SYRIA UPDATE

Protests held across Syrian provinces against Trump’s decision on occupied Golan

People in different provinces across Syria on Tuesday organized protests against US President Donald Trump’s decision on the occupied Syrian Golan, affirming that it will return to the homeland Syria. They affirmed that Trump’s decision on the occupied Syrian Golan is null and void and it doesn’t change the fact that the occupied Golan is inseparable part of Syria’s geography and history and that it will return to the homeland no matter how long.

https://sana.sy/en/?p=161830

Moscow: Occupied Golan is a Syrian land, Trump’s declaration a step towards destabilizing region

“The latest US step regarding the occupied Golan is a flagrant violation of the international laws and the International Security Council’s resolutions, and it is clear that such a decision will have negative repercussions with regard to the political settlement in the Middle East and on the public mood of the political settlement in Syria.”

Peskov indicated that Trump’s declaration on the Golan is a new and a blatant violation of the international law by Washington.

https://sana.sy/en/?p=161862

Golan Heights decision may come as forerunner of US ‘deal of the century’ — diplomat

"We are only beginning to get the reaction of the European Union that is somewhat shocked by what their NATO partners are doing with international law and directly in the region, as we have not yet started discussing the main surprise, ‘the Deal of the Century’ that Washington promises. Maybe this is a forerunner of the surprise in store for all of us," the diplomat told Rossiya-1 television.

http://tass.com/world/1050653

Military Situation In Syria On March 26, 2019 (Map Update)

A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on March 25 that 3 service members were killed in Syria in late February. Most likely, the incident took place during clashes with ISIS in the Homs desert;

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are conducting a security operation against ISIS remnants in the Euphrates Valley;

The US-led coalition continues supplying the SDF with military equipment and weapons. A new supply convoy has recenty entered Syria from Iraq;

The Syrian Arab Army is conducting an operation against ISIS cells in the desert area between Kabajib and Harbisha;

The US recognized Israel’s soveregnity over the occupied Golan Heights;

Ceasefire violations continue to erupt in northern Hama, western Aleppo and northern Lattakia.

https://southfront.org/military-situation-in-syria-on-march-26-2019-map-update/

Turkey, Russia Conducted First Patrol In Tal Rifat, Syria

“Within the framework of the previous agreement, the Turkish Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces carried out the first independent but coordinated patrol in order to achieve ceasefire, provide stability in the Tal Rifat area and prevent attacks on our elements,” the Defense Ministry said in a Twitter post.

https://southfront.org/turkey-russia-conducted-first-patrol-in-tal-rifat-syria/

Pompeo was a Firm Supporter of RussiaGate: Was he Jeopardizing Trump’s Foreign Policy Initiatives?

Video: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Testifies Before The Senate Foreign Relations Committee

It is worth noting that until the release of the Mueller report, Trump’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (and former CIA Director) was a firm supporter of the RussiaGate narrative. What is his position today?

How will the Mueller report affect US foreign policy?

Will Pompeo retain his position as Secretary of State?

This article was first published in July 2018

While both Trump and Pompeo are bona fide warmongers, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo –while upholding the President’s official statements– is also involved in countering Trump’s diplomatic, foreign policy and public relations initiatives.

Moreover, Pompeo seems to have endorsed the Russiagate narrative on behalf of the President.

He has been entrusted (not by Trump) to “convince senators that President Trump knows that Russia interfered in the 2016 election” See NY Post

“On Russia, Pompeo will tell senators that “I personally made clear to the Russians that there will be severe consequences for interference in our democratic process.” He doesn’t say what those consequences would be, but he goes on to list “a staggering number of actions to protect our interests,” including sanctions that were essentially forced upon the White House by Congress. He leaves open the question of whether Trump delivered a similarly tough message to Putin. Bloomberg News. (emphasis added)

The media casually tags Pompeo’s statement as “damage control” (on behalf of Trump).

What is at stake on the part of Secretary of State Pompeo is “damage” rather than “damage control”, i.e. a deliberate initiative to jeopardize the president’s public relations diplomacy initiatives with regard to Russia and North Korea, which go against the Russiagate consensus.

https://www.globalresearch.ca/is-pompeo-countering-trumps-foreign-policy-initiatives/5648770

Venezuela Gov’t Presents Evidence of Alleged Terrorism Plots by “Foreign Paramilitaries

Juan Guaido’s chief of staff, Roberto Marrero, was arrested on Thursday, accused of leading a “terrorist cell.” Authorities say that Marrero was linked to to the hiring of Central American mercenaries.

Venezuelan authorities have alleged that self-proclaimed “Interim President” Juan Guaido and other opposition leaders were involved in a plot to carry out acts of terrorism employing foreign paramilitaries trained in Colombia.

Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez presented what he claimed to be evidence of “ultra-right plans to promote regime change.” According to Rodriguez, Venezuelan intelligence services uncovered plans to contract mercenaries from Colombia and Central America and bring them into Venezuela to execute targeted killings and acts of sabotage, adding that “at least half” of the armed groups managed to make their way into Venezuelan territory and are currently being sought.

“We have identified some paramilitaries that have entered Venezuela, and we will search for them by land, sea and air,” Rodriguez told the press.

Juan Guaido’s chief of staff, Roberto Marrero, was arrested on Thursday, accused of leading a “terrorist cell.” Rodriguez claimed that Marrero was the link to to the hiring of Central American mercenaries.

Rodriguez went on to reveal screen captures of Marrero’s phone purportedly showing Whatsapp group conversations featuring Marrero, Guaido, Leopoldo Lopez, currently under house arrest after being convicted for inciting violence in the 2014 street protests, among other opposition figures. Rodriguez pledged that more evidence will be divulged in the coming days.

The screen captures also revealed details of alleged bank accounts through which payments to the paramilitary groups were supposed to be made. One of them was in Banesco’s Panama branch. Banesco is Venezuela’s largest private bank, and Rodriguez called on Banesco owner Ricardo Escotet to inform security services whether this account exists and what movements have been made.

Rodriguez indicated that Venezuelan authorities had learned of the existence of the bank accounts after notorious Russian pranksters Vladimir ‘Vovan’ Kuznetsov and Alexei ‘Lexus’ Stolyarov called Guaido impersonating the president of Switzerland. The pranksters said they had identified funds belonging to President Nicolas Maduro they wished to transfer to Guaido, who readily provided the “president” with account information.

https://www.mintpressnews.com/venezuela-govt-presents-evidence-of-alleged-terrorism-plots-by-foreign-paramilitaries/256551/