Three terrorists, one Army jawan and eight civilians were killed in an encounter in Kharpora Sirnoo village of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.&nbsp;

The incident took place at Sirnoo village in the morning when the security forces laid siege to a locality based on intelligence reports about the presence of three terrorists, including an Army deserter - Zahoor Ahmad Thoker, in the area, police officials said.

Thoker had gone missing from an Army unit in the Gantmulla area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district in July last year.

He had decamped with his service rifle and three magazines and had joined the terrorist&nbsp;ranks.

The security forces said Thoker was involved in several killings in J&amp;K.

The identities of two other terrorists were being ascertained.

The officials said an army jawan lost his life in the gunfight, while two other soldiers were critical.

Authorities have imposed curfew in Pulwama town and have deployed high security to maintain law and order in the wake of the civilian deaths.

Mobile internet services were suspended in the district while rail services between the Kashmir Valley and Bannihal town in the Jammu region were cancelled. 
 
(With inputs from PTI)

Three terrorists, one Army jawan and eight civilians were killed in an encounter in Kharpora Sirnoo village of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Three terrorists, one Army jawan and eight civilians were killed in an encounter in Kharpora Sirnoo village of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. The incident took place at Sirnoo village in the morning when the security forces laid siege to a locality based on intelligence reports about the presence of three terrorists, including an Army deserter - Zahoor Ahmad Thoker, in the area, police officials said. Thoker had gone missing from an Army unit in the Gantmulla area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district in July last year. He had decamped with his service rifle and three magazines and had joined the terrorist ranks. The security forces said Thoker was involved in several killings in J&K. The identities of two other terrorists were being ascertained. The officials said an army jawan lost his life in the gunfight, while two other soldiers were critical. Authorities have imposed curfew in Pulwama town and have deployed high security to maintain law and order in the wake of the civilian deaths. Mobile internet services were suspended in the district while rail services between the Kashmir Valley and Bannihal town in the Jammu region were cancelled. (With inputs from PTI)

Pulwama encounter: 8 civilians, 3 terrorists and one soldier among 12 dead

Eight people including four paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and an equal number of civilians were injured on Saturday in four grenade attacks carried out by the militants.

Peace in summer capital Srinagar was torn by these explosions as the militant outfit, Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) owned responsibility for these attacks.

In the first attack, militants lobbed a grenade towards a security forces patrol party in Fatehkadal area of Srinagar, they said.

Three CRPF personnel and a woman were injured in the explosion, they said.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, where their condition is stated to be stable.

In the second attack, militants targeted a CRPF vehicle in Budshah Chowk area near the city centre here, injuring a jawan and a civilian, the police said.

The third grenade attack took place in Magarmal Bagh area of the city, they said.

The fourth grenade attack has taken place in Mominabad-Batamaloo area.&nbsp;

However, there was no damage due to the explosion there.

There have been at least six grenade attacks in Kashmir valley, including one at the residence of ruling PDP MLA Mushtaq Shah, since yesterday.

(With inputs from Agencies)

The fourth grenade attack has taken place within a span of around four hours in Srinagar, the latest one being in Mominabad-Batamaloo area.

Eight people including four paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and an equal number of civilians were injured on Saturday in four grenade attacks carried out by the militants. Peace in summer capital Srinagar was torn by these explosions as the militant outfit, Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) owned responsibility for these attacks. In the first attack, militants lobbed a grenade towards a security forces patrol party in Fatehkadal area of Srinagar, they said. Three CRPF personnel and a woman were injured in the explosion, they said. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, where their condition is stated to be stable. In the second attack, militants targeted a CRPF vehicle in Budshah Chowk area near the city centre here, injuring a jawan and a civilian, the police said. The third grenade attack took place in Magarmal Bagh area of the city, they said. The fourth grenade attack has taken place in Mominabad-Batamaloo area. However, there was no damage due to the explosion there. There have been at least six grenade attacks in Kashmir valley, including one at the residence of ruling PDP MLA Mushtaq Shah, since yesterday. (With inputs from Agencies)

Four CRPF soldiers, 4 civilians injured in grenade attacks in Srinagar

Syria's war rages unabated despite a fall in the number of besieged civilians, a senior UN&nbspofficial said on Thursday, warning of a potential worsening of the conflict in the rebel-controlled governorate of Idlib.

UN&nbsphumanitarian adviser Jan Egeland said millions of civilians were still caught up in the seven-year-old conflict and many who escaped battle zones had to seek shelter in overcrowded camps for the displaced in Idlib in the northwest.

Insurgent officials say they fear an offensive against Idlib by Syria's military and its allies Russia and Iran, something humanitarian agencies say could produce civilian suffering on a greater scale than during the siege of Aleppo last year.

"We cannot have a war in Idlib. I keep saying that now to Russia, to Iran, to Turkey, to the United States, to anyone that can have an influence," Egeland told reporters.

He called for negotiations to protect the civilians, and said recent air raids in Idlib were a bad omen.

The war has been going President Bashar al-Assad's way since Russia intervened on his side in 2015. From holding less than a fifth of Syria in 2015, Assad has recovered to control the largest chunk of the country with Russian and Iranian help.

The Idlib region remains the largest populated area of Syria in the hands of insurgents fighting the Damascus government. Syrians have poured into Idlib at an accelerating rate over the last two years from areas recaptured by the army.

Egeland said about 11,000 Syrians are still under siege and two million are hard to reach with humanitarian aid, compared to 625,000 under siege and 4.6 million who were hard to reach a year ago.

"Full to the brim"

"The notion that it is ebbing, this war, is completely wrong. This war is on and it's still in the midst of the civilian population," Egeland told reporters.

Egeland added there were reports of deals to evacuate people from some of the remaining sieges including from the former Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk south of Damascus.

Those evacuees were likely to go to Idlib, Egeland said, under what he said were deals done without UN&nbspor other humanitarian involvement. Under such agreements between rebels and the government, insurgents facing military defeat are permitted to withdraw to opposition-held areas.

It would have been better to protect them where they were, since Idlib was already "full to the brim" with displaced civilians living in the open and in congested camps, or crammed into collective centres, he said.

"They arrive at 2 a.m. every night now, just to find they can hardly get a bed," he said.

Not all siege survivors go to Idlib. In eastern Ghouta, 40,000 were still in camps, with reports that men aged 16-65 were barred from leaving, Egeland said, adding UN&nbspaid access was severely restricted.

A rare positive development was a system of "deconfliction" - providing the warring parties with information about the locations of hospitals and other humanitarian sites. This year 500 sites had been added to 160 already in the system.

But there had been four air raids on deconflicted sites this year. Russia had given the UN&nbspreports on air strikes on two hospitals in March, Egeland said, adding that he also wanted reports on strikes on hospitals in northern Homs last week.

"If there is no accountability, the system doesn’t work. I’m refusing to give up," he said.

Insurgent officials say they fear an offensive against Idlib by Syria's military and its allies Russia and Iran

Syria's war rages unabated despite a fall in the number of besieged civilians, a senior UN&nbspofficial said on Thursday, warning of a potential worsening of the conflict in the rebel-controlled governorate of Idlib. UN&nbsphumanitarian adviser Jan Egeland said millions of civilians were still caught up in the seven-year-old conflict and many who escaped battle zones had to seek shelter in overcrowded camps for the displaced in Idlib in the northwest. Insurgent officials say they fear an offensive against Idlib by Syria's military and its allies Russia and Iran, something humanitarian agencies say could produce civilian suffering on a greater scale than during the siege of Aleppo last year. "We cannot have a war in Idlib. I keep saying that now to Russia, to Iran, to Turkey, to the United States, to anyone that can have an influence," Egeland told reporters. He called for negotiations to protect the civilians, and said recent air raids in Idlib were a bad omen. The war has been going President Bashar al-Assad's way since Russia intervened on his side in 2015. From holding less than a fifth of Syria in 2015, Assad has recovered to control the largest chunk of the country with Russian and Iranian help. The Idlib region remains the largest populated area of Syria in the hands of insurgents fighting the Damascus government. Syrians have poured into Idlib at an accelerating rate over the last two years from areas recaptured by the army. Egeland said about 11,000 Syrians are still under siege and two million are hard to reach with humanitarian aid, compared to 625,000 under siege and 4.6 million who were hard to reach a year ago. "Full to the brim" "The notion that it is ebbing, this war, is completely wrong. This war is on and it's still in the midst of the civilian population," Egeland told reporters. Egeland added there were reports of deals to evacuate people from some of the remaining sieges including from the former Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk south of Damascus. Those evacuees were likely to go to Idlib, Egeland said, under what he said were deals done without UN&nbspor other humanitarian involvement. Under such agreements between rebels and the government, insurgents facing military defeat are permitted to withdraw to opposition-held areas. It would have been better to protect them where they were, since Idlib was already "full to the brim" with displaced civilians living in the open and in congested camps, or crammed into collective centres, he said. "They arrive at 2 a.m. every night now, just to find they can hardly get a bed," he said. Not all siege survivors go to Idlib. In eastern Ghouta, 40,000 were still in camps, with reports that men aged 16-65 were barred from leaving, Egeland said, adding UN&nbspaid access was severely restricted. A rare positive development was a system of "deconfliction" - providing the warring parties with information about the locations of hospitals and other humanitarian sites. This year 500 sites had been added to 160 already in the system. But there had been four air raids on deconflicted sites this year. Russia had given the UN&nbspreports on air strikes on two hospitals in March, Egeland said, adding that he also wanted reports on strikes on hospitals in northern Homs last week. "If there is no accountability, the system doesn’t work. I’m refusing to give up," he said.

Syria's war grinds on, no respite for civilians, UN says

Thousands of civilians could be seen leaving Syria&#39;s Eastern Ghouta at the Hammouriyah crossing point on Saturday (March 17) in footage broadcast by Syrian state television.

Air strikes killed scores of people in eastern Ghouta, a war monitor said, and weary residents streamed out on foot for a second day, as Russian-backed government forces pressed their campaign to capture the last big rebel bastion near Damascus.

On another front, Turkish and allied rebel forces struck the northern Kurdish-held town of Afrin, killing more than 40 people including children,&nbsp;Syrian Kurdish forces and a monitor said.

Young children were carried on suitcases and bicycles, while the elderly were offered assistance along the dusty road.

More than 7,000 people left Syria&#39;s Eastern Ghouta on Saturday morning, the TASS news agency reported, citing the Centre for Reconciliation in Syria, a body run by Russia&#39;s defence ministry.&nbsp;

The UK-based war monitoring group said a new wave of 10,000 people had left the besieged insurgent pocket to army positions in Ghouta, where the government has waged a fierce month-long offensive.

Backed by Russia and Iran, government forces have thrust deep into eastern Ghouta on the capital&#39;s outskirts, splintering the rebel enclave into three separate zones. The United Nations believes up to 400,000 people have been trapped in the Ghouta satellite towns and farmland, short of food and medicine.

The&nbsp;Syrian war entered its eighth year this week having killed half a million people and driven more than 11 million from their homes, including nearly 6 million who have fled abroad in one of the worst refugee crises of modern times.

The government launched its offensive on eastern Ghouta a month ago, and Turkey began its cross-border assault in Afrin in January. In both cases, hundreds of thousands of civilians have been trapped inside encircled pockets on the battlefield.

An estimated 12,000-16,000 people left Ghouta in recent days, while fighting in the Afrin region has reportedly displaced more than 48,000, said Linda Tom, a U.N. humanitarian spokeswoman in&nbsp;Syria.

Young children were carried on suitcases and bicycles, while the elderly were offered assistance along the dusty road

Thousands of civilians could be seen leaving Syria's Eastern Ghouta at the Hammouriyah crossing point on Saturday (March 17) in footage broadcast by Syrian state television. Air strikes killed scores of people in eastern Ghouta, a war monitor said, and weary residents streamed out on foot for a second day, as Russian-backed government forces pressed their campaign to capture the last big rebel bastion near Damascus. On another front, Turkish and allied rebel forces struck the northern Kurdish-held town of Afrin, killing more than 40 people including children, Syrian Kurdish forces and a monitor said. Young children were carried on suitcases and bicycles, while the elderly were offered assistance along the dusty road. More than 7,000 people left Syria's Eastern Ghouta on Saturday morning, the TASS news agency reported, citing the Centre for Reconciliation in Syria, a body run by Russia's defence ministry. The UK-based war monitoring group said a new wave of 10,000 people had left the besieged insurgent pocket to army positions in Ghouta, where the government has waged a fierce month-long offensive. Backed by Russia and Iran, government forces have thrust deep into eastern Ghouta on the capital's outskirts, splintering the rebel enclave into three separate zones. The United Nations believes up to 400,000 people have been trapped in the Ghouta satellite towns and farmland, short of food and medicine. The Syrian war entered its eighth year this week having killed half a million people and driven more than 11 million from their homes, including nearly 6 million who have fled abroad in one of the worst refugee crises of modern times. The government launched its offensive on eastern Ghouta a month ago, and Turkey began its cross-border assault in Afrin in January. In both cases, hundreds of thousands of civilians have been trapped inside encircled pockets on the battlefield. An estimated 12,000-16,000 people left Ghouta in recent days, while fighting in the Afrin region has reportedly displaced more than 48,000, said Linda Tom, a U.N. humanitarian spokeswoman in Syria.

Civilians stream out of Ghouta as crisis intensifies

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said on Monday about 511,000 people had been killed in the Syrian war since it began seven years ago.

The Observatory, which tracks death tolls using a network of contacts inside Syria, said it had identified more than 350,000 of those killed, and the remainder were cases where it knew deaths had occurred but did not know the victims&#39; names.

The conflict began after mass protests on March 15 2011, dragging in regional and global powers and forcing millions of people - more than half the pre-war population - to flee their homes.

About 85 percent of the dead were civilians killed by the forces of the Syrian government and its allies, the Observatory said. The Syrian military, joined by its ally Russia since 2015, has used air power extensively.

As the war approaches its eighth year, intense fighting continues in several areas, including eastern Ghouta near the capital Damascus and Afrin near the Turkish border.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said on Monday that about 511,000 people had been killed in the Syrian war

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said on Monday about 511,000 people had been killed in the Syrian war since it began seven years ago. The Observatory, which tracks death tolls using a network of contacts inside Syria, said it had identified more than 350,000 of those killed, and the remainder were cases where it knew deaths had occurred but did not know the victims' names. The conflict began after mass protests on March 15 2011, dragging in regional and global powers and forcing millions of people - more than half the pre-war population - to flee their homes. About 85 percent of the dead were civilians killed by the forces of the Syrian government and its allies, the Observatory said. The Syrian military, joined by its ally Russia since 2015, has used air power extensively. As the war approaches its eighth year, intense fighting continues in several areas, including eastern Ghouta near the capital Damascus and Afrin near the Turkish border.

Syria war has killed more than 500,000 people in 7 years: Monitor

Syria and Russian airstrikes in rebel-held areas have killed 230 civilians in the past week in some of the conflict&#39;s worst violence that may also constitute war crimes, the top United Nations human rights official said on Saturday.

Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein, UN&nbsp;High Commissioner for Human Rights, said his office had received reports including video footage of possible use of &quot;toxic agents&quot; on February&nbsp;4 in the rebel-held town of Saraqeb, Idlib province.

&quot;After seven years of paralysis in the (UN) Security Council, the situation in Syria is crying out to be referred to the International Criminal Court, as well as for a much more concerted effort by States to bring peace,&quot; Zeid said in a statement.

On Sunday, reports said that&nbsp;newborn babies had to be evacuated from a burning hospital and a small child had to be pulled from the rubble of a destroyed building after Russian jets launched a heavy airstrike bombardment on rebel-held areas in Syria&nbsp;resulting in one of the main hospitals, with newborn babies, being struck. The bombed hospital is located in Maarat al Numan

The UN&rsquo;s said it was&nbsp;&ldquo;extremely&rdquo; troubled by the recent uptick in violence in Idlib province and rebel-held areas in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus, where since the beginning of the year.&nbsp;

Aso read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-security-council-considers-demand-for-30-day-syria-ceasefire-32385">&nbsp;UN Security Council considers demand for 30-day Syria ceasefire</a>

&ldquo;Over the last 48 hours, the scale and ferocity of attacks [in Idlib and Eastern Ghouta have] increased dramatically resulting in multiple reports of civilian casualties and airstrikes that have reportedly hit at least three hospitals,&rdquo; the commission said in a statement Tuesday.

Russia has waged a punishing aerial campaign against Syria&#39;s armed opposition since intervening in the civil war on the side of its ally, President Bashar Assad, in 2015.

&nbsp;

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said his office had received reports including video footage of possible use of 'toxic agents' on February 4 in the rebel-held town of Saraqeb, Idlib province

Syria and Russian airstrikes in rebel-held areas have killed 230 civilians in the past week in some of the conflict's worst violence that may also constitute war crimes, the top United Nations human rights official said on Saturday. Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said his office had received reports including video footage of possible use of "toxic agents" on February 4 in the rebel-held town of Saraqeb, Idlib province. "After seven years of paralysis in the (UN) Security Council, the situation in Syria is crying out to be referred to the International Criminal Court, as well as for a much more concerted effort by States to bring peace," Zeid said in a statement. On Sunday, reports said that newborn babies had to be evacuated from a burning hospital and a small child had to be pulled from the rubble of a destroyed building after Russian jets launched a heavy airstrike bombardment on rebel-held areas in Syria resulting in one of the main hospitals, with newborn babies, being struck. The bombed hospital is located in Maarat al Numan The UN’s said it was “extremely” troubled by the recent uptick in violence in Idlib province and rebel-held areas in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus, where since the beginning of the year. Aso read: UN Security Council considers demand for 30-day Syria ceasefire “Over the last 48 hours, the scale and ferocity of attacks [in Idlib and Eastern Ghouta have] increased dramatically resulting in multiple reports of civilian casualties and airstrikes that have reportedly hit at least three hospitals,” the commission said in a statement Tuesday. Russia has waged a punishing aerial campaign against Syria's armed opposition since intervening in the civil war on the side of its ally, President Bashar Assad, in 2015.

230 civilians killed, hospital struck in Syrian, Russian airstrikes in past week: UN

Russian air strikes on Sunday killed 34 civilians, among them 15 children, in a village held by the Islamic State group in Syria&#39;s eastern Deir Ezzor province, a monitor said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria, and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used.

Russia is a close ally of Syria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad, and in September 2015 began a military intervention in support of his government that has gradually helped Damascus regain territory.

Syria&#39;s Deir Ezzor is one of the last places Islamic State jihadists hold territory in the country, after being driven from their major strongholds including their one-time de facto Syrian capital Raqa city.

The oil-rich eastern province that borders Iraq was once almost completely under Islamic State control, but the jihadists now hold just nine percent of Deir Ezzor, according to the Observatory.

They have faced two separate offensives there, one led by the regime with Russian backing and the other by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.

More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, in the early hours of Sunday morning

Russian air strikes on Sunday killed 34 civilians, among them 15 children, in a village held by the Islamic State group in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province, a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, in the early hours of Sunday morning. The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria, and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used. Russia is a close ally of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, and in September 2015 began a military intervention in support of his government that has gradually helped Damascus regain territory. Syria's Deir Ezzor is one of the last places Islamic State jihadists hold territory in the country, after being driven from their major strongholds including their one-time de facto Syrian capital Raqa city. The oil-rich eastern province that borders Iraq was once almost completely under Islamic State control, but the jihadists now hold just nine percent of Deir Ezzor, according to the Observatory. They have faced two separate offensives there, one led by the regime with Russian backing and the other by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters. More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Russian strikes kill 34 civilians in Syria's Deir Ezzor: Monitor

Syria regime ally Russia yesterday announced a &quot;large-scale&quot; aid operation to allow civilians and fighters to flee besieged Aleppo, as the president offered an amnesty to rebels who surrender. 
 
The opposition, however, condemned the initiative as an attempt to &quot;alter Aleppo&rsquo;s demographics and ensure forced displacement&quot;, while Amnesty said it was &quot;not a substitute for allowing impartial humanitarian relief for civilians... many of whom will be sceptical about government promises&quot;. 
 
UN aid chief Stephen O&#39;Brien warned that any corridors must be used voluntarily and protection be guaranteed. 
 
&quot;No one can be forced to flee, by any specific route or to any particular location,&quot; said O&#39;Brien. 
 
&quot;Protection must be guaranteed for all according to the principles of neutrality and impartiality.&quot; 
 
Government forces have surrounded rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo since July 17, sparking fears for an estimated 250,000 people who live there. 
 
Residents have reported food shortages and spiralling prices in rebel districts since regime forces cut off the opposition&#39;s main supply route into the northern city earlier this month. 
 
Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said three humanitarian corridors were being opened &quot;to aid civilians held hostage by terrorists and for fighters wishing to lay down their arms&quot;. 
 
He told Russian news agencies that a fourth corridor would be opened to the north of Aleppo for rebels to flee with their weapons. 
 
Medical and food assistance would be provided along the routes for civilians and fighters who lay down their weapons, Shoigu said. 
 
President Bashar al-Assad, meanwhile, issued a decree offering an amnesty to rebels who surrender over the next three months, state news agency SANA reported. 
 
&quot;Everyone carrying arms and sought by justice is excluded from full punishment if they hand themselves in and lay down their weapons,&quot; it said. 
 
Syria&#39;s state television also announced &quot;the opening of three passages to allow citizens out of eastern districts&quot; of Aleppo. 
 
Regime planes yesterday dropped flyers showing a map with the location of these humanitarian passages, he said, as well as small aid packages, an AFP correspondent said. 
 
He went to see one of the corridors but said it remained closed and saw no movement of local residents nearby. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re scared of using the regime crossings because we refused to do military service. The corridors are nothing more than words. It&#39;s just an excuse to throw people into jail,&quot; said Hassan Ibrahim, a 25-year-old father. 
 
Regime advance 
 
Previously the country&#39;s economic hub, Aleppo and its surrounding countryside have suffered some of the worst fighting in the five-year conflict that has killed more than 280,000 people. 
 
It has been roughly divided into a regime-controlled west and a rebel-held east since July 2012. 
 
Analysts say that losing Aleppo would be a major blow for the armed opposition and could signal a turning point in the conflict, which began in 2011 with the brutal crackdown of anti-government protests. 
 
Yesterday Syrian government forces drove rebels from the neighbourhood of Bani Zeid, on Aleppo&#39;s northern outskirts, after heavy overnight fighting, a monitor said. 
 
The Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee condemned Russia&rsquo;s proposal as &quot;a euphemism for Russia&rsquo;s efforts to alter Aleppo&rsquo;s demographics and ensure forced displacement&quot;. 
 
&quot;The forcible displacement of Aleppo&rsquo;s population is a war crime perpetrated by the Syrian regime and a permanent member of the (UN) Security Council,&quot; it said, referring to Russia. 
 
Amnesty was also dismissive. 
 
The Russian plan was &quot;not a substitute for allowing impartial humanitarian relief for civilians who remain in opposition-held areas of the city or other besieged areas, many of whom will be sceptical about government promises&quot;, it said. 
 
UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the world body had not been consulted on Russia&#39;s initiative. 
 
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch accused Assad&#39;s regime and Russia of extensively using banned cluster munitions against the rebels since late May. 
 
The New York-based watchdog said it had documented 47 cluster munition attacks that killed and injured dozens of civilians in rebel-held areas in three provinces since May 27, many north and west of Aleppo. 
 
On the opposition front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra Front, announced Thursday it was breaking ties with the global terror network. 
 
Al-Nusra is a main rival of the Islamic State jihadist group from which it wants to distance itself as a target of foreign air strikes. 
 
At least 15 civilians were killed and dozens wounded Thursday in US-led coalition air strikes on the northern IS-controlled town of Ghandoura, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 
 
The town is near Manbij, a strategic waypoint between Turkey and the IS bastion of Raqa, and came after the coalition opened a formal investigation to determine whether its air strikes last week near Manbij claimed dozens of civilian lives. 
 
(AFP)

UN aid chief said displacement must not be forced. Civilians are sceptical about government's promise of amnesty to rebels who surrender

Syria regime ally Russia yesterday announced a "large-scale" aid operation to allow civilians and fighters to flee besieged Aleppo, as the president offered an amnesty to rebels who surrender. The opposition, however, condemned the initiative as an attempt to "alter Aleppo’s demographics and ensure forced displacement", while Amnesty said it was "not a substitute for allowing impartial humanitarian relief for civilians... many of whom will be sceptical about government promises". UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien warned that any corridors must be used voluntarily and protection be guaranteed. "No one can be forced to flee, by any specific route or to any particular location," said O'Brien. "Protection must be guaranteed for all according to the principles of neutrality and impartiality." Government forces have surrounded rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo since July 17, sparking fears for an estimated 250,000 people who live there. Residents have reported food shortages and spiralling prices in rebel districts since regime forces cut off the opposition's main supply route into the northern city earlier this month. Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said three humanitarian corridors were being opened "to aid civilians held hostage by terrorists and for fighters wishing to lay down their arms". He told Russian news agencies that a fourth corridor would be opened to the north of Aleppo for rebels to flee with their weapons. Medical and food assistance would be provided along the routes for civilians and fighters who lay down their weapons, Shoigu said. President Bashar al-Assad, meanwhile, issued a decree offering an amnesty to rebels who surrender over the next three months, state news agency SANA reported. "Everyone carrying arms and sought by justice is excluded from full punishment if they hand themselves in and lay down their weapons," it said. Syria's state television also announced "the opening of three passages to allow citizens out of eastern districts" of Aleppo. Regime planes yesterday dropped flyers showing a map with the location of these humanitarian passages, he said, as well as small aid packages, an AFP correspondent said. He went to see one of the corridors but said it remained closed and saw no movement of local residents nearby. "We're scared of using the regime crossings because we refused to do military service. The corridors are nothing more than words. It's just an excuse to throw people into jail," said Hassan Ibrahim, a 25-year-old father. Regime advance Previously the country's economic hub, Aleppo and its surrounding countryside have suffered some of the worst fighting in the five-year conflict that has killed more than 280,000 people. It has been roughly divided into a regime-controlled west and a rebel-held east since July 2012. Analysts say that losing Aleppo would be a major blow for the armed opposition and could signal a turning point in the conflict, which began in 2011 with the brutal crackdown of anti-government protests. Yesterday Syrian government forces drove rebels from the neighbourhood of Bani Zeid, on Aleppo's northern outskirts, after heavy overnight fighting, a monitor said. The Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee condemned Russia’s proposal as "a euphemism for Russia’s efforts to alter Aleppo’s demographics and ensure forced displacement". "The forcible displacement of Aleppo’s population is a war crime perpetrated by the Syrian regime and a permanent member of the (UN) Security Council," it said, referring to Russia. Amnesty was also dismissive. The Russian plan was "not a substitute for allowing impartial humanitarian relief for civilians who remain in opposition-held areas of the city or other besieged areas, many of whom will be sceptical about government promises", it said. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the world body had not been consulted on Russia's initiative. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch accused Assad's regime and Russia of extensively using banned cluster munitions against the rebels since late May. The New York-based watchdog said it had documented 47 cluster munition attacks that killed and injured dozens of civilians in rebel-held areas in three provinces since May 27, many north and west of Aleppo. On the opposition front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra Front, announced Thursday it was breaking ties with the global terror network. Al-Nusra is a main rival of the Islamic State jihadist group from which it wants to distance itself as a target of foreign air strikes. At least 15 civilians were killed and dozens wounded Thursday in US-led coalition air strikes on the northern IS-controlled town of Ghandoura, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The town is near Manbij, a strategic waypoint between Turkey and the IS bastion of Raqa, and came after the coalition opened a formal investigation to determine whether its air strikes last week near Manbij claimed dozens of civilian lives. (AFP)

Russia, Syria announce 'flee' corridors for civilians in Aleppo

The Afghan Taliban today condemned a deadly suicide bombing at Islam`s second holiest site in the Saudi city of Medina, describing it as &quot;an act of enmity and hatred&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Four people were killed in the bombing outside the Prophet`s Mosque on Monday, the same day as an attack outside a minority shiite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia, and another near the US consulate in the western city of Jeddah.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The Islamic Emirate (Taliban) &nbsp;which has been shocked by this gruesome act condemns this incident in the strongest of terms and considers it an act of enmity and hatred towards Islamic rituals,&quot; the militant group said in an emailed statement.&nbsp; 
 
There were no claims of responsibility for the bombings, but the Islamic State group had urged its supporters to carry out attacks during Ramzan. 
 
The Taliban, who were ousted from power by a US-led invasion in late 2001, have themselves been repeatedly blamed by the UN for deliberately targeting civilians in the war-torn country.&nbsp; 
 
As many as 600 civilians were killed and 1,343 were injured in the first three months of 2016, according to a UN report in April, with the Taliban responsible for six out of every 10 casualties.&nbsp; 
 
Monday`s suicide bombing received wide condemnation from across the Muslim world, with Shiite power Iran calling for Muslim unity following the attacks in its Sunni-dominated regional rival. 
 
Afghanistan`s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the attacks in Saudi Arabia in a tweet today, expressing his sympathies to the people and government of Saudi Arabia. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

Four people were killed in the attack outside the Prophet`s Mosque on Monday

The Afghan Taliban today condemned a deadly suicide bombing at Islam`s second holiest site in the Saudi city of Medina, describing it as "an act of enmity and hatred". Four people were killed in the bombing outside the Prophet`s Mosque on Monday, the same day as an attack outside a minority shiite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia, and another near the US consulate in the western city of Jeddah. "The Islamic Emirate (Taliban) which has been shocked by this gruesome act condemns this incident in the strongest of terms and considers it an act of enmity and hatred towards Islamic rituals," the militant group said in an emailed statement. There were no claims of responsibility for the bombings, but the Islamic State group had urged its supporters to carry out attacks during Ramzan. The Taliban, who were ousted from power by a US-led invasion in late 2001, have themselves been repeatedly blamed by the UN for deliberately targeting civilians in the war-torn country. As many as 600 civilians were killed and 1,343 were injured in the first three months of 2016, according to a UN report in April, with the Taliban responsible for six out of every 10 casualties. Monday`s suicide bombing received wide condemnation from across the Muslim world, with Shiite power Iran calling for Muslim unity following the attacks in its Sunni-dominated regional rival. Afghanistan`s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the attacks in Saudi Arabia in a tweet today, expressing his sympathies to the people and government of Saudi Arabia. (AFP)

Afghan Taliban condemn Medina bombing

In the latest update coming in from United Hospital in Dhaka, 30 security personnel were brought in for treatment following the attack this evening. Duty manager at the United Hospital, Dr Miraj, speaking exclusively to WION, has confirmed that two security personnel who were brought to the hospital have now been declared dead. 
 
According to Dr Miraj, the men brought in had suffered severe shrapnel injuries sustained in grenade attacks at the Holey Artisan Bakery. 
The most severe injuries being reported by medical staff at the United Hospital were caused by shrapnel from grenade attacks during the exchange of fire between the IS attackers and security personnel. 
 
The United Hospital is located barely 300 metres from the Holey Artisan Bakery in the Gulshan-2 diplomatic enclave in Dhaka. The embassies and High Commissions of Malaysia, Romania, Australia, Pakistan, Canada, and Russia are among those that are in this high security zone where the bakery is situated. 
 
No civilians have so far been brought to the United Hospital for treatment from the scene of the attack. 
 
(WION)

So far, no civilians have been brought to the United Hospital for treatment from the scene of the attack

In the latest update coming in from United Hospital in Dhaka, 30 security personnel were brought in for treatment following the attack this evening. Duty manager at the United Hospital, Dr Miraj, speaking exclusively to WION, has confirmed that two security personnel who were brought to the hospital have now been declared dead. According to Dr Miraj, the men brought in had suffered severe shrapnel injuries sustained in grenade attacks at the Holey Artisan Bakery. The most severe injuries being reported by medical staff at the United Hospital were caused by shrapnel from grenade attacks during the exchange of fire between the IS attackers and security personnel. The United Hospital is located barely 300 metres from the Holey Artisan Bakery in the Gulshan-2 diplomatic enclave in Dhaka. The embassies and High Commissions of Malaysia, Romania, Australia, Pakistan, Canada, and Russia are among those that are in this high security zone where the bakery is situated. No civilians have so far been brought to the United Hospital for treatment from the scene of the attack. (WION)

Exclusive: Doctor 300 metres away from Dhaka standoff speaks to WION

Heavy fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government security forces has claimed dozens of lives in eastern Afghanistan, officials said today. 
 
In recent months insurgents claiming allegiance to Islamic State had largely appeared to be bottled up in a mountainous area along the border with Pakistan under threat of US air strikes. 
 
The latest attacks indicate the group remains a potent threat to a government already battling an insurgency dominated by the rival Taliban. 
 
At least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians had been killed, with another 18 wounded, Nangarhar province governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said in a statement. 
 
Local officials claimed more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days, even though exact figures varied and could not be independently verified. 
 
&quot;There is no doubt that Daesh (IS) do not respect anyone,&quot; Kunduzi said, using a common term for Islamic State. &quot;They kill people, regardless of whether they&#39;re a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools.&quot; 
 
As many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kowt district, and five civilians were reported kidnapped, Nangarhar officials said. 
 
Hundreds of police and soldiers are engaged in the area with reinforcements on the way, provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid said. 
 
At a small event today in Kabul, the head of Afghanistan&#39;s civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, blamed local leaders for being negligent in the face of Islamic State threats and called on them to be suspended. 
 
&quot;They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials,&quot; he told gathered reporters. 
 
Militants linked to Islamic State have not made as much progress in Afghanistan as in Syria and Iraq, where the group seized major cities and wide swaths of territory and attracted thousands of recruits. 
 
In Afghanistan, the group is thought to consist mostly of disaffected members of other insurgent movements, including the Taliban, who have often battled Islamic State for control of areas in Nangarhar. 
 
In January, US President Barack Obama gave US forces in Afghanistan more freedom to attack Islamic State targets, leading to a spike in air strikes and other operations, especially in Nangarhar. 
 
No coalition forces have been involved in the latest fighting, spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said. 
 
(Reuters)

According to local officials, more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days

Heavy fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government security forces has claimed dozens of lives in eastern Afghanistan, officials said today. In recent months insurgents claiming allegiance to Islamic State had largely appeared to be bottled up in a mountainous area along the border with Pakistan under threat of US air strikes. The latest attacks indicate the group remains a potent threat to a government already battling an insurgency dominated by the rival Taliban. At least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians had been killed, with another 18 wounded, Nangarhar province governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said in a statement. Local officials claimed more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days, even though exact figures varied and could not be independently verified. "There is no doubt that Daesh (IS) do not respect anyone," Kunduzi said, using a common term for Islamic State. "They kill people, regardless of whether they're a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools." As many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kowt district, and five civilians were reported kidnapped, Nangarhar officials said. Hundreds of police and soldiers are engaged in the area with reinforcements on the way, provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid said. At a small event today in Kabul, the head of Afghanistan's civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, blamed local leaders for being negligent in the face of Islamic State threats and called on them to be suspended. "They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials," he told gathered reporters. Militants linked to Islamic State have not made as much progress in Afghanistan as in Syria and Iraq, where the group seized major cities and wide swaths of territory and attracted thousands of recruits. In Afghanistan, the group is thought to consist mostly of disaffected members of other insurgent movements, including the Taliban, who have often battled Islamic State for control of areas in Nangarhar. In January, US President Barack Obama gave US forces in Afghanistan more freedom to attack Islamic State targets, leading to a spike in air strikes and other operations, especially in Nangarhar. No coalition forces have been involved in the latest fighting, spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said. (Reuters)

Islamic State militants launch new attacks in eastern Afghanistan

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fc0c6d87-184c-45ce-bacb-2741137430da}{15}" paraid="2055424481" >Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country.&nbsp; 
 
Assad tasked Khamis with forming a new government, the official news agency SANA reported.&nbsp; 
He is to submit his proposal for new ministerial appointments in the coming days.&nbsp; 
 
The fifty-four-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012.&nbsp; 
 
The changes come two months after Assad&#39;s Baath party and its allies won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections dismissed internationally as a sham.&nbsp; 
 
Khamis had served as Syria&#39;s minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade.&nbsp; 
 
Since March 2012, he has been sanctioned by the European Union, which accuses him of sharing &quot;responsibility for the regime&#39;s violent repression against the civilian population.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Syria&#39;s conflict began in 2011 with widespread protests demanding reform but has since escalated into a bloody civil war that has left 280,000 dead.&nbsp; 
 
According to the government, production of electricity has more than halved since the beginning of the crisis.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
(AFP)&nbsp;</div>

Electricity minister Imad Khamis has been sanctioned by EU since March 2012 for sharing responsibility for violent repression of civilians

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country. Assad tasked Khamis with forming a new government, the official news agency SANA reported. He is to submit his proposal for new ministerial appointments in the coming days. The fifty-four-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012. The changes come two months after Assad's Baath party and its allies won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections dismissed internationally as a sham. Khamis had served as Syria's minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade. Since March 2012, he has been sanctioned by the European Union, which accuses him of sharing "responsibility for the regime's violent repression against the civilian population." Syria's conflict began in 2011 with widespread protests demanding reform but has since escalated into a bloody civil war that has left 280,000 dead. According to the government, production of electricity has more than halved since the beginning of the crisis. (AFP)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad names new PM for Syria

Tens of thousands of civilians stranded inside Islamic State-controlled Falluja are at risk of disease outbreaks as Iraqi government forces press their assault to retake the city, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Thursday. 
 
Islamic State has tightened control over civilian movement in central Falluja, where an estimated 40,000 people are stuck with little water or food, as commandos from an elite counter-terrorism force inch closer to the city&#39;s main government building more than three weeks after the offensive began. 
 
The ultra-hardline militants, who by US estimates have lost almost half of the northern and western territory they seized when Iraqi forces partially collapsed in 2014, have used residents as human shields to slow the military&#39;s advance and thwart an international air campaign backing them. 
 
Falluja, an hour&#39;s drive west of Baghdad, is seen as a launchpad for Islamic State bombings in the capital, making the offensive a crucial part of the government&#39;s campaign to improve security, although US allies would prefer to concentrate on IS-held Mosul, Iraq&#39;s second largest city in the far north. 
 
Children inside Falluja have not received immunisation since the militants took control in 2014, said Ala Alwan, WHO&#39;s regional director for the eastern Mediterranean, who visited displacement camps in Amiriyat Falluja, a town southeast of Falluja. 
 
&quot;The low level of immunity coupled with poor hygiene conditions raises the risk of disease outbreaks, such as measles,&quot; he said in a statement, and hundreds of pregnant women were also in urgent need of reproductive health services. 
 
Poor sanitation could also spread infectious diseases like cholera and skin diseases in addition to exacerbating chronic illnesses, Alwan said during a field visit where some displaced people complained about a shortage of electricity. 
 
Iraq suffered a major cholera outbreak last year with more than 1,800 cases including six deaths. 
 
Aid groups providing food, water and other supplies to escapees lack access to the city itself. Falluja was besieged by government forces for around six months before the current advance began, prompting the United Nations and rights groups to warn of an imminent humanitarian crisis. 
 
The number of people displaced from Falluja has reached 53,000, according to UN statistics. Alwan said they also struggled to access health services due to inadequate funds. 
 
&quot;The major problem is a lack of funding, life-saving funding that is absolutely required to prevent disease outbreaks,&quot; he told reporters during his visit. 
 
The humanitarian community this year requested $861 million to assist 7.3 million Iraqis in need across the country, but so far it has only received 31 per cent of this amount.&nbsp; 
 
WHO has set up a healthcare centre and mobile clinics to serve displaced people, and is operating disease early-warning sites across Anbar province, where Falluja is located, to detect and respond to possible outbreaks, Alwan said. 
 
&quot;We have huge concerns about communicable diseases and preventing epidemics, but the good news is that we have no major outbreaks,&quot; he added. 
 
Iraq said on Monday it had made arrests as it investigates allegations that Shi&#39;ite Muslim militiamen helping the army recover Falluja had executed dozens of Sunni Muslim men fleeing the city, whose population is mainly Sunni. 
 
The role of militias in the battle of Falluja alongside the Iraqi army had already raised fears of sectarian killings. 
 
Falluja is a historic bastion of the Sunni insurgency against US forces that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and the Shi&#39;ite-led governments that followed. 
 
Enemies of Islamic State have launched major offensives against the jihadists on other fronts, including a push by US-backed forces against the city of Manbij in northern Syria. 
 
They amount to the most sustained pressure on IS since it proclaimed a religious caliphate in 2014. 
(Reuters)

Children inside Falluja have not received immunisation since IS took control in 2014. 40,000 are stuck with little water and food

Tens of thousands of civilians stranded inside Islamic State-controlled Falluja are at risk of disease outbreaks as Iraqi government forces press their assault to retake the city, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Thursday. Islamic State has tightened control over civilian movement in central Falluja, where an estimated 40,000 people are stuck with little water or food, as commandos from an elite counter-terrorism force inch closer to the city's main government building more than three weeks after the offensive began. The ultra-hardline militants, who by US estimates have lost almost half of the northern and western territory they seized when Iraqi forces partially collapsed in 2014, have used residents as human shields to slow the military's advance and thwart an international air campaign backing them. Falluja, an hour's drive west of Baghdad, is seen as a launchpad for Islamic State bombings in the capital, making the offensive a crucial part of the government's campaign to improve security, although US allies would prefer to concentrate on IS-held Mosul, Iraq's second largest city in the far north. Children inside Falluja have not received immunisation since the militants took control in 2014, said Ala Alwan, WHO's regional director for the eastern Mediterranean, who visited displacement camps in Amiriyat Falluja, a town southeast of Falluja. "The low level of immunity coupled with poor hygiene conditions raises the risk of disease outbreaks, such as measles," he said in a statement, and hundreds of pregnant women were also in urgent need of reproductive health services. Poor sanitation could also spread infectious diseases like cholera and skin diseases in addition to exacerbating chronic illnesses, Alwan said during a field visit where some displaced people complained about a shortage of electricity. Iraq suffered a major cholera outbreak last year with more than 1,800 cases including six deaths. Aid groups providing food, water and other supplies to escapees lack access to the city itself. Falluja was besieged by government forces for around six months before the current advance began, prompting the United Nations and rights groups to warn of an imminent humanitarian crisis. The number of people displaced from Falluja has reached 53,000, according to UN statistics. Alwan said they also struggled to access health services due to inadequate funds. "The major problem is a lack of funding, life-saving funding that is absolutely required to prevent disease outbreaks," he told reporters during his visit. The humanitarian community this year requested $861 million to assist 7.3 million Iraqis in need across the country, but so far it has only received 31 per cent of this amount. WHO has set up a healthcare centre and mobile clinics to serve displaced people, and is operating disease early-warning sites across Anbar province, where Falluja is located, to detect and respond to possible outbreaks, Alwan said. "We have huge concerns about communicable diseases and preventing epidemics, but the good news is that we have no major outbreaks," he added. Iraq said on Monday it had made arrests as it investigates allegations that Shi'ite Muslim militiamen helping the army recover Falluja had executed dozens of Sunni Muslim men fleeing the city, whose population is mainly Sunni. The role of militias in the battle of Falluja alongside the Iraqi army had already raised fears of sectarian killings. Falluja is a historic bastion of the Sunni insurgency against US forces that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and the Shi'ite-led governments that followed. Enemies of Islamic State have launched major offensives against the jihadists on other fronts, including a push by US-backed forces against the city of Manbij in northern Syria. They amount to the most sustained pressure on IS since it proclaimed a religious caliphate in 2014. (Reuters)

WHO- civilians in Islamic State occupied Falluja at risk of disease

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