Russia bombs areas of southern Idlib to evacuate inhabitants
August 7, 2019, 3:48 am

Russia bombs areas of southern Idlib to evacuate inhabitants

Syrian and Russian planes continue their non-stop bombarding of the southern towns and villages of Idlib. Hundreds of civilians, including women and children have been killed in addition to the destruction of the infrastructure of these areas. Fleeing the shelling, residents were forced to head towards the camps and districts near the Turkish borders.

"The escalation of violence in southern Idlib by the Syrian regime and its Russian ally is due to their inability to penetrate the fronts of the opposition," commented military analyst Major General, Ahmad Rahal, in his interview with The Levant. “The relevant calm in Hama’s fronts and the powerless attempts of the regime to progress in those areas made warplanes assigned to shelling the densely populated cities in retaliation for their popular cohesion with the opposition factions which had advanced in several areas and inflicted heavy losses on the regime. Furthermore, the Russians failed in their plans to access to the towns characterized by their significant location on international routes such as Saraqqeb, Maara al-Nu'man, Jisr al-Shughur and Ariha.”

"The bombing of towns and villages of southern Idlib and the massacres against civilians in the areas of Maarra Hormah, Kafrnobbul, Muhambal, Khan Sheikhoun, Maara al-Nu'man, Jisr al-Shughur, Kafr Rumah and Ariha merely indicates weakness of the regime and Russia since these areas are free of military presence and there are only civilians,” added General Rahal. "According to the laws of international war, the bombing of civilians is prohibited even if the soldiers are present among them in order to secure their lives."

"The areas of Jabal al-Zawiyeh, Jabal Shahshabo, Hama countryside and Jisr al-Shughur are densely populated. Thus, Russia is operating through bombing and destruction in such areas to evacuate their inhabitants and push them towards the borders of Turkey.” Rahal explained. “That means huge human overcrowding in a small area, more than 4 million people mostly in the camps. Hence, reconciliation with the Syrian regime will be the only option, though a bitter one, for the displaced, but the insistence of the people to stay in their homes despite the bombing will stand against the implementation of the Russian plan.”

Mohammed Nour al-Ali, member of the civil defense, White Helmets, in Idlib stated, "Southern Idlib countryside is suffering bloody days as a result of the military campaign launched by the Syrian regime supported by the Russians since the beginning of April. Since then, warplanes have targeted markets, schools, bakeries and health facilities where the regime is demolishing any form of life in order to empty and destroy the area. "

Al-Ali added that the Russian aviation had recently started to follow the concept of double strike; air-strike a certain site and then re-bomb it after several minutes in order to inflict as many casualties as possible where civilians and rescue teams gather to help the wounded and injured. Consequently, dozens have fallen dead and wounded, including members of the civil defense, in the past few days.

Incident Response team in northern Syria has revealed the statistics of the third military campaign of the regime forces and Russia on the north-west of Syria since the signing of Sochi agreement. Records have stated that 1079 civilians including 294 children have been killed whereas 670,837 civilians have been displaced dince 2 February 2019 to 24 July 2019.

Statistics have estimated the cost of the initial losses at 466 million dollars while the number of targeted establishments amounted to 233 buildings, 36 villages in ruins, 58 displaced villages and 18 targeted humanitarian facilities.

The team pointed out the ongoing violations and hostilities practiced by the Syrian regime and the Russian ally against the civilians in the northern regions of Syria. The warplanes have continued to target areas in north-west Syria which led to dozens of civilian casualties and numerous physical damage in the targeted areas.

The United Nations has recently announced in a statement published on its official website that it had documented the deaths of more than 400 Syrian civilians in northwest Syria since the end of April. "The latest attacks in Idlib were the deadliest on urban areas over the past three months. "

On 17 September 2018, Turkey and Russia reached an agreement to establish a demilitarized zone between the Syrian regime and the opposition control areas in north-west Syria. However, the agreement witnessed several violations by the Syrian regime when three military operations took place in the region and peaked in February 2019. Regional and international warnings have risen over the escalating violence in the region which contains more than four million civilians among indigenous displaced civilians and other migrants from various Syrian provinces.

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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.