Evening Brief: US, Turkey Broker Truce as Syria Pulls Troops from Sweida; France Completes Military Withdrawal from Senegal

· Guy D. McCardle

Syrian security forces enter Sweida province, seizing heavy weapons during operations against outlaws earlier this week. (Image grab via X)

Tensions are flaring across global hotspots from Israel’s bold strike on Damascus to ICE’s sweeping access to Medicaid data back home. Tonight’s headlines bring sharp turns in US immigration policy, shifting alliances in the Middle East, and evolving military strategies from Ukraine to Taiwan. Here’s what you need to know.

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Trump Administration Grants ICE Access to Medicaid Data to Track Undocumented Immigrants

The Trump administration has authorized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to access the personal data of all 79 million Medicaid enrollees in an unprecedented move to locate and deport undocumented immigrants, according to a newly revealed agreement between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The agreement, signed Monday and obtained by The Associated Press, allows ICE to view names, home addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and racial and ethnic data of enrollees.

The stated purpose is to identify “the location of aliens,” a shift from prior enforcement that limited data sharing to investigations of Medicaid fraud or abuse.

ICE will have access during business hours through September 9.

DHS officials claim the effort targets non-citizens improperly enrolled in Medicaid. Critics argue it is a broad overreach that will deter families from seeking critical healthcare, even in emergencies.

Under federal law, undocumented immigrants are only eligible for emergency Medicaid, a temporary coverage for lifesaving treatment.

CMS officials internally questioned the legality of the agreement, especially amid ongoing litigation from 20 states. These states, mostly led by Democratic governors, sued after Trump officials demanded enrollee data from programs offering full Medicaid benefits to non-citizens without billing the federal government.

Lawmakers, including Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) condemned the move as a violation of privacy laws that could have a chilling effect on access to healthcare.

Civil liberties groups and former CMS advisers also blasted the decision, warning it undermines public trust and weaponizes a health safety net for immigration enforcement.

While DHS insists the measure is about cost control, the agreement clearly states ICE will use the data to identify individuals for deportation. It marks the latest escalation in the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, which seeks to arrest 3,000 people daily.

 

US, Turkey Broker Truce as Syria Pulls Troops from Sweida

Syrian government forces withdrew from the southern province of Sweida on Thursday after four days of heavy fighting with Druze militias.

The clashes left at least 516 dead, including 86 Druze civilians reportedly executed by regime forces and three Bedouin civilians killed in retaliatory attacks by Druze fighters, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The violence was sparked by tit-for-tat kidnappings between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin tribes, escalated by Syrian government intervention. Videos circulating online showed regime forces looting homes and abusing Druze civilians.

The conflict threatened Syria’s fragile post-war stability and drew in outside powers.

Israel launched airstrikes on the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday and vowed to protect the Druze community, which also resides in Israel and serves in its military. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated the country’s commitment to keeping southern Syria demilitarized.

The US, Turkey, and Arab nations brokered a new truce on Wednesday, placing internal security in Sweida under Druze factions and clerics. Syrian convoys began withdrawing overnight as part of the agreement.

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa acknowledged the Druze as an “integral part” of Syria and promised accountability for abuses.

Despite the ceasefire, Syrian state media reported renewed revenge attacks by Druze fighters against Bedouin communities, triggering displacement and sporadic violence.

Turkey confirmed high-level diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis, involving its foreign minister, intelligence chief, and regional leaders, including Lebanese Druze figure Walid Jumblatt.

Meanwhile, dozens of Druze residents from Israeli-controlled Golan Heights reportedly crossed into Syria to assist or visit relatives, prompting Israeli forces to fortify the border and return individuals from both sides.

The latest flare-up underscores growing sectarian tensions and the risk of further fragmentation if Syria’s interim government fails to integrate marginalized communities into state institutions, analysts warn. The situation remains volatile despite the brokered ceasefire.

 

Israeli Shell Hits Gaza’s Only Catholic Church, Killing Three and Reigniting Calls for Ceasefire

An Israeli shell struck the Holy Family Catholic Church compound in Gaza on Thursday, killing three people and wounding ten others, including the parish priest.

The site had been sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians, both Christians and Muslims, amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Israel acknowledged the strike, calling it accidental, and said it was investigating.

Among the dead were an 84-year-old woman and the parish janitor, according to Caritas Jerusalem. The church, which also housed disabled children, suffered significant damage. The late Pope Francis had frequently communicated with the church during his final months, and his successor, Pope Leo XIV, condemned the attack and renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret in a statement to President Donald Trump, who reportedly voiced frustration over the strike.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also condemned Israel’s repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure.

The Israeli military claimed the shell was a result of operational activity nearby and said it targets only militant infrastructure. However, the attack on the church joins a long list of incidents involving strikes on schools, hospitals, and shelters during the 21-month conflict.

On the same day, another Israeli strike killed one and wounded 17 at two schools sheltering refugees in Al-Bureij.

The Holy Family Church is one of several Christian sites struck during the war, with local Christian leaders calling the targeting of religious sanctuaries a violation of human dignity and international norms.

As indirect ceasefire negotiations continue, Israeli officials have shown slight flexibility on military corridor arrangements in southern Gaza, but major disagreements remain over prisoner exchanges and a formal end to hostilities.

Since Hamas’ October 7 attack that killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages, Israel’s offensive has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The majority of victims are reported to be women and children, though the figures do not distinguish between civilians and militants. The humanitarian toll continues to escalate with little progress toward a lasting ceasefire.

 

Ukraine to Ramp Up Domestic Arms Production as US Diverts Patriot Missiles to Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that his newly approved government will boost domestic weapons production to meet 50% of Ukraine’s military needs within six months.

The move comes amid mounting uncertainty over foreign arms shipments and a renewed Russian summer offensive marked by heavy drone and missile barrages.

Currently, Ukraine produces about 40% of its own weaponry, including long-range drones used to strike inside Russia. Zelenskyy said expanding domestic defense manufacturing is essential to push the war back into Russian territory.

Meanwhile, Switzerland confirmed the US will delay the delivery of its ordered Patriot air defense systems as Washington diverts them to support Ukraine. It remains unclear whether the Swiss systems will be sent directly to Ukraine or backfill European nations supplying their own systems to Kyiv.

The five Patriot units, originally scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2028, are now indefinitely delayed.

Despite a lack of clear delivery timelines, US and NATO officials say preparations are underway.

NATO’s top commander, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, confirmed that American-made weapons—including Patriots—are being transferred with urgency. The weapons are funded by European allies under a plan backed by President Donald Trump.

European nations including Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Nordic countries have pledged support.

The NATO-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group will meet Monday, chaired by British and German defense ministers, to coordinate further weapons support. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte are expected to attend.

On the battlefield, Russia claimed to have shot down 122 Ukrainian drones overnight, grounding flights in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, a Russian drone strike on Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region killed at least one person.

In a separate development, Russia and Ukraine exchanged the bodies of fallen soldiers—1,000 from Ukraine and 19 from Russia—as part of a limited deal reached in earlier direct peace talks.

The push for more Ukrainian-made arms reflects growing pressure to reduce reliance on Western deliveries and to accelerate efforts to counter Russia’s intensified aerial campaign and territorial ambitions.

 

French Court Orders Release of Lebanese Militant Convicted in 1982 Paris Assassinations

A French court on Thursday approved the conditional release of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, a Lebanese pro-Palestinian communist militant convicted in the 1982 assassinations of US Army Lt. Col. Charles Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov in Paris.

Abdallah, imprisoned since 1984, will be released next Friday provided he immediately leaves France and never returns.

The Paris Court of Appeal’s decision ends Abdallah’s more than 40-year imprisonment, one of the longest in Europe for a political offense. His attorney, Jean-Louis Chalanset, confirmed Abdallah plans to return to Lebanon and remains committed to his communist and pro-Palestinian ideology.

Abdallah was sentenced to life in 1987 for his role in aiding the murders.

Ray, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and father of two, was killed outside his Paris home with a single gunshot to the head. His widow, Sharon Ray, testified during the trial, condemning the brutality of the execution.

US authorities had lobbied against Abdallah’s release. Chalanset described the court ruling as a political victory over American opposition, noting that Abdallah never renounced his beliefs during his four decades in prison.

 

France Completes Military Withdrawal from Senegal, Ending Permanent Presence in West Africa

The French military formally ended its permanent presence in West Africa on Thursday by handing over Camp Geille and a nearby air facility in Dakar to the Senegalese government.

The withdrawal of roughly 350 troops completes a three-month drawdown, ending a continuous French military presence in Senegal since the country’s independence in 1960.

French Gen. Pascal Ianni said the move marks a shift in France’s military posture toward a partnership-based approach, ending permanent bases in West and Central Africa. Senegalese military chief Gen. Mbaye Cissé said the move aligns with Senegal’s new defense strategy focused on autonomy and regional peacekeeping.

The withdrawal follows President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s demand last year for all foreign troops to leave, citing national sovereignty.

The decision reflects a broader regional backlash against France’s perceived neocolonial influence, with similar expulsions previously occurring in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and the Ivory Coast—where local governments have increasingly turned to Russia for security assistance.

France will retain troops only in Djibouti, its last permanent base in Africa. Some French military personnel will continue providing training and advisory support in Gabon and Ivory Coast under new bilateral agreements.

 

Taiwan Holds Nationwide Air Raid and Military Drills

Taiwan conducted a large-scale civilian and military readiness drill across its capital Thursday, simulating a Chinese air raid as part of its annual Han Kuang defense exercises.

Air raid sirens halted Taipei’s traffic and forced residents into underground shelters, while military units practiced urban warfare and emergency response scenarios.

The half-hour drill, held at 1:30 p.m. local time, cleared streets and directed civilians into subway stations, basements, and office buildings. Police enforced compliance, and wartime simulations included mass-casualty response and emergency food distribution.

President Lai Ching-te emphasized the need for preparedness, citing ongoing threats from Beijing.

“We have no choice but to stay fully prepared,” he said.

The exercises are Taiwan’s largest in years, involving regular forces and the largest mobilization of reservists to date. Troops practiced urban defense tactics, such as defending Taipei’s metro with US-provided Stinger missiles and deploying mobile launchers in public areas to acclimate civilians to wartime realities.

Simulated scenarios included missile strikes, grey zone tactics, and long-range precision attacks. Some exercises triggered genuine concern among citizens unaware of the drill, underscoring the tension and realism of the operations.

Defense experts noted logistical challenges for armored units navigating Taiwan’s dense infrastructure, highlighting vulnerabilities in both offensive and defensive operations.

The drills aim to signal both domestic resolve and international readiness, particularly to Taiwan’s key ally, the United States, as China’s military pressure continues to intensify.

 

Sources: News Agencies