Sweden has launched the trial of a former Syrian army officer over his alleged role in war crimes committed in 2012 during the country’s civil war. The case against Brigadier General Mohammed Hamo, who resides in Sweden, opened on Monday. The trial is one of a very small number thus far against high-ranking Syrian government … Read moreSweden launches war crimes trial against former Syrian officer
Sweden has said it is resuming aid to the cash-strapped United Nations agency for Palestinians with an initial disbursement of $20m after receiving assurances of extra checks on its spending and personnel. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the main humanitarian agency in Gaza, faced an unprecedented … Read moreSweden resumes aid to UNRWA as Israel steps up Gaza attacks
The Swedish embassy in Iraq is temporarily moving operations to Stockholm, the country’s foreign ministry has said, a day after it was attacked in protest against a second event held to desecrate the Quran in Sweden. “The embassy’s operations and its expatriate staff have been temporarily relocated to Stockholm for security reasons,” the foreign ministry … Read moreSwedish embassy in Iraq relocates after attack over Quran burning
A man who was expected to burn the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli embassy has abandoned the plan and held a demonstration against desecrating holy books. Ahmad Alloush, 32, pulled a lighter from his string bag and threw it to the ground in Swedish capital on Saturday, saying he had never intended to … Read moreSweden protester abandons plan to burn Torah and Bible
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has urged Turkey not to veto Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance, ahead of a meeting this month to try to overcome objections delaying Stockholm’s membership. “Membership will make Sweden safer but also make NATO and Turkey stronger,” Secretary-General Stoltenberg told journalists in Istanbul on Sunday after meeting Turkish President … Read moreNATO chief urges Turkey not to veto Sweden joining alliance
US President Joe Biden has said he is confident that Sweden will join NATO “as soon as possible”, despite Turkey and Hungary continuing to block the northern European country’s accession to the alliance. Speaking at a United States Air Force Academy graduation ceremony on Thursday, Biden praised NATO’s unity amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. … Read moreSweden will join NATO soon, Joe Biden promises
NATO countries have kicked off Arctic military exercises with a pledge to defend their newest member, Finland, which is hosting its first joint training since becoming part of the Western alliance in April. Nearly 1,000 allied forces from Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States – as well as NATO applicant Sweden – joined … Read moreNATO launches Arctic exercises, pledges protection of Finland
The United States has urged Turkey to approve Sweden’s accession into NATO, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that “the time is now” for the northern European country to join the alliance. Speaking alongside Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday, the top US diplomat said Sweden has been qualified to join NATO “from … Read more‘Time is now’ for Sweden to join NATO, Blinken says
Turkey’s voters head to the polls on Sunday in an election that will not only determine the country’s domestic policies but could also influence Sweden’s NATO membership. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Finland and Sweden abandoned decades of military neutrality and applied a year ago to join the world’s largest military alliance in an effort to … Read moreWhat Turkey’s elections mean for Sweden’s NATO membership