International
Islamist rebels in Syria strengthen their control of Aleppo after the Army withdraws

The Islamist alliance Levante Liberation Agency and armed factions backed by Turkey strengthened control of almost the entire city of Aleppo, in northern Syria, and the neighboring province of Idlib after four days of offensive against the army of Syrian President Bashar al Asad.
The offensive, launched last Wednesday after days of intense bombing against the bastion of the pro-Turkic factions, Idlib, has so far caused a balance of about 350 deaths on both sides, among which are a quarantine of civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights.
This is the first time that rebels have entered the city of Aleppo since it was taken by the Al Asad Army in 2016, while the escalation of violence and the rapid advance of these factions considered “terrorists” by Damascus and its ally Russia represent the greatest challenge for the Syrian Government since 2020.
Aleppo falls with hardly any resistance
The rebels managed to enter the city of Aleppo yesterday for the first time, where this Saturday they extended their control in the vast majority of neighborhoods and even managed to take the international airport of what is the second largest city in Syria.
So far, only some areas of the northeast of the city under the rule of Kurdish forces – allied of Damascus against the pro-Turkish Islamists – are offering resistance after the withdrawal of the Syrian Army and the pro-Iranian militias that support Al Assad, according to the Observatory.
And it is that Al Asad’s troops recognized today that the insurgents have taken control of “marge” part of Aleppo and have suffered “dozens” of casualties among their ranks.
“The large number of terrorists and the multiple combat fronts led our Armed Forces to carry out a redeployment operation aimed at strengthening the lines of defense to absorb the attack, preserve civilian and soldier lives and prepare for a counterattack,” the Syrian Army said in a statement.
“Concentrated attacks”
However, the regular troops said that they have continued to launch “concentrated attacks” against the insurgents after their “temporary” withdrawal from Aleppo, “waiting for the completion of the arrival of military forces to distribute them on the combat axes, in preparation for a counterattack.”
In the midst of the chaos that has invaded the city, Russian fighter jets carried out several bombings against Aleppo that killed at least 16 civilians and several pro-Turkish fighters, according to the NGO, which pointed out that there is a large displacement of people from the homonymous province due to the escalation of violence.
Dozens of them are trying to reach the border with Lebanon, according to the Observatory, after a ceasefire between Israel and the Shii group Hezbula on Wednesday.
Idlib control and advances in Hama
In parallel, the rebels have strengthened their almost complete control of the neighboring province of Idlib after taking the strategic city of Maarat al Numan, which since 2020 was in the hands of the Syrian Army, and later the city of Jan Shayjun, which borders the administrative demarcation of Hama, in north-central Syria.
That advance and the break-of of Al Asad’s troops have allowed the Islamists to enter several kilometers in the north of Hama, where they are not encountering much opposition from the Army either.
The offensive comes at a time when Turkey is seeking to re-establish relations with Damascus, although the Syrian government claims that Ankara must withdraw its troops from northern Syria and stop supporting opposition groups to move towards the normalization of ties, broken since the beginning of the Syrian civil war 13 years ago.
This operation began on the same day of the entry into force of the truce in Lebanon and after the hard blows inflicted by Israel on the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbula both in that country and in Syria, where the armed movement maintains a wide presence and is one of the main allies of the Government of Damascus.
Al Asad says he is capable of defeating the rebels “with the help of allies”
Syrian President Bashar al Asad said on Saturday that, with the help of “allies and friends,” his Army is capable of defeating the Turkish-backed Islamist rebels, who have managed to control large areas of northwestern Syria in four days of offensive.
“Syria continues to defend its stability and territorial integrity against all terrorists and supporters and is capable, with the help of its allies and friends, of defeating and eliminating them no matter how severe their terrorist attacks are,” Al Asad said in a call with his Emirati counterpart, Mohamed bin Zayed.
International
Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.
The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.
The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).
“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.
Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”
International
Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.
Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.
A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”
According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.
International
Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.
Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.
“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.
“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.
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