In northwestern Syria, civilians continue to die in a war that won't end
July 26, 2019, 1:02 pm

In northwestern Syria, civilians continue to die in a war that won't end

anas-dyab-syrie

Many are still dying in the Syrian government's three-month-long raid on Idlib, the last province still holding out against the regime. Syrian photographer Anas al-Dyab, who was working with AFP, is one of the latest victims.

Every day, several dozen people perish under the bombs. In Syria, Russian and regime air raids on the northwestern province of Idlib, which still eludes the control of president Bashar al-Assad, and on the neighbouring provinces of Aleppo, Hamah, and Lattakia remain intense.

In the past 10 days, air strikes by the Syrian government and its allies on schools, hospitals, markets and bakeries have killed at least 103 civilians, including 26 children, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Friday.

“These are civilian objects, and it seems highly unlikely, given the persistent pattern of such attacks, that they are all being hit by accident,” Bachelet said, adding that the rising toll had been met with “apparent international indifference”.

Among the many victims of the conflict is Anas al-Dyab, a 22-year-old photographer and videographer who worked with AFP and whose photos were published by FRANCE 24 along with articles on Syria.

The young man was killed on July 21 in air strikes on the town of Khan Sheikhoun along with 17 other civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH) and the White Helmets, a volunteer search and rescue organization operating in rebel areas. Anas al-Dyab was one of their volunteers.

The funeral of the citizen journalist was held in a mosque before his remains, wrapped in a shroud bearing the White Helmets logo, were buried in a cemetery in Idlib city. The bombings prevented him from being buried in Khan Sheikhoun.

"He was killed while trying to show the world what's happening in Syria."

"This is a great loss for us," Raëd Saleh, the director of the White Helmets, told AFP, accusing Moscow and Damascus of complicity with the rebels and jihadists. “He was killed while trying to show the world what is happening in Syria.”

According to the OSDH, the freelance photographer, who had been wounded several times during the conflict, lost his life while taking refuge in the basement of a three-storey building. He was with two members of the rebel group Jaich al-Ezza, formerly supported by Washington and active in parts of Idlib province and neighbouring Hama province.

"I will only leave Khan Sheikhoun as a martyr," he had once vowed, according to his family. CNN, which interviewed him in March, paid tribute to him by publishing several of the photos he had taken in recent months.

Since western journalists have great difficulty covering the war in Syria, al-Dyab’s job was to document, through photos on his Twitter account, the daily lives of the country’s inhabitants, the white helmet rescue operations in which he was involved and the aftermath of the bombings on Khan Sheikhoun. The town, targeted in April 2017 by a sarin gas attack that the UN attributed to the Syrian regime, was deserted after several thousand inhabitants fled.

"They target innocent civilians and try to kill as many of us as possible," he said from a hospital bed, where he was being treated for leg injuries he sustained during a bombing on September 8, 2018 while filming the damage caused by a previous air raid. While calling for help, he left his camera running to record "evidence to incriminate this criminal and send him to an international court".

More than 630 civilians killed since the end of April

The Damascus regime and its Russian ally have intensified their bombardments of the Idlib region, which has been dominated by rebels and jihadists, including the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (the former Syrian branch of Al Qaeda), since late April. Over the last three months, more than 630 civilians have died, according to the OSDH, while more than 400,000 people have been displaced, according to the UN.

"Idlib's nightmare is getting worse. We have witnessed one of the deadliest attacks on civilian areas since the beginning of the military escalation almost three months ago," Mark Cutts, the United Nations’ Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis said on July 22.

The military action continues despite a September 2018 agreement between Russia and Turkey supporting certain rebel groups and aimed at preventing a major offensive in Idlib by forces loyal to Damascus. The agreement provided for a "demilitarized zone" to separate territories held by jihadists and rebels from those held by the government.

Source: France24

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.