KIRKUK, Iraq (AFP) – by Hassan al-Obeidi Iraqi forces launched an operation on Tuesday to retake a northern town from the Islamic State group in the latest move to prepare a broad offensive on jihadist bastion Mosul. Army and tribal forces pushed towards Sherqat, which IS fighters captured more than two years ago when they swept across Iraq’s Sunni Arab heartland. The town lies on the west bank of the Tigris river in Salaheddin province, 260 […]
Middle East
Bombs rain down as Syria declares truce over
ALEPPO, Syria (AFP) – by Karam al-Masri Shells and bombs rained down on rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Monday less than two hours after Syria’s army declared an end to a week-long ceasefire agreed between Russia and the US. Damascus and its ally Moscow blamed rebels for the failure of the truce, but Washington said the terms had not been met for a key aspect of the deal — US-Russia cooperation against jihadists. The US, Russia […]
New surge of violence sees two more Palestinian knife attacks
JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) – by Jonah Mandel Palestinians carried out two knife attacks against Israeli police Monday, leaving one assailant shot dead and three officers wounded as a new surge in violence raised concerns ahead of upcoming Jewish holidays. There have been seven such incidents since Friday, coming after Palestinians wrapped up Eid al-Adha celebrations and as Israel tightened security ahead of Jewish high holidays in October. The upsurge has shattered several weeks of relative calm. […]
Three attacks on Israelis shatter relative calm
JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) – by Joe Dyke Three alleged assailants were killed while carrying out attacks on Israelis on Friday, security forces said, shattering weeks of relative calm in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The attacks were a reminder of persistent tensions that continue to alarm the international community and came a day after UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned the two-state solution was “further than ever” from becoming reality. In the first incident, a man […]
Israeli PM thanks U.S president Obama for record ten-year military aid deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked on Wednesday (September 14) the United States president and Congress for what he called an “historic” defence aid package. In a televised statement from his office in Jerusalem Netanyahu said he is grateful to the Obama administration for supporting Israel’s security needs. Netanyahu recorded the message an hour before the aid deal was signed in Washington. “I would like to thank President Obama and his administration for this historic […]
Captured ports handed over to Libya oil company
TRIPOLI, Libya (AFP) – by Mohamad Ali Harissi Forces opposed to Libya’s unity government handed management of four vital oil ports to the National Oil Company on Wednesday after seizing them in a blow to fragile peace efforts. Prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj called for urgent talks after the ports were captured by forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar, who supports a rival administration in the country’s east. The offensive in the so-called oil crescent was […]
Libya unity govt loses third oil port to rivals
TRIPOLI, Libya (AFP) – by Mohamad Ali Harissi Libya’s UN-backed unity government lost control Monday of a third oil port seized by rival forces, raising fears of a major outbreak of fresh violence in the chaos-ridden country. The loss comes after fighters backing a rival administration in east Libya seized two other terminals from guards loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) on Sunday. All three Mediterranean ports are in Libya’s “oil crescent”, […]
Air strike kills top jihadist rebel commander in Syria
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) – by Rouba El Husseini The commander of Syria’s largest rebel coalition has been killed in an air strike near Aleppo, in what analysts say is the biggest blow to the alliance since its formation. The strike on a meeting of leaders of the Army of Conquest came after a major defeat for the rebels, which saw them once again besieged inside Aleppo after a pro-government advance this week. Former Al-Qaeda affiliate […]
Syrians begin returning home, two weeks into Turkish offensive
A group of 292 Syrians went back to the Syrian town of Jarablus from Turkey on Wednesday (September 7), marking the first formal return of civilians since Ankara launched a military incursion two weeks ago to try to secure the border region, a Turkish official said. Jarablus, which had been held by Islamic State, was the first town captured by Turkey’s army and its Syrian rebel allies in an offensive launched on Aug. 24 that […]
Deadly blasts rock Syria as US, Russia talks stall
DAMASCUS, Syria (AFP) – by Rim Haddad Bombings claimed by the Islamic State group killed dozens in mainly government-controlled areas of Syria on Monday, as Washington and Moscow failed to agree a deal to stem the violence. The blasts killed at least 48 people and wounded dozens a day after IS lost the last stretch of the Syria-Turkey border under its control. In China, where world powers were gathered for the G20 meeting, US President […]
Syria rebel gains as UN raps govt evacuation ‘strategy’
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) – by Rana Moussaoui Rebels and jihadists battled pro-government forces in the central Syrian province of Hama Thursday as the country’s UN envoy warned that more people could be forcibly evacuated from towns besieged by the regime. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said at least 25 civilians, including children, were killed in government air strikes as fighting raged in Hama, south of the opposition-held Idlib province. Anti-government groups, which […]
UN slams Syria ‘strategy’ of forced evacuation of besieged towns
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) – by Nina LARSON The UN Syria envoy on Thursday criticised Damascus’ “strategy” of forced evacuation from Daraya following a brutal four-year government siege, warning that other besieged towns could follow. Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva that there were “indications that after Daraya we may have other Darayas,” adding that “there is clearly a strategy at the moment to move from Daraya” to other besieged areas “in a similar pattern”. Long […]
