Related Articles

• 
  Contractors prepare prices for Al-Ghubar field facilities project

  13 August 2026

  

   

  Contractors are preparing commercial bids for a key Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) project to build a new facility to handle additional oil production from the Al-Ghubar field in the Ghaba Salt Basin at Qarn Alam, within its Block 6 concession area.

  The Al-Ghubar gas-oil gravity drainage (GOGD) facility will be designed as a sour (hydrogen sulphide) facility and is expected to handle maximum oil production of 1,800 standard cubic metres a day (cm/d), a maximum total water flow rate of 10,421 standard cm/d, and maximum gas lift of 256,934 standard cm/d. Production from the planned Al-Ghubar GOGD facility will be exported to PDO’s main oil line.

  Majority state-owned PDO floated the tender for the Al-Ghubar GOGD facility project in March, setting an initial bid submission deadline of 4 May, MEED previously reported.

  PDO later extended the deadlines for submission of technical and commercial bids to 26 July and 7 August, respectively. Contractors submitted technical proposals by the revised deadline, according to sources.

  Following receipt of the technical bids, PDO has granted contractors additional time – until 16 August – to submit commercial bids for the project, sources told MEED.

  The following contractors, among others, are understood to be bidding for the project:

  • Archirodon (Greece)
  • Engineering for the Petroleum & Process Industries (Egypt) / Petrojet (Egypt)
  • Jereh (China)
  • Kent (UAE)
  • Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (India)

  The scope of work on the Al-Ghubar GOGD facility project covers the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the following:

  • On-plot scope consists of:
    • Production separator  
    • Test separator  
    • Concentric wash tank
    • Wet oil pump
    • Water bath heater
    • Surge tank
    • Gas injection/gas lift compressor (centrifugal)
    • Utilities (Instrument Air compressors, chemical injection skids, drain system, vent system) 
    • Suction scrubber
    • Air coolers
    • Discharge scrubbers
    • Condensate flash drum
    • Atmospheric pressure knock-out drum 
    • Flare system
    • Gas heater
    • Water disposal pump
    • Oil shipping pump
    • New 132kV substation and plant substation (housing 6.6kV & 415-Volt switchboard)
    • New control room
       
  • Off-plot scope consists of:
    • Off-plot pipeline network (bulk header, test header, gathering infrastructure/ gathering line header, instrument air header, water disposal header)
    • Two remote manifold stations 
    • Tie-in connection to main oil line
    • Tie-in to gas network pipeline

  PDO previously intended to tender the Al-Ghubar GOGD project under its framework structure with selected EPC contractors, but eventually tendered it separately.

  PDO is the operator of the Block 6 hydrocarbons concession in Oman, which is the sultanate’s largest and most prolific concession. Situated onshore and covering an area of 75,119 square kilometres, Block 6 contains 202 oil fields and 43 gas fields, with PDO producing a total of approximately 680,000 barrels a day (b/d) of oil and condensates from those fields.

  The Omani government holds a 60% stake in PDO through Energy Development Oman (EDO). The other shareholders are UK-based Shell (34%), France’s TotalEnergies (4%) and Thailand’s state-owned PTTEP (2%).

  ALSO READ: PDO floats tender for major flare gas monetisation scheme

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18403226/main1151.jpg

  Indrajit Sen
• 
  Adnoc Gas receives contractor prices for Ewec sales pipeline

  13 August 2026

  

   

  Contractors have submitted bids to Adnoc Gas for a new pipeline that it plans to build to supply gas from the Habshan scraper launcher station at its Habshan gas compression complex to the Al-Nouf customer receiving station (CRS), for delivery to Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec).

  The proposed 56-inch pipeline, stretching 127 kilometres, will help the UAE’s state utility, Ewec, meet additional gas demand to power the second phase of an artificial intelligence (AI) data centre in Abu Dhabi, as well as to support the relocation of some of its key assets in the Mirfa area of the emirate.

  Adnoc Gas, the natural gas processing business of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc Group), issued the tender in mid-April for the project, officially titled ‘Ewec Mirfa relocation + AI data centre phase 2: Habshan to Al-Nouf pipeline’.

  Contractors submitted technical bids for the project in late May, while commercial bids were submitted on 3 August, sources told MEED.

  According to sources, the following contractors, among others, are understood to have submitted bids:

  • Arkad Engineering & Construction (Saudi Arabia; part of Italy’s Arkad SpA)
  • China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering (China)
  • Galfar Emirates (UAE branch of Oman’s Galfar Engineering & Construction)
  • Kalpataru Projects International (India)

  China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering has performed front-end engineering and design (feed) work on the project.

  The planned pipeline will provide two sales-gas streams to Ewec: 600-660 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) for AI data centre phase 2, and 650-715 million cf/d for the Mirfa relocation project.

  The core elements of the project involve engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the main Habshan-to-Al-Nouf pipeline and the following associated units:

  • 56-inch scraper (pig) launcher (607-V-604) and associated hot tap
  • Four block valve stations (BVSs -637-BVS-01/02/03/04)
  • 56-inch scraper (pig) receiver (848-V-101)
  • CRS at Al-Nouf including sales gas filters, pressure regulating stations (PRS), custody transfer metering systems (CTMS)
  • 30-inch tapping to Ewec plants (cold tie-ins)
  • 52-inch tie-ins between Adnoc Gas’ Maximise Ethane Recovery & Monetisation (Meram) project and package 3 of its broader project to upgrade its sales gas pipeline network across the UAE, also known as Estidama.

  Adnoc Gas business

  Adnoc Group announced the creation of Adnoc Gas through the merger of its subsidiaries Adnoc Gas Processing and Adnoc LNG in November 2022. Adnoc Gas began operating as a commercial entity on 1 January 2023.

  The consolidation of Adnoc’s gas processing and liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations into Adnoc Gas has created one of the world’s largest gas-processing entities, with a processing capacity of about 10 billion standard cubic feet of gas a day at eight onshore and offshore sites, which include its Asab, Bab, Bu Hasa, Habshan and Ruwais plants.

  The company also owns a 3,250km gas pipeline network to supply feedstock to its customers in the UAE. This sales gas pipeline network is being expanded to over 3,500km through the estimated $3bn Estidama project.

  At present, the network delivers sales gas to Adnoc Group companies, Ewec, Dolphin Energy, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), and other industrial consumers in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates.

  The main critical facilities and/or manifolds of the Adnoc Gas sales-gas pipeline network are as follows:

  • Habshan gas compressor plant
  • Thammama-C manifold
  • Maqta manifold
  • KM-42 station
  • Taweelah gas compressor plant

  Additionally, Adnoc Gas will also acquire its parent Adnoc Group’s 60% share in the Ruwais LNG terminal project at cost in the second half of 2028. UK energy producer BP, Japan’s Mitsui & Co, UK-based Shell and French energy producer TotalEnergies are the other shareholders in the project, holding 10% stakes each.

  Adnoc Gas recently announced it is executing a capital expenditure (capex) budget of $28bn for 2026 to 2030, reaffirming the spending plan it previously committed to for the period.

  As part of that capex plan, Adnoc Gas said it achieved final investment decision (FID) on the second and third phases of its Rich Gas Development (RGD) programme earlier this year.

  The company awarded $8.2bn of EPC contracts for the second and third phases of the RGD programme. These relate to the construction of a new gas processing train at the Habshan complex and a natural gas liquids (NGL) fractionation train at the Ruwais gas processing facility, respectively.

  Adnoc Gas detailed its capex plan as part of a media roundtable to discuss its financial results for the second quarter of the year (Q2 2026).

  The company achieved net income of $665m in Q2 2026 – above the upper end of the $400m-$600m guidance range provided in the first quarter.

  Supported by its cash flow from operations, the company’s board has approved a quarterly dividend of $940m, payable in September, in line with its commitment to deliver annual dividend growth of 5% through 2030.

  The detailed scope of work on the Ewec Mirfa relocation + AI data centre phase 2: Habshan to Al-Nouf pipeline project covers the following:

  • 56-inch sales gas pipeline from Habshan to Ewec Al-Nouf plant:
    • The new 56-inch sales gas pipeline from Habshan to Al-Nouf CRS, covering 127km, will supply sales gas to Ewec plant. Majority of the pipeline route is through the Sabkha area (approximately 100km) and will be routing parallel to existing pipeline facilities. FOCs shall be laid on both sides of the pipeline. Approximately 30 NDRCs (mostly micro tunneling) are envisaged for this pipeline.
    • The 56-inch pipeline is envisaged with four block valve stations 647-BVS-01-04 based on the pipeline location class study.
    • The pipeline shall be provided with scrapper launcher at Habshan (located in Estidama package 3 scrapper launcher plot) along with 48-inch hot tap tie-in at the gas source point (on existing 56-inch supply line manifold) and scraper receiver at Al-Nouf CRS for pipeline cleaning and inspection.
    • Habshan outlet battery limit, available battery limit pressure is 39 – 41.5 barg.
    • At Al-Nouf CRS the tie-in pressure requirement is minimum 25 barg downstream of the CRS facilities at the tie-in point to Al-Nouf plant.
    • Maximum pressure during line pack condition is 41.5 barg.
       
  • Facilities at Al-Nouf CRS:
    • 56” Scraper Receiver with Scrapper Handling Trolley and Jib crane. Both CRSs shall be identical in design and size.
    • The battery limit pressure at tie-in connection to Al-Nouf is 25 barg.
    • Electrical and Instrumentation (E&I) building and fire point shelter.
    • Permanent power supply to CRS from Ewec or Taqa and associated facilities.
       
  • AI data centre phase 2 project – CRS 1:
    • Sales gas filters (duty + standby configuration)
    • Custody transfer metering skid (duty + standby configuration)
    • Pressure regulating skid (duty + standby configuration)
    • Gas chromatograph, hydrocarbon dew point analyser inside AC shelter
    • Flow limiting control valves with bypass control valves
    • 30-inch cold tie-in to AI data centre phase 2.
       
  • Mirfa relocation – CRS 2:
    • Sales gas filters (duty + standby configuration)
    • Custody transfer metering skid (duty + standby configuration)
    • Pressure regulating skid (duty + standby configuration)
    • Gas chromatograph, hydrocarbon dew point analyser inside AC shelter
    • Flow limiting control valves with bypass control valves
    • 30-inch cold tie-in to Mirfa relocation power plant.
       
  • 52-inch jump over between Meram and Estidama package 3:
    • A 52-inch interconnection including ROV and associated facilities shall be provided between Meram 56” sales gas pipeline tie-in and Estidama package-3 56-inch pipeline tie-in. 52-inch piping to be installed on the existing / new pipe rack to cross the existing pipeline corridor. Cold tap Tie-ins on both existing pipeline is envisaged to install this jump-over connection.
    • The existing Meram plot or Estidama package 3 plot at 8.2km shall be extended to install the new ROV and associated facilities.
    • The new 52-inch ROV and associated facilities shall be connected to the Meram area existing systems and suitable modification and integration with SMC/telecommunication systems shall be performed by the EPC contractor.
    • Necessary adequacy checks shall be performed on the piping structures, supports, plots, systems, as applicable.
       
  • Electrical and instrumentation buildings:
    • E&I building type 1 at Al-Nouf CRS.
    • Block valve station (BVS) shall be provided with hybrid cooling shelter for equipment installation in case solar power system is to be adopted. If power source available nearby, electrical and instrumentation building (type 2) is to be provided.

  The duration of EPC works on the project is 31 months from the award of contract.

  ALSO READ: Adnoc Gas to move prudently on Bab gas cap project

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18400012/main3645.jpg

  Indrajit Sen
• 
  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:

  > AGENDA: Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace > WORLD CUP: What the 2026 World Cup means for Saudi Arabia 2034 > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge > INDUSTRY REPORT: GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil > LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection > PORTS: Geopolitical risk shapes $513bn of global ports projects > INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar

  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:

  • Client seeks fresh PMC bids for Dorra gas project

  • Local firm wins site preparation works for Kuwait gas plant

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18365989/main3026.jpg

  Indrajit Sen
• 
  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