Middle East: Live updates from Syria and the wider region for 9 December
12:00 PM
- Syria: Government forces have launched a new offensive against rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib. The offensive is backed by Russian airstrikes and has already displaced thousands of civilians.
- Iraq: The Iraqi government has declared a state of emergency in the southern province of Basra following a series of attacks by the Islamic State group. The attacks have killed at least 20 people and injured dozens more.
- Lebanon: The Lebanese government has resigned following months of protests over the country’s economic crisis. The resignation has sparked fears of a new wave of instability in the country.
- Yemen: The United Nations has warned that Yemen is on the brink of a famine. The conflict in the country has displaced millions of people and destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure.
1:00 PM
- Syria: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that at least 20 civilians have been killed in the government offensive in Idlib. The observatory says that the offensive is the most intense since the start of the war in Syria in 2011.
- Iraq: The Iraqi government has deployed troops to the southern province of Basra to quell the attacks by the Islamic State group. The government has also imposed a curfew in the province.
- Lebanon: The Lebanese government has appointed Hassan Diab as the new prime minister. Diab is a former education minister and is seen as a close ally of Hezbollah.
- Yemen: The United Nations has launched a new appeal for aid to Yemen. The UN says that it needs $3.2 billion to provide food, water, and shelter to millions of Yemenis.
2:00 PM
- Syria: The Syrian government has announced that it has captured the town of Maaret al-Numan from the rebels. The capture of Maaret al-Numan is a significant victory for the government, as it gives it control of a key highway linking Damascus to Aleppo.
- Iraq: The Iraqi government has announced that it has killed the leader of the Islamic State group in Iraq. The government says that the leader was killed in a raid by Iraqi security forces.
- Lebanon: The Lebanese government has announced that it will hold parliamentary elections in March 2020. The elections will be the first since the outbreak of the country’s economic crisis.
- Yemen: The United Nations has warned that the conflict in Yemen could escalate into a regional war. The UN says that the conflict could spread to neighboring countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Oman.
3:00 PM
- Syria: The Syrian government has announced that it has begun to withdraw its forces from Idlib. The government says that the withdrawal is a unilateral gesture and that it is not a sign of weakness.
- Iraq: The Iraqi government has announced that it has suspended the curfew in the southern province of Basra. The government says that the suspension of the curfew is a sign of confidence in the security situation in the province.
- Lebanon: The Lebanese government has announced that it has reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a $10 billion loan. The loan is intended to help Lebanon address its economic crisis.
- Yemen: The United Nations has announced that it has brokered a ceasefire between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels. The ceasefire is expected to come into effect on Monday.
Middle East: Live updates from Syria and the wider region for 9 December
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