A suicide bomber detonated a pick-up truck on Wednesday in Sadr City, a heavily populated poor Shi&#39;ite suburb of Baghdad, killing at least 15 and wounding 50, security sources said.&nbsp;

The explosion, the deadliest in Baghdad so far this year, targeted a crowded street full of garages and used car dealers.

Islamic State has stepped up bombings in Iraq last year, in retaliation to a US-backed campaign that dislodged the hardline Sunni group from most Iraqi cities it took over in 2014.&nbsp;

The militants also control parts of neighbouring Syria.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

The explosion, the deadliest in Baghdad so far this year, targeted a Shi'ite suburb in the city

A suicide bomber detonated a pick-up truck on Wednesday in Sadr City, a heavily populated poor Shi'ite suburb of Baghdad, killing at least 15 and wounding 50, security sources said. The explosion, the deadliest in Baghdad so far this year, targeted a crowded street full of garages and used car dealers. Islamic State has stepped up bombings in Iraq last year, in retaliation to a US-backed campaign that dislodged the hardline Sunni group from most Iraqi cities it took over in 2014. The militants also control parts of neighbouring Syria. (Reuters)

Suicide truck bomber kills at least 15 in Baghdad: Sources

A US military official has confirmed that depleted uranium rounds were used in airstrikes conducted in Islamic State-held areas in Syria in 2015.

US Central Command spokesman Maj. Josh Jacques told Aiwars and Foreign Policy that more than 5,000 rounds containing&nbsp;depleted uranium were fired from A-10 fixed wing aircrafts in raids that took place on November 16 and November 22, 2015,&nbsp;

The last time the US used depleted uranium was during the Iraq invasion in 2003 after which it had to face severe backlash from locals.

It had vowed not to use it in future.&nbsp;

The Iraqi government had expressed fears that the use of deplted uranium will have adverse health effects on the local population.

The airstrikes on tanker trucks in Syria in 2015 were part of an operation to dismantle the oil assets of Islamic State.&nbsp;

The oil supply chain was used by the Islamic State to earn millions of dollars to fund its operations.

(WION)&nbsp;

The airstrikes were conducted in November 2015 on Islamic State's oil assets

A US military official has confirmed that depleted uranium rounds were used in airstrikes conducted in Islamic State-held areas in Syria in 2015. US Central Command spokesman Maj. Josh Jacques told Aiwars and Foreign Policy that more than 5,000 rounds containing depleted uranium were fired from A-10 fixed wing aircrafts in raids that took place on November 16 and November 22, 2015, The last time the US used depleted uranium was during the Iraq invasion in 2003 after which it had to face severe backlash from locals. It had vowed not to use it in future. The Iraqi government had expressed fears that the use of deplted uranium will have adverse health effects on the local population. The airstrikes on tanker trucks in Syria in 2015 were part of an operation to dismantle the oil assets of Islamic State. The oil supply chain was used by the Islamic State to earn millions of dollars to fund its operations. (WION)

US used depleted uranium in airstrikes on IS-held areas in Syria, confirms military official

The Iraqi air force has targeted a meeting of commanders from the Islamic State group that its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may have been attending, a statement said on Monday.

It was not clear in the statement sent by the Joint Operations Command coordinating the fight against the jihadists in Iraq whether the world&#39;s most wanted terrorist had been hit.

An intelligence cell monitored a convoy that the statement said transported Baghdadi from the area of Raqa, the jihadists&#39;&nbsp;main Syrian stronghold, across the border to the Al-Qaim area in western Iraq.

The statement said Iraqi air force F-16 jets struck a meeting of top IS commanders on February 11 but provided no additional information on Baghdadi&#39;s fate.

&quot;The direct strike on the meeting location led to the death of 13 Daesh (IS) commanders,&quot; said the statement, which provided a list of names.

The Iraq-born Baghdadi, who proclaimed a &quot;caliphate&quot; straddling Iraq and Syria in June 2014, was not one of those names.

The Iraqi military has reported Baghdadi killed or wounded on numerous occasions since it launched a counter-offensive to regain the territory lost to IS almost three years ago.

Iraq&#39;s military said dozens of other IS militants were also killed in other strikes in the same area as part of the operation last week.

Baghdadi&#39;s health is unknown, but the Pentagon said six weeks ago that he was still alive and leading IS as it tries to defend the remnants of its crumbling &quot;caliphate&quot;.

In the statement issued on Monday, the Iraqi military claimed that Baghdadi had come to the border area to discuss with his commanders &quot;the setbacks taking place in Mosul&quot;.

Mosul is Iraq&#39;s second city and the largest ever held by IS.

After a string of major losses in both Iraq and Syria, the jihadists` two main strongholds of Mosul and Raqa are both under attack from forces backed by a US-led coalition.

Iraqi forces have already retaken the eastern side of Mosul and, nearly four months into a massive offensive to recapture the city, they are now readying for an assault on the west side.

In mid-December, the United States more than doubled the bounty on the shadowy IS leader&#39;s head to $25 million.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

It was not clear in the statement sent by Joint Operations Command whether the world's most wanted terrorist had been hit

The Iraqi air force has targeted a meeting of commanders from the Islamic State group that its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may have been attending, a statement said on Monday. It was not clear in the statement sent by the Joint Operations Command coordinating the fight against the jihadists in Iraq whether the world's most wanted terrorist had been hit. An intelligence cell monitored a convoy that the statement said transported Baghdadi from the area of Raqa, the jihadists' main Syrian stronghold, across the border to the Al-Qaim area in western Iraq. The statement said Iraqi air force F-16 jets struck a meeting of top IS commanders on February 11 but provided no additional information on Baghdadi's fate. "The direct strike on the meeting location led to the death of 13 Daesh (IS) commanders," said the statement, which provided a list of names. The Iraq-born Baghdadi, who proclaimed a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria in June 2014, was not one of those names. The Iraqi military has reported Baghdadi killed or wounded on numerous occasions since it launched a counter-offensive to regain the territory lost to IS almost three years ago. Iraq's military said dozens of other IS militants were also killed in other strikes in the same area as part of the operation last week. Baghdadi's health is unknown, but the Pentagon said six weeks ago that he was still alive and leading IS as it tries to defend the remnants of its crumbling "caliphate". In the statement issued on Monday, the Iraqi military claimed that Baghdadi had come to the border area to discuss with his commanders "the setbacks taking place in Mosul". Mosul is Iraq's second city and the largest ever held by IS. After a string of major losses in both Iraq and Syria, the jihadists` two main strongholds of Mosul and Raqa are both under attack from forces backed by a US-led coalition. Iraqi forces have already retaken the eastern side of Mosul and, nearly four months into a massive offensive to recapture the city, they are now readying for an assault on the west side. In mid-December, the United States more than doubled the bounty on the shadowy IS leader's head to $25 million. (AFP)

Baghdadi's fate uncertain as Iraqi air force strikes IS commanders

The Maldives police arrested a Maldivian man for allegedly trying to cross into Syria to join the civil war there, the Maldives Independent reported.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, in a series of tweets, the police said he was&ldquo;on his way to join Syrian civil war.&rdquo; The man&#39;s identity and the&nbsp;date of extradition were&nbsp;not disclosed.&nbsp;

&ldquo;In order to reduce the number of such cases, we are expanding cooperation with international actors and are working on increasing the police&rsquo;s capacity,&rdquo; the Maldives&nbsp;Police&#39;s tweet read.&nbsp;

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A Maldivian arrested and brought back to Male&#39; on his way to join Syrian civil war.
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According to media reports, this is the fourth Maldivian citizen to be arrested&nbsp;for&nbsp;trying to&nbsp;join the war in Syria. The other three are currently under trial&nbsp;facing terrorism charges,&nbsp;the Maldives Independent reported.&nbsp;

If convicted, they can get up to 20 years in prison.&nbsp;

Several Maldivians are leaving the beautiful island nation mostly to fight within&nbsp;al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as Al-Nusra Front, in Syria.&nbsp;

At least six Maldivians are believed to have died fighting in Syria.&nbsp;

Although no official figures are available, former Maldivian president Nasheed claims there could as many as 200 Maldivians fighting in Syria.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/exclusive-from-the-white-sand-beaches-to-the-arid-syrian-desert-young-maldivians-swell-the-ranks-of-islamist-terrorists-11241">WION</a> had earlier reported that the growing radicalism in the country could be attributed to some radical preachers educated in Saudi Arabia and spreading the strict Salafi version of Islam in the archipelago.&nbsp;

This not only poses a threat for the Maldives but for India as well, a close neighbour which has a fair share of its own citizens attempting to participate in the war.&nbsp;

In 2016, about 50 Indians have been arrested for having suspected links to the IS. The detainees mostly belonged to states of Maharashtra and Kerala, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-52-detained-for-having-links-to-islamic-state-in-2016-11485">WION</a> reported.&nbsp;

After allegations that current President Abdulla Yameen&#39;s administration had failed to curb the threat, the Parliament in 2015 introduced a law which criminalises&nbsp;people joining foreign wars.&nbsp;

(WION)

The police said the man was brought back to the Maldives with the help of 'international' agencies

The Maldives police arrested a Maldivian man for allegedly trying to cross into Syria to join the civil war there, the Maldives Independent reported. On Tuesday, in a series of tweets, the police said he was“on his way to join Syrian civil war.” The man's identity and the date of extradition were not disclosed. “In order to reduce the number of such cases, we are expanding cooperation with international actors and are working on increasing the police’s capacity,” the Maldives Police's tweet read. A Maldivian arrested and brought back to Male' on his way to join Syrian civil war. — Maldives Police (@PoliceMv) February 7, 2017 × According to media reports, this is the fourth Maldivian citizen to be arrested for trying to join the war in Syria. The other three are currently under trial facing terrorism charges, the Maldives Independent reported. If convicted, they can get up to 20 years in prison. Several Maldivians are leaving the beautiful island nation mostly to fight within al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as Al-Nusra Front, in Syria. At least six Maldivians are believed to have died fighting in Syria. Although no official figures are available, former Maldivian president Nasheed claims there could as many as 200 Maldivians fighting in Syria. WION had earlier reported that the growing radicalism in the country could be attributed to some radical preachers educated in Saudi Arabia and spreading the strict Salafi version of Islam in the archipelago. This not only poses a threat for the Maldives but for India as well, a close neighbour which has a fair share of its own citizens attempting to participate in the war. In 2016, about 50 Indians have been arrested for having suspected links to the IS. The detainees mostly belonged to states of Maharashtra and Kerala, WION reported. After allegations that current President Abdulla Yameen's administration had failed to curb the threat, the Parliament in 2015 introduced a law which criminalises people joining foreign wars. (WION)

Maldives: Police arrest fourth Maldivian man trying to join Syrian war

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), India&#39;s central counter-terrorism bureau, is in possession of a list of 4,000 names compiled by a pro-Islamic State hacking group, the &quot;United Cyber Caliphate&quot;.&nbsp;

The list carries names, cities, addresses, email ids, phone numbers and occupations of people who are considered enemy of the Sunni terrorist organisation and therefore deserve to be killed.

The NIA found the list in a laptop belonging to Nasir Bin Yafi Chaus from Parbhani, a district located in the West-Indian coastal state of Maharashtra.

The state&#39;s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Bin Yafi Chaus in July&nbsp;2016, along with three other Indian nationals. They were accused of forming an Islamic State cell willing to carry out several attacks. Members of the NIA found an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in one of their houses.&nbsp;

According to an article in The Indian Express, the list was given to Bin Yafi Chaus allegedly by his Syria-based Islamic State contact Shafi Armar, known also as Yusuf or Farooque.&nbsp;

Most of the individuals who figure on this list are US nationals of foreign origin along with 305 people hailing from South Asian countries, mainly from India and Pakistan.&nbsp;

The individuals mentioned in the list seem to be working in the information technology sector right from small firms to big multinational corporations like Amazon, Intel, Exxon, BMW among others.

The file is so randomly composed that it is hard to find any pattern making it difficult to understand as to why these individuals were considered as plausible targets.

The lack of any pattern in the list could also suggest that it has not been compiled following any specific reason and maybe the Islamic State just &#39;acquired&#39; the list from someone.

The data contained in the list can be easily accessed even by a low-level hacker from a public database. In May&nbsp;2016, for instance, a pro-Islamic State hacking group declared to have obtained hundreds of names by hacking the Arkansas Library database. &nbsp;

Speaking to The Indian Express, an NIA official said, however, that many of the persons on the list are &#39;ethical hackers&#39;, but none of them seems to have participated in any anti-Islamic State operation.

An &#39;ethical hacker&#39; is a person who uses his or her skills within the frame of law, often working for information security companies or government agencies.&nbsp;

This is not the first time that an IS-made &#39;kill list&#39; reached the public domain. In June&nbsp;2016, the United Cyber Caliphate released a list of 8,318 people. In April&nbsp;2016, the same group released a list of 3,600 New York citizens claiming that they &quot;wanted them dead&quot;.&nbsp;

According to the SITE intelligence group, an organisation specialising in dark web and cyber security, Islamic State hacker groups have released at least 19 lists so far.&nbsp;

The NIA does not consider any option off the table observing that it could also be a made-on-purpose document aiming at distracting the agency&#39;s attention from more important terror-related issues.&nbsp;

Irrespective of what the investigation by authorities reveals, what is worrying is the fact that the file maybe in the hands of other Islamic State-affiliates who could carry out an attack at any moment.&nbsp;

This becomes even more problematic in light of the fact that Indian authorities have arrested 50 Islamic State supporters in the country. Although, India is traditionally not a fertile ground for Sunni extremism, but increasing incidents of lone-wolf attacks around the world have shown that it just takes one single man to carry out a deadly attack. Such a list could give them inspiration and get innocent people killed.&nbsp;

(WION)

Around 305 people hailing from South-Asian countries, mainly from India and Pakistan, figure on the list

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), India's central counter-terrorism bureau, is in possession of a list of 4,000 names compiled by a pro-Islamic State hacking group, the "United Cyber Caliphate". The list carries names, cities, addresses, email ids, phone numbers and occupations of people who are considered enemy of the Sunni terrorist organisation and therefore deserve to be killed. The NIA found the list in a laptop belonging to Nasir Bin Yafi Chaus from Parbhani, a district located in the West-Indian coastal state of Maharashtra. The state's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Bin Yafi Chaus in July 2016, along with three other Indian nationals. They were accused of forming an Islamic State cell willing to carry out several attacks. Members of the NIA found an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in one of their houses. According to an article in The Indian Express, the list was given to Bin Yafi Chaus allegedly by his Syria-based Islamic State contact Shafi Armar, known also as Yusuf or Farooque. Most of the individuals who figure on this list are US nationals of foreign origin along with 305 people hailing from South Asian countries, mainly from India and Pakistan. The individuals mentioned in the list seem to be working in the information technology sector right from small firms to big multinational corporations like Amazon, Intel, Exxon, BMW among others. The file is so randomly composed that it is hard to find any pattern making it difficult to understand as to why these individuals were considered as plausible targets. The lack of any pattern in the list could also suggest that it has not been compiled following any specific reason and maybe the Islamic State just 'acquired' the list from someone. The data contained in the list can be easily accessed even by a low-level hacker from a public database. In May 2016, for instance, a pro-Islamic State hacking group declared to have obtained hundreds of names by hacking the Arkansas Library database. Speaking to The Indian Express, an NIA official said, however, that many of the persons on the list are 'ethical hackers', but none of them seems to have participated in any anti-Islamic State operation. An 'ethical hacker' is a person who uses his or her skills within the frame of law, often working for information security companies or government agencies. This is not the first time that an IS-made 'kill list' reached the public domain. In June 2016, the United Cyber Caliphate released a list of 8,318 people. In April 2016, the same group released a list of 3,600 New York citizens claiming that they "wanted them dead". According to the SITE intelligence group, an organisation specialising in dark web and cyber security, Islamic State hacker groups have released at least 19 lists so far. The NIA does not consider any option off the table observing that it could also be a made-on-purpose document aiming at distracting the agency's attention from more important terror-related issues. Irrespective of what the investigation by authorities reveals, what is worrying is the fact that the file maybe in the hands of other Islamic State-affiliates who could carry out an attack at any moment. This becomes even more problematic in light of the fact that Indian authorities have arrested 50 Islamic State supporters in the country. Although, India is traditionally not a fertile ground for Sunni extremism, but increasing incidents of lone-wolf attacks around the world have shown that it just takes one single man to carry out a deadly attack. Such a list could give them inspiration and get innocent people killed. (WION)

India: Counter-terror investigators probe IS kill-list with names of many IT professionals

Six Afghan employees of the Red Cross were killed by militants suspected to belong to Islamic State.

The victims were delivering relief supplies in Afghanistan&#39;s northern state of Jowzjan when they were shot dead.

Two other Red Cross workers are missing.

&quot;This is a despicable act,&quot; said Monica Zanarelli, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in&nbsp;Afghanistan.

&quot;Nothing can justify the murder of our colleagues and dear friends.&quot;

Although no militnt group has claimed responsibility, local police blame IS fighters.&nbsp;

&quot;Daesh fighters are active in the area,&quot; he said, using the Arabic acronym by which IS is commonly known in&nbsp;Afghanistan.&nbsp;

&quot;We had previously repeatedly warned them not to go to such dangerous areas under Daesh control.&quot;

Turkistani said the bodies of the six workers had been brought to a provincial hospital.&nbsp;

Some of them had multiple bullet wounds and had been shot from close range in the head and chest, Fraidoon Habib, director of the hospital, told AFP.

The brazen attack comes at a time when&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;is in dire need of humanitarian assistance, with more than 100 people killed in recent avalanches and tens of thousands displaced by the wrenching conflict.&nbsp;

Red Cross in Afghanistan has suspended its operations but has not withdrawn its staff.

&quot;We now need to analyse what happened, and we will then make our decisions as to how we are going to move forward,&quot; Dominik Stillhart, ICRC&#39;s director of operations, told AFP.

&quot;The humanitarian situation in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;is dire. We are one of the few organisations that is present throughout the country, and we will do everything we can to maintain our response in&nbsp;Afghanistan.&quot;

ICRC president Peter Maurer denounced the killings as a &quot;huge tragedy&quot;, saying it appeared to be a deliberate attack on the charity&#39;s staff.

&quot;These staff members were simply doing their duty, selflessly trying to help and support the local community,&quot; Maurer said.

Aid workers in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;have increasingly become casualties&nbsp;of a surge in militant violence in recent years.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, local police blame IS fighters

Six Afghan employees of the Red Cross were killed by militants suspected to belong to Islamic State. The victims were delivering relief supplies in Afghanistan's northern state of Jowzjan when they were shot dead. Two other Red Cross workers are missing. "This is a despicable act," said Monica Zanarelli, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan. "Nothing can justify the murder of our colleagues and dear friends." Although no militnt group has claimed responsibility, local police blame IS fighters. "Daesh fighters are active in the area," he said, using the Arabic acronym by which IS is commonly known in Afghanistan. "We had previously repeatedly warned them not to go to such dangerous areas under Daesh control." Turkistani said the bodies of the six workers had been brought to a provincial hospital. Some of them had multiple bullet wounds and had been shot from close range in the head and chest, Fraidoon Habib, director of the hospital, told AFP. The brazen attack comes at a time when Afghanistan is in dire need of humanitarian assistance, with more than 100 people killed in recent avalanches and tens of thousands displaced by the wrenching conflict. Red Cross in Afghanistan has suspended its operations but has not withdrawn its staff. "We now need to analyse what happened, and we will then make our decisions as to how we are going to move forward," Dominik Stillhart, ICRC's director of operations, told AFP. "The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is dire. We are one of the few organisations that is present throughout the country, and we will do everything we can to maintain our response in Afghanistan." ICRC president Peter Maurer denounced the killings as a "huge tragedy", saying it appeared to be a deliberate attack on the charity's staff. "These staff members were simply doing their duty, selflessly trying to help and support the local community," Maurer said. Aid workers in Afghanistan have increasingly become casualties of a surge in militant violence in recent years. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Six Red Cross workers killed, two missing in Afghanistan

&nbsp;

The Commander of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (ICTS), Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati announced on January 18th that his troops were in full control of the eastern part of Mosul. &nbsp;

The city, located in northern Iraq and once home to a population of 2.5 million, is the last stronghold of the Islamic State in the country. The offensive to retake it started on October 17th and the terrorist organisation is now completely isolated on the western side. &nbsp;

After more than one year of battles, a military victory against the IS in Iraq appears to be close. According to Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati it could happen in three months.&nbsp; &nbsp;

If this is true, it is good news for a country which deserves peace after 13 years of conflict. But, military victory won&#39;t be enough to eradicate the Islamic State from Iraq and generally from West Asia. &nbsp;

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<h5>The Islamic State will never give up fighting for a Caliphate, or for the idea of it</h5>
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Even if the IS is still in control of significant parts of Syria, it is a &#39;state without a state&#39;. The organisation aims at becoming a Caliphate, a transnational entity where all the Sunni Muslims of the world will live under one single banner. &nbsp;

Caliphate is not the original idea of the IS, it belongs to the history of Islam.&nbsp;

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 AD, the majority of Muslims lived for centuries under a Caliphate, spreading from Spain to Afghanistan, through North Africa and the Arabic peninsula. Internal fights and dynastic struggles brought it to an end.&nbsp;

The idea of Caliphate came back in the 18th century, when the leadership of the Ottoman Empire used it to contrast their decline and strengthen their position in the Muslim world.&nbsp;

The Islamic State will never give up fighting for a Caliphate, or for the idea of it.&nbsp;

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<h5>Fighting the IS is not a matter of retaking or defending territories</h5>
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In a conventional war between countries, there are winners, losers and a binding agreement which clearly states the end of hostilities. The war against the IS has nothing to do with it.&nbsp;

Fighting the IS is not a matter of retaking or defending territories: it is not against a regular army, it is a war against a state of mind. &nbsp;

Politics and the recent Russian, Turkish, Americans, British, Iranian and French military actions in West Asia played &ndash; and still play &ndash; a big role in the support for the Islamic State. Many people in the region accuse foreign powers, mainly the US, of having toppled governments and of disrupting peace only to put their hands on oil. It is common, over a cup of tea on the streets of Iraq, to hear people complaining that the US have installed puppet and non-representative governments only to pursue their interests.&nbsp;

This suspicious attitude towards the US partially helped the IS to conquer large cities with little effort. The black-dressed, long-bearded fighters were often perceived as an element of stability, truly interested in the fate of West Asia. As Major General Najim Abdullah al-Jubouri, the Iraqi commander-in-chief of the Nineveh Operation, said during an interview with this reporter in the al-Qayyarah military base: &quot;No group could have succeeded like this without the support of the people. The most important thing is the relation with the people.&quot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Defeating the organisation on the battlefield is undoubtedly mandatory. It will deprive them of their territories, hitting hard the image of power they want to impart and their desire to present themselves as an actual state.&nbsp; &nbsp;

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<h5>It is an ideology meant to survive men, to cross geographical boundaries</h5>
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The biggest threat that the Islamic State presents to the world does not lie in their weapons though. It lies in their ideology, in their interpretation of religion and the Quran.&nbsp;

Even if the IS loses this war, it has already won in creating a sort of &#39;theological package&#39;, a readymade set of rules which can potentially be picked up anywhere in the world. It is an ideology meant to survive men, to cross geographical boundaries. &nbsp;

The power - and the danger - of this &#39;theological package&#39; lies in its apparent religious and political legitimacy. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The Islamic State draws fully from Islamic traditions, or at least from what they claim to be the tradition. They call for a return to the pure values of the early Islamic society, to a world ruled directly by the literal interpretation of the Quran, the word of God.&nbsp;

This idealised version of the past is the contrary of the modern world, a place of sins where Muslims are not allowed to live by their true beliefs &ndash; or at least what the IS claims to be their true beliefs. &nbsp;

It is not difficult to understand the appeal that all this has to more than 1.5 billion Muslims in the world. This call-to-action takes advantage of individual religious beliefs and generates powerful responses. It is a very intimate invitation to a worldwide community of believers to live strictly by the words of God and to fight all those who are trying to prohibit it. &nbsp;

This is not at all a Muslim specificity. If exposed to the same level of propaganda, Christians, Jews, Hindus and others would probably respond to such a call in the same way. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The terrorist organisation is well aware of all these factors. It uses all these elements in the many propaganda videos we have seen, where the language is simple and the message is direct: we live by the word of God, we are the only true believers and we defend the honor of our religion against foreign attacks.&nbsp;

The world is divided into two parts: Muslims and non-Muslims. The West is bad: they enslave and attack Muslims since centuries and want to force them to abandon Islam. The Islamic State is good and jihad &ndash; the holy war &ndash; is the only way to re-establish a truly Muslim state ruled by the word of God.&nbsp;

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The prophetic view of the IS relies primarily on the words of one single man, the Sunni theologian Ibn Taymiyyah, one of the most controversial Islamic scholar who lived between the 13th and the 14th centuries. His writings are believed to heavily influence the ultraconservative Wahhabi school of Islam, to which the Islamic State pledges allegiance. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

There has hardly been another organisation as rigid as the IS in its views. It never doubts about its legitimacy, it is absolutely not open to any sort of debate and uses tradition to its advantage to justify all its actions. They believe that the literal interpretation of Quran, the word of God, cannot be subject to debate, and living by it cannot possibly be wrong.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Islamic State is not the first organisation to use tradition to legitimise its projects and actions. The Fascist regime in Italy, for instance, built an enormous consensus on the idea of being the legitimate continuation of the Roman Empire and therefore be absolutely entitled to invade Lybia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and part of the Balkans. Tradition is a dangerously undefined and flexible concept which, if duly manipulated, can be easily used to justify the most heinous actions. &nbsp;

There has been no, and can never be, only one single stand. The Muslim world, with his schools, interpretations and debates is a perfect example of this.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Islamic tradition is not fixed, it is the result of centuries of studies and very detailed and profound discussions - a rich and diverse environment through which many practicing Muslims learn and better understand their religion. It is a heritage which evolved in time, trying to find its way in the natural evolution of societies. To say it with the words of the Syrian Islamic Scholar Muhammad Abul Huda al-Yaqoubi: &quot;It is important to follow a school, not a man. Schools spread their activity on a period of 1,200 years.&quot; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The most difficult battle against the Islamic State will be in school curricula, in educational institutions, in the millions of madrasas all over the world. It is a struggle which lies in the teachings of scholars and imams. There is no space for foreign intervention in this process.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Borrowing once again the words of the Muhammad Abul Huda al-Yaqoubi: &quot;We need to produce a young Muslim who knows that killing a non-Muslim is haram (an act forbidden by Allah). We need Muslim scholars telling how to save minds of the next generation from being wasted. War starts in the mind of the people.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Fighting the Islamic State is a war against a state of mind

The Commander of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (ICTS), Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati announced on January 18th that his troops were in full control of the eastern part of Mosul. The city, located in northern Iraq and once home to a population of 2.5 million, is the last stronghold of the Islamic State in the country. The offensive to retake it started on October 17th and the terrorist organisation is now completely isolated on the western side. After more than one year of battles, a military victory against the IS in Iraq appears to be close. According to Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati it could happen in three months. If this is true, it is good news for a country which deserves peace after 13 years of conflict. But, military victory won't be enough to eradicate the Islamic State from Iraq and generally from West Asia. The Islamic State will never give up fighting for a Caliphate, or for the idea of it × Even if the IS is still in control of significant parts of Syria, it is a 'state without a state'. The organisation aims at becoming a Caliphate, a transnational entity where all the Sunni Muslims of the world will live under one single banner. Caliphate is not the original idea of the IS, it belongs to the history of Islam. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 AD, the majority of Muslims lived for centuries under a Caliphate, spreading from Spain to Afghanistan, through North Africa and the Arabic peninsula. Internal fights and dynastic struggles brought it to an end. The idea of Caliphate came back in the 18th century, when the leadership of the Ottoman Empire used it to contrast their decline and strengthen their position in the Muslim world. The Islamic State will never give up fighting for a Caliphate, or for the idea of it. Fighting the IS is not a matter of retaking or defending territories × In a conventional war between countries, there are winners, losers and a binding agreement which clearly states the end of hostilities. The war against the IS has nothing to do with it. Fighting the IS is not a matter of retaking or defending territories: it is not against a regular army, it is a war against a state of mind. Politics and the recent Russian, Turkish, Americans, British, Iranian and French military actions in West Asia played – and still play – a big role in the support for the Islamic State. Many people in the region accuse foreign powers, mainly the US, of having toppled governments and of disrupting peace only to put their hands on oil. It is common, over a cup of tea on the streets of Iraq, to hear people complaining that the US have installed puppet and non-representative governments only to pursue their interests. This suspicious attitude towards the US partially helped the IS to conquer large cities with little effort. The black-dressed, long-bearded fighters were often perceived as an element of stability, truly interested in the fate of West Asia. As Major General Najim Abdullah al-Jubouri, the Iraqi commander-in-chief of the Nineveh Operation, said during an interview with this reporter in the al-Qayyarah military base: "No group could have succeeded like this without the support of the people. The most important thing is the relation with the people." Defeating the organisation on the battlefield is undoubtedly mandatory. It will deprive them of their territories, hitting hard the image of power they want to impart and their desire to present themselves as an actual state. It is an ideology meant to survive men, to cross geographical boundaries × The biggest threat that the Islamic State presents to the world does not lie in their weapons though. It lies in their ideology, in their interpretation of religion and the Quran. Even if the IS loses this war, it has already won in creating a sort of 'theological package', a readymade set of rules which can potentially be picked up anywhere in the world. It is an ideology meant to survive men, to cross geographical boundaries. The power - and the danger - of this 'theological package' lies in its apparent religious and political legitimacy. The Islamic State draws fully from Islamic traditions, or at least from what they claim to be the tradition. They call for a return to the pure values of the early Islamic society, to a world ruled directly by the literal interpretation of the Quran, the word of God. This idealised version of the past is the contrary of the modern world, a place of sins where Muslims are not allowed to live by their true beliefs – or at least what the IS claims to be their true beliefs. It is not difficult to understand the appeal that all this has to more than 1.5 billion Muslims in the world. This call-to-action takes advantage of individual religious beliefs and generates powerful responses. It is a very intimate invitation to a worldwide community of believers to live strictly by the words of God and to fight all those who are trying to prohibit it. This is not at all a Muslim specificity. If exposed to the same level of propaganda, Christians, Jews, Hindus and others would probably respond to such a call in the same way. The terrorist organisation is well aware of all these factors. It uses all these elements in the many propaganda videos we have seen, where the language is simple and the message is direct: we live by the word of God, we are the only true believers and we defend the honor of our religion against foreign attacks. The world is divided into two parts: Muslims and non-Muslims. The West is bad: they enslave and attack Muslims since centuries and want to force them to abandon Islam. The Islamic State is good and jihad – the holy war – is the only way to re-establish a truly Muslim state ruled by the word of God. Tradition is a dangerously undefined and flexible concept which, if duly manipulated, can be easily used to justify the most heinous actions × The prophetic view of the IS relies primarily on the words of one single man, the Sunni theologian Ibn Taymiyyah, one of the most controversial Islamic scholar who lived between the 13th and the 14th centuries. His writings are believed to heavily influence the ultraconservative Wahhabi school of Islam, to which the Islamic State pledges allegiance. There has hardly been another organisation as rigid as the IS in its views. It never doubts about its legitimacy, it is absolutely not open to any sort of debate and uses tradition to its advantage to justify all its actions. They believe that the literal interpretation of Quran, the word of God, cannot be subject to debate, and living by it cannot possibly be wrong. The Islamic State is not the first organisation to use tradition to legitimise its projects and actions. The Fascist regime in Italy, for instance, built an enormous consensus on the idea of being the legitimate continuation of the Roman Empire and therefore be absolutely entitled to invade Lybia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and part of the Balkans. Tradition is a dangerously undefined and flexible concept which, if duly manipulated, can be easily used to justify the most heinous actions. There has been no, and can never be, only one single stand. The Muslim world, with his schools, interpretations and debates is a perfect example of this. The Islamic tradition is not fixed, it is the result of centuries of studies and very detailed and profound discussions - a rich and diverse environment through which many practicing Muslims learn and better understand their religion. It is a heritage which evolved in time, trying to find its way in the natural evolution of societies. To say it with the words of the Syrian Islamic Scholar Muhammad Abul Huda al-Yaqoubi: "It is important to follow a school, not a man. Schools spread their activity on a period of 1,200 years." The most difficult battle against the Islamic State will be in school curricula, in educational institutions, in the millions of madrasas all over the world. It is a struggle which lies in the teachings of scholars and imams. There is no space for foreign intervention in this process. Borrowing once again the words of the Muhammad Abul Huda al-Yaqoubi: "We need to produce a young Muslim who knows that killing a non-Muslim is haram (an act forbidden by Allah). We need Muslim scholars telling how to save minds of the next generation from being wasted. War starts in the mind of the people."

The intimate invitation: Deciphering the ideological appeal of the Islamic State

The Islamic State group is &quot;completely besieged&quot; in its last major stronghold in Syria&#39;s Aleppo province, a monitor said Monday, as pro-regime forces pressure the jihadists on several fronts.

IS fighters were cut off in Al-Bab after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government severed a road into the northern town, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

&quot;Al-Bab is now completely besieged by the regime from the south, and the Turkish forces and rebels from the east, north and west,&quot; said the Britain-based monitor.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said regime forces and allied militias captured the last remaining route between Al-Bab and Raqa, the jihadists&#39; de facto capital in Syria.

At least 11 pro-government fighters were killed in ongoing clashes around Al-Bab on Monday, he added.

Just 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, the town is seen as a prize by nearly all sides in the complex war.

Since December, Turkey-backed rebels known as the Euphrates Shield alliance have edged towards Al-Bab from the north.

&quot;Al-Bab is more important for the Turks, who defined the town as a priority for their Euphrates Shield alliance,&quot; said Syria expert Thomas Pierret.&nbsp;

But the regime was eyeing territory around Al-Bab &quot;to protect the eastern flank of Aleppo city&quot; which it recaptured in December, he said.&nbsp;

It also sought to use the town as a buffer, &quot;preventing the Euphrates Shield from advancing south&quot; deeper into Syria.

Assad lambasts Europe

Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the war, but have joined forces in recent months to try to end to the conflict.

The two powers carried out their first joint bombing raids around Al-Bab in January after brokering a fragile ceasefire between rebels and regime forces.

Along with Iran, they organised a summit in Kazakhstan in a bid to reinforce that truce ahead of fully fledged peace talks in Geneva later this month.

Those negotiations, hosted by UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, are the latest attempt to stop the six-year conflict.

Several rounds of indirect talks in 2016 between the regime and the opposition, represented by the High Negotiations Committee, fizzled out without notable progress.

On February 12, the HNC will announce the members of its delegation to this month&#39;s talks, the leading Istanbul-based National Coalition said Monday.

The main obstacle to progress in previous rounds has been the fate of Assad, who opposition forces say must leave power at the start of any transition period.

On Monday, Assad told visiting Belgian parliamentarians that Western policies towards the conflict in his country had actually hurt Europeans.

&quot;Most European countries adopted an unrealistic policy since the beginning of the war in Syria... damaging the interests of their own people by supporting terrorist groups,&quot; he said.

IS on defensive

Assad&#39;s regime has refocused on IS since fully recapturing Aleppo city in December, in the biggest blow to rebels battling to topple his regime.

IS is among several jihadist movements that have shot to prominence during the conflict, which has left more than 310,000 people dead and forced millions more from their homes.

Assad&#39;s forces were also locked in fighting with IS in the central province of Homs on Monday that left at least 14 government fighters dead, the Observatory said.

They had capturing the Hayyan oilfield west of the celebrated desert city of Palmyra at the weekend and were seeking to advance backed by heavy artillery and air strikes.

The United Nations said on Monday IS was &quot;militarily on the defensive&quot; across the region, struggling to attract recruits and facing a drop in revenue from oil and exortion.

But the UN report urged governments to be vigilant of IS efforts to find new revenue streams, citing concerns that journalists and aid workers travelling to areas recaptured from the jihadists could be targets for kidnapping.

On Saturday, US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters announced a new phase in their campaign to capture Raqa, but said they needed more weapons to win.

The Syrian Democratic Forces began their offensive for the jihadist stronghold in November and have taken some ground further up the Euphrates Valley but are still some distance away.

SDF fighters have received training and air support from the US-led coalition against IS. Last week Washington said it had supplied them with armoured sports utility vehicles for the first time.

US President Donald Trump, who made fighting &quot;radical Islamic terrorism&quot; a central plank of his election campaign, was due to visit US Central Command on Monday, meeting officers who will spearhead his new strategy to defeat IS.

(AFP)

IS fighters were cut off in Al-Bab after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's government severed a road into the northern town

The Islamic State group is "completely besieged" in its last major stronghold in Syria's Aleppo province, a monitor said Monday, as pro-regime forces pressure the jihadists on several fronts. IS fighters were cut off in Al-Bab after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's government severed a road into the northern town, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. "Al-Bab is now completely besieged by the regime from the south, and the Turkish forces and rebels from the east, north and west," said the Britain-based monitor. Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said regime forces and allied militias captured the last remaining route between Al-Bab and Raqa, the jihadists' de facto capital in Syria. At least 11 pro-government fighters were killed in ongoing clashes around Al-Bab on Monday, he added. Just 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, the town is seen as a prize by nearly all sides in the complex war. Since December, Turkey-backed rebels known as the Euphrates Shield alliance have edged towards Al-Bab from the north. "Al-Bab is more important for the Turks, who defined the town as a priority for their Euphrates Shield alliance," said Syria expert Thomas Pierret. But the regime was eyeing territory around Al-Bab "to protect the eastern flank of Aleppo city" which it recaptured in December, he said. It also sought to use the town as a buffer, "preventing the Euphrates Shield from advancing south" deeper into Syria. Assad lambasts Europe Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the war, but have joined forces in recent months to try to end to the conflict. The two powers carried out their first joint bombing raids around Al-Bab in January after brokering a fragile ceasefire between rebels and regime forces. Along with Iran, they organised a summit in Kazakhstan in a bid to reinforce that truce ahead of fully fledged peace talks in Geneva later this month. Those negotiations, hosted by UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, are the latest attempt to stop the six-year conflict. Several rounds of indirect talks in 2016 between the regime and the opposition, represented by the High Negotiations Committee, fizzled out without notable progress. On February 12, the HNC will announce the members of its delegation to this month's talks, the leading Istanbul-based National Coalition said Monday. The main obstacle to progress in previous rounds has been the fate of Assad, who opposition forces say must leave power at the start of any transition period. On Monday, Assad told visiting Belgian parliamentarians that Western policies towards the conflict in his country had actually hurt Europeans. "Most European countries adopted an unrealistic policy since the beginning of the war in Syria... damaging the interests of their own people by supporting terrorist groups," he said. IS on defensive Assad's regime has refocused on IS since fully recapturing Aleppo city in December, in the biggest blow to rebels battling to topple his regime. IS is among several jihadist movements that have shot to prominence during the conflict, which has left more than 310,000 people dead and forced millions more from their homes. Assad's forces were also locked in fighting with IS in the central province of Homs on Monday that left at least 14 government fighters dead, the Observatory said. They had capturing the Hayyan oilfield west of the celebrated desert city of Palmyra at the weekend and were seeking to advance backed by heavy artillery and air strikes. The United Nations said on Monday IS was "militarily on the defensive" across the region, struggling to attract recruits and facing a drop in revenue from oil and exortion. But the UN report urged governments to be vigilant of IS efforts to find new revenue streams, citing concerns that journalists and aid workers travelling to areas recaptured from the jihadists could be targets for kidnapping. On Saturday, US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters announced a new phase in their campaign to capture Raqa, but said they needed more weapons to win. The Syrian Democratic Forces began their offensive for the jihadist stronghold in November and have taken some ground further up the Euphrates Valley but are still some distance away. SDF fighters have received training and air support from the US-led coalition against IS. Last week Washington said it had supplied them with armoured sports utility vehicles for the first time. US President Donald Trump, who made fighting "radical Islamic terrorism" a central plank of his election campaign, was due to visit US Central Command on Monday, meeting officers who will spearhead his new strategy to defeat IS. (AFP)

Syria: IS 'completely besieged' as regime forces severe key route

Syria&#39;s military said Thursday it had captured a string of towns and part of a key highway from the Islamic State group in the northern province of Aleppo.

Since launching a broad offensive against the jihadists nearly three weeks ago, the army has taken around 250 square kilometres (100 square miles) of territory, it said in a statement carried by official news agency SANA.

The army said the advances form &quot;a launching pad for developing military operations against Daesh,&quot; using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have steadily advanced in Syria&#39;s north since announcing they had retaken full control over Aleppo city in late December.

It was the biggest blow to Syria&#39;s rebel movement since the uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011.

Syria&#39;s army on Thursday also said it had seized a 16 kilometre-stretch (10 miles) of highway linking Aleppo city to the IS-held town of Al-Bab.

Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, is the last remaining IS bastion in Aleppo province and is seen as a prize by nearly all sides of Syria&#39;s complex war.

Since December, Turkey-backed rebel fighters known as the Euphrates Shield alliance have edged towards Al-Bab from the north.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fierce fighting Thursday on the edges of Al-Bab left 11 IS fighters and seven Euphrates Shield fighters dead.

&quot;There may be Turkish soldiers among the Euphrates Shield toll, but we don&#39;t know yet,&quot; said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

Euphrates Shield forces are on the edges of the IS-held town, while government and allied fighters are still approximately seven kilometres to the south, according to the Britain-based monitor.

&quot;Regime fighters and Euphrates Shield forces are within sight of each other, but they haven`t attacked each other yet,&quot; he told AFP.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged last month that &quot;the operation in Syria&#39;s Al-Bab will be finished in a short time, God willing&quot;.

But Ankara&#39;s involvement has angered Damascus, which on Thursday said it delivered two letters to the United Nations Security Council rebuking Turkey&#39;s military operations in Syria.

&quot;In recent days, Turkish armed forces have carried out an incursion into Syrian territory and have occupied some Syrian villages, including two west of Al-Bab,&quot; said the letters, sent by the foreign ministry and published by SANA.

&quot;This represents a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and the rules of international law,&quot; they said.

The letters accused Ankara of supporting &quot;terrorism&quot; and said the Security Council should act to &quot;put an end to the violations of the Turkish regime&quot;.

In January, Turkey&#39;s air force began carrying out joint bombing raids around Al-Bab with Assad ally Russia.

The two parties back opposing sides in the war but have joined forces in recent months to try to bring an end to the bloody conflict.

More than 310,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions have been displaced since the uprising broke out nearly six years ago.

(AFP)

The army said the advances form 'a launching pad for developing military operations against Daesh,' using an Arabic acronym for IS

Syria's military said Thursday it had captured a string of towns and part of a key highway from the Islamic State group in the northern province of Aleppo. Since launching a broad offensive against the jihadists nearly three weeks ago, the army has taken around 250 square kilometres (100 square miles) of territory, it said in a statement carried by official news agency SANA. The army said the advances form "a launching pad for developing military operations against Daesh," using an Arabic acronym for IS. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have steadily advanced in Syria's north since announcing they had retaken full control over Aleppo city in late December. It was the biggest blow to Syria's rebel movement since the uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011. Syria's army on Thursday also said it had seized a 16 kilometre-stretch (10 miles) of highway linking Aleppo city to the IS-held town of Al-Bab. Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, is the last remaining IS bastion in Aleppo province and is seen as a prize by nearly all sides of Syria's complex war. Since December, Turkey-backed rebel fighters known as the Euphrates Shield alliance have edged towards Al-Bab from the north. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fierce fighting Thursday on the edges of Al-Bab left 11 IS fighters and seven Euphrates Shield fighters dead. "There may be Turkish soldiers among the Euphrates Shield toll, but we don't know yet," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. Euphrates Shield forces are on the edges of the IS-held town, while government and allied fighters are still approximately seven kilometres to the south, according to the Britain-based monitor. "Regime fighters and Euphrates Shield forces are within sight of each other, but they haven`t attacked each other yet," he told AFP. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged last month that "the operation in Syria's Al-Bab will be finished in a short time, God willing". But Ankara's involvement has angered Damascus, which on Thursday said it delivered two letters to the United Nations Security Council rebuking Turkey's military operations in Syria. "In recent days, Turkish armed forces have carried out an incursion into Syrian territory and have occupied some Syrian villages, including two west of Al-Bab," said the letters, sent by the foreign ministry and published by SANA. "This represents a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and the rules of international law," they said. The letters accused Ankara of supporting "terrorism" and said the Security Council should act to "put an end to the violations of the Turkish regime". In January, Turkey's air force began carrying out joint bombing raids around Al-Bab with Assad ally Russia. The two parties back opposing sides in the war but have joined forces in recent months to try to bring an end to the bloody conflict. More than 310,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions have been displaced since the uprising broke out nearly six years ago. (AFP)

Aleppo: Syrian forces advance in fight against Islamic State, take control of key highway

Mohamed Abrini, the &quot;man in the hat&quot; bombing suspect caught on camera during the Brussels airport attack, has been charged in France over the November 2015 jihadist massacres in Paris, his lawyers said on Monday.

Belgium handed Abrini over to the French authorities on Monday for a day so that he could face charges related to the deaths of 130 people in the French capital.

Abrini was captured in Brussels in April over his suspected involvement in the March 22 Brussels attacks and the Paris killings, both of which were claimed by the Islamic State group.

Belgian investigators have said the Brussels airport and metro bombers who killed a total of 32 people were part of the same Brussels-based cell that orchestrated the Paris attacks.

The main suspect in the Paris attacks is Salah Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national believed to be the only survivor of the jihadist team behind the carnage.

(AFP)

Belgium handed Abrini over to the French authorities for a day so that he could face charges related to the deaths of 130 people in Paris

Mohamed Abrini, the "man in the hat" bombing suspect caught on camera during the Brussels airport attack, has been charged in France over the November 2015 jihadist massacres in Paris, his lawyers said on Monday. Belgium handed Abrini over to the French authorities on Monday for a day so that he could face charges related to the deaths of 130 people in the French capital. Abrini was captured in Brussels in April over his suspected involvement in the March 22 Brussels attacks and the Paris killings, both of which were claimed by the Islamic State group. Belgian investigators have said the Brussels airport and metro bombers who killed a total of 32 people were part of the same Brussels-based cell that orchestrated the Paris attacks. The main suspect in the Paris attacks is Salah Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national believed to be the only survivor of the jihadist team behind the carnage. (AFP)

Brussels bombing suspect Mohamed Abrini charged over Paris attacks

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday giving the US military 30 days to devise a plan to &quot;defeat&quot; the Islamic State group.

The plan makes good on a key campaign pledge of Trump, who mocked and criticised the slow pace of his predecessor Barack Obama&#39;s progress in the fight against the extremist fighters.

The text, which calls for a &quot;comprehensive strategy and plans for the defeat of ISIS,&quot; is seen as meaning more US forces and military hardware moving into Iraq and Syria.

Pentagon chief James Mattis is also tasked with recommending changes to US rules of engagement and policy restrictions to eliminate those that &quot;exceed the requirements of international law regarding the use of force against ISIS&quot; under the order, which also seeks to cut the group&#39;s financial support.

Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a telephone call to establish &quot;real coordination&quot; against the Islamic State group in Syria, according to the Kremlin.

Yet many in the US military are suspicious of Russia&#39;s role in Syria, with Moscow seen as seeking first and foremost to support and defend President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime.

&quot;We have to get rid of ISIS. We have no choice,&quot; Trump told Fox News in an interview broadcast Thursday, using another acronym for the jihadist group.&nbsp;

&quot;This is evil. This is a level of evil that we haven&#39;t seen.&quot;

Seeking &#39;quicker results&#39;&nbsp; 
Barack Obama took a longer-term view of the anti-IS fight, with a more cautious commitment of US forces and instead of ramping up an air war against the violent extremists.

&quot;President Trump might be looking for something with quicker results, that could put some more options on the table,&quot; retired lieutenant general David Barno, who led coalition forces in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2005, told National Public Radio on Friday.

The United States currently has 5,000 troops in Iraq and 500 in Syria as &quot;advisers&quot; -- but also US artillery and aircraft to help in the fight.

They have provided substantial support to the assault led by Iraqi forces on Islamic State&#39;s hold on the key city of Mosul.

The slow, steady assault has driven IS fighters out of part of the city on the east bank of the Tigris River, and forces are now preparing an assault on IS-held Mosul neighbourhoods on the river&#39;s west bank.&nbsp;

According to reports, an escalation of the US role could involve more US armour and helicopters engaging in the assaults on IS positions together with Iraqi, Turkish and Kurdish forces.

Trump &quot;could elect to put American boots on the ground in larger numbers,&quot; Barno said.&nbsp;

&quot;That all entails new uses of military power... and that opens the prospect of a deeper involvement with more casualties.&quot;

(AFP)

While former US president Barack Obama took a long-term view of the fight against IS, Donald Trump wants quicker results

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday giving the US military 30 days to devise a plan to "defeat" the Islamic State group. The plan makes good on a key campaign pledge of Trump, who mocked and criticised the slow pace of his predecessor Barack Obama's progress in the fight against the extremist fighters. The text, which calls for a "comprehensive strategy and plans for the defeat of ISIS," is seen as meaning more US forces and military hardware moving into Iraq and Syria. Pentagon chief James Mattis is also tasked with recommending changes to US rules of engagement and policy restrictions to eliminate those that "exceed the requirements of international law regarding the use of force against ISIS" under the order, which also seeks to cut the group's financial support. Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a telephone call to establish "real coordination" against the Islamic State group in Syria, according to the Kremlin. Yet many in the US military are suspicious of Russia's role in Syria, with Moscow seen as seeking first and foremost to support and defend President Bashar al-Assad's regime. "We have to get rid of ISIS. We have no choice," Trump told Fox News in an interview broadcast Thursday, using another acronym for the jihadist group. "This is evil. This is a level of evil that we haven't seen." Seeking 'quicker results' Barack Obama took a longer-term view of the anti-IS fight, with a more cautious commitment of US forces and instead of ramping up an air war against the violent extremists. "President Trump might be looking for something with quicker results, that could put some more options on the table," retired lieutenant general David Barno, who led coalition forces in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2005, told National Public Radio on Friday. The United States currently has 5,000 troops in Iraq and 500 in Syria as "advisers" -- but also US artillery and aircraft to help in the fight. They have provided substantial support to the assault led by Iraqi forces on Islamic State's hold on the key city of Mosul. The slow, steady assault has driven IS fighters out of part of the city on the east bank of the Tigris River, and forces are now preparing an assault on IS-held Mosul neighbourhoods on the river's west bank. According to reports, an escalation of the US role could involve more US armour and helicopters engaging in the assaults on IS positions together with Iraqi, Turkish and Kurdish forces. Trump "could elect to put American boots on the ground in larger numbers," Barno said. "That all entails new uses of military power... and that opens the prospect of a deeper involvement with more casualties." (AFP)

Trump gives generals 30 days for new anti-Islamic State strategy

Syrians cheered excitedly in an Aleppo stadium on Saturday as they watched their first live football match in the war-ravaged city in years.

&nbsp;

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The Ittihad club beat Hurriya 2-1 in their first match on home turf since rebels took east Aleppo. (AFP)
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&nbsp;

The Ittihad club beat Hurriya 2-1 in their first match on home turf since rebels took east Aleppo in 2012, dividing the northern city into a regime-held west and rebel-controlled east.

The sixth stage league game comes after the army last month retook Aleppo&#39;s eastern neighbourhoods, regaining control of the whole city.

Police in full riot gear stood by as eager fans wearing winter jackets and woolly hats chanted their encouragements to their team on the dry grass pitch.

A large Ittihad banner draped in the stands featured an image of President Bashar al-Assad.

Fans were delighted to return to the stadium after years of war, despite having lost friends who had been killed or fled Syria during its nearly six-year war.

&quot;The last match I went to was in 2010,&quot; said Mohammed Ali, who appeared to be in his early thirties, his hair slicked back and beard neatly trimmed for the occasion.

&quot;Of course there were a lot more of us then. I was with my friends. Now some of them have travelled and others died,&quot; he said, sporting his team&#39;s red and black jersey.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Fans were delighted to return to the stadium after years of war. (AFP)
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&nbsp;

More than 310,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes in the conflict since it erupted with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Since 2012, Ittihad and Hurriya had only ever played games in other parts of Syria. Earlier games this season for both teams were held in the regime coastal stronghold of Latakia.

&#39;Heart beating fast&#39;

&quot;We had started feeling a bit desperate because no match was ever held in Aleppo,&quot; Ghassan Mahmoud, another supporter in a leather jacket, said before the kick-off.

&quot;But now security has returned, we hope the club&#39;s crowds will slowly come back to the stands,&quot; he said, standing next to a fellow fan in a Syrian-flag-themed outfit and beanie hat.

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&quot;We had started feeling a bit desperate because no match was ever held in Aleppo,&quot; Ghassan Mahmoud, a supporter in a leather jacket, said before the kick-off. (AFP)
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As they warmed up outside in their tracksuits before the match, the Ittihad team&#39;s bright red and black shirts hung on hooks in the changing room.&nbsp;

&quot;I can&#39;t tell you how it feels to return to the pitch (in Aleppo) after five years,&quot; said Ittihad player Omar Hamidi before the game.

&quot;My heart&#39;s beating so fast,&quot; he said, adding that his last game in the city was in 2011.

Bakri Turab, another player, said he had &quot;been waiting for this moment for years&quot;.

Fans cheered as Ittihad took to the field to play their black-clad rivals, with young boys dressed in green looking on from the touchlines.

Maher Khayata, deputy head of the general sports union, this week said the game was &quot;a first step towards Aleppo clubs returning to play on home ground, waiting for pitches to be ready&quot;.

But so far no other game has yet been scheduled in Aleppo.

With games played previously all over the country, the Syria League was suspended after the conflict erupted nearly six years ago.

In 2012, matches resumed in a reduced format and only in only the regime-held cities of Damascus and Latakia.

A National Football Federation official last month said Syria League games would now return to the central cites of Homs and Hama after they were deemed safe.

(AFP)

There has been no professional football in Aleppo since it was divided between the army and rebel forces in 2011

Syrians cheered excitedly in an Aleppo stadium on Saturday as they watched their first live football match in the war-ravaged city in years. The Ittihad club beat Hurriya 2-1 in their first match on home turf since rebels took east Aleppo. (AFP) × The Ittihad club beat Hurriya 2-1 in their first match on home turf since rebels took east Aleppo in 2012, dividing the northern city into a regime-held west and rebel-controlled east. The sixth stage league game comes after the army last month retook Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods, regaining control of the whole city. Police in full riot gear stood by as eager fans wearing winter jackets and woolly hats chanted their encouragements to their team on the dry grass pitch. A large Ittihad banner draped in the stands featured an image of President Bashar al-Assad. Fans were delighted to return to the stadium after years of war, despite having lost friends who had been killed or fled Syria during its nearly six-year war. "The last match I went to was in 2010," said Mohammed Ali, who appeared to be in his early thirties, his hair slicked back and beard neatly trimmed for the occasion. "Of course there were a lot more of us then. I was with my friends. Now some of them have travelled and others died," he said, sporting his team's red and black jersey. Fans were delighted to return to the stadium after years of war. (AFP) × More than 310,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes in the conflict since it erupted with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011. Since 2012, Ittihad and Hurriya had only ever played games in other parts of Syria. Earlier games this season for both teams were held in the regime coastal stronghold of Latakia. 'Heart beating fast' "We had started feeling a bit desperate because no match was ever held in Aleppo," Ghassan Mahmoud, another supporter in a leather jacket, said before the kick-off. "But now security has returned, we hope the club's crowds will slowly come back to the stands," he said, standing next to a fellow fan in a Syrian-flag-themed outfit and beanie hat. "We had started feeling a bit desperate because no match was ever held in Aleppo," Ghassan Mahmoud, a supporter in a leather jacket, said before the kick-off. (AFP) × As they warmed up outside in their tracksuits before the match, the Ittihad team's bright red and black shirts hung on hooks in the changing room. "I can't tell you how it feels to return to the pitch (in Aleppo) after five years," said Ittihad player Omar Hamidi before the game. "My heart's beating so fast," he said, adding that his last game in the city was in 2011. Bakri Turab, another player, said he had "been waiting for this moment for years". Fans cheered as Ittihad took to the field to play their black-clad rivals, with young boys dressed in green looking on from the touchlines. Maher Khayata, deputy head of the general sports union, this week said the game was "a first step towards Aleppo clubs returning to play on home ground, waiting for pitches to be ready". But so far no other game has yet been scheduled in Aleppo. With games played previously all over the country, the Syria League was suspended after the conflict erupted nearly six years ago. In 2012, matches resumed in a reduced format and only in only the regime-held cities of Damascus and Latakia. A National Football Federation official last month said Syria League games would now return to the central cites of Homs and Hama after they were deemed safe. (AFP)

Aleppo: Football fans cheer first home game in five years

The jihadists behind the Paris and Brussels terror attacks had planned to kidnap well-known figures in a bid to trade them for their brethren jailed in Belgium.

Investigators came to the conclusion after discovering a recorded conversation in a laptop found in a dustbin in the Brussels neighbourhood of Schaerbeek, from where the perpetrators of the March 22 attack on the Belgian capital&#39;s airport had left, public broadcasters RTBF and VRT reported yesterday.

The conversation was between an Islamic State group jihadist in Syria and Ibrahim El Bakraoui and Najim Laachraoui, who blew themselves up at the airport, and Khalid El Bakraoui, a suicide bomber who attacked the Maelbeek metro station.

The investigators have identified the jihadist in Syria as Osama Atar, a Belgian-Moroccan veteran extremist in his 30s who served time in US prisons in Iraq, RTBF said.

The three men, who had been hiding in Brussels, planned several terrorist acts including kidnapping &quot;one or two&quot; personalities to demand the &quot;liberation of brothers and sisters&quot; jailed in Belgium, including Mehdi Nemmouche, who killed four people during a May 2014 attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels.

&quot;It will be a great victory&quot; for IS, Lachraoui was quoted as saying.

Belgian prosecutors refused to comment on the reports when contacted by AFP.

The men finally did not carry out the kidnapping plan but killed 32 people and injured hundreds more in their attacks on the airport and the metro station.

(AFP)

Investigators discovered a recorded conversation in a laptop found in a dustbin in a Brussels neighbourhood

The jihadists behind the Paris and Brussels terror attacks had planned to kidnap well-known figures in a bid to trade them for their brethren jailed in Belgium. Investigators came to the conclusion after discovering a recorded conversation in a laptop found in a dustbin in the Brussels neighbourhood of Schaerbeek, from where the perpetrators of the March 22 attack on the Belgian capital's airport had left, public broadcasters RTBF and VRT reported yesterday. The conversation was between an Islamic State group jihadist in Syria and Ibrahim El Bakraoui and Najim Laachraoui, who blew themselves up at the airport, and Khalid El Bakraoui, a suicide bomber who attacked the Maelbeek metro station. The investigators have identified the jihadist in Syria as Osama Atar, a Belgian-Moroccan veteran extremist in his 30s who served time in US prisons in Iraq, RTBF said. The three men, who had been hiding in Brussels, planned several terrorist acts including kidnapping "one or two" personalities to demand the "liberation of brothers and sisters" jailed in Belgium, including Mehdi Nemmouche, who killed four people during a May 2014 attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels. "It will be a great victory" for IS, Lachraoui was quoted as saying. Belgian prosecutors refused to comment on the reports when contacted by AFP. The men finally did not carry out the kidnapping plan but killed 32 people and injured hundreds more in their attacks on the airport and the metro station. (AFP)

Brussels attackers also planned kidnappings: Reports

The Astana peace talks ended on Tuesday. All parties went back to their trenches with very little to be happy about. In a final joint statement, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to join their efforts in implementing a ceasefire. It is not clear how they intend to do it.&nbsp;

Neither the Syrian delegation nor the rebel spokespersons clearly stated if they will abide by the truce. Considering that the talks were meant to stop them fighting each other, this is a problem and a failure.&nbsp;

On the contrary, the two belligerents have been very clear about the heavy fighting going on in Wadi Barada, west to Damascus. Syrian envoy Bashar Ja&#39;afari said that the area provides most of the water to Syria&#39;s capital city and their offensive to free it from rebel presence will not stop.

&quot;As long as 7 million people in Damascus remain deprived of water, it (the offensive) will continue,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Rebel groups consider this action a violation of any possible ceasefire, and it is very unlikely that they will be the first to lay down arms. This is another problem and another failure.&nbsp;

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Bashar al-Jaafari Syrian government envoy attends a news conference following Syria peace talks in Astana. (Reuters)
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It was clear from the very beginning of the Astana talks that one should have set expectations very low.&nbsp;

The very nature of the Syrian civil war makes things very difficult. It has been, and it still is, a &quot;bloody&quot; war made of proxy armies, hegemony struggles, war crimes and relentless attacks against civilians. All parties fighting on the ground are extremely suspicious of each other. &nbsp;

The Syrian government representative and the rebels did not meet face-to-face; another failure.&nbsp;

The Rebels&#39; delegation said it was not possible for them to sit with the ones they consider responsible for Syria&#39;s bloodshed.&nbsp;

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Mohammad Alloush (C), head of the Syrian opposition delegation, attends Syria peace talks in Astana. (Reuters)
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These premises made it difficult to build an atmosphere of trust, especially given the fact that even the apparent guarantors -- Russia, Turkey and Iran -- have often diverging interests in the conflict. &nbsp;

Russia extensively bombed eastern Aleppo and is President Bashar Al-Assad&#39;s main ally. Iran is funding thousands of Shia militias both to support Assad to expand its influence in West Asia.&nbsp;

Turkey is sponsoring many of the rebel groups who were in Astana and sit neither on Assad&#39;s nor on Iran&#39;s side. Rebel groups have also many concerns about the thousands of Iran-funded Shia militiamen on Syrian soil. They accuse Tehran of systematically working to modify Syria&#39;s demographic pattern in favour of Shiite believers, currently a minority in the country.&nbsp;

On top of this, rebel groups consider President Assad&#39;s resignation a mandatory clause for any peace talks. &nbsp;

How each country will enforce the truce on its proxy army, it is really difficult to foresee. Russia, Iran and Turkey have announced they will meet soon again to define the strategy.&nbsp;

Participant&#39;s expectations were also very different. The Syrian envoy was expecting the rebels to surrender before any talk could begin. The request was firmly refused and rebel groups said they went to Astana only to discuss the implementation of a possible temporary ceasefire.&nbsp;

Rebels are not compact groups, there are different factions and not always coordinated. Major groups like Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra Front, do not recognise Astana talks as valid and will not respect any agreement. In fact, during the talks, the group launched an attack in north-west Syria against the Free Syrian Army, one of the groups sitting in Astana.&nbsp;

Who was sitting at the talks mattered as much as who was not. The US were invited as a mere observer, even if they play a role in covering the advance of the Kurd/Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria. The SDF, who was not invited, is directly fighting boots-on-ground to clear the many villages from Islamic State presence in preparation for an eventual attack on the city of Raqqa, the IS capital city.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Women on the Syrian Democratic Forces fighting in northern Syria. (Getty)
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&nbsp;

A serious round of talks must also include Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two countries which have often been pointed out as funders of Sunni insurgents in Syria, not least Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. The implementation of a ceasefire must also run through them to be more solid. &nbsp;&nbsp;

After six years of war, hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees and displaced civilians reaching a peace agreement in Syria is truly the need of the hour. This cannot happen without all parties involved sitting at a table and possibly in a truly international frame. And, unless all participants renounce to a part of their claims -- the Syrian government included -- it will be impossible to build a long lasting peace. &nbsp;

Hopefully, the UN-sponsored peace talks happening on February 8 in Geneva hold better chances to succeed. &nbsp;

(WION)

All talks and no peace for Syria. From sharing the table to laying down the weapons, nothing seems to have succeeded

The Astana peace talks ended on Tuesday. All parties went back to their trenches with very little to be happy about. In a final joint statement, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to join their efforts in implementing a ceasefire. It is not clear how they intend to do it. Neither the Syrian delegation nor the rebel spokespersons clearly stated if they will abide by the truce. Considering that the talks were meant to stop them fighting each other, this is a problem and a failure. On the contrary, the two belligerents have been very clear about the heavy fighting going on in Wadi Barada, west to Damascus. Syrian envoy Bashar Ja'afari said that the area provides most of the water to Syria's capital city and their offensive to free it from rebel presence will not stop. "As long as 7 million people in Damascus remain deprived of water, it (the offensive) will continue," he said. Rebel groups consider this action a violation of any possible ceasefire, and it is very unlikely that they will be the first to lay down arms. This is another problem and another failure. Bashar al-Jaafari Syrian government envoy attends a news conference following Syria peace talks in Astana. (Reuters) × It was clear from the very beginning of the Astana talks that one should have set expectations very low. The very nature of the Syrian civil war makes things very difficult. It has been, and it still is, a "bloody" war made of proxy armies, hegemony struggles, war crimes and relentless attacks against civilians. All parties fighting on the ground are extremely suspicious of each other. The Syrian government representative and the rebels did not meet face-to-face; another failure. The Rebels' delegation said it was not possible for them to sit with the ones they consider responsible for Syria's bloodshed. Mohammad Alloush (C), head of the Syrian opposition delegation, attends Syria peace talks in Astana. (Reuters) × These premises made it difficult to build an atmosphere of trust, especially given the fact that even the apparent guarantors -- Russia, Turkey and Iran -- have often diverging interests in the conflict. Russia extensively bombed eastern Aleppo and is President Bashar Al-Assad's main ally. Iran is funding thousands of Shia militias both to support Assad to expand its influence in West Asia. Turkey is sponsoring many of the rebel groups who were in Astana and sit neither on Assad's nor on Iran's side. Rebel groups have also many concerns about the thousands of Iran-funded Shia militiamen on Syrian soil. They accuse Tehran of systematically working to modify Syria's demographic pattern in favour of Shiite believers, currently a minority in the country. On top of this, rebel groups consider President Assad's resignation a mandatory clause for any peace talks. How each country will enforce the truce on its proxy army, it is really difficult to foresee. Russia, Iran and Turkey have announced they will meet soon again to define the strategy. Participant's expectations were also very different. The Syrian envoy was expecting the rebels to surrender before any talk could begin. The request was firmly refused and rebel groups said they went to Astana only to discuss the implementation of a possible temporary ceasefire. Rebels are not compact groups, there are different factions and not always coordinated. Major groups like Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra Front, do not recognise Astana talks as valid and will not respect any agreement. In fact, during the talks, the group launched an attack in north-west Syria against the Free Syrian Army, one of the groups sitting in Astana. Who was sitting at the talks mattered as much as who was not. The US were invited as a mere observer, even if they play a role in covering the advance of the Kurd/Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria. The SDF, who was not invited, is directly fighting boots-on-ground to clear the many villages from Islamic State presence in preparation for an eventual attack on the city of Raqqa, the IS capital city. Women on the Syrian Democratic Forces fighting in northern Syria. (Getty) × A serious round of talks must also include Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two countries which have often been pointed out as funders of Sunni insurgents in Syria, not least Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. The implementation of a ceasefire must also run through them to be more solid. After six years of war, hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees and displaced civilians reaching a peace agreement in Syria is truly the need of the hour. This cannot happen without all parties involved sitting at a table and possibly in a truly international frame. And, unless all participants renounce to a part of their claims -- the Syrian government included -- it will be impossible to build a long lasting peace. Hopefully, the UN-sponsored peace talks happening on February 8 in Geneva hold better chances to succeed. (WION)

Astana peace talks: The takeaway

Six Russian warplanes launched a coordinated strike on Islamic State (IS) targets in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Russian defence ministry.

The defence ministry said the Russian Tu-22 bombers flew from an air base in Russia over the territory of Iraq and Iran to make the strike.

On Monday even as the Astana peace talks were taking place, Russian jets had&nbsp;pounded&nbsp;Islamic State in the same eastern province, seeking to thwart a full-blown assault by the militants against the last district in the region still held by the Damascus government.

Islamic State has launched its fiercest assault in a year to capture the government enclave, a pocket of Deir al-Zor city surrounded by IS territory, in a battle that has killed dozens.

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Six Russian planes hit IS targets in Syria (Reuters)
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The assault, which began earlier this month, appears to be part of an IS effort to shore up its presence in Syria as it loses ground in Iraq.

Islamic State controls nearly all of Deir al-Zor province, with the army retaining the air base in the city and neighboring districts, which the jihadists encircled in July 2014.

Just 24 hours ago, Iran, Russia and Turkey, the sponsors&nbsp;of peace talks between Syrian rebels and Damascus, agreed to a fragile three-week cessation of hostilities in Syria.&nbsp;The IS was not part of the Astana peace talks.&nbsp;

They agreed to a &quot;trilateral mechanism&quot; &quot; and declared to &quot;ensure full compliance with the ceasefire, prevent any provocation and determine all modalities&quot;.

(Reuters with agency inputs)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Islamic State has launched a fierce assault to capture a government enclave, a pocket of Deir al-Zor city.

Six Russian warplanes launched a coordinated strike on Islamic State (IS) targets in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Russian defence ministry. The defence ministry said the Russian Tu-22 bombers flew from an air base in Russia over the territory of Iraq and Iran to make the strike. On Monday even as the Astana peace talks were taking place, Russian jets had pounded Islamic State in the same eastern province, seeking to thwart a full-blown assault by the militants against the last district in the region still held by the Damascus government. Islamic State has launched its fiercest assault in a year to capture the government enclave, a pocket of Deir al-Zor city surrounded by IS territory, in a battle that has killed dozens. Six Russian planes hit IS targets in Syria (Reuters) × The assault, which began earlier this month, appears to be part of an IS effort to shore up its presence in Syria as it loses ground in Iraq. Islamic State controls nearly all of Deir al-Zor province, with the army retaining the air base in the city and neighboring districts, which the jihadists encircled in July 2014. Just 24 hours ago, Iran, Russia and Turkey, the sponsors of peace talks between Syrian rebels and Damascus, agreed to a fragile three-week cessation of hostilities in Syria. The IS was not part of the Astana peace talks. They agreed to a "trilateral mechanism" " and declared to "ensure full compliance with the ceasefire, prevent any provocation and determine all modalities". (Reuters with agency inputs)

Day after Astana peace talks, Russian planes continue to strike IS targets in Syria

Islamic State militants have destroyed one of the most famous monuments in the ancient city of Palmyra, the Tetrapylon, and the facade of its Roman Theatre, Syrian antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters on Friday.

The Syrian government lost control of Palmyra to Islamic State in December, the second time the jihadist group had overrun the UNESCO world heritage site in the six-year-long Syrian conflict.

The Tetrapylon, marking a junction along Palmyra&#39;s grand colonnade, comprises a raised stone platform with matching structures of four columns positioned at each of its corners.

Satellite imagery sent by Abdulkarim to Reuters showed it largely destroyed, with only four of 16 columns still standing and the stone platform apparently covered in rubble.

The imagery also showed extensive damage to monuments on the stage of the Roman Theatre, with several towering stone structures apparently also destroyed.

Abdulkarim said if Islamic State remained in control of Palmyra &quot;it means more destruction&quot;. He said the destruction took place sometime between Dec. 26 and Jan. 10, according to the satellite imagery of the site.

Islamic State had previously captured Palmyra in 2015, and held it for 10 months until Syrian government forces backed by allied militia and Russian air power managed to drive them from the city last March.

During its previous spell in control of Palmyra, Islamic State destroyed other monuments there, including its 1,800-year-old monumental arch. Palmyra, known in Arabic as Tadmur, stands at the crossroads of the ancient world. 
 
(Reuters)

IS jihadists destroyed the Tetrapylon, and the facade of its Roman Theatre, Syrian antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim said

Islamic State militants have destroyed one of the most famous monuments in the ancient city of Palmyra, the Tetrapylon, and the facade of its Roman Theatre, Syrian antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters on Friday. The Syrian government lost control of Palmyra to Islamic State in December, the second time the jihadist group had overrun the UNESCO world heritage site in the six-year-long Syrian conflict. The Tetrapylon, marking a junction along Palmyra's grand colonnade, comprises a raised stone platform with matching structures of four columns positioned at each of its corners. Satellite imagery sent by Abdulkarim to Reuters showed it largely destroyed, with only four of 16 columns still standing and the stone platform apparently covered in rubble. The imagery also showed extensive damage to monuments on the stage of the Roman Theatre, with several towering stone structures apparently also destroyed. Abdulkarim said if Islamic State remained in control of Palmyra "it means more destruction". He said the destruction took place sometime between Dec. 26 and Jan. 10, according to the satellite imagery of the site. Islamic State had previously captured Palmyra in 2015, and held it for 10 months until Syrian government forces backed by allied militia and Russian air power managed to drive them from the city last March. During its previous spell in control of Palmyra, Islamic State destroyed other monuments there, including its 1,800-year-old monumental arch. Palmyra, known in Arabic as Tadmur, stands at the crossroads of the ancient world. (Reuters)

Islamic State destroys famous monument in Syria's Palmyra

More than 80 Islamic State jihadists were killed in a US aerial blitz on training camps in Libya, including fighters involved in plotting attacks in Europe, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Thursday.

The Pentagon made the highly unusual decision to conduct the air strikes with a pair of B-2 stealth bombers that flew to North Africa on a 34-hour mission from their base in Missouri in America&#39;s Midwest.

The last time the distinctive, bat-shaped planes were used in Libya was in 2011 during the mission that led to the ouster of longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi.

Wednesday&#39;s massive strike saw the B-2s and Reaper drones unleash about 100 bombs on the IS training camps -- equating to more than one bomb per jihadi that was killed.

The camps were located about 45 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the coastal city of Sirte, Kadhafi&#39;s former home town that IS for a time turned into a stronghold as it attempted to expand its presence in Libya.&nbsp;

Speaking on his last day in office, Carter said the targets &quot;certainly are people who were actively plotting operations in Europe, and may also have been connected with some attacks that have already occurred in Europe.&quot;

The air assault came a month after the United States had officially wrapped up its military operations in and around Sirte.

The Pentagon launched that mission, Operation Odyssey Lightning, on August 1 and it comprised about 500 strikes.

When operations concluded last month, following Sirte&#39;s &quot;liberation,&quot; the Pentagon left open the possibility of conducting additional anti-IS attacks if Libya&#39;s Government of National Accord asked for help in doing so.

Wednesday&#39;s strike was conducted in full coordination with the GNA, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said, noting the operation had been authorized by outgoing President Barack Obama.

He displayed brief footage taken ahead of the strike showing a group of men standing by two camouflaged pick-up trucks and unloading what appeared to be bombs or rockets.

Officials said no civilians were thought to have been killed and no women or children were present during the massive strike.

15 air tankers

Cook would not discuss why the Air Force chose to use the B-2s, or whether it was a show of force as Obama leaves the White House ahead of President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s inauguration on Friday.

&quot;The use of the B-2 demonstrates the capability of the United States to deliver decisive precision force to the Air Force&#39;s Global Strike Command over a great distance,&quot; Cook said.&nbsp;

The United States has 20 B-2 bombers and the Air Force needed to fly 15 air tankers to ensure refueling over the course of the lengthy mission, Air Force spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder said.

The fall of Sirte, located 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of Tripoli, was a major setback for IS, which has also faced military defeats across Syria and Iraq.

Libya descended into lawlessness after the NATO-backed ousting of longtime dictator Kadhafi in 2011, with rival administrations emerging and well-armed militias vying for control of its vast oil wealth.

&quot;These strikes will degrade ISIL&#39;s ability to stage attacks against Libyan forces and civilians working to stabilize Sirte, and demonstrate our resolve in countering the threat posed by ISIL to Libya, the United States and our allies,&quot; Cook said, using an alternate IS acronym.

Trump&#39;s position on Libya is unclear and his public statements have reflected shifting views.

In 2011, he urged foreign military intervention to topple Kadhafi.

&quot;We should do on a humanitarian basis, immediately go into Libya, knock this guy out very quickly, very surgically, very effectively, and save the lives,&quot; he said.

Then in 2015, he said the world would be &quot;100 per cent&quot; better off if Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Kadhafi in Libya were still in power, adding that human rights abuses are &quot;worse than they ever were&quot; in the two countries.

(AFP)

Wednesday's massive strike saw the B-2s and Reaper drones unleash about 100 bombs on the IS training camps

More than 80 Islamic State jihadists were killed in a US aerial blitz on training camps in Libya, including fighters involved in plotting attacks in Europe, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Thursday. The Pentagon made the highly unusual decision to conduct the air strikes with a pair of B-2 stealth bombers that flew to North Africa on a 34-hour mission from their base in Missouri in America's Midwest. The last time the distinctive, bat-shaped planes were used in Libya was in 2011 during the mission that led to the ouster of longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi. Wednesday's massive strike saw the B-2s and Reaper drones unleash about 100 bombs on the IS training camps -- equating to more than one bomb per jihadi that was killed. The camps were located about 45 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the coastal city of Sirte, Kadhafi's former home town that IS for a time turned into a stronghold as it attempted to expand its presence in Libya. Speaking on his last day in office, Carter said the targets "certainly are people who were actively plotting operations in Europe, and may also have been connected with some attacks that have already occurred in Europe." The air assault came a month after the United States had officially wrapped up its military operations in and around Sirte. The Pentagon launched that mission, Operation Odyssey Lightning, on August 1 and it comprised about 500 strikes. When operations concluded last month, following Sirte's "liberation," the Pentagon left open the possibility of conducting additional anti-IS attacks if Libya's Government of National Accord asked for help in doing so. Wednesday's strike was conducted in full coordination with the GNA, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said, noting the operation had been authorized by outgoing President Barack Obama. He displayed brief footage taken ahead of the strike showing a group of men standing by two camouflaged pick-up trucks and unloading what appeared to be bombs or rockets. Officials said no civilians were thought to have been killed and no women or children were present during the massive strike. 15 air tankers Cook would not discuss why the Air Force chose to use the B-2s, or whether it was a show of force as Obama leaves the White House ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday. "The use of the B-2 demonstrates the capability of the United States to deliver decisive precision force to the Air Force's Global Strike Command over a great distance," Cook said. The United States has 20 B-2 bombers and the Air Force needed to fly 15 air tankers to ensure refueling over the course of the lengthy mission, Air Force spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder said. The fall of Sirte, located 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of Tripoli, was a major setback for IS, which has also faced military defeats across Syria and Iraq. Libya descended into lawlessness after the NATO-backed ousting of longtime dictator Kadhafi in 2011, with rival administrations emerging and well-armed militias vying for control of its vast oil wealth. "These strikes will degrade ISIL's ability to stage attacks against Libyan forces and civilians working to stabilize Sirte, and demonstrate our resolve in countering the threat posed by ISIL to Libya, the United States and our allies," Cook said, using an alternate IS acronym. Trump's position on Libya is unclear and his public statements have reflected shifting views. In 2011, he urged foreign military intervention to topple Kadhafi. "We should do on a humanitarian basis, immediately go into Libya, knock this guy out very quickly, very surgically, very effectively, and save the lives," he said. Then in 2015, he said the world would be "100 per cent" better off if Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Kadhafi in Libya were still in power, adding that human rights abuses are "worse than they ever were" in the two countries. (AFP)

US stealth bombers strike IS camps in Libya, kill 80 fighters

As many as 52 Indians, including engineers and post-graduates, were arrested last year for allegedly having links to Islamic State, India&#39;s anti-terror agency said Thursday.

There has also been an alarming rise in Islamic State terrorism-related cases, India&#39;s National Investigation Agency said, up from two in 2015 to 12 in 2016.

Four-fifths of the accused had formal schooling while the rest attended madrassas. Of the 52 arrested last year, 20 of them were graduates or engineers, 13 were high school pass-outs&nbsp;and 12 diploma holders.

Majority of the accused, 85 per cent to be precise, were Sunni Muslims, while the rest of them had converted from Hinduism or Christianity.

Giving details of the religious affiliations of the accused, the agency said 50 per cent belong to &#39; Ahle Hadith&#39;, 30 per cent to &#39; Tabligi /Jammat&#39; and 20 per cent followed Deobandi.

Most of the detainees were from India&#39;s western state of Maharashtra, with 12, and Kerala (11).

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Some of the accused are engineers or post-graduate students, according to India's anti-terror agency

As many as 52 Indians, including engineers and post-graduates, were arrested last year for allegedly having links to Islamic State, India's anti-terror agency said Thursday. There has also been an alarming rise in Islamic State terrorism-related cases, India's National Investigation Agency said, up from two in 2015 to 12 in 2016. Four-fifths of the accused had formal schooling while the rest attended madrassas. Of the 52 arrested last year, 20 of them were graduates or engineers, 13 were high school pass-outs and 12 diploma holders. Majority of the accused, 85 per cent to be precise, were Sunni Muslims, while the rest of them had converted from Hinduism or Christianity. Giving details of the religious affiliations of the accused, the agency said 50 per cent belong to ' Ahle Hadith', 30 per cent to ' Tabligi /Jammat' and 20 per cent followed Deobandi. Most of the detainees were from India's western state of Maharashtra, with 12, and Kerala (11). (WION with inputs from PTI)

India: 52 detained for 'having links to Islamic State' in 2016

Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati, top commander of Iraq Counter Terrorism Forces (ICTF), declared that his troops have reclaimed the eastern part of Mosul, the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq.

According to the ICTS, as many as 3,300 terrorists were killed in the city during the whole offensive.

The news comes a day after counter-terrorism forces flushed out the militants&nbsp;from Mosul University, the main operative base and an arms factory of the terrorist organisation in the eastern part of the city.

Now that all the eastern part of the city is under government control,&nbsp;the Iraqi Army will have the upper hand in their quest to launch the last phase of the offensive.

Troops had already taken control of the areas on the left side of the Tigris river, which runs through the city north to south.&nbsp;

The Islamic State is now &#39;trapped&#39; in the western side of Mosul as the eastern half has now been swamped by Iraqi forces and the rim of the western part of the town is controlled by Shia militants.

However, absolute control of the city remains fraught with danger as international monitoring agencies remain unclear about the number of Islamist militants holed up in the west of Mosul.&nbsp;

Iraqi security forces on December 30, 2016 began the second phase of their offensive against Islamic State militants in Mosul, pushing from three directions into eastern districts where the battle had been deadlocked for nearly a month.

More than 5,000 soldiers and federal police troops, redeployed from Mosul&#39;s southern outskirts, entered half a dozen southeastern districts, while counter-terrorism forces advanced in al-Quds and Karama districts after reinforcements arrived.

The battle for Mosul involves 100,000 Iraqi troops, members of the Kurdish security forces and Shi&#39;ite militiamen.

(WION)

According to the Iraq Counter Terrorism Forces, as many as 3,300 IS fighters were killed in the city during the offensive

Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati, top commander of Iraq Counter Terrorism Forces (ICTF), declared that his troops have reclaimed the eastern part of Mosul, the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq. According to the ICTS, as many as 3,300 terrorists were killed in the city during the whole offensive. The news comes a day after counter-terrorism forces flushed out the militants from Mosul University, the main operative base and an arms factory of the terrorist organisation in the eastern part of the city. Now that all the eastern part of the city is under government control, the Iraqi Army will have the upper hand in their quest to launch the last phase of the offensive. Troops had already taken control of the areas on the left side of the Tigris river, which runs through the city north to south. The Islamic State is now 'trapped' in the western side of Mosul as the eastern half has now been swamped by Iraqi forces and the rim of the western part of the town is controlled by Shia militants. However, absolute control of the city remains fraught with danger as international monitoring agencies remain unclear about the number of Islamist militants holed up in the west of Mosul. Iraqi security forces on December 30, 2016 began the second phase of their offensive against Islamic State militants in Mosul, pushing from three directions into eastern districts where the battle had been deadlocked for nearly a month. More than 5,000 soldiers and federal police troops, redeployed from Mosul's southern outskirts, entered half a dozen southeastern districts, while counter-terrorism forces advanced in al-Quds and Karama districts after reinforcements arrived. The battle for Mosul involves 100,000 Iraqi troops, members of the Kurdish security forces and Shi'ite militiamen. (WION)

Iraqi special forces 'recapture' eastern part of Mosul

An Uzbek gunman who killed 39 people in an Istanbul nightclub on New Year&#39;s Day told police he had to change target at the last minute to avoid heavy security and acted with direct orders from Islamic State in Syria, a newspaper said on Wednesday.

The gunman, named by the authorities on Tuesday as Abdulgadir Masharipov, had initially been told to attack the area around the central Taksim square and said his instructions came from Raqqa, a Syrian stronghold of Islamic State, the Hurriyet newspaper cited him as saying in police testimony.

&quot;I came to Taksim on New Year&#39;s Eve but the security measures were intense. It was not possible to carry out the attack,&quot; he was quoted as saying.

&quot;I was given instructions to search for a new target in the area. I toured the coast at around 10 pm&nbsp;with a cab,&quot; he said, referring to Istanbul&#39;s Bosphorus shore where the Reina nightclub is located.

&quot;Reina looked suitable for the attack. There didn&#39;t seem to be many security measures.&quot;

Hurriyet did not say how it obtained the testimony and Reuters was not immediately able to verify the report.

Masharipov was caught in a police raid late on Monday in Esenyurt, a suburb on Istanbul&#39;s western outskirts, following a two-week manhunt. He was captured along&nbsp;with an Iraqi man and three women from Africa, one of them from Egypt.

On January 1, he shot his way into the exclusive nightclub and opened fire on New Year&#39;s revellers with an automatic rifle, throwing stun grenades to allow himself to reload and shooting the wounded on the ground.

Islamic State claimed responsibility the next day, saying the attack was revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria. Turkish troops entered Syria last August to push Islamic State away from the border and halt Kurdish militia advances.

Like many cities around the world on New Year&#39;s Eve, Istanbul had taken additional security measures, deploying 25,000 police officers to try to thwart attacks after a year of bombings by Islamic State and Kurdish militants.

Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said on Tuesday that Masharipov had admitted his guilt and that his fingerprints matched those at the scene.

Sahin described him as well-educated, able to speak four languages, and said he had received training in Afghanistan.

(Reuters)

The gunman had initially been told to attack the area around the central Taksim square, but had to change target at the last minute

An Uzbek gunman who killed 39 people in an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Day told police he had to change target at the last minute to avoid heavy security and acted with direct orders from Islamic State in Syria, a newspaper said on Wednesday. The gunman, named by the authorities on Tuesday as Abdulgadir Masharipov, had initially been told to attack the area around the central Taksim square and said his instructions came from Raqqa, a Syrian stronghold of Islamic State, the Hurriyet newspaper cited him as saying in police testimony. "I came to Taksim on New Year's Eve but the security measures were intense. It was not possible to carry out the attack," he was quoted as saying. "I was given instructions to search for a new target in the area. I toured the coast at around 10 pm with a cab," he said, referring to Istanbul's Bosphorus shore where the Reina nightclub is located. "Reina looked suitable for the attack. There didn't seem to be many security measures." Hurriyet did not say how it obtained the testimony and Reuters was not immediately able to verify the report. Masharipov was caught in a police raid late on Monday in Esenyurt, a suburb on Istanbul's western outskirts, following a two-week manhunt. He was captured along with an Iraqi man and three women from Africa, one of them from Egypt. On January 1, he shot his way into the exclusive nightclub and opened fire on New Year's revellers with an automatic rifle, throwing stun grenades to allow himself to reload and shooting the wounded on the ground. Islamic State claimed responsibility the next day, saying the attack was revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria. Turkish troops entered Syria last August to push Islamic State away from the border and halt Kurdish militia advances. Like many cities around the world on New Year's Eve, Istanbul had taken additional security measures, deploying 25,000 police officers to try to thwart attacks after a year of bombings by Islamic State and Kurdish militants. Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said on Tuesday that Masharipov had admitted his guilt and that his fingerprints matched those at the scene. Sahin described him as well-educated, able to speak four languages, and said he had received training in Afghanistan. (Reuters)

Istanbul nightclub attacker says was directed by Islamic State: report

The wife of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen was charged with obstruction of justice and terror-related offense on Tuesday.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Noor Salman early on Monday at her home in California on suspicions that she knew about her husband&#39;s plans to carry out the attack.

The two-count indictment states that Noor Salman, who was arrested Monday in northern California, aided and abetted her husband&#39;s attempt to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State group, AFP reported.

The 30-year-old also faces charges of obstruction of justice and misleading the authorities investigating the shooting.

Mateen opened fire at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12, 2016 killing 49 people in one of the deadliest mass shooting in US history. He was killed in a shootout with the police. Authorities said Mateen had become radicalised after watching online propaganda.

Salman appeared in federal court in Oakland on Tuesday.

Her next hearing is scheduled today (Wednesday) in a court in California. But US prosecutors expect her case to be transferred to Florida, said William Daniels, a local Justice Department spokesman, Reuters reported.

If convicted, Salman faces up to life in prison.

Al Salman, Salman&#39;s uncle, told reporters outside the courtroom that she was unaware about her husband&#39;s plans and was in fact&nbsp;abused by Mateen.

&quot;I know she&#39;s innocent, 100 per cent,&quot; Salman said, adding that her main concern was her child. &quot;She&#39;s innocent, simple person. She will not hurt a fly.&quot;

Media reported that Salman had called her husband after the news of the shooting broke. He texted her later asking if she had seen the news.

Salman is reported to have responded,&quot; I love you&quot;.

(With inputs from agencies)

The indictment states that Noor Salman aided and abetted her husband's attempt to provide material support to a terrorist organisation

The wife of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen was charged with obstruction of justice and terror-related offense on Tuesday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Noor Salman early on Monday at her home in California on suspicions that she knew about her husband's plans to carry out the attack. The two-count indictment states that Noor Salman, who was arrested Monday in northern California, aided and abetted her husband's attempt to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State group, AFP reported. The 30-year-old also faces charges of obstruction of justice and misleading the authorities investigating the shooting. Mateen opened fire at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12, 2016 killing 49 people in one of the deadliest mass shooting in US history. He was killed in a shootout with the police. Authorities said Mateen had become radicalised after watching online propaganda. Salman appeared in federal court in Oakland on Tuesday. Her next hearing is scheduled today (Wednesday) in a court in California. But US prosecutors expect her case to be transferred to Florida, said William Daniels, a local Justice Department spokesman, Reuters reported. If convicted, Salman faces up to life in prison. Al Salman, Salman's uncle, told reporters outside the courtroom that she was unaware about her husband's plans and was in fact abused by Mateen. "I know she's innocent, 100 per cent," Salman said, adding that her main concern was her child. "She's innocent, simple person. She will not hurt a fly." Media reported that Salman had called her husband after the news of the shooting broke. He texted her later asking if she had seen the news. Salman is reported to have responded," I love you". (With inputs from agencies)

Wife of Orlando nightclub shooter charged with helping husband

Syrian rebel groups have decided to attend peace talks backed by Russia and Turkey in Kazakhstan to press for full implementation of a ceasefire they say has been widely violated by the government and its Iranian-backed allies.

Russia, President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s most powerful ally, set the new diplomatic effort in motion after Syrian rebels suffered a major defeat last month by losing control of districts of eastern Aleppo they had held for nearly four years. The United States, which led failed efforts to launch peace talks last year, has not been involved in the latest diplomacy.

Assad has already said his government is ready to attend the talks. After winning ground with Russian and Iranian military support, he looks stronger than at any point in the war.

The rebels took the decision at meetings underway in Ankara, and are now working to form a delegation that will be headed by Mohammad Alloush, the head of the political office of Jaish al-Islam rebel group, Alloush said. He said the rebels were going to Astana to &quot;neutralise the criminal role&quot; of Iran.

Analysts believe the rebels have been under pressure from Turkey, one of their main sponsors, to attend. Earlier this month, they called off any talks on their participation in the Astana meeting over what they said were government violations of a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey. Turkey&#39;s priorities in Syria appear to have shifted away from toppling Assad to combating Kurdish groups and Islamic State in areas of northern Syria near its border. Turkey&#39;s ties with Russia have also improved in recent months.

&quot;The factions will go and the first thing they will discuss will be the matter of the ceasefire and the violations by the regime,&quot; said an official in a Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebel group who declined to be identified because the groups had yet to appoint a spokesman. &quot;This will be a test for the Russians as the guarantor,&quot; he said.

A second official, Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group, said: &quot;The majority of the groups decided to attend. Discussions will be on the ceasefire - the humanitarian issues - aid deliveries, release of detainees.&quot;

The rebel groups would reject any discussion of broader political issues at the Astana talks, the rebel officials said. The talks are scheduled for January 23 in Astana. Turkey&#39;s foreign minister said on Saturday that Ankara and Moscow had decided to invite the United States to attend. A Kremlin spokesman did not confirm it.

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed preparations for the talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. As with last year&#39;s peace talks, powerful Kurdish groups that control wide areas of northern Syria are being excluded from the talks in line with the wishes of Turkey. Fighting has continued despite the ceasefire, notably near Damascus where government forces backed by Lebanon&#39;s Hezbollah are trying to recapture a rebel-held area where the capital&#39;s main water supply has been bombed out of service.

Separately, Islamic State, excluded from both truce and talks, has launched its fiercest assault in a year against a besieged government enclave in the city of Deir al-Zor. The rebel groups that will attend the talks include FSA factions fighting in northern Syria, some of them the groups defeated in Aleppo. Alloush&#39;s faction, Jaish al-Islam, is one of the bigger rebel groups, with a strong presence in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area near Damascus.

The delegation will be different to one sent to peace talks in Geneva last year by the main opposition council, the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee. The HNC, which includes political and armed opposition groups, represented the opposition in peace talks last year.

Alloush sits on the HNC, which said on Saturday that it had supported efforts towards the talks in Kazakhstan, and viewed the meeting as a preliminary step for resuming the next round of political negotiations in Geneva. 
Malahifji said the new delegation would be formed in coordination with the HNC, but it would differ from it because &quot;the Russians are focusing very much on the military factions&quot;.

Assad said last week his government was ready to negotiate on &quot;everything&quot; in Kazakhstan, including his own position within the Syrian constitution.

(Reuters)&nbsp;

They will press for full implementation of a ceasefire they say has been widely violated by the government and its Iranian-backed allies

Syrian rebel groups have decided to attend peace talks backed by Russia and Turkey in Kazakhstan to press for full implementation of a ceasefire they say has been widely violated by the government and its Iranian-backed allies. Russia, President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful ally, set the new diplomatic effort in motion after Syrian rebels suffered a major defeat last month by losing control of districts of eastern Aleppo they had held for nearly four years. The United States, which led failed efforts to launch peace talks last year, has not been involved in the latest diplomacy. Assad has already said his government is ready to attend the talks. After winning ground with Russian and Iranian military support, he looks stronger than at any point in the war. The rebels took the decision at meetings underway in Ankara, and are now working to form a delegation that will be headed by Mohammad Alloush, the head of the political office of Jaish al-Islam rebel group, Alloush said. He said the rebels were going to Astana to "neutralise the criminal role" of Iran. Analysts believe the rebels have been under pressure from Turkey, one of their main sponsors, to attend. Earlier this month, they called off any talks on their participation in the Astana meeting over what they said were government violations of a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey. Turkey's priorities in Syria appear to have shifted away from toppling Assad to combating Kurdish groups and Islamic State in areas of northern Syria near its border. Turkey's ties with Russia have also improved in recent months. "The factions will go and the first thing they will discuss will be the matter of the ceasefire and the violations by the regime," said an official in a Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebel group who declined to be identified because the groups had yet to appoint a spokesman. "This will be a test for the Russians as the guarantor," he said. A second official, Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group, said: "The majority of the groups decided to attend. Discussions will be on the ceasefire - the humanitarian issues - aid deliveries, release of detainees." The rebel groups would reject any discussion of broader political issues at the Astana talks, the rebel officials said. The talks are scheduled for January 23 in Astana. Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday that Ankara and Moscow had decided to invite the United States to attend. A Kremlin spokesman did not confirm it. On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed preparations for the talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. As with last year's peace talks, powerful Kurdish groups that control wide areas of northern Syria are being excluded from the talks in line with the wishes of Turkey. Fighting has continued despite the ceasefire, notably near Damascus where government forces backed by Lebanon's Hezbollah are trying to recapture a rebel-held area where the capital's main water supply has been bombed out of service. Separately, Islamic State, excluded from both truce and talks, has launched its fiercest assault in a year against a besieged government enclave in the city of Deir al-Zor. The rebel groups that will attend the talks include FSA factions fighting in northern Syria, some of them the groups defeated in Aleppo. Alloush's faction, Jaish al-Islam, is one of the bigger rebel groups, with a strong presence in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area near Damascus. The delegation will be different to one sent to peace talks in Geneva last year by the main opposition council, the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee. The HNC, which includes political and armed opposition groups, represented the opposition in peace talks last year. Alloush sits on the HNC, which said on Saturday that it had supported efforts towards the talks in Kazakhstan, and viewed the meeting as a preliminary step for resuming the next round of political negotiations in Geneva. Malahifji said the new delegation would be formed in coordination with the HNC, but it would differ from it because "the Russians are focusing very much on the military factions". Assad said last week his government was ready to negotiate on "everything" in Kazakhstan, including his own position within the Syrian constitution. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels agree to attend peace talks in Kazakhstan

Turkey has captured the suspected Istanbul nightclub attacker after a massive manhunt.&nbsp;

Abdulkadir Masharipov, who is believed to be behind the attack, was found along with his four-year-old son in an apartment in Istanbul&#39;s Esenyurt district, reported TRT.&nbsp;

Anadolu said a total of five people were detained in the operation, including three women.

Masharipov has been taken to police headquarters in Istanbul for questioning.

The manhunt had been underway for two weeks after he slipped away following the incident. Previous reports had suggested that he never left the metropolis prompting fears in the city.

Reports say that the attacker had been identified earlier but the police wanted to track his contacts.

His son is under proetction.

Turkish media reports had said that the gunman was a well-trained killer who had fought for IS in Syria and had gained weapons expertise there, reported AFP.

Intelligence services and anti-terror police in Istanbul had identified him as&nbsp;a 34-year-old Uzbek, reports said on Jan.8.&nbsp;Initial reports had suggested that the assailant was a Kyrgyz national and then a Uighur from China.

The state run Anadolu news agency identified the detained man as Abdulgadir Masharipov.

Andalou reports that 35 people were detained in connection with the attack before the latest raid.

Thirty-nine people were killed and 65 injured after a gunman went on a shooting spree in the high-end Reina club where up to 700 people were ringing in the New Year.&nbsp;Turks, tourists&nbsp;from several Arab countries, India and Canada lost their lives in the attack.

The Islamic State had claimed responsibilty for the attack.&nbsp;In a statement circulated on social media, the jihadist group said one of the &quot;soldiers of the caliphate&quot; had carried out the attack on the Reina nightclub, saying&nbsp;the attacker used hand grenades and a gun.

Turkey faces multiple security threats. It has been hit by a series of bombings over the past 18 months, some of them blamed on Islamic State, others on Kurdish militants.

(WION)

Abdulkadir Masharipov was found in an apartment in Istanbul's Esenyurt district along with his four-year-old son

Turkey has captured the suspected Istanbul nightclub attacker after a massive manhunt. Abdulkadir Masharipov, who is believed to be behind the attack, was found along with his four-year-old son in an apartment in Istanbul's Esenyurt district, reported TRT. Anadolu said a total of five people were detained in the operation, including three women. Masharipov has been taken to police headquarters in Istanbul for questioning. The manhunt had been underway for two weeks after he slipped away following the incident. Previous reports had suggested that he never left the metropolis prompting fears in the city. Reports say that the attacker had been identified earlier but the police wanted to track his contacts. His son is under proetction. Turkish media reports had said that the gunman was a well-trained killer who had fought for IS in Syria and had gained weapons expertise there, reported AFP. Intelligence services and anti-terror police in Istanbul had identified him as a 34-year-old Uzbek, reports said on Jan.8. Initial reports had suggested that the assailant was a Kyrgyz national and then a Uighur from China. The state run Anadolu news agency identified the detained man as Abdulgadir Masharipov. Andalou reports that 35 people were detained in connection with the attack before the latest raid. Thirty-nine people were killed and 65 injured after a gunman went on a shooting spree in the high-end Reina club where up to 700 people were ringing in the New Year. Turks, tourists from several Arab countries, India and Canada lost their lives in the attack. The Islamic State had claimed responsibilty for the attack. In a statement circulated on social media, the jihadist group said one of the "soldiers of the caliphate" had carried out the attack on the Reina nightclub, saying the attacker used hand grenades and a gun. Turkey faces multiple security threats. It has been hit by a series of bombings over the past 18 months, some of them blamed on Islamic State, others on Kurdish militants. (WION)

Turkey captures suspected Istanbul nightclub attacker

A 34-year-old Uzbek man confessed to carrying out the Istanbul nightclub attack on New Year&#39;s Eve, hours after he was captured in police raids.&nbsp;

Turkish police captured&nbsp;Abdulgadir Masharipov in raids conducted in Istanbul&#39;s western Esenyurt district.

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Abdulgadir Masharipov still shot handed out by Turkish police from the video he took before he went on a shooting spree slaughtering 39. (AFP)
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Masharipov was part of the&nbsp;Central Asian IS cell and was using the code name Ebu Muhammed Horasani.

Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin said &quot;The terrorist confessed his crime,&quot; adding that Masharipov&#39;s fingerprints matched that of&nbsp;the attacker.&nbsp;

&quot;He was trained in Afghanistan and can speak four languages. He&#39;s a well-trained terrorist,&quot; Sahin said.&nbsp;

At least 2,000 police personnel were involved in the operation.&nbsp;

They recovered 197,000 US dollars, two firearms and clips from his apartment.&nbsp;

The police had been tracking Masharipov for three days before detaining him to identify any associates.&nbsp;

The police also arrested an Iraqi man, three women, one an Egyptian and two from Africa.&nbsp;

The arrest of Masharipov could help discover other Islamic State cells in the country.&nbsp;

Police had released images during the manhunt, which were taken from the video Masharipov took just before embarking on the shooting spree.&nbsp;

The Reina nightclub attack was the first major attack in Turkey which the Islamic State claimed responsibility for.&nbsp;

&quot;It is clear that the attack was carried out on behalf of Daesh (Arabic acronym of ISIS),&quot; Sahin said.&nbsp;

During the&nbsp;investigation,&nbsp;police had initially suspected ethnic Uighur&#39;s from China to be involved in the attack.&nbsp;

Since the attack, the police has conducted 152 raids and detained 50 people.&nbsp;

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the police and said&nbsp;&quot;From now on in this country nobody will get away with what they have done.&quot;

&quot;Everyone will be brought to account within the rule of law.&quot;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

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Abdulgadir Masharipov, 34, was captured in raids conducted in Istanbul's western Esenyurt district. He was part of the Central Asian IS cell

A 34-year-old Uzbek man confessed to carrying out the Istanbul nightclub attack on New Year's Eve, hours after he was captured in police raids. Turkish police captured Abdulgadir Masharipov in raids conducted in Istanbul's western Esenyurt district. Abdulgadir Masharipov still shot handed out by Turkish police from the video he took before he went on a shooting spree slaughtering 39. (AFP) × Masharipov was part of the Central Asian IS cell and was using the code name Ebu Muhammed Horasani. Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin said "The terrorist confessed his crime," adding that Masharipov's fingerprints matched that of the attacker. "He was trained in Afghanistan and can speak four languages. He's a well-trained terrorist," Sahin said. At least 2,000 police personnel were involved in the operation. They recovered 197,000 US dollars, two firearms and clips from his apartment. The police had been tracking Masharipov for three days before detaining him to identify any associates. The police also arrested an Iraqi man, three women, one an Egyptian and two from Africa. The arrest of Masharipov could help discover other Islamic State cells in the country. Police had released images during the manhunt, which were taken from the video Masharipov took just before embarking on the shooting spree. The Reina nightclub attack was the first major attack in Turkey which the Islamic State claimed responsibility for. "It is clear that the attack was carried out on behalf of Daesh (Arabic acronym of ISIS)," Sahin said. During the investigation, police had initially suspected ethnic Uighur's from China to be involved in the attack. Since the attack, the police has conducted 152 raids and detained 50 people. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the police and said "From now on in this country nobody will get away with what they have done." "Everyone will be brought to account within the rule of law." (WION with inputs from AFP)

Turkey: Uzbek man confesses to carrying out Istanbul New Year's Eve nightclub attack

The Iraqi army has completed the operation to retake and secure&nbsp;Mosul University, or at least what remains of it after two years under Islamic State (IS) control. &nbsp;

It took the troops two days to complete the attack against the campus which was launched on Saturday.&nbsp;

Mosul is the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq and more than one hundred thousands troops are involved in the offensive to defeat them.&nbsp;

Retaking the university is the last of a series of successful&nbsp;blows that the Iraqi army has inflicted to the terrorist organisation in Mosul since the beginning of a second phase of the three-month long offensive at the end of December.&nbsp;

&quot;We are not stopping,&quot;&nbsp;said&nbsp;Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (ICTS), to Reuters. Their aim is to keep advancing and take control of the entire eastern part of Mosul.&nbsp;

According to the ICTS commander Sami al-Aridhi, his forces found some chemical substances that the IS allegedly used to try to manufacture weapons. The terrorist organisation has reportedly used chemical weapons in both Syria and Iraq, especially mustard gas.&nbsp;

What happened to the university is indicative of&nbsp;the cultural decline that the city suffered under the Islamic State. It was one of the largest in West Asia and the second most important in Iraq. More than 25,000 students came from all over the country to study in one of the many departments. But, there is no space for scientific culture under the obscurantist ideology of the self-proclaimed caliphate. Soon after its arrival in 2014, the IS used the university as a base and a weapons&nbsp;factory.&nbsp;

&quot;Can you believe that even people from Basra used to study there? It was an amazing university,&quot; says on the phone Emil Lallo, a young men who studied in an institute right beside the university. Basra is a city in southern Iraq, nearly one thousand kilometres from Mosul. &nbsp;

&quot;The ones who came from faraway places normally used to rent an apartment. Some of them stayed with relatives,&quot; recalls Emil.&nbsp;

When a big university is inside a city it spreads culture, it gives lifeline to the society and attracts people from different places. In the neighbourhoods close to a campus, it is common to see students buying and bargaining, eating out, having a drink and passionately discussing and debating around recently learnt topics. &nbsp;

During their university years, young students often experience for the first time what it means to live alone, to self-manage time, assignments, relations, money. This period of life is a step towards becoming adults, it teaches independence. &nbsp;

This is clearly something the Islamic State did not &ndash; and does not &ndash; appreciate.&nbsp;

&quot;The university was like a big city. When you entered it, there were roads, shops, gardens,&quot; says Emil. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/2017-01-15t022507z_1_lynxmped0e011_rtroptp_3_mideast-crisis-iraq-mosul-military-20170116103309.JPG" />
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This is how the Islamic State left conditions at Mosul University. (WION)
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One has really to take an effort to imagine all of this when looking at pictures of the burned&nbsp;library and the destroyed and abandoned buildings. &nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Good Morning from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mosul?src=hash">#Mosul</a> university library. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iraq?src=hash">#Iraq</a> <a href="https://t.co/nM7UfiO1hP">pic.twitter.com/nM7UfiO1hP</a>
&mdash; Iraqi Day ???? (@iraqi_day) <a href="https://twitter.com/iraqi_day/status/820829157416456197">January 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Since there were no civilians in the campus, the US-led coalition forces carried on several airstrikes to ease the on-the-ground operations.&nbsp;

Controlling the area plays a strategic role in the advance towards the Tigris&#39; eastern bank. &nbsp;

The river runs north to south, splitting Mosul into two. The Iraqi army controls almost all the eastern side and the Islamic State is isolated on the west. &nbsp;

Thanks to the experience gathered in more than two months of urban guerrilla warfare, Iraqi forces have made rapid advances since the beginning of the year. &nbsp;

Once, and if, the Iraqi army&nbsp;controls all the eastern bank, they will be able to cross the river and launch what could be the final phase of the offensive to militarily defeat the IS in Iraq.&nbsp;

(WION)

The Islamic State used the university, the second biggest in Iraq, as a base and to make weapons

The Iraqi army has completed the operation to retake and secure Mosul University, or at least what remains of it after two years under Islamic State (IS) control. It took the troops two days to complete the attack against the campus which was launched on Saturday. Mosul is the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq and more than one hundred thousands troops are involved in the offensive to defeat them. Retaking the university is the last of a series of successful blows that the Iraqi army has inflicted to the terrorist organisation in Mosul since the beginning of a second phase of the three-month long offensive at the end of December. "We are not stopping," said Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (ICTS), to Reuters. Their aim is to keep advancing and take control of the entire eastern part of Mosul. According to the ICTS commander Sami al-Aridhi, his forces found some chemical substances that the IS allegedly used to try to manufacture weapons. The terrorist organisation has reportedly used chemical weapons in both Syria and Iraq, especially mustard gas. What happened to the university is indicative of the cultural decline that the city suffered under the Islamic State. It was one of the largest in West Asia and the second most important in Iraq. More than 25,000 students came from all over the country to study in one of the many departments. But, there is no space for scientific culture under the obscurantist ideology of the self-proclaimed caliphate. Soon after its arrival in 2014, the IS used the university as a base and a weapons factory. "Can you believe that even people from Basra used to study there? It was an amazing university," says on the phone Emil Lallo, a young men who studied in an institute right beside the university. Basra is a city in southern Iraq, nearly one thousand kilometres from Mosul. "The ones who came from faraway places normally used to rent an apartment. Some of them stayed with relatives," recalls Emil. When a big university is inside a city it spreads culture, it gives lifeline to the society and attracts people from different places. In the neighbourhoods close to a campus, it is common to see students buying and bargaining, eating out, having a drink and passionately discussing and debating around recently learnt topics. During their university years, young students often experience for the first time what it means to live alone, to self-manage time, assignments, relations, money. This period of life is a step towards becoming adults, it teaches independence. This is clearly something the Islamic State did not – and does not – appreciate. "The university was like a big city. When you entered it, there were roads, shops, gardens," says Emil. This is how the Islamic State left conditions at Mosul University. (WION) × One has really to take an effort to imagine all of this when looking at pictures of the burned library and the destroyed and abandoned buildings. Good Morning from #Mosul university library. #Iraq pic.twitter.com/nM7UfiO1hP — Iraqi Day ???? (@iraqi_day) January 16, 2017 × Since there were no civilians in the campus, the US-led coalition forces carried on several airstrikes to ease the on-the-ground operations. Controlling the area plays a strategic role in the advance towards the Tigris' eastern bank. The river runs north to south, splitting Mosul into two. The Iraqi army controls almost all the eastern side and the Islamic State is isolated on the west. Thanks to the experience gathered in more than two months of urban guerrilla warfare, Iraqi forces have made rapid advances since the beginning of the year. Once, and if, the Iraqi army controls all the eastern bank, they will be able to cross the river and launch what could be the final phase of the offensive to militarily defeat the IS in Iraq. (WION)

Iraqi forces secure, retake Mosul University

Gul Bibi, an Afghan grandmother well into her eighties, never expected to become a fighter. But now she is one of more than a hundred women in Afghanistan&#39;s northern Jawzjan province who have taken up arms against Islamist militants. Nearly all of the women have lost a husband, son or brother to the Taliban or the newly active Islamic State in the province bordering Turkmenistan.

&quot;I lost nine members of my family. The Taliban and Daesh (Islamic State) killed my five sons and four nephews,&quot; Bibi said by phone from Jawzjan. &quot;I have taken up arms to defeat the terrorists so other people&#39;s sons won&#39;t get killed.&quot;

Determined to protect their families, the women approached a local police commander, Sher Ali, in December and asked him for guns and ammunition. &quot;They came to me and said that if I didn&#39;t provide them with weapons they would kill themselves - before Daesh or the Taliban could,&quot; Ali told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

The women are not a properly structured group, he said; they have no uniform and have not received any military training other than how to point a gun at the enemy and shoot.

The Taliban has carried out attacks in Jawzjan for the last decade, part of a country-wide insurgency to topple the Afghan government and drive out foreign troops. Islamic State became active in the province, a gateway to Central Asia, in early 2016, when a Taliban commander and 50 of his fighters declared allegiance to the ultra-hardline group, said Mohammad Reza Ghafoori, spokesman for Jawzjan governor.

On December 25, Islamic State fighters attacked Garmjar village and killed five civilians, burned down about 60 houses and forced 150 families to flee, he said by instant messenger.

A woman in her twenties, who did not want to give her name, said her husband and many other family members had been killed by the Taliban. Now she is fighting back, she said.

&quot;I hit the Taliban with this PK (machine gun), and the Taliban fled. Most of the their men died. I will stand against Daesh and will hit them too,&quot; she said by phone from Jawzjan.

&#39;Fight to death&#39;

The women fighters are not registered with the army or police and the government has not licensed their weapons, Abdul Hafiz Khashi, head of the security department of Jawzjan police, was reported as saying in the Afghan media last week.

Although local police have cautiously welcomed the new defence force, he said, the rag-tag women&#39;s unit has raised concerns among higher authorities.

&quot;We do not support any armed group, unless they come under one of our forces,&quot; Najib Danish, the deputy spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said from Kabul.

&quot;We hope they join the Afghan security forces, so we can help them as part of our troops,&quot; he said.

But the women accuse the Afghan army of failing to protect their families from the militants.

&quot;First they killed my brother, then they killed my cousin, my uncle and my brother-in-law,&quot; said Zarmina, another woman fighter. &quot;Now that I have taken up arms, I am going to fight to the death.&quot;

Thousands of civilians have been killed in Afghanistan in violence since the Taliban government was brought down in the U.S.-led campaign of 2001.

Afghan armed forces control no more than two thirds of national territory, and have struggled to contain the Taliban insurgency since the bulk of NATO soldiers withdrew at the end of 2014.

The United States has announced plans to send 300 Marines to the volatile southern province of Helmand, large parts of which are under Taliban control, as part of a regular rotation of troops helping train and advise Afghan forces.

Russia, China and Pakistan warned month last that the influence of Islamic State was growing in Afghanistan and that the security situation there was deteriorating.

Mariam lost three members of her family in the Islamic State attack on Garmjar village in December. She fled to Qush Tepa and joined the women fighters.

&quot;Daesh came, hit us, abused us, killed our people and burned about a hundred houses. They didn&#39;t leave anything for us. They killed three members of my family. They wanted to burn us, but we fled and came here,&quot; she said by phone.

&quot;When you have nothing left in your life, you will take up weapons and fight to the death.&quot;

(Reuters)

More than 100 Jawzjan women approached the local police commander, asking for guns and ammunition to fight the Taliban and the Islamic State

Gul Bibi, an Afghan grandmother well into her eighties, never expected to become a fighter. But now she is one of more than a hundred women in Afghanistan's northern Jawzjan province who have taken up arms against Islamist militants. Nearly all of the women have lost a husband, son or brother to the Taliban or the newly active Islamic State in the province bordering Turkmenistan. "I lost nine members of my family. The Taliban and Daesh (Islamic State) killed my five sons and four nephews," Bibi said by phone from Jawzjan. "I have taken up arms to defeat the terrorists so other people's sons won't get killed." Determined to protect their families, the women approached a local police commander, Sher Ali, in December and asked him for guns and ammunition. "They came to me and said that if I didn't provide them with weapons they would kill themselves - before Daesh or the Taliban could," Ali told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. The women are not a properly structured group, he said; they have no uniform and have not received any military training other than how to point a gun at the enemy and shoot. The Taliban has carried out attacks in Jawzjan for the last decade, part of a country-wide insurgency to topple the Afghan government and drive out foreign troops. Islamic State became active in the province, a gateway to Central Asia, in early 2016, when a Taliban commander and 50 of his fighters declared allegiance to the ultra-hardline group, said Mohammad Reza Ghafoori, spokesman for Jawzjan governor. On December 25, Islamic State fighters attacked Garmjar village and killed five civilians, burned down about 60 houses and forced 150 families to flee, he said by instant messenger. A woman in her twenties, who did not want to give her name, said her husband and many other family members had been killed by the Taliban. Now she is fighting back, she said. "I hit the Taliban with this PK (machine gun), and the Taliban fled. Most of the their men died. I will stand against Daesh and will hit them too," she said by phone from Jawzjan. 'Fight to death' The women fighters are not registered with the army or police and the government has not licensed their weapons, Abdul Hafiz Khashi, head of the security department of Jawzjan police, was reported as saying in the Afghan media last week. Although local police have cautiously welcomed the new defence force, he said, the rag-tag women's unit has raised concerns among higher authorities. "We do not support any armed group, unless they come under one of our forces," Najib Danish, the deputy spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said from Kabul. "We hope they join the Afghan security forces, so we can help them as part of our troops," he said. But the women accuse the Afghan army of failing to protect their families from the militants. "First they killed my brother, then they killed my cousin, my uncle and my brother-in-law," said Zarmina, another woman fighter. "Now that I have taken up arms, I am going to fight to the death." Thousands of civilians have been killed in Afghanistan in violence since the Taliban government was brought down in the U.S.-led campaign of 2001. Afghan armed forces control no more than two thirds of national territory, and have struggled to contain the Taliban insurgency since the bulk of NATO soldiers withdrew at the end of 2014. The United States has announced plans to send 300 Marines to the volatile southern province of Helmand, large parts of which are under Taliban control, as part of a regular rotation of troops helping train and advise Afghan forces. Russia, China and Pakistan warned month last that the influence of Islamic State was growing in Afghanistan and that the security situation there was deteriorating. Mariam lost three members of her family in the Islamic State attack on Garmjar village in December. She fled to Qush Tepa and joined the women fighters. "Daesh came, hit us, abused us, killed our people and burned about a hundred houses. They didn't leave anything for us. They killed three members of my family. They wanted to burn us, but we fled and came here," she said by phone. "When you have nothing left in your life, you will take up weapons and fight to the death." (Reuters)

Afghanistan: Women take up arms against IS

The Islamic State group launched a ferocious assault Saturday on a city in eastern Syria, leaving more than 30 jihadists and regime fighters dead, a monitoring group said.

At least 12 members of government forces and 20 IS militants were among the dead in the IS attack on regime positions in Deir Ezzor, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Both the Observatory and Syrian state news agency SANA said two civilians were also killed in IS rocket fire on government-controlled zones in the city.&nbsp;

Around 200,000 people live in Deir Ezzor city, which has been besieged by IS since early 2015 and is the capital of the oil-rich province of the same name.

IS has sought to overrun the entire city, including the key nearby military airport.&nbsp;

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said Saturday`s attack was the &quot;most violent&quot; assault mounted by IS on the city in more than a year.&nbsp;

He said IS was using tunnel bombs and suicide attackers, while Syrian and allied warplanes battered jihadist positions with air strikes.

&quot;Daesh is amassing its forces to attack Deir Ezzor and breach government lines,&quot; a Syrian military source told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

He said jihadists had aimed to cut the route between the airport and the city, but that the government`s counter-attack had stopped IS.&nbsp;

&quot;Warplanes attacked Daesh`s supply lines in all the battlefronts and around the airport,&quot; he said.

IS is excluded from a nationwide truce that was brokered by Turkey and Russia and came into effect on December 30.&nbsp;

Diplomatic efforts to end Syria`s nearly six-year war have thus far failed, but Moscow and Ankara are hoping that peace talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana later this month will lead to a political solution.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(AFP)

At least 12 members of government forces and 20 IS militants were among the dead in the IS attack on regime positions in Deir Ezzor

The Islamic State group launched a ferocious assault Saturday on a city in eastern Syria, leaving more than 30 jihadists and regime fighters dead, a monitoring group said. At least 12 members of government forces and 20 IS militants were among the dead in the IS attack on regime positions in Deir Ezzor, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Both the Observatory and Syrian state news agency SANA said two civilians were also killed in IS rocket fire on government-controlled zones in the city. Around 200,000 people live in Deir Ezzor city, which has been besieged by IS since early 2015 and is the capital of the oil-rich province of the same name. IS has sought to overrun the entire city, including the key nearby military airport. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said Saturday`s attack was the "most violent" assault mounted by IS on the city in more than a year. He said IS was using tunnel bombs and suicide attackers, while Syrian and allied warplanes battered jihadist positions with air strikes. "Daesh is amassing its forces to attack Deir Ezzor and breach government lines," a Syrian military source told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for IS. He said jihadists had aimed to cut the route between the airport and the city, but that the government`s counter-attack had stopped IS. "Warplanes attacked Daesh`s supply lines in all the battlefronts and around the airport," he said. IS is excluded from a nationwide truce that was brokered by Turkey and Russia and came into effect on December 30. Diplomatic efforts to end Syria`s nearly six-year war have thus far failed, but Moscow and Ankara are hoping that peace talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana later this month will lead to a political solution. (AFP)

30 dead as IS attacks city in east Syria, says monitor

The Supreme Court will today hear a petition filed by advocate Harvinder Choudhry seeking a ban on jokes against the Sikh community.

Choudhary had earlier contended that such jokes portray the Sikh community in a&nbsp;negative light and wants such websites, which disseminate such `insensitive` jokes, to be prosecuted under laws that carry a prison term of six months to five years.

The petitioner argued that such jokes on many social network websites portray Sikhs as &#39;unintelligent&#39;, &#39;foolish&#39; and &#39;na&iuml;ve&#39;, making them an easy target of ridicule and racial abuse.

Choudhary, herself belonging to a Sikh family, said that she too had been a target of ridicule and abuse because of such jokes.

The apex court has asked an expert panel headed by former apex court judge HS Bedi to submit draft guidelines so that appropriate orders can be passed to prevent circulation of Sardar jokes on websites.

In July, a bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud gave six weeks time for the panel to hold discussions and submit the guidelines.

The bench passed the order after hearing the counsel for various parties including the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) which said that the community is being bullied by such jokes.

(ANI)&nbsp;

Three people were arrested in Spain and two in Hungary, with suspected links to Islamic State terrorists

The Supreme Court will today hear a petition filed by advocate Harvinder Choudhry seeking a ban on jokes against the Sikh community. Choudhary had earlier contended that such jokes portray the Sikh community in a negative light and wants such websites, which disseminate such `insensitive` jokes, to be prosecuted under laws that carry a prison term of six months to five years. The petitioner argued that such jokes on many social network websites portray Sikhs as 'unintelligent', 'foolish' and 'naïve', making them an easy target of ridicule and racial abuse. Choudhary, herself belonging to a Sikh family, said that she too had been a target of ridicule and abuse because of such jokes. The apex court has asked an expert panel headed by former apex court judge HS Bedi to submit draft guidelines so that appropriate orders can be passed to prevent circulation of Sardar jokes on websites. In July, a bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud gave six weeks time for the panel to hold discussions and submit the guidelines. The bench passed the order after hearing the counsel for various parties including the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) which said that the community is being bullied by such jokes. (ANI)

Spain, Hungary arrest suspected Islamic State terrorists

In November 2016, India&#39;s Ministry of Home Affairs informed the country&#39;s Parliament that as many as 68 supporters and sympathisers of the so-called Islamic State (IS) had been arrested by either the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the state security agencies. Of these, as many as 50&nbsp;were arrested by the state police forces during 2016 itself. 
&nbsp; 
The number of arrests may not be very big but they have surely set alarm bells ringing within India&rsquo;s security establishment. While the Indian government maintains that IS&nbsp;has no real ground presence in India, it is not yet dismissing the IS threat to radicalise Indian youth completely. 
&nbsp; 
The MHA has acknowledged that while some persons have been reported missing from some parts of Kerala and are suspected to have joined terrorist outfits like the IS, their links with IS&nbsp;have not yet been established conclusively. The Kerala police, though, has registered as many as nine cases in this connection. 
&nbsp; 
But more than the numbers, it is the profiles and backgrounds of some of those arrested that have the security agencies intrigued. 
&nbsp; 
Consider these:

<ul>
	<li>Twenty-three-year-old Mohamed Naser alias Naser Mohamed alias Khalid was known to those around him as a web and graphics designer until his arrest in December 2015. He was charged with conspiring to recruit Muslim youth in India to join IS, transfer them to Iraq and Syria to commit terror attacks and wage war in the middle-eastern countries, as well as in India. Naser had also done a course on certified ethical hacking.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

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23-year-old Mohamed Naser was charged with conspiring to recruit Muslim youth in India to join isis, transfer them to Iraq and Syria to commit terror attacks and wage war in the middle-eastern countries, as well as in India. (Image source:NIA) (Others)
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&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Then there is the case of Md Mosiuddin, a grocery shop owner, who went around with several aliases. It was in 2016 that Mosiuddin was nabbed from a passenger train at the Burdwan railway station in West Bengal following a tip-off. During the&nbsp;investigation, the NIA stumbled upon a piece of evidence that took them by surprise. In one of his chats on the&nbsp;&ldquo;Telegram&rdquo;,&nbsp;Mosiuddin said that he hoisted the ISIS flag in Kashmir and that the local media had the footage of him with the IS&nbsp;flag even though he was masked while doing it. He even asked his IS&nbsp;handlers to watch a video titled &ldquo;Protesters to wave ISIS flag in Srinagar&rdquo; on Youtube.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

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In 2016, Mosiuddin was nabbed from a passenger train at the Burdwan railway station in West Bengal following a tip-off. (Image source: NIA) (Others)
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&nbsp;

Profiles of several others arrested for links with IS have made security agencies sit up and take note.

Twenty-nine-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani alias Abu Abdurrahman worked as an electrical and electronic engineering in various companies of Saudi Arabia before he was arrested from Hyderabad in 2016. His interrogation revealed a plot to prepare improvised explosive devices under the guidance of an online handler based either in Iraq or Syria.

For those around him, 31-year-old Mohd Ataullah Rahman was an English language trainer in Hyderabad. Post his arrest in July 2016, it emerged that Rahman was the religious motivator of a group which, under instructions of IS, had plans to carry out terror strikes in Hyderabad.

Investigators trying to piece together the jigsaw of why many of these people, mostly youth and many with well-settled jobs, chose to consider joining a terror outfit like the ISIS and wage war against the state, are still trying to find answers. The common thread running through most of the IS-linked arrests in India is the recovery of incriminating documents, firearms, and articles like cellphones and laptops. Investigators are also of the firm view that while IS doesn&rsquo;t have any real physical presence in India, most of those arrested for having links with it had scouted for information about IS&nbsp;on platforms like Twitter and Facebook and had joined Whatsapp groups where a variety of media to radicalise and indoctrinate them was routinely shared. 
&nbsp; 
Investigations have also established that most of these operatives used encrypted applications like Telegram and Chatsecure to evade detection by law enforcement agencies. 
&nbsp; 
India&rsquo;s Home Minister Rajnath Singh has, on more than one occasion, said that the threat of radicalisation by ISIS won&rsquo;t be an issue in India because people who follow Islam in India, love the country. He has also underlined several times that no innocent should be troubled and that none of the offenders should be spared. 
&nbsp; 
The Indian security establishment, meanwhile, is of the firm view that ISIS is using a variety of platforms to propagate its ideology in a bid to attract recruits from across the world. The Home Ministry has also told the Parliament that security agencies are maintaining a close watch to identify those trying to misguide the youth and that steps to counter radicalisation were being undertaken. The ministry, however, declined to disclose those steps, citing national security. 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

IS&nbsp;arrests in India in 2016:

<ul>
	<li>Maharashtra-11</li>
	<li>Telengana-11</li>
	<li>Karnataka-07</li>
	<li>Kerala-06</li>
	<li>Uttarakhand-04</li>
	<li>Tamil nadu-02</li>
	<li>West bengal-02</li>
	<li>Uttar pradesh-02</li>
	<li>Delhi-01</li>
	<li>Rajasthan-01</li>
	<li>Madhya pradesh-01</li>
	<li>Jammu &amp; kashmir-01</li>
	<li>Bihar-01</li>
</ul>

(WION)

The number of arrests may not be very big, but they have surely set alarm bells ringing within India?s security establishment

In November 2016, India's Ministry of Home Affairs informed the country's Parliament that as many as 68 supporters and sympathisers of the so-called Islamic State (IS) had been arrested by either the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the state security agencies. Of these, as many as 50 were arrested by the state police forces during 2016 itself. The number of arrests may not be very big but they have surely set alarm bells ringing within India’s security establishment. While the Indian government maintains that IS has no real ground presence in India, it is not yet dismissing the IS threat to radicalise Indian youth completely. The MHA has acknowledged that while some persons have been reported missing from some parts of Kerala and are suspected to have joined terrorist outfits like the IS, their links with IS have not yet been established conclusively. The Kerala police, though, has registered as many as nine cases in this connection. But more than the numbers, it is the profiles and backgrounds of some of those arrested that have the security agencies intrigued. Consider these: Twenty-three-year-old Mohamed Naser alias Naser Mohamed alias Khalid was known to those around him as a web and graphics designer until his arrest in December 2015. He was charged with conspiring to recruit Muslim youth in India to join IS, transfer them to Iraq and Syria to commit terror attacks and wage war in the middle-eastern countries, as well as in India. Naser had also done a course on certified ethical hacking. 23-year-old Mohamed Naser was charged with conspiring to recruit Muslim youth in India to join isis, transfer them to Iraq and Syria to commit terror attacks and wage war in the middle-eastern countries, as well as in India. (Image source:NIA) (Others) × Then there is the case of Md Mosiuddin, a grocery shop owner, who went around with several aliases. It was in 2016 that Mosiuddin was nabbed from a passenger train at the Burdwan railway station in West Bengal following a tip-off. During the investigation, the NIA stumbled upon a piece of evidence that took them by surprise. In one of his chats on the “Telegram”, Mosiuddin said that he hoisted the ISIS flag in Kashmir and that the local media had the footage of him with the IS flag even though he was masked while doing it. He even asked his IS handlers to watch a video titled “Protesters to wave ISIS flag in Srinagar” on Youtube. In 2016, Mosiuddin was nabbed from a passenger train at the Burdwan railway station in West Bengal following a tip-off. (Image source: NIA) (Others) × Profiles of several others arrested for links with IS have made security agencies sit up and take note. Twenty-nine-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani alias Abu Abdurrahman worked as an electrical and electronic engineering in various companies of Saudi Arabia before he was arrested from Hyderabad in 2016. His interrogation revealed a plot to prepare improvised explosive devices under the guidance of an online handler based either in Iraq or Syria. For those around him, 31-year-old Mohd Ataullah Rahman was an English language trainer in Hyderabad. Post his arrest in July 2016, it emerged that Rahman was the religious motivator of a group which, under instructions of IS, had plans to carry out terror strikes in Hyderabad. Investigators trying to piece together the jigsaw of why many of these people, mostly youth and many with well-settled jobs, chose to consider joining a terror outfit like the ISIS and wage war against the state, are still trying to find answers. The common thread running through most of the IS-linked arrests in India is the recovery of incriminating documents, firearms, and articles like cellphones and laptops. Investigators are also of the firm view that while IS doesn’t have any real physical presence in India, most of those arrested for having links with it had scouted for information about IS on platforms like Twitter and Facebook and had joined Whatsapp groups where a variety of media to radicalise and indoctrinate them was routinely shared. Investigations have also established that most of these operatives used encrypted applications like Telegram and Chatsecure to evade detection by law enforcement agencies. India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh has, on more than one occasion, said that the threat of radicalisation by ISIS won’t be an issue in India because people who follow Islam in India, love the country. He has also underlined several times that no innocent should be troubled and that none of the offenders should be spared. The Indian security establishment, meanwhile, is of the firm view that ISIS is using a variety of platforms to propagate its ideology in a bid to attract recruits from across the world. The Home Ministry has also told the Parliament that security agencies are maintaining a close watch to identify those trying to misguide the youth and that steps to counter radicalisation were being undertaken. The ministry, however, declined to disclose those steps, citing national security. IS arrests in India in 2016: Maharashtra-11 Telengana-11 Karnataka-07 Kerala-06 Uttarakhand-04 Tamil nadu-02 West bengal-02 Uttar pradesh-02 Delhi-01 Rajasthan-01 Madhya pradesh-01 Jammu & kashmir-01 Bihar-01 (WION)

India: 50 Islamic State supporters arrested in 2016

Lush, green landscape. Stunning beaches. Scenic backwaters. And mountain treks. Kerala is a tourist&#39;s delight. The Association of British Travel Agents ranks it eighth in the 12 destinations to watch in 2017, higher than the United States, Italy, South Africa and Vietnam. But there&#39;s trouble brewing in paradise. And Padanna is in the thick of it.

Padanna is a sleepy little hamlet in the Kasargode district of north Kerala. You could easily miss it on the map. But it has gained notoriety in the last few years for sending young men -- and women -- to join the ranks of the Islamic State.

Mubaris is your average, middle-class boy in T-shirt and jeans. He loves football and enjoys hanging out with friends. Born into a Muslim family, Mubaris and his siblings received modern education. Like their late father, Mubaris&#39;s elder brother Murshid landed a job in West Asia, too. All was well until June 2016 when Murshid and 21 other young men and women from Kerala left home to join the Islamic State.

According to various studies, a large number of Islamic State recruits come from countries where Muslims by and large feel isolated. But India and certainly Kerala would not fall in that category. They enjoy a syncretic tradition and a culture of assimilation. So what is it about Kerala that makes it vulnerable to this combustible mix as it were of religion and virulpent ideology?

Padanna is not exactly America&#39;s Wild West. In fact, far from it. Like the rest of Kerala, the village enjoys a high literacy rate and a high degree of civic consciousness, too. It also boasts of high social development indices, particularly when it comes to status of women and social welfare programmes. Over the years, many from these parts have travelled abroad, especially to West Asia, where they established successful careers or businesses. Remittances play a big role in Kerala&#39;s economy. In 2015, people from Kerala repatriated more than $14 billion.

The people of Padanna are as bewildered as they are hurt by repeated references to their village as a fertile ground for the Islamic State cadres. Some doubt whether the youths indeed joined the Islamic State. Others claim that some of the messages sent by the youths to their families back home suggest that they had reached the land of Islam. For their part, the elders of the Muslim community are reticent and resent being seen as the Other. They certainly don&#39;t welcome the prying eyes of the media. However, the Muslim youth is more forthcoming. Mubaris&#39;s friend Riyaz says that those who allegedly joined the ranks of the Islamic State might have been motivated by a desire to practise the doctrine of Salafism voluntarily, not out of coercion.

&quot;They would not have done it for money. They grew up here like the children that you see playing football here,&quot; Riyaz says, pointing to children playing football nearby. &quot;Some of the youth&nbsp;went to study in Bengaluru or Mumbai. We respected them as our brothers. We noticed a change in them after they became regulars at the mosque.&quot;

What is confounding is that all the young men and women were in their 20s and 30s and some had degrees in engineering, medicine or management with well-paying jobs.

VPP Musthafa, an academic-turned-political activist, says that it is generally agreed that radicalisation of youths is a threat but there is little or no consensus or understanding on how to tackle it, or where to begin. &quot;They (the youths who joined the Islamic State) did not have any political or religious affiliation. That is what is strange about this situation.&quot;

The number of Indian nationals who might have joined the Islamic State is fewer than 100, so in absolute terms and also as a percentage of India&#39;s population their number is minuscule as compared to some other countries of the world. But they pose a security threat nevertheless, especially for a country such as India which is already at the receiving end of cross-border terrorism emanating from its immediate neighbourhood. The spectre of hardened Islamic State recruits only adds to India&#39;s woes and raises the threat of lone wolf attacks. But what is even more worrying for India is that a majority of the Islamic State recruits come from Kerala and many of them have since been learnt to have relocated closer home to Afghanistan, where the Taliban and Pakistan&#39;s deep state are active. According to some Indian media reports, the Indian intelligence agencies have traced some of these youths to Afghanistan&#39;s eastern province of Nangarhar, bordering Pakistan.

Padanna is still coming to terms with the situation. There are no easy answers yet to some of the questions swirling in Mubaris&#39;s mind. For a state that prides itself on being called &quot;God&#39;s Own Country&quot;, the quest for understanding man&#39;s relationship, or the lack of it, with God has taken a curious turn.

Read part II--<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kerala-breeding-ground-for-radicalised-youth-11200">Kerala: Breeding ground for radicalised youth</a>

(WION)

Despite being nestled in the syncretic culture of India, a sleepy hamlet in Kerala has gained notoriety for supplying radicalised men to IS

Lush, green landscape. Stunning beaches. Scenic backwaters. And mountain treks. Kerala is a tourist's delight. The Association of British Travel Agents ranks it eighth in the 12 destinations to watch in 2017, higher than the United States, Italy, South Africa and Vietnam. But there's trouble brewing in paradise. And Padanna is in the thick of it. Padanna is a sleepy little hamlet in the Kasargode district of north Kerala. You could easily miss it on the map. But it has gained notoriety in the last few years for sending young men -- and women -- to join the ranks of the Islamic State. Mubaris is your average, middle-class boy in T-shirt and jeans. He loves football and enjoys hanging out with friends. Born into a Muslim family, Mubaris and his siblings received modern education. Like their late father, Mubaris's elder brother Murshid landed a job in West Asia, too. All was well until June 2016 when Murshid and 21 other young men and women from Kerala left home to join the Islamic State. According to various studies, a large number of Islamic State recruits come from countries where Muslims by and large feel isolated. But India and certainly Kerala would not fall in that category. They enjoy a syncretic tradition and a culture of assimilation. So what is it about Kerala that makes it vulnerable to this combustible mix as it were of religion and virulpent ideology? Padanna is not exactly America's Wild West. In fact, far from it. Like the rest of Kerala, the village enjoys a high literacy rate and a high degree of civic consciousness, too. It also boasts of high social development indices, particularly when it comes to status of women and social welfare programmes. Over the years, many from these parts have travelled abroad, especially to West Asia, where they established successful careers or businesses. Remittances play a big role in Kerala's economy. In 2015, people from Kerala repatriated more than $14 billion. The people of Padanna are as bewildered as they are hurt by repeated references to their village as a fertile ground for the Islamic State cadres. Some doubt whether the youths indeed joined the Islamic State. Others claim that some of the messages sent by the youths to their families back home suggest that they had reached the land of Islam. For their part, the elders of the Muslim community are reticent and resent being seen as the Other. They certainly don't welcome the prying eyes of the media. However, the Muslim youth is more forthcoming. Mubaris's friend Riyaz says that those who allegedly joined the ranks of the Islamic State might have been motivated by a desire to practise the doctrine of Salafism voluntarily, not out of coercion. "They would not have done it for money. They grew up here like the children that you see playing football here," Riyaz says, pointing to children playing football nearby. "Some of the youth went to study in Bengaluru or Mumbai. We respected them as our brothers. We noticed a change in them after they became regulars at the mosque." What is confounding is that all the young men and women were in their 20s and 30s and some had degrees in engineering, medicine or management with well-paying jobs. VPP Musthafa, an academic-turned-political activist, says that it is generally agreed that radicalisation of youths is a threat but there is little or no consensus or understanding on how to tackle it, or where to begin. "They (the youths who joined the Islamic State) did not have any political or religious affiliation. That is what is strange about this situation." The number of Indian nationals who might have joined the Islamic State is fewer than 100, so in absolute terms and also as a percentage of India's population their number is minuscule as compared to some other countries of the world. But they pose a security threat nevertheless, especially for a country such as India which is already at the receiving end of cross-border terrorism emanating from its immediate neighbourhood. The spectre of hardened Islamic State recruits only adds to India's woes and raises the threat of lone wolf attacks. But what is even more worrying for India is that a majority of the Islamic State recruits come from Kerala and many of them have since been learnt to have relocated closer home to Afghanistan, where the Taliban and Pakistan's deep state are active. According to some Indian media reports, the Indian intelligence agencies have traced some of these youths to Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, bordering Pakistan. Padanna is still coming to terms with the situation. There are no easy answers yet to some of the questions swirling in Mubaris's mind. For a state that prides itself on being called "God's Own Country", the quest for understanding man's relationship, or the lack of it, with God has taken a curious turn. Read part II--Kerala: Breeding ground for radicalised youth (WION)

Exclusive: Islamic State of mind in God's own country

Maldivians are in the thick of action in the Syrian theatre of war. They swell the ranks of both the Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra Front, the al-Qaeda branch in Syria.&nbsp;

Yes, there are citizens leaving one of the most beautiful places on earth to fight and often die in the harsh deserts of West&nbsp;Asia, thousands of kilometres from home. &nbsp;

There are no official figures, but according to former Maldivian President Nasheed, now living in exile in London, there could be as many as 200 Maldivians fighting in Syria. The figure is also cited in a report that appeared on the Jamestown Foundation&#39;s Terrorism Monitor.&nbsp;If this number is true, the Maldives turns out to be the largest per capita contributor of foreign fighters to the Syrian jihad. &nbsp;

The current government, after avoiding the issue for quite some time, was forced to admit during a parliament session in 2014 that there were surely more than seven Maldivians who are fighting in Syria of which strong proofs exist.&nbsp;Six of them have already died. &nbsp;

In April 2015, the Maldives&#39; Counter-Terrorism Centre said the figure was most likely in double digits.&nbsp;

The contention over numbers could be attributed to political rivalries.&nbsp;But what is absolutely certain is that some Maldivians are fighting in foreign terrorist organisations and that these groups think that the archipelago is a land for recruitment and possible action in future. This is a&nbsp;threat the paradise islands have&nbsp;never experienced before.&nbsp;

A recent propaganda video, published by the Jabat al-Nusra&#39;s BiladAlSham media arm, shows flames burning prominent Maldivian statesmen and a man shooting at pictures of the last three presidents of the country. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Former Maldives&#39; president is shown burning in a Jabat al-Nusra propaganda video. (Others)
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&nbsp;

Another BiladAlSham video shows a man in Syria&#39;s Idlib province who recalls the stories of fighters and thanks&nbsp;them for their contribution&nbsp;to jihad - the holy war.

&quot;And from them particularly we will remember our brother Abdul Hassan al Maldifi (Rahimahullah),&quot; shows the subtitle in English. The Maldivian terrorist is portrayed as a hero for blowing himself up in an explosive-laden vehicle. His action helped the terrorists enter Idlib.&nbsp;

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Maldives national Abdul Hassan al Maldifi appearing in an al-Nusra propaganda video. (Others)
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&nbsp;

Abdul Hassan al Maldifi appears also in a second propaganda video in the company of other Maldivian nationals.&nbsp;

Both videos are translated into English and Dhivehi, the official Maldivian language.&nbsp;

On The Ground media, an organisation managed by controversial Syria-based American journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem, also shows&nbsp;the presence of Maldivians within the al-Nusra ranks. He was able to spend time with some Maldivians fighting in Syria, exploring their motivations and daily lives. One of the series of videos show&nbsp;Abu Younes&nbsp;with his one-year-old daughter.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/terrorista%20con%20nano-20170113010420.jpg" />
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Maldivian foreign fighter Abu Younes in Syria with his one-year-old daughter. (Others)
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&nbsp;

While the majority of Maldivian terrorists seems to be fighting for the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly al-Nusra), there are evidences of at least one of them fighting with the Islamic State. He appears on an obituary published by Haqqu&nbsp;media centre which describes him as &quot;the first among the few Maldivian muhajideen (one who fights the holy war) to Dawlat Al-Islam (IS).&quot;&nbsp;

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Screenshot of Haqqu Media Center showing a young Maldivians fighting for the Islamic State. (Others)
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&nbsp;

The presence of young Maldivians within terrorist ranks is probably linked to a wave of radicalisation that the country is undergoing.&nbsp;

There is an increasing presence of small religious organisations and radical preachers, mostly educated in Saudi Arabia, who are spreading a Wahhabi version of Islam in the archipelago. &nbsp;

Wahhabism, a school of Sunni Islam, whether one shares its views or not, may not necessarily be a problem per se. It is one of the different interpretations of Islam and any Muslim is free to decide to embrace it. But&nbsp;while one can not say that Wahhabism is the source of terrorism, it is difficult to deny that all main terrorist Islamist organisations draw extensively from its doctrine, especially when it comes to justifying and legitimising violence in the name of jihad.&nbsp;

But what did pave&nbsp;the way for Wahabbism, a foreign import, in the traditionally tolerant and moderate Maldives?&nbsp;

&quot;One of the main reasons behind radicalisation is that there is no religious alternative,&quot; says Azra Naseem, radicalisation expert and postdoctoral research fellow at Dublin City University. &nbsp;

The country does not have different Islamic schools debating and challenging each other&#39;s interpretations, there is no religious confrontation. This adds to the fact that the population follows Sunni Islam entirely, a common ground which helps the many Saudi or Saudi-educated Wahhabi preachers to gain ground.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia is also the present Maldivian government&#39;s major ally in preserving the archipelago&#39;s Sunni identity: the Kingdom is funding mosques, distributing massive quantities of dates during Ramzan, sending scholars for conferences and providing scholarships to students from Maldives. It has also become the biggest economic partner and is pouring millions of dollars into Male&#39;s coffers. &nbsp;

All factors come together to help&nbsp;the Saudi Wahhabi doctrine to penetrate and become an authoritative voice in the Maldivian society. &nbsp;

This does not mean that the archipelago has suddenly become an intolerant, extremist and unsafe country.&nbsp;But it is surely going through a churn. A significant part of the population remains open and keeps practising a tolerant version of Islam.&nbsp;

The shift is clearly visible though.&nbsp;Walking on the street of Mal&eacute;, one can nowadays see shops selling so called &#39;halal&#39; perfumes, &#39;halal&#39; literature, all sort of &#39;halal&#39; goods which have never been there before. Speaking to WION, a Maldivian in his thirties,&nbsp;who prefers to remain anonimous for safety concerns, recalled how, during his school days, the word &#39;Wahhabi&#39;&nbsp;was often used as an insult.&nbsp;Now it is used as a norm, as a common word which describes a category of believers.

The Maldivian government takes little action to tackle radicalisation. Neither does it encourage a culture of debate. For instance, inviting prominent Muslim scholars promoting other versions of Islam could be one of the many ways to counter the problem. &nbsp;

Instead, the government often dismisses radicalisation as a mere political accusation levelled at Male by foreign powers to discourage tourists from visiting. The real aim, apparently, is to topple current President&nbsp;Abdulla Yameen. &nbsp;

Living in denial means letting the problem grow.&nbsp;More young Maldivians risk the prospect of being lured by Islamist terrorist groups. This is not just a threat for Maldives but also the lands where these misguided young men may travel to.&nbsp;

(WION)

Certain reports place their number at 200, making the Maldives the largest per capita contributor of foreign fighters to the Syrian jihad

Maldivians are in the thick of action in the Syrian theatre of war. They swell the ranks of both the Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra Front, the al-Qaeda branch in Syria. Yes, there are citizens leaving one of the most beautiful places on earth to fight and often die in the harsh deserts of West Asia, thousands of kilometres from home. There are no official figures, but according to former Maldivian President Nasheed, now living in exile in London, there could be as many as 200 Maldivians fighting in Syria. The figure is also cited in a report that appeared on the Jamestown Foundation's Terrorism Monitor. If this number is true, the Maldives turns out to be the largest per capita contributor of foreign fighters to the Syrian jihad. The current government, after avoiding the issue for quite some time, was forced to admit during a parliament session in 2014 that there were surely more than seven Maldivians who are fighting in Syria of which strong proofs exist. Six of them have already died. In April 2015, the Maldives' Counter-Terrorism Centre said the figure was most likely in double digits. The contention over numbers could be attributed to political rivalries. But what is absolutely certain is that some Maldivians are fighting in foreign terrorist organisations and that these groups think that the archipelago is a land for recruitment and possible action in future. This is a threat the paradise islands have never experienced before. A recent propaganda video, published by the Jabat al-Nusra's BiladAlSham media arm, shows flames burning prominent Maldivian statesmen and a man shooting at pictures of the last three presidents of the country. Former Maldives' president is shown burning in a Jabat al-Nusra propaganda video. (Others) × Another BiladAlSham video shows a man in Syria's Idlib province who recalls the stories of fighters and thanks them for their contribution to jihad - the holy war. "And from them particularly we will remember our brother Abdul Hassan al Maldifi (Rahimahullah)," shows the subtitle in English. The Maldivian terrorist is portrayed as a hero for blowing himself up in an explosive-laden vehicle. His action helped the terrorists enter Idlib. Maldives national Abdul Hassan al Maldifi appearing in an al-Nusra propaganda video. (Others) × Abdul Hassan al Maldifi appears also in a second propaganda video in the company of other Maldivian nationals. Both videos are translated into English and Dhivehi, the official Maldivian language. On The Ground media, an organisation managed by controversial Syria-based American journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem, also shows the presence of Maldivians within the al-Nusra ranks. He was able to spend time with some Maldivians fighting in Syria, exploring their motivations and daily lives. One of the series of videos show Abu Younes with his one-year-old daughter. Maldivian foreign fighter Abu Younes in Syria with his one-year-old daughter. (Others) × While the majority of Maldivian terrorists seems to be fighting for the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly al-Nusra), there are evidences of at least one of them fighting with the Islamic State. He appears on an obituary published by Haqqu media centre which describes him as "the first among the few Maldivian muhajideen (one who fights the holy war) to Dawlat Al-Islam (IS)." Screenshot of Haqqu Media Center showing a young Maldivians fighting for the Islamic State. (Others) × The presence of young Maldivians within terrorist ranks is probably linked to a wave of radicalisation that the country is undergoing. There is an increasing presence of small religious organisations and radical preachers, mostly educated in Saudi Arabia, who are spreading a Wahhabi version of Islam in the archipelago. Wahhabism, a school of Sunni Islam, whether one shares its views or not, may not necessarily be a problem per se. It is one of the different interpretations of Islam and any Muslim is free to decide to embrace it. But while one can not say that Wahhabism is the source of terrorism, it is difficult to deny that all main terrorist Islamist organisations draw extensively from its doctrine, especially when it comes to justifying and legitimising violence in the name of jihad. But what did pave the way for Wahabbism, a foreign import, in the traditionally tolerant and moderate Maldives? "One of the main reasons behind radicalisation is that there is no religious alternative," says Azra Naseem, radicalisation expert and postdoctoral research fellow at Dublin City University. The country does not have different Islamic schools debating and challenging each other's interpretations, there is no religious confrontation. This adds to the fact that the population follows Sunni Islam entirely, a common ground which helps the many Saudi or Saudi-educated Wahhabi preachers to gain ground. Saudi Arabia is also the present Maldivian government's major ally in preserving the archipelago's Sunni identity: the Kingdom is funding mosques, distributing massive quantities of dates during Ramzan, sending scholars for conferences and providing scholarships to students from Maldives. It has also become the biggest economic partner and is pouring millions of dollars into Male's coffers. All factors come together to help the Saudi Wahhabi doctrine to penetrate and become an authoritative voice in the Maldivian society. This does not mean that the archipelago has suddenly become an intolerant, extremist and unsafe country. But it is surely going through a churn. A significant part of the population remains open and keeps practising a tolerant version of Islam. The shift is clearly visible though. Walking on the street of Malé, one can nowadays see shops selling so called 'halal' perfumes, 'halal' literature, all sort of 'halal' goods which have never been there before. Speaking to WION, a Maldivian in his thirties, who prefers to remain anonimous for safety concerns, recalled how, during his school days, the word 'Wahhabi' was often used as an insult. Now it is used as a norm, as a common word which describes a category of believers. The Maldivian government takes little action to tackle radicalisation. Neither does it encourage a culture of debate. For instance, inviting prominent Muslim scholars promoting other versions of Islam could be one of the many ways to counter the problem. Instead, the government often dismisses radicalisation as a mere political accusation levelled at Male by foreign powers to discourage tourists from visiting. The real aim, apparently, is to topple current President Abdulla Yameen. Living in denial means letting the problem grow. More young Maldivians risk the prospect of being lured by Islamist terrorist groups. This is not just a threat for Maldives but also the lands where these misguided young men may travel to. (WION)

Exclusive: From the white sand beaches to the arid Syrian desert, young Maldivians swell the ranks of Islamist terrorists

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