标签： Asia

The Syrian military has officially designated the Kurdish-controlled neighborhoods of Aleppo as closed military zones, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. In a statement issued Wednesday, the army announced the establishment of two humanitarian corridors from areas held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to facilitate civilian evacuations, while simultaneously declaring the Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafieh districts as prohibited military areas effective 3pm local time.

According to AFP correspondents, artillery bombardments had already commenced in these neighborhoods by Wednesday afternoon, signaling an intensification of hostilities. This development occurs against the backdrop of heightened tensions between the SDF—which controls substantial territory in northeastern Syria—and the administration of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed power following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

The Syrian military has accused the SDF of perpetrating civilian massacres in Aleppo and conducting artillery strikes against government-controlled areas—allegations that Kurdish forces vehemently deny. Conversely, the SDF has condemned what it characterizes as indiscriminate artillery and missile attacks against its positions, including the deployment of drone warfare, sniper fire, and heavy weaponry.

Complicating the situation further, Turkish authorities maintain their longstanding position that the People’s Protection Units (YPG)—the dominant faction within the SDF—represent an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Despite the PKK’s formal declaration ending its conflict with Turkey in May 2025, Ankara continues to demand complete disarmament of all Kurdish-affiliated groups in Syria.

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler reiterated this position Tuesday, stating: ‘The PKK and all affiliated groups must immediately cease all terrorist activity in regions where they are present, including in Syria, and lay down their weapons without condition.’

The political landscape remains equally complex. While SDF leader Mazloum Abdi signed a landmark agreement with the Damascus government in March 2025 regarding integration, implementation has stalled over constitutional disagreements and debates concerning decentralized governance structures.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has accused Damascus of conducting what it describes as an ‘extermination operation’ against Kurds in Aleppo, advocating instead for comprehensive democratization as the pathway to sustainable peace in Syria.

A significant diplomatic controversy has erupted in London following inflammatory statements made by prominent British commentator Melanie Phillips regarding the newly inaugurated Palestinian embassy. The Times columnist faced immediate condemnation after characterizing the diplomatic opening as “an important moment in the UK’s shameful connivance with the Palestinian Arabs’ final solution” in a social media post.

The phrase “final solution,” historically associated with Nazi Germany’s genocide against Jewish people during the Holocaust, triggered widespread criticism from academics and advocacy groups. Scottish historian William Dalrymple responded directly to Phillips, describing her anti-Palestinian rhetoric as “growing increasingly unhinged” and accusing her of “pure projection.”

Chris Doyle, director of the Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), denounced what he termed the “racism of denying a people’s very existence, their national rights and of apologising for a state that is perpetrating a genocide right now.”

The diplomatic mission’s establishment follows Britain’s formal recognition of Palestinian statehood in September, with Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot hailing the embassy as “proof that our identity cannot be denied.” Zomlot characterized the development as representing “a change of direction” that recognizes Palestinian “inalienable right to sovereign statehood.”

Phillips’ controversial remarks represent a continuation of her established pattern of rhetoric regarding Palestinian identity. During an October speech in New York, she asserted that “there is no such thing as Palestine” and claimed “the Jews are the only people who have any entitlement to any of this land.” Her comments also included criticism of Christianity, which she described as “a Jewish sect that got slightly out of hand.”

This incident marks another chapter in Phillips’ history of provocative statements, including her 2019 article claiming that allegations of Islamophobia were inherently antisemitic—a position that drew criticism from the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

Iran’s military leadership has issued a forceful warning to the United States and Israel regarding their statements on ongoing domestic protests within the Islamic Republic. General Amir Hatami, commander of the Iranian army, declared on Wednesday that Tehran would not tolerate continued hostile rhetoric from foreign powers and would respond decisively to any perceived threats.

According to reports from Fars News Agency, General Hatami emphasized that Iran considers the escalating verbal attacks against its nation as a direct provocation. The military commander specifically cautioned that any hostile actions by ‘the enemy’ would trigger a more severe response than the June conflict with Israel, which spanned twelve days and involved unprecedented strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities.

This warning comes amid increased international attention on merchant-led protests that began in Tehran on December 28th, initially demonstrating against economic pressures including soaring prices and the dramatic devaluation of the national currency. While these demonstrations have remained smaller in scale compared to previous protest movements in 2009 and 2022-2023, they have drawn notable comments from Western leaders.

US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that the United States was monitoring the situation closely and warned of potential military intervention if protesters faced violence. Simultaneously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed solidarity with Iranian citizens seeking ‘freedom, liberty and justice.’

In response, Iran’s foreign ministry has accused both leaders of attempting to incite violence and undermine national unity. The developing situation represents the latest chapter in ongoing tensions between Iran and Western powers, following last summer’s military confrontation that briefly involved American participation in strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

In an unprecedented diplomatic move, Labour MP Emily Thornberry has conducted a landmark meeting with the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), directly contradicting the UK government’s longstanding policy of non-engagement with the organization. The meeting represents the first high-level contact between a senior Labour figure and the Muslim advocacy group in over fifteen years.

Thornberry, who chairs the influential Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee, met with MCB Public Affairs Manager Lotifa Begum on Wednesday to discuss critical international issues. Their dialogue focused primarily on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine, urgent relief needs, and Britain’s role in upholding global human rights standards.

This engagement holds particular significance given Thornberry’s previous foreign policy positions. The MP had previously advocated for banning imports from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories and pushed for UK recognition of Palestinian statehood months before the government’s official policy shift in September 2025.

The meeting occurs despite the Starmer government’s continued adherence to the Conservative-initiated policy of avoiding official contact with the MCB. This diplomatic distancing began in 2009 when a Labour government suspended relations after an MCB official endorsed Palestinians’ “right of resistance” during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza.

The MCB, representing over 500 affiliated organizations including mosques, educational institutions, local councils, and professional networks, has been systematically excluded from government dialogue across multiple administrations. Middle East Eye reported in July 2024 that officials blocked the council from participating in an Islamophobia definition working group and ignored communications during widespread far-right riots.

Previous attempts to bridge this diplomatic divide have met with resistance. Cabinet minister Sir Stephen Timms faced reprimand from Labour leadership in January 2025 for attending an MCB event, highlighting the party’s strict enforcement of its non-engagement policy.

The meeting signals a potential shift in parliamentary attitudes toward Muslim representation in Britain, though government policy remains unchanged. Middle East Eye has reached out to Thornberry for additional commentary on the implications of this breakthrough dialogue.