DAMASCUS // Syria has condemned an incursion by Turkish troops to evacuate an historic tomb and the soldiers guarding it as a “flagrant aggression”.
Nearly 600 troops and 100 tanks and armoured personnel carriers entered deep into Syria on Sunday to evacuate nearly 40 Turkish soldiers guarding a historic tomb who were trapped in territory controlled by ISIL militants.
The Damascus government no longer controls the area but is at loggerheads with Ankara over the Syria conflict.
“Turkey is not satisfied with merely giving all kinds of support to its puppets Daesh [ISIL], the Al Nusra Front [Al Qaeda affiliate] and other terrorist groups” said the foreign ministry on Sunday. “It even carried out ... a flagrant aggression against Syrian territory.”
Tukey prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the mission was a success, with the soldiers returning safely home and bringing back the tomb containing the remains of Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the Ottoman empire’s founder, Osman I. One soldier died in an accident during the nine-hour long incursion, the premier said.
He also made the surprise announcement that the Turkish troops had seized control of a new area inside Syria close to the Turkish border where the tomb will be relocated within days.
Syria’s foreign ministry said its consulate in Istanbul had been informed by Ankara on Saturday evening of its plans to mount the operation, “but as usual [Turkey] did not wait for Syria’s consent”.
It said the operation, in territory controlled by ISIL, was proof of “the close ties between the Turkish government and the terrorists”.
Separately, the main opposition Syrian National Coalition, which is strongly backed by Ankara, said it had been told in advance of the incursion.
“The Turkish government officially informed the coalition that its troops would enter Syrian territory,” it said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the armed forces on the operation and confirmed that the tomb would be relocated in the Syrian district of Eshme, just 200 metres from the Turkish border.
Turkish television showed pictures of troops planting the Turkish flag at the new location of the tomb in the night-time operation.
The mausoleum complex of Suleyman Shah on the Euphrates River is considered sovereign Turkish territory under a 1920s treaty. It carries huge symbolic importance to Turks as a link to their pre-Ottoman past. The tomb had for years been guarded largely by conscripts but in March 2014 Turkey reportedly sent several dozen special forces to guard it.
A soldier was killed in an accident during the operation to relieve the guards at the tomb, the Turkish army said. It said the soldier lost his life in the “initial stage” of the operation but emphasised there were no clashes during the mission.
The army said the decision to evacuate the guards and relocate the tomb was taken because of the worsening security situation in the area, part of Syria’s Aleppo province that is under the control of ISIL who have captured swathes of Iraq and Syria.
The operation to relieve the soldiers guarding the tomb took place as Turkey comes under pressure from its Western allies to play a greater role in the fight against the ISIL group.
The United States and Turkey on Thursday signed a deal to train and equip thousands of moderate Syrian rebel forces opposing Mr Assad after several weeks of talks.
* Agence France-Presse
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
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
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
|
1.
|
United States
|
|
2.
|
China
|
|
3.
|
UAE
|
|
4.
|
Japan
|
|
5
|
Norway
|
|
6.
|
Canada
|
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
|
8.
|
Australia
|
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
