Pro-Iranian Militia Headquarters Attack in Capital
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: 15 dead, including civilians
U.S. pledges additional $100 million for earthquake relief
After the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, while relief operations and damage recovery in Syria are facing difficulties due to the civil war, the Israeli army bombed pro-Iran militants in Syria for the first time since the earthquake. The US has promised Turkey and Syria an additional 100 million dollars (about 130 billion won) in aid.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in the early morning of the 19th (local time) that a 10-story building on the outskirts of Damascus, the Syrian capital, was bombed. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the building is the headquarters of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and pro-Iranian militias in Syria. The Human Rights Observatory said the attack killed 15 pro-Iranian militiamen and civilians.
Syrian government forces also claimed there was a bomb attack, killing one soldier and four civilians. Government forces said the Israeli attack caused damage to civilian residential areas. Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said: “Today’s airstrike is the deadliest attack targeting Damascus.”
The airstrike was the first by Israel since the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on the 6th, and the second this year. Since last year, Israel has been intensively striking Iranian military bases and arsenals that supply weapons to the Syrian al-Assad regime and pro-Iranian Hezbollah. Iran, which has an antagonistic relationship with Israel, is a key ally of Assad’s regime. Israel has a policy of not allowing pro-Iranian militants to be stationed on its close Syrian border.
Meanwhile, the US State Department announced on the same day that it would provide additional support of 100 million dollars to restore earthquake damage in time for Secretary of State Tony Blincoln’s visit to Turkey. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the United States has been striving to build friendly relations with Turkey, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and strategically located between Europe and Asia. Minister Blincoln visited the air base in Adana near the earthquake-stricken area that day and encouraged the US relief team. Minister Blincoln said, “The United States will be with Turkey and will be with Turkey until it overcomes the earthquake.”
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.