Insurgents seized a strategic town from Syrian government forces and their allies in the western coastal province of Latakia on Friday, a monitoring group and the rebels said, in a rare advance for them in the area. 
 
The Syrian government forces had captured Kansaba in February, part of a wider advance in Latakia&#39;s northern countryside at the time, backed by Russian air power. 
 
Fighting picked up again in the area after a ceasefire deal later that month brought a temporary lull. The truce has mostly unravelled throughout areas where it took effect in the west of the country. 
 
The al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front was among the groups that retook Kansaba, which had previously been an important base for the insurgents. The town overlooks much of the mountainous Jabal Akrad area close to the Turkish border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. 
 
The British-based monitoring group said it was part of a wider offensive launched earlier in the week. 
 
Nusra Front said in an online statement that an alliance of Islamist rebel groups including itself had captured Kansaba and a number of other villages, seizing several tanks and artillery guns. 
 
It was a rare gain for rebels in Latakia since Russia intervened in the five-year Syrian conflict on the side of President Bashar al-Assad last September. 
 
Northern Latakia borders Idlib province, a stronghold for insurgent groups including Nusra Front. 
 
Further to the northeast, in Aleppo province, Nusra Front and other Islamist insurgents have recently launched heavy attacks against government forces and their allies, including Iranian troops and Lebanese Shi`ite Hezbollah fighters. 
 
Latakia&#39;s coastal areas, including the provincial capital city of the same name, are the heartland of Assad&#39;s minority Alawite community and are also home to a Russian air base. 
 
Rebels have in the past sought to bring the fight closer to the coast. They were regularly shelling Latakia city before the Russian intervention. 
 
Bombings claimed by Islamic State in two cities along Syria&#39;s Mediterranean coast in May killed scores of people. 
 
(Reuters)

An alliance of Islamist rebel groups including Nusra Front captured Kansaba and a number of other villages, seizing several tanks and guns

Insurgents seized a strategic town from Syrian government forces and their allies in the western coastal province of Latakia on Friday, a monitoring group and the rebels said, in a rare advance for them in the area. The Syrian government forces had captured Kansaba in February, part of a wider advance in Latakia's northern countryside at the time, backed by Russian air power. Fighting picked up again in the area after a ceasefire deal later that month brought a temporary lull. The truce has mostly unravelled throughout areas where it took effect in the west of the country. The al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front was among the groups that retook Kansaba, which had previously been an important base for the insurgents. The town overlooks much of the mountainous Jabal Akrad area close to the Turkish border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The British-based monitoring group said it was part of a wider offensive launched earlier in the week. Nusra Front said in an online statement that an alliance of Islamist rebel groups including itself had captured Kansaba and a number of other villages, seizing several tanks and artillery guns. It was a rare gain for rebels in Latakia since Russia intervened in the five-year Syrian conflict on the side of President Bashar al-Assad last September. Northern Latakia borders Idlib province, a stronghold for insurgent groups including Nusra Front. Further to the northeast, in Aleppo province, Nusra Front and other Islamist insurgents have recently launched heavy attacks against government forces and their allies, including Iranian troops and Lebanese Shi`ite Hezbollah fighters. Latakia's coastal areas, including the provincial capital city of the same name, are the heartland of Assad's minority Alawite community and are also home to a Russian air base. Rebels have in the past sought to bring the fight closer to the coast. They were regularly shelling Latakia city before the Russian intervention. Bombings claimed by Islamic State in two cities along Syria's Mediterranean coast in May killed scores of people. (Reuters)

Syria rebels take over dominant town in western coastal province

At least 70 regime and rebel fighters have been killed in 24 hours in a government assault and a jihadist-led counterattack in northern Syria, a monitor said Thursday. 
 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 regime soldiers and 39 rebel fighters had been killed in battles around Al-Maleh, north of Aleppo, since Wednesday afternoon. 
 
Jihadists fighting for the Al-Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, were also killed, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, who did not provide a precise number. 
 
The government of President Bashar al-Assad has been attempting to seize Al-Maleh for more than two years. 
 
His forces have been trying for months to surround Aleppo by cutting supply lines between rebel-held districts of the city and nearby Turkey which supports opposition forces. 
 
For nearly a week, regime troops backed by Syrian and Russian warplanes have been battling for control of Al-Maleh. 
 
Assad&#39;s regime is also attempting to cut the Castello Road, a key supply route from the Turkish border to rebel-held eastern suburbs of Aleppo. 
 
The pro-regime website, Al-Masdar News, reported that the Syrian army withdrew from the farms of Al-Maleh as they faced a rebel counter-offensive led by the Al-Nusra Front. 
 
It said rebels attacked government forces with two suicide car bombs. 
 
The majority of Aleppo province is controlled by Al-Nusra and its Islamist allies, while the city, the country&#39;s pre-war commercial capital, has been divided since July 2012 into rebel-held and regime-held areas. 
 
The conflict in Syria, which has lasted five years, has killed more than 280,000 people. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

30 Assad soldiers and 39 jihadists have been killed in battles since Wednesday, says The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

At least 70 regime and rebel fighters have been killed in 24 hours in a government assault and a jihadist-led counterattack in northern Syria, a monitor said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 regime soldiers and 39 rebel fighters had been killed in battles around Al-Maleh, north of Aleppo, since Wednesday afternoon. Jihadists fighting for the Al-Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, were also killed, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, who did not provide a precise number. The government of President Bashar al-Assad has been attempting to seize Al-Maleh for more than two years. His forces have been trying for months to surround Aleppo by cutting supply lines between rebel-held districts of the city and nearby Turkey which supports opposition forces. For nearly a week, regime troops backed by Syrian and Russian warplanes have been battling for control of Al-Maleh. Assad's regime is also attempting to cut the Castello Road, a key supply route from the Turkish border to rebel-held eastern suburbs of Aleppo. The pro-regime website, Al-Masdar News, reported that the Syrian army withdrew from the farms of Al-Maleh as they faced a rebel counter-offensive led by the Al-Nusra Front. It said rebels attacked government forces with two suicide car bombs. The majority of Aleppo province is controlled by Al-Nusra and its Islamist allies, while the city, the country's pre-war commercial capital, has been divided since July 2012 into rebel-held and regime-held areas. The conflict in Syria, which has lasted five years, has killed more than 280,000 people. (AFP)

70 killed north of Aleppo in Syria as Assad tries to seize Al-Maleh

US-backed Syrian rebel forces were fighting street battles with Islamic State militants after entering their strategic stronghold along the border with Iraq, a rebel commander said today. 
 
A rebel commander confirmed the rapid advances by the New Syria Army alliance of Arab rebel groups who had announced on Tuesday they had begun an attack to &quot;liberate&quot; the town along the Euphrates river in the oil rich Deir Zor province of Syria. 
 
&quot;The clashes are in the town itself but the situation has not been decided yet,&quot; said the rebel commander from Asala wa-al-Tanmiya Front, a main group within the New Syria Army, told Reuters, asking not to be named. 
 
(Reuters)

New Syria Army alliance of Arab rebel groups engaged in a fight with IS after entering their strategic stronghold along the Euphrates river

US-backed Syrian rebel forces were fighting street battles with Islamic State militants after entering their strategic stronghold along the border with Iraq, a rebel commander said today. A rebel commander confirmed the rapid advances by the New Syria Army alliance of Arab rebel groups who had announced on Tuesday they had begun an attack to "liberate" the town along the Euphrates river in the oil rich Deir Zor province of Syria. "The clashes are in the town itself but the situation has not been decided yet," said the rebel commander from Asala wa-al-Tanmiya Front, a main group within the New Syria Army, told Reuters, asking not to be named. (Reuters)

US-backed Syrian rebel commander says clash on with IS fighters in border town

Indian counter-terrorism officials on Wednesday arrested five men on suspicion of plotting a series of attacks across the country on behalf of Islamic State, two intelligence officials said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and local police raided 11 locations in the southern city of Hyderabad at dawn, seizing ammunition, explosive materials and cash.

Nine men were detained and five of them were arrested for conspiracy to wage war against the Indian state, one of the officials said, on the condition he was not named. If a suspect is arrested, police have 90 days to present charges.

&quot;We have ample proof to show that the suspects were working for ISIS (Islamic State), and also had direct connection with Syrian leaders,&quot; the first official told Reuters.

The second official, NIA Inspector General Sanjeev Kumar, said the men were recruited by an Islamic State handler operating outside of&nbsp;India, but declined to say how many of those detained would be charged.

Islamic State has struggled to win over many recruits in&nbsp;India, which is home to the world&#39;s third-largest Muslim population.

However,&nbsp;Indian police arrested 29 men last year for establishing bases to recruit men to the Islamist militant group. All men were charged with conspiracy to wage war against the state.

A handful of&nbsp;Indians are also suspected of having travelled to Iraq and Syria to join Islamic State, where the group is fighting to install an Islamic caliphate.

In a video circulated in May, a group of&nbsp;Indian fighters vowed to avenge the deaths of Muslims killed in riots in Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s home state of Gujarat and elsewhere. 
 
(Reuters)

India's National Investigation Agency says the suspects had direct connections with Syrian IS leaders

Indian counter-terrorism officials on Wednesday arrested five men on suspicion of plotting a series of attacks across the country on behalf of Islamic State, two intelligence officials said. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and local police raided 11 locations in the southern city of Hyderabad at dawn, seizing ammunition, explosive materials and cash. Nine men were detained and five of them were arrested for conspiracy to wage war against the Indian state, one of the officials said, on the condition he was not named. If a suspect is arrested, police have 90 days to present charges. "We have ample proof to show that the suspects were working for ISIS (Islamic State), and also had direct connection with Syrian leaders," the first official told Reuters. The second official, NIA Inspector General Sanjeev Kumar, said the men were recruited by an Islamic State handler operating outside of India, but declined to say how many of those detained would be charged. Islamic State has struggled to win over many recruits in India, which is home to the world's third-largest Muslim population. However, Indian police arrested 29 men last year for establishing bases to recruit men to the Islamist militant group. All men were charged with conspiracy to wage war against the state. A handful of Indians are also suspected of having travelled to Iraq and Syria to join Islamic State, where the group is fighting to install an Islamic caliphate. In a video circulated in May, a group of Indian fighters vowed to avenge the deaths of Muslims killed in riots in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat and elsewhere. (Reuters)

India arrests five suspected of plotting Islamic State attacks

Twenty five children were reportedly killed in air strikes that hit heavily crowded areas in a town in eastern Syria, the United Nations children&#39;s agency (UNICEF) has said. 
 
Quoting reports from its local partners in Syria, UNICEF said health workers were reported to have pulled bodies of children from under rubble in the town of al-Quria in Deir al-Zor province, which is mostly under Islamic State control. 
 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported on Saturday that air strikes carried out by Syrian or Russian warplanes killed dozens of people in al-Quria. 
 
Deir al-Zor province links Islamic State&#39;s de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa with territory it controls in Iraq. 
 
&quot;Three attacks reportedly hit heavily crowded areas including a mosque during prayer time,&quot; UNICEF said in a statement. &quot;UNICEF deplores these attacks and calls on all parties to the conflict to keep children out of harm&rsquo;s way.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

'Three attacks reportedly hit heavily crowded areas including a mosque during prayer time'

Twenty five children were reportedly killed in air strikes that hit heavily crowded areas in a town in eastern Syria, the United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) has said. Quoting reports from its local partners in Syria, UNICEF said health workers were reported to have pulled bodies of children from under rubble in the town of al-Quria in Deir al-Zor province, which is mostly under Islamic State control. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported on Saturday that air strikes carried out by Syrian or Russian warplanes killed dozens of people in al-Quria. Deir al-Zor province links Islamic State's de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa with territory it controls in Iraq. "Three attacks reportedly hit heavily crowded areas including a mosque during prayer time," UNICEF said in a statement. "UNICEF deplores these attacks and calls on all parties to the conflict to keep children out of harm’s way." (Reuters)

25 children killed in air strikes in eastern Syria: UNICEF

The Islamic State group today published a video showing the execution-style killing of five Syrian citizen journalists they kidnapped eight months ago in the east of the war-torn country. 
 
The victims seen in the footage, which was posted on the blog of the group&#39;s Al-Bayan radio, were all from the city of Deir Ezzor, 60 per cent of which is controlled by IS.&nbsp; 
 
A Britain-based monitor that works with sources inside Syria to collect information on the five-year conflict said it recognised one of the victims as a citizen journalist it had worked with. 
 
The activists were kidnapped in Deir Ezzor in October and killed between November and December, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 
 
&quot;The video was only published now because IS, who are losing ground in Syria, want to send a message that they are still strong,&quot; Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. 
 
The jihadist group has come under pressure in Syria where a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance is pressing an offensive to retake its bastion of Manbij near the Turkish border. 
 
IS has previously claimed the killing of several citizen journalists working secretly in areas it controls in Syria, including the group`s stronghold of Raqa, and accused them of being spies. 
 
It has also claimed to have killed activists in Turkey. 
 
Last October, the decapitated bodies of two activists originally from Raqa were found in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa, 55 kilometres (35 miles) from the Syrian border. 
 
In late December, Syrian anti-IS filmmaker Naji Jerf was killed in the Turkish city of Gaziantep. 
 
And in April, Syrian journalist Mohammed Zaher al-Shurqat died in hospital after he was shot in the head by IS jihadists in the same city. 
 
(AFP)

Under pressure from a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance, IS now wants to send a message that they are still strong in the region

The Islamic State group today published a video showing the execution-style killing of five Syrian citizen journalists they kidnapped eight months ago in the east of the war-torn country. The victims seen in the footage, which was posted on the blog of the group's Al-Bayan radio, were all from the city of Deir Ezzor, 60 per cent of which is controlled by IS. A Britain-based monitor that works with sources inside Syria to collect information on the five-year conflict said it recognised one of the victims as a citizen journalist it had worked with. The activists were kidnapped in Deir Ezzor in October and killed between November and December, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "The video was only published now because IS, who are losing ground in Syria, want to send a message that they are still strong," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The jihadist group has come under pressure in Syria where a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance is pressing an offensive to retake its bastion of Manbij near the Turkish border. IS has previously claimed the killing of several citizen journalists working secretly in areas it controls in Syria, including the group`s stronghold of Raqa, and accused them of being spies. It has also claimed to have killed activists in Turkey. Last October, the decapitated bodies of two activists originally from Raqa were found in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa, 55 kilometres (35 miles) from the Syrian border. In late December, Syrian anti-IS filmmaker Naji Jerf was killed in the Turkish city of Gaziantep. And in April, Syrian journalist Mohammed Zaher al-Shurqat died in hospital after he was shot in the head by IS jihadists in the same city. (AFP)

IS releases video showing 'execution-style' killing of 5 Syrian citizen journalists

Iraqi forces recaptured the last district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Fallujah today and the general commanding the operation declared the battle complete after nearly five weeks of fighting. 
 
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed victory over Islamic State in Fallujah more than a week ago but fighting continued inside the city west of Baghdad, including in the Golan district. The offensive has been backed by a U.S.-led coalition mostly in the form of air strikes against Islamic State. 
 
&quot;We announce from this place in central Golan district that it has been cleaned by the counter terrorism service and we convey the good news to the Iraqi people that the battle of Fallujah is over,&quot; Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi told state TV. 
 
Flanked by jubilant fighters, some waving Iraqi flags, Saidi said a few militants were still holding out in buildings. At least 1,800 Islamic State fighters were killed in the operation to retake Fallujah, and the rest had fled, he said. 
 
Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Fallujah, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shi&#39;ite-led governments. 
 
Abadi said last week that the recapture of Fallujah would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, Islamic State&#39;s de facto capital. 
 
Fighting to recapture the Iraqi city has forced more than 85,000 residents to flee to overwhelmed government-run camps. The United Nations says it has received allegations of abuse of civilians fleeing the city, including by members of Shi&#39;ite armed groups supporting the offensive. 
 
The militants seized Fallujah in January 2014, six months before they declared a &quot;caliphate&quot; over part of Syria and Iraq.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

Government fighters recapture the last district held by Islamic State in the city

Iraqi forces recaptured the last district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Fallujah today and the general commanding the operation declared the battle complete after nearly five weeks of fighting. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed victory over Islamic State in Fallujah more than a week ago but fighting continued inside the city west of Baghdad, including in the Golan district. The offensive has been backed by a U.S.-led coalition mostly in the form of air strikes against Islamic State. "We announce from this place in central Golan district that it has been cleaned by the counter terrorism service and we convey the good news to the Iraqi people that the battle of Fallujah is over," Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi told state TV. Flanked by jubilant fighters, some waving Iraqi flags, Saidi said a few militants were still holding out in buildings. At least 1,800 Islamic State fighters were killed in the operation to retake Fallujah, and the rest had fled, he said. Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Fallujah, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shi'ite-led governments. Abadi said last week that the recapture of Fallujah would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, Islamic State's de facto capital. Fighting to recapture the Iraqi city has forced more than 85,000 residents to flee to overwhelmed government-run camps. The United Nations says it has received allegations of abuse of civilians fleeing the city, including by members of Shi'ite armed groups supporting the offensive. The militants seized Fallujah in January 2014, six months before they declared a "caliphate" over part of Syria and Iraq. (Reuters)

Battle over, say Iraqi forces in Fallujah

Heavy fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government security forces has claimed dozens of lives in eastern Afghanistan, officials said today. 
 
In recent months insurgents claiming allegiance to Islamic State had largely appeared to be bottled up in a mountainous area along the border with Pakistan under threat of US air strikes. 
 
The latest attacks indicate the group remains a potent threat to a government already battling an insurgency dominated by the rival Taliban. 
 
At least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians had been killed, with another 18 wounded, Nangarhar province governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said in a statement. 
 
Local officials claimed more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days, even though exact figures varied and could not be independently verified. 
 
&quot;There is no doubt that Daesh (IS) do not respect anyone,&quot; Kunduzi said, using a common term for Islamic State. &quot;They kill people, regardless of whether they&#39;re a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools.&quot; 
 
As many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kowt district, and five civilians were reported kidnapped, Nangarhar officials said. 
 
Hundreds of police and soldiers are engaged in the area with reinforcements on the way, provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid said. 
 
At a small event today in Kabul, the head of Afghanistan&#39;s civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, blamed local leaders for being negligent in the face of Islamic State threats and called on them to be suspended. 
 
&quot;They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials,&quot; he told gathered reporters. 
 
Militants linked to Islamic State have not made as much progress in Afghanistan as in Syria and Iraq, where the group seized major cities and wide swaths of territory and attracted thousands of recruits. 
 
In Afghanistan, the group is thought to consist mostly of disaffected members of other insurgent movements, including the Taliban, who have often battled Islamic State for control of areas in Nangarhar. 
 
In January, US President Barack Obama gave US forces in Afghanistan more freedom to attack Islamic State targets, leading to a spike in air strikes and other operations, especially in Nangarhar. 
 
No coalition forces have been involved in the latest fighting, spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said. 
 
(Reuters)

According to local officials, more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days

Heavy fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government security forces has claimed dozens of lives in eastern Afghanistan, officials said today. In recent months insurgents claiming allegiance to Islamic State had largely appeared to be bottled up in a mountainous area along the border with Pakistan under threat of US air strikes. The latest attacks indicate the group remains a potent threat to a government already battling an insurgency dominated by the rival Taliban. At least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians had been killed, with another 18 wounded, Nangarhar province governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said in a statement. Local officials claimed more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days, even though exact figures varied and could not be independently verified. "There is no doubt that Daesh (IS) do not respect anyone," Kunduzi said, using a common term for Islamic State. "They kill people, regardless of whether they're a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools." As many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kowt district, and five civilians were reported kidnapped, Nangarhar officials said. Hundreds of police and soldiers are engaged in the area with reinforcements on the way, provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid said. At a small event today in Kabul, the head of Afghanistan's civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, blamed local leaders for being negligent in the face of Islamic State threats and called on them to be suspended. "They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials," he told gathered reporters. Militants linked to Islamic State have not made as much progress in Afghanistan as in Syria and Iraq, where the group seized major cities and wide swaths of territory and attracted thousands of recruits. In Afghanistan, the group is thought to consist mostly of disaffected members of other insurgent movements, including the Taliban, who have often battled Islamic State for control of areas in Nangarhar. In January, US President Barack Obama gave US forces in Afghanistan more freedom to attack Islamic State targets, leading to a spike in air strikes and other operations, especially in Nangarhar. No coalition forces have been involved in the latest fighting, spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said. (Reuters)

Islamic State militants launch new attacks in eastern Afghanistan

Backed by the United States (US), Syrian forces Thursday fought Islamic State militants inside the city of Manbij for the first time since they laid siege to the militant stronghold near the Turkish border, a monitor said. 
 
The U.K.-based Observatory for Human Rights said heavy clashes were taking place in western district of Manbij after the alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters swept into the city near the Kutab roundabout, around 2 km from the city centre. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The UK-based Observatory for Human Rights said heavy clashes were taking place in the western district of Manbij

Backed by the United States (US), Syrian forces Thursday fought Islamic State militants inside the city of Manbij for the first time since they laid siege to the militant stronghold near the Turkish border, a monitor said. The U.K.-based Observatory for Human Rights said heavy clashes were taking place in western district of Manbij after the alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters swept into the city near the Kutab roundabout, around 2 km from the city centre. (Reuters)

Syrian forces fight IS militants with US support

Six Jordanian border guards were killed by a suicide bomber who drove a car at a high speed across the border from Syria and rammed it into a military post on Tuesday, security officials said. 
 
The explosives-laden vehicle blew up a few hundred metres from a camp for Syrian refugees in a remote, desolate area where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet, a Jordanian army statement said. 
 
The southeastern desert area is close to where Islamic State militants are known to operate, according to a security source who requested anonymity. The source said the attack appeared to be a well-planned military operation. No group has claimed responsibility. 
 
The army said a number of other vehicles used in the attack at around 5:30 am (0230 GMT) were destroyed and that 14 other people were wounded. The suicide bomber drove out from behind a berm and dodged gunfire to reach the military post, it added. 
 
It was the first such assault targeting Jordan from Syria since Syria&#39;s descent into conflict in 2011, and followed an attack on June 6 on a security office near the Jordanian capital Amman in which five people, including three Jordanian intelligence officers, were killed. 
 
The incidents have jolted the Arab kingdom, which has been relatively unscathed by the instability that has swept the Arab world since 2011, including the expansion of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. 
 
In a rare move, the Jordanian army&#39;s chief of staff declared the northern and northeastern border strip with Syria a closed military zone, an order that went into effect immediately. 
 
&quot;Any vehicle and personnel movement within these areas that move without prior coordination will be treated as enemy targets and dealt with firmly and without leniency,&quot; the army statement said. 
 
International relief workers said the Jordanian authorities had also suspended all humanitarian aid to the area and that this could put the lives of refugees at risk. 
 
UN agencies responsible for the well-being of thousands of refugees did not comment on the drastic move which Western aid workers said penalized thousands of refugees, almost half of them women and children who have been stranded on the border strip for months. 
 
Jordan&#39;s foreign minister Nasser Joudeh confirmed deliveries of aid to the border areas had been halted until a safer area was found. 
 
He told state media the incident vindicated Amman&#39;s previous security warnings about the presence of hardline extremists within the camp. 
 
&quot;There is a large concentration of people along this border and a big infiltration of elements from Daesh terrorists who are present heavily,&quot; Joudeh said, using the Arabic derogatory term for Islamic State. 
 
Jordan&#39;s King Abdullah said the perpetrators would not go unpunished and that his security forces would deal with &quot;an iron fist&quot; with any group that sought to harm the country&#39;s security or borders, a palace statement said. 
 
Jordan is a staunch ally of the United States and is taking part in the US-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, where the jihadist group still controls large areas of territory including much of the east. 
 
Jordan has kept tight control of its frontier with Syria since the outbreak of the war in its neighbour. 
 
Washington condemned the deadly attack as a &quot;cowardly terrorist act&quot; and said it would continue &quot;unwavering support&quot; for the Jordanian army, a statement from the US embassy said. 
 
Since the Syria conflict began, Washington has spent tens of millions of dollars to help Amman set up an elaborate surveillance system known as the Border Security Programme to stem infiltration by militants from Syria and Iraq. 
 
The Rakban crossing targeted on Tuesday is a military zone far from any inhabited area, and includes a three-kilometre (two-mile) stretch of berms built a decade ago to combat smuggling. The border is heavily guarded by patrols and drones. 
 
US Patriot missiles are stationed in the kingdom, however, and the US army has hundreds of trainers in the country. 
 
It is the only area where Jordan still receives Syrian refugees, some 50,000 of whom are stranded in Rakban refugee camp in a de facto no-man&#39;s land some 330 kilometres (200 miles) northeast of Amman. 
 
REFUGEES STRAIN KINGDOM 
 
The camp&#39;s population has grown from several thousand to over 50,000 people since last year as the fighting in Syria intensified, relief workers say. 
 
Jordan has been a big beneficiary of foreign aid because of its efforts to help refugees, but has drawn criticism from Western allies and aid agencies over the humanitarian situation at Rakban where conditions have caused several deaths among refugeees lacking sufficient medical care, diplomats say. 
 
Earlier waves of Syrian refugees had an easier time, with some walking just a few hundred metres to cross into Jordan. Jordan sealed those border crossings in 2013. 
 
The United Nations refugee agency said late last year Jordan should accept the new wave of refugees -- their numbers have risen, aid officials say, since Russia started air strikes last September -- and move them to established camps closer to Amman. 
 
Jordan, which has already accepted more than 600,000 UN-registered Syrian refugees, is resisting. It says IS militants may have infiltrated their ranks as most of them come from Islamic State-held areas in central and eastern Syria, and has allowed only a trickle of refugees, mostly women and children, in recent months. 
 
(Reuters)

The incidents have jolted the Arab kingdom, which has been relatively unscathed by the instability that has swept the Arab world since 2011

Six Jordanian border guards were killed by a suicide bomber who drove a car at a high speed across the border from Syria and rammed it into a military post on Tuesday, security officials said. The explosives-laden vehicle blew up a few hundred metres from a camp for Syrian refugees in a remote, desolate area where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet, a Jordanian army statement said. The southeastern desert area is close to where Islamic State militants are known to operate, according to a security source who requested anonymity. The source said the attack appeared to be a well-planned military operation. No group has claimed responsibility. The army said a number of other vehicles used in the attack at around 5:30 am (0230 GMT) were destroyed and that 14 other people were wounded. The suicide bomber drove out from behind a berm and dodged gunfire to reach the military post, it added. It was the first such assault targeting Jordan from Syria since Syria's descent into conflict in 2011, and followed an attack on June 6 on a security office near the Jordanian capital Amman in which five people, including three Jordanian intelligence officers, were killed. The incidents have jolted the Arab kingdom, which has been relatively unscathed by the instability that has swept the Arab world since 2011, including the expansion of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In a rare move, the Jordanian army's chief of staff declared the northern and northeastern border strip with Syria a closed military zone, an order that went into effect immediately. "Any vehicle and personnel movement within these areas that move without prior coordination will be treated as enemy targets and dealt with firmly and without leniency," the army statement said. International relief workers said the Jordanian authorities had also suspended all humanitarian aid to the area and that this could put the lives of refugees at risk. UN agencies responsible for the well-being of thousands of refugees did not comment on the drastic move which Western aid workers said penalized thousands of refugees, almost half of them women and children who have been stranded on the border strip for months. Jordan's foreign minister Nasser Joudeh confirmed deliveries of aid to the border areas had been halted until a safer area was found. He told state media the incident vindicated Amman's previous security warnings about the presence of hardline extremists within the camp. "There is a large concentration of people along this border and a big infiltration of elements from Daesh terrorists who are present heavily," Joudeh said, using the Arabic derogatory term for Islamic State. Jordan's King Abdullah said the perpetrators would not go unpunished and that his security forces would deal with "an iron fist" with any group that sought to harm the country's security or borders, a palace statement said. Jordan is a staunch ally of the United States and is taking part in the US-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, where the jihadist group still controls large areas of territory including much of the east. Jordan has kept tight control of its frontier with Syria since the outbreak of the war in its neighbour. Washington condemned the deadly attack as a "cowardly terrorist act" and said it would continue "unwavering support" for the Jordanian army, a statement from the US embassy said. Since the Syria conflict began, Washington has spent tens of millions of dollars to help Amman set up an elaborate surveillance system known as the Border Security Programme to stem infiltration by militants from Syria and Iraq. The Rakban crossing targeted on Tuesday is a military zone far from any inhabited area, and includes a three-kilometre (two-mile) stretch of berms built a decade ago to combat smuggling. The border is heavily guarded by patrols and drones. US Patriot missiles are stationed in the kingdom, however, and the US army has hundreds of trainers in the country. It is the only area where Jordan still receives Syrian refugees, some 50,000 of whom are stranded in Rakban refugee camp in a de facto no-man's land some 330 kilometres (200 miles) northeast of Amman. REFUGEES STRAIN KINGDOM The camp's population has grown from several thousand to over 50,000 people since last year as the fighting in Syria intensified, relief workers say. Jordan has been a big beneficiary of foreign aid because of its efforts to help refugees, but has drawn criticism from Western allies and aid agencies over the humanitarian situation at Rakban where conditions have caused several deaths among refugeees lacking sufficient medical care, diplomats say. Earlier waves of Syrian refugees had an easier time, with some walking just a few hundred metres to cross into Jordan. Jordan sealed those border crossings in 2013. The United Nations refugee agency said late last year Jordan should accept the new wave of refugees -- their numbers have risen, aid officials say, since Russia started air strikes last September -- and move them to established camps closer to Amman. Jordan, which has already accepted more than 600,000 UN-registered Syrian refugees, is resisting. It says IS militants may have infiltrated their ranks as most of them come from Islamic State-held areas in central and eastern Syria, and has allowed only a trickle of refugees, mostly women and children, in recent months. (Reuters)

Islamic State suicide attacker kills 6 Jordanian troops, injures 14 others at Syria border

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fc0c6d87-184c-45ce-bacb-2741137430da}{15}" paraid="2055424481" >Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country.&nbsp; 
 
Assad tasked Khamis with forming a new government, the official news agency SANA reported.&nbsp; 
He is to submit his proposal for new ministerial appointments in the coming days.&nbsp; 
 
The fifty-four-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012.&nbsp; 
 
The changes come two months after Assad&#39;s Baath party and its allies won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections dismissed internationally as a sham.&nbsp; 
 
Khamis had served as Syria&#39;s minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade.&nbsp; 
 
Since March 2012, he has been sanctioned by the European Union, which accuses him of sharing &quot;responsibility for the regime&#39;s violent repression against the civilian population.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Syria&#39;s conflict began in 2011 with widespread protests demanding reform but has since escalated into a bloody civil war that has left 280,000 dead.&nbsp; 
 
According to the government, production of electricity has more than halved since the beginning of the crisis.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
(AFP)&nbsp;</div>

Electricity minister Imad Khamis has been sanctioned by EU since March 2012 for sharing responsibility for violent repression of civilians

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country. Assad tasked Khamis with forming a new government, the official news agency SANA reported. He is to submit his proposal for new ministerial appointments in the coming days. The fifty-four-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012. The changes come two months after Assad's Baath party and its allies won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections dismissed internationally as a sham. Khamis had served as Syria's minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade. Since March 2012, he has been sanctioned by the European Union, which accuses him of sharing "responsibility for the regime's violent repression against the civilian population." Syria's conflict began in 2011 with widespread protests demanding reform but has since escalated into a bloody civil war that has left 280,000 dead. According to the government, production of electricity has more than halved since the beginning of the crisis. (AFP)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad names new PM for Syria

Attacks on hospitals since Syria&#39;s war broke out five years ago have left more than 700 doctors and medical workers dead, many of them in air strikes, UN investigators said Tuesday. 
 
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria also condemned horrific violations by Jihadists and voiced concern that Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants may have recruited hundreds of children into their ranks. 
 
Commission chief Paulo Pinheiro told the UN Human Rights Council that widespread, targeted aerial attacks on hospitals and clinics across Syria &quot;have resulted in scores of civilian deaths, including much-needed medical workers.&quot; 
 
&quot;More than 700 doctors and medical personnel have been killed in attacks on hospitals since the beginning of the conflict,&quot; he said. 
 
Pinheiro, who was presenting the commission`s latest report to the council, said attacks on medical facilities and the deaths of so many medical professionals had made access to health care in the violence-wracked country extremely difficult -- and in some areas completely impossible.&quot;As civilian casualties mount, the number of medical facilities and staff decreases, limiting even further access to medical care,&quot; he said. 
 
Pinheiro also denounced frequent attacks on other infrastructure essential to civilian life, such as markets, schools and bakeries. 
 
&quot;With each attack, terrorised survivors are left more vulnerable,&quot; he said, adding that &quot;schools, hospitals, mosques, water stations ... are all being turned into rubble.&quot; 
 
Since March 2011, Syria&#39;s brutal conflict has left more than 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. 
 
War broke out after President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against protesters demanding political change in 
Arab Spring-inspired protests. 
 
It has since become a multi-front war between regime forces, jihadists and other groups with the civilian population caught in the crossfire. 
 
Pinheiro said the commission was investigating allegations that the Al-Nusra Front &quot;and other Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups have recruited hundreds of children under 15 in Idlib&quot; in northwestern Syria. 
 
The brutality of Syria&#39;s conflict is preventing millions of children from attending school, and activists have warned this is helping fuel jihadist recruitment drives. 
 
Pinheiro also condemned violations committed by the Islamic State group. 
 
In a report published last week, the commission warned that IS jihadists were continuing to commit genocide against the Yazidi minority in Iraq and Syria. 
 
In 2014, IS jihadists massacred members of the Kurdish-speaking minority mainly based around Sinjar mountain in northern Iraq, forcing tens of thousands to flee, and captured thousands of girls and women.&quot;As we speak, Yazidi women and girls are still sexually enslaved, subjected to brutal rapes and beatings. They are bought and sold in markets, passed from fighter to fighter like chattel, their dignity being ripped from them with each passing day,&quot; Pinheiro said Tuesday. 
 
&quot;Boys are taken from their mother`s care and forced into ISIS training camps once they reach the age of seven,&quot; he said, using another acronym for IS as he called on the international community to act &quot;to stop the genocide.&quot; 
 
Vian Dakhil, a Yazidi member of the Iraqi parliament, also appealed for action. 
 
&quot;We need the (UN) Security Council to bring this ... to the International Criminal Court&quot; in the Hague, she told reporters on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council. 
 
Dakhil said 3,200 Yazidi women and girls are still being held by IS, while around 1,000 boys under the age of 10 are being brainwashed and prepared for battle by the jihadists. 
 
&quot;This is still happening,&quot; she said. &quot;We need help.&quot; 
 
Around 400,000 Yazidis are still living in camps in northern Iraq, Dakhil said, adding that they still feared returning to Sinjar to rebuild their communities, since some of their Sunni Muslim neighbours had helped IS in its attacks. 
 
&quot;We need to rebuild peace ... and trust,&quot; she said. 
 
(AFP)

Commission of Inquiry also said that Al-Qaeda affiliated militants may have recruited hundreds of children

Attacks on hospitals since Syria's war broke out five years ago have left more than 700 doctors and medical workers dead, many of them in air strikes, UN investigators said Tuesday. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria also condemned horrific violations by Jihadists and voiced concern that Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants may have recruited hundreds of children into their ranks. Commission chief Paulo Pinheiro told the UN Human Rights Council that widespread, targeted aerial attacks on hospitals and clinics across Syria "have resulted in scores of civilian deaths, including much-needed medical workers." "More than 700 doctors and medical personnel have been killed in attacks on hospitals since the beginning of the conflict," he said. Pinheiro, who was presenting the commission`s latest report to the council, said attacks on medical facilities and the deaths of so many medical professionals had made access to health care in the violence-wracked country extremely difficult -- and in some areas completely impossible."As civilian casualties mount, the number of medical facilities and staff decreases, limiting even further access to medical care," he said. Pinheiro also denounced frequent attacks on other infrastructure essential to civilian life, such as markets, schools and bakeries. "With each attack, terrorised survivors are left more vulnerable," he said, adding that "schools, hospitals, mosques, water stations ... are all being turned into rubble." Since March 2011, Syria's brutal conflict has left more than 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. War broke out after President Bashar al-Assad's regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against protesters demanding political change in Arab Spring-inspired protests. It has since become a multi-front war between regime forces, jihadists and other groups with the civilian population caught in the crossfire. Pinheiro said the commission was investigating allegations that the Al-Nusra Front "and other Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups have recruited hundreds of children under 15 in Idlib" in northwestern Syria. The brutality of Syria's conflict is preventing millions of children from attending school, and activists have warned this is helping fuel jihadist recruitment drives. Pinheiro also condemned violations committed by the Islamic State group. In a report published last week, the commission warned that IS jihadists were continuing to commit genocide against the Yazidi minority in Iraq and Syria. In 2014, IS jihadists massacred members of the Kurdish-speaking minority mainly based around Sinjar mountain in northern Iraq, forcing tens of thousands to flee, and captured thousands of girls and women."As we speak, Yazidi women and girls are still sexually enslaved, subjected to brutal rapes and beatings. They are bought and sold in markets, passed from fighter to fighter like chattel, their dignity being ripped from them with each passing day," Pinheiro said Tuesday. "Boys are taken from their mother`s care and forced into ISIS training camps once they reach the age of seven," he said, using another acronym for IS as he called on the international community to act "to stop the genocide." Vian Dakhil, a Yazidi member of the Iraqi parliament, also appealed for action. "We need the (UN) Security Council to bring this ... to the International Criminal Court" in the Hague, she told reporters on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council. Dakhil said 3,200 Yazidi women and girls are still being held by IS, while around 1,000 boys under the age of 10 are being brainwashed and prepared for battle by the jihadists. "This is still happening," she said. "We need help." Around 400,000 Yazidis are still living in camps in northern Iraq, Dakhil said, adding that they still feared returning to Sinjar to rebuild their communities, since some of their Sunni Muslim neighbours had helped IS in its attacks. "We need to rebuild peace ... and trust," she said. (AFP)

700 medical workers dead since Syria war began: UN investigators

Turkish border guards shot dead at least 11 Syrians, mostly from one family, as they tried to cross into Turkey from northwestern Syria, activists and a monitoring group said on Sunday. 
 
At least two women and four children were among those killed in the shootings overnight as the refugees sought to cross into Turkey from the border village of Khirbet al Jouz, the Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights said in a report backed up by several activists in the area. 
 
The monitor, which tracks violence across Syria, said it had documented the deaths of nearly sixty civilians while trying to flee from Syria since the start of the year in shooting incidents by Turkish border guards. 
 
Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment. 
 
Turkey, a major sponsor of groups fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has now closed its borders to Syrian refugees, but it is also hosting some 2.7 million registered Syrian refugees, about 280,000 of whom live in camps. 
 
Rockets launched from Syrian territory controlled by Islamic State militants have regularly struck Turkish border towns and have killed at least 20 people in recent months. 
 
Humanitarian bodies have urged Turkey to reopen its borders to admit Syrians fleeing the conflict. 
(Reuters)

Two women and four children were among those who were killed while they tried to cross into Turkey

Turkish border guards shot dead at least 11 Syrians, mostly from one family, as they tried to cross into Turkey from northwestern Syria, activists and a monitoring group said on Sunday. At least two women and four children were among those killed in the shootings overnight as the refugees sought to cross into Turkey from the border village of Khirbet al Jouz, the Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights said in a report backed up by several activists in the area. The monitor, which tracks violence across Syria, said it had documented the deaths of nearly sixty civilians while trying to flee from Syria since the start of the year in shooting incidents by Turkish border guards. Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment. Turkey, a major sponsor of groups fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has now closed its borders to Syrian refugees, but it is also hosting some 2.7 million registered Syrian refugees, about 280,000 of whom live in camps. Rockets launched from Syrian territory controlled by Islamic State militants have regularly struck Turkish border towns and have killed at least 20 people in recent months. Humanitarian bodies have urged Turkey to reopen its borders to admit Syrians fleeing the conflict. (Reuters)

Turkish troops kill 11 Syrians trying to cross border

A Syrian jet bomber crashed just after take-off from Syria&#39;s Hama airport after it encountered a technical problem, a Syrian military source said on Sunday. 
 
The military source, quoted by Syrian state media, did not say when the crash had occurred or provide any other details. 
 
Several Russian-manufactured warplanes have crashed since the start of the year, mostly due to technical failures which defence analysts have generally attributed to age. 
 
A rebel source told Reuters the plane that crashed was a Russian Mig 21 fighter but this could not be independently verified. 
(Reuters)

Several Russian warplanes crashed earlier this year due to technical failures

A Syrian jet bomber crashed just after take-off from Syria's Hama airport after it encountered a technical problem, a Syrian military source said on Sunday. The military source, quoted by Syrian state media, did not say when the crash had occurred or provide any other details. Several Russian-manufactured warplanes have crashed since the start of the year, mostly due to technical failures which defence analysts have generally attributed to age. A rebel source told Reuters the plane that crashed was a Russian Mig 21 fighter but this could not be independently verified. (Reuters)

Syrian warplane crashes after take-off from Hama airport - military source

Russia&#39;s defence ministry today denied bombing US-backed rebels in southern Syria earlier this week. 
 
In a video conference with Russian military officials, the Pentagon said on Saturday that it had expressed &quot;strong concerns about the attack on the coalition-supported counter-ISIL forces at the Al-Tanaf garrison&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Hours later Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov denied that Russia had bombed areas where US-backed rebels are operating. 
 
&quot;The target that was bombed was located more than 300 kilometres away from the area&quot; indicated by the United States, he said.&nbsp; 
 
Konashenkov insisted that the Russian air force had acted &quot;within the framework of the agreed procedures&quot; and had given advance warning of its ground targets to the US-led coalition. 
 
Russia&#39;s defence ministry said late Thursday that it had not carried out strikes against opposition forces included in the ceasefire, but did not mention Al-Tanaf. 
 
The Pentagon voiced its concerns as Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu paid a surprise visit to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus to discuss military cooperation &quot;to fight against terrorist organisations on Syrian soil&quot;. 
 
Konashenkov today also accused the United States of not providing the coordinates of the areas where the US-backed rebels are active, &quot;not allowing for precision in the operations of the Russian air force&quot;. 
(AFP)

Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov insists Russian air force acted within framework of agreed procedures

Russia's defence ministry today denied bombing US-backed rebels in southern Syria earlier this week. In a video conference with Russian military officials, the Pentagon said on Saturday that it had expressed "strong concerns about the attack on the coalition-supported counter-ISIL forces at the Al-Tanaf garrison". Hours later Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov denied that Russia had bombed areas where US-backed rebels are operating. "The target that was bombed was located more than 300 kilometres away from the area" indicated by the United States, he said. Konashenkov insisted that the Russian air force had acted "within the framework of the agreed procedures" and had given advance warning of its ground targets to the US-led coalition. Russia's defence ministry said late Thursday that it had not carried out strikes against opposition forces included in the ceasefire, but did not mention Al-Tanaf. The Pentagon voiced its concerns as Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu paid a surprise visit to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus to discuss military cooperation "to fight against terrorist organisations on Syrian soil". Konashenkov today also accused the United States of not providing the coordinates of the areas where the US-backed rebels are active, "not allowing for precision in the operations of the Russian air force". (AFP)

Moscow denies strikes on US-backed rebels in Syria

US-backed Syrian forces edged closer to an Islamic State stronghold on the border with Turkey on Saturday while Russia&#39;s defence minister visited President Bashar al Assad to discuss military operations. 
 
The visit came only hours after the Syrian army and its Iranian-backed militias, which have been supported by Russian air power, lost several villages to Islamist rebels as they made significant advances in the countryside south of Aleppo. 
 
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebel capture of three villages from government control - Zeitan, Khalsa and Barna - had caused significant losses among government forces and their allies. 
 
The villages lie in an strategic area near a main highway that links Aleppo with the capital Damascus. Government forces captured the area at the end of last year in a major offensive, assisted by Iranian-backed militias and Russian jets. 
 
State media said Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu visited an airbase in the coastal Latakia province on Saturday after his talks with Assad in Damascus. 
 
Russia&#39;s military intervention in Syria in September helped turn the tide in Assad&#39;s favour after months of gains in western Syria by rebel fighters, who were aided by foreign military supplies, including US-made anti-tank missiles. 
 
Russia, which has been bombing opposition-held areas, is blamed by the opposition and rights activists for causing hundreds of civilian deaths and targeting hospitals, schools and infrastructure in what they say are indiscriminate attacks. 
 
An escalation in Russian and Syrian air and artillery strikes in recent weeks around a highway to rebel held parts of the northern city of Aleppo has made the road virtually impassable, putting hundreds of thousands of people under siege and worsening their humanitarian plight. 
 
A 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo announced by Russia on Thursday has had little impact on fighting, and air strikes and shelling have continued in and around the city. 
 
At least seven people died in rebel shelling of a neighbourhood of Aleppo held by the Kurdish YPG militia at dawn on Saturday, the Observatory said. 
 
Syrian helicopters also threw barrel bombs on several residential areas in opposition-held quarters. 
 
CLOSE TO MANBIJ 
 
Hundreds of people have been killed in Aleppo since peace talks broke off in April, as President Assad seeks to regain control of what was Syria&#39;s largest pre-war city, now split between rebel and government sectors. 
 
Washington and some other Western countries that have called on Assad to step down accuse Russia of focusing mostly on strikes against the moderate so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA), and less on attacking hardline Islamic State militants. 
 
On the border with Turkey, US-backed Syrian forces fought to the western entrance of Manbij city for the first time since a major offensive to seize the last territory held by Islamic State militants on the frontier, a source in the Syrian group said on Saturday. 
 
The source from the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance - which includes the powerful KurdishYek?ney?n Parastina Gel&lrm; (YPG) militia, Arab fighters and is being helped by scores of US special forces - told Reuters its troops were now almost two km from the city centre. 
 
Since the start of the offensive on May 31, the SDF has taken dozens of villages and farms around Manbij but has held back from entering the city with many thousands of people still trapped there. 
 
The SDF is one of a number of sides fighting in Syria&#39;s complex civil war which has pitted rebels against Assad and is now in its sixth year. 
 
The Observatory, which tracks violence across Syria, confirmed heavy fighting broke out for the first time on the edge of the city, adding that the militants had rammed a suicide vehicle into an SDF outpost but gave no details. 
 
Syrian government forces and some rebel groups are also fighting separate battles against Islamic State. The SDF has largely avoided fighting government forces and focuses on battling the hardline militants. 
(Reuters)

Syrian forces lost three villages to IS near a highway that links Aleppo to Damascus

US-backed Syrian forces edged closer to an Islamic State stronghold on the border with Turkey on Saturday while Russia's defence minister visited President Bashar al Assad to discuss military operations. The visit came only hours after the Syrian army and its Iranian-backed militias, which have been supported by Russian air power, lost several villages to Islamist rebels as they made significant advances in the countryside south of Aleppo. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebel capture of three villages from government control - Zeitan, Khalsa and Barna - had caused significant losses among government forces and their allies. The villages lie in an strategic area near a main highway that links Aleppo with the capital Damascus. Government forces captured the area at the end of last year in a major offensive, assisted by Iranian-backed militias and Russian jets. State media said Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu visited an airbase in the coastal Latakia province on Saturday after his talks with Assad in Damascus. Russia's military intervention in Syria in September helped turn the tide in Assad's favour after months of gains in western Syria by rebel fighters, who were aided by foreign military supplies, including US-made anti-tank missiles. Russia, which has been bombing opposition-held areas, is blamed by the opposition and rights activists for causing hundreds of civilian deaths and targeting hospitals, schools and infrastructure in what they say are indiscriminate attacks. An escalation in Russian and Syrian air and artillery strikes in recent weeks around a highway to rebel held parts of the northern city of Aleppo has made the road virtually impassable, putting hundreds of thousands of people under siege and worsening their humanitarian plight. A 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo announced by Russia on Thursday has had little impact on fighting, and air strikes and shelling have continued in and around the city. At least seven people died in rebel shelling of a neighbourhood of Aleppo held by the Kurdish YPG militia at dawn on Saturday, the Observatory said. Syrian helicopters also threw barrel bombs on several residential areas in opposition-held quarters. CLOSE TO MANBIJ Hundreds of people have been killed in Aleppo since peace talks broke off in April, as President Assad seeks to regain control of what was Syria's largest pre-war city, now split between rebel and government sectors. Washington and some other Western countries that have called on Assad to step down accuse Russia of focusing mostly on strikes against the moderate so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA), and less on attacking hardline Islamic State militants. On the border with Turkey, US-backed Syrian forces fought to the western entrance of Manbij city for the first time since a major offensive to seize the last territory held by Islamic State militants on the frontier, a source in the Syrian group said on Saturday. The source from the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance - which includes the powerful KurdishYek?ney?n Parastina Gel‎ (YPG) militia, Arab fighters and is being helped by scores of US special forces - told Reuters its troops were now almost two km from the city centre. Since the start of the offensive on May 31, the SDF has taken dozens of villages and farms around Manbij but has held back from entering the city with many thousands of people still trapped there. The SDF is one of a number of sides fighting in Syria's complex civil war which has pitted rebels against Assad and is now in its sixth year. The Observatory, which tracks violence across Syria, confirmed heavy fighting broke out for the first time on the edge of the city, adding that the militants had rammed a suicide vehicle into an SDF outpost but gave no details. Syrian government forces and some rebel groups are also fighting separate battles against Islamic State. The SDF has largely avoided fighting government forces and focuses on battling the hardline militants. (Reuters)

US-backed forces advance against Islamic State in Syria

At least seven people died in rebel shelling of a neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo held by the Kurdish YPG militia at dawn on Saturday, a monitoring group said, as rebels took territory to the south. 
 
More than 40 people were also wounded in the attack on the Sheikh Maqsood area, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, a district next to the only way in and out of rebel-held parts of the northern city, the Castello road. 
 
An escalation in air and artillery strikes in recent weeks around the road has made it virtually impassable, putting hundreds of thousands of people in Aleppo under effective siege. 
 
Hundreds of people have been killed in Aleppo since peace talks broke off in April, as Syria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad seeks to regain control of what was Syria&#39;s largest pre-war city, now split between rebel and government sectors. 
 
Rebels have said in the past their attacks on Sheikh Maqsood were in response to YPG&#39;s attempts to cut the Castello road. 
 
The YPG controls nearly all of Syria&#39;s northern frontier with Turkey and has been a close ally of the United States in the campaign against Islamic State in Syria. Many rebels in western Syria do not trust the YPG because they say it cooperates with Damascus rather than fighting it, an accusation the YPG has denied. 
 
Heavy Bombardment 
 
Sheikh Maqsood has been under intense bombardment since mid-February which has killed more than 132 civilians and injured around 900 more, the Observatory said. 
 
A 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo announced by Russia on Thursday has had little impact on fighting and air strikes and shelling have continued in and around the city since then. 
 
Three people, two of them children, died and more than nine people were injured by barrel bombs dropped from helicopters in the city, the Observatory said on Saturday. 
 
The White Helmets, a group of civil defence emergency workers operating in rebel-held areas, said on Twitter one of their buildings in Haritan, in the north Aleppo countryside, was hit by an air strike on Saturday. There were no injuries. 
 
The Observatory also said on Saturday that rebels had captured three villages south of Aleppo from government control - Zeitan, Khalsa and Barna - causing significant losses among government forces and their allies. 
 
The villages are near a main highway within rebel territory linking Aleppo with the capital Damascus to the south. They lie in an area captured by government forces at the end of last year in a large offensive assisted by Iranian-backed militias and Russian air power. 
 
But the Syrian Observatory said there has been a lack of Russian air support during this week&#39;s battle for these villages. 
 
At least 86 members of Syrian government forces and its allies - who include members of the Lebanese group Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias - were killed in fighting in the south Aleppo area in the past four days, the Observatory said. 
 
The numbers could not be independently confirmed. 
 
The rebels are fighting alongside the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front which, like Islamic State, was excluded from a February ceasefire and from the Geneva peace talks. 
(Reuters)

More than 40 were also wounded, in an escalation of air and artillery attacks that have put hundreds of thousands effectively under siege

At least seven people died in rebel shelling of a neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo held by the Kurdish YPG militia at dawn on Saturday, a monitoring group said, as rebels took territory to the south. More than 40 people were also wounded in the attack on the Sheikh Maqsood area, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, a district next to the only way in and out of rebel-held parts of the northern city, the Castello road. An escalation in air and artillery strikes in recent weeks around the road has made it virtually impassable, putting hundreds of thousands of people in Aleppo under effective siege. Hundreds of people have been killed in Aleppo since peace talks broke off in April, as Syria's President Bashar al-Assad seeks to regain control of what was Syria's largest pre-war city, now split between rebel and government sectors. Rebels have said in the past their attacks on Sheikh Maqsood were in response to YPG's attempts to cut the Castello road. The YPG controls nearly all of Syria's northern frontier with Turkey and has been a close ally of the United States in the campaign against Islamic State in Syria. Many rebels in western Syria do not trust the YPG because they say it cooperates with Damascus rather than fighting it, an accusation the YPG has denied. Heavy Bombardment Sheikh Maqsood has been under intense bombardment since mid-February which has killed more than 132 civilians and injured around 900 more, the Observatory said. A 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo announced by Russia on Thursday has had little impact on fighting and air strikes and shelling have continued in and around the city since then. Three people, two of them children, died and more than nine people were injured by barrel bombs dropped from helicopters in the city, the Observatory said on Saturday. The White Helmets, a group of civil defence emergency workers operating in rebel-held areas, said on Twitter one of their buildings in Haritan, in the north Aleppo countryside, was hit by an air strike on Saturday. There were no injuries. The Observatory also said on Saturday that rebels had captured three villages south of Aleppo from government control - Zeitan, Khalsa and Barna - causing significant losses among government forces and their allies. The villages are near a main highway within rebel territory linking Aleppo with the capital Damascus to the south. They lie in an area captured by government forces at the end of last year in a large offensive assisted by Iranian-backed militias and Russian air power. But the Syrian Observatory said there has been a lack of Russian air support during this week's battle for these villages. At least 86 members of Syrian government forces and its allies - who include members of the Lebanese group Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias - were killed in fighting in the south Aleppo area in the past four days, the Observatory said. The numbers could not be independently confirmed. The rebels are fighting alongside the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front which, like Islamic State, was excluded from a February ceasefire and from the Geneva peace talks. (Reuters)

Syria rebels kill 7 in Aleppo assault, capture 3 villages

<div style="text-align: justify;">US&nbsp;President Barack Obama will meet with Saudi Arabia&#39;s powerful deputy crown prince on Friday and the two are expected to discuss conflicts in the Middle East including the campaign against Islamic State, a White House spokesman said on Thursday. 
 
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, is on a visit to the United States aimed at restoring frayed relations with Washington and to promote a plan to slash the kingdom&#39;s dependence on oil revenues. Friday&#39;s meeting will take place at the White House. 
 
White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the meeting would provide an opportunity to discuss issues including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and &quot;our cooperation with the Saudis in the campaign against ISIL,&quot; as Islamic State is also known. 
 
U.S. officials have expressed unease about the Saudi-led campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has resulted in large-scale civilian casualties, according to the United Nations and human rights groups. 
 
Reuters reported last week that the UN&nbsp;had removed the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen from a child rights blacklist after intense pressure by Riyadh. 
 
Prince Mohammed, whose influence in Saudi governing counsels appears to be growing rapidly, is being given wide access to Obama&#39;s administration. 
 
He will visit the White House on Thursday afternoon to meet with Obama&#39;s National Economic Council to discuss the plan the prince is championing to transform the Saudi economy by 2030. US&nbsp;treasury secretary Jack Lew and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will be present. 
 
&quot;A lot of our economic officials this afternoon will be meeting with him about how to move that programme forward and adopt best practices,&quot; Schultz said 
 
Prince Mohammed, who is also the Saudi defence minister, also is due to meet US&nbsp;defence secretary Ash Carter at the Pentagon on Thursday. 
(Reuters)</div>

Deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, is on a visit to the US aimed at restoring frayed relations with Washington

US President Barack Obama will meet with Saudi Arabia's powerful deputy crown prince on Friday and the two are expected to discuss conflicts in the Middle East including the campaign against Islamic State, a White House spokesman said on Thursday. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, is on a visit to the United States aimed at restoring frayed relations with Washington and to promote a plan to slash the kingdom's dependence on oil revenues. Friday's meeting will take place at the White House. White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the meeting would provide an opportunity to discuss issues including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and "our cooperation with the Saudis in the campaign against ISIL," as Islamic State is also known. U.S. officials have expressed unease about the Saudi-led campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has resulted in large-scale civilian casualties, according to the United Nations and human rights groups. Reuters reported last week that the UN had removed the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen from a child rights blacklist after intense pressure by Riyadh. Prince Mohammed, whose influence in Saudi governing counsels appears to be growing rapidly, is being given wide access to Obama's administration. He will visit the White House on Thursday afternoon to meet with Obama's National Economic Council to discuss the plan the prince is championing to transform the Saudi economy by 2030. US treasury secretary Jack Lew and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will be present. "A lot of our economic officials this afternoon will be meeting with him about how to move that programme forward and adopt best practices," Schultz said Prince Mohammed, who is also the Saudi defence minister, also is due to meet US defence secretary Ash Carter at the Pentagon on Thursday. (Reuters)

Obama to meet Saudi deputy crown prince on Friday:  White House

Ten Islamic State militants were killed in northern Syria by coalition air strikes and cross-border artillery fire from Turkey, military sources said today. 
A total of 17 targets, including mortar positions, were hit in the operations which were carried out on militants thought to have been preparing for an attack on Turkey, the sources said. 
(Reuters)

The strikes targeted 17 targets of the Islamic State fighters who, military sources say, were preparing to attack Turkey

Ten Islamic State militants were killed in northern Syria by coalition air strikes and cross-border artillery fire from Turkey, military sources said today. A total of 17 targets, including mortar positions, were hit in the operations which were carried out on militants thought to have been preparing for an attack on Turkey, the sources said. (Reuters)

Coalition airstrikes, Turkish shelling kill 10 IS militants in Syria

Moroccan authorities have arrested an Italian national who was planning to carry out attacks on targets in the kingdom, said the interior ministry in a statement on Monday. 
 
Morocco, a Western ally against Islamist militancy, announced that it has broken up militant cells accused of plotting attacks inside and outside the kingdom. 
 
The suspected Italian national, who lives in Belgium, was arrested on June 8 when he landed in the eastern city of Oujda, based on intelligence report showing his alleged ties to the Islamic State group and involved in a plan to attack targets in Morocco, said the statement 
 
In 2014, he tried to travel to Syria or Iraq but failed, despite guidance from an Islamic State member, and returned to Belgium 
 
Authorities said the suspect has already visited Morocco in 2015, sent by Islamic State, and identified targets in Casablanca, Morocco&#39;s biggest city. 
 
Moroccan security officials provided information that helped their European counterparts in fighting militancy, especially during the recent Paris attacks. 
 
Thousands of fighters from Morocco and other Maghreb nations, such as Tunisia, have joined Islamist militant forces that is in conflict in Iraq and Syria, and also in Libya. Some are threatening to return home to carry out attacks and recruit more jihadis, says&nbsp;security experts . 
 
Moroccan officials estimate that 2,000 Moroccan fighters have joined armed groups in Syria and Iraq, including Islamic State and the al-Qaeda linked Nusra Front, and about 200 have been jailed on their return home. 
 
The North African state has suffered bomb attacks by suspected Islamist fighters, most recently in 2011 in Marrakesh.

According to authorities, the suspect had visited Morocco in 2015, backed by IS, and identified targets in Casablanca

Moroccan authorities have arrested an Italian national who was planning to carry out attacks on targets in the kingdom, said the interior ministry in a statement on Monday. Morocco, a Western ally against Islamist militancy, announced that it has broken up militant cells accused of plotting attacks inside and outside the kingdom. The suspected Italian national, who lives in Belgium, was arrested on June 8 when he landed in the eastern city of Oujda, based on intelligence report showing his alleged ties to the Islamic State group and involved in a plan to attack targets in Morocco, said the statement In 2014, he tried to travel to Syria or Iraq but failed, despite guidance from an Islamic State member, and returned to Belgium Authorities said the suspect has already visited Morocco in 2015, sent by Islamic State, and identified targets in Casablanca, Morocco's biggest city. Moroccan security officials provided information that helped their European counterparts in fighting militancy, especially during the recent Paris attacks. Thousands of fighters from Morocco and other Maghreb nations, such as Tunisia, have joined Islamist militant forces that is in conflict in Iraq and Syria, and also in Libya. Some are threatening to return home to carry out attacks and recruit more jihadis, says security experts . Moroccan officials estimate that 2,000 Moroccan fighters have joined armed groups in Syria and Iraq, including Islamic State and the al-Qaeda linked Nusra Front, and about 200 have been jailed on their return home. The North African state has suffered bomb attacks by suspected Islamist fighters, most recently in 2011 in Marrakesh.

Morocco arrests Italian suspected of Islamic State ties

Pope Francis today condemned the use of hunger as a &quot;weapon of war&quot; and lamented the fact that it was easier to move weapons across borders than the aid needed to keep civilians alive. 
 
Days after aid agencies were allowed to deliver food to the besieged Syrian town of Daraya for the first time since 2012, Francis said preventing supplies from reaching war zones was a violation of international law. 
 
On a visit to the headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP), the pope said the world faced a &quot;strange paradox&quot;. 
 
&quot;Whereas forms of aid and development projects are obstructed by involved and incomprehensible political decisions, skewed ideological visions and impenetrable customs barriers, weaponry is not.&quot; 
 
&quot;In some cases, hunger itself is used as a weapon of war,&quot; he said in an address to the WFP, the Rome-based UN agency which is the largest provider of food aid worldwide. 
 
&quot;(Weapons) circulate with brazen and virtually absolute freedom in many parts of the world. As a result, wars are fed, not people,&quot; said Francis, who has often condemned arms manufacturing and trafficking. 
 
In January, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon accused both the Syrian government and rebels of using starvation as a weapon, calling the practice a war crime.. 
 
The Argentine pope said the rich world was increasingly desensitised, &quot;growing immune to other people&rsquo;s tragedies, seeing them as something &#39;natural&#39; ... all those human lives turn into one more news story.&quot; 
 
Francis, who in the past has condemned speculation in food commodities as undermining the fight against poverty and hunger, also condemned rich countries&#39; wasteful use of food. 
 
&quot;We have made the fruits of the earth &ndash; a gift to humanity &ndash; commodities for a few, thus engendering exclusion. The consumerism in which our societies are immersed has made us grow accustomed to excess and to the daily waste of food,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We need to be reminded that food discarded is, in a certain sense, stolen from the table of poor and the starving.&quot; 
 
&nbsp;

After four years aid agencies were allowed to deliver food to the besieged town of Daraya

Pope Francis today condemned the use of hunger as a "weapon of war" and lamented the fact that it was easier to move weapons across borders than the aid needed to keep civilians alive. Days after aid agencies were allowed to deliver food to the besieged Syrian town of Daraya for the first time since 2012, Francis said preventing supplies from reaching war zones was a violation of international law. On a visit to the headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP), the pope said the world faced a "strange paradox". "Whereas forms of aid and development projects are obstructed by involved and incomprehensible political decisions, skewed ideological visions and impenetrable customs barriers, weaponry is not." "In some cases, hunger itself is used as a weapon of war," he said in an address to the WFP, the Rome-based UN agency which is the largest provider of food aid worldwide. "(Weapons) circulate with brazen and virtually absolute freedom in many parts of the world. As a result, wars are fed, not people," said Francis, who has often condemned arms manufacturing and trafficking. In January, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon accused both the Syrian government and rebels of using starvation as a weapon, calling the practice a war crime.. The Argentine pope said the rich world was increasingly desensitised, "growing immune to other people’s tragedies, seeing them as something 'natural' ... all those human lives turn into one more news story." Francis, who in the past has condemned speculation in food commodities as undermining the fight against poverty and hunger, also condemned rich countries' wasteful use of food. "We have made the fruits of the earth – a gift to humanity – commodities for a few, thus engendering exclusion. The consumerism in which our societies are immersed has made us grow accustomed to excess and to the daily waste of food," he said. "We need to be reminded that food discarded is, in a certain sense, stolen from the table of poor and the starving."

"Feed people,not wars," pope says in address to UN food agency

Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for car and suicide bomb blasts that killed at least eight people and injured scores in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus today, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said. 
 
The Sayeda Zeinab suburb contains Syria&#39;s holiest Shiite shrine and is a base for Shiite militant groups from Lebanon and Iraq who are on the side of President Bashar al-Assad in the country&#39;s five-year-old civil war.

Amaq news agency said that in today&#39;s attack, militants detonated an explosives-laden car in Sayeda Zeinab while two suicide bombers blew themselves up nearby. Syrian state media showed footage of wide-scale damage in a busy marketplace.

A Shiite religious cleric said on the state-run Ikhbariyah TV channel that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in the main al-Taen street.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said the death toll was at least nine. The heavily garrisoned area is a well known stronghold of Lebanon&#39;s powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shiite militia recruits, who volunteer to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad&#39;s government, normally come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria.

They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

The Sayeda Zeinab suburb contains Syria's holiest Shiite shrine and is a base for Shiite militant groups from Lebanon and Iraq

Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for car and suicide bomb blasts that killed at least eight people and injured scores in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus today, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said. The Sayeda Zeinab suburb contains Syria's holiest Shiite shrine and is a base for Shiite militant groups from Lebanon and Iraq who are on the side of President Bashar al-Assad in the country's five-year-old civil war. Amaq news agency said that in today's attack, militants detonated an explosives-laden car in Sayeda Zeinab while two suicide bombers blew themselves up nearby. Syrian state media showed footage of wide-scale damage in a busy marketplace. A Shiite religious cleric said on the state-run Ikhbariyah TV channel that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in the main al-Taen street. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said the death toll was at least nine. The heavily garrisoned area is a well known stronghold of Lebanon's powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shiite militia recruits, who volunteer to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad's government, normally come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria. They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

Islamic State claims responsibility for bombings near Damascus Shiite shrine

At least eight people were killed and scores wounded in twin suicide and car bomb blasts today in a Damascus suburb that contains Syria&#39;s holiest Shiite Muslim shrine, state television said. 
 
State media, which flashed the news, did not give further details about the bombings in the Sayeda Zeinab area, where at least three bomb attacks claimed by Islamic State militants have killed and injured scores of people this year. 
 
A Shiite religious cleric said on the state-run Ikhbariyah TV channel that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in the main al-Taen street. 
 
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said the death toll was at least nine. The heavily garrisoned area is a well known stronghold of Lebanon&#39;s powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. 
 
Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shiite militia recruits, who volunteer to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad&#39;s government, normally come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria. 
 
They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

A Shiite religious cleric was quoted saying that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in main al-Taen street

At least eight people were killed and scores wounded in twin suicide and car bomb blasts today in a Damascus suburb that contains Syria's holiest Shiite Muslim shrine, state television said. State media, which flashed the news, did not give further details about the bombings in the Sayeda Zeinab area, where at least three bomb attacks claimed by Islamic State militants have killed and injured scores of people this year. A Shiite religious cleric said on the state-run Ikhbariyah TV channel that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in the main al-Taen street. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said the death toll was at least nine. The heavily garrisoned area is a well known stronghold of Lebanon's powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shiite militia recruits, who volunteer to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad's government, normally come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria. They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

Suicide, car bomb blasts hit Damascus suburb, at least 8 dead, says Syrian state media

An international aid convoy reached the Syrian government-besieged town of Daraya overnight, delivering food supplies for the first time since 2012, said&nbsp;a UN spokesman on Friday. 
 
Trucks from the UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent brought a month&#39;s supply of food for 2,400 people as well as health and hygiene items for the entire estimated population of 4,000 in the rebel-held town near Damascus, spokesman Jens Laerke said. 
 
&quot;It was quite a feat,&quot; Laerke told in a news briefing, adding it was &quot;the first time in years&quot; that the world body had delivered food to Daraya, where malnutrition has been reported.

Trucks from the UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent brought a month's supply for 2,400

An international aid convoy reached the Syrian government-besieged town of Daraya overnight, delivering food supplies for the first time since 2012, said a UN spokesman on Friday. Trucks from the UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent brought a month's supply of food for 2,400 people as well as health and hygiene items for the entire estimated population of 4,000 in the rebel-held town near Damascus, spokesman Jens Laerke said. "It was quite a feat," Laerke told in a news briefing, adding it was "the first time in years" that the world body had delivered food to Daraya, where malnutrition has been reported.

UN convoy brings food to besieged Syrian town of Daraya

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