The fresh terror attacks being carried out by the so-called ‘Jaish al-Islam’- positioned in Douma city in the eastern Ghouta of Damascus- against the capital aims to blackmail the Syrian government and to prevent the completion of Syrian army’s victory against terrorist groups around Damascus, the Military and Strategic expert, retired Brigadier-General Haitham Hassoun, told the Syriatimes e-newspaper on Saturday.

The retired officer made it clear that the so-called ‘‘Jaish al-Islam’ seeks to blackmail the Syrian government in order to change the terms of the evacuation deal including the evacuation destination- towards south or east- especially for the high-ranking leaders, and the amount of money which ‘Jaish al-Islam’ terrorists want to take with them and to make administrative gains inside Douma city.

Although it is hard to foresee whether the US President Donald Trump has been serious or not about his unexpected announcement last Thursday that the US would ‘be coming out of Syria like very soon’, it is important to know what the US withdrawal from Syria will mean to Damascus and Washington.

From the viewpoint of the Secretary of the Syrian People’s Assembly [Parliament] Khalid Abboud, this move would be a ‘clean’ exit as it became the only choice for the United States.

 “The US president was talking truthfully, despite the fact that he was often a liar…The clean exit from Syria became the only choice for the US because of its failure to achieve its goals,” he said, asserting that the presence of the US troops in Syria became useless for the US.

The ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia in Damascus Djoko Harjanto has said that his country, which experienced the agony of terrorism, has supported Syria in its war against terrorism over the past seven years and it will take part in rebuilding infrastructures in the country.

In an interview with the Syriatimes e-newspaper, the Indonesian diplomat, who has been in Damascus over the past four years, gave details about how his country supported Syria and how he himself played a key role in explaining the reality of events in Syria before the public opinion in Indonesia.

Culture activities in Syria aim to send a message of peace and love from Syria, the cradle of culture and civilization, to the entire world and to stress the intellectual and artistic steadfastness of the Syrians, Deputy Minister of Culture Tawfik Al-Imam told the Syriatimes e-newspaper on the sidelines of the "Childhood and Innovation" festivity held last Thursday at Dar-Al-Assad for Culture in Lattakia province.

The cultural event, held by the Ministry of Culture's Child Culture Directorate, aimed to honor the winner children from Lattakia who had participated in the ministry's annual artistic and cultural competitions. Participants in the competitions were children aged 5-17 years representing all the Syrian provinces.

Among honored winners from Lattakia province were children of martyrs as well as some children with special needs.

Despite all the hard circumstances caused by the terrorist war imposed on Syria, the takfiri terrorists couldn’t extinguish the candle of culture in the country, said Mr. al-Imam.

Returning to their homes after the  escape of their  terrorists, the people of al-Ghouta confirm the message of the Syrian Arab Army to eliminate terrorism and help  displaced people return  to their villages and cities

Syrian Opinion - 19/03/2018

 In a message about the reality of the conflict in Syria, the people of al-Ghouta, after their displacement from their villages and cities and their return to them under the auspices of the Syrian Arab Army, said that the army units secured their exit from the terrorists' control and, later, return to their homes and provided them with all possible medical aid. This action, which was carried out under the guidance of the President, dropped all propaganda and fabrication campaigns that claim that the army aims to empty the Ghouta of its inhabitants and housing them with other residents.