Syria Appeals to UN on Al-Qaeda Affiliate

London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The recent announcement of a “merger” between Al-Qaeda and the Syrian insurgent group Jabhat Al-Nusra has led the Syrian government to appeal to the UN to sanction the movement. In a letter to the Security Council, Syria’s foreign ministry called on the body to “fulfill its role in preserving global security” on Thursday. Previous Security Council resolutions created an Al-Qaeda sanctions committee, which oversees travel bans and the freezing of assets t...

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A Talk with Arab League’s Ahmad Bin-Hilli

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—As the fighting in Syria spreads and the dire humanitarian situation worsens, Syria’s neighbors and other Arab states have been forced to look on from the sidelines as witnesses to the unfolding tragedy. The Arab League has undertaken several diplomatic initiatives in an attempt to resolve the crisis in Syria, and has also been the venue for debates among its members about how to approach it. As the situation develops, there is no doubt that the civil war in Syria w...

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