Syrian authorities said a 'meticulously planned ambush' stopped a church bombing in its tracks. Photo: Syrian Interior Ministry
Syrian authorities said a 'meticulously planned ambush' stopped a church bombing in its tracks. Photo: Syrian Interior Ministry
Syrian authorities said a 'meticulously planned ambush' stopped a church bombing in its tracks. Photo: Syrian Interior Ministry
Syrian authorities said a 'meticulously planned ambush' stopped a church bombing in its tracks. Photo: Syrian Interior Ministry

Syria foils church bombing linked to 'Assad regime remnants'


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

Syria says it has foiled a terrorist attack on a church in a “well-planned ambush” in which two suspects linked to the former Bashar Al Assad regime were arrested.

The Interior Ministry said Ramzi Hamoud and Mundhir Ali planned to attack the Mar Elias Maronite Church in the Tartus region on Syria's coast. It said the two men were “en route to carry out a terrorist operation” when they were held.

The “meticulously planned ambush” was carried out by a Special Tasks Unit of the local security forces in Tartus. They seized an explosive device, a black flag and some papers containing written threats to local residents, the ministry said.

The attack would have involved detonating explosives inside the church, said local security commander Abdul Aal Mohammed Abdul Aal. “We assure our dear people that our eyes will not waver for a moment from monitoring these criminal schemes,” he said.

The two suspects are being held awaiting a court process. The ministry said they were “affiliated with one of the outlawed groups linked to remnants of the former regime”, without giving details. Mr Al Assad was overthrown by a rebel offensive last December that brought former Islamist fighter Ahmad Al Shara to power.

Special forces stopped the two suspects on their way to attack a church, officials said. Photo: Syrian Interior Ministry
Special forces stopped the two suspects on their way to attack a church, officials said. Photo: Syrian Interior Ministry

A series of bloody incidents have set back Mr Al Shara's attempts to consolidate control of Syria after years of civil war that devastated Syria's economy. In June, 25 people were killed in a church bombing in Damascus that authorities blamed on ISIS, the worst attack for years in the capital.

A flurry of violence on the coast killed more than 1,000 people in March, mainly from Mr Al Assad's Alawite sect, which has lost influence under the new regime in Damascus.

In recent weeks the southern area of Sweida has witnessed brutal fighting involving the Druze minority, Bedouin tribesmen and government forces, leaving hundreds of people dead.

The National revealed last month how Syria's new authorities have stepped up a manhunt for Assad regime loyalists. Thousands of people believed to be wanted for war atrocities remain at large, although the government has not made a list public.

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

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Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert

The Indoor Cricket World Cup

When: September 16-23

Where: Insportz, Dubai

Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE fixtures:
Men

Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final

Why seagrass matters
  • Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
  • Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
  • Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
  • Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

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Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

 

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TOURNAMENT INFO

Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier

Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November

UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi

India cancels school-leaving examinations
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Updated: August 06, 2025, 1:01 PM