Perhaps no single demographic faces greater persecution than women living in conflict zones. Either as members of rebel groups or victims of state-led violence, women in armed conflict are vulnerable and usually always the victims.

This victimisation is part of an organised policy that weaponises their bodies and minds for dominance, power and control by men, in war. And it&rsquo;s a method chosen by both state and non-state actors. Whether it be the enslavement of thousands of Yazidi women by ISIS, the abduction of women and girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria, or the mass-scale rapes of women by soldiers in Syria, conflict always reveals horrific levels of repression women across the world continue to face. India is no exception to the rule. Frequently prone to insurgencies and ethnic conflict, the stories of women in India&rsquo;s conflict zones, whether it is Manipur, Chattisgarh, or Kashmir, bear the scars of brutality, sexual violence, and oppression.

One of the most important cases that catapulted the issue of brutality against women in war in India was the murder of a Manipuri girl, Thangjam Manorama by members of the 17 Assam Rifles. The Chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission tasked with the responsibility to investigate the murder called it one of the most shocking custodial killings.

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<h5>In Kashmir, years of a brutal insurgency between the Indian state and militant groups inflicted its highest toll on women.</h5>
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Thangjam had been sexually assaulted repeatedly and had eight bullets pumped into her. In Kashmir, years of a brutal insurgency between the Indian state and militant groups inflicted its highest toll on women. Rita Manchanda and Urvashi Bhutalia who have extensively worked on this issue show, in their body of work, that in Kashmir, women are either killed in crossfire, shot at in public demonstrations, blown up in grenade explosions across the Line of Control (LoC) or raped by militants.

Both security forces and militant groups use rape as an instrument of control, though, the objectives are markedly different. While militants use rape to humiliate and silence members of minority communities like the Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs, Indian security forces have used rape to punish those suspected of links to militant groups.

A Human Rights Report published by the US State Department in 1999-2000 documents how paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir and the police were culpable in a broader pattern of custodial abuse. The 1991 Kunan-Pushpora incident is still a dark episode in the history of Kashmir&rsquo;s internal conflict when four soldiers belonging to the Rashtriya Rifles allegedly raped at least 23 women in Kashmir&rsquo;s Kunan and Pushpora villages.

Twenty-six years later, six of the victims are deceased and justice remains elusive. In a separate case in 2009, 22-year-old Neelofer Jan and her 17-year-old sister-in-law Asiya Jan were allegedly raped and murdered by CRPF forces in Shopian, Kashmir. Despite setting up several inquiries to investigate the matter, the results were inconclusive and justice, again, a foregone conclusion.

There is another side to the story, though. A 2017 NPR report reveals how many Kashmiri women are actively aiding militants against the Indian state. Alternatively, Kashmiri Pandit women belonging to the Hindu community are killed in militant attacks, the 1998 Wandhama massacre being the case in point. These stories are telling in that not just majority Muslim women but Hindu women and those belonging to minority groups in Kashmir are caught in a relentless cycle of violence between state and militant groups.

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<h5>The women are deeply indoctrinated into an ideology that views violence as a means of liberation and emancipation.</h5>
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Women living in Maoist-held insurgent territory face a similar fate. In 2015, the National Human Rights Commission reported that at least 16 tribal women were allegedly raped and killed by police in Bastar. While many of these reports are evidence of the impunity state security forces and police exercise in conflict zones, one cannot entirely ignore the role of female Maoist cadres leading an orchestrated campaign of violence against the Indian state.

But their victimisation has a different source. These women are deeply indoctrinated into an ideology that views violence as a means of liberation and emancipation. Much of the result of such ideological violence is that the same women inevitably become victims of both state violence and extremist indoctrination, their bodies constant targets of physical and emotional abuse.

Where do we go from here? There are several ways to address the subjugation and brutalisation of women in India&rsquo;s conflict zones. While these measures will not entirely eliminate the problem, they could alleviate the suffering of many women.

First, a speedy justice system that punishes the perpetrators quickly is essential. Much of the violence against women continues unabated when those perpetrating the abuse are convinced they can get away with it. For instance, problematic parts of laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) need to be amended to place limits on military powers.

Second, police and military personnel must receive mandatory training and socialisation in how to approach women in conflict zones, carrying a penalty for misdemeanours.

Third, civil society must work with non-governmental organisations to spread greater awareness about the experiences of women in violence-afflicted zones and offer assistance in any way possible. Journalists, too, must continue to educate and confront the problem. Finally, cultural norms that sustain a deeply patriarchal society must be challenged and broken. The onus is on us, both men and women, to do it.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

There is need to end violence against women in conflict zones because as members of rebel groups or victims of state-led violence, women in armed conflict are vulnerable and usually the victims

Perhaps no single demographic faces greater persecution than women living in conflict zones. Either as members of rebel groups or victims of state-led violence, women in armed conflict are vulnerable and usually always the victims. This victimisation is part of an organised policy that weaponises their bodies and minds for dominance, power and control by men, in war. And it’s a method chosen by both state and non-state actors. Whether it be the enslavement of thousands of Yazidi women by ISIS, the abduction of women and girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria, or the mass-scale rapes of women by soldiers in Syria, conflict always reveals horrific levels of repression women across the world continue to face. India is no exception to the rule. Frequently prone to insurgencies and ethnic conflict, the stories of women in India’s conflict zones, whether it is Manipur, Chattisgarh, or Kashmir, bear the scars of brutality, sexual violence, and oppression. One of the most important cases that catapulted the issue of brutality against women in war in India was the murder of a Manipuri girl, Thangjam Manorama by members of the 17 Assam Rifles. The Chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission tasked with the responsibility to investigate the murder called it one of the most shocking custodial killings. In Kashmir, years of a brutal insurgency between the Indian state and militant groups inflicted its highest toll on women. × Thangjam had been sexually assaulted repeatedly and had eight bullets pumped into her. In Kashmir, years of a brutal insurgency between the Indian state and militant groups inflicted its highest toll on women. Rita Manchanda and Urvashi Bhutalia who have extensively worked on this issue show, in their body of work, that in Kashmir, women are either killed in crossfire, shot at in public demonstrations, blown up in grenade explosions across the Line of Control (LoC) or raped by militants. Both security forces and militant groups use rape as an instrument of control, though, the objectives are markedly different. While militants use rape to humiliate and silence members of minority communities like the Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs, Indian security forces have used rape to punish those suspected of links to militant groups. A Human Rights Report published by the US State Department in 1999-2000 documents how paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir and the police were culpable in a broader pattern of custodial abuse. The 1991 Kunan-Pushpora incident is still a dark episode in the history of Kashmir’s internal conflict when four soldiers belonging to the Rashtriya Rifles allegedly raped at least 23 women in Kashmir’s Kunan and Pushpora villages. Twenty-six years later, six of the victims are deceased and justice remains elusive. In a separate case in 2009, 22-year-old Neelofer Jan and her 17-year-old sister-in-law Asiya Jan were allegedly raped and murdered by CRPF forces in Shopian, Kashmir. Despite setting up several inquiries to investigate the matter, the results were inconclusive and justice, again, a foregone conclusion. There is another side to the story, though. A 2017 NPR report reveals how many Kashmiri women are actively aiding militants against the Indian state. Alternatively, Kashmiri Pandit women belonging to the Hindu community are killed in militant attacks, the 1998 Wandhama massacre being the case in point. These stories are telling in that not just majority Muslim women but Hindu women and those belonging to minority groups in Kashmir are caught in a relentless cycle of violence between state and militant groups. The women are deeply indoctrinated into an ideology that views violence as a means of liberation and emancipation. × Women living in Maoist-held insurgent territory face a similar fate. In 2015, the National Human Rights Commission reported that at least 16 tribal women were allegedly raped and killed by police in Bastar. While many of these reports are evidence of the impunity state security forces and police exercise in conflict zones, one cannot entirely ignore the role of female Maoist cadres leading an orchestrated campaign of violence against the Indian state. But their victimisation has a different source. These women are deeply indoctrinated into an ideology that views violence as a means of liberation and emancipation. Much of the result of such ideological violence is that the same women inevitably become victims of both state violence and extremist indoctrination, their bodies constant targets of physical and emotional abuse. Where do we go from here? There are several ways to address the subjugation and brutalisation of women in India’s conflict zones. While these measures will not entirely eliminate the problem, they could alleviate the suffering of many women. First, a speedy justice system that punishes the perpetrators quickly is essential. Much of the violence against women continues unabated when those perpetrating the abuse are convinced they can get away with it. For instance, problematic parts of laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) need to be amended to place limits on military powers. Second, police and military personnel must receive mandatory training and socialisation in how to approach women in conflict zones, carrying a penalty for misdemeanours. Third, civil society must work with non-governmental organisations to spread greater awareness about the experiences of women in violence-afflicted zones and offer assistance in any way possible. Journalists, too, must continue to educate and confront the problem. Finally, cultural norms that sustain a deeply patriarchal society must be challenged and broken. The onus is on us, both men and women, to do it. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Women and the wounds of war

Syria&rsquo;s fragmented opposition announced early today they had reached an agreement to send a united delegation to next week&rsquo;s UN-brokered peace talks.

The announcement came on the second day of a Saudi- sponsored meeting in Riyadh, where around 140 opposition figures are gathered to unify their ranks before direct talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&rsquo;s regime in Geneva on November 28.

Several rounds of talks hosted by the United Nations have failed to bring an end to the six-year war in Syria, which has killed more than 330,000 people since 2011 and forced millions from their homes.

&ldquo;We have agreed with the two other&nbsp;branches to send a united delegation to participate in the direct negotiations in Geneva,&rdquo; Bassma Kodmani, a member of the Syrian opposition&rsquo;s High Negotiations Committee, told reporters in Riyadh.

Kodmani added that further meetings would be held on Friday to finalize the names and number of representatives each group would have in the 50-strong unified delegation.

The delegates at the meeting have been under heavy pressure to row back on some of their more radical demands after a series of battlefield victories that have given Assad&rsquo;s regime the upper hand.

A Cairo-based Syrian opposition group was reported to have agreed earlier yesterday to join ranks with other opposition clusters including the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) &mdash; the largest bloc in the opposition &mdash; and the Istanbul-based National Coalition.

Kodmani&rsquo;s announcement implies that a Moscow-based Syrian opposition group has also agreed to join forces with that delegation.

Several key opposition figures have boycotted the meeting, including the Moscow group&rsquo;s Jamil and Riad Hijab of the HNC.

Hijab stepped down as leader of the Saudi-backed HNC this week over &ldquo;attempts to lower the ceiling of the revolution and prolong the regime&rdquo;. Assad&rsquo;s fate has been a major stumbling block in multiple rounds of negotiations between the Syrian regime and the opposition.

The HNC and its closest allies have consistently demanded Assad step down from power as a prerequisite for a transitional phase to end the Syrian war.

Other branches of the opposition have taken a softer stance against Assad.

Staffan de Mistura, the UN&rsquo;s Syria envoy, attended the opening session of the Riyadh gathering on Wednesday and said the goal of the meeting was to give momentum to next week&rsquo;s peace talks.

The Riyadh talks come as Syrian regime ally Russia is seeking to organize a &ldquo;congress&rdquo; to bring together Assad&rsquo;s forces and various opposition groups to reinvigorate the peace process.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the leaders of Iran and Turkey for a key trilateral summit aimed at finding a political settlement of Syria&rsquo;s conflict. Putin also met with Assad this week.

Syria's fragmented opposition announced early today they had reached an agreement to send a united delegation to next week's UN-brokered peace talks.

Syria’s fragmented opposition announced early today they had reached an agreement to send a united delegation to next week’s UN-brokered peace talks. The announcement came on the second day of a Saudi- sponsored meeting in Riyadh, where around 140 opposition figures are gathered to unify their ranks before direct talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Geneva on November 28. Several rounds of talks hosted by the United Nations have failed to bring an end to the six-year war in Syria, which has killed more than 330,000 people since 2011 and forced millions from their homes. “We have agreed with the two other branches to send a united delegation to participate in the direct negotiations in Geneva,” Bassma Kodmani, a member of the Syrian opposition’s High Negotiations Committee, told reporters in Riyadh. Kodmani added that further meetings would be held on Friday to finalize the names and number of representatives each group would have in the 50-strong unified delegation. The delegates at the meeting have been under heavy pressure to row back on some of their more radical demands after a series of battlefield victories that have given Assad’s regime the upper hand. A Cairo-based Syrian opposition group was reported to have agreed earlier yesterday to join ranks with other opposition clusters including the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) — the largest bloc in the opposition — and the Istanbul-based National Coalition. Kodmani’s announcement implies that a Moscow-based Syrian opposition group has also agreed to join forces with that delegation. Several key opposition figures have boycotted the meeting, including the Moscow group’s Jamil and Riad Hijab of the HNC. Hijab stepped down as leader of the Saudi-backed HNC this week over “attempts to lower the ceiling of the revolution and prolong the regime”. Assad’s fate has been a major stumbling block in multiple rounds of negotiations between the Syrian regime and the opposition. The HNC and its closest allies have consistently demanded Assad step down from power as a prerequisite for a transitional phase to end the Syrian war. Other branches of the opposition have taken a softer stance against Assad. Staffan de Mistura, the UN’s Syria envoy, attended the opening session of the Riyadh gathering on Wednesday and said the goal of the meeting was to give momentum to next week’s peace talks. The Riyadh talks come as Syrian regime ally Russia is seeking to organize a “congress” to bring together Assad’s forces and various opposition groups to reinvigorate the peace process. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the leaders of Iran and Turkey for a key trilateral summit aimed at finding a political settlement of Syria’s conflict. Putin also met with Assad this week.

Syrian opposition agrees to send united delegation to Geneva talks

The government has accepted a high-level committee&#39;s recommendation of increasing by over three percent the quota of private tour operators sending Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

The high-level committee formed by the government to frame draft &#39;Haj Policy 2018-2022&#39; had made the recommendation last month.

The committee had recommended that the quota of private tour operators be increased from the present 26.47 percent to 30 percent.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has confirmed that the panel&#39;s suggestion has been accepted.

India has an annual Haj quota of 1.70 lakh.

Out of this, according to the allocation for 2017, 1.25 lakh pilgrims could travel to Saudi Arabia through the Haj Committee of India (HCoI).

The private tour operators (PTOs) could transport 45,000 devotees.

The revision of the quota allocation now will mean that 51,000 devotees can travel through the PTOs.

Remaining 1.19 lakh devotees can undertake the journey through the HCoI.

&quot;We have accepted the recommendation. It is a logical recommendation which has been accepted after studying each aspect of the issue including that of interests of the pilgrims,&quot; Naqvi said.

He also said that the categories of PTOs have been increased to three from two.

The private players are categorized based on the number of years they have facilitated pilgrims (more the number of years of operation, higher the category they are put in).

Those, who have successfully completed at least seven years of operations, are put in category 1.

According to a source in the ministry, the allocation revision &quot;should not make much of a difference&quot; for devotees given the Haj subsidy is being gradually reduced in view of a 2012 Supreme Court order.

As per the apex court&#39;s order, the subsidy is to be abolished gradually till 2022.

&quot;Earlier people would seek to go through the HCoI because they would get subsidy. Now the subsidy is being gradually lowered since 2012,&quot; a source said.

&quot;So, it should not make much of a difference to the devotees whether they undertake the journey either through the HCoI or PTOs in future,&quot; the source added.

The source also said that the ministry plans to ensure stricter regulations to see pilgrims are not troubled by PTOs.

Iraqi forces launched an operation on Thursday to clear the desert bordering Syria of Islamic State, a final campaign to rid Iraq of the militant group, the military said in a statement.

The government has accepted a high-level committee's recommendation of increasing by over three percent the quota of private tour operators sending Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The high-level committee formed by the government to frame draft 'Haj Policy 2018-2022' had made the recommendation last month. The committee had recommended that the quota of private tour operators be increased from the present 26.47 percent to 30 percent. Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has confirmed that the panel's suggestion has been accepted. India has an annual Haj quota of 1.70 lakh. Out of this, according to the allocation for 2017, 1.25 lakh pilgrims could travel to Saudi Arabia through the Haj Committee of India (HCoI). The private tour operators (PTOs) could transport 45,000 devotees. The revision of the quota allocation now will mean that 51,000 devotees can travel through the PTOs. Remaining 1.19 lakh devotees can undertake the journey through the HCoI. "We have accepted the recommendation. It is a logical recommendation which has been accepted after studying each aspect of the issue including that of interests of the pilgrims," Naqvi said. He also said that the categories of PTOs have been increased to three from two. The private players are categorized based on the number of years they have facilitated pilgrims (more the number of years of operation, higher the category they are put in). Those, who have successfully completed at least seven years of operations, are put in category 1. According to a source in the ministry, the allocation revision "should not make much of a difference" for devotees given the Haj subsidy is being gradually reduced in view of a 2012 Supreme Court order. As per the apex court's order, the subsidy is to be abolished gradually till 2022. "Earlier people would seek to go through the HCoI because they would get subsidy. Now the subsidy is being gradually lowered since 2012," a source said. "So, it should not make much of a difference to the devotees whether they undertake the journey either through the HCoI or PTOs in future," the source added. The source also said that the ministry plans to ensure stricter regulations to see pilgrims are not troubled by PTOs.

Iraqi forces launch operation to clear desert bordering Syria of Islamic State

The Syrian army and loyalist militiamen Sunday retook full control of Albu Kamal from the Islamic State group, a military source said, ousting the jihadists from their last urban stronghold in Syria.

The military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP that &quot;Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State&quot; in the town on the Iraqi border.&nbsp;

Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago.

&quot;Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State,&quot; the military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;IS put up fierce resistance and tried to use explosives and suicide bombers, but besieging the city allowed the army to clinch the offensive and take full control of the city,&quot; the source added.

State news agency SANA also reported the advance in Albu Kamal, saying the &quot;Syrian army and its allies eliminated the last Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist pocket in the town.&quot;

A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria had left Albu Kamal as the last significant Syrian town held by Islamic State.&nbsp;

Syria&#39;s army announced on November 9 that it had ousted Islamic State from the town, but the jihadists launched a lightning offensive and retook it.

A week later, the army and allied Iraqi, Lebanese, and Iranian fighters broke back into Albu Kamal and steadily advanced through the town.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on Sunday that Syrian troops and their allies had captured Albu Kamal.&nbsp;

&quot;Islamic State fighters withdrew from the city towards the Euphrates River,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

&quot;There is no more fighting in the town, but there are clashes around Albu Kamal,&quot; he said.

The monitor said more than 80 fighters were killed in the three days of ferocious push to retake the town, including 31 pro-regime forces and at least 50 Islamic State jihadists.&nbsp;

Islamic State seized large areas of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign, but this year has lost much of the territory it once held.

The loss of Albu Kamal caps the group&#39;s reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.&nbsp;

Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago

The Syrian army and loyalist militiamen Sunday retook full control of Albu Kamal from the Islamic State group, a military source said, ousting the jihadists from their last urban stronghold in Syria. The military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP that "Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State" in the town on the Iraqi border. Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago. "Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State," the military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Sunday. "IS put up fierce resistance and tried to use explosives and suicide bombers, but besieging the city allowed the army to clinch the offensive and take full control of the city," the source added. State news agency SANA also reported the advance in Albu Kamal, saying the "Syrian army and its allies eliminated the last Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist pocket in the town." A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria had left Albu Kamal as the last significant Syrian town held by Islamic State. Syria's army announced on November 9 that it had ousted Islamic State from the town, but the jihadists launched a lightning offensive and retook it. A week later, the army and allied Iraqi, Lebanese, and Iranian fighters broke back into Albu Kamal and steadily advanced through the town. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on Sunday that Syrian troops and their allies had captured Albu Kamal. "Islamic State fighters withdrew from the city towards the Euphrates River," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. "There is no more fighting in the town, but there are clashes around Albu Kamal," he said. The monitor said more than 80 fighters were killed in the three days of ferocious push to retake the town, including 31 pro-regime forces and at least 50 Islamic State jihadists. Islamic State seized large areas of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign, but this year has lost much of the territory it once held. The loss of Albu Kamal caps the group's reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.

Syria army, allies, retake Albu Kamal from Islamic State: Military source

Air strikes that ripped through a market in a rebel-held Syrian town have killed 61 people, mostly civilians, an updated toll from a monitor said today.

Three strikes hit the northern town of Atareb on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, despite a &quot;de-escalation zone&quot; in place there.

&quot;A number of people died of their wounds, bringing the toll to 61 people, including five children and three policemen.&quot;

The Britain-based monitor said it was not clear whether the bombing raids had been carried out by Syrian government warplanes, or those of its ally Russia.

A photographer contributing to AFP saw massive destruction at the scene on Monday, with rubble from damaged buildings covering the street and panicked civilians carrying away the wounded.

Atareb is in the west of Aleppo province, in an area that is part of a &quot;de-escalation zone&quot; agreed under a deal reached earlier this year between Syria&#39;s allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey.

The zone mostly covers neighbouring Idlib province, which is largely held by a jihadist group formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

Despite the government&#39;s recapture of Aleppo city late last year, rebel groups maintain a presence in the west of the province.

Russia, a key ally of Syria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad, began a bombing campaign in support of his government in 2015. Since then, with Moscow&#39;s support, the government has recaptured large swathes of territory from opposition forces.&nbsp;

Three strikes hit the northern town of Atareb on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said

Air strikes that ripped through a market in a rebel-held Syrian town have killed 61 people, mostly civilians, an updated toll from a monitor said today. Three strikes hit the northern town of Atareb on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, despite a "de-escalation zone" in place there. "A number of people died of their wounds, bringing the toll to 61 people, including five children and three policemen." The Britain-based monitor said it was not clear whether the bombing raids had been carried out by Syrian government warplanes, or those of its ally Russia. A photographer contributing to AFP saw massive destruction at the scene on Monday, with rubble from damaged buildings covering the street and panicked civilians carrying away the wounded. Atareb is in the west of Aleppo province, in an area that is part of a "de-escalation zone" agreed under a deal reached earlier this year between Syria's allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey. The zone mostly covers neighbouring Idlib province, which is largely held by a jihadist group formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Despite the government's recapture of Aleppo city late last year, rebel groups maintain a presence in the west of the province. Russia, a key ally of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, began a bombing campaign in support of his government in 2015. Since then, with Moscow's support, the government has recaptured large swathes of territory from opposition forces.

Toll in Syria market strikes rises to 61: Monitor

<p content="Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday." type="text">Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday.

Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks.

On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS had &#39;ambushed&#39;&nbsp;the attacking forces and managed to oust them from most of the town.

<p content="&quot;IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges,&quot; said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor." type="text">&quot;IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges,&quot; said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor.

Clashes were still raging there on Saturday, he said.

IS began counter-attacking on Thursday night, swiftly retaking several northern districts of Albu Kamal from pro-government fighters.

&quot;It was Daesh&#39;s biggest ambush operation, tricking the attacking forces into thinking they had controlled the city,&quot; Abdel Rahman said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Albu Kamal lies at the heart of what used to be the sprawling &#39;caliphate&#39;&nbsp;that IS declared in 2014 across swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Losing it completely would have capped the group&#39;s reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.

<p content="Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east." type="text">Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east.

The Observatory has said most of the fighting was done by the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and elite forces from its backer Tehran, as well as militia groups from Iraq.

On Saturday, Abdel Rahman said Albu Kamal was being pummelled by air strikes, but he could not specify whether they were Iraqi or Russian raids.

Across the border on Saturday, Iraqi forces launched an assault to capture the last pocket of IS territory in their country.

The Euphrates valley town of Rawa and nearby villages were bypassed by government troops and allied militia when they retook the border town of Al-Qaim last week.

Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks.

Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday. Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks. On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS had 'ambushed' the attacking forces and managed to oust them from most of the town. "IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor. Clashes were still raging there on Saturday, he said. IS began counter-attacking on Thursday night, swiftly retaking several northern districts of Albu Kamal from pro-government fighters. "It was Daesh's biggest ambush operation, tricking the attacking forces into thinking they had controlled the city," Abdel Rahman said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Albu Kamal lies at the heart of what used to be the sprawling 'caliphate' that IS declared in 2014 across swathes of Iraq and Syria. Losing it completely would have capped the group's reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base. Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east. The Observatory has said most of the fighting was done by the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and elite forces from its backer Tehran, as well as militia groups from Iraq. On Saturday, Abdel Rahman said Albu Kamal was being pummelled by air strikes, but he could not specify whether they were Iraqi or Russian raids. Across the border on Saturday, Iraqi forces launched an assault to capture the last pocket of IS territory in their country. The Euphrates valley town of Rawa and nearby villages were bypassed by government troops and allied militia when they retook the border town of Al-Qaim last week.

IS retakes almost all of vital Syria border town: Monitor

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State&rsquo;s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State&rsquo;s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday.

The army said it is now fighting the last remaining IS pockets in the country&rsquo;s eastern desert, an army statement said.

&ldquo;The liberation of Albu Kamal city is very important because it signals the general fall of the terrorist Daesh organisation&rsquo;s project in the region,&rdquo; a statement from the general command said.

Alongside Lebanon&rsquo;s Hezbollah and other Shi&lsquo;ite militias, and backed by Iran and Russia, the Syrian army has recently seized swathes of land from Islamic State.

Albu Kamal, on the Euphrates River, is located in Syria&rsquo;s eastern Deir al-Zor province on the Iraqi border.

On Wednesday, during the battle, Hezbollah forces entered Iraq and the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces crossed into Syria to help capture the town, a commander in the pro-Damascus alliance told Reuters on Wednesday.

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State?s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State?s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday.

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State’s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State’s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday. The army said it is now fighting the last remaining IS pockets in the country’s eastern desert, an army statement said. “The liberation of Albu Kamal city is very important because it signals the general fall of the terrorist Daesh organisation’s project in the region,” a statement from the general command said. Alongside Lebanon’s Hezbollah and other Shi‘ite militias, and backed by Iran and Russia, the Syrian army has recently seized swathes of land from Islamic State. Albu Kamal, on the Euphrates River, is located in Syria’s eastern Deir al-Zor province on the Iraqi border. On Wednesday, during the battle, Hezbollah forces entered Iraq and the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces crossed into Syria to help capture the town, a commander in the pro-Damascus alliance told Reuters on Wednesday.

Syrian army takes last Islamic State bastion in Syria

Syria told the UN climate talks in Bonn on Tuesday that it would join the Paris Agreement, leaving the United States as the only nation in the world opting to stay outside the landmark treaty.

&quot;We are going to join the Paris Agreement,&quot; the Syrian delegate, speaking in Arabic, said during a plenary session at the 196-nation talks, according to Safa Al Jayoussi of the IndyAct NGO, who was monitoring the session.&nbsp;

The United States ratified the 2015 pact but US President Donald Trump announced earlier this year that he would pull out, saying the pact did not serve US interests.

&quot;It is our understanding that the government of Syria announced today their intent to join the Paris Agreement,&quot; Nick Nuttall, the spokesman for the UN climate body, told AFP.

Nuttall identified the Syrian delegate as Wadah Katmawi, the deputy minister of the ministry of local administration and environment.

Syria must submit their &quot;instruments of ratification&quot; at the UN headquarters in New York before their adherence becomes official, he added.

According to the Syrian parliament website, a bill was passed on October 22 to ratify the Paris accord, &quot;in accordance with the Syrian Constitution which stipulates the protection of the environment&quot;.

Other parties at the 12-day negotiations, tasked with elaborating and implementing the agreement, welcomed the news.

&quot;Syria joining the Paris Agreement will be a good thing,&quot; South Africa&#39;s chief negotiator Maesela Kekana told AFP.

&quot;That&#39;s great,&quot; said Chai Qimin, a climate negotiator from China&#39;s National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation.&nbsp;

&quot;They were the last party to the UN Convention to sign the Paris Agreement,&quot; he said, referring to 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the bedrock treaty for UN climate talks.

&quot;That leaves only the one who announced their withdrawal,&quot; he added, in an oblique reference to the United States.

US mocks Syria&nbsp;

War-torn Syria would be the 197th country to sign on to the climate pact, which vows to hold global warming to &quot;well below&quot; two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

The United States mocked Syria&#39;s arrival in the climate change agreement Tuesday, side-stepping the charge that it has isolated itself by being the world&#39;s sole hold-out.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert fiercely dismissed suggestions that this means that Trump&#39;s &quot;America First&quot; policy has in practice meant &quot;America Alone.&quot;

&quot;I find it ironic that the government of Syria, OK, would say that it wants to be involved and that it cares so much about climate and things like CO2 gas,&quot; she told reporters.

&quot;If the government of Syria cared so much about what was put in the air, then it wouldn&#39;t be gassing its own people,&quot; she said, referring to the Damascus regime&#39;s brutal civil war tactics.

Nauert said that the department&#39;s undersecretary for political affairs, Tom Shannon, would lead a US delegation to the Bonn talks next week but that Trump&#39;s decision would stand.

&quot;We intend to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as we&#39;re eligible to do so,&quot; she said.

&nbsp;&#39;Splendid isolation&#39;&nbsp;

Openly isolated on the climate issue at G-7 and G-20 meetings earlier this year, the United States said it intended to withdraw &quot;unless the president can identify terms that are more favourable to American businesses, workers, and taxpayers.&quot;

The Trump administration has not said what those terms might be.

&quot;This means Trump is in splendid isolation -- no one wants to be in his company,&quot; said Alden Meyer, a veteran climate analyst at the Washington-based Union of Concerned Scientists.

&quot;With Syria on board, now the entire world is resolutely committed to advancing climate action -&ndash; all save one country,&quot; said Paula Caballero, director for climate change at the World Resources Institute.

&quot;This should make the Trump administration pause and reflect on their ill-advised announcement about withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.&quot;

Signed in the French capital in December 2015, the treaty entered into force on November 4, 2016.

According to the terms, no country can formally submit their intent to withdraw until three years after the date of entry into force.&nbsp;

It will then take one year to fully withdraw, meaning the earliest the United States could officially withdraw is the day after the 2020 election.

&quot;When even Syria -- with all its problems -- can see the sense of a global climate agreement, it really shows how ideologically wedded to climate denialism the US Republican Party has become,&quot; said Mohamed Adow, International Climate Lead for Christian Aid. 
&nbsp;

Syria told the UN climate talks in Bonn on Tuesday that it would join the Paris Agreement, leaving the United States as the only nation in the world opting to stay outside the landmark treaty

Syria told the UN climate talks in Bonn on Tuesday that it would join the Paris Agreement, leaving the United States as the only nation in the world opting to stay outside the landmark treaty. "We are going to join the Paris Agreement," the Syrian delegate, speaking in Arabic, said during a plenary session at the 196-nation talks, according to Safa Al Jayoussi of the IndyAct NGO, who was monitoring the session. The United States ratified the 2015 pact but US President Donald Trump announced earlier this year that he would pull out, saying the pact did not serve US interests. "It is our understanding that the government of Syria announced today their intent to join the Paris Agreement," Nick Nuttall, the spokesman for the UN climate body, told AFP. Nuttall identified the Syrian delegate as Wadah Katmawi, the deputy minister of the ministry of local administration and environment. Syria must submit their "instruments of ratification" at the UN headquarters in New York before their adherence becomes official, he added. According to the Syrian parliament website, a bill was passed on October 22 to ratify the Paris accord, "in accordance with the Syrian Constitution which stipulates the protection of the environment". Other parties at the 12-day negotiations, tasked with elaborating and implementing the agreement, welcomed the news. "Syria joining the Paris Agreement will be a good thing," South Africa's chief negotiator Maesela Kekana told AFP. "That's great," said Chai Qimin, a climate negotiator from China's National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation. "They were the last party to the UN Convention to sign the Paris Agreement," he said, referring to 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the bedrock treaty for UN climate talks. "That leaves only the one who announced their withdrawal," he added, in an oblique reference to the United States. US mocks Syria War-torn Syria would be the 197th country to sign on to the climate pact, which vows to hold global warming to "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The United States mocked Syria's arrival in the climate change agreement Tuesday, side-stepping the charge that it has isolated itself by being the world's sole hold-out. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert fiercely dismissed suggestions that this means that Trump's "America First" policy has in practice meant "America Alone." "I find it ironic that the government of Syria, OK, would say that it wants to be involved and that it cares so much about climate and things like CO2 gas," she told reporters. "If the government of Syria cared so much about what was put in the air, then it wouldn't be gassing its own people," she said, referring to the Damascus regime's brutal civil war tactics. Nauert said that the department's undersecretary for political affairs, Tom Shannon, would lead a US delegation to the Bonn talks next week but that Trump's decision would stand. "We intend to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as we're eligible to do so," she said. 'Splendid isolation' Openly isolated on the climate issue at G-7 and G-20 meetings earlier this year, the United States said it intended to withdraw "unless the president can identify terms that are more favourable to American businesses, workers, and taxpayers." The Trump administration has not said what those terms might be. "This means Trump is in splendid isolation -- no one wants to be in his company," said Alden Meyer, a veteran climate analyst at the Washington-based Union of Concerned Scientists. "With Syria on board, now the entire world is resolutely committed to advancing climate action -– all save one country," said Paula Caballero, director for climate change at the World Resources Institute. "This should make the Trump administration pause and reflect on their ill-advised announcement about withdrawing from the Paris Agreement." Signed in the French capital in December 2015, the treaty entered into force on November 4, 2016. According to the terms, no country can formally submit their intent to withdraw until three years after the date of entry into force. It will then take one year to fully withdraw, meaning the earliest the United States could officially withdraw is the day after the 2020 election. "When even Syria -- with all its problems -- can see the sense of a global climate agreement, it really shows how ideologically wedded to climate denialism the US Republican Party has become," said Mohamed Adow, International Climate Lead for Christian Aid.

Syria to join Paris climate pact, isolating the US

Russia dismissed today a report by a UN-led panel that blamed the Syrian regime for a sarin attack on the town of Khan Sheikhun and said the use of the substance was part of a &quot;theatrical performance&quot; by rebels. 
 
A panel including diplomats and military officers presented Moscow&#39;s version of events complete with diagrams and satellite imagery, saying the Syrian regime did not carry the blame for the April attack which killed over 80 people. 
 
&quot;We believe that the report turned out to be superficial, unprofessional and amateurish,&quot; said Mikhail Ulyanov, head of the foreign ministry&#39;s security and disarmament department. 
 
&quot;The mission did their research from a distance, that in itself is a scandal.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
He said &quot;the use of sarin has been confirmed&quot; but insisted it was not delivered by an aerial bomb but rather used &quot;as a theatrical performance, a provocation&quot; by the rebels. 
 
At least 87 people died on April 4 this year when sarin nerve agent projectiles were fired into Khan Sheikhun, a town in the Idlib province of northwestern Syria. 
 
Images of dead and dying victims, including young children, in the aftermath of the attack provoked global outrage and a US cruise missile strike on a regime air base. 
 
A joint panel by the United Nations and the world&#39;s chemical watchdog Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) concluded that the Syrian regime was responsible, and that the air force had dropped a bomb on the town, releasing the deadly nerve agent. 
 
Russia and Syria have, however, presented an alternative theory that an explosive device was set off on the ground. 
 
Ulyanov today suggested the sarin gas was poured inside the crater left by the bomb. 
 
Ulyanov spoke as part of a panel of foreign ministry, air force and other Russian officials presenting slides that showed elaborate diagrams of regime war planes&#39; trajectories and satellite images in an effort to cast doubt on the UN report. 
 
The Russian officials also showed video footage of rescue personnel working in the crater wearing &quot;only respirators and cotton gloves.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Ulyanov claimed the video had been filmed after rebels detonated the bomb on the asphalt and before the sarin gas was poured into the crater. 
 
&quot;If it were an aerial bomb, the bomb&#39;s tail would be in the crater, but there are no traces of an aerial bomb,&quot; he said. 
 
Ulyanov also said witnesses cited in the UN report were not confirmed to have been in the town on April 4 and &quot;could have been sunning themselves on a beach in the United Arab Emirates.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The verdict against Damascus that has been issued so confidently turned out to be baseless,&quot; he said. &quot;You cannot issue a verdict against Damascus based on newspaper publications.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Ulyanov&#39;s intervention came after US President Donald Trump&#39;s White House issued a string statement denouncing Moscow&#39;s previous attempts to undermine the work of the UN- OPCW&#39;s Joint Investigative Mechanism. 
 
&quot;This unconscionable attack marks the fourth time that the JIM has confirmed that the Assad regime used chemical weapons, underscoring the brutal and horrifying barbarism of Bashar al-Assad and making the protection provided by Russia even more egregious,&quot; Trump&#39;s spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee- Sanders said. 
 
&quot;Russia&#39;s attempts to undermine and eliminate the JIM show a callous disregard for the suffering and loss of life caused by the use of chemical weapons and an utter lack of respect for international norms,&quot; she added. 
 
Despite criticising the work of the UN-OPCW on the report, Ulyanov said Russia would present a draft resolution extending its mission in Syria, following a veto on a similar US proposal in the Security Council last week. 
 
Russia previously opposed renewing the mandate of the panel, known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism, prior to the release of the Khan Sheikhun report.

Russia dismissed today a report by a UN-led panel that blamed the Syrian regime for a sarin attack on the town of Khan Sheikhun and said the use of the substance was part of a "theatrical performance" by rebels.

Russia dismissed today a report by a UN-led panel that blamed the Syrian regime for a sarin attack on the town of Khan Sheikhun and said the use of the substance was part of a "theatrical performance" by rebels. A panel including diplomats and military officers presented Moscow's version of events complete with diagrams and satellite imagery, saying the Syrian regime did not carry the blame for the April attack which killed over 80 people. "We believe that the report turned out to be superficial, unprofessional and amateurish," said Mikhail Ulyanov, head of the foreign ministry's security and disarmament department. "The mission did their research from a distance, that in itself is a scandal." He said "the use of sarin has been confirmed" but insisted it was not delivered by an aerial bomb but rather used "as a theatrical performance, a provocation" by the rebels. At least 87 people died on April 4 this year when sarin nerve agent projectiles were fired into Khan Sheikhun, a town in the Idlib province of northwestern Syria. Images of dead and dying victims, including young children, in the aftermath of the attack provoked global outrage and a US cruise missile strike on a regime air base. A joint panel by the United Nations and the world's chemical watchdog Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) concluded that the Syrian regime was responsible, and that the air force had dropped a bomb on the town, releasing the deadly nerve agent. Russia and Syria have, however, presented an alternative theory that an explosive device was set off on the ground. Ulyanov today suggested the sarin gas was poured inside the crater left by the bomb. Ulyanov spoke as part of a panel of foreign ministry, air force and other Russian officials presenting slides that showed elaborate diagrams of regime war planes' trajectories and satellite images in an effort to cast doubt on the UN report. The Russian officials also showed video footage of rescue personnel working in the crater wearing "only respirators and cotton gloves." Ulyanov claimed the video had been filmed after rebels detonated the bomb on the asphalt and before the sarin gas was poured into the crater. "If it were an aerial bomb, the bomb's tail would be in the crater, but there are no traces of an aerial bomb," he said. Ulyanov also said witnesses cited in the UN report were not confirmed to have been in the town on April 4 and "could have been sunning themselves on a beach in the United Arab Emirates." "The verdict against Damascus that has been issued so confidently turned out to be baseless," he said. "You cannot issue a verdict against Damascus based on newspaper publications." Ulyanov's intervention came after US President Donald Trump's White House issued a string statement denouncing Moscow's previous attempts to undermine the work of the UN- OPCW's Joint Investigative Mechanism. "This unconscionable attack marks the fourth time that the JIM has confirmed that the Assad regime used chemical weapons, underscoring the brutal and horrifying barbarism of Bashar al-Assad and making the protection provided by Russia even more egregious," Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee- Sanders said. "Russia's attempts to undermine and eliminate the JIM show a callous disregard for the suffering and loss of life caused by the use of chemical weapons and an utter lack of respect for international norms," she added. Despite criticising the work of the UN-OPCW on the report, Ulyanov said Russia would present a draft resolution extending its mission in Syria, following a veto on a similar US proposal in the Security Council last week. Russia previously opposed renewing the mandate of the panel, known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism, prior to the release of the Khan Sheikhun report.

Russia dismisses UN report on Syria sarin attack

Kerala police said today that at least six&nbsp;men from Kannur have joined the Islamic State in Syria.

The men were active workers of Popular Front of India(PFI), a fundamentalist organization formed in Kerala which allegedly has links with several Islamic terrorist groups and is also involved in ransom and kidnapping.

Last year, the home ministry had informed Parliament that as many as 68 alleged IS supporters and sympathisers were arrested either by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the state security agencies.

While informing the Parliament about the arrests, the home ministry had said 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, had registered as many as nine cases in this connection.

At least six men were picked up by security agency from Kerala last year.

The men were active workers of Popular Front of India, police said.

Kerala police said today that at least six men from Kannur have joined the Islamic State in Syria. The men were active workers of Popular Front of India(PFI), a fundamentalist organization formed in Kerala which allegedly has links with several Islamic terrorist groups and is also involved in ransom and kidnapping. Last year, the home ministry had informed Parliament that as many as 68 alleged IS supporters and sympathisers were arrested either by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the state security agencies. While informing the Parliament about the arrests, the home ministry had said 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, had registered as many as nine cases in this connection. At least six men were picked up by security agency from Kerala last year.

6 men from Kerala have joined Islamic State in Syria: Police

A 19-year-old Syrian suspected of planning an Islamist-motivated bomb attack in Germany was transferred to the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe on Wednesday.

No official confirmation of his arrival was given to media.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said security officials had averted a &ldquo;major terrorist attack&rdquo;.

Yamen A. was arrested in the early hours on Tuesday in the north-eastern town of Schwerin.

Police searched his home and also those of other people not suspected of being directly involved.

He had ordered online chemicals used to make the explosive TATP, short for triacetone triperoxide, the spokeswoman for the prosecutor&#39;s office later added.

He had also acquired two radios, batteries and a cellphone battery, suggesting he had been planning a remote-controlled explosion by radio or mobile telephone.

There were no indications that he was a member of a terrorist organisation, the federal prosecutor&#39;s office said.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said security officials had averted a 'major terrorist attack'

A 19-year-old Syrian suspected of planning an Islamist-motivated bomb attack in Germany was transferred to the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe on Wednesday. No official confirmation of his arrival was given to media. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said security officials had averted a “major terrorist attack”. Yamen A. was arrested in the early hours on Tuesday in the north-eastern town of Schwerin. Police searched his home and also those of other people not suspected of being directly involved. He had ordered online chemicals used to make the explosive TATP, short for triacetone triperoxide, the spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office later added. He had also acquired two radios, batteries and a cellphone battery, suggesting he had been planning a remote-controlled explosion by radio or mobile telephone. There were no indications that he was a member of a terrorist organisation, the federal prosecutor's office said.

German police arrest Syrian suspected of planning bomb attack

A suicide bomber killed at least three people on Saturday at the funeral of an anti-jihadist Sunni fighter in Iraq, security and medical sources said.

The bomber struck as condolences were being given at the funeral of the fighter from tribal paramilitaries battling the Islamic State group.

He detonated an explosive belt outside a mosque in Al-Mashahada some 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Baghdad, the security source said.

The military command in the capital said the attack killed a guard and two civilians, while a medical source said that another 12 people were wounded.

Despite being under increasing pressure in both Syria and Iraq, IS cells remain active north of Baghdad.

The jihadist group has carried out bloody attacks both in the capital and across the country.

The bomber struck as condolences were being given at the funeral of the fighter from tribal paramilitaries battling the Islamic State group

A suicide bomber killed at least three people on Saturday at the funeral of an anti-jihadist Sunni fighter in Iraq, security and medical sources said. The bomber struck as condolences were being given at the funeral of the fighter from tribal paramilitaries battling the Islamic State group. He detonated an explosive belt outside a mosque in Al-Mashahada some 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Baghdad, the security source said. The military command in the capital said the attack killed a guard and two civilians, while a medical source said that another 12 people were wounded. Despite being under increasing pressure in both Syria and Iraq, IS cells remain active north of Baghdad. The jihadist group has carried out bloody attacks both in the capital and across the country.

Suicide bomber kills 3 at Iraq funeral

The&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;government&nbsp;of Bashar al-Assad is to&nbsp;blame&nbsp;for a chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun&nbsp;that killed dozens of people last April, according to a&nbsp;report&nbsp;sent to the&nbsp;United Nations Security Council on Thursday.

&quot;The&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;Arab Republic is responsible for the release of&nbsp;sarin&nbsp;at Khan Sheikhoun&nbsp;on 4&nbsp;April 2017,&quot; the&nbsp;report&nbsp;from the UN&nbsp;and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons&#39; Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) said.

The attack prompted a US&nbsp;missile strike against a&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;air base which Washington said was used to launch the strike.

&quot;Time and again, we see independent confirmation of chemical weapons use by the Assad regime,&quot; Nikki Haley, the&nbsp;United States&#39; UN&nbsp;ambassador, said in a statement.

&quot;The Security Council must send a clear message that the use of chemical weapons by anyone will not be tolerated, and must fully support the work of the impartial investigators.&quot;

The&nbsp;report&nbsp;also said ISIS was to&nbsp;blame&nbsp;for the use of sulphur mustard in the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;town of Umm Hawsh on Sept. 15 and 16, 2016.

The JIM was&nbsp;unanimously created by the 15-member UN&nbsp;Security Council in 2015 and renewed in 2016 for another year. Its mandate is due to expire in mid-November, and Russia on Tuesday vetoed a proposal to further extend its mandate.

Russian ambassador to the UN&nbsp;Vassily Nebenzia said earlier this week Russia would consider revisiting the mandate extension after Thursday&#39;s&nbsp;report&nbsp;is discussed.

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China hopes that the conclusions of any investigation have a basis inconclusive proof and are professional, objective and fair.

&quot;The continuing use of chemical weapons, including by non-State actors, is deeply disturbing,&quot; said the&nbsp;report.

&quot;If such use, in spite of the prohibition by the international community, is not stopped now, a lack of consequences will surely encourage others to follow.&quot;

The JIM has already found&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;government&nbsp;forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015.

Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013&nbsp;under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States. The&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;government&nbsp;has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons during the country&#39;s more than six-year civil war.

The?Syrian?government?of Bashar al-Assad is to?blame?for a chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun?that killed dozens of people, the UN report said

The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad is to blame for a chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun that killed dozens of people last April, according to a report sent to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday. "The Syrian Arab Republic is responsible for the release of sarin at Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April 2017," the report from the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons' Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) said. The attack prompted a US missile strike against a Syrian air base which Washington said was used to launch the strike. "Time and again, we see independent confirmation of chemical weapons use by the Assad regime," Nikki Haley, the United States' UN ambassador, said in a statement. "The Security Council must send a clear message that the use of chemical weapons by anyone will not be tolerated, and must fully support the work of the impartial investigators." The report also said ISIS was to blame for the use of sulphur mustard in the Syrian town of Umm Hawsh on Sept. 15 and 16, 2016. The JIM was unanimously created by the 15-member UN Security Council in 2015 and renewed in 2016 for another year. Its mandate is due to expire in mid-November, and Russia on Tuesday vetoed a proposal to further extend its mandate. Russian ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said earlier this week Russia would consider revisiting the mandate extension after Thursday's report is discussed. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China hopes that the conclusions of any investigation have a basis inconclusive proof and are professional, objective and fair. "The continuing use of chemical weapons, including by non-State actors, is deeply disturbing," said the report. "If such use, in spite of the prohibition by the international community, is not stopped now, a lack of consequences will surely encourage others to follow." The JIM has already found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015. Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States. The Syrian government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons during the country's more than six-year civil war.

Syrian government to blame for April Sarin attack: UN report

The&nbsp;Israeli air force on Monday attacked a&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;anti-aircraft battery that&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;said had&nbsp;fired&nbsp;a missile at&nbsp;its&nbsp;planes&nbsp;as they were on a reconnaissance mission&nbsp;over neighbouring&nbsp;Lebanon.

No&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;planes&nbsp;were hit in the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;launch,&nbsp;Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus said, adding that the counter-strike took place two hours later and &quot;incapacitated&quot; the anti-aircraft&nbsp;unit&nbsp;located 50 km (30 miles) east of Damascus.

&quot;We know according to our intelligence it was a battery controlled by the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;regime and we hold the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;regime responsible for the fire,&quot; Conricus said.

There was no immediate comment from Syria which, while an old enemy of&nbsp;Israel, has rarely traded blows with it directly since a 1974 ceasefire ended their last conventional war.

Monday&#39;s incident was additionally unusual given&nbsp;its&nbsp;publication by&nbsp;Israel, which rarely gives details on&nbsp;its&nbsp;air force activities&nbsp;over&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;and Syria to foil suspected arms transfers to Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas.

Such missions in Syria have increased dramatically during the country&#39;s civil war,&nbsp;Israeli official says, adding that all efforts are made to avoid accidental clashes with Russian forces helping Damascus beat back rebels.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was due to begin a visit to&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;later on Monday. Conricus said the&nbsp;Israeli military informed Russia of&nbsp;its&nbsp;Syria strike &quot;in real time or immediately before&quot; it took place and would brief Shoigu.

Conricus said a&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;attack on&nbsp;Israeli air force&nbsp;planes&nbsp;over&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;was unprecedented.&nbsp;Syrian anti-aircraft missiles were launched at&nbsp;Israeli warplanes&nbsp;over&nbsp;Syria in March. They were unscathed but one of the missiles, on&nbsp;its&nbsp;descent, was intercepted by&nbsp;Israel&#39;s Arrow air defence system.

According to Conricus, the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;battery struck on Monday had carried out the launch against the&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;planes&nbsp;in March.

No?Israeli?planes?were hit in the?Syrian?launch,?Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus said, adding that the counter-strike took place two hours later and "incapacitated" the anti-aircraft?unit?located 50 km (30 miles) east of Damascus

The Israeli air force on Monday attacked a Syrian anti-aircraft battery that Israel said had fired a missile at its planes as they were on a reconnaissance mission over neighbouring Lebanon. No Israeli planes were hit in the Syrian launch, Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus said, adding that the counter-strike took place two hours later and "incapacitated" the anti-aircraft unit located 50 km (30 miles) east of Damascus. "We know according to our intelligence it was a battery controlled by the Syrian regime and we hold the Syrian regime responsible for the fire," Conricus said. There was no immediate comment from Syria which, while an old enemy of Israel, has rarely traded blows with it directly since a 1974 ceasefire ended their last conventional war. Monday's incident was additionally unusual given its publication by Israel, which rarely gives details on its air force activities over Lebanon and Syria to foil suspected arms transfers to Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas. Such missions in Syria have increased dramatically during the country's civil war, Israeli official says, adding that all efforts are made to avoid accidental clashes with Russian forces helping Damascus beat back rebels. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was due to begin a visit to Israel later on Monday. Conricus said the Israeli military informed Russia of its Syria strike "in real time or immediately before" it took place and would brief Shoigu. Conricus said a Syrian attack on Israeli air force planes over Lebanon was unprecedented. Syrian anti-aircraft missiles were launched at Israeli warplanes over Syria in March. They were unscathed but one of the missiles, on its descent, was intercepted by Israel's Arrow air defence system. According to Conricus, the Syrian battery struck on Monday had carried out the launch against the Israeli planes in March.

Israel attacks Syrian?anti-aircraft unit

Three suicide bombers blew themselves up near the main police headquarters building in<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/turkey-deploys-tanks-near-syria-border-5823" target="_blank"> Syria</a>&#39;s capital Damascus on Wednesday, killing at least two people and leaving 10 wounded, the interior ministry said.

Two of the suicide bombers detonated their explosives in front of the police headquarters on Khaled Bin al-Walid street in central Damascus, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by state media.

&quot;The terrorist suicide attackers tried to storm the police command headquarters... The guards opened fire on them, forcing them to blow themselves up before they entered the building and achieved their goals,&quot; it added.

Police surrounded the third attacker behind the building who also blew himself up, the statement said.

The interior ministry said one person had been killed and six injured in the attack.

It was the second time this month that suicide attackers targeted the police in Syria&#39;s capital after at least 17 people were killed in an October 2 attack on a police station in the southern district of Midan.

That attack was claimed by the Islamic State group, which said three of its fighters armed with guns, grenades, and explosives had targeted the station.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday&#39;s attack.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-government-detention-centre-survivor-recalls-torture-beating-12251" target="_blank">Syria since the country&#39;s conflict began in March 2011</a>, with anti-government protests.

The interior ministry said one person had been killed and six injured in the attack

Three suicide bombers blew themselves up near the main police headquarters building in Syria's capital Damascus on Wednesday, killing at least two people and leaving 10 wounded, the interior ministry said. Two of the suicide bombers detonated their explosives in front of the police headquarters on Khaled Bin al-Walid street in central Damascus, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by state media. "The terrorist suicide attackers tried to storm the police command headquarters... The guards opened fire on them, forcing them to blow themselves up before they entered the building and achieved their goals," it added. Police surrounded the third attacker behind the building who also blew himself up, the statement said. The interior ministry said one person had been killed and six injured in the attack. It was the second time this month that suicide attackers targeted the police in Syria's capital after at least 17 people were killed in an October 2 attack on a police station in the southern district of Midan. That attack was claimed by the Islamic State group, which said three of its fighters armed with guns, grenades, and explosives had targeted the station. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday's attack. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the country's conflict began in March 2011, with anti-government protests.

Triple suicide attack near Damascus police HQ: Ministry

Syria&nbsp;coach&nbsp;Ayman Hakeem has backed his heavily&nbsp;depleted&nbsp;squad&nbsp;to continue&nbsp;the war-ravaged nation&#39;s unlikely march towards a maiden World Cup finals appearance when they take on Australia in the second leg of the Asian qualifying playoff on Tuesday.

Hakeem believes the fairytale&nbsp;run&nbsp;towards a place in Russia has illustrated the underlying unity of a nation bitterly divided by civil war and trusts his players to take another step towards the goal against at Sydney&#39;s Olympic stadium.

The odds were stacked against the&nbsp;Syrians throughout the third round of Asian qualifying but, despite having to play their &#39;home&#39;&nbsp;matches in Malaysia because of security concerns in&nbsp;Syria, they managed to battle into the playoff.

A penalty five minutes from the end of the first leg last week earned them a 1-1 draw and a high-scoring draw or a win on Tuesday would secure an intercontinental playoff against the fourth-placed team in North and Central American qualifying.

Already without key centre-backs&nbsp;Ahmad Al Salih and Omar Midani because of injury, though, Hakeem has now lost defender Hadi Al Masri, midfielder Khaled Mobayed and striker Omar Khribin to suspension for the second leg.

His defence has been particularly badly hit but Hakeem believes the never-say-die attitude his team have shown throughout qualifying will enable them to hold out the Asian champions.

&quot;We&#39;ve faced many obstacles from the start,&quot; he told reporters on Monday.

&quot;Five key players is a big loss for us but we trust the players we have. The players have had to fight all the way through qualifying and they believe in themselves. We&#39;re looking forward to tomorrow.&quot;

Hakeem said he had not decided yet whether to give an international debut to Swedish-born defender Gabriel Somi in the match and expects another tough tussle with the Socceroos.

&quot;The game in Malaysia was the first half and tomorrow will be the second half,&quot; he added. &quot;Both teams know each other well and there will be no surprises.&quot;

The visitors are expecting support from as many as 15,000 of Australia&#39;s&nbsp;Syrian and wider Arab community at the Olympic stadium and Hakeem said they had the backing of the entire nation back home.

&quot;All&nbsp;Syrians are behind the national team,&quot; he said. &quot;The&nbsp;Syrian national team has shown to all nations that&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;is one and there is no divide among any groups. And that&#39;s the message being sent through the&nbsp;Syrian national team.&quot;

Syria coach Ayman Hakeem believes the fairytale?run?towards a place in Russia has illustrated the underlying unity of a nation bitterly divided by civil war and trusts his players to take another step towards the goal against at Sydney's Olympic stadium

Syria coach Ayman Hakeem has backed his heavily depleted squad to continue the war-ravaged nation's unlikely march towards a maiden World Cup finals appearance when they take on Australia in the second leg of the Asian qualifying playoff on Tuesday. Hakeem believes the fairytale run towards a place in Russia has illustrated the underlying unity of a nation bitterly divided by civil war and trusts his players to take another step towards the goal against at Sydney's Olympic stadium. The odds were stacked against the Syrians throughout the third round of Asian qualifying but, despite having to play their 'home' matches in Malaysia because of security concerns in Syria, they managed to battle into the playoff. A penalty five minutes from the end of the first leg last week earned them a 1-1 draw and a high-scoring draw or a win on Tuesday would secure an intercontinental playoff against the fourth-placed team in North and Central American qualifying. Already without key centre-backs Ahmad Al Salih and Omar Midani because of injury, though, Hakeem has now lost defender Hadi Al Masri, midfielder Khaled Mobayed and striker Omar Khribin to suspension for the second leg. His defence has been particularly badly hit but Hakeem believes the never-say-die attitude his team have shown throughout qualifying will enable them to hold out the Asian champions. "We've faced many obstacles from the start," he told reporters on Monday. "Five key players is a big loss for us but we trust the players we have. The players have had to fight all the way through qualifying and they believe in themselves. We're looking forward to tomorrow." Hakeem said he had not decided yet whether to give an international debut to Swedish-born defender Gabriel Somi in the match and expects another tough tussle with the Socceroos. "The game in Malaysia was the first half and tomorrow will be the second half," he added. "Both teams know each other well and there will be no surprises." The visitors are expecting support from as many as 15,000 of Australia's Syrian and wider Arab community at the Olympic stadium and Hakeem said they had the backing of the entire nation back home. "All Syrians are behind the national team," he said. "The Syrian national team has shown to all nations that Syria is one and there is no divide among any groups. And that's the message being sent through the Syrian national team."

World Cup qualifier: Syrian coach backs depleted squad against Australia

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-strikes-in-syrias-idlib-kill-27-civilians-monitor-20644" target="_blank">A double suicide bomb attack hit a police station in Syria&#39;s</a> capital Damascus on Monday, state media said, with a monitor saying at least 16 people were killed.

Damascus has been largely insulated from the worst of the violence during the country&#39;s brutal six-year war, but <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/air-strike-kills-19-civilians-near-syrias-deir-ezzor-city-syrian-army-reinforcements-arrives-20096" target="_blank">several bomb attacks have shaken the city</a>.

Syria&#39;s interior ministry said two suicide bombers had blown themselves up at the police station in the southern district of Midan, leading to the &quot;deaths of a number of civilians and a number of policemen&quot;.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said at least 16 people were killed in the attack, among them eight police officers, revising an earlier death toll of 11.

The monitor also reported that a car bomb had been detonated during the attack, but state media made no mention of a third blast.

Interior Minister Mohammed Shaar told reporters that one of the attackers had managed to enter the police station and reach the first floor of the building.

State television showed images of damage from inside the building, with a black police uniform shirt covered in dust lying in the rubble of partially collapsed walls.

The entire front of one room on the first floor had been blown out by the explosion, and inside what remained, twisted bits of metal were scattered across the rubble.

Policemen carried one body away from the scene wrapped in a white tarpaulin.

Manal, a 28-year-old teacher living in Midan, said she heard at least two blasts on Monday afternoon.

&quot;I was coming back from work when I heard the sound of an explosion, it was around 2:30 pm, I didn&#39;t know what it was, and then there was another explosion a few minutes later and buildings shook,&quot; she told AFP.

&quot;Afterwards I heard gunfire, which usually happens to get people to move out of the way and clear the road so ambulances can get through to retrieve the injured,&quot; she added.

Damascus has also been rocked by occasional bomb blasts throughout the Syrian conflict, including previous attacks on Midan, a middle-class residential and shopping district.

In December 2016, three police officers were wounded when a seven-year-old girl walked into the neighbourhood&#39;s police station wearing an explosive belt that was remotely detonated.

Rebel groups have been gradually expelled from territory in the capital they once held, though they maintain a presence in a handful of positions, including the Jobar neighbourhood.

They also hold territory in the Eastern Ghouta region outside the capital and have regularly launched rockets into the city.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict began with protests that were met with a harsh government crackdown.

A wide array of international players have been drawn in on both sides, with the government relying on allies including Iran, Russia and the powerful Hezbollah militia from neighbouring Lebanon.

Ten Hezbollah members were killed on Monday in a suspected drone strike in the Badiya desert region in the central province of Homs, the Observatory reported, revising an earlier toll of at least eight.

The unidentified strike came near the town of Sukhna in a region where Syria&#39;s government and allied fighters are battling the Islamic State jihadist group.

16 people killed in the suicide attack among them were eight police officers said a Britain-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

A double suicide bomb attack hit a police station in Syria's capital Damascus on Monday, state media said, with a monitor saying at least 16 people were killed. Damascus has been largely insulated from the worst of the violence during the country's brutal six-year war, but several bomb attacks have shaken the city. Syria's interior ministry said two suicide bombers had blown themselves up at the police station in the southern district of Midan, leading to the "deaths of a number of civilians and a number of policemen". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said at least 16 people were killed in the attack, among them eight police officers, revising an earlier death toll of 11. The monitor also reported that a car bomb had been detonated during the attack, but state media made no mention of a third blast. Interior Minister Mohammed Shaar told reporters that one of the attackers had managed to enter the police station and reach the first floor of the building. State television showed images of damage from inside the building, with a black police uniform shirt covered in dust lying in the rubble of partially collapsed walls. The entire front of one room on the first floor had been blown out by the explosion, and inside what remained, twisted bits of metal were scattered across the rubble. Policemen carried one body away from the scene wrapped in a white tarpaulin. Manal, a 28-year-old teacher living in Midan, said she heard at least two blasts on Monday afternoon. "I was coming back from work when I heard the sound of an explosion, it was around 2:30 pm, I didn't know what it was, and then there was another explosion a few minutes later and buildings shook," she told AFP. "Afterwards I heard gunfire, which usually happens to get people to move out of the way and clear the road so ambulances can get through to retrieve the injured," she added. Damascus has also been rocked by occasional bomb blasts throughout the Syrian conflict, including previous attacks on Midan, a middle-class residential and shopping district. In December 2016, three police officers were wounded when a seven-year-old girl walked into the neighbourhood's police station wearing an explosive belt that was remotely detonated. Rebel groups have been gradually expelled from territory in the capital they once held, though they maintain a presence in a handful of positions, including the Jobar neighbourhood. They also hold territory in the Eastern Ghouta region outside the capital and have regularly launched rockets into the city. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict began with protests that were met with a harsh government crackdown. A wide array of international players have been drawn in on both sides, with the government relying on allies including Iran, Russia and the powerful Hezbollah militia from neighbouring Lebanon. Ten Hezbollah members were killed on Monday in a suspected drone strike in the Badiya desert region in the central province of Homs, the Observatory reported, revising an earlier toll of at least eight. The unidentified strike came near the town of Sukhna in a region where Syria's government and allied fighters are battling the Islamic State jihadist group.

Suicide bombings in Damascus, at least 16 dead

The UK has claimed that it has succeeded in crippling the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist network with over 1,600 air strikes in Iraq and Syria in the past three years.

The country&#39;s Ministry of Defence (MoD) marked the third anniversary since the British Parliament voted to begin air strikes on the terror group in September 2014, by releasing details of successes as part of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition.

The UK has carried out 1,340 <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-strikes-in-syrias-idlib-kill-27-civilians-monitor-20644" target="_blank">airstrikes</a> in Iraq and 262 in Syria in the last three years.

It also revealed that Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft destroyed 17 targets in Syria in a single day last week as the air campaign intensifies, forcing ISIS to &quot;splinter and retreat&quot; from areas it once ruled.

The MoD claimed that the &quot;barbaric cult&quot; are being pinned down by the RAF in their former stronghold of Raqqa and have lost territory, finances, leaders and fighters over the three-year-long campaign.

&quot;Britain has made a major contribution to the campaign that has crippled Daesh (ISIS) since 2014, forcing this miserable cult from the gates of Baghdad to the brink of defeat in Raqqa.

&quot;By air, land and sea, UK personnel have played a tireless role in striking targets and training allies,&quot; UK defence secretary Michael Fallon said.

The UK is the second-largest contributor to the global coalition&#39;s military campaign and has flown more than 8,000 sorties with Tornado and Typhoon jets and Reaper drones, providing strikes, surveillance and reconnaissance, refuelling and transport support, he noted.

Since 2014, the UK has been bombarding targets, including heavy machine-gun positions, truck-bombs, mortar teams, snipers and weapons stores from Raqqa and

Dayr az Zawr in Syria to Qayyarah and Al Qaim in Iraq.

&quot;This has been an immense effort by RAF airmen and airwomen over the last three years of continued operations, countering Daesh (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria,&quot; UK Air Chief Marshal Stephen Hillier said.

As part of the details of the war against ISIS, the MoD highlighted that three years ago the network demanding a so-called Islamic Caliphate was barely an hour from the gates of Baghdad in Iraq.

&quot;But today, it has lost more than 73 per cent of the territory it occupied in Iraq and 65 per cent of its former territory in Syria,&quot; the MoD said.

The RAF&#39;s role has included helping Syrian Democratic Forces engaged in ground close combat and the Iraqi Security Forces who continue their advance having liberated Mosul and Ninewah province.

More than 5.5 million people have reportedly been freed from ISIS rule and over 2 million displaced Iraqi civilians have returned to their homes.

In the Iraqi city of Mosul, it is estimated that over 265,000 people have returned.

On the ground, around 600 British soldiers remain in Iraq to train the country&#39;s forces.

UK troops have so far helped train over 58,000 Iraqi Security Forces in battle winning infantry, counter improvised explosive device (IED), engineering and combat medical skills, the MoD states.

The UK said its involvement from all three services, the Army, Air Force and Navy, to the fight against ISIS across the region now numbers just over 1,400 military personnel.&nbsp;

The UK has carried out 1,340 air strikes in Iraq and 262 in Syria in the last three years

The UK has claimed that it has succeeded in crippling the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist network with over 1,600 air strikes in Iraq and Syria in the past three years. The country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) marked the third anniversary since the British Parliament voted to begin air strikes on the terror group in September 2014, by releasing details of successes as part of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition. The UK has carried out 1,340 airstrikes in Iraq and 262 in Syria in the last three years. It also revealed that Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft destroyed 17 targets in Syria in a single day last week as the air campaign intensifies, forcing ISIS to "splinter and retreat" from areas it once ruled. The MoD claimed that the "barbaric cult" are being pinned down by the RAF in their former stronghold of Raqqa and have lost territory, finances, leaders and fighters over the three-year-long campaign. "Britain has made a major contribution to the campaign that has crippled Daesh (ISIS) since 2014, forcing this miserable cult from the gates of Baghdad to the brink of defeat in Raqqa. "By air, land and sea, UK personnel have played a tireless role in striking targets and training allies," UK defence secretary Michael Fallon said. The UK is the second-largest contributor to the global coalition's military campaign and has flown more than 8,000 sorties with Tornado and Typhoon jets and Reaper drones, providing strikes, surveillance and reconnaissance, refuelling and transport support, he noted. Since 2014, the UK has been bombarding targets, including heavy machine-gun positions, truck-bombs, mortar teams, snipers and weapons stores from Raqqa and Dayr az Zawr in Syria to Qayyarah and Al Qaim in Iraq. "This has been an immense effort by RAF airmen and airwomen over the last three years of continued operations, countering Daesh (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria," UK Air Chief Marshal Stephen Hillier said. As part of the details of the war against ISIS, the MoD highlighted that three years ago the network demanding a so-called Islamic Caliphate was barely an hour from the gates of Baghdad in Iraq. "But today, it has lost more than 73 per cent of the territory it occupied in Iraq and 65 per cent of its former territory in Syria," the MoD said. The RAF's role has included helping Syrian Democratic Forces engaged in ground close combat and the Iraqi Security Forces who continue their advance having liberated Mosul and Ninewah province. More than 5.5 million people have reportedly been freed from ISIS rule and over 2 million displaced Iraqi civilians have returned to their homes. In the Iraqi city of Mosul, it is estimated that over 265,000 people have returned. On the ground, around 600 British soldiers remain in Iraq to train the country's forces. UK troops have so far helped train over 58,000 Iraqi Security Forces in battle winning infantry, counter improvised explosive device (IED), engineering and combat medical skills, the MoD states. The UK said its involvement from all three services, the Army, Air Force and Navy, to the fight against ISIS across the region now numbers just over 1,400 military personnel.

ISIS 'crippled' in Iraq, Syria with 1,600 air strikes: UK

&nbsp;

Russian air strikes in Syria&#39;s Idlib on Monday killed&nbsp;27 civilians, said a United Kingdom-based monitor.&nbsp;

The air strike was in northwest Syria&#39;s mainly jihadist-controlled province of Idlib, marking the highest civilian death toll ever since the region was designated in May as one of Syria&#39;s de-escalated zones, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.&nbsp;

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told news agency, AFP, &quot;The air raids struck several locations and villages in the Jisr al-Shughur area of the province bordering Turkey, leaving 27 dead among civilians, 10 of them children&quot;.&nbsp;

Idlib province has been the target of heavy air strikes for the past two weeks by the regime and Russian allies after several months of calm.&nbsp;

The neighbouring Hama province in Syria, following a jihadist assault, has also been covered by the de-escalation accord for Syria&#39;s war costing more than 330,000 lives since 2011.&nbsp;

The region was marked as one of Syria's de-escalated zone in May

Russian air strikes in Syria's Idlib on Monday killed 27 civilians, said a United Kingdom-based monitor. The air strike was in northwest Syria's mainly jihadist-controlled province of Idlib, marking the highest civilian death toll ever since the region was designated in May as one of Syria's de-escalated zones, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told news agency, AFP, "The air raids struck several locations and villages in the Jisr al-Shughur area of the province bordering Turkey, leaving 27 dead among civilians, 10 of them children". Idlib province has been the target of heavy air strikes for the past two weeks by the regime and Russian allies after several months of calm. The neighbouring Hama province in Syria, following a jihadist assault, has also been covered by the de-escalation accord for Syria's war costing more than 330,000 lives since 2011.

27 civilians dead in Russian strikes in Syria's Idlib: UK-based monitor

Iraq&#39;s parliament voted on Tuesday to reject an Iraqi Kurdish independence referendum planned for Sept. 25, authorising the prime minister to take all measures to preserve Iraq&#39;s unity, a lawmaker said.

&quot;Kurdish lawmakers walked out of the session but the decision to reject the referendum was passed by a majority,&quot; Mohammed al-Karbouli said.

Kurdish lawmaker Majid Shingali said Kurds would reject the decision.

&quot;This decision has no value and we will not implement it,&quot; he told Reuters.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi&rsquo;s government had previously rejected the referendum as unilateral and unconstitutional.

The United States and other Western nations fear the September vote in Iraqi Kurdistan could ignite a new conflict with Baghdad and possibly neighboring countries, diverting attention from the war against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

Turkey, along with Iraq, Iran and Syria, also opposes the idea of Iraqi Kurdish independence, fearing separatism could spread to their own Kurdish populations.

Kurds have sought an independent state since at least the end of World War I, when colonial powers divided up the Middle East and left Kurdish-populated territory split between modern-day Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

"Kurdish lawmakers walked out of the session but the decision to reject the referendum was passed by a majority," Mohammed al-Karbouli said.

Iraq's parliament voted on Tuesday to reject an Iraqi Kurdish independence referendum planned for Sept. 25, authorising the prime minister to take all measures to preserve Iraq's unity, a lawmaker said. "Kurdish lawmakers walked out of the session but the decision to reject the referendum was passed by a majority," Mohammed al-Karbouli said. Kurdish lawmaker Majid Shingali said Kurds would reject the decision. "This decision has no value and we will not implement it," he told Reuters. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s government had previously rejected the referendum as unilateral and unconstitutional. The United States and other Western nations fear the September vote in Iraqi Kurdistan could ignite a new conflict with Baghdad and possibly neighboring countries, diverting attention from the war against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. Turkey, along with Iraq, Iran and Syria, also opposes the idea of Iraqi Kurdish independence, fearing separatism could spread to their own Kurdish populations. Kurds have sought an independent state since at least the end of World War I, when colonial powers divided up the Middle East and left Kurdish-populated territory split between modern-day Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Iraqi parliament rejects Iraqi Kurdish referendum

Syrian army reinforcements arrived in Deir Ezzor Monday for a new push against the Islamic State group, as the second day of suspected Russian strikes killed 19 civilians in the area.

Deir Ezzor city is the capital of the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor, regarded as a strategic prize by both Russian-backed Syrian troops and US-backed fighters.

Regime forces have scored major advances in recent days, breaking a pair of IS sieges on the city and capturing territory around it.

The advances have been accompanied by deadly air strikes, with a monitor saying 19 civilians were killed Monday in suspected Russian air raids northwest of the city.

The strikes come a day after the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russian strikes killed 34 civilians southeast of the city, as they fled across the Euphrates River.

The latest air raids hit the IS-held village of Al-Khrayta, 14 kilometres (nine miles) outside Deir Ezzor city.

Two sets of strikes 30 minutes apart hit civilians sheltering in tents along the Euphrates and boats on the river, the monitor said.

They come as the Syrian army prepares to push into the eastern IS-held part of Deir Ezzor city, according to the Observatory.

&quot;Huge military reinforcements, including equipment, vehicles and fighters have arrived in Deir Ezzor ahead of an attack to push Daesh from the city&#39;s eastern neighbourhoods,&quot; said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

&quot;Russian and Syrian regime warplanes are striking IS positions in the city and its outskirts,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

Since 2014, IS has controlled most of Deir Ezzor city and the surrounding province, which borders territory the jihadists hold in Iraq.

The remaining 40 percent of the city still held by the government -- and home to around 100,000 civilians -- was under crippling IS siege.

Backed by Russian air power, government troops have breached IS&#39;s sieges captured the strategic Jabal Thardah region and expanded their control to half of Deir Ezzor city.

Moscow intervened in Syria in September 2015 in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad.

Fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday announced a separate offensive to capture IS territory east of the Euphrates river, which slices diagonally across Deir Ezzor province.

By Monday, the SDF&#39;s Deir Ezzor Military Council (DEMC) had seized much of the province&#39;s northeast and were just a few kilometres (miles) away from the river.

Abdel Rahman said they had advanced to six kilometres (four miles) from its eastern banks, at a point across the river from Deir Ezzor city.

Colonel Ryan Dillon, the spokesman for the US-led coalition backing the SDF, said the militia had made &quot;significant gains&quot;, capturing around 250 square kilometres (96 square miles) since the operation began.

The SDF, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters, is also battling IS in the jihadists&#39; de facto capital Raqa with backing from the US-led air coalition.

Although the SDF has yet to reach Deir Ezzor city itself, tribal figures affiliated with the alliance said they were laying the groundwork for governing the city after IS&#39;s defeat.

The statement, published by the SDF&#39;s media council, announced the establishment of &quot;a preparatory committee that will discuss the basis and starting points for a civil Council for Deir Ezzor&quot;.

According to the statement, consultations would aim to reach a &quot;formulation that will express the aspirations of all our people in Deir Ezzor&quot;.

The Deir Ezzor Civil Council &quot;will be responsible for running the city immediately after its liberation&quot;.

It made no mention of regime forces and did not say whether the civil council would coordinate with, or rival, government authorities.

The SDF has said its assault in Deir Ezzor province is not in coordination with Russian or regime forces.

But the coalition, the SDF, Syria&#39;s government and Russia have agreed on a &quot;de-confliction line&quot; in northeastern Syria to prevent the two offensives from clashing.

Aaron Stein, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council&#39;s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, said he did not expect the SDF to enter Deir Ezzor city.

But, he added, &quot;the SDF is now racing. The SDF is in a race with the regime.&quot;

&quot;The regime forced everyone&#39;s hand. They moved faster than expected up the river, so things started to move.&quot;

Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in 2011 with protests calling for Assad&#39;s ouster, but it has since evolved into a complex war drawing in world powers.

More than 330,000 people have been killed and millions have been forced to flee their homes.

Strikes comes after a day when Russian strikes killed 34 civilians southeast of the city

Syrian army reinforcements arrived in Deir Ezzor Monday for a new push against the Islamic State group, as the second day of suspected Russian strikes killed 19 civilians in the area. Deir Ezzor city is the capital of the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor, regarded as a strategic prize by both Russian-backed Syrian troops and US-backed fighters. Regime forces have scored major advances in recent days, breaking a pair of IS sieges on the city and capturing territory around it. The advances have been accompanied by deadly air strikes, with a monitor saying 19 civilians were killed Monday in suspected Russian air raids northwest of the city. The strikes come a day after the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russian strikes killed 34 civilians southeast of the city, as they fled across the Euphrates River. The latest air raids hit the IS-held village of Al-Khrayta, 14 kilometres (nine miles) outside Deir Ezzor city. Two sets of strikes 30 minutes apart hit civilians sheltering in tents along the Euphrates and boats on the river, the monitor said. They come as the Syrian army prepares to push into the eastern IS-held part of Deir Ezzor city, according to the Observatory. "Huge military reinforcements, including equipment, vehicles and fighters have arrived in Deir Ezzor ahead of an attack to push Daesh from the city's eastern neighbourhoods," said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, using an Arabic acronym for IS. "Russian and Syrian regime warplanes are striking IS positions in the city and its outskirts," he added. Since 2014, IS has controlled most of Deir Ezzor city and the surrounding province, which borders territory the jihadists hold in Iraq. The remaining 40 percent of the city still held by the government -- and home to around 100,000 civilians -- was under crippling IS siege. Backed by Russian air power, government troops have breached IS's sieges captured the strategic Jabal Thardah region and expanded their control to half of Deir Ezzor city. Moscow intervened in Syria in September 2015 in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad. Fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday announced a separate offensive to capture IS territory east of the Euphrates river, which slices diagonally across Deir Ezzor province. By Monday, the SDF's Deir Ezzor Military Council (DEMC) had seized much of the province's northeast and were just a few kilometres (miles) away from the river. Abdel Rahman said they had advanced to six kilometres (four miles) from its eastern banks, at a point across the river from Deir Ezzor city. Colonel Ryan Dillon, the spokesman for the US-led coalition backing the SDF, said the militia had made "significant gains", capturing around 250 square kilometres (96 square miles) since the operation began. The SDF, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters, is also battling IS in the jihadists' de facto capital Raqa with backing from the US-led air coalition. Although the SDF has yet to reach Deir Ezzor city itself, tribal figures affiliated with the alliance said they were laying the groundwork for governing the city after IS's defeat. The statement, published by the SDF's media council, announced the establishment of "a preparatory committee that will discuss the basis and starting points for a civil Council for Deir Ezzor". According to the statement, consultations would aim to reach a "formulation that will express the aspirations of all our people in Deir Ezzor". The Deir Ezzor Civil Council "will be responsible for running the city immediately after its liberation". It made no mention of regime forces and did not say whether the civil council would coordinate with, or rival, government authorities. The SDF has said its assault in Deir Ezzor province is not in coordination with Russian or regime forces. But the coalition, the SDF, Syria's government and Russia have agreed on a "de-confliction line" in northeastern Syria to prevent the two offensives from clashing. Aaron Stein, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, said he did not expect the SDF to enter Deir Ezzor city. But, he added, "the SDF is now racing. The SDF is in a race with the regime." "The regime forced everyone's hand. They moved faster than expected up the river, so things started to move." Syria's conflict erupted in 2011 with protests calling for Assad's ouster, but it has since evolved into a complex war drawing in world powers. More than 330,000 people have been killed and millions have been forced to flee their homes.

Air strike kills 19 civilians near Syria's Deir Ezzor city

The Syrian Army said Thursday that Israeli warplanes had hit a military site in Hama province in the country&#39;s west.&nbsp;

The Syrian Army said two soldiers had died in the attack and that the strike had done damage near the town of Masyaf.&nbsp;

&quot;Israeli warplanes at 2:42am today fired a number of missiles from Lebanese air space, targeting one of our military positions near Masyaf, which led to material damage and the deaths of two members of the site,&quot; AFP reported the Syrian Army as saying in a statement.&nbsp;

Reuters reported the war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying the strike hit a Scientific Studies and Research Centre facility, an agency which the United States describes as Syria&#39;s chemical weapons manufacturer.

Reuters added that the strike took place the morning after UN investigators said the Syrian government was responsible for a sarin poison gas attack in April.

Reuters said an Israeli army spokeswoman refused to discuss the reported strike.&nbsp;

But that Israeli officials have in the past admitted to Israel hitting weapons shipments believed to be bound for Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Reuters added that in an interview to Haaretz last month, former Israeli air force chief Amir Eshel said Israel had struck Syrian and Hezbollah arms convoys nearly 100 times in the past five years.

It added that Israel sees a red line in the shipment to Hezbollah of anti-aircraft missiles, precision ground-ground missiles and non-conventional (chemical) weapons.

The Syrian Army said Thursday that Israeli warplanes had hit a military site in Hama province in the country's west. The Syrian Army said two soldiers had died in the attack and that the strike had done damage near the town of Masyaf. "Israeli warplanes at 2:42am today fired a number of missiles from Lebanese air space, targeting one of our military positions near Masyaf, which led to material damage and the deaths of two members of the site," AFP reported the Syrian Army as saying in a statement. Reuters reported the war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying the strike hit a Scientific Studies and Research Centre facility, an agency which the United States describes as Syria's chemical weapons manufacturer. Reuters added that the strike took place the morning after UN investigators said the Syrian government was responsible for a sarin poison gas attack in April. Reuters said an Israeli army spokeswoman refused to discuss the reported strike. But that Israeli officials have in the past admitted to Israel hitting weapons shipments believed to be bound for Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Reuters added that in an interview to Haaretz last month, former Israeli air force chief Amir Eshel said Israel had struck Syrian and Hezbollah arms convoys nearly 100 times in the past five years. It added that Israel sees a red line in the shipment to Hezbollah of anti-aircraft missiles, precision ground-ground missiles and non-conventional (chemical) weapons.

Israeli warplanes hit military facility, says Syrian Army

Israeli <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-led-strikes-on-raqqa-killed-42-civilians-monitor-19304">warplanes targeted a Syria</a>n military position in Hama province early on Thursday from Lebanese airspace, killing two people and causing material damage, the Syrian army general command said in a statement.

The army statement said it took place near the town of Masyaf and warned against the &quot;dangerous repercussions of this aggressive action to the security and stability of the region&quot;.

An Israeli army spokeswoman earlier declined to discuss reports of a strike in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/enough-evidence-to-convict-syrias-assad-of-war-crimes-un-commission-18940">Syria</a>, saying the army does not comment on operational matters.

Israeli officials have in the past admitted that Israel has attacked weapons shipments bound for Lebanon&#39;s Iran-backed Hezbollah group, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, without specifying which ones.

Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence, tweeted that the reported attack was not routine and targeted a Syrian military scientific centre.

&quot;The facility at Masyaf also produces chemical weapons and explosive barrels that have killed thousands of Syrian civilians,&quot; Yadlin said in the tweet.

There was no independent confirmation that this was the target but the United Nations has said in the past that the Syrian government has carried out chemical weapons attacks, which Damascus denies.

Israeli officials have also previously said that Israel and Russia, another Assad ally, maintain regular contacts to coordinate military action in Syria.

Jets flying over Lebanon overnight broke the sound barrier and Lebanese media reported that some Israeli jets had breached Lebanese airspace.

The air strike has killed two people and caused material damage, the Syrian army general command said

Israeli warplanes targeted a Syrian military position in Hama province early on Thursday from Lebanese airspace, killing two people and causing material damage, the Syrian army general command said in a statement. The army statement said it took place near the town of Masyaf and warned against the "dangerous repercussions of this aggressive action to the security and stability of the region". An Israeli army spokeswoman earlier declined to discuss reports of a strike in Syria, saying the army does not comment on operational matters. Israeli officials have in the past admitted that Israel has attacked weapons shipments bound for Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, without specifying which ones. Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence, tweeted that the reported attack was not routine and targeted a Syrian military scientific centre. "The facility at Masyaf also produces chemical weapons and explosive barrels that have killed thousands of Syrian civilians," Yadlin said in the tweet. There was no independent confirmation that this was the target but the United Nations has said in the past that the Syrian government has carried out chemical weapons attacks, which Damascus denies. Israeli officials have also previously said that Israel and Russia, another Assad ally, maintain regular contacts to coordinate military action in Syria. Jets flying over Lebanon overnight broke the sound barrier and Lebanese media reported that some Israeli jets had breached Lebanese airspace.

Israeli planes strike Syria's Hama province

The United States-led coalition carried out an air-strikes on Wednesday to block Islamic State group fighters evacuated from&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;from reaching eastern Syria, its spokesman told AFP.

Hundreds of IS fighters and civilians were evacuated on Monday from the border region between&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;and Syria under a ceasefire deal and were headed to an IS-held town near Syria&#39;s eastern frontier with Iraq.&nbsp;

&quot;To prevent the convoy from moving further east, we cratered the road and destroyed a small bridge,&quot; said coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon, without providing further details on the exact location.

&quot;IS is a global threat; relocating terrorists from one place to another for someone else to deal with is not a lasting solution,&quot; he added.

The evacuation deal was negotiated between IS and powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has intervened in the war in neighbouring Syria to prop up the Damascus government.

Hezbollah had fought a week-long offensive against IS on the Syrian side of the border with&nbsp;Lebanon, coinciding with a simultaneous assault by Lebanese troops on their side of the frontier.&nbsp;

The battles ended Sunday with the announcement of a deal that would see IS forces bussed hundreds of kilometres (miles) from Syria&#39;s western border with&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;to its eastern frontier with Iraq.

Jihadists and civilians, including children, left the border region two days ago, but on Wednesday their buses were still held up at the entrance to Deir Ezzor province.&nbsp;

&quot;We know and understand that there are civilians&quot; aboard the buses, Dillon said.

&quot;If we are able to strike them without harming civilians, then we will do so,&quot; he said, adding that the coalition was monitoring the convoy&#39;s movement in real time.

Asked whether the presence of civilians had prompted the coalition to bomb the road instead of the convoy itself, Dillon said that would be &#39;consistent&#39; with the protocol.

&#39;Killed on the battlefield&#39;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that there was a delay in the buses reaching Deir Ezzor province but did not specify why.&nbsp;

Syrian military sources reached by AFP declined to comment.

The evacuation agreement had sparked a furious reaction from the United States, which considers Hezbollah to be a &quot;terrorist&quot; organisation.&nbsp;

&quot;Irreconcilable ISIS terrorists should be killed on the battlefield, not bused across Syria to the Iraqi border without Iraq&#39;s consent,&quot; US presidential envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk said Wednesday.&nbsp;

&quot;Our coalition will help ensure that these terrorists can never enter Iraq or escape from what remains of their dwindling &#39;caliphate&#39;,&quot; he wrote on Twitter.

It was also met with outrage in Iraq, with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi describing it as &quot;unacceptable&quot; and an &quot;insult to the Iraqi people&quot;.&nbsp;

Iraqi forces, who reseized the second city Mosul from IS in July after a nine-month battle, are fighting the last pocket of jihadists in the northern province of Nineveh.

The deal was even controversial in&nbsp;Lebanon, where opponents were angry that IS fighters were travelling &quot;on air-conditioned buses&quot; after having been suspected of killing Lebanese troops.

On Wednesday,&nbsp;Lebanon&#39;s president and the chief of the army hailed the &quot;victory&quot; scored against IS in the campaign.

&quot;Today, we are announcing&nbsp;Lebanon&#39;s victory against terrorism. I dedicate this victory to all Lebanese, who can be proud of their army,&quot; President Michel Aoun said at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut.

After Sunday&#39;s deal, IS fighters who had surrendered led Lebanese authorities to human remains believed to belong to Lebanese soldiers kidnapped by IS in 2014.

The Lebanese army had called the fate of the soldiers a &quot;top concern&quot; in its weeklong offensive against IS.

IS fighters and civilians evacuated on Monday from the border region between?Lebanon?and Syria

The United States-led coalition carried out an air-strikes on Wednesday to block Islamic State group fighters evacuated from Lebanon from reaching eastern Syria, its spokesman told AFP. Hundreds of IS fighters and civilians were evacuated on Monday from the border region between Lebanon and Syria under a ceasefire deal and were headed to an IS-held town near Syria's eastern frontier with Iraq. "To prevent the convoy from moving further east, we cratered the road and destroyed a small bridge," said coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon, without providing further details on the exact location. "IS is a global threat; relocating terrorists from one place to another for someone else to deal with is not a lasting solution," he added. The evacuation deal was negotiated between IS and powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has intervened in the war in neighbouring Syria to prop up the Damascus government. Hezbollah had fought a week-long offensive against IS on the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon, coinciding with a simultaneous assault by Lebanese troops on their side of the frontier. The battles ended Sunday with the announcement of a deal that would see IS forces bussed hundreds of kilometres (miles) from Syria's western border with Lebanon to its eastern frontier with Iraq. Jihadists and civilians, including children, left the border region two days ago, but on Wednesday their buses were still held up at the entrance to Deir Ezzor province. "We know and understand that there are civilians" aboard the buses, Dillon said. "If we are able to strike them without harming civilians, then we will do so," he said, adding that the coalition was monitoring the convoy's movement in real time. Asked whether the presence of civilians had prompted the coalition to bomb the road instead of the convoy itself, Dillon said that would be 'consistent' with the protocol. 'Killed on the battlefield' The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that there was a delay in the buses reaching Deir Ezzor province but did not specify why. Syrian military sources reached by AFP declined to comment. The evacuation agreement had sparked a furious reaction from the United States, which considers Hezbollah to be a "terrorist" organisation. "Irreconcilable ISIS terrorists should be killed on the battlefield, not bused across Syria to the Iraqi border without Iraq's consent," US presidential envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk said Wednesday. "Our coalition will help ensure that these terrorists can never enter Iraq or escape from what remains of their dwindling 'caliphate'," he wrote on Twitter. It was also met with outrage in Iraq, with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi describing it as "unacceptable" and an "insult to the Iraqi people". Iraqi forces, who reseized the second city Mosul from IS in July after a nine-month battle, are fighting the last pocket of jihadists in the northern province of Nineveh. The deal was even controversial in Lebanon, where opponents were angry that IS fighters were travelling "on air-conditioned buses" after having been suspected of killing Lebanese troops. On Wednesday, Lebanon's president and the chief of the army hailed the "victory" scored against IS in the campaign. "Today, we are announcing Lebanon's victory against terrorism. I dedicate this victory to all Lebanese, who can be proud of their army," President Michel Aoun said at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut. After Sunday's deal, IS fighters who had surrendered led Lebanese authorities to human remains believed to belong to Lebanese soldiers kidnapped by IS in 2014. The Lebanese army had called the fate of the soldiers a "top concern" in its weeklong offensive against IS.

Lebanon: US-led coalition carry out air-strikes to block Islamic State fighters

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