meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

ACC leverages expertise to tap new markets

23 November 2022

 

The UK government announced in October that it will provide funding support for the construction of 10 modern office buildings for a ministerial city in Benin’s largest city Cotonou.

The firm leading the construction is Arabian Construction Company (ACC), and the West African project is the latest example of how the Abu Dhabi-headquartered contractor has used the experience it has developed in the UAE and the Middle East to become an international construction company operating across multiple countries and continents.

ACC was founded in Lebanon in 1967 and early in its history set up a base in Abu Dhabi. From there, it grew to become one of the Middle East’s leading construction companies, offering a range of services to its clients.

“We cover almost every aspect of the construction sector, although we are better known, and receive more attention, for high-rise and the more complex type of buildings,” says Maher Merehbi, ACC’s CEO.

“Among the more recent examples of our flagship projects are Sky View and Address Fountain Views in Downtown Dubai, and the Central Market towers, and Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi.”

As the UAE has developed over the past 50 years, ACC has had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects. “The UAE has offered a tremendous diversity of work,” says Merehbi.

“A strong recognition should be given to the standard and quality of projects the country has delivered over the past 20 or 30 years. As the UAE has been continuously evolving, this has contributed substantially to the expertise that we have acquired as we grew and evolved with it. Very few cities or countries can claim to have the same quality projects.”



ACC is leading the construction of office buildings for a project in Benin

Building expertise

Developing project and construction management expertise have been key factors in ACC’s success.

“When you run such complex projects, project management and construction management are the essential tools for successful delivery,” says Merhebi.

“As projects grew in complexity and in size, we developed enhanced and more advanced construction management and project management techniques that allow us to maintain both quality and control.

“Control not only focuses on delivering on time, but delivering a high standard that maintains the projects’ performance to the expectations of the employer.”

In addition to traditional contracting, design-and-build contracts have been used as an alternative method of project delivery.

“This is an avenue we have tackled, and we have executed several projects on that model,” says Merhebi.

“Design-and-build is one of the better ways of delivering projects if you wish to do away with the traditional problems of design and specifications modifications or incomplete or misadapted designs. While it relieves the employer from certain risks, it allows the contractor a certain degree of flexibility on the construction methodologies, but it also allocates more responsibility to the contractor.”

ACC has also taken the design-and-build model a step further by becoming a co-developer in some projects.

“Seasoned developers appreciate that early involvement of the contractor, and the design-build approach, protect the employer from certain risks. This has opened up interesting opportunities where we will take a stake in the equity, and that allows the interests of the contractor and developer to be truly aligned,” says Merehbi. 

“Partnering is a little bit unbalanced when all the parties involved do not have an aligned objective. For example, the employer stands to gain from reducing payments to the contractor while the contractor gains from an increase in project payments. 

“Clearly such a situation establishes limitations on the partnering concept. For better alignment of interests between the employer and contractor, the contractor’s role extends beyond merely providing construction services. The contractor is more involved and has a larger contribution to the project.”

Tapping new markets

Outside Lebanon and the UAE, ACC expanded across the region in the 1970s and has worked in most Middle Eastern markets.

“With high oil prices, the economies were growing fast and there was a lot of demand in the market. For ACC, the economic boom in the region meant expansion was the natural avenue,” says Maher.

Moving into new markets showed that even neighbouring countries with similar economic drivers can be quite different when it comes to contracting.

“Every market is unique in its own way. You have to recognise that there are market variances in the way business is carried out, distinctive cultures and customs, and the way the supply chain works is also different. A contractor has to recognise these differences very quickly and adapt. Often contractors enter a market without the willingness or the ability to conform and integrate,” says Merehbi.

ACC has expanded from the Middle East, establishing a strong base in Egypt, and also into South Asia with work in Pakistan in the 1990s, and then in India in the 2010s. The firm also took steps to enter the European market with work in Cyprus and is now pursuing projects in Greece. ACC is also active in Africa with projects such as the ministerial complex in Benin. 

Rather than entering new markets as a management contractor that relies on managing local contractors, for ACC, entering new markets is a major commitment that requires investment in local operations. 

“Contracting carries a lot of risks. Relying on third parties to execute the majority of construction activity creates high uncertainties. We pay particular attention to the reputational impact of our projects and prefer to execute our own works,” says Merehbi. 

“While there are undoubtedly reputable companies in various disciplines, executing through the project management methodology still leaves some exposure. So instead of managing someone else’s execution strategy, we would rather make our own and manage our own team.”

Self-performing is important in markets where supply chains do not cover the entire spectrum of services, such as in some African countries.

“ACC has fully deployed in Africa. We operate there as we do in any of our other markets. We go through the full process and cycle of hiring, training and monitoring. That is what being a contractor is about,” says Merehbi. 

Financing is also a key element of  winning work in Africa, although Merehbi says this is no different from other markets.

“Financing is a key element in every market,” he says. “In certain areas with a growing economy, funding is more easily available. In other areas, the contractor may be required to contribute to the funding.”

Instead of managing someone else’s execution strategy, we would rather make our own and manage our own team

Raising finance

Funding projects has become more challenging with rising interest rates, but Merehbi expects a mixed impact depending on the nature of the project.

“There are short- or medium-term projects that require early pay back and profit generation and then there are projects that are inherent to a country’s infrastructure and capture economic benefits over a longer period. Higher interest rates affect categories of projects differently,” he says.

“For example, if you are building a hospital that is state-run, then the government’s primary objective is to supply the medical services, and if it can afford it, then it will go ahead and do it. Commercial profit would not be the primary objective in this case. A private developer will probably take a different approach; if the funding becomes too expensive it may choose to postpone the project.”  

As market dynamics change, selecting the right projects will remain critical. This is particularly important for ACC as the business, unlike many of its competitors, is still privately held. 

“We are a family business. We are managing family assets. If the project makes commercial sense, we will go for it. We will take the risks that contractors are expected to take; it is part of the job, but we are not driven by accumulation of backlog for end-of-year reporting,” says Merehbi.

This article has been unlocked to allow non-subscribers to sample MEED’s content. MEED provides exclusive news, data and analysis on the Middle East every day. For access to MEED’s business intelligence, subscribe here

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10378440/main4841.gif
Colin Foreman

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Contractor kicks off EPC work on Uthmaniyah gas compression package

    12 August 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Arabia-based Saipem Nasser Saeed Al‑Hajri Contracting Company (SNSH) – a joint venture of Italian contractor Saipem and local contractor Nasser Saeed Al‑Hajri & Partners Company for Contracting – has kicked off work on the Uthmaniyah gas compression plant package in Saudi Arabia.

    The package forms part of a wider Saudi Aramco project to boost gas compression capacity at the Shedgum and Uthmaniyah processing plants in the Eastern Province.

    The Shedgum and Uthmaniyah plants currently receive about 870 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) and 1.2 billion cf/d of Khuff raw gas, respectively. Through the multibillion-dollar project, Aramco aims to increase the compression and processing capacity of both plants, as well as build new pipelines to enhance gas transportation.

    Aramco formally awarded the key engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the Uthmaniyah gas compression plant package to SNSH in June.

    The value of the contract won by SNSH is estimated at $1.24bn, sources previously told MEED. Separately, Milan-headquartered Saipem said its share of the contract is €900m ($1.04bn) and that the EPC works will run for 42 months.

    The scope covers the EPC of a new compression plant serving the non-associated Uthmaniyah gas field, Saipem said in its statement. Saipem added that “the new compression plant will extend the production life of the field, helping to support the growing energy demand of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.

    The contract for the Uthmaniyah gas compression plant package is the first EPC project awarded under Aramco’s National EPC Champion programme, Euronext Milan-listed Saipem said.

    Shedgum and Uthmaniyah gas compression project

    The Uthmaniyah gas compression plant contract is one of nine EPC packages under the broader Shedgum and Uthmaniyah gas compression project. The packages are:

    1. Shedgum gas compression facility and SGP in-plant works
    2. Uthmaniyah gas compression facility and UGP in-plant works
    3. Shedgum gas compression pipelines package
    4. Uthmaniyah gas compression pipelines package
    5. Shedgum and Uthmaniyah central temporary construction facilities
    6. Shedgum and Uthmaniyah early works site preparation
    7. Operation and maintenance of Saudi Aramco Project Management Team temporary construction facilities and accommodation
    8. Shedgum and Uthmaniyah gas compression plant PIA
    9. Shedgum and Uthmaniyah gas compression plant PSA.

    Aramco has awarded package 6 (early works site preparation) to local firm Al-Shalawi International Company Trading & Contracting, sources told MEED.

    Aramco is also understood to be in discussions with India’s Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (L&T), among other bidders, for package 1 (Shedgum gas compression facility and SGP in-plant works), sources said.

    Separately, Aramco was said to be in negotiations with a consortium of China’s Sinopec and Dammam-based Al‑Qahtani Pipe Coating Industries for package 4 (Uthmaniyah gas compression pipelines). However, the consortium fell short of providing bond guarantees and did not meet other Aramco requirements, leading to its break-up, sources told MEED. Aramco may now open discussions with other bidders for the package.

    Meanwhile, Khobar-based Arkad Engineering & Construction has emerged as the lowest bidder for package 3 (Shedgum gas compression pipelines), with Aramco expected to award the contract in June, according to sources.

    Contractors submitted bids for packages of the Shedgum and Uthmaniya gas compression capacity expansion project in January, MEED previously reported.

    The Saudi energy giant is understood to have started the solicitation of interest process for the main EPC contract tendering exercise in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Aramco subsequently issued the tenders for the EPC packages of the scheme during the second quarter of last year and set an initial bid submission deadline of 17 August.

    Aramco then extended the bid submission deadline to 17 November, 7 December, and then to January, according to sources.

    In line with its aim of increasing gas production and processing capacity by 80% by 2030, with 2021 as its baseline, Aramco is investing significant capital in gas projects in the kingdom.

    Photo credit: Saipem via

    READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18366754/main.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • KJO selects contractors for Dorra gas project offshore packages

    12 August 2026

     

    Al-Khafji Joint Operations (KJO) has selected contractors for two major offshore packages under its multibillion-dollar Dorra field facilities development project. The Dorra gas field is located in the waters of the Saudi-Kuwait Neutral Zone.

    KJO – jointly owned by Aramco subsidiary Aramco Gulf Operations Company and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation subsidiary Kuwait Gulf Oil Company – has divided the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) scope for the Dorra gas production project into four packages: three offshore and one onshore.

    US-based McDermott International has secured offshore package 2A, valued at about $1.5bn, according to sources.

    A consortium of India’s Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (L&TEH) and Italian contractor Saipem has secured package 2B, sources told MEED. Estimated at about $3.7bn, package 2B is the largest of the three offshore EPC packages under the Dorra field facilities project.

    MEED reported in March that the L&TEH/Saipem consortium had emerged as the lowest bidder for offshore package 2B.

    Contractors submitted bids for offshore packages 2A and 2B by the 9 March deadline, MEED previously reported. Bid validity was understood to expire on 15 August, prompting KJO to issue letters of intent to the selected contractors earlier this month, sources said.

    Offshore package scopes

    The EPC scope of work on the two offshore packages of the Dorra gas field facilities project is as follows:

    Package 2A – Dorra gas field wellhead topsides, flowlines and umbilicals

    • Seven gas wellhead platforms or topsides, with production routed to the central gathering platform
    • Corrosion-resistant, alloy-lined intra-field flowlines and umbilicals connecting the gas wellhead platforms to the central gathering platform and the auxiliary platform

    Package 2B: Dorra central gathering platform complex, export pipelines and cables

    • Central gathering platform
    • Auxiliary platform
    • Dorra accommodation platform
    • Flare platform
    • Bridge platform
    • Pipelines for gas and condensate transmission to each shareholder
    • Produced water pipeline from the central gathering platform to Al-Khafji field and from the planned onshore processing facility next to the Al-Zour refinery in Kuwait to Al-Khafji field
    • Recovered monoethylene glycol (MEG) pipeline from Al-Khafji field to the central gathering platform
    • Control and power system linking Al-Khafji onshore facilities to offshore units
    • Offshore central control room at Dorra accommodation platform.

    Regarding the first offshore package, MEED reported in October last year that KJO awarded India’s L&TEH a contract estimated at $140m-$150m. Offshore package 1 covers the EPC of seven offshore jackets and the laying of intra-field pipelines.

    Separately, KJO is understood to be holding discussions for package 3 with Spanish contractor Tecnicas Reunidas, which emerged as the lowest bidder, as MEED reported in March. Sources said a final client decision on the award is pending.

    Onshore package scope

    The scope of work on the only onshore package of the Dorra gas field facilities project is as follows:

    Package 3: Onshore gas processing facilities

    • Buildings to be constructed as part of KJO’s Dorra project onshore package include:
      • Dorra control building
      • Operator building
      • Operations, maintenance and engineering building
      • Process interface building
      • Onshore 115/69kV substation
      • Two gas-insulated substations
      • Warehouse
      • Maintenance building
      • Mosque
      • Telecommunications tower radio building
      • Beach valve substation at the planned onshore processing facility next to the Al-Zour refinery in Kuwait
         
    • Processing facilities for KJO’s onshore package:
      • Produced water receiving and treatment
      • Sour water stripping and treated water system
      • Rich MEG storage tank
      • MEG regeneration and reclamation
      • Recovered hydrocarbons system
      • Lean MEG storage and supply
      • Fresh MEG storage and supply
      • Beach valve stations at Al-Khafji and Al-Zour
         
    • Utilities:
      • Instrument and plant air system
      • Nitrogen generation system
      • Diesel storage and distribution system
      • Fuel gas system
      • Closed drain and slop tank system
      • Hazardous area open drains system
      • Industrial water system
      • Drinking water system
      • Flare gas recovery system and a low-pressure flare system
      • Fire water system
      • Emergency diesel generator
      • Sewage treatment

    Discovered in 1965, the Dorra gas field is estimated to hold 20 trillion cubic metres of gas and 310 million barrels of oil.

    Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have been pressing ahead with their plan to jointly produce 1 billion cubic feet a day (cf/d) of gas from the Dorra gas field.

    The two countries have been producing oil from the Neutral Zone – primarily from the onshore Wafra field and offshore Khafji field – since at least the 1950s. With a growing need to increase natural gas production, they have been working to exploit the Dorra offshore field, understood to be the only gas field in the Neutral Zone.

    Progress has been hampered by a dispute over ownership of the Dorra gas field. Iran, which refers to the field as Arash, claims it partially extends into Iranian territory and asserts that Tehran should be a stakeholder in its development. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia maintain that the field lies entirely within their jointly administered Neutral Zone – also known as the Divided Zone – and that Iran has no legal basis for its claim.

    In February 2024, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia reiterated their claim to the Dorra field in a joint statement issued during an official meeting in Riyadh between Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

    France-based Technip Energies has performed the entire concept study and feed work on the overall Dorra gas field development programme.

    ALSO READ:

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18365989/main3026.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Oman reaches financial close on 120MW wind project

    12 August 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Oman’s 120MW Jaalan Bani Bu Ali (JBB) wind independent power project (IPP) has reached financial close, according to the consortium developing the project.

    The project is being developed by a consortium comprising French firm EDF Power Solutions, Oman’s Al-Khadra Partners and OQ Alternative Energy.

    Located in South Al-Sharqiyah Governorate, about 440 kilometres from the Port of Duqm, the project will comprise 16 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 7.7MW.

    Commercial operations are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027. The JBB project is EDF Power Solutions’ first wind project in Oman.

    Oman’s Nama Power & Water Procurement (Nama PWP) signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to develop, finance, build and operate the project last December.

    As exclusively reported by MEED, a consortium of Chinese companies also signed the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build the plant that same month.

    The consortium comprises China Energy Engineering Corporation, PowerChina, East China Electric Power Design & Research Institute and Hunan Thermal Power, all headquartered in Beijing.

    Once operational, the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to supply more than 13,500 Omani households annually. It is also expected to avoid more than 270,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

    The project supports Oman’s target of increasing the share of renewable energy in its national electricity mix to at least 30% by 2030. It also supports the country’s Net Zero 2050 target.

    In May, Muscat-based Monenco Consulting Engineers won a consultancy contract for a grid station project linked to the Jaalan Bani Bu Ali wind farm project.

    The contract was awarded by China Energy Engineering Corporation, the lead EPC contractor for the Jaalan Bani Bu Ali IPP.

    The scope includes engineering and detailed design consultancy services for the grid station and associated overhead line linked to the wind farm, which is expected to begin construction by the end of the third quarter.

    READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18364806/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Kuwait utilities investment shifts towards water

    11 August 2026

     

    China State Construction Engineering Corporation recently signed a contract for Kuwait’s North Kabd wastewater treatment plant, the country’s largest wastewater infrastructure project to date.

    The award, following more than a decade of planning, propelled Kuwait’s water sector contract awards to more than $4bn as of early August, according to regional project tracker MEED Projects.

    The facility will have a treatment capacity of up to 1 million cubic metres a day (cm/d), with the $3.3bn contract covering the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the plant over a 10-year period.

    It marks a significant recovery for the sector after several years of subdued activity and the first time since 2020 that annual water awards have exceeded $1bn.

    North Kabd is the largest of several major water projects awarded this year, alongside contracts covering desalination and the expansion and rehabilitation of water distribution infrastructure.

    Desalination and distribution

    These include a $316m contract awarded to local firm United Gulf Construction (UGC) by the Ministry of Electricity, Water & Renewable Energy (MEWRE) for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Doha water distribution complex.

    The five-year project includes a new pump station and will add about 130 million imperial gallons of storage capacity, while increasing pumping capacity to 220 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD).

    UGC was also selected in February to upgrade the Hawally water distribution complex in Kuwait’s Hawalli Governorate. The facility serves one of Kuwait’s most densely populated governorates, with the project intended to address chronic low water pressure, particularly during peak summer demand, and improve continuity of supply.

    The upgrade will increase freshwater storage capacity by 66 million gallons and raise potable-water pumping capacity to 54.5 million gallons a day.

    In April, Kuwait’s Central Agency for Public Tenders approved MEWRE’s recommendation to award a $371m contract for phase two of the Doha seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant.

    A joint venture of Kuwait-based Heavy Engineering Industries & Shipbuilding Company (Heisco) and India’s VA Tech Wabag will carry out the project, which will have a capacity of about 272,000 cm/d.

    Upcoming water awards

    Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has been progressing several tenders for major water infrastructure projects covering rainwater drainage and treated water systems in the country’s southern and northern regions.

    In July, local Combined Group Contracting submitted the lowest bid for a contract to develop a major treated water system in the southern region. The contractor submitted a price of about $515m for the scheme, according to a company disclosure.

    For the smaller northern treated water system, Contractor General Trading & Contracting submitted the lowest bid of $169m.

    In what is already a standout year for Kuwait’s water sector, further awards could push activity significantly higher. More than $1bn of water projects are currently under bid evaluation, indicating further evidence of a sustained recovery in the months ahead.

    Power sector activity

    Kuwait’s power sector recorded just $271m of contract awards by early August, according to MEED Projects, putting activity well below recent annual levels.

    This compares with a record full-year total of $5.5bn in 2025 and $2.7bn in both 2024 and 2023.

    Several large-scale generation projects have been slow to advance, with deadline extensions a notable feature in recent months. The outlook is stronger, however, with these projects now progressing through procurement and significant awards expected in the months ahead.

    Kuwait is advancing the 1,800MW Al-Khairan phase one independent water and power project (IWPP), for which two developer consortiums led by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) and Saudi Arabia’s Acwa submitted bids in June.

    The project will also include a desalination plant with a capacity of 125 MIGD. A second phase of the Al-Khairan IWPP, estimated at $750m, is understood to include a further 1,800MW of generation capacity through a combined-cycle gas-fired power plant. The project remains in the early development stages, with tendering not expected until at least 2027.

    Renewable energy programme

    The Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (Kapp) is also progressing the Al-Dibdibah power and Al-Shagaya renewable energy programme in partnership with Kuwait’s MEWRE.

    The contract to develop the 1,100MW phase three, zone one solar photovoltaic (PV) project is expected to be confirmed soon, with a consortium led by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) previously reported to be the frontrunner.

    A separate 500MW solar PV project is also being procured under phase three, zone two of the same programme, with bids submitted on 26 July. If the contract is awarded by the end of the year, the two Shagaya contracts would add about $2bn to the value of power sector awards.  

    Another notable development was the 25-year energy conversion and water purchase agreement signed in February for the Al-Zour North IWPP phases two and three. The signing marked a key step towards financial close on the estimated $4bn project. Once completed, the facility will add 2,700MW of power and 120 MIGD of desalinated water to Kuwait’s supply network

    The Shagaya, Khairan and Zour North projects form a key part of Kuwait’s generation portfolio. The country is aiming to reach 22,100MW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030, under a 20-year strategy announced in March 2025 that extends to 2050.

    Kuwait is also continuing to invest in existing generation plants. MEWRE is evaluating bids for the $1.7bn upgrade of the Subiya power and water plant, including the conversion of units from open-cycle to combined-cycle operation and the modernisation of existing facilities.

    Battery energy storage systems

    In the near to medium term, more than $10bn-worth of power projects are under bid evaluation. This includes several battery energy storage system projects with a planned total storage capacity of 1.5GW.

    In June, Kuwait approved sites in Al-Mutlaa and Jaber Al-Ahmad cities for the development of the projects. The projects will be implemented in phases, with the first phase providing 500MW of storage capacity. The first facilities are expected to be operational by summer 2027 and will supply stored energy to the electricity grid during periods of peak demand.

    Elsewhere, MEWRE continues to evaluate offers from Shanghai Electric Group and local firm Heavy Engineering Industries & Shipbuilding Company (Heisco) for the estimated $400m engineering, procurement and construction contract to rehabilitate and modernise eight boilers at the Subiya power generation and water distillation station. The bid bond validity has been extended to 23 August, indicating that the procurement process remains ongoing.

    MEED’s September 2026 report on Kuwait also includes:

    > ECONOMY: Kuwait shows tentative signs of economic development
    > BANKING: Necessity is the mother of invention for Kuwaiti lenders
    > OIL & GAS: Regional war to have lasting impact on Kuwaiti oil sector
    > CONSTRUCTION: Kuwait construction holds up despite regional strife

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18333042/main.gif
    Mark Dowdall
  • Syrian court gives death penalty to Bashar Al-Assad

    11 August 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    A Syrian court has sentenced former president Bashar Al-Assad to death after trying him in absentia, convicting him of crimes committed during the country’s nearly 14 years of civil war.

    It is the first such ruling under Syria’s transitional authorities, who ousted Al-Assad in December 2024 and vowed justice and accountability for crimes committed under his rule.

    Al-Assad fled to Moscow as Islamist-led forces closed in on Damascus after a lightning offensive.

    In a Damascus court, Judge Fakhr Al-Din Al-Aryan convicted Al-Assad of crimes including “premeditated murder, the intentional killing of more than one person, the intentional killing of children under 15 years … torture, torture leading to death, and deprivation of liberty on multiple occasions” — acts the court classified as crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    “He is therefore sentenced to death,” the judge said in his ruling.

    The court also sentenced six former military and security officials to death in absentia, including Al-Assad’s brother Maher, who ran the army’s elite Fourth Division and also fled the country.

    Those convicted included former defence minister Fahd Al-Freij and Louay Al-Ali, who headed military intelligence in Daraa province in 2011.

    ALSO READ: Syria charts post-war reconstruction course

    The officials were convicted of crimes including murder, incitement to murder, torture leading to death and repeated deprivation of liberty, also classified as crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Former security official Atif Najib – the only defendant tried in person – was also sentenced to death for crimes against humanity committed while he headed political security in Daraa province, the cradle of the country’s 2011 uprising.

    Najib, a cousin of Al-Assad who was arrested in January last year, was convicted of crimes including murder, the intentional killing of children under 15 and torture leading to death.

    The acts attributed to him are “crimes against humanity”, the court said as it handed down “the harshest punishment … which is the death penalty”.

    ALSO READ: US lifts sanctions on Syria after the EU takes similar action

    Syria began proceedings in April against Al-Assad and other officials, accused both in person and in absentia of atrocities during the civil war, which erupted after the former authorities’ brutal repression of pro-democracy protesters.

    More than half a million people were killed and millions displaced, while tens of thousands disappeared, many into the country’s brutal prison system.

    The uprising began in Daraa in March 2011 after 15 students were arrested for allegedly writing anti-government slogans on the city’s walls.

    Residents said the students were tortured, prompting protests demanding their release that ended in bloodshed.

    Security forces suppressed demonstrations and fired live ammunition to disperse sit-ins at several locations.

    Najib was dismissed after the crackdown as protests spread to other provinces.

    Judge Al-Aryan said Najib had denied the charges and shown “no remorse”.

    Al-Assad took power in Syria in 2000 in an unopposed election following the death of his father, Hafez Al-Assad, who was president from 1971.

    ALSO READ: Syria exports first crude oil batch in 14 years

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18331541/main.gif
    MEED Editorial