Syria, SDF Near U.S.-Backed Military Deal

Washington and European states are pushing Damascus and the SDF to sign before Dec. 31.

Key gaps include troop deployments, decision-making power, and ministry control.

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Türkiye Foil ISIS Plot in Istanbul, Detain 115 Suspects

Prosecutors said the suspects were planning attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations.

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Sudan: The army reportedly carried out an airstrike on a weapons and ammunition depot belonging to UAE-backed RSF militias in the Nyala area of South Darfur.

Ukraine says it struck the Novoshakhtinsk oil products refinery in Russia’s Rostov region using air-launched Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

Multiple explosions were recorded; the target was hit.

The refinery supplies diesel and aviation fuel to Russian forces and has storage capacity over 210,000 m³.

Advisor to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

The options with the Syrian Democratic Forces have run out.

The SDF must bear responsibility for not implementing what was agreed upon.

Source: Al Arabiya

Former Afghan police chief Ikramuddin Saree was shot dead in central Tehran, Iran.

He was ambushed by unknown gunmen.

Two companions were with him: Mohammad Amin Almas (former Afghan army commander) was killed, and one other was wounded.

Saree previously served as police chief in Takhar and Baghlan, fled Afghanistan in 2021, and was a vocal critic of the Taliban while in exile in Iran.

Mali: JNIM claims it targeted a vehicle belonging to the Malian army and the Russian Africa Corps near Bougouni in the south this morning.

NOW: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with the Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in Ankara.

Israel’s military said it killed a member of Iran’s Quds Force in Lebanon.

Russian Foreign Ministry:

We strongly urge our citizens to refrain from traveling to Germany.

Zelensky says he held a long, positive meeting with U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

The talks included “good ideas,” “many details,” and new Ukrainian proposals on peace, covering formats, meetings, and timing.

Draft documents are almost ready, though “sensitive issues” still need work. The coming weeks may be intensive diplomatically.

Ukraine thanked the U.S. and urged continued pressure on Russia, warning that “dragging out the war will have harsh consequences.”

WATCH: Israeli "settler" deliberately ran over a Palestinian while he was praying in the occupied West Bank.

Women’s rights in Israel have sharply declined under Netanyahu’s far-right, religiously backed government, activists and experts say.

Efforts to weaken the Supreme Court and expand the power of male-only religious courts threaten decades of legal protections for women, including in marriage, divorce, finances, and child custody.

The rollback is reflected in global rankings: Israel has fallen from near the top tier on gender equality to the lower half worldwide. Women’s political representation has also dropped, with few women in senior government roles and none leading major parties.

Source: CNN

Retired Turkish Ambassasdor Uluç Özülker:

Netanyahu speaks loudly to show himself as a brave captain, but in reality, he knows he cannot fight against Türkiye.

It is all a bluff because there is no equality between the two sides; the Israeli Navy cannot match the Turkish one, and they cannot decide on suicide.

If there is a war, this may evolve into a Third World War.

Source: gdh

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi:

In the first days of the war, they sent messages and intermediaries, asking us to negotiate. They were tweeting "unconditional surrender."

Under the guidance and wisdom of the Supreme Leader, we chose resistance. We chose martyrdom.

By the twelfth day, the Americans sent a message saying the Zionist regime would stop from 4 a.m., and asked us to stop as well.

In just ten days, "unconditional surrender" became an "unconditional ceasefire." Why? Because of resistance. Because of standing firm.

NEW: Senior Israeli officials say Israel may be forced to reconsider its opposition to a Turkish presence in Gaza, as the proposed international force is struggling to attract enough participating countries.

According to officials familiar with the discussions, Türkiye is currently the only country clearly willing to take on a significant role, creating a strategic dilemma for Israel, which has long viewed Turkish involvement in Gaza as a red line.

Source: Kan News

Saudi Arabia has warned that Israel’s actions in Syria are pushing normalization further away.

Riyadh told the United States that Israeli intervention undermines Syria’s stability and signals that Israel does not want a unified country.

Without a security arrangement that calms Syria, prospects for normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel are expected to recede even further.

Source: Kan News

Jabaliya, Gaza.

Completely destroyed by Israel.