Syrian rebels have agreed to leave the Homs district of al-Waer with their families over the next few weeks, opposition media said on Monday, with state media quoting the governor of Homs province as saying the same.

Opposition-affiliated Orient News reported that negotiators from al-Waer had signed an agreement for rebel factions and their families to go to northern Syria.

The Homs Media Centre, run by opposition activists in Homs, also said an agreement had been reached.

The deal completes an agreement reached in September between the government and the rebel groups in al-Waer, the last insurgent bastion in Homs, which has been pounded by air strikes in recent weeks.

All fighters and their families will leave in batches for northern Syria, Homs governor Talal Barazi was quoted as saying on state television and by news agencies.

Orient News said they would go to Jarablus, a city near the border with Turkey that is held by rebel groups fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner with backing from Turkish forces.

In September, Barazi said al-Waer was home to about 40,000 civilians and 800 fighters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group monitoring the war, said there were more than 2,500 fighters there.

(Reuters)

Both opposition and state media reported that a deal has been negotiated to let the rebels leave with their families over the next few weeks

Syrian rebels have agreed to leave the Homs district of al-Waer with their families over the next few weeks, opposition media said on Monday, with state media quoting the governor of Homs province as saying the same. Opposition-affiliated Orient News reported that negotiators from al-Waer had signed an agreement for rebel factions and their families to go to northern Syria. The Homs Media Centre, run by opposition activists in Homs, also said an agreement had been reached. The deal completes an agreement reached in September between the government and the rebel groups in al-Waer, the last insurgent bastion in Homs, which has been pounded by air strikes in recent weeks. All fighters and their families will leave in batches for northern Syria, Homs governor Talal Barazi was quoted as saying on state television and by news agencies. Orient News said they would go to Jarablus, a city near the border with Turkey that is held by rebel groups fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner with backing from Turkish forces. In September, Barazi said al-Waer was home to about 40,000 civilians and 800 fighters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group monitoring the war, said there were more than 2,500 fighters there. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels agree to leave Homs' al-Waer district

The Syrian army backed by Russian jets has completed the recapture of the iconic ancient city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group, the Kremlin said Thursday.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin of the completion of the operation, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.&nbsp;

Islamic State group fighters withdrew from much of the Syrian oasis city of Palmyra overnight, a monitor said earlier in the day, but government forces paused before entering its ravaged ancient ruins because of mines.

Russian-backed Syrian troops pushed into a western neighbourhood of the city late on Wednesday after fierce clashes with the jihadists.&nbsp;

By Thursday morning, IS had withdrawn to residential neighbourhoods in the east of the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Before IS entered Palmyra in May 2015, it boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Before IS entered Palmyra in May 2015, it boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&quot;IS withdrew from most of Palmyra after laying mines across the city. There are still suicide bombers left in the eastern neighbourhoods,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;Government forces have not yet been able to enter the heart of the city or the eastern parts.&quot;

Palmyra&#39;s ancient ruins have long been listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site.

&nbsp;

Also read:

<ul>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/destruction-of-syrias-palmyra-an-insiders-view-12480" target="_blank">Destruction Of Syria&#39;s Palmyra: An Insider&#39;s View</a></h5>
	</li>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-releases-drone-footage-showing-destruction-in-syrias-palmyra-12352" target="_blank">Russia Releases Drone Footage Showing Destruction In Syria&#39;s Palmyra</a></h5>
	</li>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-destroys-famous-monument-in-syrias-palmyra-11504" target="_blank">Islamic State Destroys Famous Monument In Syria&#39;s Palmyra</a></h5>
	</li>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/suspected-gas-attack-near-is-held-palmyra-monitor-10055" target="_blank">Suspected Gas Attack Near Is-Held Palmyra: Monitor</a></h5>
	</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

Before IS entered the city in May 2015, they boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East.

But the jihadists launched a campaign of destruction against them, the scale of which was fully revealed when government forces briefly retook the city with Russian support last year.

Satellite imagery has shown that IS has demolished more monuments since it recaptured Palmyra from government forces in December.&nbsp;

Syrian antiquities director Maamoun Abdul Karim told AFP he was looking forward to &quot;the end of the nightmare&quot; of IS&#39;s rule over Palmyra.&nbsp;

&quot;I feel a mix of joy and fear. Joy, because we&#39;re sure that there will be no more damage to the archaeological site at Palmyra, and apprehension to see what has happened to the city,&quot; Abdul Karim told AFP by telephone from Damascus.&nbsp;

He said he was impatiently waiting to head to Palmyra himself to see the extent of the damage.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s a nightmare... When we talk about Palmyra now, we no longer talk about its beauty. It has become synonymous with fear,&quot; Abdul Karim said.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

IS fighters withdrew from much of the Syrian oasis city of Palmyra overnight, a monitor said earlier in the day

The Syrian army backed by Russian jets has completed the recapture of the iconic ancient city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group, the Kremlin said Thursday. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin of the completion of the operation, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies. Islamic State group fighters withdrew from much of the Syrian oasis city of Palmyra overnight, a monitor said earlier in the day, but government forces paused before entering its ravaged ancient ruins because of mines. Russian-backed Syrian troops pushed into a western neighbourhood of the city late on Wednesday after fierce clashes with the jihadists. By Thursday morning, IS had withdrawn to residential neighbourhoods in the east of the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Before IS entered Palmyra in May 2015, it boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East × "IS withdrew from most of Palmyra after laying mines across the city. There are still suicide bombers left in the eastern neighbourhoods," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. "Government forces have not yet been able to enter the heart of the city or the eastern parts." Palmyra's ancient ruins have long been listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Also read: Destruction Of Syria's Palmyra: An Insider's View Russia Releases Drone Footage Showing Destruction In Syria's Palmyra Islamic State Destroys Famous Monument In Syria's Palmyra Suspected Gas Attack Near Is-Held Palmyra: Monitor Before IS entered the city in May 2015, they boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East. But the jihadists launched a campaign of destruction against them, the scale of which was fully revealed when government forces briefly retook the city with Russian support last year. Satellite imagery has shown that IS has demolished more monuments since it recaptured Palmyra from government forces in December. Syrian antiquities director Maamoun Abdul Karim told AFP he was looking forward to "the end of the nightmare" of IS's rule over Palmyra. "I feel a mix of joy and fear. Joy, because we're sure that there will be no more damage to the archaeological site at Palmyra, and apprehension to see what has happened to the city," Abdul Karim told AFP by telephone from Damascus. He said he was impatiently waiting to head to Palmyra himself to see the extent of the damage. "It's a nightmare... When we talk about Palmyra now, we no longer talk about its beauty. It has become synonymous with fear," Abdul Karim said. (AFP)

Syrian army retakes ancient city of Palmyra from Islamic State: Russia

Russian warplanes bombed US-backed fighters in several small villages in northern Syria after they mistakenly thought Islamic State forces were in the area, a top US general said Wednesday.&nbsp;

Army Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend said Russian and Syrian regime aircraft attacked the villages to the south-east of Al-Bab in Aleppo province on Tuesday, resulting in an unspecified number of casualties.

The Russians apparently had observed IS fighters moving out of the area and so wrongly assumed that incoming forces were jihadists.

&quot;We had some Russian aircraft and regime aircraft bomb some villages that I believe they thought were held by ISIS, yet ... actually on the ground were some of our Syrian Arab Coalition forces,&quot; Townsend told reporters in a video call from Baghdad.

The SAC forms part of a broader alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) comprising Kurdish and other groups that the United States have been training and advising to lead the fight against IS.

Townsend added that US troops were less than five kilometres (three miles) away from the villages and observed the bombing.

The American soldiers communicated the error, which was then quickly passed on to the Russians through a special &quot;deconfliction&quot; hotline the two powers have established to avoid mishaps.

&quot;It became apparent that the strikes were falling on some of the Syrian coalition positions,&quot; Townsend said.&nbsp;

&quot;Some quick calls were made to our deconfliction channels and the Russians acknowledged and stopped bombing there.&quot;

Townsend referred casualty questions back to the SAC.

The United States currently has about 500 troops in Syria, almost all of them special operations commandos. Their role is currently limited to advising local forces and staying behind front lines.

Hardly straightforward to begin with, the anti-IS fight in civil war-torn Syria is growing ever more complex.

Russia is using air power to prop up the regime of President Bashar al-Assad but also sometimes strikes IS.&nbsp;

Turkey has moved into northern Syria and is battling IS while also trying to keep US-backed Kurdish forces in check.

And America is trying to support the Kurds while not alienating ally Turkey.

&quot;It&#39;s a very complicated battlefield situation where essentially three armies and an enemy force have all converged within the same grid square,&quot; Townsend said.

&quot;It&#39;s very difficult and complicated. ... Everybody should keep their sights focused on ISIS ... and not fighting deliberately or accidentally one another.&quot;

(AFP)

The Russians apparently had observed IS fighters moving out of the area and so wrongly assumed that incoming forces were jihadists

Russian warplanes bombed US-backed fighters in several small villages in northern Syria after they mistakenly thought Islamic State forces were in the area, a top US general said Wednesday. Army Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend said Russian and Syrian regime aircraft attacked the villages to the south-east of Al-Bab in Aleppo province on Tuesday, resulting in an unspecified number of casualties. The Russians apparently had observed IS fighters moving out of the area and so wrongly assumed that incoming forces were jihadists. "We had some Russian aircraft and regime aircraft bomb some villages that I believe they thought were held by ISIS, yet ... actually on the ground were some of our Syrian Arab Coalition forces," Townsend told reporters in a video call from Baghdad. The SAC forms part of a broader alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) comprising Kurdish and other groups that the United States have been training and advising to lead the fight against IS. Townsend added that US troops were less than five kilometres (three miles) away from the villages and observed the bombing. The American soldiers communicated the error, which was then quickly passed on to the Russians through a special "deconfliction" hotline the two powers have established to avoid mishaps. "It became apparent that the strikes were falling on some of the Syrian coalition positions," Townsend said. "Some quick calls were made to our deconfliction channels and the Russians acknowledged and stopped bombing there." Townsend referred casualty questions back to the SAC. The United States currently has about 500 troops in Syria, almost all of them special operations commandos. Their role is currently limited to advising local forces and staying behind front lines. Hardly straightforward to begin with, the anti-IS fight in civil war-torn Syria is growing ever more complex. Russia is using air power to prop up the regime of President Bashar al-Assad but also sometimes strikes IS. Turkey has moved into northern Syria and is battling IS while also trying to keep US-backed Kurdish forces in check. And America is trying to support the Kurds while not alienating ally Turkey. "It's a very complicated battlefield situation where essentially three armies and an enemy force have all converged within the same grid square," Townsend said. "It's very difficult and complicated. ... Everybody should keep their sights focused on ISIS ... and not fighting deliberately or accidentally one another." (AFP)

Russian jets accidentally bombed US-backed forces in Syria: US general

Iraqi warplanes have struck Islamic State targets inside Syria in retaliation for recent bomb attacks in Baghdad by the group, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Friday.

It appeared to be the first time Iraqi jets have conducted such raids across the border. A Syrian source said the strikes had been coordinated with Damascus.

Islamic State, which is now on the defensive after losing control of eastern Mosul in Iraq to a US-backed Iraqi military offensive, has claimed responsibility for several car bombs in Baghdad in the capital in the past few weeks.

&quot;We are determined to chase terrorism that tries to kill our sons and citizens, wherever it is found, so we gave orders to the air force command to strike Islamic State positions in (the Iraqi town of) Hosaiba and Albu Kamal inside Syrian territory as they were responsible for recent bombings in Baghdad,&quot; Abadi said in a statement.

&quot;The heroes of the sky executed the operation and responded to the terrorists with amazing success.&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The heroes of the sky executed the operation and responded to the terrorists with amazing success,&#39; said Abadi</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The heroes of the sky executed the operation and responded to the terrorists with amazing success,' said Abadi

" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

A military statement said the strikes had taken place on Friday morning using F16 fighter jets and had destroyed Islamic State headquarters in Albu Kamal.

&quot;The strikes targeted Islamic State&#39;s headquarters used for making car bombs in Albu Kamal... after Iraqi intelligence received tips from their sources inside Syria,&quot; a senior security official told Reuters.

A source close to Syria&#39;s foreign ministry said the operation had been carried out in &quot;complete coordination&quot; with the Damascus government.

The United States said it had also helped the Iraqis by providing intelligence.

&quot;Yes we were aware, yes we supported it as well with information,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. &quot;It is a good strike, it is a valid strike, it was a strike against ISIS targets,&quot; he said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

The jihadist group has separately come under attack in Syria by warplanes from Russia, Turkey and a US-led coalition, all of which are supporting different offensives against it in the country.

(Reuters)

A Syrian source said the strikes were coordinated with Damascus

Iraqi warplanes have struck Islamic State targets inside Syria in retaliation for recent bomb attacks in Baghdad by the group, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Friday. It appeared to be the first time Iraqi jets have conducted such raids across the border. A Syrian source said the strikes had been coordinated with Damascus. Islamic State, which is now on the defensive after losing control of eastern Mosul in Iraq to a US-backed Iraqi military offensive, has claimed responsibility for several car bombs in Baghdad in the capital in the past few weeks. "We are determined to chase terrorism that tries to kill our sons and citizens, wherever it is found, so we gave orders to the air force command to strike Islamic State positions in (the Iraqi town of) Hosaiba and Albu Kamal inside Syrian territory as they were responsible for recent bombings in Baghdad," Abadi said in a statement. "The heroes of the sky executed the operation and responded to the terrorists with amazing success." The heroes of the sky executed the operation and responded to the terrorists with amazing success,' said Abadi × A military statement said the strikes had taken place on Friday morning using F16 fighter jets and had destroyed Islamic State headquarters in Albu Kamal. "The strikes targeted Islamic State's headquarters used for making car bombs in Albu Kamal... after Iraqi intelligence received tips from their sources inside Syria," a senior security official told Reuters. A source close to Syria's foreign ministry said the operation had been carried out in "complete coordination" with the Damascus government. The United States said it had also helped the Iraqis by providing intelligence. "Yes we were aware, yes we supported it as well with information," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. "It is a good strike, it is a valid strike, it was a strike against ISIS targets," he said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The jihadist group has separately come under attack in Syria by warplanes from Russia, Turkey and a US-led coalition, all of which are supporting different offensives against it in the country. (Reuters)

Iraqi warplanes hit IS targets inside Syria for first time

An Islamic State car bomb killed more than 50 people on Friday in a Syrian village held by rebels, a war monitor said, a day after the jihadist group was driven from its last stronghold in the area.

The blast in the village of Sousian hit a security checkpoint controlled by rebels fighting under the Free Syrian Army (FSA) banner. 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitor of the war based in Britain, said more than 50 people died including over 30 civilians. Two rebels contacted by Reuters put the total death toll at at least 40.

One of the two, a fighter with the Sultan Murad Brigade near al-Bab, said: &quot;It was done on a checkpoint but there were a lot of families there gathered and waiting to get back to al-Bab. Therefore we have many civilian casualties.&quot;

The Turkey-backed rebels drove Islamic State from the town of al-Bab on Thursday, following weeks of street battles near where Ankara wants to establish a safe zone for civilians.

Turkey`s military said on Friday that Syrian rebels had taken full control of all of al-Bab, and that work to clear mines and unexploded ordnance was under way.

Sousian is behind rebel lines about 8 km (5 miles) northwest of al-Bab, around which Ankara has long supported the formation of a security zone it says would help to stem a wave of migration via Turkey into Europe.

A second blast took place 2 km south of Sousian later on Friday, but it was unclear whether it was from a vehicle bomb or a planted device such as a mine. There were reports of casualties but no immediate details, the Observatory said.

Islamic State said in a social media posting that it was behind the Sousian attack, having acknowledged on Thursday it had lost control of al-Bab.&nbsp;

Syria&#39;s main conflict pits President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia, Iran and Shi`ite militias, against rebels that include groups supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies.

However, both those sides, as well as a group of militias led by Kurdish forces and supported by the U.S., are also fighting Islamic State, which holds large parts of northern and eastern Syria.&nbsp;

Mines and cells

As mines laid in and around al-Bab claimed lives for a second day, the Sultan Murad Brigade fighter said many IS cells were still operating there.

&quot;It is very dangerous. Our search and clear operation is still under way,&quot; he said.

Two Turkish soldiers were killed on Friday while clearing mines in the town of Tadef south of al-Bab, Turkey`s military said in a statement. On Thursday, several Turkey-backed rebels were killed by a mine in al-Bab, the Observatory said.&nbsp;

Turkey directly intervened in Syria in August in support of rebel factions under the FSA banner to drive Islamic State from its border. It also wants to stop Kurdish groups gaining control of the region.&nbsp;

After taking al-Bab on Thursday, Turkish forces shelled Islamic State in Tadef, the Observatory reported.&nbsp;

The area immediately to the south of Tadef is held by the Syrian army and its allies, which have in recent weeks pushed into Islamic State territory in that area from Aleppo and advanced towards the Euphrates river.&nbsp;

Further east, the Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurdish-led militias backed by the United States, have in recent weeks taken dozens of villages from Islamic State as they close in on the group`s Syrian capital of Raqqa. 
 
(Reuters)

The Turkey-backed rebels on Thursday drove Islamic State from al-Bab, the jihadist group's last significant stronghold in northwest Syria

An Islamic State car bomb killed more than 50 people on Friday in a Syrian village held by rebels, a war monitor said, a day after the jihadist group was driven from its last stronghold in the area. The blast in the village of Sousian hit a security checkpoint controlled by rebels fighting under the Free Syrian Army (FSA) banner. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitor of the war based in Britain, said more than 50 people died including over 30 civilians. Two rebels contacted by Reuters put the total death toll at at least 40. One of the two, a fighter with the Sultan Murad Brigade near al-Bab, said: "It was done on a checkpoint but there were a lot of families there gathered and waiting to get back to al-Bab. Therefore we have many civilian casualties." The Turkey-backed rebels drove Islamic State from the town of al-Bab on Thursday, following weeks of street battles near where Ankara wants to establish a safe zone for civilians. Turkey`s military said on Friday that Syrian rebels had taken full control of all of al-Bab, and that work to clear mines and unexploded ordnance was under way. Sousian is behind rebel lines about 8 km (5 miles) northwest of al-Bab, around which Ankara has long supported the formation of a security zone it says would help to stem a wave of migration via Turkey into Europe. A second blast took place 2 km south of Sousian later on Friday, but it was unclear whether it was from a vehicle bomb or a planted device such as a mine. There were reports of casualties but no immediate details, the Observatory said. Islamic State said in a social media posting that it was behind the Sousian attack, having acknowledged on Thursday it had lost control of al-Bab. Syria's main conflict pits President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia, Iran and Shi`ite militias, against rebels that include groups supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies. However, both those sides, as well as a group of militias led by Kurdish forces and supported by the U.S., are also fighting Islamic State, which holds large parts of northern and eastern Syria. Mines and cells As mines laid in and around al-Bab claimed lives for a second day, the Sultan Murad Brigade fighter said many IS cells were still operating there. "It is very dangerous. Our search and clear operation is still under way," he said. Two Turkish soldiers were killed on Friday while clearing mines in the town of Tadef south of al-Bab, Turkey`s military said in a statement. On Thursday, several Turkey-backed rebels were killed by a mine in al-Bab, the Observatory said. Turkey directly intervened in Syria in August in support of rebel factions under the FSA banner to drive Islamic State from its border. It also wants to stop Kurdish groups gaining control of the region. After taking al-Bab on Thursday, Turkish forces shelled Islamic State in Tadef, the Observatory reported. The area immediately to the south of Tadef is held by the Syrian army and its allies, which have in recent weeks pushed into Islamic State territory in that area from Aleppo and advanced towards the Euphrates river. Further east, the Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurdish-led militias backed by the United States, have in recent weeks taken dozens of villages from Islamic State as they close in on the group`s Syrian capital of Raqqa. (Reuters)

Car bomb on Turkey-backed Syrian rebels kills more than 50 in Syria

Fifty-six Islamic State militants were killed by Turkey-backed forces around the Syrian town of al-Bab and by US-led coalition air strikes in the latest operations on Wednesday, the Turkish military said on Thursday.

Turkish artillery fire also hit 104 Islamic State targets, including buildings and bombed vehicles, the army said in a statement, reiterating it had largely established control in the residential areas of al-Bab.

The Islamic State stronghold, 30 kilometres&nbsp;(20 miles) from the Turkish border, has been a prime target since Turkey launched an incursion with Syrian rebels last August to push the jihadists from its frontier and prevent gains by a Kurdish militia.

Turkey&#39;s army said 11 of the jihadists were killed in air strikes by coalition forces, while the rest were killed in artillery fire and clashes during operations in al-Bab.

(Reuters)

Turkish artillery fire also hit 104 IS targets, including buildings and bombed vehicles

Fifty-six Islamic State militants were killed by Turkey-backed forces around the Syrian town of al-Bab and by US-led coalition air strikes in the latest operations on Wednesday, the Turkish military said on Thursday. Turkish artillery fire also hit 104 Islamic State targets, including buildings and bombed vehicles, the army said in a statement, reiterating it had largely established control in the residential areas of al-Bab. The Islamic State stronghold, 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Turkish border, has been a prime target since Turkey launched an incursion with Syrian rebels last August to push the jihadists from its frontier and prevent gains by a Kurdish militia. Turkey's army said 11 of the jihadists were killed in air strikes by coalition forces, while the rest were killed in artillery fire and clashes during operations in al-Bab. (Reuters)

56 Islamic State militants killed in Syria, says Turkish military

An alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters seized more than a dozen villages in eastern Syria on Tuesday in their drive to encircle the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa.&nbsp;

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) made a major incursion into the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor as part of their push for Raqa, field commander Dejwar Khabat said.&nbsp;

&quot;Our aim is to cut the road to Raqa and besiege IS... We have liberated 15 villages,&quot; Khabat said Tuesday in the town of Makmaneh, which lies on a major highway approximately 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Raqa city.&nbsp;

He said the IS was dispatching suicide bombers but had not been able to slow the offensive.&nbsp;

SDF fighters on Tuesday set up their base on a hilltop in Makmaneh, digging trenches around it to prevent suicide bombers or car bombs from reaching them. &nbsp;

Backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition, the SDF has seized swathes of territory in northern Syria from the jihadists.&nbsp;

It launched its offensive for Raqa,&nbsp;the de facto Syrian capital of IS&#39;s so-called caliphate,&nbsp;in early November.

Deir Ezzor province lies just east of Raqa, and is almost completely held by IS. The jihadists also hold most of the provincial capital by the same name, and have been battling regime forces to overrun the city.&nbsp;

The SDF alliance is dominated by the Kurdish People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG), but it also boasts several units of Arab fighters.&nbsp;

&quot;We have entered the first villages of Deir Ezzor province,&quot; said Abu Khawlah, who heads the 1,700-strong Deir Ezzor Military Council, an Arab component of the SDF.&nbsp;

&quot;Our entry into Deir Ezzor was a big surprise (for IS), and thre will be more surprises coming,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

The SDF, which has been lobbying for weapons to help them carry out the offensive, has recently received armoured SUVs from the United States.

A US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes on IS in Syria and neighbouring Iraq since 2014.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday&#39;s advance was the SDF&#39;s &quot;biggest incursion&quot; yet into Deir Ezzor province.&nbsp;

It also reported 11 people killed on Tuesday in unidentified air strikes on a gas station and parking garage in an IS-held village in the province. &nbsp;

&quot;The death toll could rise because there are at least 35 people wounded, some of them in critical condition,&quot; monitor head Rami Abdel Rahman said.&nbsp;

He could not specify which airplanes had carried out the bombing raids.

The province has been targeted in the past by both the US-led coalition and regime ally Russia, who has been waging an air war in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since September 2015.&nbsp;

More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests calling for Assad&#39;s ouster.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) made a major incursion into the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor as part of their push for Raqqa

An alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters seized more than a dozen villages in eastern Syria on Tuesday in their drive to encircle the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) made a major incursion into the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor as part of their push for Raqa, field commander Dejwar Khabat said. "Our aim is to cut the road to Raqa and besiege IS... We have liberated 15 villages," Khabat said Tuesday in the town of Makmaneh, which lies on a major highway approximately 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Raqa city. He said the IS was dispatching suicide bombers but had not been able to slow the offensive. SDF fighters on Tuesday set up their base on a hilltop in Makmaneh, digging trenches around it to prevent suicide bombers or car bombs from reaching them. Backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition, the SDF has seized swathes of territory in northern Syria from the jihadists. It launched its offensive for Raqa, the de facto Syrian capital of IS's so-called caliphate, in early November. Deir Ezzor province lies just east of Raqa, and is almost completely held by IS. The jihadists also hold most of the provincial capital by the same name, and have been battling regime forces to overrun the city. The SDF alliance is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), but it also boasts several units of Arab fighters. "We have entered the first villages of Deir Ezzor province," said Abu Khawlah, who heads the 1,700-strong Deir Ezzor Military Council, an Arab component of the SDF. "Our entry into Deir Ezzor was a big surprise (for IS), and thre will be more surprises coming," he said. The SDF, which has been lobbying for weapons to help them carry out the offensive, has recently received armoured SUVs from the United States. A US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes on IS in Syria and neighbouring Iraq since 2014. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday's advance was the SDF's "biggest incursion" yet into Deir Ezzor province. It also reported 11 people killed on Tuesday in unidentified air strikes on a gas station and parking garage in an IS-held village in the province. "The death toll could rise because there are at least 35 people wounded, some of them in critical condition," monitor head Rami Abdel Rahman said. He could not specify which airplanes had carried out the bombing raids. The province has been targeted in the past by both the US-led coalition and regime ally Russia, who has been waging an air war in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since September 2015. More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests calling for Assad's ouster. (AFP)

US-backed fighters advance on IS in eastern Syria

Turkish bombardment of an Islamic State group-held town in Syria has killed 24 civilians, a monitor said Thursday, but Turkey&#39;s army said only &quot;terrorists&quot; died in the operation.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the dead in air strikes and shelling on the town of al-Bab in the last 24 hours included 11 children.

Turkey&#39;s army, quoted by the state-run Anadolu news agency said it had killed 15 &quot;terrorists&quot; in air strikes, artillery fire and clashes.

Al-Bab is IS&#39;s final stronghold in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo and has come under fierce attack by Turkish forces and allied Syrian rebels in recent months.

The joint force entered Al-Bab over the weekend, and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Tuesday that the town had &quot;largely been taken under control.&quot;

The Observatory however said Turkish forces had made little progress since entering the town from the west.

Turkey began military operations in Syria in August, targeting both IS and Kurdish fighters.

Initially its forces advanced quickly, but they stalled around al-Bab in December.

The town is also a key target for Syrian government forces, who had been advancing towards from the south.

But they have yet to enter al-Bab, instead focused on clearing IS-held territory in the surrounding countryside in recent days.

More than 310,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

The war has displaced over half the country&#39;s population and drawn in jihadists and international militaries. 
 
(AFP)

 
&nbsp;

Al-Bab is IS's final stronghold in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo

Turkish bombardment of an Islamic State group-held town in Syria has killed 24 civilians, a monitor said Thursday, but Turkey's army said only "terrorists" died in the operation. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the dead in air strikes and shelling on the town of al-Bab in the last 24 hours included 11 children. Turkey's army, quoted by the state-run Anadolu news agency said it had killed 15 "terrorists" in air strikes, artillery fire and clashes. Al-Bab is IS's final stronghold in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo and has come under fierce attack by Turkish forces and allied Syrian rebels in recent months. The joint force entered Al-Bab over the weekend, and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Tuesday that the town had "largely been taken under control." The Observatory however said Turkish forces had made little progress since entering the town from the west. Turkey began military operations in Syria in August, targeting both IS and Kurdish fighters. Initially its forces advanced quickly, but they stalled around al-Bab in December. The town is also a key target for Syrian government forces, who had been advancing towards from the south. But they have yet to enter al-Bab, instead focused on clearing IS-held territory in the surrounding countryside in recent days. More than 310,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. The war has displaced over half the country's population and drawn in jihadists and international militaries. (AFP)

24 civilians killed in Turkish bombing in Syria's al-Bab

Syria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad has declared Amnesty&#39;s report as &quot;childish&quot; which contained &quot;not a single fact or&nbsp;evidence&quot; to support allegations that some 13,000 people were hanged at the Saydnaya prison between 2011 and 2015.

&quot;They said they interviewed few witnesses, who are in opposition and defected. So it&#39;s biased,&quot; the Syrian president said.

Regarding torture, he said, &quot;We don&#39;t do this, it&#39;s not our policy,&quot; adding: &quot;Torture for what? ... For sadism?... &nbsp;to get information? We have all the information.&quot;

He argued: &quot;If we commit such atrocities it&#39;s going to play into the hands of the terrorists, they&#39;re going to win. It&#39;s about winning the hearts of the Syrian people, if we commit such atrocities... we wouldn&#39;t have popular&nbsp;support through&nbsp;six years&nbsp;of war.

(READ:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/abuse-torture-sexual-assault-in-syrias-prisons-12141">Abuse, torture, sexual assault in Syria&#39;s prisons</a>)

Concerning international negotiations to end the conflict that has claimed more than 300,000 lives, Assad said Western countries had &quot;lost their chance of achieving anything in Geneva twice&quot;.&nbsp;While Turkey, Russia and Iran take the lead in the talks in Astana, the West has become &quot;passive&quot;, he said, denouncing the coalition for supporting &quot;those groups that represented the terrorists against the government.

&quot;They did not want to achieve peace in Syria,&quot; the Syrian president declared.

Russia and Iran have helped turn the tables on the ground with their military backing for Assad, while Turkey has supported rebels fighting to oust the strongman.&nbsp;

A new round of the Astana talks was set to kick off on Thursday after a one-day delay for &quot;technical reasons&quot;.&nbsp;The talks - pushed by key Assad supporter Moscow - are viewed as a warm-up for UN-led negotiations that are due to begin in Geneva on February 23. &nbsp;

The meeting in Geneva, the fifth time negotiators have gone to Switzerland, has been pushed back twice already, in part to give the opposition more time to form a unified delegation.

President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday said Raqa is not a priority target for his forces, saying his goal is to retake &quot;every inch&quot; of Syrian territory.

&quot;Raqa is a symbol,&quot; Assad said in an interview with French media, while asserting that jihadist attacks carried out in France were &quot;not necessarily prepared&quot; in the Islamic State group (IS) stronghold in Syria.

&quot;You have ISIS close to Damascus, you have them everywhere,&quot; Assad said, using another acronym for IS.&nbsp;&quot;Everywhere is a priority depending on the development of the battle,&quot; he said, as a new round of peace talks was set to kick-off in the Kazakh capital Astana.

&quot;They are in Palmyra now and in the eastern part of Syria,&quot; he said in the interview in Damascus with Europe 1 radio and the TF1 and LCI television channels.

&quot;For us it is all the same, Raqa, Palmyra, Idlib, it&#39;s all the same.&quot;&nbsp;The Syrian leader said it was the &quot;duty of any government&quot; to regain control of &quot;every inch&quot; of its territory.&nbsp;After a string of major losses in both Iraq and Syria, the jihadists&#39; two main strongholds of Mosul and Raqa are both under attack from forces backed by a US-led coalition.

After a massive, four-month campaign, Iraqi forces are tightening the noose on Mosul, while in Syria, an Arab-Kurd alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces, has begun advancing on Raqa.&nbsp;Also in the interview, Assad categorically denied that his government practises torture and reiterated his rejection of recent allegations by Amnesty International of executions and atrocities perpetrated at a prison near Damascus.

(AFP)

Assad said Amnesty's report contained "not a single fact" to support allegations that 13,000 people were hanged at the Saydnaya prison

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has declared Amnesty's report as "childish" which contained "not a single fact or evidence" to support allegations that some 13,000 people were hanged at the Saydnaya prison between 2011 and 2015. "They said they interviewed few witnesses, who are in opposition and defected. So it's biased," the Syrian president said. Regarding torture, he said, "We don't do this, it's not our policy," adding: "Torture for what? ... For sadism?... to get information? We have all the information." He argued: "If we commit such atrocities it's going to play into the hands of the terrorists, they're going to win. It's about winning the hearts of the Syrian people, if we commit such atrocities... we wouldn't have popular support through six years of war. (READ: Abuse, torture, sexual assault in Syria's prisons) Concerning international negotiations to end the conflict that has claimed more than 300,000 lives, Assad said Western countries had "lost their chance of achieving anything in Geneva twice". While Turkey, Russia and Iran take the lead in the talks in Astana, the West has become "passive", he said, denouncing the coalition for supporting "those groups that represented the terrorists against the government. "They did not want to achieve peace in Syria," the Syrian president declared. Russia and Iran have helped turn the tables on the ground with their military backing for Assad, while Turkey has supported rebels fighting to oust the strongman. A new round of the Astana talks was set to kick off on Thursday after a one-day delay for "technical reasons". The talks - pushed by key Assad supporter Moscow - are viewed as a warm-up for UN-led negotiations that are due to begin in Geneva on February 23. The meeting in Geneva, the fifth time negotiators have gone to Switzerland, has been pushed back twice already, in part to give the opposition more time to form a unified delegation. President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday said Raqa is not a priority target for his forces, saying his goal is to retake "every inch" of Syrian territory. "Raqa is a symbol," Assad said in an interview with French media, while asserting that jihadist attacks carried out in France were "not necessarily prepared" in the Islamic State group (IS) stronghold in Syria. "You have ISIS close to Damascus, you have them everywhere," Assad said, using another acronym for IS. "Everywhere is a priority depending on the development of the battle," he said, as a new round of peace talks was set to kick-off in the Kazakh capital Astana. "They are in Palmyra now and in the eastern part of Syria," he said in the interview in Damascus with Europe 1 radio and the TF1 and LCI television channels. "For us it is all the same, Raqa, Palmyra, Idlib, it's all the same." The Syrian leader said it was the "duty of any government" to regain control of "every inch" of its territory. After a string of major losses in both Iraq and Syria, the jihadists' two main strongholds of Mosul and Raqa are both under attack from forces backed by a US-led coalition. After a massive, four-month campaign, Iraqi forces are tightening the noose on Mosul, while in Syria, an Arab-Kurd alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces, has begun advancing on Raqa. Also in the interview, Assad categorically denied that his government practises torture and reiterated his rejection of recent allegations by Amnesty International of executions and atrocities perpetrated at a prison near Damascus. (AFP)

Assad slams Amnesty report on torture in Saydnaya prison

The US Defense Department may recommend that the United States deploy regular combat troops to Syria to fight Islamic State militants, CNN reported on Wednesday.

The idea is one of several ideas the Pentagon is considering after President Donald Trump gave defence officials until the end of the month to come up with proposals to speed up the war against Islamic State.

A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the United States already had a small number of special operation troops in Syria. The official added that the review was still underway and no options had been presented to Trump.

CNN said the proposal was not fully developed and was one of several ideas being considered.

(Reuters)

President Trump had given the defence officials until the end of this month to come up with a plan to combat IS

The US Defense Department may recommend that the United States deploy regular combat troops to Syria to fight Islamic State militants, CNN reported on Wednesday. The idea is one of several ideas the Pentagon is considering after President Donald Trump gave defence officials until the end of the month to come up with proposals to speed up the war against Islamic State. A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the United States already had a small number of special operation troops in Syria. The official added that the review was still underway and no options had been presented to Trump. CNN said the proposal was not fully developed and was one of several ideas being considered. (Reuters)

Pentagon mulls sending ground troops to fight IS in Syria: CNN

Kazakhstan said on Wednesday a new round of Astana talks on the Syria conflict led by Russia, Turkey and Iran scheduled to begin February 15 would be delayed by a day due to unexplained &quot;technical reasons&quot;.

&quot;The negotiations have been moved to February 16 for technical reasons,&quot; a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told AFP by telephone without elaboration.&nbsp;

A subsequent statement from the foreign ministry said the talks would begin at 0600 GMT on Thursday.&nbsp;

The &quot;closed format&quot; negotiations come after representatives from Damascus and the armed opposition failed to make a breakthrough at indirect talks in the city in January. &nbsp;

The meeting -- pushed by key regime supporter Moscow -- is viewed as a warm-up for UN-led negotiations on the protracted war that are due to begin in Geneva on February 23. &nbsp;

While Kazakh officials said they invited both the Syrian government and rebels for the new talks, several of the regime opponents who took part in the previous Astana talks told AFP that they have not received invitations. &nbsp;

Damascus has confirmed it will be represented again by its ambassador to the UN, Bashar al-Jaafari.&nbsp;

Russia is sending presidential envoy Alexander Lavrentiev while Iran said it is dispatching deputy foreign minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari.

UN envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura said he would not participate personally in the latest Astana meeting but that his office would be represented by a &quot;technical team&quot;.&nbsp;

Jordan will also be represented by a &quot;high-level delegation&quot; government spokesman Mohamed Momani said.

The Astana initiative has left the West on the sidelines of the latest push to end the war in Syria that has claimed more than 300,000 lives since 2011.&nbsp;

Moscow has invited the US to participate as an observer but the State Department has yet to confirm Washington will be involved.&nbsp;

Talks are likely to focus on bolstering a shaky ceasefire on the ground after Moscow, Tehran and Ankara agreed to establish a &quot;mechanism&quot; aimed at ensuring the truce.&nbsp;

The Geneva negotiations are expected to be wide-ranging, focussing on the key issues that divide the government and rebel sides, including the fate of President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Kazakhstan's foreign ministry said the talks have been moved to Feb 16 and will begin at 0600 GMT

Kazakhstan said on Wednesday a new round of Astana talks on the Syria conflict led by Russia, Turkey and Iran scheduled to begin February 15 would be delayed by a day due to unexplained "technical reasons". "The negotiations have been moved to February 16 for technical reasons," a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told AFP by telephone without elaboration. A subsequent statement from the foreign ministry said the talks would begin at 0600 GMT on Thursday. The "closed format" negotiations come after representatives from Damascus and the armed opposition failed to make a breakthrough at indirect talks in the city in January. The meeting -- pushed by key regime supporter Moscow -- is viewed as a warm-up for UN-led negotiations on the protracted war that are due to begin in Geneva on February 23. While Kazakh officials said they invited both the Syrian government and rebels for the new talks, several of the regime opponents who took part in the previous Astana talks told AFP that they have not received invitations. Damascus has confirmed it will be represented again by its ambassador to the UN, Bashar al-Jaafari. Russia is sending presidential envoy Alexander Lavrentiev while Iran said it is dispatching deputy foreign minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari. UN envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura said he would not participate personally in the latest Astana meeting but that his office would be represented by a "technical team". Jordan will also be represented by a "high-level delegation" government spokesman Mohamed Momani said. The Astana initiative has left the West on the sidelines of the latest push to end the war in Syria that has claimed more than 300,000 lives since 2011. Moscow has invited the US to participate as an observer but the State Department has yet to confirm Washington will be involved. Talks are likely to focus on bolstering a shaky ceasefire on the ground after Moscow, Tehran and Ankara agreed to establish a "mechanism" aimed at ensuring the truce. The Geneva negotiations are expected to be wide-ranging, focussing on the key issues that divide the government and rebel sides, including the fate of President Bashar al-Assad. (AFP)

Syria peace talks delayed due to 'technical reasons': Kazakhstan

Syrian government forces carried out at least eight chemical attacks during the final weeks of the battle for Aleppo, killing nine people, among them four children, and injuring hundreds more, Human Rights Watch said Monday.

The rights group said it interviewed witnesses, collected photos and reviewed video footage indicating that chlorine bombs were dropped from government helicopters during the offensive from November 17 to December 13.

Around 200 people were injured by the toxic gases used on opposition-controlled areas of the northern city, according to HRW.

One of the deadliest bombings hit the neighborhood of Sakhur on November 20, killing six members of the same family including four children whose lifeless bodies were shown on a video taken by the Shabha press agency.

The report detailed attacks on a playground, clinics, residential streets, and houses that left scores of people struggling to breathe, vomiting and unconscious.

&quot;The chemicals would affect the children most severely... they inhale these smells and they end up suffocating,&quot; said a first responder quoted in the report.&nbsp;

The attacks, which may have involved as many as three helicopters operating jointly, took place in areas where government forces were poised to advance, said the rights group.

&quot;The pattern of the chlorine attacks shows that they were coordinated with the overall military strategy for retaking Aleppo, not the work of a few rogue elements,&quot; said Ole Solvang, HRW`s deputy emergencies director.

For five of the attacks, HRW reviewed photographs or video footage of remnants of at least seven yellow cylinders that carried warnings that they contained gas.

The actual number of chemical attacks could be higher, said the group, adding that journalists, medical personnel and other credible sources had reported at least 12 attacks in that period.&nbsp;

HRW was able to verify eight attacks involving chlorine bombs. Syrian forces, backed by Russia, launched an offensive in November to seize east Aleppo, a key battleground in Syria`s nearly six-year war, and the regime announced on December 22 that it had taken full control of the city.

The group said there was no evidence that Russia was directly involved in the chemical attacks, although Russian aircraft did play a role in the military offensive against opposition fighters in east Aleppo.

&quot;We don`t have any evidence that Russia was directly involved in any of these attacks or that it was aware&quot;, said Louis Charbonneau, HRW`s UN director.

&quot;What we do know is that Russia is a close military ally of the Syrian government. It is involved on the ground. It was involved in the battle for Aleppo.&quot;

&quot;At the very least, they needed to take measures to ensure that these weapons were not being used,&quot; Charbonneau told a news conference.

Chlorine use as a weapon is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013 under pressure from Russia.

The use of chlorine bombs as an indiscriminate weapon could amount to war crimes.

Human Rights Watch urged the Security Council to impose sanctions on senior leaders in the chain of command, but such a move would likely be vetoed by Russia.

France and Britain are pushing the Security Council to ban the sale of helicopters to Syria and impose the first UN sanctions against Syrian military leaders and entities tied to chemical weapons development.

A joint investigation by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found that several units of the Syrian army had used toxic weapons against three villages in northern Syria in 2014 and 2015.

It was the first time an international probe blamed President Bashar Al-Assad&#39;s forces after years of denial from Damascus.

Russia, however, has cast doubt on the panel&#39;s findings, saying they were not strong enough to warrant sanctions.

A new report by the UN-OPCW joint investigative panel is expected to be released later this month. HRW has sent its findings to the panel.

(AFP)

The group said chlorine bombs were dropped from government helicopters during the offensive from November 17 to December 13

Syrian government forces carried out at least eight chemical attacks during the final weeks of the battle for Aleppo, killing nine people, among them four children, and injuring hundreds more, Human Rights Watch said Monday. The rights group said it interviewed witnesses, collected photos and reviewed video footage indicating that chlorine bombs were dropped from government helicopters during the offensive from November 17 to December 13. Around 200 people were injured by the toxic gases used on opposition-controlled areas of the northern city, according to HRW. One of the deadliest bombings hit the neighborhood of Sakhur on November 20, killing six members of the same family including four children whose lifeless bodies were shown on a video taken by the Shabha press agency. The report detailed attacks on a playground, clinics, residential streets, and houses that left scores of people struggling to breathe, vomiting and unconscious. "The chemicals would affect the children most severely... they inhale these smells and they end up suffocating," said a first responder quoted in the report. The attacks, which may have involved as many as three helicopters operating jointly, took place in areas where government forces were poised to advance, said the rights group. "The pattern of the chlorine attacks shows that they were coordinated with the overall military strategy for retaking Aleppo, not the work of a few rogue elements," said Ole Solvang, HRW`s deputy emergencies director. For five of the attacks, HRW reviewed photographs or video footage of remnants of at least seven yellow cylinders that carried warnings that they contained gas. The actual number of chemical attacks could be higher, said the group, adding that journalists, medical personnel and other credible sources had reported at least 12 attacks in that period. HRW was able to verify eight attacks involving chlorine bombs. Syrian forces, backed by Russia, launched an offensive in November to seize east Aleppo, a key battleground in Syria`s nearly six-year war, and the regime announced on December 22 that it had taken full control of the city. The group said there was no evidence that Russia was directly involved in the chemical attacks, although Russian aircraft did play a role in the military offensive against opposition fighters in east Aleppo. "We don`t have any evidence that Russia was directly involved in any of these attacks or that it was aware", said Louis Charbonneau, HRW`s UN director. "What we do know is that Russia is a close military ally of the Syrian government. It is involved on the ground. It was involved in the battle for Aleppo." "At the very least, they needed to take measures to ensure that these weapons were not being used," Charbonneau told a news conference. Chlorine use as a weapon is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013 under pressure from Russia. The use of chlorine bombs as an indiscriminate weapon could amount to war crimes. Human Rights Watch urged the Security Council to impose sanctions on senior leaders in the chain of command, but such a move would likely be vetoed by Russia. France and Britain are pushing the Security Council to ban the sale of helicopters to Syria and impose the first UN sanctions against Syrian military leaders and entities tied to chemical weapons development. A joint investigation by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found that several units of the Syrian army had used toxic weapons against three villages in northern Syria in 2014 and 2015. It was the first time an international probe blamed President Bashar Al-Assad's forces after years of denial from Damascus. Russia, however, has cast doubt on the panel's findings, saying they were not strong enough to warrant sanctions. A new report by the UN-OPCW joint investigative panel is expected to be released later this month. HRW has sent its findings to the panel. (AFP)

Syrian govt forces used chemical weapons in battle for Aleppo: HRW

Amateur videos posted to a social media website on Monday (February 13) purported to show air strikes hitting the southern&nbsp;Syrian city of Deraa.

The footage shows missiles striking various buildings in what is said to be the al-Balad district of the city, with smoke rising as a jet flew overhead.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ax4hc5YldJc" width="560"></iframe>

The British-based&nbsp;Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Monday that warplanes carried out a series of air strikes on the city and the surrounding countryside.

Rebel fighters and the army have recently been engaged in heavy clashes in the city, with jets striking rebel outposts in the old quarter.

Rebels drawn from both the moderate Free&nbsp;Syrian Army (FSA) and jihadist groups launched an assault on Sunday (February 12) on the strategic district of Manshiya in an effort to seize it.

The district&#39;s capture would thwart an army goal of trying to secure a border crossing with Jordan that would allow the army to open a direct commercial route all the way to Damascus.

(Reuters)

A footage shows missiles striking various buildings in what is said to be the al-Balad district of the city

Amateur videos posted to a social media website on Monday (February 13) purported to show air strikes hitting the southern Syrian city of Deraa. The footage shows missiles striking various buildings in what is said to be the al-Balad district of the city, with smoke rising as a jet flew overhead. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Monday that warplanes carried out a series of air strikes on the city and the surrounding countryside. Rebel fighters and the army have recently been engaged in heavy clashes in the city, with jets striking rebel outposts in the old quarter. Rebels drawn from both the moderate Free Syrian Army (FSA) and jihadist groups launched an assault on Sunday (February 12) on the strategic district of Manshiya in an effort to seize it. The district's capture would thwart an army goal of trying to secure a border crossing with Jordan that would allow the army to open a direct commercial route all the way to Damascus. (Reuters)

Watch: Air strikes pound Syria's Deraa city

The US military said Wednesday that it had killed eleven Al-Qaeda operatives, including a veteran leader and suicide bombing pioneer, in a bombing raid in Syria.

The Pentagon said Abu Hani al-Masri, the Qaeda veteran, was one of those killed in the precision airstrikes near Idlib carried out on February 3-4.

Al-Masri was an early official in al-Qaeda, overseeing the group&#39;s training camps in Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s as he worked with Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and current leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

There &quot;he recruited, indoctrinated, trained and equipped thousands of terrorists who subsequently spread throughout the region and the world,&quot; the Pentagon said in a statement.

They said he also helped found Egyptian Islamic Jihad &quot;he first Sunni group to use suicide bombers in their terror attacks.&quot;

&quot;These strikes disrupt al-Qaeda`s ability to plot and direct external attacks targeting the US and our interests worldwide,&quot; said Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis.

The US has mostly focused its attacks in Syria on the Islamic State group. But in recent months, US forces have also launched several attacks against its al-Qaeda rivals.

Idlib province is largely occupied by the former Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, Fateh al-Sham, which has been allied to several Syrian rebel groups fighting the government.

(AFP)

Abu Hani al-Masri, an ally of Osama bin Laden,?was among the 11 Al Qaeda operatives killed in airstrikes near Idlib

The US military said Wednesday that it had killed eleven Al-Qaeda operatives, including a veteran leader and suicide bombing pioneer, in a bombing raid in Syria. The Pentagon said Abu Hani al-Masri, the Qaeda veteran, was one of those killed in the precision airstrikes near Idlib carried out on February 3-4. Al-Masri was an early official in al-Qaeda, overseeing the group's training camps in Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s as he worked with Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and current leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. There "he recruited, indoctrinated, trained and equipped thousands of terrorists who subsequently spread throughout the region and the world," the Pentagon said in a statement. They said he also helped found Egyptian Islamic Jihad "he first Sunni group to use suicide bombers in their terror attacks." "These strikes disrupt al-Qaeda`s ability to plot and direct external attacks targeting the US and our interests worldwide," said Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis. The US has mostly focused its attacks in Syria on the Islamic State group. But in recent months, US forces have also launched several attacks against its al-Qaeda rivals. Idlib province is largely occupied by the former Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, Fateh al-Sham, which has been allied to several Syrian rebel groups fighting the government. (AFP)

US forces kill Al Qaeda veteran in Syria: Pentagon

At least 15 people died in air strikes on the rebel-held Syrian city of Idlib on Tuesday, in some of the heaviest raids there in months, residents and a rescue worker said.

Around eight attacks by what were believed to be Russian jets wounded scores of people and levelled several multi-storey buildings in residential areas of the northwestern city, they added.

&quot;We are still pulling bodies from the rubble,&quot; Issam al Idlibi, a volunteer civil defence worker, said. Most of the casualties were civilians and the death toll would probably rise, he added.

The extent of the damage and the debris bore the hallmarks of a Russian attack, said two witnesses. There was no immediate comment from Moscow.

Russian planes have targeted a number of towns and villages in the area since entering the Syrian conflict in September 2015 to back ally President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;But activists and residents said there had been a reduction of Russian strikes in Idlib province since a Turkish-Russian brokered cessation of hostilities late December.

Planes from the US-led coalition have also launched a number of attacks in the rural province, a major stronghold of jihadists, many of them formerly affiliated to al-Qaida.

Idlib&#39;s population has been swollen by thousands of Syrian fighters and their families who were evacuated from villages and towns around Damascus and Aleppo city retaken by the government in recent months.

(Reuters)

Witnesses said Russian jets wounded several people and levelled multi-storey buildings in residential areas of Idlib

At least 15 people died in air strikes on the rebel-held Syrian city of Idlib on Tuesday, in some of the heaviest raids there in months, residents and a rescue worker said. Around eight attacks by what were believed to be Russian jets wounded scores of people and levelled several multi-storey buildings in residential areas of the northwestern city, they added. "We are still pulling bodies from the rubble," Issam al Idlibi, a volunteer civil defence worker, said. Most of the casualties were civilians and the death toll would probably rise, he added. The extent of the damage and the debris bore the hallmarks of a Russian attack, said two witnesses. There was no immediate comment from Moscow. Russian planes have targeted a number of towns and villages in the area since entering the Syrian conflict in September 2015 to back ally President Bashar al-Assad. But activists and residents said there had been a reduction of Russian strikes in Idlib province since a Turkish-Russian brokered cessation of hostilities late December. Planes from the US-led coalition have also launched a number of attacks in the rural province, a major stronghold of jihadists, many of them formerly affiliated to al-Qaida. Idlib's population has been swollen by thousands of Syrian fighters and their families who were evacuated from villages and towns around Damascus and Aleppo city retaken by the government in recent months. (Reuters)

Air strikes hit Syria's Idlib city, 15 dead

As many as 13,000 people were hanged in five years at a notorious Syrian government prison near Damascus, Amnesty International said Tuesday, accusing the regime of a &quot;policy of extermination.&quot;

Titled &quot;Human Slaughterhouse: Mass hanging and extermination at Saydnaya prison,&quot; Amnesty&#39;s damning report is based on interviews with 84 witnesses, including guards, detainees, and judges.

It found that at least once a week between 2011 and 2015, groups of up to 50 people were taken out of their prison cells for arbitrary trials, beaten, then hanged &quot;in the middle of the night and in total secrecy.&quot;

&quot;Throughout this process, they remain blindfolded. They do not know when or how they will die until the noose was placed around their necks,&quot; the rights group wrote.

Most of the victims were civilians believed to be opposed to the government of President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

&quot;They kept them (hanging) there for 10 to 15 minutes,&quot; a former judge who witnessed the executions said.

&quot;For the young ones, their weight wouldn&#39;t kill them. The officers&#39; assistants would pull them down and break their necks,&quot; he said.

Amnesty said&nbsp;the practices amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity, but were likely still taking place.

Thousands of prisoners are held in the military-run Saydnaya prison, one of the country&#39;s largest detention centres located 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Damascus.

Amnesty accused the Syrian government of carrying out a &quot;policy of extermination&quot; there by repeatedly torturing detainees and withholding food, water, and medical care.

Prisoners were raped or forced to rape each other, and guards would feed detainees by tossing meals onto the cell floor, which was often covered in dirt and blood. &nbsp;

&#39;Hidden, monstrous campaign&#39;

A twisted set of &quot;special rules&quot; governed the facility: detainees were not allowed to speak and must assume certain positions when guards enter their cells.

&quot;Every day there would be two or three dead people in our wing... I remember the guard would ask how many we had. He would say, &#39;Room number one &ndash; how many? Room number two &ndash; how many?&#39; and on and on,&quot; said Nader, a former detainee whose name has been changed.&nbsp;

After one fierce day of beating, Nader said, 13 people died in a single wing of the prison. &nbsp;

One former military officer said he could hear &quot;gurgling&quot; as people were hanged in an execution room below.

&quot;If you put your ears on the floor, you could hear the sound of a kind of gurgling,&quot; said Hamid, who was arrested in 2011.

&quot;We were sleeping on top of the sound of people choking to death. This was normal for me then,&quot; he told Amnesty.

The group has previously said that more than 17,700 people were estimated to have died in government custody across Syria since the country&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011.

The figure of 13,000 deaths in a single prison, therefore, is a marked increase.&nbsp;

&quot;The horrors depicted in this report reveal a hidden, monstrous campaign, authorised at the highest levels of the Syrian government, aimed at crushing any form of dissent within the Syrian population,&quot; said Lynn Maalouf, deputy director for research at Amnesty&#39;s Beirut office.

&quot;The cold-blooded killing of thousands of defenceless prisoners, along with the carefully crafted and systematic programmes of psychological and physical torture that are in place inside Saydnaya Prison cannot be allowed to continue,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

A probe by the United Nations last year accused Assad&#39;s government of a policy of &quot;extermination&quot; in its jails.&nbsp;

More than 310,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes since the conflict began with anti-Assad protests.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Amnesty found that at least once a week between 2011 and 2015, groups of up to 50 people were hanged in secrecy

As many as 13,000 people were hanged in five years at a notorious Syrian government prison near Damascus, Amnesty International said Tuesday, accusing the regime of a "policy of extermination." Titled "Human Slaughterhouse: Mass hanging and extermination at Saydnaya prison," Amnesty's damning report is based on interviews with 84 witnesses, including guards, detainees, and judges. It found that at least once a week between 2011 and 2015, groups of up to 50 people were taken out of their prison cells for arbitrary trials, beaten, then hanged "in the middle of the night and in total secrecy." "Throughout this process, they remain blindfolded. They do not know when or how they will die until the noose was placed around their necks," the rights group wrote. Most of the victims were civilians believed to be opposed to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. "They kept them (hanging) there for 10 to 15 minutes," a former judge who witnessed the executions said. "For the young ones, their weight wouldn't kill them. The officers' assistants would pull them down and break their necks," he said. Amnesty said the practices amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity, but were likely still taking place. Thousands of prisoners are held in the military-run Saydnaya prison, one of the country's largest detention centres located 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Damascus. Amnesty accused the Syrian government of carrying out a "policy of extermination" there by repeatedly torturing detainees and withholding food, water, and medical care. Prisoners were raped or forced to rape each other, and guards would feed detainees by tossing meals onto the cell floor, which was often covered in dirt and blood. 'Hidden, monstrous campaign' A twisted set of "special rules" governed the facility: detainees were not allowed to speak and must assume certain positions when guards enter their cells. "Every day there would be two or three dead people in our wing... I remember the guard would ask how many we had. He would say, 'Room number one – how many? Room number two – how many?' and on and on," said Nader, a former detainee whose name has been changed. After one fierce day of beating, Nader said, 13 people died in a single wing of the prison. One former military officer said he could hear "gurgling" as people were hanged in an execution room below. "If you put your ears on the floor, you could hear the sound of a kind of gurgling," said Hamid, who was arrested in 2011. "We were sleeping on top of the sound of people choking to death. This was normal for me then," he told Amnesty. The group has previously said that more than 17,700 people were estimated to have died in government custody across Syria since the country's conflict erupted in March 2011. The figure of 13,000 deaths in a single prison, therefore, is a marked increase. "The horrors depicted in this report reveal a hidden, monstrous campaign, authorised at the highest levels of the Syrian government, aimed at crushing any form of dissent within the Syrian population," said Lynn Maalouf, deputy director for research at Amnesty's Beirut office. "The cold-blooded killing of thousands of defenceless prisoners, along with the carefully crafted and systematic programmes of psychological and physical torture that are in place inside Saydnaya Prison cannot be allowed to continue," she said. A probe by the United Nations last year accused Assad's government of a policy of "extermination" in its jails. More than 310,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes since the conflict began with anti-Assad protests. (AFP)

About 13,000 people hanged in Syria's notorious prison: Amnesty

While the world waits to understand President Trump&#39;s strategy on Syria -- and pretty much everything else -- the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has decided to supply armoured vehicles to the Arab/Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).&nbsp;

The SDF has been the boots-on-the-ground against the IS for the past two years and is the main American ally in the Syrian conflict. The organisation is currently conducting an offensive which aims at taking control of the many villages surrounding Raqqa, the Islamic State&#39;s capital city in Syria. &nbsp;

There are no official figures, but it is believed that more than 40,000 men and women are involved in the offensive.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The SDF&#39;s enthusiasm is understandable. Armoured vehicles make a big difference in a war</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The SDF's enthusiasm is understandable. Armoured vehicles make a big difference in a war" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

SDF spokesperson Talal Silo told Reuters that the US decision marks an improvement in the support they receive. &quot;Previously we didn&#39;t get support in this form, we would get light weapons and ammunition,&quot; said Talal Silo. &quot;There are signs of full support from the new American leadership - more than before - for our forces.&quot;&nbsp;

The SDF&#39;s enthusiasm is understandable.

Armoured vehicles make a big difference in a war, they provide shelter to at least four soldiers and protection to the man shooting from the turret. It is however too early to say if this is a sign of increasing support. &nbsp;

American sources downplayed the matter, saying that it was just an ordinary move connected with military contingencies.

&quot;The department of defense only provides training and material support to the Syrian Arab Coalition (part of the SDF),&quot; Major Adrian JT&nbsp;Rankine-Galloway said in a statement.

A pentagon spokesperson told Reuters the armoured vehicles would help the SDF face down the threat of the many improvised explosive devices that the Islamic States leaves in its wake while retreating.&nbsp;

A plan for Syria, in 30 days

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump signed an executive order demanding the Pentagon, the joint chiefs of staff, and other agencies submit, within 30 days, a preliminary plan for Syria.&nbsp;

If the new US administration wants to keep fighting the Islamic State in Syria, they will have to, soon, take a decision on the SDF&#39;s role.&nbsp;

Turkey, the second-largest NATO member, considers the SDF a threat to its national security.

The Turkish government claims the SDF is composed mostly of the left-wing People&#39;s Protection Unit (YPG), an organisation Ankara labels as &quot;terrorist&quot;. In his rallies, President Erdogan has repeatedly said that Turkey will fight both the YPG and the Islamic state.&nbsp;

Turkish soldiers are currently fighting on Syrian soil alongside local rebel groups in the area surrounding Al-Bab, ninety kilometres from Aleppo.&nbsp;

The Syrian Democratic Forces proved to be successful in the war against the Islamic State and have taken control of a large region of northern Syria, which they will most likely not be willing to leave if and when the war gets over.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has clearly said he will not allow an autonomous Kurdish region within his country.&nbsp;

Continuous &ndash; and more vigorous &ndash; &nbsp;US support to the SDF could translate into a further worsening of the US&#39;s political relations with Ankara, already close to their minimum. On the other hand, if the US stops supporting the SDF, they will be left virtually without an ally in Syria, and Russia, Iran, and Lebanon will take the lead &ndash; and the credit&nbsp;&ndash; of the so-called &quot;war on terror&quot;. The three countries support President Bashar al-Assad, a man whom Washington considers an enemy.&nbsp;

Whatever decision will come from the White House, it will not be free of consequences and it will significantly impact the US role in West Asia. &nbsp;

(WION woth inputs from Reuters)

The SDF has been the boots-on-the-ground against the IS for the past two years and is the main American ally in the Syrian conflict

While the world waits to understand President Trump's strategy on Syria -- and pretty much everything else -- the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has decided to supply armoured vehicles to the Arab/Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF has been the boots-on-the-ground against the IS for the past two years and is the main American ally in the Syrian conflict. The organisation is currently conducting an offensive which aims at taking control of the many villages surrounding Raqqa, the Islamic State's capital city in Syria. There are no official figures, but it is believed that more than 40,000 men and women are involved in the offensive. The SDF's enthusiasm is understandable. Armoured vehicles make a big difference in a war × SDF spokesperson Talal Silo told Reuters that the US decision marks an improvement in the support they receive. "Previously we didn't get support in this form, we would get light weapons and ammunition," said Talal Silo. "There are signs of full support from the new American leadership - more than before - for our forces." The SDF's enthusiasm is understandable. Armoured vehicles make a big difference in a war, they provide shelter to at least four soldiers and protection to the man shooting from the turret. It is however too early to say if this is a sign of increasing support. American sources downplayed the matter, saying that it was just an ordinary move connected with military contingencies. "The department of defense only provides training and material support to the Syrian Arab Coalition (part of the SDF)," Major Adrian JT Rankine-Galloway said in a statement. A pentagon spokesperson told Reuters the armoured vehicles would help the SDF face down the threat of the many improvised explosive devices that the Islamic States leaves in its wake while retreating. A plan for Syria, in 30 days Meanwhile, President Donald Trump signed an executive order demanding the Pentagon, the joint chiefs of staff, and other agencies submit, within 30 days, a preliminary plan for Syria. If the new US administration wants to keep fighting the Islamic State in Syria, they will have to, soon, take a decision on the SDF's role. Turkey, the second-largest NATO member, considers the SDF a threat to its national security. The Turkish government claims the SDF is composed mostly of the left-wing People's Protection Unit (YPG), an organisation Ankara labels as "terrorist". In his rallies, President Erdogan has repeatedly said that Turkey will fight both the YPG and the Islamic state. Turkish soldiers are currently fighting on Syrian soil alongside local rebel groups in the area surrounding Al-Bab, ninety kilometres from Aleppo. The Syrian Democratic Forces proved to be successful in the war against the Islamic State and have taken control of a large region of northern Syria, which they will most likely not be willing to leave if and when the war gets over. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has clearly said he will not allow an autonomous Kurdish region within his country. Continuous – and more vigorous – US support to the SDF could translate into a further worsening of the US's political relations with Ankara, already close to their minimum. On the other hand, if the US stops supporting the SDF, they will be left virtually without an ally in Syria, and Russia, Iran, and Lebanon will take the lead – and the credit – of the so-called "war on terror". The three countries support President Bashar al-Assad, a man whom Washington considers an enemy. Whatever decision will come from the White House, it will not be free of consequences and it will significantly impact the US role in West Asia. (WION woth inputs from Reuters)

US to give Syrian Democratic Forces armoured vehicles

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. &nbsp;

We must take our time to remember what happened to the millions of innocent&nbsp;people exterminated in concentration camps, all of them: Jews, Romanis, homosexuals, differently-abled, political dissidents, mentally challenged individuals, Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant priests, Slavs, and Pentecostals.&nbsp;

Good, it is fundamental to remember the atrocities humans are capable of. It will prevent us from committing them again. At least so it is said.&nbsp;

Since we are all remembering, let me remind you all about Caesar and his pictures. Caesar --not his real name -- is a Syrian citizen. He is the man who managed to leak out of his country 55,000 pictures coming from an underground network of prisons run by Syrian security agencies under Bashar Al-Assad&#39;s presidency. The pictures are of people who died in government custody. The military police put him in charge of taking these pictures to maintain a photographic record.

Syria&#39;s president publicly dismissed all allegations, saying that all the pictures were manufactured. &quot;Who said this is done by the government, not by the rebels? Who said this is a Syrian victim, not someone else?&quot; argued Assad in an interview with the magazine Foreign Affairs. &nbsp;

The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) extensively&nbsp;analysed the material, cross-checked the available metadata, the open data, interviewed survivors and consulted doctors. They came to the conclusion that the bulk of pictures are&nbsp;original and portray at least 6,786 individuals -- a person may have appeared in more than one picture. They were also able to track down 27 detention centres, most of which in Damascus. The result of their report is available online, as well as a brief selection of the pictures. Part of the testimonies are in the brief video the NGO made.&nbsp;

<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eQni3qn6GIU" width="560"></iframe></center>

 
 
This is only the tip of an iceberg whose size is practically impossible to establish. Despite solid evidence, no independent observer is allowed to investigate&nbsp;this matter on Syrian soil. There could be hundreds of such detention centres currently active in the country.&nbsp;

I would urge you to watch the <a href="http://https://www.hrw.org/report/2015/12/16/if-dead-could-speak/mass-deaths-and-torture-syrias-detention-facilities">gallery</a> that Human Rights Watch published on their website. I would also urge you to watch it till the very end and I must warn you, the images are disturbing - very disturbing.&nbsp;

If you do not feel like watching it, I will take the liberty to describe one picture, the second last in the HRW gallery. This image draws a dramatic parallel between what happens in Syria today and what happened in Europe during in the &#39;40s. Again, I must warn you: I am not going to use sweet words to describe it.&nbsp;

There are more than 20 dusty corpses lying on the ground, all men. Most of them are naked, their genitals clearly visible. Some others are wrapped in transparent plastic bags and piled in a corner, just like something you do not need and abandon somewhere in your warehouse. All bodies are completely malnourished, there are no muscles left; only bones and skin. They all have a white bracelet with labels carrying their identification numbers. This particular detail feels tremendously rational in such an irrational and inhuman scene, it is a direct evidence of the methodological attitude behind these murders.&nbsp;

This picture was taken in 2013 at the infamous 601 Military Hospital in Damascus. Had it been in black and white, it would have been nearly impossible to distinguish it from a picture of the Nazi-Fascist concentration camps.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
In Syria&#39;s hidden prisons, torture was systematic. Prisoners were abducted from their cells, beaten up, hung to the roof by their wrists, with their arms behind their back until their clavicles broke. They were electrified, waterboarded, stabbed. &nbsp;&nbsp;

They say if we never forget the Holocaust, nothing like that will happen again.&nbsp;

The men in the picture, as many other thousands, did not die of natural causes. They were tortured, starved and amassed in this hidden network of prisons. Many of the prisoners were part of the protests against the regime, they were not jihadi nor terrorists. But, even if they were, this level of systematic brutality must not be justified.&nbsp;

The prisoners in the picture were human beings -- abducted healthy and brutalised and killed in custody. This happened systematically and repeatedly. It is an attempt of a &quot;political genocide&quot;.&nbsp;

So, since today we are all remembering, let&#39;s try to remember this also for the years to come.&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Syrian citizen Caesar leaked out of his country 55,000 pictures of people who died in govt detention. These are viewed as political genocide

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We must take our time to remember what happened to the millions of innocent people exterminated in concentration camps, all of them: Jews, Romanis, homosexuals, differently-abled, political dissidents, mentally challenged individuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant priests, Slavs, and Pentecostals. Good, it is fundamental to remember the atrocities humans are capable of. It will prevent us from committing them again. At least so it is said. Since we are all remembering, let me remind you all about Caesar and his pictures. Caesar --not his real name -- is a Syrian citizen. He is the man who managed to leak out of his country 55,000 pictures coming from an underground network of prisons run by Syrian security agencies under Bashar Al-Assad's presidency. The pictures are of people who died in government custody. The military police put him in charge of taking these pictures to maintain a photographic record. Syria's president publicly dismissed all allegations, saying that all the pictures were manufactured. "Who said this is done by the government, not by the rebels? Who said this is a Syrian victim, not someone else?" argued Assad in an interview with the magazine Foreign Affairs. The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) extensively analysed the material, cross-checked the available metadata, the open data, interviewed survivors and consulted doctors. They came to the conclusion that the bulk of pictures are original and portray at least 6,786 individuals -- a person may have appeared in more than one picture. They were also able to track down 27 detention centres, most of which in Damascus. The result of their report is available online, as well as a brief selection of the pictures. Part of the testimonies are in the brief video the NGO made. This is only the tip of an iceberg whose size is practically impossible to establish. Despite solid evidence, no independent observer is allowed to investigate this matter on Syrian soil. There could be hundreds of such detention centres currently active in the country. I would urge you to watch the gallery that Human Rights Watch published on their website. I would also urge you to watch it till the very end and I must warn you, the images are disturbing - very disturbing. If you do not feel like watching it, I will take the liberty to describe one picture, the second last in the HRW gallery. This image draws a dramatic parallel between what happens in Syria today and what happened in Europe during in the '40s. Again, I must warn you: I am not going to use sweet words to describe it. There are more than 20 dusty corpses lying on the ground, all men. Most of them are naked, their genitals clearly visible. Some others are wrapped in transparent plastic bags and piled in a corner, just like something you do not need and abandon somewhere in your warehouse. All bodies are completely malnourished, there are no muscles left; only bones and skin. They all have a white bracelet with labels carrying their identification numbers. This particular detail feels tremendously rational in such an irrational and inhuman scene, it is a direct evidence of the methodological attitude behind these murders. This picture was taken in 2013 at the infamous 601 Military Hospital in Damascus. Had it been in black and white, it would have been nearly impossible to distinguish it from a picture of the Nazi-Fascist concentration camps. In Syria's hidden prisons, torture was systematic. Prisoners were abducted from their cells, beaten up, hung to the roof by their wrists, with their arms behind their back until their clavicles broke. They were electrified, waterboarded, stabbed. They say if we never forget the Holocaust, nothing like that will happen again. The men in the picture, as many other thousands, did not die of natural causes. They were tortured, starved and amassed in this hidden network of prisons. Many of the prisoners were part of the protests against the regime, they were not jihadi nor terrorists. But, even if they were, this level of systematic brutality must not be justified. The prisoners in the picture were human beings -- abducted healthy and brutalised and killed in custody. This happened systematically and repeatedly. It is an attempt of a "political genocide". So, since today we are all remembering, let's try to remember this also for the years to come. (WION)

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, disturbing reminders from Syria

Six Russian warplanes launched a coordinated strike on Islamic State (IS) targets in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Russian defence ministry.

The defence ministry said the Russian Tu-22 bombers flew from an air base in Russia over the territory of Iraq and Iran to make the strike.

On Monday even as the Astana peace talks were taking place, Russian jets had&nbsp;pounded&nbsp;Islamic State in the same eastern province, seeking to thwart a full-blown assault by the militants against the last district in the region still held by the Damascus government.

Islamic State has launched its fiercest assault in a year to capture the government enclave, a pocket of Deir al-Zor city surrounded by IS territory, in a battle that has killed dozens.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="videos-block">
<div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uDoBzV-MyoU"></iframe></div>
</div>

<div class="media-description">
Six Russian planes hit IS targets in Syria (Reuters)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

The assault, which began earlier this month, appears to be part of an IS effort to shore up its presence in Syria as it loses ground in Iraq.

Islamic State controls nearly all of Deir al-Zor province, with the army retaining the air base in the city and neighboring districts, which the jihadists encircled in July 2014.

Just 24 hours ago, Iran, Russia and Turkey, the sponsors&nbsp;of peace talks between Syrian rebels and Damascus, agreed to a fragile three-week cessation of hostilities in Syria.&nbsp;The IS was not part of the Astana peace talks.&nbsp;

They agreed to a &quot;trilateral mechanism&quot; &quot; and declared to &quot;ensure full compliance with the ceasefire, prevent any provocation and determine all modalities&quot;.

(Reuters with agency inputs)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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

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

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

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

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

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

Syrian rebels agree to attend peace talks in Kazakhstan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spain, Hungary arrest suspected Islamic State terrorists

International investigators have said for the first time that they suspect President Bashar al-Assad and his brother are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict, according to a document seen by Reuters.

A joint inquiry for the United Nations and global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had previously identified only military units and did not name any commanders or officials.

Now a list has been produced of individuals whom the investigators have linked to a series of chlorine bomb attacks in 2014-15 - including Assad, his younger brother Maher and other high-ranking figures - indicating the decision to use toxic weapons came from the very top, according to a source familiar with the inquiry.&nbsp;

The Assads could not be reached for comment but a Syrian government official said accusations that government forces had used chemical weapons had &quot;no basis in truth&quot;.

The government has repeatedly denied using such weapons during the civil war, which is almost six years old, saying all the attacks highlighted by the inquiry were the work of rebels or the Islamic State militant group.

The list, which has been seen by Reuters but has not been made public, was based on a combination of evidence compiled by the UN-OPCW team in Syria and information from Western and regional intelligence agencies, according to the source, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Reuters was unable to independently review the evidence or to verify it.

The UN-OPCW inquiry - known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism - is led by a panel of three independent experts, supported by a team of technical and administrative staff. It is mandated by the UN&nbsp;Security Council to identify individuals and organisations responsible for chemical attacks in Syria.

Virginia Gamba, the head of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, denied any list of individual suspects had yet been compiled by the inquiry.

&quot;There are no ... identification of individuals being considered at this time,&quot; she told Reuters by email.

The use of chemical weapons is banned under international law and could constitute a war crime.

While the inquiry has no judicial powers, any naming of suspects could lead to their prosecution. Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court, but alleged war crimes could be referred to the court by the Security Council - although splits among global powers over the war make this a distant prospect at present.

The list could form the basis for the inquiry team&#39;s investigations this year, according to the source. It is unclear whether the United Nations or OPCW will publish the list separately.&nbsp;

&#39;Highest levels&#39; 
The list identifies 15 people &quot;to be scrutinised in relation to use of CW (chemical weapons) by Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces in 2014 and 2015&quot;. It does not specify what role they are suspected of playing, but lists their titles.

It is split into three sections. The first, titled &quot;Inner Circle President&quot; lists six people including Assad, his brother who commands the elite 4th Armoured Division, the defence minister and the head of military intelligence.

The second section names the air force chief as well as four commanders of air force divisions. They include the heads of the 22nd Air Force Division and the 63rd Helicopter Brigade, units that the inquiry has previously said dropped chlorine bombs.&nbsp;

The third part of the list - &quot;Other relevant Senior Mil Personnel&quot; - names two colonels and two major-generals.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, an independent specialist in biological and chemical weapons who monitors Syria, told Reuters the list reflected the military chain of command.&nbsp;

&quot;The decisions would be made at the highest levels initially and then delegated down.&nbsp;Hence the first use would need to be authorised by Assad,&quot; said de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of British and NATO chemical and biological defence divisions who frequently visits Syria for professional consultancy work.&nbsp;

The Syrian defence ministry and air force could not be reached for comment.&nbsp;

Chlorine barrel bombs 
Syria joined the international Chemical Weapons Convention under a U.S.-Russian deal that followed the deaths of hundreds of civilians in a sarin gas attack in Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus in August 2013.

It was the deadliest use of chemicals in global warfare since the 1988 Halabja massacre at the end of the Iran-Iraq war, which killed at least 5,000 people in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The Syrian government, which denied its forces were behind the Ghouta attack, also agreed to hand over its declared stockpile of 1,300 tonnes of toxic weaponry and dismantle its chemical weapons programme under international supervision.

The United Nations and OPCW have been investigating whether Damascus is adhering to its commitments under the agreement, which averted the threat of U.S.-led military intervention.

The bodies appointed the panel of experts to conduct the inquiry, and its mandate runs until November. The panel published a report in October last year which said Syrian government forces used chemical weapons at least three times in 2014-2015 and that Islamic State used mustard gas in 2015.

The October report identified Syria&#39;s 22nd Air Force Division and 63rd Helicopter Brigade as having dropped chlorine bombs and said people &quot;with effective control in the military units ... must be held accountable&quot;.&nbsp;

The source familiar with the inquiry said the October report had clearly established the institutions responsible and that the next step was to go after the individuals.

Washington on Thursday blacklisted 18 senior Syrian officials based on the UN-OPCW inquiry&#39;s October report - some of whom also appear on the list seen by Reuters - but not Assad or his brother.

The issue of chemical weapons use in Syria has become a deeply political one, and the UN-OPCW inquiry&#39;s allegations of chlorine bomb attacks by government forces have split the UN Security Council&#39;s veto-wielding members.

The United States, Britain and France have called for sanctions against Syria, while Assad&#39;s ally Russia has said the evidence presented is insufficient to justify such measures.

A Security Council resolution would be required to bring Assad and other senior Syrian officials before the International Criminal Court for any possible war crimes prosecution - something Russia would likely block.

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

A joint inquiry for the UN and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had previously identified only military units

International investigators have said for the first time that they suspect President Bashar al-Assad and his brother are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict, according to a document seen by Reuters. A joint inquiry for the United Nations and global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had previously identified only military units and did not name any commanders or officials. Now a list has been produced of individuals whom the investigators have linked to a series of chlorine bomb attacks in 2014-15 - including Assad, his younger brother Maher and other high-ranking figures - indicating the decision to use toxic weapons came from the very top, according to a source familiar with the inquiry. The Assads could not be reached for comment but a Syrian government official said accusations that government forces had used chemical weapons had "no basis in truth". The government has repeatedly denied using such weapons during the civil war, which is almost six years old, saying all the attacks highlighted by the inquiry were the work of rebels or the Islamic State militant group. The list, which has been seen by Reuters but has not been made public, was based on a combination of evidence compiled by the UN-OPCW team in Syria and information from Western and regional intelligence agencies, according to the source, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue. Reuters was unable to independently review the evidence or to verify it. The UN-OPCW inquiry - known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism - is led by a panel of three independent experts, supported by a team of technical and administrative staff. It is mandated by the UN Security Council to identify individuals and organisations responsible for chemical attacks in Syria. Virginia Gamba, the head of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, denied any list of individual suspects had yet been compiled by the inquiry. "There are no ... identification of individuals being considered at this time," she told Reuters by email. The use of chemical weapons is banned under international law and could constitute a war crime. While the inquiry has no judicial powers, any naming of suspects could lead to their prosecution. Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court, but alleged war crimes could be referred to the court by the Security Council - although splits among global powers over the war make this a distant prospect at present. The list could form the basis for the inquiry team's investigations this year, according to the source. It is unclear whether the United Nations or OPCW will publish the list separately. 'Highest levels' The list identifies 15 people "to be scrutinised in relation to use of CW (chemical weapons) by Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces in 2014 and 2015". It does not specify what role they are suspected of playing, but lists their titles. It is split into three sections. The first, titled "Inner Circle President" lists six people including Assad, his brother who commands the elite 4th Armoured Division, the defence minister and the head of military intelligence. The second section names the air force chief as well as four commanders of air force divisions. They include the heads of the 22nd Air Force Division and the 63rd Helicopter Brigade, units that the inquiry has previously said dropped chlorine bombs. The third part of the list - "Other relevant Senior Mil Personnel" - names two colonels and two major-generals. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, an independent specialist in biological and chemical weapons who monitors Syria, told Reuters the list reflected the military chain of command. "The decisions would be made at the highest levels initially and then delegated down. Hence the first use would need to be authorised by Assad," said de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of British and NATO chemical and biological defence divisions who frequently visits Syria for professional consultancy work. The Syrian defence ministry and air force could not be reached for comment. Chlorine barrel bombs Syria joined the international Chemical Weapons Convention under a U.S.-Russian deal that followed the deaths of hundreds of civilians in a sarin gas attack in Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus in August 2013. It was the deadliest use of chemicals in global warfare since the 1988 Halabja massacre at the end of the Iran-Iraq war, which killed at least 5,000 people in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Syrian government, which denied its forces were behind the Ghouta attack, also agreed to hand over its declared stockpile of 1,300 tonnes of toxic weaponry and dismantle its chemical weapons programme under international supervision. The United Nations and OPCW have been investigating whether Damascus is adhering to its commitments under the agreement, which averted the threat of U.S.-led military intervention. The bodies appointed the panel of experts to conduct the inquiry, and its mandate runs until November. The panel published a report in October last year which said Syrian government forces used chemical weapons at least three times in 2014-2015 and that Islamic State used mustard gas in 2015. The October report identified Syria's 22nd Air Force Division and 63rd Helicopter Brigade as having dropped chlorine bombs and said people "with effective control in the military units ... must be held accountable". The source familiar with the inquiry said the October report had clearly established the institutions responsible and that the next step was to go after the individuals. Washington on Thursday blacklisted 18 senior Syrian officials based on the UN-OPCW inquiry's October report - some of whom also appear on the list seen by Reuters - but not Assad or his brother. The issue of chemical weapons use in Syria has become a deeply political one, and the UN-OPCW inquiry's allegations of chlorine bomb attacks by government forces have split the UN Security Council's veto-wielding members. The United States, Britain and France have called for sanctions against Syria, while Assad's ally Russia has said the evidence presented is insufficient to justify such measures. A Security Council resolution would be required to bring Assad and other senior Syrian officials before the International Criminal Court for any possible war crimes prosecution - something Russia would likely block. (Reuters)

President Bashar al-Assad linked to Syrian chemical attacks for first time: Report

Russia has agreed that the United States should be involved in the talks on Syria&#39;s political future planned to take place in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana later this month, Turkey&#39;s top diplomat has said.

&quot;The United States should be definitely invited, and that is what we agreed with Russia,&quot; foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday told journalists in Geneva after an international conference on Cyprus.

The talks in Astana are expected to take place on January 23.

Russia and Turkey last month brokered a ceasefire in the war-torn country, but without the involvement of the United States, a negotiator in previous ceasefires.

The truce went into effect on December 30 and has brought calm to much of Syria although fighting continues in some areas.

&quot;We need to maintain the ceasefire,&quot; Cavusoglu said in Geneva. &quot;This is essential for the Astana talks,&quot; he said.

The Turkish foreign minister said invitations for the talks were likely to be sent out next week, adding that Washington should be present.

&quot;Nobody can ignore the role of the United States. And this is a principled position of Turkey,&quot; he said. &quot;The ones who did or who could contribute should be there, but not just to be in the family photo. You know what I mean.&quot;

He said the aim of the talks &quot;is to reach the political solution, which is the best solution&quot;.

(AFP)

The talks on Syria's political future is expected to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Astana on January 23

Russia has agreed that the United States should be involved in the talks on Syria's political future planned to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Astana later this month, Turkey's top diplomat has said. "The United States should be definitely invited, and that is what we agreed with Russia," foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday told journalists in Geneva after an international conference on Cyprus. The talks in Astana are expected to take place on January 23. Russia and Turkey last month brokered a ceasefire in the war-torn country, but without the involvement of the United States, a negotiator in previous ceasefires. The truce went into effect on December 30 and has brought calm to much of Syria although fighting continues in some areas. "We need to maintain the ceasefire," Cavusoglu said in Geneva. "This is essential for the Astana talks," he said. The Turkish foreign minister said invitations for the talks were likely to be sent out next week, adding that Washington should be present. "Nobody can ignore the role of the United States. And this is a principled position of Turkey," he said. "The ones who did or who could contribute should be there, but not just to be in the family photo. You know what I mean." He said the aim of the talks "is to reach the political solution, which is the best solution". (AFP)

Russia agrees US should attend Syria talks: Turkey

syria

Syria, News on Syria, stories on Syria, articles on Syria, Syria stories at Wion, Syria news, Syria latest news