World

Syrian Rebels Launch Offensive on Government-Held City

Published

9 years ago

March 24, 2015

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian president Bashar Assad, right, speaks with Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, left, in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, March. 24, 2015. Al-Jaafari said they discussed Syrian and Iraqi issues, and the common dangers that threaten our security. (AP Photo/SANA)

RYAN LUCAS, Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian rebels launched an offensive Tuesday against a major government-held city in the country’s northwest, shelling the outskirts and warning residents to remain indoors in the coming days.

The target of the operation is Idlib, a city of some 165,000 people and the provincial capital of a province with the same name. Opposition fighters have controlled the countryside and towns across the province since 2012, but President Bashar Assad’s forces have maintained their grip on Idlib city.

Activists said Syrian government helicopters attacked the nearby town of Binish with chlorine gas Tuesday night. The Local Coordination Committees did not give details about casualties but Muayad Zurayk, an activist based in Idlib province, said 30 people were rushed to the hospital after suffering breathing problems.

The alleged attack came a week after the opposition claimed that the government carried out a poisonous gas attack on the nearby town of Sarmin, killing six and wounding dozens. Damascus denied the allegation.

Armed opposition factions announced the campaign to capture Idlib in a message posted online Tuesday. They told residents that the rebels “are at the walls of Idlib” and “have decided to liberate this good town.” The message also asked locals to remain indoors in the coming days.

Syrian state TV quoted an unnamed military official as saying that government forces are repelling “attempts by terrorist groups to infiltrate the outskirts” of Idlib. The official said clashes were ongoing, adding that troops inflicted “heavy losses” on the attackers. The government refers to the rebels as terrorists.

Zurayk, the activist based in Idlib province, said the offensive began Tuesday morning and was being led by several factions including al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, as well as the ultra-conservative Ahrar al-Sham and Jund al-Aqsa groups.

“The rebels have captured five checkpoints so far and are getting close to the gates of Idlib,” Zurayk said via Skype. He said rebels are advancing from four directions, adding that there were two suicide car bombs in the afternoon that targeted an army base near the city.

He said the operation to capture the city is dubbed “Fatah Army,” adding that two opposition fighters have been killed and several others wounded.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebels are shelling the city, but have yet to try to push into Idlib itself. The Idlib Media Center also said the rebels are targeting government positions on the city’s outskirts.

Observatory director Rami Abdurrahman said the opposition groups involved in the operation include the Nusra Front as well as Islamist rebel factions. The Observatory said rebels shelled the city, killing and wounding about 15 people.

Rebels have tried in the past to enter the city of Idlib but did not succeed.

More than 220,000 people have been killed since the conflict in Syria began in March 2011. The crisis started with largely peaceful protests calling for reforms and escalated into civil war following a brutal government crackdown.

Meanwhile, in Damascus, Iraq’s visiting foreign minister held talks with Assad that focused on threats facing both countries, including the Islamic State group. Assad said coordination and consultations between the two countries would bolster successes against militants, the state news agency SANA reported.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said they discussed “Syrian and Iraqi issues, and the common dangers that threaten our security.” He told reporters he hopes to boost Iraq-Syria ties to defeat those threats. Al-Jaafari also met with his Syrian counterpart, Walid al-Moallem, during the visit.

The Islamic State group has seized about a third of both Syria and Iraq.

The Observatory said Kurdish gunmen killed at least 28 Islamic State fighters in a special operation in the northern province of Raqqa. It added that members of the main Kurdish militia, the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, were able to capture the bodies of the dead militants.

YPG fighters have been battling the IS group for months, capturing scores of villages. The Kurds blamed IS for two bombings last week that killed 49 people celebrating the Kurdish New Year in the northeastern Syrian city of Hassakeh.

Also on Tuesday, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said the next round of Syria talks in Moscow will be between April 6 and 9. The first round of Moscow peace talks was held in January and was boycotted by most rebel groups as well as the main Western-backed Syrian National Coalition. Russia is a key ally of Assad’s government.

“We think it’s time for a breakthrough in a political settlement,” Churkin told reporters.

___

Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Cara Anna at the United Nations, and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria contributed to this report.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:al-Qaida Bashar Assad Syria Syrian rebels

Up Next

Official: Boko Haram Abducts Hundreds of Nigerian Civilians

Don't Miss

Arab-Israeli Political Leaders Reject Netanyahu’s Apology

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Ambassadors Strengthen Ties and Aid Efforts in Ghana

Oakland natives and esteemed members of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), Jonathan P. Jones and Dr. Maritony Efua Jones, recently embarked on a significant journey to Ghana as guests of the World Martial Authority Ghana. This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.

Published

9 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Elder Jorg Klebingat, Flint Mensah, Richard Burton, H.E. Dr. Maritony Jones, Amb. Jonathan Jones, Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, Elder Alfred Kyungu. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.

Upon their arrival at Katota Airport in Accra, Ghana, the Joneses were warmly received by His Royal Majesty Okatakyie Asafo Boakye III, the distinguished king of Sanzule Kingdom in the Eastern Nzema, and Etse Nyamedi of World Martial Authority, Ghana.

Nyamedi accompanied the Joneses to the city of Mepe, which had recently experienced flooding, to assess damages and engage with local leaders, elders, and youth regarding the city’s urgent needs after major floods last fall.

Key concerns and priorities identified by the community include comprehensive flood mitigation measures, agricultural support, housing initiatives, educational enhancements, improved healthcare access, and the development of communal recreational spaces.

The Joneses were also graciously invited to meet with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at their headquarters in Accra. This meeting provided insights into ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ghana and explored avenues for collaboration to further assist Ghanaian communities.

The LDS leaders shared their prompt response to the recent flood, demonstrating their commitment to humanitarian aid by dispatching substantial supplies including medical provisions, sanitation items, blankets, and food to assist flood victims just four days after the disaster.

Additionally, Boakye extended a special invitation to the Joneses to his palace, where they were pleasantly surprised with a heartfelt recognition ceremony. Maritony Jones was honored as the Queen Mother of the Sanzule Kingdom in acknowledgment of her dedicated work, while Jonathan Jones was lauded and welcomed as the ambassador of the Sanzule Kingdom, symbolizing a meaningful homecoming to their ancestral land.

The visit not only strengthens ties between Oakland and Ghana but also underscores the collaborative spirit and commitment to meaningful progress and humanitarian endeavors shared by all involved parties.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

Nigerian Bank Chief Killed in Helicopter Crash on Way to Superbowl XVIII

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Dept., the crash occurred near Nipton, on the edge of the Mojave Desert Preserve. The poor weather conditions — rain, wind and snow showers—may have contributed to the accident, although the investigation is not complete. All six aboard were killed. Herbert Wigwe, 57, founded Access Bank in 1989, and it became the country’s largest competitor, Diamond Bank in 2018.

Published

2 months ago

February 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Herbert Wigwe with his wife, Chizoba Wigwe, left, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, right. ENigeria Newspaper image.

By Post Staff

The co-founder of one of Nigeria’s largest banks died with his wife, son and three others when the helicopter transporting them from Palm Springs, Ca., to Boulder City, Nev. to attend the fifty-eighth SuperBowl at the stadium outside Las Vegas crashed on Feb. 9.

Herbert Wigwe, 57, founded Access Bank in 1989, and it became the country’s largest competitor, Diamond Bank in 2018.

More recently, Wigwe was planning to open a banking service in Asia this year after making successful expansions to other parts of Africa, including South Africa, Kenya, and Botswana.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu described Wigwe’s death as an ‘overwhelming tragedy.”

Oakland resident and Nigerian immigrant Kayode Gbadebo agrees with Tinubu. He met Wigwe in Nigeria but crossed paths with him in London in 2006. Wigwe, he said, “took risks.”

He was young and people thought he couldn’t do what he intended, which was not so much about money but community.

“He was more like Jesus in washing the feet of the poor– Wigwe was culturizing community,” Gbadebo said.

“There will never be another like him. This is a deep, deep loss” and he hopes everyone will eventually “be comforted.”

He was also disappointed that a replacement has already been named even before Wigwe is buried. “It is not reasonable. You don’t want a vacuum, but it’s” not fair to the family, Gbadebo observed.

Wigwe had also been working to solve the migration issues from African countries, believing that “investing in higher education was key to controlling mass migration, which “is destabilising countries across the world,” BBC News reported.

“We need to take a holistic approach to address global migration, starting with our traditional framework for international development,” Wigwe wrote.

To that end, according to BBC News, Wigwe was preparing to open Wigwe University in Niger, where he was from.

“The best place to limit migration is not in the middle of the Mediterranean or the English Channel or the Rio Grande. It is in the home countries that so many migrants are so desperate to leave,” he wrote, saying his university was an opportunity for him “to give back to society.”

Besides Wigwe and his wife, Chizoba Nwuba Wigwe, and one son, two crew members and Bimbo Ogunbanjo, former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, were also killed in the crash.

According to Wikipedia, three other children survive Wigwe.

In his statement reported in People magazine, Tinubu described Wigwe as “a distinguished banker, humanitarian, and entrepreneur.”

“I pray for the peaceful repose of the departed and ask God Almighty to comfort the multitude of Nigerians who are grieving and the families of the deceased at this deeply agonizing moment,” the president said.

He added, “Their passing is an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension.”

Besides feeling the tremendous loss, Gbadebo fears the disorder and greed that will follow. “It’s a mess,” he said.

People magazine, BBC News and Wikipedia were the sources for this report.