Middle East Experience

The Biden administration pledged to hold Iran accountable for the former FBI agent's disappearance 14 years ago.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: US demands 'credible answers' from Iran on Robert Levinson's abduction

The United States signaled Tuesday that it would not ease up on its stance toward Syria, hours after the top UAE diplomat implicitly criticized US sanctions that aim to cut off funds to the Assad regime.Under the Trump administration, Washington enacted the Caesar Act in an effort to prevent foreign entities or nations from taking part in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s reconstruction plans.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed made his comments after meeting Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov. “To keep the Caesar Act as it is today makes this path very difficult for us as a nation and for the private sector,” Sheikh Abdullah said.These sanctions aimed to force Assad to comply with UN Security Council resolutions, specifically UNSCR 2254, which calls for a political transition to end the yearslong war.As a result of the Assad regime’s gross violations and crimes against humanity, including using chemical weapons against civilians, the Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in 2011.“The bigger challenge facing coordination and working with Syria today is the Caesar Act,” he said.In 2018, the UAE reopened its embassy in Damascus. It has been hindered from doing more diplomatically or in terms of reconstruction due to the Caesar Act.Asked about Sheikh Abdullah’s remarks, a US State Department official told Al Arabiya English that the only way to achieve stability in Syria and the region was through a political process “that represents the will of all Syrians.”“We are committed to working with allies, partners, and the UN to ensure that a durable political solution remains within reach,” a State Department spokesperson said.Assad has been accused of blocking humanitarian aid to the Syrian people while using dwindling state funds for personal gains.“It is imperative for the regime and its supporters to engage seriously in political dialogue and allow humanitarian assistance to reach communities in need in order to achieve a sustainable end to the Syrian people’s suffering,” the State Department official said.Read more:New sanctions on Syria: Everything you need to know about the Caesar ActAfter US elections, there will be little change in Middle East policy: Experts
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US says it will not ease pressure on Syria after UAE criticism of Caesar Act

For the first time, the Biden administration targets alleged IRGC interrogators over inhumane detention of protesters.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: US hits Iranian officials with travel restriction over ‘gross human rights violations’

A recent barrage of drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia highlights a growing era of “war by remote” in the Middle East as terrorists utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to commit acts of violence across the region, experts say.Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia regularly launches unmanned missiles into Saudi Arabia, many of which Riyadh says it intercepts, and in recent weeks more than a dozen attacks using drones have been reported across the Kingdom. The attacks have drawn worldwide condemnation.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Yossi Mekelberg, a former professor of international relations at Regent’s University London, and a fellow at Chatham House, has been following warfare in the Middle East for decades.He told Al Arabiya English the Middle East is “seeing more and more unmanned vehicles” being deployed by terrorists in the region.“If you think about it, it is a cheap way to construct warfare if you have the technology,” he said.They also have another huge advantage; deniability.“It is effective, terrorists do not have to risk their own military personnel and it provides the ability for plausible deniability for those behind the attacks,” said Mekelberg.Drones are not as “obvious” as tanks or traditional air force, meaning terrorists can hide behind a cloak of anonymity until they – if they choose – take credit for such attacks, according to Mekelberg.“It is a time of war by remote – drones, unfortunately, is the way forward (for terrorists),” he added. “We will see home incidents of it across the region, be in Saudi, be it Syria, Israel, Lebanon, in Afghanistan.”On Monday night, the Arab Coalition announced it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthi militia targeting Khamis Mushait. Another explosive drone was also intercepted and destroyed.The attacks on Monday came one day after the Arab Coalition confirmed that Iran supplied the weapons that were used in the attack on Aramco’s oil port and facilities in Saudi Arabia.Some attacks have previously hit Abha International Airport which is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the border with Yemen.Last week the Arab Coalition intercepted two explosive-laden drones launched by Yemen’s Houthis towards Saudi Arabia’s Jazan and Khamis Mushait, raising the number of such drone attacks to eight over a 24-hour period; attacks which left at least seven civilians injured, according the Saudi authorities.In February, the Houthis claimed an attack on the Abha airport which caused a civilian plane to catch fire. The militia said the airport was a military target, according to AFP.The Houthi’s explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were the latest in a series of escalated cross-border aerial attacks on the Kingdom by the Iran-backed militia in Yemen.Mekelberg said while drones were traditionally viewed of as “something small and innocent” this is no longer the case.“They are definitely not small anymore and they are definitely not innocent.”Mekelberg said drones or UAVs are now known as a “loitering munition,” autonomous and unmanned technology that can loiter around a target before striking. UAV refers to all types of small and mid-sized autonomous devices with no pilot in them. They can be controlled remotely by a ground-based pilot or can fly following a pre-defined flight plan.Some drone models, using the latest technology, can use GPS signals from satellites to connect as well as communicate their location to the pilot. Terrorists can use such drone technology for surveillance, reconnaissance or for crashing into targets.Drones, depending on their type, can travel between tens and hundreds of thousands of miles.Technology in warfare“It is the closest thing to artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare – and it is scary,” said Mekelberg, adding that the threat has been growing for years.“These drones are commanded and guided by human beings – pilots in essence – but those who sit outside than inside a vehicle.”“Just imagine, in a hypothetical situation, that Iran is targeting a country. It can use a drone without risking one of their own human lives.”Not risking their own army, can mean terror groups ramp up such attacks, said Mekelberg.“If you are only risking equipment – not human lives - it can push (terrorists) to escalate the frequency of attacks as losing equipment does not have the same impact as losing one of their own.”Mekelberg pointed out that it only takes one drone attack to cause significant impact.In 2019, Saudi Arabia shut down half its oil production after a series of drone strikes hit Saudi Aramco - the world’s largest oil processing facility - in an attack claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.“This is a clear example of how heavy the price of drone attacks can be,” he said.To combat the threat, many countries in the region are now investing heavily in drone technology.Every piece of drone technology sends some sort of signal and can be intercepted if the right technology is there, said Mekelberg. Once detected, drones can be destroyed instantaneously.“More emphasis now on developing drones and developing technology to protect borders,” he said, adding: “At the end of the day, electronic warfare is all about who is one step ahead.”Read more:Arab Coalition destroys explosive drone targeting Saudi Arabia’s Khamis MushaitIran supplied weapons used in attack on Aramco’s oil port, facilities: Arab CoalitionSaudi Arabia confirms drone, missile attacks on Aramco oil port, facilities
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi drone attacks highlight a new era of ‘war-by-remote’ in the Middle East: Expert

The UAE saw a drop in daily COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 2,204 new infections reported over the past 24 hours, according to the country's NCEMA.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section. The total number of cases have reached 417,909 as of March 10 with a recovery total of 398,126, the official WAM news agency reported.Meanwhile the death toll reached 1,353 after eight coronavirus-related deaths were reported.After a spike in daily COVID-19 cases, the UAE on Tuesday announced that there is a “gradual decrease in the infection rates over the past two weeks.”Authorities were quick to reintroduce restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.In an effort to be better prepared in case of a surge, seven new field hospitals with the capacity of 2,058 beds and 292 ICU beds will be launched this month, according to the NCEMA.Meanwhile, 48.71 percent of the “targeted group” has been vaccinated in the UAE as of March 9. A total of 6 million doses have been administered with 3,777,143 people having been vaccinated in the country.Read more:UAE vaccinates 48 percent of population, plans to open seven field hospitalsUAE COVID-19 cases drop 22 pct from January peak, slower decline than in UK, IsraelUAE vaccinates 40 percent of population, 48 percent of elderly residents
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE sees drop in daily COVID-19 cases amid continued vaccine push

Sudan is changing its rules for Syrians wishing to reside in the country after years of being able to travel to Sudan without a visa, and the right to work, education and medical care.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Syrian refugees are no longer guests in Sudan

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Wednesday said the Kingdom would take deterrent action to protect its oil facilities, following attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on energy sites.The Saudi foreign minister said: “we value our strategic alliance with Russia, and affirm that coordination, consultation and cooperation exist at its highest levels between the two countries.”Prince Faisal bin Farhan also said in a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh, that the Kingdom would continue to cooperate with Russia in the OPEC+ framework.The minister added that the Kingdom and Russia are keen on a fair price of oil for consumers and producers, and this is what the OPEC + is achieving, adding that there is good coordination in this regard, and that the two countries continue to support global economy.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Discussing recent attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Iran-backed Houthi militia, Prince Faisal said that “such attacks require a strong stance by the international community in confronting the perpetrators.”“Efforts must be combined to stop the sources of the continuation of the conflict [in Yemen], the most important of which is Iran, as it supplies the Houthi militia with advanced weapons, including ballistic missiles and booby-trapped drones,” he added.The Iran-backed Houthi militia fired an explosive-laden drone at the Ras Tanura Port, site of a refinery and the world’s biggest offshore oil loading facility, Saudi authorities said on Sunday.The international community must have a firm stance to “stop the continued flow of weapons to the Houthi militia and prevent the export of weapons to Yemen, as this is a violation of UN resolutions and confirms that the arms embargo on Iran must be extended,” Prince Faisal said.“The Kingdom will never hesitate to protect its security and its citizens, and will continue to address threats with effectiveness, firmness and strength, and our priority is to have a cease fire in Yemen in support of the efforts of the UN envoy,” the Saudi foreign minister concluded.Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet said on Tuesday the recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on the Kingdom’s oil facilities targeted the world economy, state news agency SPA reported.“The Cabinet considered the two terrorist attempts to target Ras Tanura port and the residential area in the city of Dhahran as flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, and to the extent that such treacherous and cowardly attempts target the Kingdom, they actually target in a greater degree the world economy,” the statement read.With ReutersRead more:Saudi envoy to US blasts Yemen’s Houthis: ‘They believe they can act with impunity’Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet says Houthi attacks on Kingdom target global economyOil rises towards $69 as focus returns to tighter market following OPEC+ output curbs
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi FM Prince Faisal: Int’l community must confront Houthis for their attacks

Libya’s parliament voted on Wednesday to approve a government of national unity headed by prime minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh as part of a UN-backed plan to resolve a decade of chaos and violence with an election in December.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.More than 100 members of the divided parliament voted to back his government in a rare session in the frontline city of Sirte, with only a handful voting against.Its approval represents the biggest opportunity in years for a resolution to Libya’s conflict but huge hurdles remain in uniting the country’s rival administrations and preparing for fair national elections.The manner of Dbeibeh’s own appointment and the expansive size of his cabinet have drawn criticism in Libya with accusations of corruption and influence peddling that spoilers could leverage to deny his legitimacy.Libya has been split for years between the UN-recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east backed by eastern General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army.Read more:Libya’s interior minister escapes assassination attempt: OfficialsFlights resume between Libya’s rival cities of Benghazi, Misrata after seven yearsLibya speaker Aguila Saleh flags March 8 for government confidence vote
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Libyan parliament votes to approve government headed by PM Abdulhamid Dbeibeh

As part of plans to turn into a major regional hub for electricity and since Egypt has a surplus of power, the Ministry of Electricity announced plans to increase the capacity of an interconnection line between Egypt and Libya.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Egypt seeks to turn into regional hub for electricity supply

In-depth: Amid an outpouring of hope over Pope Francis' visit, much work is still needed to rebuild Mosul from the ruins of war and protect Iraq's Christian community..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Despite the Pope's visit, uncertainty reigns over the fate of Mosul and Iraq's Christians