标签： Asia

Under the leadership of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian government orchestrated a clandestine operation to conceal the scale of its atrocities by relocating bodies to mass graves. This operation, spanning years, involved the forced conscription of truck drivers, including those transporting everyday goods like ice cream, meat, and produce, to assist in the grim task of moving corpses. Witnesses, including former truckers, diggers, and cemetery overseers, have revealed the industrial-scale nature of these activities, conducted under the cover of darkness to avoid detection.

In the bustling streets of Tripoli, Libya’s capital, the evening rush hour paints a picture of normalcy, yet beneath the surface lies a city teetering on the edge of conflict. At the entrance to Souq al-Juma, a densely populated district, four armed fighters from the Deterrence Apparatus, known as Radaa, stand guard. Clad in pristine uniforms and armed with advanced Kalashnikovs, they outshine the lone police officer nearby, symbolizing the power struggle gripping the city.

The Gaza Strip has witnessed renewed violence and escalating humanitarian concerns as Israeli shelling targeted civilian areas, leaving several Palestinians wounded since dawn on Friday. Rights groups have raised alarms over the deteriorating conditions in the war-torn territory. Local media reported artillery attacks in the al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, resulting in at least 10 injuries over the past 24 hours. An Al Jazeera correspondent confirmed that the Shujaiya neighborhood in Gaza City was also subjected to Israeli artillery fire. Despite a US-brokered ceasefire agreement that came into effect last Friday, mandating an immediate halt to all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardments, dozens of Palestinians have been killed or injured in recent days. Meanwhile, unidentified explosives detonated in the Nuseirat refugee camp, further endangering civilians. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza, warned that unexploded ordnance and booby-trapped homes pose significant risks to returning residents. Over the past two years, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has claimed nearly 68,000 lives, with over 80% of the victims being civilians, according to leaked Israeli military data. The relentless bombardment has devastated infrastructure, destroyed farmland, and exacerbated famine due to restrictions on food aid. Although the ceasefire plan aimed to reopen Gaza’s crossings to allow 400 aid trucks daily, with a target of 600, Israeli authorities continue to limit aid. On Wednesday, 480 trucks entered Gaza, but the Government Media Office described this as insufficient for the 2.4 million residents. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s commissioner-general, emphasized the need for unrestricted aid flow, while the World Food Programme highlighted that 560 tonnes of food are being delivered daily, but more is urgently required to address the crisis.

In a devastating suicide attack near the Afghan border, seven Pakistani soldiers lost their lives on Friday, according to security officials. The assault targeted a military camp in North Waziristan, leaving 13 others injured. The incident occurred amidst a fragile ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following days of intense cross-border clashes earlier this month. The ceasefire, which paused the hostilities, is set to expire at 1300 GMT on Friday. The attack involved a militant driving an explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall of a military fort, while two others attempted to infiltrate the facility but were neutralized by security forces. Pakistan’s army has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. This surge in militant violence has strained relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, who regained power in Kabul after the U.S.-led forces withdrew in 2021. Pakistan has accused the Taliban of harboring militants responsible for attacks on its soil, while the Taliban denies these allegations and accuses Pakistan of provoking border tensions and sheltering ISIS-linked militants. The recent clashes, the most severe in decades, have drawn international attention, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar mediating to de-escalate the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump has also offered assistance in resolving the crisis.