head without warning, family members told CNN.
A woman in Latakia, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, told CNN that militants using sectarian slurs broke into her house. Her husband and all the men in her village were killed and the families were not allowed to bury them or retrieve the bodies from the street, she said.
Throughout Assad’s rule, the Alawite sect became increasingly linked, in the eyes of his opponents, to the atrocities committed by his regime during the Syrian civil war.Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who once led the al Qaeda-linked group that toppled Assad late last year, has previously promised political equality and representation to the various sects of Syria’s diverse ethnic and religious populations.The caretaker authorities announced the end of security operations in the coastal areas on March 10, but intermittent clashes continue to be reported.
Sharaa has blamed the violence on the remains of Assad’s forces, claiming they were trying to incite sectarian strife. On Sunday, Sharaa said his government would hold accountable anyone involved in the deaths of civilians during the heavy fighting. Sharaa had previously described the violence as “expected challenges.”Syria’s interim government has vowed to form an independent committee to investigate the violence and submit a report to the presidency within 30 days.

Egypt Asks to Host Some 2034 World Cup Matches
This is Beirut/March 12/2025
Egypt has requested the right to host a set of group-stage matches for the 2034 World Cup which will be held in Saudi Arabia, the African country's football federation president said on Wednesday. "Saudi Arabia will stand up and organize a historic edition of the World Cup, and we wish our Saudi brothers every success," Hany Abo Rida said during the 14th CAF extraordinary general assembly in Cairo. "But at the same time we hope that (FIFA president) Mr. (Gianni) Infantino will grant us, as Africans and Egyptians, the honor of hosting and organizing one of the World Cup groups in 2034."The tournament will mark the centenary of Egypt being the first African nation to take part in a World Cup, after their appearance in the 1934 edition held in Italy. As the only candidate, Saudi Arabia was officially designated by the FIFA Congress on December 11 as the host of the 2034 World Cup. Saudi Arabia will become the third Arab country to host the World Cup, after Qatar in 2022 and Morocco in 2030, when it is co-hosting with Spain and Portugal. Egyptian officials had previously expressed their desire to host the World Cup in 2034 and also launched an unsuccessful to bid to co-host the 2030 edition alongside Saudi Arabia and Greece.

US Trading Partners Hit Back on Steel, Aluminum Tariffs
This is Beirut/March 12/2025
Major US trading partners announced countermeasures Wednesday to President Donald Trump's blanket steel and aluminum tariffs, hours after the levies took effect in a salvo that fueled trade tensions globally. The steep 25-percent levies came into place after midnight with no exemptions despite countries' efforts to avert them, in an escalation of Trump's fresh duties already imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China since he returned to the White House. The European Commission swiftly unveiled retaliation starting in April, while Canada announced additional tariffs on US goods and China vowed "all necessary measures" in response, as Washington edged toward an all-out trade war with allies and competitors alike. The European Commission will implement a series of countermeasures from April 1 in response to Washington's "unjustified trade restrictions," with chief Ursula von der Leyen saying the retaliation was "strong but proportionate." Canada, which is heavily exposed to the US steel and aluminum levies, announced additional tariffs of CAN$29.8 billion ($20.7 billion) on US goods, with the levies coming into force Thursday. These will hit products that include computers and sports equipment, said Canadian finance minister Dominic LeBlanc.
His country supplied about half of US aluminum imports and 20 percent of its steel imports, according to a recent note by EY chief economist Gregory Daco. Besides Canada, Brazil and Mexico are also key US suppliers of steel, while the United Arab Emirates and South Korea are among the major providers of aluminum. Wednesday's levies stack atop earlier ones, meaning some Canadian and Mexico steel and aluminum products could face higher tariff rates unless they comply with the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), making them eligible for a temporary reprieve.
'Enough war'
US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer criticized the EU's promises of retaliation, calling the bloc's economic policies "out of step with reality" while blaming it for failing to help address global excess capacity. "The EU's punitive action completely disregards the national security imperatives of the United States –- and indeed international security," Greer said in a statement. This came shortly after European Council Chief Antonio Costa called on Washington to de-escalate the situation and enter dialogue. "I think we have enough war in the world, we need to stop the wars we have and not create a trade war," Costa said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, head of Europe's largest and heavily export-oriented economy, condemned Washington's moves as "wrong" and warned consumers could be hurt by increased inflation. Beijing's foreign ministry said "there are no winners in trade wars."China is the world's leading steel manufacturer, although not a major exporter of the product to the United States. Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs will likely balloon costs of producing goods from home appliances to automobiles and cans used for drinks, threatening to raise consumer prices down the road, experts say. Auto manufacturing and construction are among the biggest users of steel in the country, noted Cato Institute research fellow Clark Packard.
'Massive uncertainty'
Uncertainty over Trump's trade plans and worries that they could tip the world's biggest economy into a recession have roiled financial markets. Major Wall Street indexes tumbled for two days before regaining some ground on Wednesday on cooler consumer inflation data. Markets in Asia, including Hong Kong and Shanghai, were down on Wednesday. Even before the latest US tariffs took effect, manufacturers moved to find cost-effective domestic suppliers. The mere threat of protectionism, said the Cato Institute's Packard, has allowed US steel and aluminum firms to raise their prices. "It's creating massive amounts of uncertainty," he added. Looking ahead, Trump has also promised fresh "reciprocal tariffs" from April 2 to tackle what Washington considers unfair behavior. Washington has framed the tariff moves as a bid to protect US steel and workers as the sector declines and faces fierce overseas competition, especially from Asia. It is not the first time Trump has slapped tariffs on the metals, having targeted both in his first presidency. The lack of exemptions Wednesday came despite US partners, including Australia and Japan, pushing for exclusions. Tokyo expressed regret it had not succeeded, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the tariffs unjustified. But both Canberra and London stopped short of retaliation.

Rubio Says Not Going to Discuss How to 'Take Over Canada' at G7
This is Beirut/March 12/2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would not raise Canada's sovereignty when he visits Quebec later on Wednesday, for Group of Seven talks, despite taunts by President Donald Trump. "We're going to be focused in the G7 and all of those things," he said, mentioning the war in Ukraine. "That's what the meeting is about. This isn't a meeting about how we're going to take over Canada." But he defended Trump's tough approach to Canada, where leaders have spoken of an existential threat from their southern neighbor. Trump has said "it should become the 51st state from an economic standpoint," Rubio told reporters on a refuelling stop in Ireland following a trip to Saudi Arabia. "He said that if they became the 51st state, we wouldn't have to worry about the border and fentanyl coming across, because now we will be able to manage that," Rubio said. "He's made an argument that it's their interest to do so. Obviously, the Canadians don't agree," he said. He downplayed the impact on relations, noting that Canada -- current president of the G7 -- still invited the United States to attend the foreign ministerial talks in Quebec. "They've invited us to come. We intend to go. The alternative is to not go. I think that would actually make things worse, not better," he said.
Minerals deal with Ukraine
On another note, Marco Rubio said that an expected minerals deal would give the United States a "vested interest" in Ukraine's security, although he stopped short again of promising formal guarantees. "I wouldn't couch it as a security guarantee, but certainly, if the United States has a vested economic interest that's generating revenue for our people as well as for the people of Ukraine, we'd have a vested interest in protecting it," Rubio told reporters. "Certainly one of the things that provides for Ukraine's long-term prosperity and security is vibrant economic growth and development," he said on a refuelling stop in Ireland after a trip to Saudi Arabia.
A growing economy "gives them a tremendous amount of leverage and power and the ability to fund their own defenses," he said. Ukrainian officials agreed in talks with Rubio and President Donald Trump's national security advisor Mike Waltz in Jeddah on Tuesday to back a 30-day ceasefire if Russia follows suit. The two sides also agreed to sign as soon as possible a minerals deal giving the United States access to Ukraine's natural wealth. The deal went unsigned after a disastrous White House meeting on February 28 between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky. Rubio said that the United States was initiating contact with Russia on Wednesday and was gauging its response. "That's what we want to know -- if they're prepared to do it unconditionally," Rubio said of the Russian response. "If the response is, 'yes', then we know we've made real progress, and there's a real chance of peace. If their response is 'no', it would be highly unfortunate, and it'll make their intentions clear."Trump has sharply shifted the US stance by negotiating with Russia and demanding concessions from Ukraine, stunning European allies. Ukraine has called for more involvement by European allies in diplomacy. Asked about the issue, Rubio backed European participation, but tied it to Russia's eventual demands to lift European sanctions that were imposed in coordination with the United States. "I think that the issue of European sanctions is going to be on the table, not to mention what happens with the frozen (Russian) assets and the like," Rubio said. "I think it's self-evident that for there to be a peace in Ukraine, at the end of that process, there's going to have to be some decision made about what they're going to do with these sanctions and so forth," he said. "That's why I think they have to be necessarily involved in this regard. Now, whether they're involved at the front end of it or at the back end of it, it'll have to play itself out," he said.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 12-13/2025
Iran cracks down on armed nationalist group
Janatan Sayeh/FDD's Long War Journal/March 12/2025
In a rare escalation, four Iranian men took up arms against the Islamic Republic’s security forces during a standoff the dissents broadcast live on Instagram on March 8. The footage captures gunfire from regime forces and tear gas engulfing a residence where the men had sought refuge. Despite one of the rebels declaring, “[We] surrender,” the authorities continued their assault. Abol Korkor, realizing there was no escape, uttered his final words—“I have no other choice, goodbye, Iran.”—before taking his own life.
The three other dissidents—Sohrab Ahmadi, Hossein Mehri, and Reza Abdollahzadeh—were with Korkor when security forces stormed the residence. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Fars News released footage of Mehri and Abdollahzadeh in a hospital bed on March 9, with the latter’s arm in a cast. Ahmadi was absent from regime-released videos. According to sources close to Ahmadi, he may have either been killed in custody or died during the clashes.
The regime has a long history of extracting forced confessions from political prisoners, often portraying them as foreign agents linked to the CIA, Mossad, or organized crime. In this case, authorities opted for the latter, releasing a video claiming Korkor had a criminal record.
The group of nationalists had been active in mobilizing anti-regime demonstrations in Izeh, a city in Khuzestan Province that has long been a flashpoint for dissent, particularly during the nationwide protests of 2019 and 2022. Persian-language diaspora outlet ManoTo reported that regime forces had been seeking Korkor since the 2022 uprising, eventually tracking him through his cellphone. Two others affiliated with the group, Kamar Tahmsasbi and Mojahed Korkor, were previously shot and executed by the regime, respectively. Activists close to the group stated the dissidents had “no other choice” but to take up arms against a regime that routinely fires on unarmed protesters.
Reports indicate that in response to Saturday’s clash, the regime deployed additional forces to Izeh and restricted internet access—standard tactics during periods of unrest.
What sets this case of rebellion apart is the group’s nationalist aspirations. Photographs show Korkor posing with the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag—the lion, sun, and crown—rather than the Islamic Republic’s emblem with its Arabic script. In the livestream of their uprising, Korkor taunted the regime, shouting, “To hell with your Islamic Republic,” as he returned fire with an AK variant. He also called on Iranians to “show courage and rise up.”
Unlike most armed confrontations with the state, which have historically been led by sectarian separatist groups such as the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), Komala, or designated terrorist organizations like Jaish al Adl and the Islamic State, this incident appears distinctly nationalistic.
Celebrated by many Iranians, scattered assassinations targeting regime figures have occurred in various parts of the country, including the recent case of a Supreme Court kitchen staffer who shot and killed two senior judges known for sentencing protesters to execution. However, the latest confrontation appeared more cohesive than most, potentially suggesting a shift in the nature of armed opposition against the Islamic Republic.
The focus of protests in Iran has evolved in recent years from calls for reform to demands for outright regime change. “[S]ince 2017, a new wave of anti-government demonstrations has swept the country, expressing broad discontent and a desire for revolution,” wrote Saeed Ghasseminejad, Behnam Ben Taleblu, Eliora Katz in the Journal of International Affairs in 2020.
Polls conducted by the Netherlands-based Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran found that 81% of Iranians supported the nationwide 2022 protest wave, while over 80% said they are against the Islamic Republic in its entirety. A regime-organized survey from September 2024 further underscored rising discontent, revealing that 92% of Iranians were dissatisfied with the country’s current conditions.
This shift has led some Iranian dissidents to adopt tactics beyond demonstrations and civil disobedience, including acts of violence against the regime’s security apparatus—a significant break from aspirations of reform within the system.
Janatan Sayeh is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian domestic affairs and the Islamic Republic’s regional malign influence.

After SDF-Damascus deal, a spotlight on US forces in Syria
Seth J. Frantzman/ FDD's Long War Journal/March 12/2025
On March 10, Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), signed an agreement with Syria’s interim President Ahmad al Sharaa. The deal outlines a plan to integrate the SDF and other civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria into the new Damascus administration over the next nine months. The effort will include responsibility for border crossings, an airport, and oil and gas fields, the agreement states.The deal leaves key questions about what will become of the SDF and how the US-led Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) will operate in Syria in the future. In the lead-up to the agreement and the day after, US forces continued emphasizing their close partnership with the SDF. On March 7, three days before Abdi signed the deal, US Central Command (CENTCOM) head General Michael Erik Kurilla traveled to eastern Syria, where he met with US military commands and members of the SDF. “Gen. Kurilla received an update on the evolving situation in Syria and an assessment of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign and efforts to prevent the resurgence of the terrorist group in the region,” CENTCOM said. Local reports noted that Kurilla met Abdi, though CENTCOM did not provide specifics on the discussion. US forces operate in eastern Syria and at the Tanf Garrison in southern Syria near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders. The SDF is the main partner force for the US in Syria, and its creation in 2015 was largely a result of US support for anti-Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria back in 2014. CJTF-OIR was formed on October 17, 2014, and the SDF was founded in October 2015.
By August 2016, the commander of CJTF-OIR said the SDF had pushed IS out of Shaddadi, Hasakah, and Tishreen and was advancing into Manbij. By early 2019, the Islamic State was largely defeated as the SDF took its last holdouts near the Euphrates River. Thousands of IS detainees and their families ended up in camps and detention centers run by the SDF. During this period, the SDF ballooned to up to 60,000 fighters controlling a fifth of Syria. When the Assad regime fell, the SDF was likely the country’s largest and most cohesive individual armed group.
The commanders of Inherent Resolve appear keen to show that the US still works closely with the SDF. The day after Abdi and Sharaa signed the agreement, Inherent Resolve’s X account released a photo of the SDF and noted, “Our Syrian partner forces are always ready for action, mastering the art of coordination and firepower during live-fire exercises.” The SDF also issued a statement describing its relationship with the Coalition. “Our partnership with the International Coalition in the fight against ISIS remains a steadfast guarantee of Syria’s stability and the protection of its people.”
As if to underpin that IS still poses a threat, on March 6, the SDF conducted a raid to capture an IS cell leader with support from CENTCOM. The US Combined Special Ops Joint Task Force-Levant praised the SDF for a “phenomenal job pursuing this ISIS cell and capturing its leader.” CENTCOM has also focused in recent weeks on strikes on Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, Hurras al Din.
A third focus of US efforts in Syria is the Tanf Garrison and the US relationship with the Syrian Free Army (SFA). Elements of the US 10th Mountain Division are operating at the garrison and working closely with the SFA. The SFA, comprised chiefly of hundreds of Arab fighters from Homs province, was largely hemmed in at Tanf during the era of the Bashar al Assad regime. When the Assad regime fell, the group took up duties securing roads and other areas in southern Syria, working with local Bedouins, and clearing unexploded ordnance.
On March 11, the SFA praised the new agreement between Abdi and Sharaa. “We support all efforts made by all parties that support the unity of the Syrian territory and support security and stability towards a prosperous future for all Syrians,” the group said. The statement indicates that the two US partner forces in Syria, the SDF and SFA, are now on the same page. The overall US posture in Syria continues to lack clarity. During his previous administration, President Donald Trump sought to withdraw US forces from Syria. In recent months, the 2,000 American troops in the country have completed various missions. On December 12, four days after the Assad regime collapsed, Americans conducted a “force presence patrol” in northeast Syria with Bradley Fighting Vehicles. The US has also conducted a number of recent trainings in eastern Syria. In November 2024, the US 324th Military Police Battalion facilitated the “Specter Castle Detention Facility Guard Training Program.” Another training took place in Al Mazyouna in eastern Syria in late February.US forces in Syria, such as the Combined Special Operation Joint Task Force-Levant, continue to work with the SDF and SFA. However, the operational tempo appears relatively low in eastern Syria, at least from US military reports. As these groups’ integration with Damascus progresses, the US role in the country could shift.
**Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).
https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/03/after-sdf-damascus-deal-a-spotlight-on-us-forces-in-syria.php

What Data Tells Us About The Violence In Syria
Kian Sharifi/https://www.rferl.org/March 12/2025
While the eruption of violence in western Syria has raised questions about the transitional government’s ability to control its affiliated factions, it has also brought Russian and Iranian involvement in Syrian affairs into sharp focus.
Various human rights groups monitoring the situation in Syria have documented over 800 casualties, including civilians, since clashes erupted on March 6 between government forces and gunmen loyal to the deposed president, Bashar al-Assad. Rebel groups led by Ahmad al-Sharaa toppled the government in a lightning offensive in December 2024, bringing an end to half a century of Assad family rule over Syria. Assad’s government was backed by Russia and Iran. While Russia has maintained ties with the new government, Iran has been completely excluded. Through interviews and analysis of open-source data, RFE/RL can give a clearer picture of what's happening inside Syria.
Men Executed By Gunshots
Rights groups say among the dead are hundreds of civilian casualties, most of whom were Alawite, a minority community which Assad belongs to. The UN on March 11 said entire families, including women and children, were killed during the violence.Social-media footage analyzed by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, suggests that some of the worst violence against Alawite civilians took place in the port city of Latakia, where Russia’s Hmeimim air base is located. Some videos showed unarmed men being executed by gunshot from behind and others depicted victims being physically abused and humiliated, such as being forced to bark like a dog and crawl over dead bodies.Nobil, a Syrian from Latakia who currently lives in Greece, told Schemes that factions affiliated with the transitional government entered his home village of Muzayraa on the night of March 6 and indiscriminately shot at houses with large-caliber machine guns mounted on trucks. He said he lost six family members in the attack, including two aunts and two nephews, but his brother managed to escape. Syrian government forces deployed in the town of Qadmus in Syria's Tartus governorate on March 9ز Schemes found the Facebook profile of one of the alleged attackers known as Abu Bakr Mork, also called Talha, whose page is filled with posts about the attacks in western Syria. In one post, he called for men to come to the area because the women in the area “are widowed and there are no men left.” In another, he wrote about the “campaign to clear the remnants of the defunct regime,” referring to Assad’s government.
Seeking Refuge In A Russian Air Base
Satellite images provided by Planet Labs and analyzed by Schemes show that, as early as March 7, people started to gather near the Russian-operated Hmeimim air base, seemingly seeking refuge from the clashes. “This very well may be the only safe place for people to stay, given that neither side wants to spoil relations with Russia at the moment,” Ihor Semyvolos, director of the Kyiv-based Center for Middle East Studies, told Schemes. Russia was a major backer of Assad, providing his forces and Iranian-backed proxies air support as they fought not only against Islamic State (IS) militants but also rebels opposed to Assad’s rule. Those same rebels are now in charge, but Moscow has managed to position itself as a critical partner to Syria’s new rulers, who rely on Russia to print its local currency. The Russians have maintained a significant presence at their two military bases, especially at Hmeimim. Systema, RFE/RL’s Russian investigative unit, has confirmed at least 37 flights by large Antonov An-124 cargo planes between December 2024 and March, identifying 22 arrivals and 15 departures from the air base. Each plane can carry up to 150 tons of equipment, indicating substantial movement of personnel or equipment. Analyzing images on social media from the last few days, Systema has found that Major General Sergei Gashkov, head of Russia's Center for Reconciliation and Refugee Movement Control in Syria, is currently at the air base. It is unsurprising that Russia seeks to maintain strong ties with Damascus under its new leadership, as retaining control over the Hmeimim air base and the naval base in Tartus provides strategic access to the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean Sea.
What Is Iran’s Role?
There is no solid evidence suggesting that Russia is involved in fomenting unrest along Syria’s western coast, but some have accused Iran of playing a part. In Assad, Iran lost a key ally who had allowed Tehran to use Syria as a land corridor to connect its regional proxies in Iraq and Lebanon. When Syrian rebels deposed Assad, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that Syrians would rise and resist the rebel government. Iran currently has no way of getting funds or arms into Syria, but several key figures leading the pro-Assad resistance to the new government are close to Tehran and trained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Assad’s surviving loyalists are led by four figures: Major General Suhail al-Hassan, whose hometown of Aita was among the first to witness clashes; Muqdad Fatiha, founder of the Coast Shield armed group; Ibrahim Hawija, former head of Syrian Intelligence; and Ghias Dalla, aformer officer in Syria's elite 4th Armored Division with links to the IRGC and the US-designated Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah. Phillip Smyth, an expert on Iranian proxies and Shi'ite militias, told RFE/RL that Iran “desired an overreaction” from the transitional government, and it got what it wanted.Tehran "is happy this was set off," especially since it establishes that Iran "can cause massive disruption" in Syria, Smyth said. **With reporting by Olya Ivleva, Kyrylo Ovsyaniy, Anna Myroniuk of Schemes; Daniil Belovodyev, Dmitry Sukharev, Svetlana Osipova, Yelizaveta Surnacheva of Systema; and Iliya Jazaeri of RFE/RL’s Radio Farda
**Kian Sharifi is a feature writer specializing in Iranian affairs in RFE/RL's Central Newsroom in Prague. He got his start in journalism at the Financial Tribune, an English-language newspaper published in Tehran, where he worked as an editor. He then moved to BBC Monitoring, where he led a team of journalists who closely watched media trends and analyzed key developments in Iran and the wider region.
https://www.rferl.org/a/syria-violence-assad-alawite-iran-russia/33344512.html

New Era of Peace? The Middle East at a Crossroads
This is Beirut/March 12/2025
For decades, the Middle East has been synonymous with conflict, instability, and geopolitical power struggles. From Lebanon to Iraq, Syria to Palestine, and beyond, the region has suffered the consequences of prolonged wars, economic turmoil, and external interventions. But today, a new chapter may be unfolding—one driven by decisive shifts in U.S. policy under President Donald Trump’s leadership. Trump has repeatedly stated that his era will be one of sustainable peace, and recent moves by his administration indicate a clear push toward reshaping the region. The appointment of a new U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, the high-profile statements and visits of Steve Witkoff, and the bold declarations of his Special Advisor on Arab Affairs, Massaad Boulos, all signal that Washington is actively engaged in crafting a new Middle Eastern order. The question now is: how will regional players respond?
A Region in Transition
Several key developments across the Middle East point to an evolving reality:
- Syria’s New Order & Its Minorities: As Damascus attempts to reassert control over its fractured state, the fate of its minorities—many of whom have suffered immensely—remains uncertain. Will their rights and security be safeguarded in this new phase?
- Iraq’s Unconsolidated Position: Iraq remains torn between competing influences, struggling to assert a unified national strategy. Will it emerge as a sovereign state, or continue to be a battleground for external powers?
- Lebanon’s Uncertain Future: With a fresh start on the horizon, Lebanon still faces a fundamental challenge—Hezbollah’s armed presence and its impact on national sovereignty. Can Lebanon truly reclaim its stability, prosperity, and exclusive control over arms, or will it remain hostage to regional conflicts?
- The Palestinian Cause in Flux: With shifting regional alliances, who will take the lead in defining the next phase of the Palestinian struggle? The answer to this question will shape the future of the Arab world’s engagement with the cause.
- Iran’s Persistent Influence: Tehran continues to project malign influence and power across the region, often disregarding national sovereignty in pursuit of its strategic ambitions. Will it adapt to the changing landscape, or double down on its current approach?
The Arab World’s Countermove
With the United States actively pushing a peace-driven agenda, what will be the Arab world’s counteroffer? Saudi Arabia and the Gulf nations have already taken significant steps towards realignment, signaling openness to a future built on stability, economic development, and strategic cooperation and the two-state solution.
Iran’s response will also be pivotal. Will it engage diplomatically, seeking a role in shaping a peaceful regional framework, or will it resist and escalate tensions further?
As for Lebanon, the stakes could not be higher. Its people deserve stability, prosperity, and governance that prioritizes national interests over external allegiances. A sovereign Lebanon—free from armed factions operating outside state control—can finally offer its citizens the quality of life and future they have long been denied.
A Defining Moment
The world is watching as the Middle East stands at a crossroads. The choices made in the coming months will determine whether this region moves toward lasting peace or remains mired in cycles of conflict. Time will reveal the answers, but one thing is clear: history is being written, and those who fail to adapt may find themselves left behind.

Christian Leaders’ Letter to President Trump Calls for Urgent Action on 24 Christian Hostages
Save Armenia: A Judeo-Christian Alliance
March 11, 2025
WASHINGTON, March 11, 2025 /Christian Newswire/ — A coalition of American Christian leaders has sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging decisive action to free 24 Christian hostages—23 Armenian Christians and one Azerbaijani Christian convert—held by Azerbaijani authorities. Among them is Ruben Vardanyan, who remains in extremely critical condition as his hunger strike extends into its 21st day, leaving his health rapidly deteriorating in Azerbaijani detention. In their appeal, the signatories cite credible reports of torture and ongoing abuse, emphasizing their belief that President Trump’s leadership is uniquely positioned to resolve this crisis, and that swift action is needed to save Christian lives.
In the letter, the Christian leaders wrote:
“We believe you are the only one who can rescue these Christian hostages. Almost two years ago, Azerbaijan ethnically cleansed more than 120,000 Christian Armenians from their ancestral homes, while the Biden administration refused to take action. Since then, 23 Christian Armenian hostages and one Azeri Christian convert have been subjected to routine torture. The International Committee of the Red Cross—the only organization permitted to check on their well-being—was ordered to leave the country in recent days.”
They further praise President Trump’s previous support of Armenia and persecuted Christians, stating:
“Thank you for your support for Armenia and persecuted Christians during your campaign. Your statement was powerful and sent a clear message to those who would undermine Armenia’s security and their rich Christian heritage as the first country in the history of the world to embrace the gospel of Christ.”
The statement that the signatories referred to is a Trump Truth Social post from Oct. 23, 2024 which read:
“Kamala Harris did NOTHING as 120,000 Armenian Christians were horrifically persecuted and forcibly displaced in Artsakh. Christians around the World will not be safe if Kamala Harris is President of the United States. When I am President, I will protect persecuted Christians, I will work to stop the violence and ethnic cleansing, and we will restore PEACE between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
The full list of signatories to the letter includes:
Dr. Alveda King, Chair, Center for the American Dream
­Hon. Michele Bachmann, Dean, Robertson School of Government
­Sohrab Ahmari, US Editor, UnHerd
­Rod Dreher, Journalist and Author
­Troy Miller, President & CEO, National Religious Broadcasters
­Ambassador Sam Brownback, Co-Chair, IRF Summit
­Sean Feucht, Missionary, Musician, Activist, Author, and Speaker
­William Wolfe, Executive Director, Center for Baptist Leadership
­Bob Vander Plaats, President and CEO, The FAMiLY Leader
­Dede Laugesen, Executive Director, Save the Persecuted Christians
­Suzanne Bock Grishman, Executive Director, Mercury One, Inc. & The Nazarene Fund
­Ambassador Alberto Fernandez, Vice President, Middle East Media Research Institute
­Dr. Jim Garlow, CEO, Well Versed
­Rev. Rosemary Schindler Garlow, CEO, Schindler’s Ark
­Dr. David Curry, USCIRF Commissioner
­Nadine Maenza, President, IRF Secretariat
­Denise Bubeck, Board Member, Save Armenia
­Dr. Paul Murray, International VP, Global Peace Foundation
The text of the letter can be found here.
SOURCE Save Armenia: A Judeo-Christian Alliance
CONTACT: Dan Harre, Deputy Director, contact@resonate-strategies.com