Foreign
UK in diplomatic contact with Syrian rebels, says Lammy
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said the British government has had “diplomatic contact” with the Syrian rebel group that toppled the Assad regime.
Lammy said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) remains a proscribed terrorist organisation, but the UK “can have diplomatic contact and so we do have diplomatic contact, as you would expect”.
His US counterpart Antony Blinken said on Saturday that the US had made “direct contact” with the HTS rebels now in control of Syria.
Lammy’s remarks come as the government announced a £50m humanitarian aid package for vulnerable Syrians, including refugees in the region.
Speaking on Sunday, Lammy said: “We want to see a representative government, an inclusive government. We want to see chemical weapons stockpiles secured, and not used, and we want to ensure that there is not continuing violence.
“For all of those reasons, using all the channels that we have available, and those are diplomatic and of course intelligence-led channels, we seek to deal with HTS where we have to.”
The diplomatic contact with HTS does not mean the foreign secretary has personally been in touch with the rebel group.
Whitehall sources say the contact referred to is permitted under the terms of existing terrorism legislation, under which, for example, NGOs would be able to have contact in order to provide humanitarian assistance.
Such contact does not mean that the UK’s listing of HTS as a terrorist group is being lifted. But it does indicate that the UK government has embarked on a process of judging HTS on the basis of its actions.
Both the UK and the US have a vested interest in what happens next in Syria. Blinken told reporters on Saturday that the US interaction with HTS was in particular over the fate of the missing American journalist, Austin Tice.
The US State Department said Blinken and Lammy spoke on Sunday, as the secretary of state told the foreign secretary Washington will back “an accountable and representative” government in Syria, “chosen by the Syrian people”.
Asked whether HTS could be removed from the UK’s list of proscribed terror groups, Lammy said the rebel group remains a proscribed organisation that came out of al-Qaeda.
“Al-Qaeda is responsible for a tremendous loss of life on British soil,” Lammy said, adding: “We will judge them [HTS] on their actions, I won’t comment on future proscription but of course we recognise that this is an important moment for Syria.”
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said no decision had been made yet on HTS’s proscription status.
On the cash pledge to the Middle Eastern country, Lammy said it followed talks on Saturday in Aqaba.
Hosted by Jordan, delegates from several countries agreed on the importance of a “non-sectarian and representative government”, protecting human rights, unfettered access for humanitarian aid, the safe destruction of chemical weapons and combatting terrorism.
The talks were attended by the UK, US, France, Germany, the Arab Contact Group, Bahrain, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the EU and UN.
HTS was not present at the meeting in Jordan.
However, everybody in Aqaba felt it was important to engage with HTS, and that engagement should be on the basis of humanitarian access and the principles outlined above.
The UK said £30m will be channelled within Syria for food, shelter and emergency healthcare, while £10m will go to the World Food Programme (WFP) in Lebanon and £10m to WFP and the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, in Jordan.
As well as the £50m in aid for Syrians in the region, the UK government said £120,000 of UK funding will be given to support the Organisation of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) “to rid Syria of chemical weapons” and support the interim Syrian government.
The UK closed its embassy in Damascus in 2013, two years after the Arab Spring protests began to be brutally suppressed there by the Assad regime.
Between 2011 and 2021, more than 30,000 Syrians were granted asylum in the UK, but on Monday the Home Office said it was no longer possible to assess outstanding cases given the change in circumstances.
Last week, the HTS rebel group toppled Assad’s rule alongside allied rebel factions.
The Home Office later paused its decisions on Syrian asylum claims to the UK as the government has not determined whether Syria, under the new rebel-led authorities, is a safe country which people could be sent to.
The Assad family ruled Syria for more than 50 years. In 2011, Bashar al-Assad crushed a peaceful, pro-democracy uprising, sparking a civil war in which more than half a million people were killed and 12 million others forced to flee their homes.
More reports are now emerging of the cruelty of Assad’s regime and the suffering it inflicted on the lives of so many Syrians.
However, given the Islamist militant group’s previous affiliations with al-Qaeda, religious minorities in Syria and neighbouring countries worry about their future under HTS’s rule.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has accused Russia of ongoing hostilities, stating that since the beginning of April, Russia has launched nearly 2,800 aerial bombs, over 1,400 Shahed drones, and approximately 60 missiles at Ukraine.
Zelensky’s statement, released on Monday, reads, “Currently, 38 people are receiving treatment inmedical facilities in Sumy following yesterday’s Russian ballistic strike — among them, 9 children. Eleven people, including 3 children, are in critical condition.”
“Every effort is being made to provide them with maximum assistance. Yesterday’s strike alone claimed 34 lives and left 119 people injured. Tragically, 2 children were killed, and another 15 were wounded.”
“Another 7 people were injured overnight in Odesa during a ‘Shahed’ drone attack. Last night, the Russians also struck Slovyansk, Uman, Kharkiv, Beryslav, and other cities and villages.”
“All the damaged sites are civilian: apartment buildings, stores, a car service station.”
“I thank all the services and everyone involved in rescuing people and defending lives. Russian terror continues every day and night. Since the beginning of April alone, the Russian army has used nearly 2800 aerial bombs, over 1400 attack drones — most of them ‘Shaheds’ — and nearly 60 missiles of various types, including ballistic ones.”
“Only real pressure on Russia can stop this. Tangible sanctions are needed against the sectors that finance Russia’s killing machine. The one who brought the war must be stopped and held accountable for what they have done; that is only fair,” Zelensky said.
In an earlier statement yesterday, Zelensky urged the world not to remain silent in the face of Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine: “As of now, 31 people are known to have been killed in Sumy by the Russian ballistic missile strike. Among those killed were two children. My condolences to the families and loved ones… More than 84 people have been wounded, including 10 children. All of them are receiving the necessary assistance.”
“It is crucial that the world does not stay silent or indifferent. Russian strikes deserve nothing but condemnation. There must be pressure on Russia to end the war and guarantee security for people. Without truly strong pressure, without sufficient support for Ukraine, Russia will continue dragging this war out.”
Zelensky also accused Russia of rejecting a potential peace opportunity involving U.S. President Donald Trump.
“It’s now the second month that Putin has been ignoring the U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Unfortunately, there in Moscow they are convinced they can keep killing with impunity. Action is needed to change this situation.”
World leaders have condemned the latest wave of Russian attacks and pledged solidarity with Ukraine.
On Saturday, top diplomats from Russia and Ukraine traded accusations over breaches of a tentative ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States. The deal aimed to halt attacks on critical energy infrastructure, signaling an attempt to ease tensions in the third year of the war.
However, Sunday’s strike underscored the fragility of such negotiations and the continued toll on Ukrainian civilians.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and millions displaced, with no comprehensive peace agreement in sight.
International observers have raised concerns that the missile strike may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.
Sumy, located near Ukraine’s northeastern border with Russia, has faced repeated assaults since the war began but had seen a relative lull in recent months. Sunday’s bombing marks one of the deadliest strikes in the region in over a year.
Ukrainian officials have called on allies to increase military aid and intensify sanctions on Russia, warning that continued attacks on civilian areas threaten any hope for a negotiated resolution to the war.
By Francesca Hangeior
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a new rule requiring all foreign nationals who stay in the country for more than 30 days to register with the federal government.
The directive, introduced this week, is one of the strictest immigration measures in recent years.
In a post titled “Message to Illegal Aliens” and tagged to President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the agency stated,
“Foreign nationals present in the U.S. longer than 30 days must register with the federal government. Failure to comply is a crime punishable by fines and imprisonment. @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem have a clear message to Illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW and self-deport.”
Foreign nationals present in the U.S. longer than 30 days must register with the federal government. Failure to comply is a crime punishable by fines and imprisonment. @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem have a clear message to Illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW and self-deport. pic.twitter.com/FrsAQtUA7H
Non-compliance could lead to daily fines of $998, heavier penalties for those who promise to leave but don’t, imprisonment, and permanent bans from re-entry.
DHS warned that delaying registration will increase penalties and reduce the chances of returning legally.
“The longer you wait, the higher the penalty, and the slimmer your chances of returning,” the department said.
The agency also introduced a “safe exit” provision for undocumented individuals who choose to leave voluntarily.
Those who self-deport may be allowed to select their departure flight, keep their earnings if they haven’t committed any crimes, apply for subsidized travel if they can’t afford it, and stay eligible for future immigration pathways.
While the rule doesn’t currently apply to individuals on valid visas like H-1B or F-1, DHS emphasized that once a visa becomes invalid—due to expiration, job loss, or program termination—the individual is considered “unlawfully present” and subject to the same penalties.
Maintaining legal status, the agency noted, is more critical than ever.
By Francesca Hangeior
A Swiss citizen has been kidnapped in Niger, Switzerland’s foreign ministry told AFP, confirming information published by a Nigerien media outlet.
The foreign ministry said it had been “informed of the kidnapping of a Swiss citizen in Niger.
“The Swiss diplomatic mission in Niamey is in contact with the local authorities. Clarifications are under way.”
The governor of the Nigerien state of Agadez, General Ibra Boulama Issa, said the abduction happened in Agadez city, where an Austrian woman was kidnapped three months ago.
The general said “a foreign woman… of Swiss nationality” had been taken from her home there late Sunday.
In a statement, he also referenced the January 11 kidnapping of the Austrian.
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