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  On Monday, the European Union imposed penalties on individuals and organizations connected to what it called the Syrian government's "large-scale drug trafficking operations," which also included one Russian corporation. A request for comment on the allegations or the penalties against officials and military personnel went unanswered from the Syrian government. Wasim and Samer al-Assad, two of President Bashar al-Assad's relatives, two Lebanese citizens, and almost a dozen other individuals were named by the EU for their alleged involvement in the trade of the amphetamine captagon. The president has previously been subject to sanctions. The EU claimed that while "enriching itself" and destabilizing the area, the Syrian government had emerged as a "central player" in the production and distribution of the narcotic as far away as Europe. In response to the charges surrounding the captagon trade, the United States imposed penalties last mont...

  Bashar-al-Assad is leader of Syria for another sever year term. The country though may be slowly experiencing winding down of decade long Civil War, the splinters of pain and violence remain deep embedded. But Assad, as he took oath of office on Saturday, has ceremoniously declared himself as the only savior of Syrians and who can rebuild Syria. The claim was backed by his first foreign guest, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi. Mr. Yi laid out a marker during oath ceremony that they can get job started for Assad in Syria.   China’s modus operandi of grabbing opportunities:   China jumping into grabbing Syria’s economic turmoil as its safe haven of opportunities comes straight out of its classic playbook. The very similar fashion it did elsewhere in Middle East, as well as Africa and Asia.   Syria’s allies Russia and Iran have been by side of Assad regime with end target of reconstructing the country, with their own interests in mind. The line up has now ...

  Moscow’s direct participation in decade long Syrian Civil War leading to extensive human rights violations through horrific war crimes has been directly condemned by Russia based human rights groups. The rights groups released their first comprehensive report entailing abuses and war crimes in Syria in past decade and condemned involvement of Russia.   Moscow has been a direct participator in deadly and indiscriminate bombings that killed thousands of Syrians, openly supported Assad’s use of torture as a means of crackdown and its accountability in war crimes.   The 198 page report titled “A Devastating Decade: Violations of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in the Syrian War” is the first report authored by Russian human rights groups and is based on interviews with Syrian war survivors currently in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Russia.   The report reads, “Russian state media does not report on the victims of bombardme...