Syria's Sharaa gives SDF four days on plan for integration

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed on Tuesday President Donald Trump's Board of Peace initiative and also recent developments in Syria in a phone call, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority condemned on Tuesday the demolitions at the headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

"The ministry warns of the gravity of this deliberate escalation against UNRWA, which comes within the framework of a systematic targeting of its role and UN mandate, and an attempt to undermine the international protection system for Palestinian refugees," the foreign ministry in Ramallah said in a statement.

Israeli bulldozers began the demolitions of the buildings in east Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood on Tuesday, in what the UN agency called an "unprecedented attack".

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said they were committed to a four-day ceasefire deal announced by the Damascus authorities as part of an understanding reached on Tuesday.

"We announce our forces' full commitment to the ceasefire... we will not initiate any military action if our forces are not subject to attacks," the SDF said in a statement, adding that it was ready to "move forward with implementing" an agreement announced by Damascus on Sunday.

About 200 low-level Islamic State fighters escaped Syria's Shaddadi prison on Monday after guards from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces left the facility, but Syrian government forces recaptured many of them, a US official said on Tuesday.

The official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said about 600 foreign fighters from Islamic State had been transferred from Shaddadi prior to 19 January to other facilities and remain in detention.

US envoy Tom Barrack said on Tuesday that Damascus is now both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities, including taking control of Islamic State detention centers and camps in Syria.

"The greatest opportunity for the Kurds in Syria right now lies in the post-Assad transition under the new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa," he said in a post on X.

Saudi Arabia condemned on Tuesday Israel's demolition of buildings at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem, expressing its support for the body in Israel's crosshairs.

The kingdom expressed its "strongest condemnation of the demolition of buildings belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) by the Israeli occupation forces", its foreign ministry said in a statement.

The kingdom also expressed its "support for UNRWA in its humanitarian mission to help the brotherly Palestinian people".

The Syrian presidency said on Tuesday that it reached an understanding with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces under which the group will have four days to agree on a plan for the practical integration of the northeastern Hasakah province.

There was no immediate comment from the SDF. The two sides reached a ceasefire deal on Sunday, but tensions persisted the following days.

Any attack on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would trigger a declaration of jihad, or holy war, the Iranian Students News Agency quoted Iran's national security parliamentary commission as saying on Tuesday.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have grown following a severe crackdown of protests across Iran, which US President Donald Trump warned could lead to a response from Washington.

"Any attack on the Supreme Leader means a declaration of war with the entire Islamic world and must await the issuance of a Jihad decree by Islamic scholars and the response of Islam's soldiers in all parts of the world," the parliamentary commission said.

A senior official in Syria's Kurdish administration said Tuesday that the Kurds were in contact with Israel and were open to support from "any source", amid tensions with Damascus despite a recent deal.

"There are certain figures from the side of the Israeli state engaged in communications with our side... and if this conversation leads to support, we would be open to support... from any source," Elham Ahmad told reporters in an online event, according to the English translation of her remarks in Kurdish.

Earlier this month during clashes between government and Kurdish forces in the north Syrian city of Aleppo, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that "attacks by the Syrian regime's forces against the Kurdish minority... are grave and dangerous", adding that the "systematic and murderous repression of Syria's various minorities contradicts the promises of a 'new Syria'."

Senior Syrian Kurdish official Elham Ahmad said Tuesday that a recent agreement between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces had "no validity" as tensions with Damascus spike.

"Since there is no ceasefire for the time being, since Damascus continues to attack our regions, and since they refuse to engage in dialogue, the agreement has no validity at the moment," she told reporters in an online event, according to the English translation of her remarks in Kurdish.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan accepted US President Donald Trump's invitation to the Board of Peace, UAE's foreign ministry said on Tuesday in a statement.

UAE reaffirmed its readiness to contribute actively to the mission of the Board of Peace, "supporting greater cooperation, stability, and prosperity for all", the statement added.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will soon decide whether to join US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace initiative after having received an invitation, Turkey's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

"We have received an invitation. Our President is being invited as a founding member, on behalf of Turkey (and) will likely make his decision on this matter very soon," Hakan Fidan said in a televised interview with state media.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Tuesday they had withdrawn from the Al-Hol camp, which houses IS-linked civilians, and redeployed around nearby cities, citing international inaction over the Islamic State detainee file and growing security threats in the region.

Official Statement Regarding Al-Hol Camp
Due to the international indifference toward the issue of the ISIS terrorist organization and the failure of the international community to assume its responsibilities in addressing this serious matter, our forces were compelled to…

— Farhad Shami (@farhad_shami) January 20, 2026

Violent scuffles erupted on Tuesday between Turkish police and pro-Kurdish protesters at the border with Syria, where Damascus has launched an offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an AFP reporter said.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon at the protesters and stopped them from crossing the border. The demonstrators hurled stones at the police, according to the AFP reporter.

Israeli forces fire tear gas at a Palestinian trade school in East Jerusalem, the second targeting of a UN facility on Tuesday.

Israel will help Greece develop technology to counter swarms of military drones as the two countries deepen defence cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean, the Greek defence minister said Tuesday.

The pledge followed talks in Athens between Defence Minister Nikos Dendias and his counterpart, Israel Katz, building on a December defence pact between Greece, Israel and Cyprus. Israel is already assisting Greece in building an air defence shield as part of the expanding cooperation.

“We agreed to exchange views and expertise so that we can counter unmanned platforms — specifically swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles and groups of unmanned underwater vehicles,” Dendias said, appearing alongside Katz.

Katz called the partnership “an anchor of stability in the Mediterranean.”

Iran's internet blackout, which has been ongoing since 9 January, has surpassed the 280 hour mark, according to NetBlocks on X, which said "the nation of over 90 million remains cut off for another day leaving friends and family unable to check in with loved ones."

"Meanwhile, traffic on select platforms points to an emergent strategy of whitelisting," it added.

⚠️ Update: With #Iran's internet blackout now past hour 280, the nation of over 90 million remains cut off for another day leaving friends and family unable to check in with loved ones. Meanwhile, traffic on select platforms points to an emergent strategy of whitelisting. pic.twitter.com/StM6ere6yX

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) January 20, 2026

China on Tuesday confirmed that it had been asked to join US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace," an invitation that Washington had extended to dozens of countries in his bid to launch a global initiative aimed at resolving conflicts.

"The Chinese side has received the invitation from the US," said Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, at a regular news conference.

He declined to comment when asked if China would accept the invitation.

Asked how China would evaluate Trump's presidency in the past year, especially in light of his stance on Venezuela and threat to annex Greenland, the spokesperson refrained from giving an assessment.

"Over the past year, China-US relations have experienced ups and downs, but have achieved overall dynamic stability," said Guo, explaining that occasional variability in their relationship could be expected.

China is willing to work with the US on further stabilising ties while safeguarding its own interests, Guo said.

Israel foreign minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday that Israel was invited by the United States to join the board of peace initiative.

The UN Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session on Iran in the coming days, with proponents aiming to discuss "alarming violence" used against protesters, a document showed on Tuesday.

An Iranian official said authorities have verified at least 5,000 deaths in the protests which are the biggest demonstrations since 2022, prompting UN rights chief Volker Turk to condemn the violence. 

Negotiations between Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the head of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, have collapsed, a Kurdish official told AFP on Tuesday.

"The negotiations held yesterday in Damascus between General Mazloum and Mr Al-Sharaa have collapsed entirely," the official said, blaming the central government for the breakdown.

"A firm and decisive stance from the international community is urgently required," he added.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said Tuesday it was facing an "unprecedented attack" as Israeli bulldozers began demolishing buildings inside its east Jerusalem headquarters.

UNRWA spokesman Jonathan Fowler said in a statement to AFP that Israeli forces "stormed into" the compound shortly after 7am (0500 GMT).

"This is an unprecedented attack against UNRWA and its premises. And it also constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations," he added.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Egypt's presidency said on Tuesday.

This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since the US announced it was launching the second phase of its plan to end the war in Gaza.

Sisi and Trump met in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in October during a summit convened by Egypt to sign a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war.

On Friday, Trump said that he was also ready to restart US mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia to resolve the dispute over an Ethiopian dam, which both Egypt and Sudan consider a serious threat to vital water supplies. 

Outlawed Kurdish militants in Turkey will "never abandon" Kurds in Syria following an offensive by Damascus, a leader of the PKK armed group said, quoted by the Firat news agency Tuesday.

"You should know that we will not leave you alone. Whatever the cost, we will never leave you alone.. we as the entire Kurdish people and as the movement, will do whatever is necessary," Murat Karayilan of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was quoted as saying by Firat.

Karayilan said the Damascus-led offensive was an "attempt to nullify" the peace process in Turkey.

"This decision by international powers to enable these attacks, will be a black mark for the US, the UK, Germany, France and other international coalition states," he said.

Turkey warned Tuesday it would not tolerate any "provocations" over the events in Syria as its Kurdish community called for protests over a government offensive targeting Kurdish fighters.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X that Turkey was "meticulously monitoring the developments in Syria and all movements along our border" and would "not tolerate any initiatives or provocations.. targeting the peace of our country".

Israeli bulldozers began demolishing structures inside the headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in east Jerusalem on Tuesday, an AFP photographer saw, with the Israeli foreign ministry defending the move.

"UNRWA-Hamas had already ceased its operations at this site and no longer had any UN personnel or UN activity there. The compound does not enjoy any immunity and the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law," the foreign ministry said in a statement.