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Syria: Islamist rebels eye more gains after seizing Hama

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Rebels have captured at least 40 villages and settlements in the western province of Hama © Ibrahim Hatib/Anadolu/picture alliance
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Islamist rebels and their allies have claimed victory in the battle over the strategically important city. Government forces, assisted by Russian warplanes, were not able to repel the attack.

 

Islamist-led rebels in Syria captured the strategically crucial city of Hama on three sides, both the militants and the Syrian government said on Thursday.

“Over the past few hours, with the intensification of confrontations between our soldiers and terrorist groups… these groups were able to breach a number of axes in the city and entered it,” the army said, adding that it had withdrawn from the city to prevent urban combat and the civilian death toll associated with it.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the rebels were able to make significant advances in the last 24 hours, despite the government sending “large military convoys to Hama” and the surrounding area.

They added that the Syrian army has been joined by Russian and Iranian officers, as both countries have been longtime allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

State news agency SANA confirmed that the government was waging “fierce battles” across Hama province, led by “joint Syrian-Russian warplanes.”

German news agency DPA said that award-winning Syrian photographer Anas Alkharboutli was killed in one of the airstrikes on Hama.

What’s the current situation in Syria?

After capturing Hama, rebels said they were preparing to keep marching south towards Homs, a city that links the capital Damascus to the north and coast.

On Thursday, Assad’s forces shot down two “enemy” drones over Damascus, state news agency SANA reported.

“A short time ago, our air defenses confronted enemy drone aircraft in the skies over Damascus,” the statement from a military source said, adding that “two aircraft were shot down, without any human or material losses.”

China, meanwhile, urged its citizens to leave Syria “as soon as possible.”

“Currently, the situation in northwestern Syria is intensifying, and the overall security situation is deteriorating further,” the Chinese embassy said in a message on its WeChat account.

It advised Chinese citizens in the country “to make use of available commercial flights to return home or leave the country as soon as possible.”

Surprise offensive

The latest violent clashes follow a surprise offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) extremist rebels and their allies last week. The group quickly captured the city of Aleppo, which has never been out of government hands in over a decade of civil war in Syria.

Control of Hama is considered strategically significant because the city connects Aleppo with the capital Damascus. Moreover, although Hama city was home to large protests against Assad’s rule in 2011, the province is home to a great number of Alawites. This is the community from which Assad hails and provides a strong base of support for the president.

The United Nations has said that hundreds of people, mostly fighters, have been killed in the latest flare-up of violence in Syria, and some 115,000 have had to flee their homes.

Who is fighting in Syria?

In 2011, Assad led a brutal clampdown on Arab Spring protests calling for an end to his authoritarian rule, leading to the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

Parties to the conflict have changed over the years, and have included groups that ran the ideological gamut from moderate rebels who sprang out of the protest movement to the extremist “Islamic State” (IS) group.

Following the defeat of IS, things were relatively quiet for a time.

The most recent spate of attacks has been led by HTS, an al-Qaeda offshoot that has pro-Turkish leanings. Turkey has long been opposed to Assad.

HTS is based out of Idlib, one of the last rebel bastions in Syria.

Supporting Assad both diplomatically and at times militarily over the years has been Russia and Iran, who continue to do so now. Iraqi militias have also joined Syrian government troops on the battlefield.

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Governor UZODINMA has offered yet again free transportation buses from Lagos to *Owerri, Okigwe* and *Orlu* . The buses are free for Imolites from Lagos to Imo State on *24th December* and back to Lagos on *4th January* .

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December 22, 2024

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Press release

We are not fraudsters, evacuation of Imo residents in Lagos will go on – ISTDAL

Our attention had been drawn to a report where the Office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Imo State Government impersonated by unknown persons to issue a statement about a well intentioned gesture of the Governor to evacuate interested Imo indigenes resident in Lagos who wish to be home for the Christmas and New year celebrations.

In his magnanimity, Governor Uzodimma gave approval for the exercise to be carried out on December 24, 2024 for those returning from Lagos and those who would be returning to Lagos on January 5, 2025.

Unfortunately, unknown persons mischievously issued a Statement where
the name and designation of the Chief Press Secretary were impersonated as the author.

Based on that the Chief Press Secretary raised a strong statement where he called those behind the criminal and mischievous statement fraudsters, believing we were the ones behind it.

While we regret the criminal intentions of those behind the impersonation of the Office of the Governor’s spokesperson, we make bold to dissociate members of our association who are part of the evaluation exercise as fraudsters.

If anything, members of our association work in tandem with the Governor and his government for the wellbeing of our people for which this exercise is one of them.

Like the Governor, we mean well for our people resident in Lagos or any other part of the country and will not be part of moves to undermine the good intentions of His Excellency.

We put up this statement after conferring with the Chief Press Secretary and availing him with the facts regarding the exercise, and do hope that those who have already indicated interest in travelling through the channels we had earlier announced, and intending ones, should feel free to avail themselves of the opportunity.

Please, refer to our earlier announcement where the Office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor was not impersonated.

*Breaking news!! Breaking news!!!.*
*To all Imolites resident in Lagos.*

The Imo State Governor *Distinguished Sen. Hope Uzodimna (OON)* in line with 3Rs of His Excellency’s administration and in alleviating the stress, difficulties and hardship Imolites go through during Christmas journey, Governor UZODINMA has offered yet again free transportation buses from Lagos to *Owerri, Okigwe* and *Orlu* .

The buses are free for Imolites from Lagos to Imo State on *24th December* and back to Lagos on *4th January* .

Interested persons should please call *(ISTDAL)* *08033255565, 08092362966* or *07089303866* for seats reservation.

Please the buses are free and is on first come accreditation bases, once the seats are fully booked the registration closes, ( *_PLS DO NOT PAY ANYBODY ONE KOBO_)*

Please the buses are *NOT LUXURIES BUSES* , so only passengers with a small sizable bags will be allowed. (no big boxes or load is allowed)

The buses will leave on Tuesday 24th December at exactly *7.15am* to Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu.

The departure point will be made available after your registration, *(if you are not captured on accreditation, pls don’t bother coming as only accreditated passengers are allowed)* and please indicate your direction.

Call *Chima Davis* on the above numbers as soon as possible for accreditation ahead of time, you *must prove* you are from Imo State.

Note: the bus will not stop or drop any passenger until it passes Ihiala unto Imo State.

Thanks and best regards

*_C@davis 21.12.24_*

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FG Sets Aside ₦27bn For Obasanjo, Gowon, Buhari, Others In 2025

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December 22, 2024

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The Federal Government has allocated ₦27 billion for the entitlements of former presidents, vice presidents, heads of state, chiefs of staff, retired heads of service, and professors in the 2025 fiscal year.

The beneficiaries of this allocation include former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari, alongside ex-vice-presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Other notable individuals expected to benefit from this allocation are ex-military Heads of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.) and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), as well as former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, and retired Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe.

It can be recalled that President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday presented the 2025 budget, titled ‘Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity,’ to a joint session of the National Assembly. The ₦49.70 trillion spending plan prioritizes defence, infrastructure, and human capital development, with a projected ₦13.39 trillion deficit to be financed through borrowing.

The Federal Government has allocated ₦1.4 trillion for pensions, gratuities, and retirees’ benefits. This allocation includes ₦2.3 billion for former presidents, heads of state, and vice presidents. Retired heads of service and permanent secretaries will receive ₦10.5 billion, while retired professors in universities will get ₦13.5 billion. Additionally, ₦1 billion has been allocated for retired heads of government agencies and parastatals. The total allocation for these groups amounts to ₦27 billion.

Furthermore, the budget allocates ₦46 billion for civilian pensions under the Office of the Head of Civil Service, while ₦383.9 billion is earmarked for military pensions and gratuities. An additional ₦66.8 billion is budgeted for expected retirees, with ₦434 million allocated for administrative charges, ₦596 million for pension running costs, and ₦870 million for medical retirees.

The Federal Government has also set aside funds for various social investment programs, including the student loan scheme, National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy programs, National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, and the Consumer Credit Fund initiatives. A total of ₦500 billion has been allocated for these programs, with ₦50 billion specifically earmarked for the student loan scheme.

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Tinubu Is Not Our Problem In North; We Ruled Nigeria For 40 Years But Nothing To Show – Ex-Speaker Yakubu Dogara

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December 22, 2024

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Tinubu Is Not Our Problem In North; We Ruled Nigeria For 40 Years But Nothing To Show – Ex-Speaker Yakubu Dogara

North Remains The Same, Impoverished Despite Ruling Nigeria For Over 40-Years, Says Dogara.

“We are all northerners, and it should be made clear that President Tinubu or the South is not our problem. They have not come to cheat the North. That is out of the question.

“Some are claiming that Yoruba people are getting appointments, but let’s reflect. We ruled this country for over 40-years when northerners were in power. What did we achieve? The North remains the same, impoverished by our own leaders.

“We have had so much, but what did our governors do with the resources? They squandered them instead of investing in meaningful development.” -Yakubu Dogara, At A Townhall Meeting In Kaduna On Tax Reforms

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