Erdogan's "Safe Zone" as an umbrella for terrorists and jihadi outfit
June 26, 2022, 8:08 am

Zara Saleh1

The nightmare of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has turned out to be a fact in the recent Astana Group Summit on Syria, as Moscow and Tehran has completely rejected any military operation in north Syria.

Despite the US-Russian tensions over the Russian occupation in Ukraine, the Moscow's Special Syria envoy Alexander Lavrentiev has warned Erdogan to stop its intervention plan against Syrian Kurds in Tel Rifaat and Manbij. Simultaneously with that, Erdogan failed to convince the US to launch a new military offense in the Kurdish-controlled areas of Manbij and Tel Rifaat. In contrast, the US State Department has said that, the stability of the region in northern Syria will be under threat if Turkey began any operation, and especially "its impact on the civilian population there" according to American officials. Moreover, the US administration has dismissed the Erdogan's speculation regarding the Turkish threats to block Finland and Sweden membership in NATO.

There is no doubt that, Erdogan is facing internal public anger regarding the refugee crisis in Turkey as he is expecting difficult elections next year. Turkey's plan was to establish the so-called "safe zone" in the Kurdish-controlled areas that were governing by the Syrian Democratic Forces SDF, and to commit a demographic change by returning one million Syrian refugees and it can be considered as an ethnic cleansing. However, in such "safe zone" areas that are occupied by Turkey and Syrian National Army SNA has turned out to be part of ISIS caliphate instead of being a real "safe zone" for the Syrian people. For example, the recent tensions between the jihadi outfit and other extremists’ groups that were led by Turkey, has been cleared so that Erdogan is now capable to create a so-called "safe zone".

The latest confrontations and clashes between the Sham Front and Ahrar Al-Sham with the participation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is in fact, a former Jabhat Al-Nusra and founded by Al-Qaida terrorist group members. Furthermore, the majority of such militias group that are now part of the so-called SNA with Erdogan's political umbrella were jihadi militias. For instance, the Sham Front terrorist group has been split up from Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham and now they are part of the Syrian National Army and backed by Turkey. In other words, Turkey’s strong relationship with Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the Muslim Brotherhood groups such Al-Tawhid Brigade and the Sham Front has had obvious evidence that Turkey and Erdogan's party become one of the main sources of terror and extremism.

Arguably, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "Kurdish phobia" has led him, with the other factors against Kurds, to become an umbrella of all terrorist and jihadi outfits in north and northeast Syria in the occupied areas. Aiming to fulfil his "chronic phobia" towards Kurds and also Kurdish question, Erdogan is ready to hand over the Kurdish areas of Afrin, Tel Abyad and Ras Al-Ain to Al-Qaeda terrorist such as Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham and even the ISIS. Consequently, the so-called Syrian National Army (SNA), is completely part of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham or Al-Nusra Front with no differences, and now serving the Erdogan's political agendas against Kurds and to extend Turkey's occupation of the Syrian territories with some support of Syrian groups themselves that had affiliated with Turkey.

BY: Zara Saleh

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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.