&nbsp;Terrorists attacked Russian embassy in Syria&#39;s capital Damascus, media reports said.

Russia&#39;s foreign ministry said that its embassy compound in Damascus came under mortar fire from &quot;terrorist groups of fighters&quot;, causing no casualties.

&quot;Two shells fell on the grounds of the Russian diplomatic mission and two more exploded just outside the perimeter,&quot; Moscow said, causing slight damage but not injuring anyone.

The ministry said that &quot;we decisively condemn terrorist attacks against the Russian diplomatic mission in Damascus,&quot; following a number of recent incidents.

Russia also said the embassy had come under mortar fire on two separate days in February. Russia is aligned with the Assad regime in Syria.

&nbsp;

Russian media reported the embassy in Damascus was being attacked by mortar fire

Terrorists attacked Russian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus, media reports said. Russia's foreign ministry said that its embassy compound in Damascus came under mortar fire from "terrorist groups of fighters", causing no casualties. "Two shells fell on the grounds of the Russian diplomatic mission and two more exploded just outside the perimeter," Moscow said, causing slight damage but not injuring anyone. The ministry said that "we decisively condemn terrorist attacks against the Russian diplomatic mission in Damascus," following a number of recent incidents. Russia also said the embassy had come under mortar fire on two separate days in February. Russia is aligned with the Assad regime in Syria.

Terrorists attack Russian embassy in Damascus, no casualties: Reports

&quot;In the ancient world, anyone entering Palmyra from the western Damascus door would have looked around and said: &#39;This is the gate to the East&#39;. On the other hand, anyone entering the city from the eastern Temple of Bel would have said: &#39;This is the gate to the West&#39;. This was Palmyra, a crossroad of cultures, a place where religious tolerance, peaceful co-existence and cultural exchange existed for centuries. It was a blend of Western and Eastern culture.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Professor Maria Teresa Grassi teaches classical archaeology at the university of Milano. She directed the university&#39;s excavations in Palmyra since 2007 and her team was the last mission to abandon the site due to&nbsp;security reasons in late 2010. &nbsp;

&quot;Palmyra was a major commercial hub in ancient times. Even goods coming from India and reaching the Persian Gulf were mainly managed by Palmyrenes.&quot;&nbsp;

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The oriental features of some funerary steles in Palmyra are a testimony of the city&#39;s mixture of culture. (Others)
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The site is part of the UNESCO world heritage site&nbsp;and is perhaps the most beautiful among the many Syrian archaeological gems. It was a major tourist attraction and visitors came from all over the world.&nbsp;

&quot;Palmyra was, and still is, a pillar of our national and cultural pride,&quot; says Fouad Roueiha, a Syrian journalist based in Italy. &nbsp;

The Islamic State invaded Palmyra for the first time in May 2015, destroying ancient statues and blowing up the Temple of Bel and the Temple of Baalshamin.&nbsp;

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Palmyra&#39;s Temple of Bel. (Photo courtesy: Bernard Gagnon). (Others)
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&nbsp;&quot;The Temple of Bel was original, it was standing since 32 AD. It survived history because it was part of the daily village life: it became a Christian church and then it hosted the village mosque,&quot; says professor Grassi. &quot;Palmyra was a place where religious tolerance, peaceful co-existence and cultural exchange existed for centuries. It was a blend of Western and Eastern culture.&quot;&nbsp;

The Syrian army retook Palmyra in March 2016, but lost it again to the Islamic State in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-fighters-re-enter-ancient-palmyra-in-syria-after-heavy-fighting-9991">December</a>. The Russian army recently released <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-releases-drone-footage-showing-destruction-in-syrias-palmyra-12352">drone footage</a>&nbsp;showing the destruction of part of the Roman theatre and the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-destroys-famous-monument-in-syrias-palmyra-11504">Tetrapylon</a>.&nbsp;

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The Islamic state partially damaged Palmyra&#39;s Roman theatre. (Photo courtesy: James Gordon) (Others)
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The first thought in professor Grassi&#39;s mind when Palmyra fell was &quot;front page news for IS&quot;, she explains:&quot;I thought that they (the IS) had chosen the perfect place to get on all newspaper&nbsp;front pages. There are many archaeological sites in Syria, but Palmyra is the most famous and was well preserved. It perfectly served their propaganda operation.&quot;&nbsp;

There is also little hope of the damaged buildings ever being repaired. Professor Grassi said, &quot;Had it been an earthquake we could have tried to identify the blocs and recomposed the structures. In this case we are facing explosions and given the friable nature of Palmyra&#39;s ancient stones, temples and buildings, it is probably pulverised completely.&quot;

&quot;There are advanced technologies which could allow us to rebuild what we have lost in a perfect way, using exactly the same materials. There is an ongoing debate within the scientific community and many do not agree to the reconstruction. There is also the option of leaving the rubbles there as a testimony of what happened.&quot;&nbsp;

The Islamic State knows how much Palmyra plays in their favour when it comes to negotiations. They threaten to destroy more if their requests are not accepted. The IS is militarily suffering in both in Iraq and Syria and could become more aggressive and destroy more buildings. They tend&nbsp;to create as much damage as possible while retreating.&nbsp;

They also consider the destruction of all forms of art&nbsp;as part of their mandate.&nbsp;

The ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, close to the Iraqi city of Mosul, bares the brunt of the IS fury and is a frightening example of what could happen to Palmyra. When they reached Nimrud, IS terrorists sold many archaeological finds on the black market, then they surrounded the site with explosive-filled barrels and blew it up. The effect was devastating.&nbsp;

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WION&#39;s Daniele Pagani reports that the buyers came from Turkey &amp; Syria, purchasing what Islamic State believed had to be destroyed (WION)
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&quot;The destruction&nbsp;in Palmyra is&nbsp;so grave that they go well beyond the destroyers&#39; intentions. They probably do not even know what they have destroyed,&quot; says Professor Grassi. &nbsp;

A small part of Palmyra&#39;s finds were sold on the black market, but unfortunately too few. &quot;If we really must choose between theft or destruction, theft is definitely a better option. There is, at least, the possibility that some assets will survive and, sooner or later, will be found,&quot; says Professor Grassi. &quot;A similar thing happened during World War II. Many pieces of art were stolen during the conflict and then slowly recovered. History teaches us that something stolen, often comes back.&quot;&nbsp;

Several Syrians were&nbsp;also part of her team, she says, &quot;Yes, it was a very fruitful cooperation. We learnt from them and they learnt from us. It was very different from the classic archaeological mission where there is a top archaeologist directing all the work. It was more of an exchange.&quot;

&quot;We cooperated&nbsp;with many labourers who helped us during the mission. We were usually the only mission during that period of the year and people were eager to work with us,&quot;&nbsp;she adds&nbsp;

&quot;Some of them tried to get in touch with us, but we do not know anything about the majority of them. We also do not know if it is safe to call them or to respond to their messages,&quot; she ruefully adds. &nbsp;

Her concerns are not baseless: It has been widely reported that the Islamic State controls and monitors all communications in their territory. If someone&#39;s phone is found with calls or messages coming from abroad, he or she could face execution.&nbsp;

&quot;I hope they managed to escape. Their life was surely at risk,&nbsp;I am afraid that their constant vicinity to us, Western foreigners, must have definitely played a negative role,&quot; says Professor Grassi.&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp;

Professor Maria Teresa Grassi and her team were the last mission to abandon Palmyra due to?security reasons in late 2010 ?

"In the ancient world, anyone entering Palmyra from the western Damascus door would have looked around and said: 'This is the gate to the East'. On the other hand, anyone entering the city from the eastern Temple of Bel would have said: 'This is the gate to the West'. This was Palmyra, a crossroad of cultures, a place where religious tolerance, peaceful co-existence and cultural exchange existed for centuries. It was a blend of Western and Eastern culture. Professor Maria Teresa Grassi teaches classical archaeology at the university of Milano. She directed the university's excavations in Palmyra since 2007 and her team was the last mission to abandon the site due to security reasons in late 2010. "Palmyra was a major commercial hub in ancient times. Even goods coming from India and reaching the Persian Gulf were mainly managed by Palmyrenes." The oriental features of some funerary steles in Palmyra are a testimony of the city's mixture of culture. (Others) × The site is part of the UNESCO world heritage site and is perhaps the most beautiful among the many Syrian archaeological gems. It was a major tourist attraction and visitors came from all over the world. "Palmyra was, and still is, a pillar of our national and cultural pride," says Fouad Roueiha, a Syrian journalist based in Italy. The Islamic State invaded Palmyra for the first time in May 2015, destroying ancient statues and blowing up the Temple of Bel and the Temple of Baalshamin. Palmyra's Temple of Bel. (Photo courtesy: Bernard Gagnon). (Others) × "The Temple of Bel was original, it was standing since 32 AD. It survived history because it was part of the daily village life: it became a Christian church and then it hosted the village mosque," says professor Grassi. "Palmyra was a place where religious tolerance, peaceful co-existence and cultural exchange existed for centuries. It was a blend of Western and Eastern culture." The Syrian army retook Palmyra in March 2016, but lost it again to the Islamic State in December. The Russian army recently released drone footage showing the destruction of part of the Roman theatre and the Tetrapylon. The Islamic state partially damaged Palmyra's Roman theatre. (Photo courtesy: James Gordon) (Others) × The first thought in professor Grassi's mind when Palmyra fell was "front page news for IS", she explains:"I thought that they (the IS) had chosen the perfect place to get on all newspaper front pages. There are many archaeological sites in Syria, but Palmyra is the most famous and was well preserved. It perfectly served their propaganda operation." There is also little hope of the damaged buildings ever being repaired. Professor Grassi said, "Had it been an earthquake we could have tried to identify the blocs and recomposed the structures. In this case we are facing explosions and given the friable nature of Palmyra's ancient stones, temples and buildings, it is probably pulverised completely." "There are advanced technologies which could allow us to rebuild what we have lost in a perfect way, using exactly the same materials. There is an ongoing debate within the scientific community and many do not agree to the reconstruction. There is also the option of leaving the rubbles there as a testimony of what happened." The Islamic State knows how much Palmyra plays in their favour when it comes to negotiations. They threaten to destroy more if their requests are not accepted. The IS is militarily suffering in both in Iraq and Syria and could become more aggressive and destroy more buildings. They tend to create as much damage as possible while retreating. They also consider the destruction of all forms of art as part of their mandate. The ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, close to the Iraqi city of Mosul, bares the brunt of the IS fury and is a frightening example of what could happen to Palmyra. When they reached Nimrud, IS terrorists sold many archaeological finds on the black market, then they surrounded the site with explosive-filled barrels and blew it up. The effect was devastating. WION's Daniele Pagani reports that the buyers came from Turkey & Syria, purchasing what Islamic State believed had to be destroyed (WION) × "The destruction in Palmyra is so grave that they go well beyond the destroyers' intentions. They probably do not even know what they have destroyed," says Professor Grassi. A small part of Palmyra's finds were sold on the black market, but unfortunately too few. "If we really must choose between theft or destruction, theft is definitely a better option. There is, at least, the possibility that some assets will survive and, sooner or later, will be found," says Professor Grassi. "A similar thing happened during World War II. Many pieces of art were stolen during the conflict and then slowly recovered. History teaches us that something stolen, often comes back." Several Syrians were also part of her team, she says, "Yes, it was a very fruitful cooperation. We learnt from them and they learnt from us. It was very different from the classic archaeological mission where there is a top archaeologist directing all the work. It was more of an exchange." "We cooperated with many labourers who helped us during the mission. We were usually the only mission during that period of the year and people were eager to work with us," she adds "Some of them tried to get in touch with us, but we do not know anything about the majority of them. We also do not know if it is safe to call them or to respond to their messages," she ruefully adds. Her concerns are not baseless: It has been widely reported that the Islamic State controls and monitors all communications in their territory. If someone's phone is found with calls or messages coming from abroad, he or she could face execution. "I hope they managed to escape. Their life was surely at risk, I am afraid that their constant vicinity to us, Western foreigners, must have definitely played a negative role," says Professor Grassi. (WION)

Destruction of Syria's Palmyra: An insider's view

The Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told Reuters.

&quot;(We have) confirmed information from leaders, including one of the first rank, in the Islamic State in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zor,&quot; the director of the British-based war monitoring group Rami Abdulrahman told Reuters. 
&nbsp; 
The news of Baghdadi&#39;s death has been floating for quite some time. In June, the Russian defence ministry had said that the Islamic State leader was killed in one of its air strikes.

The Syrian Observatory, which keeps a track of the ongoing war in Syria, said that Islamic State sources in the Syrian town of Deir al-Zor confirmed that Baghdadi has been killed.

The news of his death has not been verified by Islamic State&#39;s official news agency Amaq. &nbsp;&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

In June, the Russian defence ministry had said that the Islamic State leader was killed in one of its air strikes

The Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told Reuters. "(We have) confirmed information from leaders, including one of the first rank, in the Islamic State in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zor," the director of the British-based war monitoring group Rami Abdulrahman told Reuters. The news of Baghdadi's death has been floating for quite some time. In June, the Russian defence ministry had said that the Islamic State leader was killed in one of its air strikes. The Syrian Observatory, which keeps a track of the ongoing war in Syria, said that Islamic State sources in the Syrian town of Deir al-Zor confirmed that Baghdadi has been killed. The news of his death has not been verified by Islamic State's official news agency Amaq.

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead: Syrian Observatory

The United States, Russia and Jordan have reached a crucial ceasefire and &quot;de-escalation agreement&quot;&nbsp;in southwestern Syria, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said on Friday.

Tillerson announced the deal after a meeting&nbsp;between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg.&nbsp;

The ceasefire&nbsp;goes into effect on Sunday,&nbsp;Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who was also present at the meeting, said.&nbsp;

Tillerson said the area covered by the ceasefire affects Jordan&rsquo;s security and is a &ldquo;very complicated part of the Syrian battlefield&rdquo;.

&ldquo;It is (a) well-defined agreement on who will secure this area,&rdquo; he told the media,&nbsp;

Prior to leaving for the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, Tillerson had said the US was prepared to discuss joint&nbsp;efforts with Russia in order to stabilise the situation in Syria,&nbsp;

(with inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

The United States, Russia and Jordan have brokered a crucial ceasefire deal in southwest Syria that goes into effect on Sunday

The United States, Russia and Jordan have reached a crucial ceasefire and "de-escalation agreement" in southwestern Syria, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said on Friday. Tillerson announced the deal after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg. The ceasefire goes into effect on Sunday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who was also present at the meeting, said. Tillerson said the area covered by the ceasefire affects Jordan’s security and is a “very complicated part of the Syrian battlefield”. “It is (a) well-defined agreement on who will secure this area,” he told the media, Prior to leaving for the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, Tillerson had said the US was prepared to discuss joint efforts with Russia in order to stabilise the situation in Syria, (with inputs from Reuters)

US, Russia and Jordan reach ceasefire deal for southwest Syria

Turkish military preparations in northwest Syria are legitimate measures against a threat from Kurdish forces in the Afrin region, and Turkey will retaliate against any hostile move, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told Reuters on Wednesday.

Kurtulmus was responding to the head of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, who told Reuters that Turkish military deployments near Kurdish-held areas of northwestern Syria were a declaration of war which could trigger clashes within days.

The YPG forms a major part of the US-backed campaign to capture Islamic State&#39;s stronghold of Raqqa. It also controls a pocket of territory in Afrin, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) west of Raqqa. Tensions between Turkish forces and the YPG have been mounting in the Afrin region in recent weeks.

&quot;This is not a declaration of war. We are making preparations against potential threats,&quot; Kurtulmus said in an interview. &quot;It&#39;s...a legitimate measure so that we can protect our independence. We cannot remain silent against those sending missiles from Afrin.&quot;

Turkey&#39;s military, which launched an incursion last August into part of northern Syria which lies between Afrin and a larger Kurdish-controlled area further east, has said that it has returned fire against members of YPG militia near Afrin several times in the last few weeks.

&quot;Their (YPG) primary goal is a threat to Turkey, and if Turkey sees a YPG movement in northern Syria that is a threat to it, it will retaliate in kind,&quot; Kurtulmus said. &quot;This isn&#39;t a fantasy for us...it is an indispensible approach to protect Turkey&#39;s border security.&quot;

Ankara considers the YPG an extension of the outlawed Kurdish PKK group which has waged an insurgency in southeast Turkey since the 1980s. Turkey was angered by a US&nbsp;decision to arm the YPG as it marched with its allies on Raqqa.

The Turkish defence ministry said last month the Pentagon had sought to give assurances that Washington would retrieve weapons provided to the YPG after Islamic State fighters were defeated. Turkey says that is not credible.

&quot;There has never been an incident where a group in the Middle East has been armed, and they returned the weapons,&quot; Kurtulmus said. The United States &quot;have formed more than a terrorist organisation there, they formed a small-scale army.&quot;

He also warned the YPG not to try to drive out Arab or Turkmen residents from the town of Tel Rifaat, which is close to Afrin and controlled by YPG and Arab allies in the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

&quot;The majority of Tel Rifaat is Arab and Turkmen, and if the PYD says it will capitalise on (its control), then this means ethnic cleansing, and this will not benefit Syria,&quot; he said.

Turkish military deployments near Kurdish-held areas of northwestern Syria were a declaration of war, said the head of Syrian Kurdish YPG militia

Turkish military preparations in northwest Syria are legitimate measures against a threat from Kurdish forces in the Afrin region, and Turkey will retaliate against any hostile move, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told Reuters on Wednesday. Kurtulmus was responding to the head of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, who told Reuters that Turkish military deployments near Kurdish-held areas of northwestern Syria were a declaration of war which could trigger clashes within days. The YPG forms a major part of the US-backed campaign to capture Islamic State's stronghold of Raqqa. It also controls a pocket of territory in Afrin, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) west of Raqqa. Tensions between Turkish forces and the YPG have been mounting in the Afrin region in recent weeks. "This is not a declaration of war. We are making preparations against potential threats," Kurtulmus said in an interview. "It's...a legitimate measure so that we can protect our independence. We cannot remain silent against those sending missiles from Afrin." Turkey's military, which launched an incursion last August into part of northern Syria which lies between Afrin and a larger Kurdish-controlled area further east, has said that it has returned fire against members of YPG militia near Afrin several times in the last few weeks. "Their (YPG) primary goal is a threat to Turkey, and if Turkey sees a YPG movement in northern Syria that is a threat to it, it will retaliate in kind," Kurtulmus said. "This isn't a fantasy for us...it is an indispensible approach to protect Turkey's border security." Ankara considers the YPG an extension of the outlawed Kurdish PKK group which has waged an insurgency in southeast Turkey since the 1980s. Turkey was angered by a US decision to arm the YPG as it marched with its allies on Raqqa. The Turkish defence ministry said last month the Pentagon had sought to give assurances that Washington would retrieve weapons provided to the YPG after Islamic State fighters were defeated. Turkey says that is not credible. "There has never been an incident where a group in the Middle East has been armed, and they returned the weapons," Kurtulmus said. The United States "have formed more than a terrorist organisation there, they formed a small-scale army." He also warned the YPG not to try to drive out Arab or Turkmen residents from the town of Tel Rifaat, which is close to Afrin and controlled by YPG and Arab allies in the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. "The majority of Tel Rifaat is Arab and Turkmen, and if the PYD says it will capitalise on (its control), then this means ethnic cleansing, and this will not benefit Syria," he said.

Turkey says it's not 'declaring war' in Syria, but ready to respond

Eighteen people were killed after a suicide bombing in eastern&nbsp;Damascus, Syria, reports AFP, citing a monitor.

Three car bombs exploded, but two of them were intercepted and destroyed by security forces before they could inflict any damage, Reuters reports.&nbsp;

State TV&nbsp;

Syrian state TV said the casualty toll had been lessened by security forces, who prevented &quot;the terrorists from reaching their targets&quot;, saying they had set their sights on busy areas on the first day back to work after the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Reuters reported.

Footage of Tahrir Square on state TV showed roads filled with debris, several badly damaged cars, and another car that been turned into a pile of twisted metal. Another broadcast showed the site of the explosions, including what appeared to be a person&#39;s remains and other badly damaged vehicles outside a mosque near the Old City, Reuters reported.

Back in March, Islamic State claimed responsibility for two suicide bomb attacks in Damascus that killed several dozens of people, most of them at the Palace of Justice courthouse near the Old City.

Again&nbsp;in March, a double suicide attack in the capital killed scores of people, most of them Iraqi Shi&#39;ite pilgrims. That attack was claimed by the Tahrir al-Sham alliance of Islamist insurgents, which is spearheaded by a jihadist group formerly known as the Nusra Front.

Syrian government forces, which have defeated rebel fighters in several suburbs of&nbsp;Damascus over the last year, are currently battling insurgents in the Jobar and Ain Tarma areas on the capital&#39;s eastern outskirts.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Among the dead are soldiers and civilians, said the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human rights

Eighteen people were killed after a suicide bombing in eastern Damascus, Syria, reports AFP, citing a monitor. Three car bombs exploded, but two of them were intercepted and destroyed by security forces before they could inflict any damage, Reuters reports. State TV Syrian state TV said the casualty toll had been lessened by security forces, who prevented "the terrorists from reaching their targets", saying they had set their sights on busy areas on the first day back to work after the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Reuters reported. Footage of Tahrir Square on state TV showed roads filled with debris, several badly damaged cars, and another car that been turned into a pile of twisted metal. Another broadcast showed the site of the explosions, including what appeared to be a person's remains and other badly damaged vehicles outside a mosque near the Old City, Reuters reported. Back in March, Islamic State claimed responsibility for two suicide bomb attacks in Damascus that killed several dozens of people, most of them at the Palace of Justice courthouse near the Old City. Again in March, a double suicide attack in the capital killed scores of people, most of them Iraqi Shi'ite pilgrims. That attack was claimed by the Tahrir al-Sham alliance of Islamist insurgents, which is spearheaded by a jihadist group formerly known as the Nusra Front. Syrian government forces, which have defeated rebel fighters in several suburbs of Damascus over the last year, are currently battling insurgents in the Jobar and Ain Tarma areas on the capital's eastern outskirts.

18 killed in Damascus suicide bombing: Monitor

In an attempt to assert its own monetary policy, the Islamic State has decreed that traders use its currency, the dirham, setting its value at 1,000 Syrian pounds ($1.80) per dirham.

In an audio statement, the IS said the Syrian 1,000- and 50-pound notes would be banned in the areas under its control as of July 25, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

The exchange rate for the IS&#39;s currency will be&nbsp;declared daily, Reuters reported. 
 
The announcement comes at a time when the IS&nbsp;has found its grip on the territory under its&nbsp;control under threat.&nbsp;

&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The IS has banned the Syrian 1,000- and 50-pound banknotes

In an attempt to assert its own monetary policy, the Islamic State has decreed that traders use its currency, the dirham, setting its value at 1,000 Syrian pounds ($1.80) per dirham. In an audio statement, the IS said the Syrian 1,000- and 50-pound notes would be banned in the areas under its control as of July 25, Reuters reported. The exchange rate for the IS's currency will be declared daily, Reuters reported. The announcement comes at a time when the IS has found its grip on the territory under its control under threat.

Islamic State orders Syrian businesses to use its currency

Israeli air strikes hit several targets in the Gaza Strip governed by Hamas overnight on Monday, AFP reported.

The incident comes after Israel targeted Syrian military installations over the weekend.

Israeli air strikes were recorded in at least three locations in Gaza, Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses told Reuters.

The strikes were aimed at Hamas bases which struck near the southern city of Rafah and Gaza City, as well as open land southeast of Gaza City.

The Palestinian health ministry said there were no immediate reports of injuries, but an AFP photographer in Gaza saw at least one man bleeding being taken for treatment from a house near the base.

The Israeli army said the strikes were in &quot;response to projectile fire that hit near the Sha&#39;ar Hanegev Regional Council.&quot;

&quot;Two Israeli&nbsp;aircraft&#39;s targeted two military infrastructures belong to the Hamas terrorist organisation,&quot; it added.

Meanwhile, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has urged US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to prevent &quot;provocations&quot; against Syrian government forces.

Lavrov spoke to Rex Tillerson over the phone on Monday and called on &quot;Washington to take steps to prevent provocations against Syrian government forces carrying out operations against terrorists,&quot; a Russian foreign ministry statement said.

Israel had fired shells at Syria on Saturday as aerial video footage released by the military showed a machine gun and two tanks targeted and hit.&nbsp;

The Syrian military said Israeli rocket fire had hit a residential building but it could not be independently confirmed.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Israeli air strikes were recorded in at least three locations in Gaza

Israeli air strikes hit several targets in the Gaza Strip governed by Hamas overnight on Monday, AFP reported. The incident comes after Israel targeted Syrian military installations over the weekend. Israeli air strikes were recorded in at least three locations in Gaza, Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses told Reuters. The strikes were aimed at Hamas bases which struck near the southern city of Rafah and Gaza City, as well as open land southeast of Gaza City. The Palestinian health ministry said there were no immediate reports of injuries, but an AFP photographer in Gaza saw at least one man bleeding being taken for treatment from a house near the base. The Israeli army said the strikes were in "response to projectile fire that hit near the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council." "Two Israeli aircraft's targeted two military infrastructures belong to the Hamas terrorist organisation," it added. Meanwhile, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has urged US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to prevent "provocations" against Syrian government forces. Lavrov spoke to Rex Tillerson over the phone on Monday and called on "Washington to take steps to prevent provocations against Syrian government forces carrying out operations against terrorists," a Russian foreign ministry statement said. Israel had fired shells at Syria on Saturday as aerial video footage released by the military showed a machine gun and two tanks targeted and hit. The Syrian military said Israeli rocket fire had hit a residential building but it could not be independently confirmed.

After hitting Syrian military installations, Israel targets Gaza Strip

A US-backed Syrian coalition of Kurdish and Arab groups advanced against Islamic State in the jihadists&#39; Syrian capital of Raqqa on Sunday, taking the al-Qadisia district, they said.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) began its assault on Raqqa earlier this month after a long campaign to isolate Islamic State inside the city. It took Qadisia, located in the west of Raqqa, after three days of intense fighting, it said in a statement on one of its official social media feeds.

The SDF has pushed Islamic State from swathes of northern Syria over the past 18 months. Turkey-backed Syrian rebels have also taken territory from it and the Syrian army has this year advanced rapidly against it in desert areas.

The US-backed coalition has supported SDF advances against the jihadist group throughout the Raqqa campaign with artillery and air strikes, including some against Islamic State leaders.

This month, the coalition said its air strikes had killed Turki Binali, a Bahraini cleric who was the group&#39;s top religious authority and the most senior known Gulf Arab in Islamic State.

It also said last week it killed Fawaz al-Rawi, who it said was an important Islamic State financier, in an air strike in Syria.

However, coalition air raids have also caused large numbers of civilian casualties, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.

It said on Saturday that coalition airstrikes in and around Raqqa had killed nearly 700 civilians so far this year. The coalition says it works hard to avoid killing civilians and investigates all reports that it has done so.

&nbsp;

The Syrian Democratic Forces took Qadisia, located in the west of Raqqa, after three days of intense fighting

A US-backed Syrian coalition of Kurdish and Arab groups advanced against Islamic State in the jihadists' Syrian capital of Raqqa on Sunday, taking the al-Qadisia district, they said. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) began its assault on Raqqa earlier this month after a long campaign to isolate Islamic State inside the city. It took Qadisia, located in the west of Raqqa, after three days of intense fighting, it said in a statement on one of its official social media feeds. The SDF has pushed Islamic State from swathes of northern Syria over the past 18 months. Turkey-backed Syrian rebels have also taken territory from it and the Syrian army has this year advanced rapidly against it in desert areas. The US-backed coalition has supported SDF advances against the jihadist group throughout the Raqqa campaign with artillery and air strikes, including some against Islamic State leaders. This month, the coalition said its air strikes had killed Turki Binali, a Bahraini cleric who was the group's top religious authority and the most senior known Gulf Arab in Islamic State. It also said last week it killed Fawaz al-Rawi, who it said was an important Islamic State financier, in an air strike in Syria. However, coalition air raids have also caused large numbers of civilian casualties, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor. It said on Saturday that coalition airstrikes in and around Raqqa had killed nearly 700 civilians so far this year. The coalition says it works hard to avoid killing civilians and investigates all reports that it has done so.

US-backed Syrian groups take Raqqa district from Islamic State

Coalition forces have killed a key Islamic State financier in an airstrike in Syria&#39;s Abu Kamal on June 16, according to a statement issued by the Joint Task Force.&nbsp;

Fawaz Muhammad Jubayr al-Rawi, a Syria native, owned the Hanifa Currency Exchange in Abu Kamal which he used to move millions of dollars for the terror organisation.

The United States Department of Treasury had imposed sanctions on Hanifa Currency Exchange&#39;s branch in Abu Kamal in 2016.&nbsp;

The US Department of Treasury designated al-Rawi for providing financial and material support to Islamic State. Al-Rawi pledged loyalty to Islamic State in 2014. His network was used by the terror organisation to conduct weapons deals.

Coalition forces have been targeting Islamic State&#39;s financial network which has severely impaired the terror orgainstaion&#39;s ability to move reources and export terrorism.&nbsp;

&quot;The Coalition&#39;s efforts to disrupt and attack ISIS&#39;s financial networks have restricted the terror group&#39;s ability to move resources and export terrorism,&quot; the statement released by Combined Joint Task Force said.

A number of al-Rawi&#39;s close associates have been killed including Samir Idris, a key fianancial facilitator for the Islamic State, who was killed on June 7, 2017 in Syria. 
&nbsp;

Fawaz Muhammad Jubayr al-Rawi, a Syria native, owned the Hanifa Currency Exchange in Abu Kamal which he used to move millions of dollars for the terror organisation

Coalition forces have killed a key Islamic State financier in an airstrike in Syria's Abu Kamal on June 16, according to a statement issued by the Joint Task Force. Fawaz Muhammad Jubayr al-Rawi, a Syria native, owned the Hanifa Currency Exchange in Abu Kamal which he used to move millions of dollars for the terror organisation. The United States Department of Treasury had imposed sanctions on Hanifa Currency Exchange's branch in Abu Kamal in 2016. The US Department of Treasury designated al-Rawi for providing financial and material support to Islamic State. Al-Rawi pledged loyalty to Islamic State in 2014. His network was used by the terror organisation to conduct weapons deals. Coalition forces have been targeting Islamic State's financial network which has severely impaired the terror orgainstaion's ability to move reources and export terrorism. "The Coalition's efforts to disrupt and attack ISIS's financial networks have restricted the terror group's ability to move resources and export terrorism," the statement released by Combined Joint Task Force said. A number of al-Rawi's close associates have been killed including Samir Idris, a key fianancial facilitator for the Islamic State, who was killed on June 7, 2017 in Syria.

Key Islamic State financier killed in coalition air strike in Syria

Australia Thursday lifted a suspension on military air missions over Syria imposed after the shooting down of a Syrian jet by US forces.

Canberra temporarily halted flights on Tuesday after a spike in tensions between the US and Russia, which warned it would track coalition aircraft in Syria as potential &quot;targets&quot;.

Moscow also halted a military hotline with Washington over the incident, intended to prevent confrontations in Syria&#39;s crowded air space.

Australia defence ministry said in a statement the suspension was &quot;a precautionary measure to allow the coalition to assess the operational risk&quot;.

&quot;The suspension has since been lifted,&quot; it added.

The United States moved quickly to contain an escalation of the situation after the jet was downed on Sunday evening when regime forces targeted the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters battling IS.

A top US general said the country would work to relaunch the &quot;deconfliction&quot; hotline established in 2015, after Russia said Washington had failed to use the line -- a vital incident-prevention tool -- before targeting the plane near Raqa.

Australia is part of the coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and in late 2015 extended air operations into Syria, with a total of 780 defence personnel based in the Middle East.

The staunch US ally in September said it would widen the scope of targets in the air war against IS by allowing its pilots to strike jihadist support and logistics resources in Iraq and Syria.

Australia&#39;s Air Task Group consists of 300 personnel, six F/A-18 Hornets, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, and a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker and Transport plane.

(AFP)

Canberra temporarily halted flights on Tuesday after a spike in tensions between the US and Russia

Australia Thursday lifted a suspension on military air missions over Syria imposed after the shooting down of a Syrian jet by US forces. Canberra temporarily halted flights on Tuesday after a spike in tensions between the US and Russia, which warned it would track coalition aircraft in Syria as potential "targets". Moscow also halted a military hotline with Washington over the incident, intended to prevent confrontations in Syria's crowded air space. Australia defence ministry said in a statement the suspension was "a precautionary measure to allow the coalition to assess the operational risk". "The suspension has since been lifted," it added. The United States moved quickly to contain an escalation of the situation after the jet was downed on Sunday evening when regime forces targeted the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters battling IS. A top US general said the country would work to relaunch the "deconfliction" hotline established in 2015, after Russia said Washington had failed to use the line -- a vital incident-prevention tool -- before targeting the plane near Raqa. Australia is part of the coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and in late 2015 extended air operations into Syria, with a total of 780 defence personnel based in the Middle East. The staunch US ally in September said it would widen the scope of targets in the air war against IS by allowing its pilots to strike jihadist support and logistics resources in Iraq and Syria. Australia's Air Task Group consists of 300 personnel, six F/A-18 Hornets, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, and a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker and Transport plane. (AFP)

Australia's military resumes air operations over Syria

&nbsp;Islamic State militants have become increasingly desperate in the face of heavy air strikes on their Syrian bastion Raqqa,&nbsp;passing themselves off as civilians to escape detection and killing anyone who tries to flee, witnesses said.

At a camp for the displaced in the village of Ain Issa north of the city,&nbsp;people who arrived on Wednesday also said the air strikes supporting an assault by US-backed forces had inflicted widespread destruction as the battle intensified.

United Nations war crimes investigators said the air campaign had killed at least 300 civilians in the city, captured by Islamic State in 2014 in the chaos of Syria&#39;s civil war.

The escapees said the air strikes had flattened rows of apartment blocks along a main road but many of them had already been abandoned by residents fleeing Islamic State&rsquo;s reign of terror and the assault on the town, which began last week.

&quot;The coalition strikes destroyed a four-story apartment building. I saw 10 people trapped underneath,&quot; said Abu Hamoud. &quot;They used phosphorus.&quot;

Human Rights Watch expressed concern on Wednesday about the use of incendiary white phosphorous weapons by the US-led coalition, saying it endangers civilians when used in populated areas.

The coalition is backing the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a group of Kurdish and Arab militias who have been closing in on Raqqa in northern Syria for months in preparation for the assault to recapture the city.

Hassan Kirfou,&nbsp;said an airstrike hit the mosque where he works just a few hours after he closed it for the night, and two other mosques were hit.

&ldquo;I saw three dead teenagers on top of each other outside the Nour mosque,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know why they shot these areas. As far as I know there were only a few Daesh (Islamic State) snipers left there.&rdquo;

Much of the damage from air strikes was inflicted on Seif al-Dawla street, one of the main arteries of the town. &ldquo;My uncle and two cousins were killed. Their house was destroyed,&rdquo; Kirfou said.

The pressure on Islamic State, which is on the brink of losing the other centre of&nbsp;its self-proclaimed caliphate, the Iraqi city of Mosul, is taking a heavy toll on the group,&nbsp;people who arrived at Ain Issa in the last few days said.

&ldquo;They have started using microphones to tell people: &#39;Don&rsquo;t go to the infidels, stay with Islam&#39;,&rdquo; said Abdul Razak Crais, standing near rows of white tents as people lined up for food.

&ldquo;They poured gasoline on the cars of anyone who tried to escape then lit a match and burned the vehicles. I saw them haul people out of their cars and shoot them with AK-47s.&quot;

The coalition estimates that 3,000-4,000 Islamic State fighters are holed up in Raqqa, the administrative headquarters of Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on civilians across the globe.

Residents who fled say they have been laying landmines on streets, booby trapping houses and digging tunnels in preparation for battle.

&ldquo;They take over people&rsquo;s houses and create big holes in their walls so they can move back and forth during fighting,&rdquo; said Thaier Ibrahim.

Others at the camp said militants were hiding weapons and riding cars with civilians to avoid air strikes.

About 10,000 civilians have fled to the SDF-run Ain Issa camp about 60 km (40 miles) north of Raqqa with hundreds more arriving each day, Medecins Sans Frontieres has said.

Conditions have deteriorated because of the gruelling summer heat. But people like Mohamed Nahaf took the risk of getting shot to escape Islamic State and a battle for the city that could take months.

&ldquo;They cut off all roads. We had to pay a smuggler $200 to get us out,&rdquo; he said.

The coalition is backing the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a group of Kurdish and Arab militias who have been closing in on Raqqa in northern Syria for months in preparation for the assault to recapture the city

Islamic State militants have become increasingly desperate in the face of heavy air strikes on their Syrian bastion Raqqa, passing themselves off as civilians to escape detection and killing anyone who tries to flee, witnesses said. At a camp for the displaced in the village of Ain Issa north of the city, people who arrived on Wednesday also said the air strikes supporting an assault by US-backed forces had inflicted widespread destruction as the battle intensified. United Nations war crimes investigators said the air campaign had killed at least 300 civilians in the city, captured by Islamic State in 2014 in the chaos of Syria's civil war. The escapees said the air strikes had flattened rows of apartment blocks along a main road but many of them had already been abandoned by residents fleeing Islamic State’s reign of terror and the assault on the town, which began last week. "The coalition strikes destroyed a four-story apartment building. I saw 10 people trapped underneath," said Abu Hamoud. "They used phosphorus." Human Rights Watch expressed concern on Wednesday about the use of incendiary white phosphorous weapons by the US-led coalition, saying it endangers civilians when used in populated areas. The coalition is backing the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a group of Kurdish and Arab militias who have been closing in on Raqqa in northern Syria for months in preparation for the assault to recapture the city. Hassan Kirfou, said an airstrike hit the mosque where he works just a few hours after he closed it for the night, and two other mosques were hit. “I saw three dead teenagers on top of each other outside the Nour mosque,” he said. “I don’t know why they shot these areas. As far as I know there were only a few Daesh (Islamic State) snipers left there.” Much of the damage from air strikes was inflicted on Seif al-Dawla street, one of the main arteries of the town. “My uncle and two cousins were killed. Their house was destroyed,” Kirfou said. The pressure on Islamic State, which is on the brink of losing the other centre of its self-proclaimed caliphate, the Iraqi city of Mosul, is taking a heavy toll on the group, people who arrived at Ain Issa in the last few days said. “They have started using microphones to tell people: 'Don’t go to the infidels, stay with Islam',” said Abdul Razak Crais, standing near rows of white tents as people lined up for food. “They poured gasoline on the cars of anyone who tried to escape then lit a match and burned the vehicles. I saw them haul people out of their cars and shoot them with AK-47s." The coalition estimates that 3,000-4,000 Islamic State fighters are holed up in Raqqa, the administrative headquarters of Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on civilians across the globe. Residents who fled say they have been laying landmines on streets, booby trapping houses and digging tunnels in preparation for battle. “They take over people’s houses and create big holes in their walls so they can move back and forth during fighting,” said Thaier Ibrahim. Others at the camp said militants were hiding weapons and riding cars with civilians to avoid air strikes. About 10,000 civilians have fled to the SDF-run Ain Issa camp about 60 km (40 miles) north of Raqqa with hundreds more arriving each day, Medecins Sans Frontieres has said. Conditions have deteriorated because of the gruelling summer heat. But people like Mohamed Nahaf took the risk of getting shot to escape Islamic State and a battle for the city that could take months. “They cut off all roads. We had to pay a smuggler $200 to get us out,” he said.

Air strikes kill civilians as Raqqa battle intensifies, Syrians say militants shoot escapees

&nbsp;An audio message purporting to come from the spokesman of Islamic State called on followers to launch attacks in the United States, Europe, Russia, Australia, Iraq, Syria, Iran, and the Philippines during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan, which began in late May.

The audio clip was distributed on Monday on Islamic State&#39;s channel on Telegram, an encrypted messaging application. It was attributed to the militant group`s official spokesman, Abi al-Hassan al-Muhajer.&nbsp;

The authenticity of the recording could not be independently verified, but the voice was the same as a previous audio message purported to be from the spokesman.

&quot;O lions of Mosul, Raqqa, and Tal Afar, God bless those pure arms and bright faces, charge against the rejectionists and the apostates and fight them with the strength of one man,&quot; said al-Muhajer. Rejectionist is a derogatory term used to refer to Shi&#39;ite Muslims.

&quot;To the brethren of faith and belief in Europe, America, Russia, Australia, and others. Your brothers in your land have done well so take them as role models and do as they have done.&quot;

&nbsp;

An unverified audio message distributed on?Islamic State's channel on Telegram called on followers to launch?attacks in the US, Europe, Russia, Australia, Iraq, Syria, Iran, and the Philippines

An audio message purporting to come from the spokesman of Islamic State called on followers to launch attacks in the United States, Europe, Russia, Australia, Iraq, Syria, Iran, and the Philippines during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan, which began in late May. The audio clip was distributed on Monday on Islamic State's channel on Telegram, an encrypted messaging application. It was attributed to the militant group`s official spokesman, Abi al-Hassan al-Muhajer. The authenticity of the recording could not be independently verified, but the voice was the same as a previous audio message purported to be from the spokesman. "O lions of Mosul, Raqqa, and Tal Afar, God bless those pure arms and bright faces, charge against the rejectionists and the apostates and fight them with the strength of one man," said al-Muhajer. Rejectionist is a derogatory term used to refer to Shi'ite Muslims. "To the brethren of faith and belief in Europe, America, Russia, Australia, and others. Your brothers in your land have done well so take them as role models and do as they have done."

Islamic State calls for attacks in US, Europe, Middle East, Asia during Ramzan

Iran said on Thursday that five of its nationals who were killed in twin attacks in Tehran were Islamic State members who had been to the group&#39;s strongholds in Iraq and Syria.

Wednesday&#39;s attacks on Tehran&#39;s parliament complex and the shrine of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which also wounded more than 50 people, were the first claimed by IS in Iran.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-twin-attacks-13-killed-iran-guards-claim-us-saudi-involved-16527">Also Read:&nbsp;Iran twin attacks: 13 killed, Iran Guards claim US, Saudi &#39;involved&#39;</a>

&quot;The five known terrorists... after joining the Daesh (IS) terrorist group, left the country and participated in crimes carried out by this terrorist group in Mosul and Raqa,&quot; the intelligence ministry said in a statement. It suggested there were only five attackers rather than the six originally reported.

An official said previously that those who attacked the parliament complex had been dressed as women. The ministry released their photographs and first names.

It said they were part of a network that entered Iran in July-August 2016 under the leadership of &quot;high-ranking Daesh commander&quot; Abu Aisha intending to carry out &quot;terrorist operations in religious cities&quot;.

Abu Aisha was killed and the network forced to flee the country, the statement said. It was unclear when the five men returned to Iran ahead of Wednesday&#39;s attacks. IS on Thursday released a video of the five attackers before the assault, via its Amaq propaganda agency.&nbsp;

&quot;Allah permitting, this is the first brigade that was established (in Iran) but it will not be the last,&quot; one said in the video message, as the group sat masked in a circle with their weapons. The jihadist group had earlier released footage of the attackers from inside the building, also via Amaq -- a rare claim of responsibility while an assault was still going on.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/attackers-raid-iran-parliament-twelve-killed-3635">See also: Attackers raid Iran parliament, twelve killed</a>

Following the attacks, US President Donald Trump had said the United States would &quot;grieve and pray&quot; for the victims, but added: &quot;We underscore that states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote.&quot;

The statement was condemned by foreign&nbsp;minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who tweeted: &quot;Repugnant WH (White House) statement... as Iranians counter-terror backed by US clients.&quot;

Trump was also criticised on social media by Iranians, who recalled their government&#39;s offers of support and the candlelight vigils held in Iran after the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States.

&quot;Iranians lit candles for you on 9/11. You kick them while they&#39;re down. Classy,&quot; tweeted Ali Ghezelbash, an Iranian business analyst.

The US president has long accused Iran of backing terrorism and has threatened to tear up a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers.&nbsp;

Even as Washington expressed its condolences on Wednesday, the US Senate advanced legislation to impose new sanctions on Iran, partly for what the bill described as the regime&#39;s &#39;support for acts of international terrorism&#39;. Iran&#39;s elite Revolutionary Guards have pointed the finger at regional rival Saudi Arabia -- a close US ally -- which Tehran accuses of funding extremism and groups including IS.

IS has threatened to step up recruitment within Iran, releasing its first Persian-language video in March in which it threatened to &quot;conquer Iran and restore it to the Sunni Muslim nation as it was before.&quot; The Sunni jihadists of IS consider Shiite Iranians to be apostates, and Tehran is deeply involved in fighting the group in both Syria and Iraq.

(AFP)

Iran said the that five nationals involved in the twin attacks in Tehran were Islamic State members who had been to the group's strongholds in Iraq and Syria

Iran said on Thursday that five of its nationals who were killed in twin attacks in Tehran were Islamic State members who had been to the group's strongholds in Iraq and Syria. Wednesday's attacks on Tehran's parliament complex and the shrine of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which also wounded more than 50 people, were the first claimed by IS in Iran. Also Read: Iran twin attacks: 13 killed, Iran Guards claim US, Saudi 'involved' "The five known terrorists... after joining the Daesh (IS) terrorist group, left the country and participated in crimes carried out by this terrorist group in Mosul and Raqa," the intelligence ministry said in a statement. It suggested there were only five attackers rather than the six originally reported. An official said previously that those who attacked the parliament complex had been dressed as women. The ministry released their photographs and first names. It said they were part of a network that entered Iran in July-August 2016 under the leadership of "high-ranking Daesh commander" Abu Aisha intending to carry out "terrorist operations in religious cities". Abu Aisha was killed and the network forced to flee the country, the statement said. It was unclear when the five men returned to Iran ahead of Wednesday's attacks. IS on Thursday released a video of the five attackers before the assault, via its Amaq propaganda agency. "Allah permitting, this is the first brigade that was established (in Iran) but it will not be the last," one said in the video message, as the group sat masked in a circle with their weapons. The jihadist group had earlier released footage of the attackers from inside the building, also via Amaq -- a rare claim of responsibility while an assault was still going on. See also: Attackers raid Iran parliament, twelve killed Following the attacks, US President Donald Trump had said the United States would "grieve and pray" for the victims, but added: "We underscore that states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote." The statement was condemned by foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who tweeted: "Repugnant WH (White House) statement... as Iranians counter-terror backed by US clients." Trump was also criticised on social media by Iranians, who recalled their government's offers of support and the candlelight vigils held in Iran after the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States. "Iranians lit candles for you on 9/11. You kick them while they're down. Classy," tweeted Ali Ghezelbash, an Iranian business analyst. The US president has long accused Iran of backing terrorism and has threatened to tear up a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers. Even as Washington expressed its condolences on Wednesday, the US Senate advanced legislation to impose new sanctions on Iran, partly for what the bill described as the regime's 'support for acts of international terrorism'. Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have pointed the finger at regional rival Saudi Arabia -- a close US ally -- which Tehran accuses of funding extremism and groups including IS. IS has threatened to step up recruitment within Iran, releasing its first Persian-language video in March in which it threatened to "conquer Iran and restore it to the Sunni Muslim nation as it was before." The Sunni jihadists of IS consider Shiite Iranians to be apostates, and Tehran is deeply involved in fighting the group in both Syria and Iraq. (AFP)

Parliament, shrine attacks: Iran confirms own citizens linked to IS

An Iraqi Shi&#39;ite force backed by Iran said it pushed Islamic State out of several villages on the border with Syria on Monday, potentially reopening a supply route to send Iranian weapons to President Bashar al-Assad.

The manoeuvre could also be the prelude to a connection with the Assad&#39;s Iranian-backed forces, although they are yet to reach the Iraqi border from the Syrian side.

Syrian rebel sources have warned of advances by the Syrian army and Iranian-backed militia to reach the border.

The territory taken by the Popular Mobilisation force on Monday is located north of the Islamic State-held town of Baaj.

For Popular Mobilisation, it is a step towards achieving a linkup with Assad forces, giving him a significant advantage in fighting the six-year rebellion against his rule.

But the territory is connected with land held by US-backed Syrian Kurdish groups on the Syrian side, who are more focused on fighting Islamic State than Assad.

It is not known whether the Syrian Kurds would allow the Iraqi Shi&#39;ite force to use their territory to reach Assad&#39;s troops, deployed further south and further west.

In a statement on its website, Popular Mobilisation described its advance to the border with Syria as &quot;a Ramadan miracle&quot;, referring to the Muslim fasting month which started over the weekend.

Popular Mobilisation is taking part in the US-backed Iraqi campaign to defeat Islamic State in the city of Mosul and the surrounding province of Nineveh.

Iraqi government armed forces are focusing their effort on dislodging insurgents from the city of Mosul, Islamic State&#39;s de-facto capital in Iraq.

While reporting nominally to Iraq&#39;s Shi&#39;ite-led government, Popular Mobilisation has Iranian military advisers, one of whom died last week fighting near Baaj.

&nbsp;

MOSUL CAMPAIGN

Iran has helped to train and organise thousands of Shi&#39;ite militia fighters from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Syrian conflict. Fighters from Lebanon&#39;s Hezbollah are also working closely with Iranian military commanders in Syria.

Eight months into the Mosul campaign, Islamic State fighters have been dislodged from all of the city except an enclave by the western bank of the Tigris river.

Iraq&#39;s army on Saturday launched a new offensive to take the militants&#39; enclave, which includes the densely populated Old City, amid concern over the fate of the civilians trapped there.

Up to 200,000 people still live behind Islamic State lines in Mosul, struggling to get food, water and medicine, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande told Reuters.

Government forces have been dropping leaflets over the districts telling families to flee, but many have remained out of fear of getting caught in the crossfire.

&quot;We have been informed by authorities that the evacuation is not compulsory ... If civilians decide to stay ... they will be protected by Iraqi security forces,&quot; said Grande.

&quot;People who choose to flee will be directed to safe routes. The location of these will change depending on which areas are under attack and dynamics on the battlefield,&quot; she added.

&quot;The fighting is extremely intense,&quot; a government advisor told Reuters. &quot;The presence of civilians means we have to be very cautious,&quot; he said, speaking on condition of anonymity, explaining the slow progress of the campaign.

(Reuters)

This could potentially reopen a supply route to send Iranian weapons to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

An Iraqi Shi'ite force backed by Iran said it pushed Islamic State out of several villages on the border with Syria on Monday, potentially reopening a supply route to send Iranian weapons to President Bashar al-Assad. The manoeuvre could also be the prelude to a connection with the Assad's Iranian-backed forces, although they are yet to reach the Iraqi border from the Syrian side. Syrian rebel sources have warned of advances by the Syrian army and Iranian-backed militia to reach the border. The territory taken by the Popular Mobilisation force on Monday is located north of the Islamic State-held town of Baaj. For Popular Mobilisation, it is a step towards achieving a linkup with Assad forces, giving him a significant advantage in fighting the six-year rebellion against his rule. But the territory is connected with land held by US-backed Syrian Kurdish groups on the Syrian side, who are more focused on fighting Islamic State than Assad. It is not known whether the Syrian Kurds would allow the Iraqi Shi'ite force to use their territory to reach Assad's troops, deployed further south and further west. In a statement on its website, Popular Mobilisation described its advance to the border with Syria as "a Ramadan miracle", referring to the Muslim fasting month which started over the weekend. Popular Mobilisation is taking part in the US-backed Iraqi campaign to defeat Islamic State in the city of Mosul and the surrounding province of Nineveh. Iraqi government armed forces are focusing their effort on dislodging insurgents from the city of Mosul, Islamic State's de-facto capital in Iraq. While reporting nominally to Iraq's Shi'ite-led government, Popular Mobilisation has Iranian military advisers, one of whom died last week fighting near Baaj. MOSUL CAMPAIGN Iran has helped to train and organise thousands of Shi'ite militia fighters from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Syrian conflict. Fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah are also working closely with Iranian military commanders in Syria. Eight months into the Mosul campaign, Islamic State fighters have been dislodged from all of the city except an enclave by the western bank of the Tigris river. Iraq's army on Saturday launched a new offensive to take the militants' enclave, which includes the densely populated Old City, amid concern over the fate of the civilians trapped there. Up to 200,000 people still live behind Islamic State lines in Mosul, struggling to get food, water and medicine, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande told Reuters. Government forces have been dropping leaflets over the districts telling families to flee, but many have remained out of fear of getting caught in the crossfire. "We have been informed by authorities that the evacuation is not compulsory ... If civilians decide to stay ... they will be protected by Iraqi security forces," said Grande. "People who choose to flee will be directed to safe routes. The location of these will change depending on which areas are under attack and dynamics on the battlefield," she added. "The fighting is extremely intense," a government advisor told Reuters. "The presence of civilians means we have to be very cautious," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity, explaining the slow progress of the campaign. (Reuters)

Iran-backed Iraqi force says takes Islamic State villages near Syria

Reports of civilian deaths from US-led air strikes in Iraq and Syria have soared in recent months, raising questions about whether President Donald Trump&#39;s order to &quot;annihilate&quot; the Islamic State group is fueling the increase.

The Pentagon vehemently denies this, and insists its targeting procedures and protocols to avoid civilian casualties have not changed.&nbsp;

Here is a look at what is going on.

How many are dying? -

Since the campaign to defeat IS in Iraq and Syria began in August 2014, the coalition has conducted 21,663 strikes -- 12,740 Iraq in and 8,923 Syria.

According to an official tally at the end of April, the Pentagon confirmed at least 352 civilians had been killed.

That toll came before Thursday&#39;s announcement that at least 105 people were killed in an anti-IS strike in the Iraqi city of Mosul in March. The official numbers are also dwarfed by claims from monitoring groups.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights this week reported the highest monthly civilian death toll for the coalition&#39;s operations in Syria.

It said between April 23 and May 23, coalition strikes killed 225 civilians in Syria, including dozens of children.

Airwars, a London-based collective of journalists and researchers that tracks civilian deaths in Iraq and Syria, claims a minimum of 3,681 people have died in coalition strikes -- between 283 and 366 of them in April alone.

What has changed?&nbsp;

Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to quickly defeat IS, ordered his generals to come up with a revised plan to defeat the jihadist group.

The review resulted in an &quot;annihilation campaign&quot; to kill all IS fighters, and saw commanders gain greater autonomy to make battlefield decisions.

Observers worry this is translating to a greater willingness to risk civilian life.&nbsp;

Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU National Security Project, voiced concerns the White House can&#39;t be trusted to provide accurate information about civilian deaths, and whether guidance has changed.

&quot;Even in war, there are rules and those rules are aimed at protecting civilian life,&quot; she told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s not at all clear that all feasible precautions are being taken to protect civilian life.&quot;

What does the Pentagon say?&nbsp;

The Pentagon strongly disputes such assertions, and says that protecting civilians is&nbsp;a top priority in assessing targets.

&quot;Throughout this fight, every target goes through our refined process to ensure it&#39;s not only a legitimate target under the law of armed conflict, but that it meets a threshold of proportionality and necessity,&quot; said Lieutenant General Jeffrey Harrigian, who heads US Air Forces Central Command.

Only 0.24 per cent of engagements have resulted in a &quot;credible&quot; report of civilian casualties, according to the Pentagon.&nbsp;

So what is happening?&nbsp;

The battlefield is changing, and in some places very quickly.

Whereas at the start of the campaign, the coalition was primarily striking IS fighters as they moved across large areas of open terrain, the fight is now focused on predominantly urban areas.&nbsp;

In Iraq&#39;s second city Mosul, for instance, IS jihadists are operating from tightly populated areas. The March 17 strike that resulted in the death of at least 105 civilians came when IS snipers were spotted in a building.&nbsp;

The air strike on the snipers inadvertently caused a stash of IS munitions to blow up, triggering the building&#39;s collapse, according to the Pentagon.&nbsp;

Brian McKeon, a senior Pentagon policy official at the end of the Obama administration, said the increasing civilian toll is due to fighting in a city, rather than any policy change under Trump.&nbsp;

&quot;They are trying very hard to avoid civilian casualties because,&quot; he said.

&quot;It&#39;s what the law tells them, and they want to avoid handing ISIS propaganda victories. But the risk of making mistakes is going to go up when you are operating in an urban environment.&quot;

(AFP)

Civilian casualties have alarmingly increased in recent months

Reports of civilian deaths from US-led air strikes in Iraq and Syria have soared in recent months, raising questions about whether President Donald Trump's order to "annihilate" the Islamic State group is fueling the increase. The Pentagon vehemently denies this, and insists its targeting procedures and protocols to avoid civilian casualties have not changed. Here is a look at what is going on. How many are dying? - Since the campaign to defeat IS in Iraq and Syria began in August 2014, the coalition has conducted 21,663 strikes -- 12,740 Iraq in and 8,923 Syria. According to an official tally at the end of April, the Pentagon confirmed at least 352 civilians had been killed. That toll came before Thursday's announcement that at least 105 people were killed in an anti-IS strike in the Iraqi city of Mosul in March. The official numbers are also dwarfed by claims from monitoring groups. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights this week reported the highest monthly civilian death toll for the coalition's operations in Syria. It said between April 23 and May 23, coalition strikes killed 225 civilians in Syria, including dozens of children. Airwars, a London-based collective of journalists and researchers that tracks civilian deaths in Iraq and Syria, claims a minimum of 3,681 people have died in coalition strikes -- between 283 and 366 of them in April alone. What has changed? Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to quickly defeat IS, ordered his generals to come up with a revised plan to defeat the jihadist group. The review resulted in an "annihilation campaign" to kill all IS fighters, and saw commanders gain greater autonomy to make battlefield decisions. Observers worry this is translating to a greater willingness to risk civilian life. Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU National Security Project, voiced concerns the White House can't be trusted to provide accurate information about civilian deaths, and whether guidance has changed. "Even in war, there are rules and those rules are aimed at protecting civilian life," she told AFP. "It's not at all clear that all feasible precautions are being taken to protect civilian life." What does the Pentagon say? The Pentagon strongly disputes such assertions, and says that protecting civilians is a top priority in assessing targets. "Throughout this fight, every target goes through our refined process to ensure it's not only a legitimate target under the law of armed conflict, but that it meets a threshold of proportionality and necessity," said Lieutenant General Jeffrey Harrigian, who heads US Air Forces Central Command. Only 0.24 per cent of engagements have resulted in a "credible" report of civilian casualties, according to the Pentagon. So what is happening? The battlefield is changing, and in some places very quickly. Whereas at the start of the campaign, the coalition was primarily striking IS fighters as they moved across large areas of open terrain, the fight is now focused on predominantly urban areas. In Iraq's second city Mosul, for instance, IS jihadists are operating from tightly populated areas. The March 17 strike that resulted in the death of at least 105 civilians came when IS snipers were spotted in a building. The air strike on the snipers inadvertently caused a stash of IS munitions to blow up, triggering the building's collapse, according to the Pentagon. Brian McKeon, a senior Pentagon policy official at the end of the Obama administration, said the increasing civilian toll is due to fighting in a city, rather than any policy change under Trump. "They are trying very hard to avoid civilian casualties because," he said. "It's what the law tells them, and they want to avoid handing ISIS propaganda victories. But the risk of making mistakes is going to go up when you are operating in an urban environment." (AFP)

Reasons for surge in death toll in Iraq, Syria

US-led coalition air strikes on Thursday killed at least 35 civilians in an eastern Syrian town held by the Islamic State group, a monitor said.&nbsp;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit a series of residential buildings in Mayadeen, a town in Syria&#39;s oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor.&nbsp;

&quot;Among the dead are at least 26 relatives of IS fighters, many of them women and children, including Syrians and Moroccans,&quot; said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.&nbsp;

&quot;The other nine are Syrian civilians and include five children,&quot; Abdel Rahman told AFP.&nbsp;

Thursday&#39;s toll brought the known deaths from two days of coalition bombing raids on Mayadeen to 50, the Observatory said, after 15 people were killed in US-led strikes on the town on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The Britain-based monitor this week reported the highest monthly civilian death toll for the coalition since it began bombing Syria on September 23, 2014.&nbsp;

Between April 23 and May 23 of this year, coalition strikes killed a total of 225 civilians in Syria, the Observatory said.&nbsp;

The international alliance is providing air cover for twin offensives on IS&#39;s remaining bastion cities: Raqa in northern Syria and Mosul in neighbouring Iraq.&nbsp;

On Thursday, a Pentagon investigation concluded that at least 105 civilians died in an anti-jihadist air strike on an IS weapons cache in Mosul in March.&nbsp;

Prior to the new relevation, the US military had said coalition air strikes in Iraq and Syria had &quot;unintentionally&quot; killed a total of 352 civilians since 2014.&nbsp;

More than 320,000 people have been killed and millions more displaced since Syria&#39;s conflict broke out in March 2011. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(AFP)&nbsp;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit a series of residential buildings in Mayadeen, a town in Syria's oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor.

US-led coalition air strikes on Thursday killed at least 35 civilians in an eastern Syrian town held by the Islamic State group, a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit a series of residential buildings in Mayadeen, a town in Syria's oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor. "Among the dead are at least 26 relatives of IS fighters, many of them women and children, including Syrians and Moroccans," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. "The other nine are Syrian civilians and include five children," Abdel Rahman told AFP. Thursday's toll brought the known deaths from two days of coalition bombing raids on Mayadeen to 50, the Observatory said, after 15 people were killed in US-led strikes on the town on Wednesday. The Britain-based monitor this week reported the highest monthly civilian death toll for the coalition since it began bombing Syria on September 23, 2014. Between April 23 and May 23 of this year, coalition strikes killed a total of 225 civilians in Syria, the Observatory said. The international alliance is providing air cover for twin offensives on IS's remaining bastion cities: Raqa in northern Syria and Mosul in neighbouring Iraq. On Thursday, a Pentagon investigation concluded that at least 105 civilians died in an anti-jihadist air strike on an IS weapons cache in Mosul in March. Prior to the new relevation, the US military had said coalition air strikes in Iraq and Syria had "unintentionally" killed a total of 352 civilians since 2014. More than 320,000 people have been killed and millions more displaced since Syria's conflict broke out in March 2011. (AFP)

US-led coalition air strikes kill at least 35 civilians in Syria: Monitor

More than 1,500 rebels and their family members left the devastated district of Qaboun on the edge of the Syrian capital Damascus after more than two months of aerial strikes and artillery shelling, rebels and state media said on Sunday.

The rebels had agreed overnight to a secret evacuation deal after being cornered in a small pocket of Qaboun, which lies on the northeastern edge of Damascus.

The area has been largely reduced to rubble after being struck by hundreds of aerial strikes and missiles over a period of about 80 days.

The Syrian army had resumed its intensive bombardment of the district on Wednesday after a one-day ultimatum it gave the rebels mainly drawn from the area to surrender and agree to evacuate to rebel-held areas in northern Syria.&nbsp;

&quot;The regime has threatened to destroy what is left of Qaboun and will not accept anything but a military solution,&quot; Abdullah al Qabouni from the local council of the district told Reuters.

Hundreds of rebels and their families were evacuated this week from the adjacent Barzeh district after rebels there decided to lay down their arms and leave to rebel-held Idlib province.

Syrian state media said evacuations had almost been completed and the district was now securely in army hands.

Most of the residents of the once-bustling area, which had sheltered thousands of displaced people from other parts of Syria in the course of the conflict, fled in the last two months as the bombing escalated.

Rebels under pressure

The loss of Qaboun following Barzeh is another blow to rebels as they battle to keep a foothold in the capital and face government troops who are supported by Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias.&nbsp;

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promoted the use of evacuation deals, along with what his government calls &quot;reconciliation&quot; accords, for rebel-held areas that surrender to the government as a way of reducing bloodshed.&nbsp;

But the United Nations has criticised both the use of siege tactics which precede such deals and the evacuations themselves as amounting to forcible displacement.

The Sunni Muslim rebels accuse the government of seeking to evict Sunni inhabitants in these areas in demographic changes they say would eventually pave the way for Iranian-backed Shi`ites who back Assad`s rule to take over their homes, a claim the authorities deny.

Army advances were made possible after tunnels between Qaboun and Barzeh were cut and the army isolated the areas from the rest of the main rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

The tightening of the siege in Qaboun and Barzeh, where tens of thousands of people lived, forced the hands of rebels to eventually agree to deals worked out elsewhere that force them to pull back to northern Syria.

&quot;They besieged us and even medicines for children or any supplies were no longer left ... and people died of hunger,&quot; said Ahmad Khatib, who was among those who left on Friday.&nbsp;

The densely populated rural Eastern Ghouta district of farms and towns has been besieged since 2013.

It remains the only major rebel bastion near Damascus and the fall of Qaboun and Barzeh have removed a main line of defence that protected it, rebels say.

(Reuters)

Syrian state media said evacuations had almost been completed and the district was now securely in army hands.

More than 1,500 rebels and their family members left the devastated district of Qaboun on the edge of the Syrian capital Damascus after more than two months of aerial strikes and artillery shelling, rebels and state media said on Sunday. The rebels had agreed overnight to a secret evacuation deal after being cornered in a small pocket of Qaboun, which lies on the northeastern edge of Damascus. The area has been largely reduced to rubble after being struck by hundreds of aerial strikes and missiles over a period of about 80 days. The Syrian army had resumed its intensive bombardment of the district on Wednesday after a one-day ultimatum it gave the rebels mainly drawn from the area to surrender and agree to evacuate to rebel-held areas in northern Syria. "The regime has threatened to destroy what is left of Qaboun and will not accept anything but a military solution," Abdullah al Qabouni from the local council of the district told Reuters. Hundreds of rebels and their families were evacuated this week from the adjacent Barzeh district after rebels there decided to lay down their arms and leave to rebel-held Idlib province. Syrian state media said evacuations had almost been completed and the district was now securely in army hands. Most of the residents of the once-bustling area, which had sheltered thousands of displaced people from other parts of Syria in the course of the conflict, fled in the last two months as the bombing escalated. Rebels under pressure The loss of Qaboun following Barzeh is another blow to rebels as they battle to keep a foothold in the capital and face government troops who are supported by Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promoted the use of evacuation deals, along with what his government calls "reconciliation" accords, for rebel-held areas that surrender to the government as a way of reducing bloodshed. But the United Nations has criticised both the use of siege tactics which precede such deals and the evacuations themselves as amounting to forcible displacement. The Sunni Muslim rebels accuse the government of seeking to evict Sunni inhabitants in these areas in demographic changes they say would eventually pave the way for Iranian-backed Shi`ites who back Assad`s rule to take over their homes, a claim the authorities deny. Army advances were made possible after tunnels between Qaboun and Barzeh were cut and the army isolated the areas from the rest of the main rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta. The tightening of the siege in Qaboun and Barzeh, where tens of thousands of people lived, forced the hands of rebels to eventually agree to deals worked out elsewhere that force them to pull back to northern Syria. "They besieged us and even medicines for children or any supplies were no longer left ... and people died of hunger," said Ahmad Khatib, who was among those who left on Friday. The densely populated rural Eastern Ghouta district of farms and towns has been besieged since 2013. It remains the only major rebel bastion near Damascus and the fall of Qaboun and Barzeh have removed a main line of defence that protected it, rebels say. (Reuters)

More than 1,500 rebels, families evacuate devastated Damascus district

For nearly four years, food, fuel and medicine have travelled across frontlines into the besieged eastern suburbs of Damascus through a network of underground tunnels.&nbsp;

But an army offensive near the Syrian capital has shut the routes into the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, causing supplies to dwindle and prices to rocket, residents say.&nbsp;

&quot;The price of fuel went up like crazy,&quot; said Adnan, 30, the head of a local aid group that distributes food.

A cooking gas canister now costs 50,000 Syrian pounds, nearly four times its price before the attack and almost 20 times the state-regulated price in nearby Damascus.&nbsp;

Adnan, whose aid group buys rice, lentils and other goods that arrive via the tunnels, said the shutdown and steep price hikes had triggered rising despair in the suburbs.&nbsp;

As the army tightens the noose, fighters and civilians are bracing for a full-blown assault and bitter shortages that could last through the winter.

&quot;The operation aims to strangle the Ghouta ... by closing off the crossings and tunnels,&quot; Hamza Birqdar, military spokesman for the Jaish al-Islam rebel group, told Reuters.

&quot;Trade through the tunnels has completely stopped.&quot;&nbsp;

Government forces have blockaded Eastern Ghouta, a densely populated pocket of satellite towns and farms, since 2013. It remains the only major rebel bastion near Damascus, though it has shrunk by almost half over the past year.&nbsp;

President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government has been steadily defeating pockets of armed rebellion near the capital, with the help of Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias.

It ultimately aims to seize the Ghouta, pushing fighters to accept state rule or leave for rebel territory in the north, in a type of negotiated withdrawal that has helped shore up its rule over Syria&#39;s main urban centres.

Tunnel crackdown

Heavy fighting and air strikes have rocked the districts that stand between Damascus and Eastern Ghouta, severing smuggling routes that provided a lifeline for around 300,000 people in the besieged suburbs.

The army assault entered a higher gear in recent months in the districts of Barzeh and Qaboun, at the capital&#39;s eastern edges, which abruptly ended a local truce that had been in place with rebels there since 2014.&nbsp;

Their relative calm and location had turned them into a transit point where traders brought supplies from the capital and shuttled them underground into the opposition enclave. Government forces have now swept into most of the two districts.&nbsp;

The siege generated a black market economy and profiteers who traded across frontlines, says an activist who has smuggled medicine through one of the tunnels.

Goods prices were ramped up by payments to checkpoints in government-held areas and rebels that control the tunnels, the activist and other residents said.&nbsp;

Syrian officials were not available for comment on such allegations.&nbsp;

Syrian state media says Ghouta militants dug tunnels hundreds of metres long to move weapons and ambush army positions. The tunnels have been a target of army operations, with several blown up in recent months, it has said.&nbsp;

The wide array of rebels - including hardline jihadists and other groups supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies - have been on the back-foot across Syria.&nbsp;

In Eastern Ghouta, a bout of renewed rebel infighting, after a rebel attack at the fringes of Damascus quickly fizzled out in March, could play into the government&#39;s hands.&nbsp;

Birqdar said rebels faced &quot;heavy shelling, air strikes, and incoming tanks&quot; every day. &quot;We must prepare for every scenario that could happen on the battlefield,&quot; he said.

&quot;We are fully ready to negotiate over stopping the bloodshed by the regime, but will not accept any talks that lead to surrender.&quot; He ruled out a local evacuation deal.

The government says such deals have succeeded where UN-based peace talks failed. The opposition describes it as a strategy of forced displacement after years of siege - a method of warfare the United Nations has condemned as a war crime.

When winter comes

The UN&nbsp;has warned of impending starvation if aid does not reach Eastern Ghouta, where international deliveries have long been erratic and obstructed. A convoy that entered last week, for the first time in months, carried food and supplies for just about 10 per cent of the estimated population.&nbsp;

&quot;People have rushed to the markets to stock up,&quot; said Adnan. &quot;Because they have bitter memories of 2013,&quot; when their towns first came under siege.&nbsp;

Merchants inside the Ghouta had filled up large warehouses that would last months, and residents would harvest crops in the area&#39;s remaining farmland in the summer, he said. &quot;Things will get worse when winter comes.&quot;&nbsp;

The Wafideen crossing at the outskirts, where checkpoints allowed food to enter, has also been restricted since February, Adnan and others said.&nbsp;

One resident said rebel fighters also ran their own hidden routes through which they had moved unnoticed or smuggled arms.

Medics relied on the tunnels for antibiotics, anaesthetics, and other supplies, said Abu Ibrahim Baker, a surgeon in Eastern Ghouta. Hospitals would be &quot;able to hold out, God willing, but not for very long,&quot; he said.

(Reuters)

Heavy fighting and air strikes have rocked the districts that stand between Damascus and Eastern Ghouta, severing smuggling routes that provided a lifeline for around 300,000 people in the besieged suburbs.

For nearly four years, food, fuel and medicine have travelled across frontlines into the besieged eastern suburbs of Damascus through a network of underground tunnels. But an army offensive near the Syrian capital has shut the routes into the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, causing supplies to dwindle and prices to rocket, residents say. "The price of fuel went up like crazy," said Adnan, 30, the head of a local aid group that distributes food. A cooking gas canister now costs 50,000 Syrian pounds, nearly four times its price before the attack and almost 20 times the state-regulated price in nearby Damascus. Adnan, whose aid group buys rice, lentils and other goods that arrive via the tunnels, said the shutdown and steep price hikes had triggered rising despair in the suburbs. As the army tightens the noose, fighters and civilians are bracing for a full-blown assault and bitter shortages that could last through the winter. "The operation aims to strangle the Ghouta ... by closing off the crossings and tunnels," Hamza Birqdar, military spokesman for the Jaish al-Islam rebel group, told Reuters. "Trade through the tunnels has completely stopped." Government forces have blockaded Eastern Ghouta, a densely populated pocket of satellite towns and farms, since 2013. It remains the only major rebel bastion near Damascus, though it has shrunk by almost half over the past year. President Bashar al-Assad's government has been steadily defeating pockets of armed rebellion near the capital, with the help of Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias. It ultimately aims to seize the Ghouta, pushing fighters to accept state rule or leave for rebel territory in the north, in a type of negotiated withdrawal that has helped shore up its rule over Syria's main urban centres. Tunnel crackdown Heavy fighting and air strikes have rocked the districts that stand between Damascus and Eastern Ghouta, severing smuggling routes that provided a lifeline for around 300,000 people in the besieged suburbs. The army assault entered a higher gear in recent months in the districts of Barzeh and Qaboun, at the capital's eastern edges, which abruptly ended a local truce that had been in place with rebels there since 2014. Their relative calm and location had turned them into a transit point where traders brought supplies from the capital and shuttled them underground into the opposition enclave. Government forces have now swept into most of the two districts. The siege generated a black market economy and profiteers who traded across frontlines, says an activist who has smuggled medicine through one of the tunnels. Goods prices were ramped up by payments to checkpoints in government-held areas and rebels that control the tunnels, the activist and other residents said. Syrian officials were not available for comment on such allegations. Syrian state media says Ghouta militants dug tunnels hundreds of metres long to move weapons and ambush army positions. The tunnels have been a target of army operations, with several blown up in recent months, it has said. The wide array of rebels - including hardline jihadists and other groups supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies - have been on the back-foot across Syria. In Eastern Ghouta, a bout of renewed rebel infighting, after a rebel attack at the fringes of Damascus quickly fizzled out in March, could play into the government's hands. Birqdar said rebels faced "heavy shelling, air strikes, and incoming tanks" every day. "We must prepare for every scenario that could happen on the battlefield," he said. "We are fully ready to negotiate over stopping the bloodshed by the regime, but will not accept any talks that lead to surrender." He ruled out a local evacuation deal. The government says such deals have succeeded where UN-based peace talks failed. The opposition describes it as a strategy of forced displacement after years of siege - a method of warfare the United Nations has condemned as a war crime. When winter comes The UN has warned of impending starvation if aid does not reach Eastern Ghouta, where international deliveries have long been erratic and obstructed. A convoy that entered last week, for the first time in months, carried food and supplies for just about 10 per cent of the estimated population. "People have rushed to the markets to stock up," said Adnan. "Because they have bitter memories of 2013," when their towns first came under siege. Merchants inside the Ghouta had filled up large warehouses that would last months, and residents would harvest crops in the area's remaining farmland in the summer, he said. "Things will get worse when winter comes." The Wafideen crossing at the outskirts, where checkpoints allowed food to enter, has also been restricted since February, Adnan and others said. One resident said rebel fighters also ran their own hidden routes through which they had moved unnoticed or smuggled arms. Medics relied on the tunnels for antibiotics, anaesthetics, and other supplies, said Abu Ibrahim Baker, a surgeon in Eastern Ghouta. Hospitals would be "able to hold out, God willing, but not for very long," he said. (Reuters)

With tunnel lifeline cut, pressure mounts on Syrian rebel enclave

US-backed Syrian militias said they fully seized the town of&nbsp;Tabqa&nbsp;and Syria&#39;s largest dam from Islamic State on Wednesday, a major objective as they prepare to launch an assault on Raqqa city.&nbsp;

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, have been battling the jihadist group for weeks in&nbsp;Tabqa, some 40 km (25 miles) west of Raqqa, along the Euphrates river.&nbsp;

With air strikes and special forces from the US-led coalition, the SDF are advancing on Raqqa, Islamic State&#39;s base of operations in Syria, to ultimately take the city.&nbsp;

They captured&nbsp;Tabqa&nbsp;&quot;thanks to the sacrifices of the SDF&#39;s heroes and with the full, unlimited support of the US-led international coalition&quot;, said SDF spokesman Talal Silo.&nbsp;

Nasser Haj Mansour, an adviser to the SDF, said the town and the adjacent&nbsp;Tabqa&nbsp;dam were now &quot;completely liberated&quot; after the SDF drove all Islamic State militants out.&nbsp;

The Raqqa campaign appeared to have stalled around&nbsp;Tabqa, where the SDF made only slow progress after besieging the town. They pushed into the town nearly two weeks ago, capturing most of its districts and encircling Islamic State in the dam.&nbsp;

The battle for&nbsp;Tabqa&nbsp;began after US&nbsp;forces helped SDF fighters conduct an airborne landing on the southern bank of the Euphrates in late March, allowing them to gain control of an important nearby airbase.

Despite fierce objections from NATO ally Turkey, the United States this week approved supplying arms to the powerful Kurdish YPG militia, a key component of the SDF and their campaign.

Ankara strongly opposes US&nbsp;support of the YPG, viewing it as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency inside Turkey.

The YPG has emerged as a valuable partner for the United States in the fight against Islamic State in northern Syria. Washington says arming the Syrian Kurdish forces is necessary to capture Raqqa, which Islamic State has used a hub for planning attacks abroad.

Raqqa now lies in an Islamic State enclave on the northern bank of the Euphrates, after the SDF has closed in on the city from the north, east and west in recent months.&nbsp;

Islamic State&#39;s only means of crossing to its main territory south of the river is by boat after air strikes knocked the area&#39;s bridges out of service.&nbsp;

The jihadist group still controls swathes of Syria&#39;s vast eastern deserts and most of Deir al-Zor province near the border with Iraq, but it has lost tracts of its territory over the past year.

(Reuters)

The Raqqa campaign appeared to have stalled around?Tabqa, where the SDF made only slow progress after besieging the town. They pushed into the town nearly two weeks ago, capturing most of its districts and encircling Islamic State in the dam.?

US-backed Syrian militias said they fully seized the town of Tabqa and Syria's largest dam from Islamic State on Wednesday, a major objective as they prepare to launch an assault on Raqqa city. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, have been battling the jihadist group for weeks in Tabqa, some 40 km (25 miles) west of Raqqa, along the Euphrates river. With air strikes and special forces from the US-led coalition, the SDF are advancing on Raqqa, Islamic State's base of operations in Syria, to ultimately take the city. They captured Tabqa "thanks to the sacrifices of the SDF's heroes and with the full, unlimited support of the US-led international coalition", said SDF spokesman Talal Silo. Nasser Haj Mansour, an adviser to the SDF, said the town and the adjacent Tabqa dam were now "completely liberated" after the SDF drove all Islamic State militants out. The Raqqa campaign appeared to have stalled around Tabqa, where the SDF made only slow progress after besieging the town. They pushed into the town nearly two weeks ago, capturing most of its districts and encircling Islamic State in the dam. The battle for Tabqa began after US forces helped SDF fighters conduct an airborne landing on the southern bank of the Euphrates in late March, allowing them to gain control of an important nearby airbase. Despite fierce objections from NATO ally Turkey, the United States this week approved supplying arms to the powerful Kurdish YPG militia, a key component of the SDF and their campaign. Ankara strongly opposes US support of the YPG, viewing it as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency inside Turkey. The YPG has emerged as a valuable partner for the United States in the fight against Islamic State in northern Syria. Washington says arming the Syrian Kurdish forces is necessary to capture Raqqa, which Islamic State has used a hub for planning attacks abroad. Raqqa now lies in an Islamic State enclave on the northern bank of the Euphrates, after the SDF has closed in on the city from the north, east and west in recent months. Islamic State's only means of crossing to its main territory south of the river is by boat after air strikes knocked the area's bridges out of service. The jihadist group still controls swathes of Syria's vast eastern deserts and most of Deir al-Zor province near the border with Iraq, but it has lost tracts of its territory over the past year. (Reuters)

US-backed Syrian militias 'capture' Tabqa from Islamic State

A counter-terror operation conducted jointly by Spain and Morocco has led to the arrest of two suspected extremists in the Spanish region of Catalonia and another in the Moroccan city of Tangiers, the interior ministry said Monday.

In Spain, a 21-year-old man was arrested in Barcelona while a 32-year-old male was detained 100 kilometers (62 miles) down the coast in Tarragona; both allegedly intended to travel to conflicts zones in Syria and Iraq and had expressed a willingness to die fighting for the Islamic State terror organization.

The duo, both Moroccan nationals, are suspected of having maintained contact with IS members already fighting in the war-torn areas of the Middle East and had worked on behalf of the terror organization in Spain by spreading propaganda and trying to recruit people online and in person.

A third suspect, detained in the northern Moroccan city of Tangiers, allegedly belonged to an IS-affiliated group.

The operation was conducted by Spain&#39;s National Police in conjunction with Moroccan counter-terror units and the regional police forces in Barcelona and Tarragona.

It formed part of a wider operation launched in Oct. 2015.

Since the government raised the nation&#39;s terror alert status to the second-highest level (4) in June 2015, Spanish security agents have arrested 162 suspected extremists.

(EFE) 
&nbsp;

The operation was conducted by Spain's National Police in conjunction with Moroccan counter-terror units

A counter-terror operation conducted jointly by Spain and Morocco has led to the arrest of two suspected extremists in the Spanish region of Catalonia and another in the Moroccan city of Tangiers, the interior ministry said Monday. In Spain, a 21-year-old man was arrested in Barcelona while a 32-year-old male was detained 100 kilometers (62 miles) down the coast in Tarragona; both allegedly intended to travel to conflicts zones in Syria and Iraq and had expressed a willingness to die fighting for the Islamic State terror organization. The duo, both Moroccan nationals, are suspected of having maintained contact with IS members already fighting in the war-torn areas of the Middle East and had worked on behalf of the terror organization in Spain by spreading propaganda and trying to recruit people online and in person. A third suspect, detained in the northern Moroccan city of Tangiers, allegedly belonged to an IS-affiliated group. The operation was conducted by Spain's National Police in conjunction with Moroccan counter-terror units and the regional police forces in Barcelona and Tarragona. It formed part of a wider operation launched in Oct. 2015. Since the government raised the nation's terror alert status to the second-highest level (4) in June 2015, Spanish security agents have arrested 162 suspected extremists. (EFE)

Spanish police arrest 3 suspected extremists, all with links to IS

Syrian rebels and their families began evacuating from a district of Damascus for the first time on Monday, bringing the government closer to recapturing all of the capital.

The evacuation began days after regime backers Russia and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey signed a deal to implement &quot;de-escalation zones&quot; where the government and opposition will halt hostilities.

Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Monday rejected any role for the United Nations or international forces in monitoring the zones.

The deal to evacuate Barzeh district mirrors similar agreements for opposition-held territory elsewhere, allowing fighters safe passage in exchange for surrender.

State television cited the Damascus provincial governor as saying a first wave of 1,022 people, including 568 fighters, had left Barzeh on Monday.

The channel said the evacuation would take five days, but that rebels who chose to stay could do so if they registered with the government.

Those leaving will head to the rebel-held province of Idlib, in Syria&#39;s northwest.

The evacuation deal was struck late Sunday night, and dozens of people gathered in Barzeh from Monday morning.

An AFP photographer saw rebel fighters carrying light weapons looking on as children and women in brightly-coloured headscarves pulled shabby suitcases and duffel bags.

A source from the pro-government National Defence Forces said rebel fighters would be allowed to take their &quot;personal weapons&quot; with them.

Negotiations were ongoing for a similar deal in the district of Qabun, in Damascus&#39;s northeast, which forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been shelling heavily for weeks.

&#39;De-escalation&#39; zones

&quot;We are working on Qabun and there is the Yarmuk camp, where talks are underway for the evacuation of armed groups,&quot; said Muallem.

Assad&#39;s government controls all but six districts of Damascus: Barzeh, Qabun, Jobar, Tishreen, Tadamun, and Yarmuk camp.

The evacuation is a first in the capital, but the Barzeh agreement follows a model of &quot;reconciliation deals&quot; implemented across the country.

The government touts such deals as the best way to end the six-year conflict, which erupted in March 2011 with anti-regime protests and has killed more than 320,000 people.

But the opposition says it is forced into them by heavy government bombardment and siege tactics.

Monday&#39;s evacuation began as battlefronts quietened in Syrian territory included in four &quot;de-escalation zones&quot; agreed by Russia, Iran and Turkey.

The agreement, inked in the Kazakh capital Astana, excludes Damascus city.

It mandates an end to hostilities, including air strikes, in specified zones for six months.

The deal came into effect on midnight Friday, with fighting subsiding, but the co-sponsors have until June 4 to submit maps finalising the borders of the zones.

It calls for continued fighting against the Islamic State group, which is largely absent from the areas where the zones will be implemented, as well as former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front.

Fateh al-Sham has a powerful presence particularly in Idlib province, which is included in the zones, where it is allied with other opposition groups.

Russian draft resolution

The deal says the &quot;de-escalation zones&quot; would be bordered by security areas with checkpoints and observation centres &quot;ensured by the forces of the guarantors by consensus&quot;, but that &quot;third-party&quot; monitors could also be deployed.

But on Monday, Muallem rejected UN or international monitors.

&quot;We do not accept a role for the United Nations or international forces to monitor the agreement,&quot; he said.

He added there could be a role &quot;as the Russian guarantor has said, for military police&quot;, but it was unclear if he was referring to Syrian or foreign units.

Russia meanwhile said it had tabled a draft UN Security Council resolution backing the safe zone deal.

A source at the UN told Russia&#39;s Interfax news agency that &quot;a vote on the draft will take place possibly this week&quot;.

Western diplomats expressed reservations, saying it was premature to endorse the Astana deal until final arrangements for the proposed &quot;de-escalation zones&quot; were agreed.

The agreement has been received with caution by Washington, with US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis saying it was being studied.

&quot;Does this proposal have a hope for ending this war? We&#39;ll have to look at it. The devil is always in the details, so we are going to have to look at the details,&quot; he said.

Russia has said warplanes belonging to the US-led coalition fighting IS will be barred from operating in the four &quot;de-escalation zones&quot;.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov are set to discuss the agreement when they meet on Wednesday in Washington.

(AFP)

A first wave of 1,022 people, including 568 fighters, reportedly left Damascus' Barzeh on Monday.

Syrian rebels and their families began evacuating from a district of Damascus for the first time on Monday, bringing the government closer to recapturing all of the capital. The evacuation began days after regime backers Russia and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey signed a deal to implement "de-escalation zones" where the government and opposition will halt hostilities. Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Monday rejected any role for the United Nations or international forces in monitoring the zones. The deal to evacuate Barzeh district mirrors similar agreements for opposition-held territory elsewhere, allowing fighters safe passage in exchange for surrender. State television cited the Damascus provincial governor as saying a first wave of 1,022 people, including 568 fighters, had left Barzeh on Monday. The channel said the evacuation would take five days, but that rebels who chose to stay could do so if they registered with the government. Those leaving will head to the rebel-held province of Idlib, in Syria's northwest. The evacuation deal was struck late Sunday night, and dozens of people gathered in Barzeh from Monday morning. An AFP photographer saw rebel fighters carrying light weapons looking on as children and women in brightly-coloured headscarves pulled shabby suitcases and duffel bags. A source from the pro-government National Defence Forces said rebel fighters would be allowed to take their "personal weapons" with them. Negotiations were ongoing for a similar deal in the district of Qabun, in Damascus's northeast, which forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been shelling heavily for weeks. 'De-escalation' zones "We are working on Qabun and there is the Yarmuk camp, where talks are underway for the evacuation of armed groups," said Muallem. Assad's government controls all but six districts of Damascus: Barzeh, Qabun, Jobar, Tishreen, Tadamun, and Yarmuk camp. The evacuation is a first in the capital, but the Barzeh agreement follows a model of "reconciliation deals" implemented across the country. The government touts such deals as the best way to end the six-year conflict, which erupted in March 2011 with anti-regime protests and has killed more than 320,000 people. But the opposition says it is forced into them by heavy government bombardment and siege tactics. Monday's evacuation began as battlefronts quietened in Syrian territory included in four "de-escalation zones" agreed by Russia, Iran and Turkey. The agreement, inked in the Kazakh capital Astana, excludes Damascus city. It mandates an end to hostilities, including air strikes, in specified zones for six months. The deal came into effect on midnight Friday, with fighting subsiding, but the co-sponsors have until June 4 to submit maps finalising the borders of the zones. It calls for continued fighting against the Islamic State group, which is largely absent from the areas where the zones will be implemented, as well as former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front. Fateh al-Sham has a powerful presence particularly in Idlib province, which is included in the zones, where it is allied with other opposition groups. Russian draft resolution The deal says the "de-escalation zones" would be bordered by security areas with checkpoints and observation centres "ensured by the forces of the guarantors by consensus", but that "third-party" monitors could also be deployed. But on Monday, Muallem rejected UN or international monitors. "We do not accept a role for the United Nations or international forces to monitor the agreement," he said. He added there could be a role "as the Russian guarantor has said, for military police", but it was unclear if he was referring to Syrian or foreign units. Russia meanwhile said it had tabled a draft UN Security Council resolution backing the safe zone deal. A source at the UN told Russia's Interfax news agency that "a vote on the draft will take place possibly this week". Western diplomats expressed reservations, saying it was premature to endorse the Astana deal until final arrangements for the proposed "de-escalation zones" were agreed. The agreement has been received with caution by Washington, with US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis saying it was being studied. "Does this proposal have a hope for ending this war? We'll have to look at it. The devil is always in the details, so we are going to have to look at the details," he said. Russia has said warplanes belonging to the US-led coalition fighting IS will be barred from operating in the four "de-escalation zones". US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov are set to discuss the agreement when they meet on Wednesday in Washington. (AFP)

Syria: First evacuations from Damascus rebel district

Syrian regime allies Russia and Iran and rebel-backer Turkey on Thursday signed a memorandum on a Moscow-backed plan to create safe zones in Syria, AFP news agency reported.&nbsp;

An AFP reporter at peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana saw the heads of the delegations - who represent the three countries sponsoring the negotiations - sign the document.&nbsp;

The move is being seen as a breakthrough although the opposition hasn&#39;t backed the initiative.&nbsp;

Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin while meeting &nbsp;Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan had&nbsp;proposed that safe zones in Syria should become no-fly areas if fighting on the ground stops entirely.

&quot;If there is a de-escalation zone, then planes will not fly there on condition that no military activity emanates from these zones,&quot; Putin had said at a press conference with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Russia was hoping&nbsp;to negotiate a memorandum with&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and&nbsp;Iran to establish four de-escalation zones in Syria,&nbsp;Russian negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev had said earlier.

&quot;These are the zones where most intensive fighting is taking place between the government forces, Jabhat al Nusra and a moderate opposition,&quot; Lavrentyev told reporters this morning.&nbsp;

Turkey&#39;s president had said on Wednesday&nbsp;(May 3) that he believed his&nbsp;Russian counterpart would play a major role in establishing a ceasefire in Syria.

(WION with Agency inputs)

The move is being seen as a breakthrough although the opposition hasn't backed the initiative

Syrian regime allies Russia and Iran and rebel-backer Turkey on Thursday signed a memorandum on a Moscow-backed plan to create safe zones in Syria, AFP news agency reported. An AFP reporter at peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana saw the heads of the delegations - who represent the three countries sponsoring the negotiations - sign the document. The move is being seen as a breakthrough although the opposition hasn't backed the initiative. Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin while meeting Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan had proposed that safe zones in Syria should become no-fly areas if fighting on the ground stops entirely. "If there is a de-escalation zone, then planes will not fly there on condition that no military activity emanates from these zones," Putin had said at a press conference with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Russia was hoping to negotiate a memorandum with Turkey and Iran to establish four de-escalation zones in Syria, Russian negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev had said earlier. "These are the zones where most intensive fighting is taking place between the government forces, Jabhat al Nusra and a moderate opposition," Lavrentyev told reporters this morning. Turkey's president had said on Wednesday (May 3) that he believed his Russian counterpart would play a major role in establishing a ceasefire in Syria. (WION with Agency inputs)

Astana peace talks: Russia, Turkey, Iran sign pact on safe zones in Syria

An Islamic State attack in an area held by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria killed at least 38 people on Tuesday including 23 civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The attack on Rajm al-Salibi, the location of a checkpoint and refugee camp near the border with Iraq, led to fierce clashes, injuring dozens, the Britain-based war monitor said.

The SDF battled Islamic State since dawn in nearby areas of Hasaka province, which Kurdish forces largely control, it said.

An adviser to the SDF, Nasser Haj Mansour, confirmed that several civilians died, including people escaping Islamic State in Syria&#39;s Deir al-Zor and in Iraq.

The International Rescue Committee said the wounded were taken to hospital inside Hasaka and several children were killed. Thousands of people have fled Iraq for the Rajm al-Salibi border crossing and another camp further north in recent months, the global aid agency said.

The SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, has seized large swathes of northern Syria from Islamic State in a campaign to drive the jihadist group out of Raqqa city, its base of operations in Syria.

This week, the SDF said it captured most of the strategic town of Tabqa, 40 km (25 miles) west of Raqqa along the Euphrates.

The SDF said fighting continued on Tuesday to capture the last district of Tabqa as well as an adjacent dam, Syria&#39;s largest, and the last major obstacle as the militias prepare to launch an assault on Raqqa.

The Islamic State attack in Hasaka was targeted at the Asayish, a Kurdish internal security force that operates in northeast Syria, the Observatory said. 
 
(Reuters)

Several civilians died, including people escaping IS in Syria's Deir al-Zor and in Iraq

An Islamic State attack in an area held by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria killed at least 38 people on Tuesday including 23 civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The attack on Rajm al-Salibi, the location of a checkpoint and refugee camp near the border with Iraq, led to fierce clashes, injuring dozens, the Britain-based war monitor said. The SDF battled Islamic State since dawn in nearby areas of Hasaka province, which Kurdish forces largely control, it said. An adviser to the SDF, Nasser Haj Mansour, confirmed that several civilians died, including people escaping Islamic State in Syria's Deir al-Zor and in Iraq. The International Rescue Committee said the wounded were taken to hospital inside Hasaka and several children were killed. Thousands of people have fled Iraq for the Rajm al-Salibi border crossing and another camp further north in recent months, the global aid agency said. The SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, has seized large swathes of northern Syria from Islamic State in a campaign to drive the jihadist group out of Raqqa city, its base of operations in Syria. This week, the SDF said it captured most of the strategic town of Tabqa, 40 km (25 miles) west of Raqqa along the Euphrates. The SDF said fighting continued on Tuesday to capture the last district of Tabqa as well as an adjacent dam, Syria's largest, and the last major obstacle as the militias prepare to launch an assault on Raqqa. The Islamic State attack in Hasaka was targeted at the Asayish, a Kurdish internal security force that operates in northeast Syria, the Observatory said. (Reuters)

38 killed in IS attack on Syrian refugee camp

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