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developments concerning Syrian refugees in Turkey

developments concerning Syrian refugees in Turkey
Situation statement- Naif Shaaban
To avoid falling into panic over recent developments concerning Syrian refugees in Turkey and the current situation in the north involving Syrians and Turkish interests.
First, let’s clarify that this article is not intended to escalate tensions or incite hostility against Turks. Since its inception, the revolution has sought a special relationship with the Turkish government. Statements by Turkish officials in support of the Syrian revolution have reinforced this idea, starting with the Turkish leadership’s promise to pray in the Umayyad Mosque and including the golden slogan of Turkish officials: “Brotherhood knows no borders.”
However, the resurgence of the Agha and Pasha mentality, along with treating Syrians in their own land as tenth-class citizens and imposing political, economic, social, and military control, has sidelined the revolution’s interests and led us to the current situation.
The Bab al-Hawa crossing operates based on a UN decision and can only be closed by a UN resolution. While the Turkish government has the ability to close it, doing so would cause them to lose several current and future political and economic privileges
The decision rests with the United States, and the US administration would be pleased to open a crossing via Erbil, which could potentially extend to Kasab.
Turkey is surrounded by adversaries, and currently, its only ally is the Syrian revolution. Russia remains its fiercest foe, as Istanbul (Constantinople) has been a Russian ambition since the era of Peter the Great.
The current rise of Turanism has awakened and nourished Arab nationalism, providing an opportunity for Gulf states and Egypt to support this movement in defiance of Turkey.
De-escalation zones are a decision endorsed by the United States, with implementation by Russia, Iran, and Turkey, and the battle does not favor the regime or Iran.
The United States may offer the revolution an alliance with the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces), which has been receiving daily shipments of American weapons for the past seven years, as the US prepares them for such scenarios.
--- The Turks need to define the nature of their relationship with Syrians in the liberated areas. Is it:
An ally?
A mandate?
An occupation?
Protective forces?
A military presence solely interested in Turkey’s benefit, disregarding the interests of the Syrians who have made sacrifices?
Any answer to the above will require Turkey to treat the revolution as an equal, not in a master-servant dynamic. Those days are over, and the Agha and Pasha era will not return. We will not be intimidated by the threat of another Thessaloniki, as the Syrian revolution still possesses resilience.
We posed these questions to the Turks a year ago, and the envoy (if he indeed delivered them) was apprehensive about such inquiries, considering them overly bold.
We hope to maintain a special relationship with the Turks, one that respects that Syrians in their land are landowners, not servants, and that Syrians in Turkey are refugees under international laws and agreements signed by Turkey, which have brought significant benefits to Turkey. They should be treated and judged within the rule of law, not left as prey to street thugs.
The key point is that this movement is calculated, not random. The reaction of the Syrians shows that they are free individuals, not sheep to be tamed. Perhaps Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, Iran, and Russia are racing against time to stabilize the fool in Damascus before Trump returns with uncertainty, but they may have acted too hastily and possibly burned their fingers.
This is my perspective, not binding on anyone, but it serves as a starting point for assessing losses and gains.
Naif Shaaban
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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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