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US, Turkey conduct northeast Syria patrol amid new concerns

The US-led coalition and Turkey conducted on Friday their third joint patrol in northeastern Syria amid renewed concerns the plan designed to defuse tensions between Washington’s two allies - Ankara and the Syrian Kurds - may not be enough.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar reiterated Ankara’s stance that it won’t accept delays in the creation of what it calls a “safe zone.” Turkey could act alone to set it up, he said, reviving concerns about a possible Turkish military operation.
A senior Syrian Kurdish official said her group is taking the renewed Turkish threats seriously and called for measures to prevent an attack and the collapse of the agreement.
Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Sean Robertson said any “uncoordinated military operations by Turkey would be of grave concern as it would undermine our shared interest of a secure northeast Syria and the enduring defeat of” the ISIS.
Ankara and Washington agreed in August to carry out the joint patrols and remove Syrian Kurdish fighters from the borders. But they still disagree on the size of the area along the Syria-Turkey border and who is to monitor it.
The Americans and the Kurds call the measures a “security mechanism.”
The Friday patrol followed a telephone call late Thursday between Akar and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper in which Akar said Turkey would end the joint patrols “if there are distractions, delays,” according to a statement from the Turkish Defense Ministry.
Akar urged the US to end its support of Syrian Kurdish fighters, who were the coalition’s partners in the battle against ISIS militants in Syria.
However, Ankara views them as an extension of a Kurdish insurgency within Turkey. It has repeatedly threatened to carry out a military operation to push the Kurdish fighters back from its borders.
Turkey had carried out military incursions with allied Syrian groups in western Syria to drive out Kurdish fighters, as well as ISIS militants, and has stationed troops there.
But a Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria would carry a larger risk, bringing troops into a zone where at least 1,000 US soldiers are deployed.
Akar told his US counterpart that Turkey “would not allow the establishment of a terror corridor to its south.”
The coalition said the patrol went ahead as planned and Turkey’s Defense Ministry said it was in an area east of the town of Tal Abyad.
“Continued success of the security mechanism will prevent (ISIS) from remerging” while meeting the security interests of Turkey, said Coalition spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III in a statement.
Washington says the deal reached in August aims to address Turkey’s security concerns.
So far, fighters from the most prominent Syrian Kurdish group - the People’s Protection Units or YPG - have moved away from border posts.
But Turkey remains unhappy with the size of the area it calls a “safe zone,” calling for a 30-kilometer deep (19-mile) zone monitored by Turkish soldiers. Currently, the designated area is no deeper than 14 kilometers (9 miles.) It also says it wants some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey to return there.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told parliament that Turkey plans to settle 2 million refugees in the zone and will hold a donors’ conference to help build homes and infrastructure for them.
It was not clear how Turkey planned to move the largely Sunni Arab Syrians it is hosting from many parts of Syria into the Kurdish-dominated region, and whether the US is on board.
“The Americans are trying to absorb (Erdogan’s) anger but it is likely he wants to impose realities on the ground through a partial attack,” said Ilham Ahmed, a senior Syrian Kurdish official.
Ahmed said the Turkish threats are real amid continued mobilization on the ground and government statements to the public about a possible attack.
“This will have dire consequences, including the collapse of the security mechanism, revitalizing (ISIS), creating instability and possible clashes with the Turkish army,” she said.
Separately, Turkey-backed Syrian fighters in northwestern Syria announced they have united into one group called The National Army. The restructuring brings together fighters present in Idlib and Hama provinces and the coastal area who formerly operated under the National Liberation Front, and those in rural Aleppo.
Since 2016, Turkey has been training Syrian fighters who took part in Turkish military incursions in northwestern Syria and are now part of the Ankara-backed administration there.
Mustafa Sejari, a National Army commander, said there are now about 100,000 fighters operating in the Turkey-backed national army.
The unification could also set the stage for a possible confrontation with Idlib’s dominant extremist groups, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, HTS or Huras al-Din.
“We face many tasks internally, regarding HTS or externally to ward off Syrian government forces if they try to enter Idlib or violate the cease-fire,” Sejari said.
Idlib is the last area held by opposition fighters, without foreign power presence. Syrian government troops have been carrying out a military offensive there, but a cease-fire has brought a lull to the fighting.
It was not clear how the new opposition forces restructuring would affect government plans.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
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.
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