A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hungarians-protest-at-state-tv-to-demand-independent-public-media-courts-185137">Hungarian court</a> jailed four human traffickers for life on Thursday for the deaths of 71 migrants whose decomposing bodies were found crammed inside a truck dumped on an Austrian motorway.

The deaths in August 2015 of 59 men, eight women and four children from Syria, Iraq, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-slams-pakistan-over-imran-khans-remarks-summons-pak-diplomat-recalls-its-envoy-205858">Afghanistan</a> shocked Europe as it was struggling to cope with an influx of more than one million refugees and migrants that year.

It was the worst incident of its kind on the overland route across the Balkans and into central Europe taken by hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

"The suffering in that truck is beyond imagination, as is the utmost indifference the perpetrators showed toward the deaths of these 71 people.&nbsp;

Therefore for those who played a core part, there is no doubt that the only punishment commensurate with their crime is the maximum one, which is life in jail without parole," presiding Judge Erik Mezolaki said.

One of the four defendants received a minimum of 30 years in prison - legally a life term in Hungary - but with the possibility of parole afterwards.

The Afghan ringleader of the gang and three Bulgarian accomplices were found guilty of manslaughter for refusing to stop the refrigerated truck to open the doors and let air in, despite the frantic pleas of that inside.

The passengers realized they were in danger of suffocating, so they banged on the doors, screamed and shouted to get the driver's attention, an investigating judge told an earlier court hearing last year.

Mezolaki said Yahoo Samsooryamal, the Afghan, had ordered the driver not to open the airtight doors of the truck as it headed from Hungary via Austria towards Germany, the preferred destination of many of the migrants who entered Europe in 2015.

He was in contact with Bulgarians Metodi Georgiev, Vencislav Todorov, and Ivaylo Stoyanov by phone during the journey - one of whom drove the truck while the other two followed in cars.

The temperature inside rose quickly after the truck was abandoned on an Austrian highway and the air began to run out, Mezolaki said. The driver had stopped on the motorway to check the truck's engine coolant but left the back doors locked.

All the victims - including children and infants - suffocated within two hours after the traffickers departed.

"They stopped first at about 6 a.m., but the victims made so much noise that (Georgiev) instructed (Todorov and Stoyanov) to keep going," Mezolaki said at the trial in Szeged near Hungary's southern border with Serbia.

"They tried to get away with trafficking even at the cost of the victims' lives ... At 7 a.m., the instruction was to see if they were still screaming so hard, and if not, stop and get lost. By that time, 68 of the victims had died."

Mezolaki said the traffickers had several opportunities to relieve the suffering of the victims. They had even purchased a steel cutter - but opted not to use it to open the truck.

Thursday's sentencing was a final ruling that increased an earlier court verdict of 25 years in jail against the four traffickers reached last year. It also included jail terms of several years for 10 more members of the trafficking ring who were not charged with manslaughter.

The truck was dumped near the town of Parndorf just after it crossed into Austria from Hungary and its rear doors were found wrapped in the wire as a secondary fastener to seal them shut.

Though the truck was left on Austrian territory, the trial was held in Hungary as it was the starting point of the deadly journey.

As Europe's migrant crisis peaked in 2015, the defendants stepped up their operation to maximize profits, smuggling up to 100 people a day from Hungary into Austria or Germany, prosecutors said in an earlier hearing.

A Hungarian court jailed four human traffickers for life on Thursday for the deaths of 71 migrants whose decomposing bodies were found crammed inside a truck dumped on an Austrian motorway.

A Hungarian court jailed four human traffickers for life on Thursday for the deaths of 71 migrants whose decomposing bodies were found crammed inside a truck dumped on an Austrian motorway. The deaths in August 2015 of 59 men, eight women and four children from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan shocked Europe as it was struggling to cope with an influx of more than one million refugees and migrants that year. It was the worst incident of its kind on the overland route across the Balkans and into central Europe taken by hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. "The suffering in that truck is beyond imagination, as is the utmost indifference the perpetrators showed toward the deaths of these 71 people. Therefore for those who played a core part, there is no doubt that the only punishment commensurate with their crime is the maximum one, which is life in jail without parole," presiding Judge Erik Mezolaki said. One of the four defendants received a minimum of 30 years in prison - legally a life term in Hungary - but with the possibility of parole afterwards. The Afghan ringleader of the gang and three Bulgarian accomplices were found guilty of manslaughter for refusing to stop the refrigerated truck to open the doors and let air in, despite the frantic pleas of that inside. The passengers realized they were in danger of suffocating, so they banged on the doors, screamed and shouted to get the driver's attention, an investigating judge told an earlier court hearing last year. Mezolaki said Yahoo Samsooryamal, the Afghan, had ordered the driver not to open the airtight doors of the truck as it headed from Hungary via Austria towards Germany, the preferred destination of many of the migrants who entered Europe in 2015. He was in contact with Bulgarians Metodi Georgiev, Vencislav Todorov, and Ivaylo Stoyanov by phone during the journey - one of whom drove the truck while the other two followed in cars. The temperature inside rose quickly after the truck was abandoned on an Austrian highway and the air began to run out, Mezolaki said. The driver had stopped on the motorway to check the truck's engine coolant but left the back doors locked. All the victims - including children and infants - suffocated within two hours after the traffickers departed. "They stopped first at about 6 a.m., but the victims made so much noise that (Georgiev) instructed (Todorov and Stoyanov) to keep going," Mezolaki said at the trial in Szeged near Hungary's southern border with Serbia. "They tried to get away with trafficking even at the cost of the victims' lives ... At 7 a.m., the instruction was to see if they were still screaming so hard, and if not, stop and get lost. By that time, 68 of the victims had died." Mezolaki said the traffickers had several opportunities to relieve the suffering of the victims. They had even purchased a steel cutter - but opted not to use it to open the truck. Thursday's sentencing was a final ruling that increased an earlier court verdict of 25 years in jail against the four traffickers reached last year. It also included jail terms of several years for 10 more members of the trafficking ring who were not charged with manslaughter. The truck was dumped near the town of Parndorf just after it crossed into Austria from Hungary and its rear doors were found wrapped in the wire as a secondary fastener to seal them shut. Though the truck was left on Austrian territory, the trial was held in Hungary as it was the starting point of the deadly journey. As Europe's migrant crisis peaked in 2015, the defendants stepped up their operation to maximize profits, smuggling up to 100 people a day from Hungary into Austria or Germany, prosecutors said in an earlier hearing.

Four jailed for life over death of 71 migrants in Hungarian truck

The ISIS Has Lost Its So-Called Caliphate In Syria & Iraq. But It Expanding Presence Across the World & Plotting Attacks Here's a report tracking the rise and fall of ISIS and it's evolution into one of the most dreaded terror outfits in the world

Gravitas: Tracking the rise & fall of ISIS

One in five people in war zones has <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/blog-social-media-helps-people-open-up-about-depression-171044">depression, anxiety</a>, post-traumatic stress, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday, with many suffering severe forms of these mental illnesses.

The findings highlight the long-term impact of war-induced crises in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, the UN's health agency said, and the numbers are significantly higher than in peacetime populations, where around one in 14 people have a mental illness.

"Given the large numbers of people in need and the humanitarian imperative to reduce suffering, there is an urgent need to implement scalable mental health interventions to address this burden," the research team said.

Mark van Ommeren, a mental health specialist at the WHO who worked on the team, said the findings "add yet more weight to the argument for immediate and sustained investment so that mental and psychosocial support is made available to all people in need living through conflict and its aftermath".

In 2016, the number of ongoing armed conflicts reached an all-time high of 53 in 37 countries and 12% of the world's people are living in an active war zone, according to United Nations figures. Since World War Two, almost 69 million people globally have been forced to flee war and violence.

The WHO's conflict mental health study, published in The Lancet medical journal, was carried out by a team of researchers from the WHO, Australia's Queensland University, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and Harvard University in the United States.

It analysed research from 129 studies and data from 39 countries published between 1980 and August 2017.

Regions that have seen conflict in the last 10 years were included and mental illnesses were categorised as either mild, moderate or severe. Natural disasters and public health emergencies, such as Ebola, were not included.

Overall in war zones, the average prevalence was highest for mild mental health conditions, at 13%. Around 4% of people living amid armed conflict had moderate mental health illness, and for severe conditions, the prevalence was 5%.

The study also found that rates of depression and anxiety in conflict settings appeared to increase with age, and depression was more common among women than men.

The study was funded by the WHO, the Queensland Department of Health and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation.

One in five people in war zones has depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday, with many suffering severe forms of these mental illnesses.

One in five people in war zones has depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday, with many suffering severe forms of these mental illnesses. The findings highlight the long-term impact of war-induced crises in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, the UN's health agency said, and the numbers are significantly higher than in peacetime populations, where around one in 14 people have a mental illness. "Given the large numbers of people in need and the humanitarian imperative to reduce suffering, there is an urgent need to implement scalable mental health interventions to address this burden," the research team said. Mark van Ommeren, a mental health specialist at the WHO who worked on the team, said the findings "add yet more weight to the argument for immediate and sustained investment so that mental and psychosocial support is made available to all people in need living through conflict and its aftermath". In 2016, the number of ongoing armed conflicts reached an all-time high of 53 in 37 countries and 12% of the world's people are living in an active war zone, according to United Nations figures. Since World War Two, almost 69 million people globally have been forced to flee war and violence. The WHO's conflict mental health study, published in The Lancet medical journal, was carried out by a team of researchers from the WHO, Australia's Queensland University, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and Harvard University in the United States. It analysed research from 129 studies and data from 39 countries published between 1980 and August 2017. Regions that have seen conflict in the last 10 years were included and mental illnesses were categorised as either mild, moderate or severe. Natural disasters and public health emergencies, such as Ebola, were not included. Overall in war zones, the average prevalence was highest for mild mental health conditions, at 13%. Around 4% of people living amid armed conflict had moderate mental health illness, and for severe conditions, the prevalence was 5%. The study also found that rates of depression and anxiety in conflict settings appeared to increase with age, and depression was more common among women than men. The study was funded by the WHO, the Queensland Department of Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Mental illness affects a fifth of people living in war zones

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-urges-libya-peace-return-of-refugees-to-syria-212319">Pope Francis</a> said Monday he wants to visit Iraq as early as next year in spite of the security conditions.

"An insistent thought accompanies me when I think about Iraq, where I want to go next year so that it can look to the future through peaceful and shared participation in the construction of the common good," Francis told a Vatican audience.

The pope voiced hope that Iraq "does not return to the tensions which come from the never-ending conflicts between regional powers."

Iraq has been a battleground for competing forces, including the jihadist Islamic State group, since the US-led ouster of president Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned in January that a papal trip to Iraq imposed a "minimum of conditions" that "are not currently met".

Discussing terrorism, the Vatican secretary of state said the Iraqi authorities confirmed that "the roots of this phenomenon are still present".

Francis has made boosting ties between Christianity and Islam a cornerstone of his papacy.

He has this year visited Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

The pope has already visited several Muslim countries, including Turkey in 2014, Azerbaijan in 2016 and Egypt in 2017.

Pope Francis moved quickly after his election in 2013 to make overtures to Jews and Muslims, inviting two old friends from Buenos Aires, a rabbi and a Muslim professor on a trip to the Middle East where he condemned religious hatred.

Pope Francis said Monday he wants to visit Iraq as early as next year in spite of the security conditions. "An insistent thought accompanies me when I think about Iraq, where I want to go next year so that it can look to the future through peaceful and shared participation in the construction of the common good," Francis told a Vatican audience.

Pope Francis said Monday he wants to visit Iraq as early as next year in spite of the security conditions. "An insistent thought accompanies me when I think about Iraq, where I want to go next year so that it can look to the future through peaceful and shared participation in the construction of the common good," Francis told a Vatican audience. The pope voiced hope that Iraq "does not return to the tensions which come from the never-ending conflicts between regional powers." Iraq has been a battleground for competing forces, including the jihadist Islamic State group, since the US-led ouster of president Saddam Hussein in 2003. Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned in January that a papal trip to Iraq imposed a "minimum of conditions" that "are not currently met". Discussing terrorism, the Vatican secretary of state said the Iraqi authorities confirmed that "the roots of this phenomenon are still present". Francis has made boosting ties between Christianity and Islam a cornerstone of his papacy. He has this year visited Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. The pope has already visited several Muslim countries, including Turkey in 2014, Azerbaijan in 2016 and Egypt in 2017. Pope Francis moved quickly after his election in 2013 to make overtures to Jews and Muslims, inviting two old friends from Buenos Aires, a rabbi and a Muslim professor on a trip to the Middle East where he condemned religious hatred.

Pope Francis says wants to visit Iraq in 2020

Iraq’s president told an emergency Arab summit in Saudi Arabia on Thursday that regional and international tensions with Iran could spark a war if not managed well and voiced hope that Iran’s security would not be targeted.

Iraq warns of war if regional tensions not managed well

Iranians in the capital Tehran set fire to effigies of President Donald Trump, while in the Iraqi capital, Iran-backed militiamen marched over a large Israeli flag as part of rallies Friday marking Quds, or Jerusalem Day. The annual protests come as the Trump administration tries to market its long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.

Protesters in Iran, Iraq burn Israel, US flags on ‘Quds Day’

France must stop the "inhumane treatment" of children of jihadists stranded in Syria who are not being allowed to come to the country, its rights ombudsman said Wednesday, warning that Paris was flouting its UN obligations.

The statement by France's Human Rights Defender Jacques Toubon came as controversy intensifies over the reluctance of French authorities to take in the children of French citizens affiliated with Islamic State (IS) jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

"The French state needs to adopt effective measures allowing the halt to the inhumane and degrading treatment of children and their mothers and put an end to the violations of the rights of the child," Toubon said.

He alleged violations of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which France is a signatory.

The human rights defender leads an independent state institution set up in 2011 and enshrined in the constitution to defend people whose rights have been violated.

Toubon had been asked to give an opinion on the issue by the lawyers of several families with French citizens held in Syria and Iraq.

According to the French foreign ministry, some 450 French citizens linked to IS are either detained by Kurdish forces in northern Syria or being held in refugee camps.

But France is reluctant to bring back foreign fighters or their families after suffering a wave of deadly jihadist attacks that have killed more than 250 people since 2015.

It has said it would consider requests for their return, but only on a case-by-case basis. Since March it has repatriated five orphans and a three-year-old girl whose mother was sentenced to life in prison in Iraq.

In April, France's State Council, which rules on the constitutionality of policies and laws, rejected several requests to intervene, saying it was a French diplomatic matter outside the council's jurisdiction.

"Finally a national authority has condemned France and urged it to respect its international and European obligations," said lawyer Marie Dose, who represents several of the affected families, after Toubon's statement.

Lawyers William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, who represented families who sought the opinion, welcomed the recognition "of the extreme seriousness of the violation of fundamental rights".

"We expect that the French authorities will organise the repatriation (of the children) as soon as possible," they said in a statement.

The grandparents of two children stranded with their French jihadist mother at a camp in Kurdish-held Syria filed a lawsuit with the European Court of Human Rights earlier this month over France's refusal to allow them home.

France must stop the "inhumane treatment" of children of jihadists stranded in Syria who are not being allowed to come to the country, its rights ombudsman said Wednesday, warning that Paris was flouting its UN obligations.

France must stop the "inhumane treatment" of children of jihadists stranded in Syria who are not being allowed to come to the country, its rights ombudsman said Wednesday, warning that Paris was flouting its UN obligations. The statement by France's Human Rights Defender Jacques Toubon came as controversy intensifies over the reluctance of French authorities to take in the children of French citizens affiliated with Islamic State (IS) jihadists in Syria and Iraq. "The French state needs to adopt effective measures allowing the halt to the inhumane and degrading treatment of children and their mothers and put an end to the violations of the rights of the child," Toubon said. He alleged violations of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which France is a signatory. The human rights defender leads an independent state institution set up in 2011 and enshrined in the constitution to defend people whose rights have been violated. Toubon had been asked to give an opinion on the issue by the lawyers of several families with French citizens held in Syria and Iraq. According to the French foreign ministry, some 450 French citizens linked to IS are either detained by Kurdish forces in northern Syria or being held in refugee camps. But France is reluctant to bring back foreign fighters or their families after suffering a wave of deadly jihadist attacks that have killed more than 250 people since 2015. It has said it would consider requests for their return, but only on a case-by-case basis. Since March it has repatriated five orphans and a three-year-old girl whose mother was sentenced to life in prison in Iraq. In April, France's State Council, which rules on the constitutionality of policies and laws, rejected several requests to intervene, saying it was a French diplomatic matter outside the council's jurisdiction. "Finally a national authority has condemned France and urged it to respect its international and European obligations," said lawyer Marie Dose, who represents several of the affected families, after Toubon's statement. Lawyers William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, who represented families who sought the opinion, welcomed the recognition "of the extreme seriousness of the violation of fundamental rights". "We expect that the French authorities will organise the repatriation (of the children) as soon as possible," they said in a statement. The grandparents of two children stranded with their French jihadist mother at a camp in Kurdish-held Syria filed a lawsuit with the European Court of Human Rights earlier this month over France's refusal to allow them home.

Rights body slams France's 'inhumane treatment' of jihadists' children

France&nbsp;said Tuesday it was stepping up efforts to stop&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;executing four<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-french-is-members-sentenced-to-death-in-iraq-judiciary-221787"> </a>French citizens convicted of fighting alongside the Islamic State (IS) group.

An Iraqi court&nbsp;on&nbsp;Sunday sentenced<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-french-is-members-sentenced-to-death-in-iraq-judiciary-221787"> three French nationals to death for joining the Islamic State group</a>, the first IS members from&nbsp;France&nbsp;to be sentenced to capital punishment.

On&nbsp;Monday, a fourth French citizen was also condemned to death in Baghdad. The four have 30 days to appeal.

"We are increasing the steps to avoid the death penalty for these four French citizens," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said&nbsp;on&nbsp;France&nbsp;Inter radio&nbsp;on&nbsp;Tuesday.

"We are opposed to the death penalty... I myself reminded the president of&nbsp;Iraq, President (Barham) Saleh, of our position," he said, without giving further details.

In recent months,&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;has taken custody of thousands of jihadists, including foreigners, captured in neighbouring Syria by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate".

France&nbsp;has long insisted that it's adult citizens captured in&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;or Syria must face trial locally, refusing to repatriate them despite the risk they face capital punishment for waging their jihadist war in the region.

Le Drian reaffirmed&nbsp;France's refusal to accept any repatriations of its nationals affiliated with IS. "These terrorists,&nbsp;because they are terrorists, who attacked us, who also caused death in&nbsp;Iraq, must be judged where they committed their crimes," he said.

The Iraqi judiciary said earlier in May that it has tried and sentenced more than 500 suspected foreign members of IS since the start of 2018.

Its courts have condemned many to live in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed. The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, an Amnesty International report said in April.

France said Tuesday it was stepping up efforts to stop Iraq executing four French citizens convicted of fighting alongside the Islamic State (IS) group. An Iraqi court on Sunday sentenced three French nationals to death for joining the Islamic State group, the first IS members from France to be sentenced to capital punishment.

France said Tuesday it was stepping up efforts to stop Iraq executing four French citizens convicted of fighting alongside the Islamic State (IS) group. An Iraqi court on Sunday sentenced three French nationals to death for joining the Islamic State group, the first IS members from France to be sentenced to capital punishment. On Monday, a fourth French citizen was also condemned to death in Baghdad. The four have 30 days to appeal. "We are increasing the steps to avoid the death penalty for these four French citizens," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on France Inter radio on Tuesday. "We are opposed to the death penalty... I myself reminded the president of Iraq, President (Barham) Saleh, of our position," he said, without giving further details. In recent months, Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists, including foreigners, captured in neighbouring Syria by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate". France has long insisted that it's adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, refusing to repatriate them despite the risk they face capital punishment for waging their jihadist war in the region. Le Drian reaffirmed France's refusal to accept any repatriations of its nationals affiliated with IS. "These terrorists, because they are terrorists, who attacked us, who also caused death in Iraq, must be judged where they committed their crimes," he said. The Iraqi judiciary said earlier in May that it has tried and sentenced more than 500 suspected foreign members of IS since the start of 2018. Its courts have condemned many to live in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed. The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, an Amnesty International report said in April.

France increases pressure on Iraq not to execute Islamic State convicts

An Iraqi court on Sunday sentenced three French citizens to death after they were found guilty of joining the Islamic State group, a court official said.

Captured in Syria by a US-backed force fighting the jihadists, they are the first French IS members to receive death sentences in Iraq, where they were transferred for trial.

Named as Kevin Gonot, Leonard Lopez and Salim Machou, they have 30 days to appeal.

Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists repatriated in recent months from neighbouring Syria, where they were caught by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate".

Iraqi courts have placed on trial hundreds of foreigners, condemning many to live in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed.&nbsp;

Those sentenced on Sunday were among 12 French citizens who were caught in Syria and transferred to Iraqi custody in February.

Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have criticised Iraq's anti-terror trials, which they say often rely on circumstantial evidence or confessions obtained under torture.

The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, according to an Amnesty International report in April.

Analysts have also warned that prisons in Iraq have in the past acted as "academies" for future jihadists, including IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

An Iraqi court on Sunday sentenced three French citizens to death after they were found guilty of joining the Islamic State group, a court official said. Captured in Syria by a US-backed force fighting the jihadists, they are the first French IS members to receive death sentences in Iraq, where they were transferred for trial.

An Iraqi court on Sunday sentenced three French citizens to death after they were found guilty of joining the Islamic State group, a court official said. Captured in Syria by a US-backed force fighting the jihadists, they are the first French IS members to receive death sentences in Iraq, where they were transferred for trial. Named as Kevin Gonot, Leonard Lopez and Salim Machou, they have 30 days to appeal. Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists repatriated in recent months from neighbouring Syria, where they were caught by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate". Iraqi courts have placed on trial hundreds of foreigners, condemning many to live in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed. Those sentenced on Sunday were among 12 French citizens who were caught in Syria and transferred to Iraqi custody in February. Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have criticised Iraq's anti-terror trials, which they say often rely on circumstantial evidence or confessions obtained under torture. The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, according to an Amnesty International report in April. Analysts have also warned that prisons in Iraq have in the past acted as "academies" for future jihadists, including IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Three French Islamic State members sentenced to death in Iraq

The State Department on Wednesday ordered all “non-emergency U.S. government employees” to leave Iraq amid soaring tensions with Iran, which backs proxy forces there.

United States orders ‘non-emergency’ government employees to leave Iraq

The top British officer in the US-led coalition has said there is no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq or Syria. Watch full video to know more.

U.K. Military says no increased Iran threat in Syria or Iraq

The US State Department has ordered all non-emergency government staff to leave Iraq urgently amid escalating tensions with neighbouring Iran.&nbsp;

An alert published on the website of the US embassy in Iraq said employees nationwide should depart "as soon as possible" and avoid American facilities in the country.

Referring to the embassy and the US consulate in Erbil, it said "normal visa services at both posts will be temporarily suspended. The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq."

The statement recommended those affected "depart by commercial transportation as soon as possible".

The US State Department has ordered all non-emergency government staff to leave Iraq urgently amid escalating tensions with neighbouring Iran. An alert published on the website of the US embassy in Iraq said employees nationwide should depart "as soon as possible" and avoid American facilities in the country.

The US State Department has ordered all non-emergency government staff to leave Iraq urgently amid escalating tensions with neighbouring Iran. An alert published on the website of the US embassy in Iraq said employees nationwide should depart "as soon as possible" and avoid American facilities in the country. Referring to the embassy and the US consulate in Erbil, it said "normal visa services at both posts will be temporarily suspended. The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq." The statement recommended those affected "depart by commercial transportation as soon as possible".

US-Iran tensions: Trump administration orders non-emergency embassy staff to leave Iraq

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck near the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya on Saturday, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strong-63-magnitude-quake-hits-southern-japan-no-tsunami-threat-217364">US&nbsp;Geological Survey </a>reported.

Local medics said no injuries were reported and officials said there was no significant material damage.

USGS said the quake occurred 71 kilometres&nbsp;southeast of the city at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Sulaimaniya's seismic monitoring office said it took place near the town of Darbandikhan and was felt in several other towns nearby.

Media reports in neighbouring Iran said the quake had a magnitude of 5.1 and shook the border town of Ezgeleh, but that there were no immediate reports of damage.

"This earthquake occurred in Iraq and was felt in Ezgeleh, and thankfully so far no damage has been reported," provincial emergency management head Jalil Balayi told the semi-official news agency Mehr.

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck near the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya on Saturday, the US Geological Survey reported. Local medics said no injuries were reported and officials said there was no significant material damage.

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck near the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya on Saturday, the US Geological Survey reported. Local medics said no injuries were reported and officials said there was no significant material damage. USGS said the quake occurred 71 kilometres southeast of the city at a depth of 10 kilometres. Sulaimaniya's seismic monitoring office said it took place near the town of Darbandikhan and was felt in several other towns nearby. Media reports in neighbouring Iran said the quake had a magnitude of 5.1 and shook the border town of Ezgeleh, but that there were no immediate reports of damage. "This earthquake occurred in Iraq and was felt in Ezgeleh, and thankfully so far no damage has been reported," provincial emergency management head Jalil Balayi told the semi-official news agency Mehr.

Magnitude 5.3 earthquake strikes near Iraq's Sulaimaniya: US Geological Survey

With plastic chairs lined up in a Kirkuk street and whiteboards fixed to the wall of the building opposite, retired Iraqi teacher Khamis Ali is ready to start his class.Since the 70-year-old started his initiative a few weeks ago, dozens of boys and girls have been gathering at this spot regularly to attend his free classes. He sets up the open-air classroom in the street opposite to his house.

Retired Iraqi teacher brings schooling to a street in Kirkuk

Iran is set to announce plans to reduce some of its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal on May 8, one year after the US withdrew from the same agreement.Watch full video to know more.

Report: Iran to reduce commitments to 2015 Nuclear deal

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-two-students-open-fire-at-colorado-school-wounding-eight-schoolmates-216856">US: Two students open fire in Colorado school; 1 killed, at least seven wounded</a>

Two male students&nbsp;armed with guns&nbsp;burst into a Denver-area science and technology school and opened fire on Tuesday, killing one classmate and wounding seven others before being taken into custody, law enforcement officials said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-stun-messis-barcelona-to-enter-champions-league-final-216859">Liverpool stun Messi's Barcelona to enter Champions League final</a>

Liverpool produced one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history to beat Barcelona 4-0 on Tuesday, overturning a three-goal first-leg deficit and advancing to their second successive final with a 4-3 aggregate victory.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-promised-to-guarantee-safety-of-us-interests-from-iran-says-pompeo-in-baghdad-216862">Iraq promised to guarantee safety of US interests from Iran, says Pompeo in Baghdad</a>

Iraq has promised to guarantee the safety of&nbsp;US interests from Iran, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday as he paid a surprise trip to Baghdad where he accused Tehran of planning "imminent" attacks.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-prosecute-seven-lawmakers-who-backed-uprising-venezuela-supreme-court-216866">Will prosecute seven lawmakers who backed uprising: Venezuela Supreme Court</a>

Venezuela will prosecute seven lawmakers who backed last week's failed uprising orchestrated by opposition&nbsp;leader Juan Guaido, the country's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, as Washington removed sanctions against Caracas' sacked spy chief for backing the revolt.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/satellite-images-indicate-china-building-third-aircraft-carrier-us-think-tank-216863">Satellite images indicate China building third aircraft carrier: US think tank</a>

Recent satellite photographs indicate China's construction of its&nbsp;third aircraft carrier&nbsp;is well underway, a Washington think tank reported Tuesday. ChinaPower, a unit of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, published photos of a large vessel under construction at the&nbsp;Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

US: Two students open fire in Colorado school; 1 killed, at least seven wounded Two male students armed with guns burst into a Denver-area science and technology school and opened fire on Tuesday, killing one classmate and wounding seven others before being taken into custody, law enforcement officials said.

US: Two students open fire in Colorado school; 1 killed, at least seven wounded Two male students armed with guns burst into a Denver-area science and technology school and opened fire on Tuesday, killing one classmate and wounding seven others before being taken into custody, law enforcement officials said. Liverpool stun Messi's Barcelona to enter Champions League final Liverpool produced one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history to beat Barcelona 4-0 on Tuesday, overturning a three-goal first-leg deficit and advancing to their second successive final with a 4-3 aggregate victory. Iraq promised to guarantee safety of US interests from Iran, says Pompeo in Baghdad Iraq has promised to guarantee the safety of US interests from Iran, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday as he paid a surprise trip to Baghdad where he accused Tehran of planning "imminent" attacks. Will prosecute seven lawmakers who backed uprising: Venezuela Supreme Court Venezuela will prosecute seven lawmakers who backed last week's failed uprising orchestrated by opposition leader Juan Guaido, the country's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, as Washington removed sanctions against Caracas' sacked spy chief for backing the revolt. Satellite images indicate China building third aircraft carrier: US think tank Recent satellite photographs indicate China's construction of its third aircraft carrier is well underway, a Washington think tank reported Tuesday. ChinaPower, a unit of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, published photos of a large vessel under construction at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Iraq has promised to guarantee the safety of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-to-reduce-nuclear-commitments-state-media-216851">US interests from Iran</a>, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday as he paid a surprise trip to Baghdad where he accused Tehran of planning "imminent" attacks.

The top US diplomat's unannounced visit marked an effort to stand up Washington's ties with Baghdad as it pushes ahead with its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sending-carrier-bombers-to-mideast-is-psychological-warfare-iran-216721">"maximum pressure" against Tehran</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;a US arch-rival, but an ally of Iraq.

Pompeo abruptly cancelled talks in Germany and made a lengthy detour from a European tour to spend four hours in Iraq, where he met both President Barham Saleh and Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi.

"We talked to them about the importance of Iraq ensuring that it's able to adequately protect Americans in their country," Pompeo told reporters after the meetings.

"They both provided assurances that they understood that was their responsibility," he said.

Pompeo said he made the trip because Iranian forces are "escalating their activity" and said the threat of attacks were "very specific".

"These were attacks that were imminent," Pompeo said.

He declined to go into further detail on the alleged plot, which has been met with scepticism in numerous quarters, with leading Democratic lawmakers fearing that President Donald Trump's administration is seeking to spark a war with Iran.

In the latest US move, the Pentagon said it was sending several massive, nuclear-capable B-52s to the region.

The deployment was in response to "recent and clear indications that Iranian and Iranian proxy forces were making preparations to possibly attack US forces," the Pentagon said.

On Sunday, Washington announced it was dispatching an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East as national security advisor John Bolton warned Iran that Washington would respond with "unrelenting force" to any attack by Tehran, including by its regional allies.

- Pressure on Shiite militias - 
Iraq's majority Shiite population enjoys religious kinship with Iran, which played a significant role in helping Baghdad to fight the Islamic State extremist movement.

President Hassan Rouhani paid an official visit to Iraq in March, where he denounced pressure from the "aggressor" United States, which deposed Iran's arch-enemy Saddam Hussein in a 2003 invasion.

Pompeo, whose trip to Iraq is his second this year, said he spoke at length about Iran's influence with Shiite militias.

"We've urged the Iraqi government for its own security to get all of those forces under Iraqi central control," Pompeo said.

"In each of those meetings, those two leaders promised that that was their objective, too, they were moving towards that goal," he said.

In Iraq, a debate has been raging in recent months over the fate of some 5,200 US troops stationed across the country.

Their presence angers the Hashed al-Shaabi, a paramilitary force that is dominated by pro-Iran factions which played a key role alongside government forces in the fight against IS.

In a press conference a few hours before Pompeo's arrival, Abdel Mahdi said Iraq would not accept any attack on foreign troops on its land.&nbsp;

"Iraq really is taking the responsibility to avoid any attack on any of our friends here, coalition forces or any of our friends here," he told reporters.

"This is an obligation that Iraq would honour, (and) not accept any attack on anyone -- whether Iraqi, foreigner, whether it's an embassy or a company or a military mission," he said.

- Eve of anniversary - 
The Trump administration has imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran, including trying to stop all exports of its oil, although it has issued a waiver for energy-starved Iraq to keep buying power from its neighbour.

Iranian media have said that Rouhani will announce retaliatory measures on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of Trump's pullout from a 2015 nuclear accord under which Tehran drastically scaled back its sensitive work.

With the imposition of US sanctions, Iran has grown increasingly frustrated that it has not seen the fruits of the agreement, with which UN inspectors say it is complying.

Pompeo had been travelling from Finland, where he had attended a meeting of the Arctic Council, to Germany, where he was due to meet both Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas later Tuesday.

Germany has wide disagreements with the Trump administration and along with other European nations still supports the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under former US president Barack Obama.

German parliamentary foreign affairs committee chair Norbert Roettgen said that "even if the reasons for the rejection are unavoidable, it unfortunately fits in with the current climate in the relationship between the two governments".

But Pompeo said that Maas was "most gracious" in a telephone call in which he told him he would scrap the visit.&nbsp;

Pompeo, who returns to Europe for talks Wednesday in London, said he would try to reschedule his trip "as soon as we possibly could".

Iraq has promised to guarantee the safety of US interests from Iran, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday as he paid a surprise trip to Baghdad where he accused Tehran of planning "imminent" attacks.

Iraq has promised to guarantee the safety of US interests from Iran, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday as he paid a surprise trip to Baghdad where he accused Tehran of planning "imminent" attacks. The top US diplomat's unannounced visit marked an effort to stand up Washington's ties with Baghdad as it pushes ahead with its "maximum pressure" against Tehran - a US arch-rival, but an ally of Iraq. Pompeo abruptly cancelled talks in Germany and made a lengthy detour from a European tour to spend four hours in Iraq, where he met both President Barham Saleh and Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. "We talked to them about the importance of Iraq ensuring that it's able to adequately protect Americans in their country," Pompeo told reporters after the meetings. "They both provided assurances that they understood that was their responsibility," he said. Pompeo said he made the trip because Iranian forces are "escalating their activity" and said the threat of attacks were "very specific". "These were attacks that were imminent," Pompeo said. He declined to go into further detail on the alleged plot, which has been met with scepticism in numerous quarters, with leading Democratic lawmakers fearing that President Donald Trump's administration is seeking to spark a war with Iran. In the latest US move, the Pentagon said it was sending several massive, nuclear-capable B-52s to the region. The deployment was in response to "recent and clear indications that Iranian and Iranian proxy forces were making preparations to possibly attack US forces," the Pentagon said. On Sunday, Washington announced it was dispatching an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East as national security advisor John Bolton warned Iran that Washington would respond with "unrelenting force" to any attack by Tehran, including by its regional allies. - Pressure on Shiite militias - Iraq's majority Shiite population enjoys religious kinship with Iran, which played a significant role in helping Baghdad to fight the Islamic State extremist movement. President Hassan Rouhani paid an official visit to Iraq in March, where he denounced pressure from the "aggressor" United States, which deposed Iran's arch-enemy Saddam Hussein in a 2003 invasion. Pompeo, whose trip to Iraq is his second this year, said he spoke at length about Iran's influence with Shiite militias. "We've urged the Iraqi government for its own security to get all of those forces under Iraqi central control," Pompeo said. "In each of those meetings, those two leaders promised that that was their objective, too, they were moving towards that goal," he said. In Iraq, a debate has been raging in recent months over the fate of some 5,200 US troops stationed across the country. Their presence angers the Hashed al-Shaabi, a paramilitary force that is dominated by pro-Iran factions which played a key role alongside government forces in the fight against IS. In a press conference a few hours before Pompeo's arrival, Abdel Mahdi said Iraq would not accept any attack on foreign troops on its land. "Iraq really is taking the responsibility to avoid any attack on any of our friends here, coalition forces or any of our friends here," he told reporters. "This is an obligation that Iraq would honour, (and) not accept any attack on anyone -- whether Iraqi, foreigner, whether it's an embassy or a company or a military mission," he said. - Eve of anniversary - The Trump administration has imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran, including trying to stop all exports of its oil, although it has issued a waiver for energy-starved Iraq to keep buying power from its neighbour. Iranian media have said that Rouhani will announce retaliatory measures on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of Trump's pullout from a 2015 nuclear accord under which Tehran drastically scaled back its sensitive work. With the imposition of US sanctions, Iran has grown increasingly frustrated that it has not seen the fruits of the agreement, with which UN inspectors say it is complying. Pompeo had been travelling from Finland, where he had attended a meeting of the Arctic Council, to Germany, where he was due to meet both Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas later Tuesday. Germany has wide disagreements with the Trump administration and along with other European nations still supports the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under former US president Barack Obama. German parliamentary foreign affairs committee chair Norbert Roettgen said that "even if the reasons for the rejection are unavoidable, it unfortunately fits in with the current climate in the relationship between the two governments". But Pompeo said that Maas was "most gracious" in a telephone call in which he told him he would scrap the visit. Pompeo, who returns to Europe for talks Wednesday in London, said he would try to reschedule his trip "as soon as we possibly could".

Iraq promised to guarantee safety of US interests from Iran, says Pompeo in Baghdad

According to the US media reports, President Donald Trump is exaggerating Iran Threat. Watch full video to know more.

Is US spoiling for a fight with Iran?

The Assyrian Christians were early inhabitants of Al-Qush in northern Iraq. after more than 1600 years, preservation of their ancient history was difficult and tiresome. But an Iraqi singer made it possible. Watch this and many more stories like this from the West-Asian part of the world, on The West Asia Post, every friday at 8:30pm, only on WION, WORLD IS ONE.

The West Asia Post: Iraqi Christians rebuild biblical village

Islamic State remains a potent threat around the world despite reduced capabilities, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, adding its leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-airs-video-purporting-to-be-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-214624">Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi</a> had made his latest video appearance in a "remote area".

PM Abdul Mahdi did not say which country that area was in.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-gravitas-experts-question-the-authenticity-of-the-baghdadi-video-214877/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

A video released late on Monday by Islamic State's media network showed a man it said was Baghdadi in what would be his first appearance since he declared the jihadists' now-defunct "caliphate" five years ago.

&nbsp;

The authenticity and date of the recording could not be independently verified.

Abdul Mahdi said Baghdadi's appearance was an attempt to boost militants and that Islamic State would attempt to carry out more attacks.

"Regarding the location of Baghdadi, we can't give intelligence information right now but it's clear from the video that he's in a remote area," Abdul Mahdi said at a news conference on a visit to Berlin.

Baghdadi, an Iraqi, is believed to be hiding out in an isolated area of either Iraq or Syria, part of vast desert regions Islamic State once held and from where it is thought the jihadists are now waging regular insurgent-style attacks against security forces in both countries.

Hisham al-Hashemi, a security adviser to the Iraqi government, said officials had narrowed his whereabouts from 17 to a possible four locations.

"These are in the desert of Iraq's Anbar (province) or in the (eastern) desert of Homs in Syria," he said.

Abdul Mahdi said Islamic State's capabilities had "greatly reduced" but that the group still posed a threat.

"Daesh (Islamic State) is not just a small organisation, it's widespread and will try to put confidence back in its militants and carry out acts such as those in Sri Lanka," he said, referring to the Easter Sunday attacks claimed by the group which killed more than 250 people.

In the 18-minute video from the Al Furqan network, a bearded man with Baghdadi's appearance says the bombings in Sri Lanka were Islamic State's response to losses in its last territorial stronghold of Baghouz in Syria.

The video would be the first from Baghdadi since he was filmed in the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014. More recent speeches have been released as audio recordings.

A US-backed campaign ended Islamic State's control of territory in Iraq in late 2017 and in Syria last month, nearly five years after the group took over vast areas in both countries.

Islamic State remains a potent threat around the world despite reduced capabilities, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, adding its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had made his latest video appearance in a "remote area".

Islamic State remains a potent threat around the world despite reduced capabilities, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, adding its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had made his latest video appearance in a "remote area". PM Abdul Mahdi did not say which country that area was in. A video released late on Monday by Islamic State's media network showed a man it said was Baghdadi in what would be his first appearance since he declared the jihadists' now-defunct "caliphate" five years ago. The authenticity and date of the recording could not be independently verified. Abdul Mahdi said Baghdadi's appearance was an attempt to boost militants and that Islamic State would attempt to carry out more attacks. "Regarding the location of Baghdadi, we can't give intelligence information right now but it's clear from the video that he's in a remote area," Abdul Mahdi said at a news conference on a visit to Berlin. Baghdadi, an Iraqi, is believed to be hiding out in an isolated area of either Iraq or Syria, part of vast desert regions Islamic State once held and from where it is thought the jihadists are now waging regular insurgent-style attacks against security forces in both countries. Hisham al-Hashemi, a security adviser to the Iraqi government, said officials had narrowed his whereabouts from 17 to a possible four locations. "These are in the desert of Iraq's Anbar (province) or in the (eastern) desert of Homs in Syria," he said. Abdul Mahdi said Islamic State's capabilities had "greatly reduced" but that the group still posed a threat. "Daesh (Islamic State) is not just a small organisation, it's widespread and will try to put confidence back in its militants and carry out acts such as those in Sri Lanka," he said, referring to the Easter Sunday attacks claimed by the group which killed more than 250 people. In the 18-minute video from the Al Furqan network, a bearded man with Baghdadi's appearance says the bombings in Sri Lanka were Islamic State's response to losses in its last territorial stronghold of Baghouz in Syria. The video would be the first from Baghdadi since he was filmed in the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014. More recent speeches have been released as audio recordings. A US-backed campaign ended Islamic State's control of territory in Iraq in late 2017 and in Syria last month, nearly five years after the group took over vast areas in both countries.

IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made latest video in 'remote area': Iraq PM Adel Abdul Mahdi

Children born to Yazidi women as a result of rape by Islamic State group fighters will not be permitted to join the community in northern Iraq, the faith's Supreme Spiritual Council said.&nbsp;

The Yazidi community once numbered around 500,000 members in the mountainous Sinjar region of northwest Iraq, but it was ravaged by IS's 2014 sweep into the area.&nbsp;

Jihadists killed Yazidi men, forced boys to join their ranks as fighters and abducted and imprisoned thousands of Yazidi women as sex slaves.&nbsp;

The children born of those rapes have been the subject of fierce debate in the insular community, which only recognises children as Yazidis if both their parents hail from the sect.

Last week, the head of the Supreme Spiritual Council Hazem Tahsin Said issued what appeared to be a landmark shift, publishing an order "accepting all survivors (of IS crimes) and considering what they went through to have been against their will".

The decision was hailed as "historic" by Yazidi activists, who understood it to mean that children born of rape would now be allowed to live among their Yazidi relatives.&nbsp;

But late Saturday, the Council published a clarification that the decision "does not include children born of rape, but refers to children born of two Yazidi parents".&nbsp;

The Yazidi community had long considered any women marrying outside the sect to no longer be Yazidi, initially including those assaulted by IS in 2014.

But Yazidi spiritual leader Baba Sheikh issued a decision the following year welcoming those women back home, without resolving the fate of their children.

Many Yazidi women who were kidnapped by IS have escaped in recent years, and dozens more fled to safety in the last few months as IS's "caliphate" crumbled in Syria.&nbsp;

Those who had children with IS fighters faced a difficult choice: either remain ex-communicated from their Yazidi relatives, or leave the children behind.&nbsp;

Dozens who returned to the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar in northwest Iraq in recent months chose the latter.&nbsp;

In Iraq, children inherit the religious sect and nationality of their father, so those born to Sunni Muslim men would have the same religion.

Those born to suspected IS fighters who are either missing or dead are at risk of remaining stateless because of lack of proof of their father's identity.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Iraqi President Barham Saleh proposed a bill to parliament that would provide reparations for Yazidi female survivors of IS crimes and establish a court to clarify "civil status" issues.&nbsp;

Children born to Yazidi women as a result of rape by Islamic State group fighters will not be permitted to join the community in northern Iraq, the faith's Supreme Spiritual Council said.

Children born to Yazidi women as a result of rape by Islamic State group fighters will not be permitted to join the community in northern Iraq, the faith's Supreme Spiritual Council said. The Yazidi community once numbered around 500,000 members in the mountainous Sinjar region of northwest Iraq, but it was ravaged by IS's 2014 sweep into the area. Jihadists killed Yazidi men, forced boys to join their ranks as fighters and abducted and imprisoned thousands of Yazidi women as sex slaves. The children born of those rapes have been the subject of fierce debate in the insular community, which only recognises children as Yazidis if both their parents hail from the sect. Last week, the head of the Supreme Spiritual Council Hazem Tahsin Said issued what appeared to be a landmark shift, publishing an order "accepting all survivors (of IS crimes) and considering what they went through to have been against their will". The decision was hailed as "historic" by Yazidi activists, who understood it to mean that children born of rape would now be allowed to live among their Yazidi relatives. But late Saturday, the Council published a clarification that the decision "does not include children born of rape, but refers to children born of two Yazidi parents". The Yazidi community had long considered any women marrying outside the sect to no longer be Yazidi, initially including those assaulted by IS in 2014. But Yazidi spiritual leader Baba Sheikh issued a decision the following year welcoming those women back home, without resolving the fate of their children. Many Yazidi women who were kidnapped by IS have escaped in recent years, and dozens more fled to safety in the last few months as IS's "caliphate" crumbled in Syria. Those who had children with IS fighters faced a difficult choice: either remain ex-communicated from their Yazidi relatives, or leave the children behind. Dozens who returned to the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar in northwest Iraq in recent months chose the latter. In Iraq, children inherit the religious sect and nationality of their father, so those born to Sunni Muslim men would have the same religion. Those born to suspected IS fighters who are either missing or dead are at risk of remaining stateless because of lack of proof of their father's identity. Earlier this month, Iraqi President Barham Saleh proposed a bill to parliament that would provide reparations for Yazidi female survivors of IS crimes and establish a court to clarify "civil status" issues.

Children born to IS fathers not considered Yazidi: Council

Um Yusuf is the widow of an Islamic State (IS) group member. Her husband, Abu Yusuf, who worked as a policeman for IS, died in an airstrike in February 2017, during the battle to retake Mosul from the extremists.

IS families face exclusion in Iraq

Iraq has begun trial proceedings for nearly 900 Iraqi suspected members of the Islamic State group caught fleeing jihadist territory in neighbouring Syria, a judicial source told AFP on Sunday.&nbsp;

They were handed over to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-unearths-mass-grave-of-kurds-killed-by-saddam-210294">Iraqi authorities</a> by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which ousted IS from swathes of eastern Syria including territory bordering Iraq.&nbsp;

"We received the interrogation files of nearly 900 Iraqi Daesh (IS) members coming from Syria," the court official said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

"The specialised terrorism court has begun setting dates for their trial in batches," the source added.&nbsp;

The nearly 900 suspected jihadists were transferred by the SDF to Iraqi custody in recent months as the remnants of IS' once sprawling self-declared "caliphate" collapsed in neighbouring Syria.&nbsp;

Additional Iraqi suspects are in SDF custody and awaiting transferral, a security source told AFP Sunday.

"They will be handed over in batches on the Syrian-Iraqi border. They include very influential leaders, but IS had sought to keep them hidden," the security source said.&nbsp;

One of those destined to be handed over was deeply involved in IS' efforts to develop chemical weapons, he said.

Iraq has already tried thousands of its own nationals arrested on home soil for joining IS -- including women -- and has sentenced hundreds to death.&nbsp;

The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, according to an Amnesty International report released last week.

The number of death sentences issued by Iraqi courts more than quadrupled from 65 in 2017 to at least 271 in 2018.

But fewer were actually carried out, according to Amnesty, with 52 executions in 2018 compared to 125 in 2017.&nbsp;

In addition to locals, Iraq has also tried hundreds of foreigners, condemning many to life in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed.&nbsp;

Among those awaiting trial in Baghdad are 12 accused French IS members, who were caught in Syria and transferred to Iraqi custody in February.&nbsp;

Baghdad has offered to try all foreign fighters in SDF custody -- estimated at around 1,000 -- in exchange for millions of dollars, Iraqi government sources have told AFP.

Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have criticised these trials, which they say often rely on circumstantial evidence or confessions obtained under torture.

Iraq has begun trial proceedings for nearly 900 Iraqi suspected members of the Islamic State group caught fleeing jihadist territory in neighbouring Syria, a judicial source told AFP on Sunday.

Iraq has begun trial proceedings for nearly 900 Iraqi suspected members of the Islamic State group caught fleeing jihadist territory in neighbouring Syria, a judicial source told AFP on Sunday. They were handed over to Iraqi authorities by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which ousted IS from swathes of eastern Syria including territory bordering Iraq. "We received the interrogation files of nearly 900 Iraqi Daesh (IS) members coming from Syria," the court official said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media. "The specialised terrorism court has begun setting dates for their trial in batches," the source added. The nearly 900 suspected jihadists were transferred by the SDF to Iraqi custody in recent months as the remnants of IS' once sprawling self-declared "caliphate" collapsed in neighbouring Syria. Additional Iraqi suspects are in SDF custody and awaiting transferral, a security source told AFP Sunday. "They will be handed over in batches on the Syrian-Iraqi border. They include very influential leaders, but IS had sought to keep them hidden," the security source said. One of those destined to be handed over was deeply involved in IS' efforts to develop chemical weapons, he said. Iraq has already tried thousands of its own nationals arrested on home soil for joining IS -- including women -- and has sentenced hundreds to death. The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, according to an Amnesty International report released last week. The number of death sentences issued by Iraqi courts more than quadrupled from 65 in 2017 to at least 271 in 2018. But fewer were actually carried out, according to Amnesty, with 52 executions in 2018 compared to 125 in 2017. In addition to locals, Iraq has also tried hundreds of foreigners, condemning many to life in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed. Among those awaiting trial in Baghdad are 12 accused French IS members, who were caught in Syria and transferred to Iraqi custody in February. Baghdad has offered to try all foreign fighters in SDF custody -- estimated at around 1,000 -- in exchange for millions of dollars, Iraqi government sources have told AFP. Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have criticised these trials, which they say often rely on circumstantial evidence or confessions obtained under torture.

Iraq begins trial proceedings for 900 jihadist suspects

Iraq must never forget Saddam Hussein's crimes or allow his party to return, President <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-did-not-ask-permission-to-watch-iran-iraqi-president-barham-salih-194996&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj0otzmtM_hAhVBN48KHchhD7YQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3BnEbi-gG8CMbfnvTpr1qb">Barham Salih</a> said on Sunday after attending the unearthing of a mass grave of Kurds killed by the former leader's forces three decades ago.

The grave, found in the desert about 170 kilometres west of the city of Samawa, contained the remains of dozens of Kurds made to "disappear" by Saddam's forces, Salih's office said.

They were among up to 180,000 people who may have been killed during Saddam's "Anfal" campaign that targeted Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s when chemical gas was used, villages were razed and thousands of Kurds were forced into camps.

"He killed them because they did not accept the continuation of this regime because they wanted to live a free and dignified life," Salih, a Kurd, told a news conference at the grave site.

"He brought them to Samawa to bury them but our people in Samawa embraced them," Salih added.&nbsp;

Iraq's southern provinces are predominantly inhabited by Shi'ite Arabs, who also suffered oppression and mass killings under Saddam, a Sunni Arab.

"The new Iraq must never forget these crimes that were committed against Iraqi people from all groups," he said.

Iraq must never forget Saddam Hussein's crimes or allow his party to return, President Barham Salih said on Sunday after attending the unearthing of a mass grave of Kurds killed by the former leader's forces three decades ago.

Iraq must never forget Saddam Hussein's crimes or allow his party to return, President Barham Salih said on Sunday after attending the unearthing of a mass grave of Kurds killed by the former leader's forces three decades ago. The grave, found in the desert about 170 kilometres west of the city of Samawa, contained the remains of dozens of Kurds made to "disappear" by Saddam's forces, Salih's office said. They were among up to 180,000 people who may have been killed during Saddam's "Anfal" campaign that targeted Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s when chemical gas was used, villages were razed and thousands of Kurds were forced into camps. "He killed them because they did not accept the continuation of this regime because they wanted to live a free and dignified life," Salih, a Kurd, told a news conference at the grave site. "He brought them to Samawa to bury them but our people in Samawa embraced them," Salih added. Iraq's southern provinces are predominantly inhabited by Shi'ite Arabs, who also suffered oppression and mass killings under Saddam, a Sunni Arab. "The new Iraq must never forget these crimes that were committed against Iraqi people from all groups," he said.

Iraq unearths mass grave of Kurds killed by Saddam

By Harout Akdedian

The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over. What then does this loss of territorial control actually mean for IS?

At its height, the self-proclaimed “caliphate” controlled an estimated 34,000 square miles across Syria and Iraq, so its defeat on the ground is clearly a severe blow for it. Nevertheless, IS is now expected to evolve. Its networks will disperse into virtual, online spaces and become largely invisible. It will focus on insurgency tactics and terror attacks with a wider reach.

In the face of this evolution, it may seem like maintaining IS in a contained geographic pocket would have been better than eradicating its primary territorial base altogether.

With its defeat on the ground in Syria and Iraq, however, IS and its offshoots will have a more limited capacity for recruitment, indoctrination and growth.

The importance of territory

The success of rebel groups to survive protracted armed conflicts is dependent on their ability to maintain territorial control. They require it to extract resources and enlist local recruits.

Territorial control allows armed groups to force local populations into compliance and conformity with their ideological outlook. Since its inception, IS understood that its radical “Islamic” community does not locally exist. Instead, the organisation set about creating it, reshaping communities under its control in its own image.

Comparative evidence from civil wars around the world demonstrates how territorial control does not depend on a local population’s ideological agreement with the forces in place. Instead, in his book The Logic of Violence in Civil War, Stathis Kalyvas argues that a combination of coercive measures and local administrative bodies allows a force to maintain order, stability and compliance.

For example, during the Liberian civil war in the early 1990s, NPFL (The National Patriotic Front of Liberia) rebels, led by Charles Taylor, used administrative bodies and courts in the territory they controlled to create an alternative order backed up by displays of brutality and violence. This led to an intricate system of patronage and loyalty that created new dependencies between local communities and the new regime.

These Taylor-era Liberian courts are comparable to IS’s religious courts which controlled the issuing of permits for cross border activities, defined the educational content of local schools, distributed social services – and carried out extreme public punishments.

In enduring armed conflict, these administrative bodies, social services and displays of order encourage the cooperation of the local population. In other words, territorial control allows the occupier to manage the behaviour and, potentially, the ideology of the people under its control.

Instruments of control

Under IS, spectacles of brutality and violence were a key part of this. Public executions involved people being incinerated, stoned, decapitated and thrown off towers. Staged in front of local people, these executions were carefully choreographed and meticulously documented and disseminated – both locally and internationally.

IS explicitly claimed that these acts of brutality were intended to create a vacuum by disrupting local societal structures that could then be “filled” and “managed” by them. Essentially, displays of violence were used as an instrument of social organisation.

Data personally collected between 2012 and 2014 shows that many living under the rule of radicalised groups such as IS judge these groups based on their own immediate day-to-day conditions rather than the organisation’s overall performance or outlook.

If administrative structures function and people have access to food and basic services, for example, local populations may overlook – or even adhere to – the occupying force’s ideology (albeit under duress). And those that don’t are severely and publicly punished as an “example” to others.

The 2014 executions of members of the Sunni Arab al-Sheitaat tribe, in Deir el-Zor, Syria, are a case in point. IS took the lives of more than 700 of its members for revoking a pledge of allegiance. In addition, IS incessantly targeted other Jihadi or predominantly Sunni rebel formations. Indeed, the tally of those killed continues to increase as more mass graves are discovered.

Violent consolidation 
 
Such atrocities were examples of IS consolidating its power through the elimination of rivals and the suppression of potential or real dissent within its area of control. Faced with this, local populations had no choice but to imitate expressions of religiosity as defined by IS and to demonstrate compliance. For local people, this was a method of adaptation and survival – but IS’s loss of territorial control now greatly reduces its capacity to control and indoctrinate local residents in this way.

The question of how IS’s methods impacted local populations, in the long run, is yet to be answered. A lot will depend on what happens next in its former territory and to those living there now.

Either way, while IS is badly incapacitated, it certainly is not finished. It will most likely splinter into new organisations which might try to establish territorial control elsewhere. Parts of North Africa and the Maghreb are particularly susceptible, where control over vast swathes of land remain contested. In the meantime, IS will continue to try to nurture its virtual communities and seek new audiences online.

(Harout Akdedian is Carnegie SFM Postdoctoral fellow, Central European University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/islamic-state-the-caliphate-is-off-the-map-for-now-but-will-evolve-in-dangerous-ways-114831">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

By Harout Akdedian The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over.

By Harout Akdedian The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over. What then does this loss of territorial control actually mean for IS? At its height, the self-proclaimed “caliphate” controlled an estimated 34,000 square miles across Syria and Iraq, so its defeat on the ground is clearly a severe blow for it. Nevertheless, IS is now expected to evolve. Its networks will disperse into virtual, online spaces and become largely invisible. It will focus on insurgency tactics and terror attacks with a wider reach. In the face of this evolution, it may seem like maintaining IS in a contained geographic pocket would have been better than eradicating its primary territorial base altogether. With its defeat on the ground in Syria and Iraq, however, IS and its offshoots will have a more limited capacity for recruitment, indoctrination and growth. The importance of territory The success of rebel groups to survive protracted armed conflicts is dependent on their ability to maintain territorial control. They require it to extract resources and enlist local recruits. Territorial control allows armed groups to force local populations into compliance and conformity with their ideological outlook. Since its inception, IS understood that its radical “Islamic” community does not locally exist. Instead, the organisation set about creating it, reshaping communities under its control in its own image. Comparative evidence from civil wars around the world demonstrates how territorial control does not depend on a local population’s ideological agreement with the forces in place. Instead, in his book The Logic of Violence in Civil War, Stathis Kalyvas argues that a combination of coercive measures and local administrative bodies allows a force to maintain order, stability and compliance. For example, during the Liberian civil war in the early 1990s, NPFL (The National Patriotic Front of Liberia) rebels, led by Charles Taylor, used administrative bodies and courts in the territory they controlled to create an alternative order backed up by displays of brutality and violence. This led to an intricate system of patronage and loyalty that created new dependencies between local communities and the new regime. These Taylor-era Liberian courts are comparable to IS’s religious courts which controlled the issuing of permits for cross border activities, defined the educational content of local schools, distributed social services – and carried out extreme public punishments. In enduring armed conflict, these administrative bodies, social services and displays of order encourage the cooperation of the local population. In other words, territorial control allows the occupier to manage the behaviour and, potentially, the ideology of the people under its control. Instruments of control Under IS, spectacles of brutality and violence were a key part of this. Public executions involved people being incinerated, stoned, decapitated and thrown off towers. Staged in front of local people, these executions were carefully choreographed and meticulously documented and disseminated – both locally and internationally. IS explicitly claimed that these acts of brutality were intended to create a vacuum by disrupting local societal structures that could then be “filled” and “managed” by them. Essentially, displays of violence were used as an instrument of social organisation. Data personally collected between 2012 and 2014 shows that many living under the rule of radicalised groups such as IS judge these groups based on their own immediate day-to-day conditions rather than the organisation’s overall performance or outlook. If administrative structures function and people have access to food and basic services, for example, local populations may overlook – or even adhere to – the occupying force’s ideology (albeit under duress). And those that don’t are severely and publicly punished as an “example” to others. The 2014 executions of members of the Sunni Arab al-Sheitaat tribe, in Deir el-Zor, Syria, are a case in point. IS took the lives of more than 700 of its members for revoking a pledge of allegiance. In addition, IS incessantly targeted other Jihadi or predominantly Sunni rebel formations. Indeed, the tally of those killed continues to increase as more mass graves are discovered. Violent consolidation Such atrocities were examples of IS consolidating its power through the elimination of rivals and the suppression of potential or real dissent within its area of control. Faced with this, local populations had no choice but to imitate expressions of religiosity as defined by IS and to demonstrate compliance. For local people, this was a method of adaptation and survival – but IS’s loss of territorial control now greatly reduces its capacity to control and indoctrinate local residents in this way. The question of how IS’s methods impacted local populations, in the long run, is yet to be answered. A lot will depend on what happens next in its former territory and to those living there now. Either way, while IS is badly incapacitated, it certainly is not finished. It will most likely splinter into new organisations which might try to establish territorial control elsewhere. Parts of North Africa and the Maghreb are particularly susceptible, where control over vast swathes of land remain contested. In the meantime, IS will continue to try to nurture its virtual communities and seek new audiences online. (Harout Akdedian is Carnegie SFM Postdoctoral fellow, Central European University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Islamic State is off the map for now, but war against the organisation is far from over

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-announces-first-new-north-korea-sanctions-since-failed-summit-204745">US announces first new North Korea sanctions since failed summit</a>

The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on two Chinese shipping companies it says helped North Korea evade US and international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, the first such steps since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's summit collapsed last month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-theresa-may-welcomes-brexit-delay-204744">UK PM Theresa May welcomes Brexit delay, says Parliament now has clear choice</a>

European leaders and Prime Minister Theresa May agreed Thursday on a short delay to Britain's divorce from the European Union in the hope of ensuring an orderly Brexit. "I think what this decision tonight does is show the clear choice that is available, open to MPs," May noted.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-police-visited-mosque-shooter-before-granting-gun-licence-204754">New Zealand police visited mosque shooter before granting gun licence</a>

New Zealand police revealed Friday that they met with the accused Christchurch mosque shooter at his home in October 2017 before granting him the licence that let him purchase the weapons used in the rampage.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/almost-100-dead-as-overloaded-ferry-sinks-in-iraqs-tigris-river-204757">Iraq: Almost 100 dead as overloaded ferry sinks in Tigris river, PM Mahdi declares national mourning</a>

Almost 100 people, mostly women and children, died Thursday as a ferry packed with families celebrating Kurdish New Year sank in a swollen river in the former jihadist stronghold of Mosul, in Iraq's worst accident in years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-crashes-boeing-rolls-out-safety-feature-previously-sold-as-an-option-204750">After crashes, Boeing rolls out safety feature previously sold as an option</a>

Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft will be outfitted with a warning light for malfunctions in the anti-stall system suspected in October's fatal crash in Indonesia, an industry source told AFP Thursday, standardizing a feature previously sold as an optional extra.

US announces first new North Korea sanctions since failed summit The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on two Chinese shipping companies it says helped North Korea evade US and international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, the first such steps since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's summit collapsed last month.

US announces first new North Korea sanctions since failed summit The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on two Chinese shipping companies it says helped North Korea evade US and international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, the first such steps since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's summit collapsed last month. UK PM Theresa May welcomes Brexit delay, says Parliament now has clear choice European leaders and Prime Minister Theresa May agreed Thursday on a short delay to Britain's divorce from the European Union in the hope of ensuring an orderly Brexit. "I think what this decision tonight does is show the clear choice that is available, open to MPs," May noted. New Zealand police visited mosque shooter before granting gun licence New Zealand police revealed Friday that they met with the accused Christchurch mosque shooter at his home in October 2017 before granting him the licence that let him purchase the weapons used in the rampage. Iraq: Almost 100 dead as overloaded ferry sinks in Tigris river, PM Mahdi declares national mourning Almost 100 people, mostly women and children, died Thursday as a ferry packed with families celebrating Kurdish New Year sank in a swollen river in the former jihadist stronghold of Mosul, in Iraq's worst accident in years. After crashes, Boeing rolls out safety feature previously sold as an option Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft will be outfitted with a warning light for malfunctions in the anti-stall system suspected in October's fatal crash in Indonesia, an industry source told AFP Thursday, standardizing a feature previously sold as an optional extra.

Almost 100 people, mostly women and children, died Thursday as a ferry packed with families celebrating Kurdish New Year sank in a swollen river in the former jihadist stronghold of Mosul, in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-72-killed-as-overloaded-ferry-sinks-in-iraqs-tigris-river-204740">Iraq's worst accident in years</a>.

There was an outpouring of grief among residents who only this year resumed the annual festivities on the banks of the Tigris after the northern city's recapture from the Islamic State group.

Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi decreed three days of national mourning as he visited the site of the tragedy. He ordered a swift investigation "to determine responsibilities".

The vessel was crammed with men, women and children crossing the Tigris to go to a popular picnic area to celebrate Nowruz, the Kurdish New Year and a holiday across Iraq marking the start of spring.

The accident, which struck as the overloaded vessel turned back, also coincided with Mother's Day in Iraq.

The interior ministry, issuing a fresh toll, said 94 people had died and 55 were rescued, after its spokesman Saad Maan said at least 19 children were among the dead.

The premier said 61 women had died in the accident.

While war and jihadist attacks have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in Iraq in recent years, such accidents are relatively rare.

"It's a disaster, no one expected that," said a young man who had just managed to reach the shore.

"There were a lot of people on the boat, especially women and children," he told AFP.

A Mosul security source said the high water levels and overcrowding on the boat, with well over 100 people on board, had been to blame for the disaster.

"The boat sank because there were too many passengers on board," another security official based in Mosul told AFP.

Bloated river&nbsp;

Iraq's justice ministry said it had ordered the arrest of nine ferry company officials and banned the owners of the vessel and the tourist site from leaving the country.

The authorities had warned people to be cautious after several days of heavy rains led to water being released through the Mosul dam, causing the river level to rise.

Videos shared on social media showed a fast-flowing, bloated river and dozens of people floating in the water or trying to swim around the partly submerged boat.

Search operations stretched far downstream from the site where the boat sank, according to an AFP journalist.

Hundreds of people who had flocked to the forested area for the first days of spring gathered on the river banks as the disaster unfolded.

Ambulances and police vehicles transported the dead and wounded to hospitals in the city of nearly two million people.

Photos of victims, many of them women and children, were posted on the walls of a morgue for families unable to enter because of the large crowd who had gathered to identify their relatives.

One man, scanning over the pictures, stopped abruptly at the image of a woman.&nbsp;

In shock, he gasped: "It's my wife", before collapsing in tears.

IS turned Mosul into their de facto Iraqi capital after the jihadists swept across much of the country's north in 2014.

The city spent three years under the group's iron-fisted rule until it was recaptured by Iraqi troops backed by a US-led coalition in 2017.

Dead children in the water&nbsp;

Nawar, who had been aboard the craft, said it had capsized in mid-stream.

"It was carrying too many passengers, so the water began to rush onboard and the ferry became heavier and overturned," he said. "With my own eyes I saw dead children in the water."

As ambulances shuttled back and forth to the morgue, three young girls and a boy were huddled together in a blanket, in tears, waiting for news of their missing parents.

"All we wanted was to celebrate the New Year and it turned into a catastrophe," &nbsp;a man passing the scene protested.

Iraq's last major boat disaster was in March 2013 when a floating restaurant sank in Baghdad, killing five people.

Several political leaders denounced the lack of safety at dilapidated leisure facilities in a country where the dismal state of public services was one of the triggers for widespread protests last year.

Almost 100 people, mostly women and children, died Thursday as a ferry packed with families celebrating Kurdish New Year sank in a swollen river in the former jihadist stronghold of Mosul, in Iraq's worst accident in years.

Almost 100 people, mostly women and children, died Thursday as a ferry packed with families celebrating Kurdish New Year sank in a swollen river in the former jihadist stronghold of Mosul, in Iraq's worst accident in years. There was an outpouring of grief among residents who only this year resumed the annual festivities on the banks of the Tigris after the northern city's recapture from the Islamic State group. Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi decreed three days of national mourning as he visited the site of the tragedy. He ordered a swift investigation "to determine responsibilities". The vessel was crammed with men, women and children crossing the Tigris to go to a popular picnic area to celebrate Nowruz, the Kurdish New Year and a holiday across Iraq marking the start of spring. The accident, which struck as the overloaded vessel turned back, also coincided with Mother's Day in Iraq. The interior ministry, issuing a fresh toll, said 94 people had died and 55 were rescued, after its spokesman Saad Maan said at least 19 children were among the dead. The premier said 61 women had died in the accident. While war and jihadist attacks have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in Iraq in recent years, such accidents are relatively rare. "It's a disaster, no one expected that," said a young man who had just managed to reach the shore. "There were a lot of people on the boat, especially women and children," he told AFP. A Mosul security source said the high water levels and overcrowding on the boat, with well over 100 people on board, had been to blame for the disaster. "The boat sank because there were too many passengers on board," another security official based in Mosul told AFP. Bloated river Iraq's justice ministry said it had ordered the arrest of nine ferry company officials and banned the owners of the vessel and the tourist site from leaving the country. The authorities had warned people to be cautious after several days of heavy rains led to water being released through the Mosul dam, causing the river level to rise. Videos shared on social media showed a fast-flowing, bloated river and dozens of people floating in the water or trying to swim around the partly submerged boat. Search operations stretched far downstream from the site where the boat sank, according to an AFP journalist. Hundreds of people who had flocked to the forested area for the first days of spring gathered on the river banks as the disaster unfolded. Ambulances and police vehicles transported the dead and wounded to hospitals in the city of nearly two million people. Photos of victims, many of them women and children, were posted on the walls of a morgue for families unable to enter because of the large crowd who had gathered to identify their relatives. One man, scanning over the pictures, stopped abruptly at the image of a woman. In shock, he gasped: "It's my wife", before collapsing in tears. IS turned Mosul into their de facto Iraqi capital after the jihadists swept across much of the country's north in 2014. The city spent three years under the group's iron-fisted rule until it was recaptured by Iraqi troops backed by a US-led coalition in 2017. Dead children in the water Nawar, who had been aboard the craft, said it had capsized in mid-stream. "It was carrying too many passengers, so the water began to rush onboard and the ferry became heavier and overturned," he said. "With my own eyes I saw dead children in the water." As ambulances shuttled back and forth to the morgue, three young girls and a boy were huddled together in a blanket, in tears, waiting for news of their missing parents. "All we wanted was to celebrate the New Year and it turned into a catastrophe," a man passing the scene protested. Iraq's last major boat disaster was in March 2013 when a floating restaurant sank in Baghdad, killing five people. Several political leaders denounced the lack of safety at dilapidated leisure facilities in a country where the dismal state of public services was one of the triggers for widespread protests last year.

Iraq: Almost 100 dead as overloaded ferry sinks in Tigris river, PM Mahdi declares national mourning

A bullish US President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that the Islamic State group would be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-the-us-has-defeated-islamic-state-in-syria-185363">wiped off the map within hours</a>, as he unfurled printouts showing the jihadists' shrinking presence in Iraq and Syria.

Trump claimed American forces have inflicted significant casualties on the battlefield in the past month.

He has signalled the group's imminent demise on several previous occasions, although IS, also known as ISIS, has yet to wave the white flag of surrender.

In one map shown by Trump to reporters in Washington and then again at a rally to workers at a military tank factory in Lima, Ohio, IS territory marked in red extends over large areas.

A second map, he said, shows the extremist organization about to be wiped out.

"There is no red. In fact, there's actually a tiny spot which will be gone by tonight," he said at the White House.

Later in Ohio, standing by M1A2 Abrams tanks painted in camouflage in front of a huge American flag, Trump again used his map props to highlight the military gains against the jihadists.

"When I took over it was a mess, they were all over the place, all over Syria and Iraq," he said of IS, pointing at the red territory.

"And now you look at it, and there's no red," he crowed as workers cheered.&nbsp;

"As of today, this is ISIS, there's none. The caliphate is gone as of tonight."

After sweeping across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, the IS jihadists' cross-border caliphate has been whittled down by multiple offensives to the tiny embattled enclave in Baghouz, Syria.

Fighting continued in Baghouz Wednesday, with the IS jihadists surrounded and under heavy fire from a US-led coalition of Kurds, Syrians and others.

Trump claimed US forces in the last month "have killed the terrorists responsible for the attack in Syria that killed four Americans."

On Tuesday a US-backed force in Syria said it arrested the jihadists suspected of involvement in that January attack, the deadliest on US troops since they deployed in the war-torn country in 2014.

Trump also said US forces have killed those who attacked the Bataclan theater in Paris in 2015, and who orchestrated the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole which left 17 American servicemen dead.

"We killed them all," Trump said. "We killed them all."

In January the US military said that Al-Qaeda operative Jamal al-Badawi, an architect of the bombing, was believed to have been killed in a precision strike in Yemen.

The chief suspect in the USS Cole attack, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, is being held in the US detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A bullish US President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that the Islamic State group would be wiped off the map within hours, as he unfurled printouts showing the jihadists' shrinking presence in Iraq and Syria.

A bullish US President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that the Islamic State group would be wiped off the map within hours, as he unfurled printouts showing the jihadists' shrinking presence in Iraq and Syria. Trump claimed American forces have inflicted significant casualties on the battlefield in the past month. He has signalled the group's imminent demise on several previous occasions, although IS, also known as ISIS, has yet to wave the white flag of surrender. In one map shown by Trump to reporters in Washington and then again at a rally to workers at a military tank factory in Lima, Ohio, IS territory marked in red extends over large areas. A second map, he said, shows the extremist organization about to be wiped out. "There is no red. In fact, there's actually a tiny spot which will be gone by tonight," he said at the White House. Later in Ohio, standing by M1A2 Abrams tanks painted in camouflage in front of a huge American flag, Trump again used his map props to highlight the military gains against the jihadists. "When I took over it was a mess, they were all over the place, all over Syria and Iraq," he said of IS, pointing at the red territory. "And now you look at it, and there's no red," he crowed as workers cheered. "As of today, this is ISIS, there's none. The caliphate is gone as of tonight." After sweeping across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, the IS jihadists' cross-border caliphate has been whittled down by multiple offensives to the tiny embattled enclave in Baghouz, Syria. Fighting continued in Baghouz Wednesday, with the IS jihadists surrounded and under heavy fire from a US-led coalition of Kurds, Syrians and others. Trump claimed US forces in the last month "have killed the terrorists responsible for the attack in Syria that killed four Americans." On Tuesday a US-backed force in Syria said it arrested the jihadists suspected of involvement in that January attack, the deadliest on US troops since they deployed in the war-torn country in 2014. Trump also said US forces have killed those who attacked the Bataclan theater in Paris in 2015, and who orchestrated the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole which left 17 American servicemen dead. "We killed them all," Trump said. "We killed them all." In January the US military said that Al-Qaeda operative Jamal al-Badawi, an architect of the bombing, was believed to have been killed in a precision strike in Yemen. The chief suspect in the USS Cole attack, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, is being held in the US detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Islamic State will be wiped off the map within hours, says Trump

Gravitas: Iran, Iraq & Syria asks US to withdraw troops from Syria

CRPF Commando Squad to guard embassy in Iraq

Five people were killed and six others wounded in a gas pipeline explosion Thursday near the city of Ahvaz in southwest Iran, state news agency IRNA reported.

"The gas pipes blew up about 200 metres (yards) from the road...Destroying four vehicles that were passing by," Ahvaz governor Jamal Alemi Neisi said, quoted by IRNA.

"This was not a terrorist act or sabotage and was caused by gas leaking" from the pipes, he said.

IRNA said the explosion struck near a traffic police station on the Ahvaz-Mahshahr freeway.

Ahvaz is the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province on the border with Iraq.&nbsp;

Five people were killed and six others wounded in a gas pipeline explosion Thursday near the city of Ahvaz in southwest Iran, state news agency IRNA reported. "The gas pipes blew up about 200 metres (yards) from the road.

Five people were killed and six others wounded in a gas pipeline explosion Thursday near the city of Ahvaz in southwest Iran, state news agency IRNA reported. "The gas pipes blew up about 200 metres (yards) from the road...Destroying four vehicles that were passing by," Ahvaz governor Jamal Alemi Neisi said, quoted by IRNA. "This was not a terrorist act or sabotage and was caused by gas leaking" from the pipes, he said. IRNA said the explosion struck near a traffic police station on the Ahvaz-Mahshahr freeway. Ahvaz is the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province on the border with Iraq.

Five dead, six wounded in Iran gas pipeline explosion

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