Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on Thursday sent more troops to a besieged opposition enclave in southern Syria, a focal point of international currents shaping the civil war in the country.
Loyalist troops and pro-Iranian Shiite militia have been surrounding Daraa Al Balad since the end of July, marking the collapse of a three-year Russian de-escalation arrangement that was meant to allow the region to make peace with Damascus.
Another Russian-supervised deal this week partly broke the impasse and 60 people left the district, in the city of Daraa near the Jordan border.
The semi-official Al Watan newspaper on Thursday said “the army has brought in reinforcements to end terrorist control” over Daraa Al Balad.
Any military advance to retake the enclave is widely seen as needing a green light from Russia. Moscow sent military police this week into Daraa Al Balad to try to administer a new settlement with locals.
The deal came a day after Jordan’s King Abdullah met Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday and reportedly raised the issue of Daraa.
Jordan has been concerned about the spread of Hezbollah-linked Shiite militias near its border.
Those fears rose after Russia, Israel and the US in 2018 tacitly agreed on the return of Mr Al Assad's regime to Daraa and the rest of southern Syria.
The kingdom, diplomats in the region say, has been also trying to thwart an increase in drug smuggling, linked to Hezbollah and the regime.
The smuggling is from southern Syria into Jordan and on to the Gulf.
The new Russian settlement in Daraa has faltered, although witnesses said there was a lull in regime shelling on Daraa Al Balad on Thursday.
That was to allow at least 45 people to leave by regime buses to areas of Turkish influence in northern Syria, under the Russian supervised deal.
It was not clear how many of the 45 were fighters the regime said must leave Daraa Al Balad for the north.
The regime's official news agency described them as "terrorists and some of their family members", saying their expulsion "paves the way for ending terrorist control over the district
Lebanon's pro-Hezbollah Al Mayadeen television station said a regime deadline for 100 opposition fighters “to surrender themselves” expired on Thursday.
“The regime is playing with names, saying you gave us this man but not that,” said Raed, a citizen journalist in Daraa Al Balad, who gave only his first name.
“Food and water are running low and the regime is counting on exhausting us,” he said.
Ten fighters were transferred out of Daraa on Tuesday.
But the transfers stopped the next day after the two rebel commanders refused to leave and regime shelling resumed, killing one man in Daraa Al Balad.
Unlike many areas in Syria where Russia intervened militarily to restore the regime, forced population transfers in the south have been limited.
Opposition figures and international aid workers in Jordan say Russia did not let the regime exercise its iron fist on the area.
Regime presence in many parts of the south has been mostly limited to police stations and government departments, as opposed to the military and secret police, they say.
They fear that the restrictions Moscow imposed on the regime in the area in the past three years could be coming to an end.
A source in Daraa said at least 4,000 people fearful of regime reprisals in Daraa Al Balad could choose to leave to go to northern Syria or be forced to do so in the next few weeks.
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Zayed Sustainability Prize
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Dunki
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
