Syrian activists say the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) has retaken a strategically important town in the central province of Homs from government forces. The government had recaptured the town of Mheen and surrounding villages from the extremists two weeks ago as part of a general offensive to secure the highway connecting Damascus to the country’s northwest. The loss deals a setback to the Syrian army’s strategy to fortify the corridor with support from Russian airpower, and comes amid Turkish accusations that Russia only targets ISIS in 10 percent of its air strikes, and that the strikes primarily benefit ISIS. [AP, 12/10/2015]
EGYPT | LIBYA & THE MAGHREB | SYRIA & ITS NEIGHBORS | YEMEN & THE GULF | ECONOMICS
Egypt frees Israeli held for spying in prisoner swap
Egypt has freed an Israeli-Arab held in its jails for 15 years on espionage charges in exchange for the release of two Egyptians held in Israel, Egyptian and Israeli officials said on Thursday. Ouda Tarabin, An Arab Bedouin from the Negev Desert in Israel, had completed a 15-year prison sentence, Egypt’s state television reported. Tarabin was arrested in 2000 and convicted of spying after illegally crossing the Egypt-Israel border. An unspecified number of additional Egyptian nationals may also be freed at a later date, according to Ahram Online. A statement by the Israeli government, published by Reuters, confirmed the releases of Tarabin, and the two Egyptian nationals. It is not clear on what charges the Egyptian prisoners were convicted. [Ahram Online, Reuters, AP, 12/10/2015]
Nine policemen referred to court for torturing man to death
Luxor prosecutor referred Thursday four police officers and five low ranking policemen to the criminal court for their involvement in the case of torturing and killing a citizen inside Luxor police station last month. Luxor police station’s investigation chief Ibrahim Omara, three lieutenants and five lower-ranking agents are facing accusations of torturing Talaat Shabib, 47, to death after arresting him from a local coffee shop. [DNE, AMAY, Reuters, Aswat Masriya, 12/10/2015]
UK Ambassador expresses supports for Egypt
UK Ambassador John Casson expressed support for Egypt in a statement Wednesday, saying his country would “do everything in [their] power to defeat the terrorists who want to close down Egypt’s economy.” During a commemoration ceremony for the victims of the Russian plane crash in Sharm al-Sheikh, Casson said that that talks are ongoing between the Egyptian and British governments to restore UK flights to Sharm al-Sheikh as soon as possible. Following the crash, Britain took safety measures for the sake of its people, which was a normal procedure in such situations, Casson said. He responded to a question about why Britain had not suspended its flights to France following recent terrorist attacks in Paris by saying that Britain condemns terrorism in any country, and their decision to halt flights was a safety measures and was not biased against Egypt. [AMAY, 12/10/2015]
Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated exchange companies, $2.5 million in funds confiscated
The government committee tasked with managing the funds of the Muslim Brotherhood announced Wednesday it seized 14 foreign exchange companies allegedly affiliated with the banned group. A total of EGP 20 million ($2.5 million) in funds were seized from the foreign exchange companies, the head of the committee Judge Ezzat Khamis said. The companies include EMCO, al-Nouran, Ebramko, al-Reda, al-Penso, al-Ferdaws, al-Fakahany, al-Mashriq al-Araby, al-Beheira, al-Sabah, al-Quds, and General. The committee also seized an electronics company, Delta Software, and the al-Sayyeda Aisha school, which will be managed by the Education Ministry. Meanwhile, 375 books were seized from mosques in Delta’s Kafr al-Sheikh over “inciting violence and extremism,” Under Secretary of the Endowment Ministry, Saad al-Fekki said Wednesday. Books authored by Egyptian Islamist scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who is based in Qatar and listed on Interpol’s wanted list on several accusations, and Mohamed Salim al-Awa, an Islamist thinker and 2011 presidential candidate, were among those seized. [AMAY, Cairo Post, 12/9/2015]
For more in-depth Egypt news, please visit EgyptSource
UN seeks $166 million in humanitarian aid for Libya
On Wednesday, the United Nations (UN) called on the international community to provide $165.6 million in aid to Libya. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya Ali al-Zaatari also called for a humanitarian ceasefire and for the opening of corridors so that aid can reach those in need. The World Health Organization’s representative in Libya Syed Jaffar Hussain said the money is needed for basic health provisions such as drinking water, sewers, vaccinations and other medicines, and maternity wards. In October, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that 2.44 million Libyans are in need of protection and humanitarian assistance, out of a population of 6.3 million. [AFP, 12/10/2015]
Tunisia, Qatar sign co-operation agreements, memoranda of understanding
On Wednesday, Tunisia and Qatar signed cooperation agreements, memoranda of understanding, and executive programs at the end of the sixth Tunisian-Qatari high joint committee meeting in Doha. The agreements relate to security, diplomatic training, finance, digital communications, fine arts, media, and administrative training. Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid emphasized the importance of the agreement on military and security cooperation and called for a second meeting of a commission responsible for the completion of a joint investment fund agreed upon by Tunisia and Qatar in 2011. [TAP, 12/9/2015]
Ras Jedir border crossing between Tunisia and Libya set to reopen
Tunisian authorities are preparing to fully reopen the Ras Jedir crossing, after it was closed on November 25 following an attack on presidential guards in downtown Tunis. A Tunisian official said the border would reopen at midnight on December 10. The source said that security measures at the crossing have been increased for all those crossing the border. [Libya Monitor (subscription), 12/10/2015]
Tunisia’s Dialogue Quartet receives 2015 Nobel Peace Prize
The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday. In his speech, head of the Tunisian General Labor Union Hussein Abassi called the fight against terrorism an “absolute priority” that requires coordination and cooperation between all nations. He also emphasized the “resolution of the Palestinian issue” as necessary to eliminate “hot spots” around the world. The prize medal will be displayed at Tunisia’s Bardo Museum, where 21 tourists were killed in an attack in March. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Tunisian League for Human Rights President Abdessattar Ben Moussa called for a resolution of the conflicts in Syria and Lebanon through dialogue rather than violence. [Reuters, AP, AFP, 12/10/2015]
Moroccan government and critics vie for online audiences
The newest entrant to Morocco’s media scene has already reported on a disgraced former foreign minister and a scandal about blackmailing the king. The investigative website Le Desk is the latest example of the accelerating migration of Moroccan journalism away from heavily restricted print and broadcast outlets toward the less-regulated online media scene. But with the rapid growth of competing online media have come efforts to control it. A new draft press code includes a more stringent process of accreditation for online media. Online journalists will have to get accredited like their print counterparts, and while the new code will eliminate jail sentences, there will be more fines for violations. Audiovisual material will also have to be authorized through state-affiliated agencies, which will entail an authorization process that will have to be renewed once a year. [AP, 12/10/2015]
SYRIA & ITS NEIGHBORS
Saudi FM says Assad must leave or be forced out; Gulf rulers back “political solution” for Syria
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Thursday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has two choices, “Either to leave through negotiations” or be forcibly removed from power, arguing that the Syrian people will not accept any other outcomes. Speaking to reporters during a two-day meeting of Syrian opposition groups taking place in Riyadh, al-Jubeir said he hoped the various factions can come up with a common vision for Syria. The meeting, which ends on Thursday, aims at forming a unified front ahead of proposed peace negotiations with Assad’s government. United States Secretary of State John Kerry described talks as “very constructive,” and said the next Syria meeting will tentatively be held on December 18 at the United Nations. Also on Thursday, Gulf Cooperation Council rulers said they “support a political settlement…that guarantees the territorial integrity and independence of Syria.” [AP, 12/10/2015]
Moscow announces trilateral Syria talks in Geneva on Friday
Russia said Moscow, Washington, and the United Nations (UN) will hold Syria talks in Geneva on Friday as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict are ratcheted up. “We will be having consultations in the trilateral format—Russia, the United States, and the UN,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told RIA Novosti state news agency on Wednesday. Gatilov said Russia would be calling for the “intensification of joint efforts” in the “fight against terrorism.” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a call with his US counterpart Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday, said a list of “terrorist groups that we must not talk to and that we must fight together,” should be drawn up. Moscow has sought, so far without success, to persuade nations in the US-led coalition that opposes Assad to work with its own forces flying a bombing campaign in Syria and with Damascus in a broader coalition against ISIS. [AFP, 12/10/2015]
Syria Kurd-Arab coalition creates political wing
A Kurdish-Arab coalition fighting ISIS in northern Syria has announced the creation of a political wing, as momentum builds for a diplomatic solution to the war. The formation of the Syrian Democratic Council was agreed at a two-day conference in the northeastern town of al-Malikiyeh where participants also discussed the future of the country after more than four years of war. “The participants agreed on the creation of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political branch of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF),” a statement issued at the end of the conference read. The SDF, formed in October, brings together the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) with smaller Arab and Christian militias in a coalition intended to take on ISIS. Participants at the al-Malikiyeh conference said President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was partly responsible for the country’s war but was also a key to resolving the bloody conflict. The body also said it is committed to a decentralized political system for Syria, without specificying what form that might take. [AFP, 12/10/2015]
Turkey promises legal status to Muslim minority community
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced a series of reforms his new government aims to implement within the next three to six months, including granting legal status to the minority Alevi Muslims’ places of worship. Turkey’s Alevis, who follow a brand of Islam that is rooted in Shia beliefs, have long complained of discrimination in the mostly Sunni country, including the non-recognition of their “cemevi” houses of worship. Davutoglu said Thursday the cemevi would be given legal status, but did not elaborate. Other reforms announced include improvements to the Roma community’s rights, strengthening civic society groups, and an increase to the minimum wage. Davutoglu also sought opposition parties’ support for a new constitution that would replace the current charter, which is a legacy of Turkey’s 1980 military coup. [AP, 12/10/2015]
ISIS destroys bridge as Iraqi forces close in on Ramadi
Besieged ISIS militants in the Iraqi city of Ramadi destroyed a lock on the Euphrates River that served as a bridge, as government forces on Wednesday sought to cement their gains around the militant-held city west of Baghdad. Iraqi Head of Military Operations in the western Anbar province Major General Ismail al-Mahlawi said the lock destroyed Wednesday was the last remaining bridge from the city center to the northwest. The lock’s destruction leaves some 300 ISIS fighters trapped in the center of the city, he added. US Spokesman for the US-led coalition in Baghdad Colonel Steven Warren said the destruction of the bridge may prove to be a tactical mistake for ISIS. Spokesman for the Anbar governor’s office Muhannad Haimour said he received reports from residents still inside Ramadi that ISIS was also destroying buildings and radio towers. [AP, 12/10/2015]
Turkey, Iraqi Kurdish leaders meet amid dispute over troops
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with the leader of Iraq’s Kurdish region on Wednesday in Ankara amid diplomatic efforts to resolve a dispute over Turkish troops in northern Iraq. Erdogan and Kurdish regional President Masoud Barzani reportedly discussed the need to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, which Turkey says is the reason it has stationed troops in northern Iraq to work with and train Kurdish Peshmerga forces to fight ISIS. Barzani, who has long-standing ties with Ankara, also made an unannounced visit to Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization and visited with spy chief Hakan Fidan during his two-day stay in Turkey. The two presidents did not issue a statement after their hour-and-a-half meeting, but Erdogan told Al-Jazeera that the Turkish forces were deployed at the request of Iraq’s leader in 2014 and that Baghdad had not made an issue of it until this week. Davutoglu is expected to visit Baghdad soon to try to calm tensions. Despite attempts at resolving differences, Turkey issued an advisory to its citizens on Wednesday to leave all areas of Iraq except Iraq’s Kurdish region due to increased security risks. [Radio Free Europe, 12/10/2015]
For more in-depth Syria news and analysis, please visit SyriaSource.
Gulf states call for Yemen reconstruction meeting after peace deal
Gulf Arab states called on Thursday for an international reconstruction conference for Yemen once the civil war has been resolved. Almost 6,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which has also caused widespread damage to the country’s economy and infrastructure. The call came in a statement by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders at the conclusion of a summit meeting in Riyadh. The statement was read out by GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. He said reconstruction would be done in accordance with a “practical program to rehabilitate the Yemeni economy and to ease its merger into the Gulf economies.” Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir also used the Summit to criticize Iran and what he considers the “negative role” the Islamic Republic plays in “most regional issues.” [NYT, 12/10/2015]
Saudi-led Arab coalition seizes Yemeni Red Sea islands from Houthi rebels
Arab coalition forces have captured a Yemeni Red Sea archipelago used by the Houthi rebels for storing and smuggling weapons into Yemen. The Houthis control most of the former north Yemen from Taiz in the south to Saada in the north, giving them control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The coalition said its forces “cleansed Greater Hanish,” the biggest island in the archipelago in the Red Sea’s main shipping lanes. The islands, it said, were controlled by Yemeni soldiers loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and used by the Houthis to store weapons and smuggle them into Hodeida, Yemen’s main Red Sea port. Fishermen in the area said the islands had been subjected to weeks of heavy shelling by Arab forces before they were seized. Meanwhile, Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlafi said on Wednesday that a seven-day ceasefire expected to start with peace talks next week would be renewed if the Houthi rebels abide by it. [NYT, 12/10/2015]
Over 170,000 flee Yemen War, as the United Nations asks for aid
More than 170,000 people have fled war-torn Yemen for the Horn of Africa and the Gulf, the United Nations (UN) said Wednesday, as it appealed for $94 million in aid. “Around 170,000 Yemenis, refugees, and third country nationals have fled to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and some Gulf countries,” the UN refugee agency and International Organization for Migration said in a statement. The UN said it needs over $94 million to support those fleeing the war in 2016. Inside Yemen, an estimated 80 percent of people need aid, including 2.3 million forced from their homes. [AFP, 12/9/2015]
Northerners detained in Aden by Southern resistance
The Southern resistance detained northern workers in the port city of Aden on Thursday, reportedly causing widespread criticism from the Yemeni populace. On Thursday morning, northerners who currently reside in Aden were barred from entering Crater Province where a number of them work. In response, Yemenis have accused the Southern resistance of humiliating workers under the guise that they threaten the security of the city. Tensions between the North and South have increased over the past few years, particularly given southern grievances over ill treatment by the rulers in the northern capital, Sana’a, along with the recent outbreak of conflict between the northern Houthi rebels and the pro-government forces. Tensions have escalated into a movement in the South openly calling for secession. [Al Masdar, 12/10/2015]
Fitch issues negative outlook for GCC banks
The prospects of an extended decline in oil prices and higher US interest rates are putting fresh strain on debt markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries Fitch ratings agency said, issuing negative 2016 outlooks for GCC banks. Fitch noted that oil price weakness is slowing economic growth in the region, and in turn heavily impacting bank liquidity and earnings. About 16 percent of all ratings Fitch assigned to the GCC banks were negative, the bulk of which are in Saudi Arabia. Fitch issued a negative outlook for Saudi Arabia, noting that its “commodity dependence is much higher than for peers.” Performance indicators could also come under pressure due to lower credit demand and higher funding costs, Fitch said. However the agency noted that the region’s banks will remain profitable despite the challenges outlined. Kuwait was the only country in which Fitch forecast stronger economic growth, at 3.5 percent as a result of strong public spending. [Bloomberg, Gulf Business News, 12/10/2015]
Turkish economy grows 4 percent in third quarter, beats forecasts
Turkey’s economy grew 4 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of the year, surpassing forecasts of a growth slowdown. Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek called the growth an “undeniable achievement,” that was driven by private sector demand. He said he expects growth in 2016 to be “much better” as reforms are enacted and growth potential increases. The figure means that Turkey’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2015 will likely be stronger than predicted. Simsek said he expects Turkey’s GDP to expand by about 3.5-4 percent. Stronger GDP growth could also ease political pressure on Turkey’s central bank to support economic activity with low interest rates, analysts said. Simsek also said Turkey will reduce its current account deficit to less than 3 percent of GDP in the medium term by implementing reforms to boost competitiveness. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced a 30 percent increase in the minimum wage, saying the government will provide help to employers to adopt the wage hike. [Reuters, WSJ, AFP, Bloomberg, 12/10/2015]
Rising food prices push up Egypt’s inflation
Egypt’s urban consumer inflation jumped to 11.1 percent in November, its highest level since June, propelled by rising food prices. Egypt said in November it would control the prices of ten essential commodities and use its state grain buying agency to import a broader array of goods in an effort to curb inflation. However, November core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as fruits and vegetables, rose to 7.44 percent from 6.26 percent in October. Egypt’s annual inflation rate accelerated 11.8 percent compared to 10.3 percent in October. The higher inflation figures may influence the central bank’s decision on interest rates at a monetary policy committee meeting scheduled for next week, Capital Economics said. “There is growing risk that [the central bank] will be spooked and decide to hike rates,” the company said. [Reuters, Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, 12/10/2015]
Tunisia, German Reconstruction Credit Institute sign loan contracts
Tunisia and the German Reconstruction Credit Institute (KFW) signed eight loan and funding contracts on Wednesday in Tunis. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Minister M’hamed Ezzine Chelaifa and KFW Director of the Middle East and North Africa Wolfgang Reuss signed the loan contracts at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “These contracts, which follow the different bilateral consultations and the commitments made by the German side to support Tunisia, reflect the quality and wealth of cooperation and partnership between the two countries,” the Ministry said in a statement. Under the contracts, Tunisia will receive funding of about EUR 102 million in the form of concessional loans and grants to be allocated for regional and rural development projects in priority sectors, namely water and environment. [TAP, 12/10/2015]
EGYPT
Egypt frees Israeli held for spying in prisoner swap
Egypt has freed an Israeli-Arab held in its jails for 15 years on espionage charges in exchange for the release of two Egyptians held in Israel, Egyptian and Israeli officials said on Thursday. Ouda Tarabin, An Arab Bedouin from the Negev Desert in Israel, had completed a 15-year prison sentence, Egypt’s state television reported. Tarabin was arrested in 2000 and convicted of spying after illegally crossing the Egypt-Israel border. An unspecified number of additional Egyptian nationals may also be freed at a later date, according to Ahram Online. A statement by the Israeli government, published by Reuters, confirmed the releases of Tarabin, and the two Egyptian nationals. It is not clear on what charges the Egyptian prisoners were convicted. [Ahram Online, Reuters, AP, 12/10/2015]
Nine policemen referred to court for torturing man to death
Luxor prosecutor referred Thursday four police officers and five low ranking policemen to the criminal court for their involvement in the case of torturing and killing a citizen inside Luxor police station last month. Luxor police station’s investigation chief Ibrahim Omara, three lieutenants and five lower-ranking agents are facing accusations of torturing Talaat Shabib, 47, to death after arresting him from a local coffee shop. [DNE, AMAY, Reuters, Aswat Masriya, 12/10/2015]
UK Ambassador expresses supports for Egypt
UK Ambassador John Casson expressed support for Egypt in a statement Wednesday, saying his country would “do everything in [their] power to defeat the terrorists who want to close down Egypt’s economy.” During a commemoration ceremony for the victims of the Russian plane crash in Sharm al-Sheikh, Casson said that that talks are ongoing between the Egyptian and British governments to restore UK flights to Sharm al-Sheikh as soon as possible. Following the crash, Britain took safety measures for the sake of its people, which was a normal procedure in such situations, Casson said. He responded to a question about why Britain had not suspended its flights to France following recent terrorist attacks in Paris by saying that Britain condemns terrorism in any country, and their decision to halt flights was a safety measures and was not biased against Egypt. [AMAY, 12/10/2015]
Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated exchange companies, $2.5 million in funds confiscated
The government committee tasked with managing the funds of the Muslim Brotherhood announced Wednesday it seized 14 foreign exchange companies allegedly affiliated with the banned group. A total of EGP 20 million ($2.5 million) in funds were seized from the foreign exchange companies, the head of the committee Judge Ezzat Khamis said. The companies include EMCO, al-Nouran, Ebramko, al-Reda, al-Penso, al-Ferdaws, al-Fakahany, al-Mashriq al-Araby, al-Beheira, al-Sabah, al-Quds, and General. The committee also seized an electronics company, Delta Software, and the al-Sayyeda Aisha school, which will be managed by the Education Ministry. Meanwhile, 375 books were seized from mosques in Delta’s Kafr al-Sheikh over “inciting violence and extremism,” Under Secretary of the Endowment Ministry, Saad al-Fekki said Wednesday. Books authored by Egyptian Islamist scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who is based in Qatar and listed on Interpol’s wanted list on several accusations, and Mohamed Salim al-Awa, an Islamist thinker and 2011 presidential candidate, were among those seized. [AMAY, Cairo Post, 12/9/2015]
For more in-depth Egypt news, please visit EgyptSource
LIBYA & THE MAGHREB
UN seeks $166 million in humanitarian aid for Libya
On Wednesday, the United Nations (UN) called on the international community to provide $165.6 million in aid to Libya. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya Ali al-Zaatari also called for a humanitarian ceasefire and for the opening of corridors so that aid can reach those in need. The World Health Organization’s representative in Libya Syed Jaffar Hussain said the money is needed for basic health provisions such as drinking water, sewers, vaccinations and other medicines, and maternity wards. In October, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that 2.44 million Libyans are in need of protection and humanitarian assistance, out of a population of 6.3 million. [AFP, 12/10/2015]
Tunisia, Qatar sign co-operation agreements, memoranda of understanding
On Wednesday, Tunisia and Qatar signed cooperation agreements, memoranda of understanding, and executive programs at the end of the sixth Tunisian-Qatari high joint committee meeting in Doha. The agreements relate to security, diplomatic training, finance, digital communications, fine arts, media, and administrative training. Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid emphasized the importance of the agreement on military and security cooperation and called for a second meeting of a commission responsible for the completion of a joint investment fund agreed upon by Tunisia and Qatar in 2011. [TAP, 12/9/2015]
Ras Jedir border crossing between Tunisia and Libya set to reopen
Tunisian authorities are preparing to fully reopen the Ras Jedir crossing, after it was closed on November 25 following an attack on presidential guards in downtown Tunis. A Tunisian official said the border would reopen at midnight on December 10. The source said that security measures at the crossing have been increased for all those crossing the border. [Libya Monitor (subscription), 12/10/2015]
Tunisia’s Dialogue Quartet receives 2015 Nobel Peace Prize
The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday. In his speech, head of the Tunisian General Labor Union Hussein Abassi called the fight against terrorism an “absolute priority” that requires coordination and cooperation between all nations. He also emphasized the “resolution of the Palestinian issue” as necessary to eliminate “hot spots” around the world. The prize medal will be displayed at Tunisia’s Bardo Museum, where 21 tourists were killed in an attack in March. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Tunisian League for Human Rights President Abdessattar Ben Moussa called for a resolution of the conflicts in Syria and Lebanon through dialogue rather than violence. [Reuters, AP, AFP, 12/10/2015]
Moroccan government and critics vie for online audiences
The newest entrant to Morocco’s media scene has already reported on a disgraced former foreign minister and a scandal about blackmailing the king. The investigative website Le Desk is the latest example of the accelerating migration of Moroccan journalism away from heavily restricted print and broadcast outlets toward the less-regulated online media scene. But with the rapid growth of competing online media have come efforts to control it. A new draft press code includes a more stringent process of accreditation for online media. Online journalists will have to get accredited like their print counterparts, and while the new code will eliminate jail sentences, there will be more fines for violations. Audiovisual material will also have to be authorized through state-affiliated agencies, which will entail an authorization process that will have to be renewed once a year. [AP, 12/10/2015]
SYRIA & ITS NEIGHBORS
ISIS retakes key city in Homs province from Syrian forces
Syrian activists say the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) has retaken a strategically important town in the central province of Homs from government forces. The government had recaptured the town of Mheen and surrounding villages from the extremists two weeks ago as part of a general offensive to secure the highway connecting Damascus to the country’s northwest. The loss deals a setback to the Syrian army’s strategy to fortify the corridor with support from Russian airpower, and comes amid Turkish accusations that Russia only targets ISIS in 10 percent of its air strikes, and that the strikes primarily benefit ISIS. [AP, 12/10/2015]
Saudi FM says Assad must leave or be forced out; Gulf rulers back “political solution” for Syria
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Thursday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has two choices, “Either to leave through negotiations” or be forcibly removed from power, arguing that the Syrian people will not accept any other outcomes. Speaking to reporters during a two-day meeting of Syrian opposition groups taking place in Riyadh, al-Jubeir said he hoped the various factions can come up with a common vision for Syria. The meeting, which ends on Thursday, aims at forming a unified front ahead of proposed peace negotiations with Assad’s government. United States Secretary of State John Kerry described talks as “very constructive,” and said the next Syria meeting will tentatively be held on December 18 at the United Nations. Also on Thursday, Gulf Cooperation Council rulers said they “support a political settlement…that guarantees the territorial integrity and independence of Syria.” [AP, 12/10/2015]
Moscow announces trilateral Syria talks in Geneva on Friday
Russia said Moscow, Washington, and the United Nations (UN) will hold Syria talks in Geneva on Friday as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict are ratcheted up. “We will be having consultations in the trilateral format—Russia, the United States, and the UN,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told RIA Novosti state news agency on Wednesday. Gatilov said Russia would be calling for the “intensification of joint efforts” in the “fight against terrorism.” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a call with his US counterpart Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday, said a list of “terrorist groups that we must not talk to and that we must fight together,” should be drawn up. Moscow has sought, so far without success, to persuade nations in the US-led coalition that opposes Assad to work with its own forces flying a bombing campaign in Syria and with Damascus in a broader coalition against ISIS. [AFP, 12/10/2015]
Syria Kurd-Arab coalition creates political wing
A Kurdish-Arab coalition fighting ISIS in northern Syria has announced the creation of a political wing, as momentum builds for a diplomatic solution to the war. The formation of the Syrian Democratic Council was agreed at a two-day conference in the northeastern town of al-Malikiyeh where participants also discussed the future of the country after more than four years of war. “The participants agreed on the creation of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political branch of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF),” a statement issued at the end of the conference read. The SDF, formed in October, brings together the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) with smaller Arab and Christian militias in a coalition intended to take on ISIS. Participants at the al-Malikiyeh conference said President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was partly responsible for the country’s war but was also a key to resolving the bloody conflict. The body also said it is committed to a decentralized political system for Syria, without specificying what form that might take. [AFP, 12/10/2015]
Turkey promises legal status to Muslim minority community
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced a series of reforms his new government aims to implement within the next three to six months, including granting legal status to the minority Alevi Muslims’ places of worship. Turkey’s Alevis, who follow a brand of Islam that is rooted in Shia beliefs, have long complained of discrimination in the mostly Sunni country, including the non-recognition of their “cemevi” houses of worship. Davutoglu said Thursday the cemevi would be given legal status, but did not elaborate. Other reforms announced include improvements to the Roma community’s rights, strengthening civic society groups, and an increase to the minimum wage. Davutoglu also sought opposition parties’ support for a new constitution that would replace the current charter, which is a legacy of Turkey’s 1980 military coup. [AP, 12/10/2015]
ISIS destroys bridge as Iraqi forces close in on Ramadi
Besieged ISIS militants in the Iraqi city of Ramadi destroyed a lock on the Euphrates River that served as a bridge, as government forces on Wednesday sought to cement their gains around the militant-held city west of Baghdad. Iraqi Head of Military Operations in the western Anbar province Major General Ismail al-Mahlawi said the lock destroyed Wednesday was the last remaining bridge from the city center to the northwest. The lock’s destruction leaves some 300 ISIS fighters trapped in the center of the city, he added. US Spokesman for the US-led coalition in Baghdad Colonel Steven Warren said the destruction of the bridge may prove to be a tactical mistake for ISIS. Spokesman for the Anbar governor’s office Muhannad Haimour said he received reports from residents still inside Ramadi that ISIS was also destroying buildings and radio towers. [AP, 12/10/2015]
Turkey, Iraqi Kurdish leaders meet amid dispute over troops
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with the leader of Iraq’s Kurdish region on Wednesday in Ankara amid diplomatic efforts to resolve a dispute over Turkish troops in northern Iraq. Erdogan and Kurdish regional President Masoud Barzani reportedly discussed the need to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, which Turkey says is the reason it has stationed troops in northern Iraq to work with and train Kurdish Peshmerga forces to fight ISIS. Barzani, who has long-standing ties with Ankara, also made an unannounced visit to Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization and visited with spy chief Hakan Fidan during his two-day stay in Turkey. The two presidents did not issue a statement after their hour-and-a-half meeting, but Erdogan told Al-Jazeera that the Turkish forces were deployed at the request of Iraq’s leader in 2014 and that Baghdad had not made an issue of it until this week. Davutoglu is expected to visit Baghdad soon to try to calm tensions. Despite attempts at resolving differences, Turkey issued an advisory to its citizens on Wednesday to leave all areas of Iraq except Iraq’s Kurdish region due to increased security risks. [Radio Free Europe, 12/10/2015]
For more in-depth Syria news and analysis, please visit SyriaSource.
YEMEN & THE GULF
Gulf states call for Yemen reconstruction meeting after peace deal
Gulf Arab states called on Thursday for an international reconstruction conference for Yemen once the civil war has been resolved. Almost 6,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which has also caused widespread damage to the country’s economy and infrastructure. The call came in a statement by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders at the conclusion of a summit meeting in Riyadh. The statement was read out by GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. He said reconstruction would be done in accordance with a “practical program to rehabilitate the Yemeni economy and to ease its merger into the Gulf economies.” Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir also used the Summit to criticize Iran and what he considers the “negative role” the Islamic Republic plays in “most regional issues.” [NYT, 12/10/2015]
Saudi-led Arab coalition seizes Yemeni Red Sea islands from Houthi rebels
Arab coalition forces have captured a Yemeni Red Sea archipelago used by the Houthi rebels for storing and smuggling weapons into Yemen. The Houthis control most of the former north Yemen from Taiz in the south to Saada in the north, giving them control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The coalition said its forces “cleansed Greater Hanish,” the biggest island in the archipelago in the Red Sea’s main shipping lanes. The islands, it said, were controlled by Yemeni soldiers loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and used by the Houthis to store weapons and smuggle them into Hodeida, Yemen’s main Red Sea port. Fishermen in the area said the islands had been subjected to weeks of heavy shelling by Arab forces before they were seized. Meanwhile, Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlafi said on Wednesday that a seven-day ceasefire expected to start with peace talks next week would be renewed if the Houthi rebels abide by it. [NYT, 12/10/2015]
Over 170,000 flee Yemen War, as the United Nations asks for aid
More than 170,000 people have fled war-torn Yemen for the Horn of Africa and the Gulf, the United Nations (UN) said Wednesday, as it appealed for $94 million in aid. “Around 170,000 Yemenis, refugees, and third country nationals have fled to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and some Gulf countries,” the UN refugee agency and International Organization for Migration said in a statement. The UN said it needs over $94 million to support those fleeing the war in 2016. Inside Yemen, an estimated 80 percent of people need aid, including 2.3 million forced from their homes. [AFP, 12/9/2015]
Northerners detained in Aden by Southern resistance
The Southern resistance detained northern workers in the port city of Aden on Thursday, reportedly causing widespread criticism from the Yemeni populace. On Thursday morning, northerners who currently reside in Aden were barred from entering Crater Province where a number of them work. In response, Yemenis have accused the Southern resistance of humiliating workers under the guise that they threaten the security of the city. Tensions between the North and South have increased over the past few years, particularly given southern grievances over ill treatment by the rulers in the northern capital, Sana’a, along with the recent outbreak of conflict between the northern Houthi rebels and the pro-government forces. Tensions have escalated into a movement in the South openly calling for secession. [Al Masdar, 12/10/2015]
ECONOMICS
Fitch issues negative outlook for GCC banks
The prospects of an extended decline in oil prices and higher US interest rates are putting fresh strain on debt markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries Fitch ratings agency said, issuing negative 2016 outlooks for GCC banks. Fitch noted that oil price weakness is slowing economic growth in the region, and in turn heavily impacting bank liquidity and earnings. About 16 percent of all ratings Fitch assigned to the GCC banks were negative, the bulk of which are in Saudi Arabia. Fitch issued a negative outlook for Saudi Arabia, noting that its “commodity dependence is much higher than for peers.” Performance indicators could also come under pressure due to lower credit demand and higher funding costs, Fitch said. However the agency noted that the region’s banks will remain profitable despite the challenges outlined. Kuwait was the only country in which Fitch forecast stronger economic growth, at 3.5 percent as a result of strong public spending. [Bloomberg, Gulf Business News, 12/10/2015]
Turkish economy grows 4 percent in third quarter, beats forecasts
Turkey’s economy grew 4 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of the year, surpassing forecasts of a growth slowdown. Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek called the growth an “undeniable achievement,” that was driven by private sector demand. He said he expects growth in 2016 to be “much better” as reforms are enacted and growth potential increases. The figure means that Turkey’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2015 will likely be stronger than predicted. Simsek said he expects Turkey’s GDP to expand by about 3.5-4 percent. Stronger GDP growth could also ease political pressure on Turkey’s central bank to support economic activity with low interest rates, analysts said. Simsek also said Turkey will reduce its current account deficit to less than 3 percent of GDP in the medium term by implementing reforms to boost competitiveness. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced a 30 percent increase in the minimum wage, saying the government will provide help to employers to adopt the wage hike. [Reuters, WSJ, AFP, Bloomberg, 12/10/2015]
Rising food prices push up Egypt’s inflation
Egypt’s urban consumer inflation jumped to 11.1 percent in November, its highest level since June, propelled by rising food prices. Egypt said in November it would control the prices of ten essential commodities and use its state grain buying agency to import a broader array of goods in an effort to curb inflation. However, November core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as fruits and vegetables, rose to 7.44 percent from 6.26 percent in October. Egypt’s annual inflation rate accelerated 11.8 percent compared to 10.3 percent in October. The higher inflation figures may influence the central bank’s decision on interest rates at a monetary policy committee meeting scheduled for next week, Capital Economics said. “There is growing risk that [the central bank] will be spooked and decide to hike rates,” the company said. [Reuters, Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, 12/10/2015]
Tunisia, German Reconstruction Credit Institute sign loan contracts
Tunisia and the German Reconstruction Credit Institute (KFW) signed eight loan and funding contracts on Wednesday in Tunis. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Minister M’hamed Ezzine Chelaifa and KFW Director of the Middle East and North Africa Wolfgang Reuss signed the loan contracts at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “These contracts, which follow the different bilateral consultations and the commitments made by the German side to support Tunisia, reflect the quality and wealth of cooperation and partnership between the two countries,” the Ministry said in a statement. Under the contracts, Tunisia will receive funding of about EUR 102 million in the form of concessional loans and grants to be allocated for regional and rural development projects in priority sectors, namely water and environment. [TAP, 12/10/2015]