France&nbsp;called on Friday for an&nbsp;immediate&nbsp;end&nbsp;to&nbsp;fighting&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;city&nbsp;of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-regime-gains-ground-in-deadly-idlib-push-monitor-242164">&nbsp;Idlib</a>, and the French foreign ministry added that it condemned in particular air strikes on refugee camps.

Over the past week, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clashes-kill-70-combatants-in-northwest-syria-report-242094">Syrian&nbsp;army</a> has advanced towards the town of Khan Sheikhoun in&nbsp;Idlib&nbsp;in a pincer movement that could encircle the southern part of the rebel enclave.

The United Nations and aid agencies have warned of a new humanitarian catastrophe in northwest Syria.&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;President Bashar al-Assad has managed to retake most of the country, crushing rebel enclaves in all the major cities and driving them from the south.

France called on Friday for an immediate end to fighting in the Syrian city of Idlib, and the French foreign ministry added that it condemned in particular air strikes on refugee camps.

France called on Friday for an immediate end to fighting in the Syrian city of Idlib, and the French foreign ministry added that it condemned in particular air strikes on refugee camps. Over the past week, the Syrian army has advanced towards the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib in a pincer movement that could encircle the southern part of the rebel enclave. The United Nations and aid agencies have warned of a new humanitarian catastrophe in northwest Syria. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has managed to retake most of the country, crushing rebel enclaves in all the major cities and driving them from the south.

France calls for immediate end to fighting in Syrian city of Idlib

The United States called Wednesday for journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in Syria in 2012, to be freed, reiterating the belief that he remains alive and is being held against his will.

Seven years to the day after Tice was forcibly detained near Damascus, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said US officials were working actively to bring him home.

"We believe he is alive and remain deeply concerned about his wellbeing," Ortagus said.

"We strongly urge Austin's captors to release him and to end this painful ordeal," she said.

"We call on anyone who may have information about Austin's whereabouts -- governments and individuals -- to work cooperatively with us to secure his safe release and to bring him home".

Tice was a freelance photojournalist working for AFP, McClatchy News, The Washington Post, CBS, and other news organizations when he was detained at a checkpoint near Damascus on August 14, 2012.

Thirty-one years old at the time he was captured, the former marine appeared blindfolded in the custody of an unidentified group of armed men in a video a month later.

Since then, there has been no official information on whether he is alive or dead.

In 2018, US authorities announced a $1 million reward for information that would lead to his recovery.

In December, his parents, Debra and Marc Tice, praised the efforts of President Donald Trump's administration in obtaining the release of several other Americans kidnapped or detained abroad. 
&nbsp;

The United States called Wednesday for journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in Syria in 2012, to be freed, reiterating the belief that he remains alive and is being held against his will.

The United States called Wednesday for journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in Syria in 2012, to be freed, reiterating the belief that he remains alive and is being held against his will. Seven years to the day after Tice was forcibly detained near Damascus, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said US officials were working actively to bring him home. "We believe he is alive and remain deeply concerned about his wellbeing," Ortagus said. "We strongly urge Austin's captors to release him and to end this painful ordeal," she said. "We call on anyone who may have information about Austin's whereabouts -- governments and individuals -- to work cooperatively with us to secure his safe release and to bring him home". Tice was a freelance photojournalist working for AFP, McClatchy News, The Washington Post, CBS, and other news organizations when he was detained at a checkpoint near Damascus on August 14, 2012. Thirty-one years old at the time he was captured, the former marine appeared blindfolded in the custody of an unidentified group of armed men in a video a month later. Since then, there has been no official information on whether he is alive or dead. In 2018, US authorities announced a $1 million reward for information that would lead to his recovery. In December, his parents, Debra and Marc Tice, praised the efforts of President Donald Trump's administration in obtaining the release of several other Americans kidnapped or detained abroad.

US urges release of reporter Tice, missing in Syria since 2012

Exclusively speaking to WION, Tania Joya briefs her story from a core jihadist to a deradicalisation activist.

Born in 1984 near London to a Muslim-Bangladeshi family, Joya grew up confronted by racism and the struggles of integration.&nbsp;

She was radicalised at age 17, after the September 11 terror attacks in New York.

"We are working towards ending Islamic terrorism with an organisation through workshops for parents, teachers and police officers or anyone who wants to take this course", Tania said.

Edited excerpts of the interview:

WION - Do you think that ISIS will get dismantled ever as there are reports of their regrouping in Syria again? There are reports also of them expanding to other regions in Asia.

Tania Joya - They have been dismantled but they can regroup and they have a plan for that. They are not going to stop their agenda and are waiting to regroup. I know that they are growing in the Philippines and also in Afghanistan. I don't know much about their growth in Asia or India.

WION - Can you tell us something about your background and where are you living now? Also, about your story of transition from a ranking ISIS member to now a deradicalisation activist?

Tania Joya - I was a British Bengali, grew up in England and when I was 17-18, I was radicalised and became a Muslim fundamentalist and after September 11, I got married at 19 to my ex-husband John Georgelas (Yahya al-Bahrumi). We travelled together. We were married for about 10 years, but the marriage was dysfunctional and wasn't perfect. I have four children with him. I wanted to leave the marriage as it was very difficult.

I did not have the right to divorce, I did not have the permission to leave the house without his permission. Before I was married, I did not realise how tough my life would be. Once I got married, I was pretty much stuck. 10 years later in 2013, we were in Turkey, my ex-husband took us across the border where I informed US authorities that I need to get away from my ex-husband as I was afraid for the life of my children. I crossed the border back to Turkey and I returned to US and currently living in Dallas.

WION - How do you think your story evolution as a woman and independent thinker should now be heard?

Tania Joya - I think that I can be a good role model for lost kids,&nbsp;lot of teenagers growing in the west, having an identity crisis and mental breakdown. They turn to a coping mechanism through drugs or religion or something else.

They aren't given counselling as well.&nbsp;I would like to show young people to not give up on life as I did. When I decided to be a Muslim fundamentalist, I gave up my will power and my rights as a human being. I did it subconsciously and did not realise what I was doing. So I would like to speak up and help other young girls to encourage that you can have spiritual power. You have to work at this life as we do not have any other evidence that the other life that we are going to have would be real or not. So, we would focus on this life and should not give up easily. Because if you work on it, you can get better. I was labelled as former extremist, I was not extremist as I did not use violence. But I was definitely fundamentalist. So my story alone can show a lot of girls, and I know other women who are stuck in marriage can't get out. But when they see how I managed, it gives them some hope. I want to help others who were like me feeling helpless. I want to get them out of domestic abuses and get them rebuild themselves and find them who they were.

WION - From a hardcore jihadist to de-radicalisation activist, how have people around you accepted you? If you come across women leading on the same path as you did, what are you going to say to them?

Tania Joya - Well, I am in America and in America, people are very different from England. Since I am in America, it was the American values that changed my ideology. Like I did not know about the constitutional bill of rights when I was growing in the UK. I learned about the value system in the US. I understood that it is better than Islam, being in America, I was not afraid of questioning of religion. I had the freedom to do that. I did not have the Muslim community that would tell me that I was weak or I was not a good Muslim. It really changed my life. A lot of extremism has to do with the environment. If a person is in that environment, they also think the same way. So once you put that individual out and put them into a different space, they can adjust and start learning and becoming something new.

I hope to break these toxic environments and want to dismantle them. We are working towards ending Islamic terrorism that way. At least in the West, we are going to start it with America first and then the West. I also work for an organisation, which prevents violent extremism programming and conduct workshops which is for parents, teachers and police officers or anyone who wants to take this course which breaks up all the stages when people radicalised.&nbsp;The workshop is free and we are going to the therapist and will help individuals from extremism the prisons are more terrible. We want to break that delusion and we want to bring them back into reality. It is hard as it has been for myself because I had to go through the other mental breakdown and had to realise how wrong I was.

WION - You are often referred to as "First lady of ISIS", how do you come up with such taglines and how did you felt on knowing this after you were completely out of such things?

Tania Joya - Yes, well that's a terrible name. But all those names like "ISIS bride", and all these labels are terrible. I was married to the highest-ranking American in ISIS and he was the commander. He enjoyed ISIS but I separated from him and came to America. But those names are in self a headline I guess. But I am not an ISIS bride. I was a fundamentalist and married to extremist and finally got out with my children.&nbsp;

You have to accept and do not need to question. Because if you are questioning, you are sinning. Part of my de-radicalisation was educating myself. I was always interested in psychology, philosophy and different religion of the middle east before Islam. Every woman deserves better as they are not property. No one is property. Women and children have equal rights as men do.

WION - What events manipulated you and made you close to radicalisation?

Tania Joya - Well, first my children, when I came to America I already came to the acceptance that Islam is not perfect. I got to stop pretending, after having children, I really did not want my children to be like their dad or their dad's friends for the way they use to treat their women. I wanted to see my children live life and help people rather than destroying it. Because extremists do not want to save the world or environment and are not concerned. They are irresponsible&nbsp;and I do not want to see the end of my children. I do not want to be parents like you see the Kurdish camps separating children every day was fear, natural materialist fear and I could not switch off that voice that I want to make my children feel safe. I see woman brainwashed to a different level.

WION - What is the one message that you want to give out to all the women out there?

Tania Joya - My message to women is to aim high and don't settle for less. Educate yourself and do not depend upon anyone. You should know that you are worthy.

Exclusively speaking to WION, Tania Joya briefs her story from a core jihadist to a deradicalisation activist. Born in 1984 near London to a Muslim-Bangladeshi family, Joya grew up confronted by racism and the struggles of integration.

Exclusively speaking to WION, Tania Joya briefs her story from a core jihadist to a deradicalisation activist. Born in 1984 near London to a Muslim-Bangladeshi family, Joya grew up confronted by racism and the struggles of integration. She was radicalised at age 17, after the September 11 terror attacks in New York. "We are working towards ending Islamic terrorism with an organisation through workshops for parents, teachers and police officers or anyone who wants to take this course", Tania said. Edited excerpts of the interview: WION - Do you think that ISIS will get dismantled ever as there are reports of their regrouping in Syria again? There are reports also of them expanding to other regions in Asia. Tania Joya - They have been dismantled but they can regroup and they have a plan for that. They are not going to stop their agenda and are waiting to regroup. I know that they are growing in the Philippines and also in Afghanistan. I don't know much about their growth in Asia or India. WION - Can you tell us something about your background and where are you living now? Also, about your story of transition from a ranking ISIS member to now a deradicalisation activist? Tania Joya - I was a British Bengali, grew up in England and when I was 17-18, I was radicalised and became a Muslim fundamentalist and after September 11, I got married at 19 to my ex-husband John Georgelas (Yahya al-Bahrumi). We travelled together. We were married for about 10 years, but the marriage was dysfunctional and wasn't perfect. I have four children with him. I wanted to leave the marriage as it was very difficult. I did not have the right to divorce, I did not have the permission to leave the house without his permission. Before I was married, I did not realise how tough my life would be. Once I got married, I was pretty much stuck. 10 years later in 2013, we were in Turkey, my ex-husband took us across the border where I informed US authorities that I need to get away from my ex-husband as I was afraid for the life of my children. I crossed the border back to Turkey and I returned to US and currently living in Dallas. WION - How do you think your story evolution as a woman and independent thinker should now be heard? Tania Joya - I think that I can be a good role model for lost kids, lot of teenagers growing in the west, having an identity crisis and mental breakdown. They turn to a coping mechanism through drugs or religion or something else. They aren't given counselling as well. I would like to show young people to not give up on life as I did. When I decided to be a Muslim fundamentalist, I gave up my will power and my rights as a human being. I did it subconsciously and did not realise what I was doing. So I would like to speak up and help other young girls to encourage that you can have spiritual power. You have to work at this life as we do not have any other evidence that the other life that we are going to have would be real or not. So, we would focus on this life and should not give up easily. Because if you work on it, you can get better. I was labelled as former extremist, I was not extremist as I did not use violence. But I was definitely fundamentalist. So my story alone can show a lot of girls, and I know other women who are stuck in marriage can't get out. But when they see how I managed, it gives them some hope. I want to help others who were like me feeling helpless. I want to get them out of domestic abuses and get them rebuild themselves and find them who they were. WION - From a hardcore jihadist to de-radicalisation activist, how have people around you accepted you? If you come across women leading on the same path as you did, what are you going to say to them? Tania Joya - Well, I am in America and in America, people are very different from England. Since I am in America, it was the American values that changed my ideology. Like I did not know about the constitutional bill of rights when I was growing in the UK. I learned about the value system in the US. I understood that it is better than Islam, being in America, I was not afraid of questioning of religion. I had the freedom to do that. I did not have the Muslim community that would tell me that I was weak or I was not a good Muslim. It really changed my life. A lot of extremism has to do with the environment. If a person is in that environment, they also think the same way. So once you put that individual out and put them into a different space, they can adjust and start learning and becoming something new. I hope to break these toxic environments and want to dismantle them. We are working towards ending Islamic terrorism that way. At least in the West, we are going to start it with America first and then the West. I also work for an organisation, which prevents violent extremism programming and conduct workshops which is for parents, teachers and police officers or anyone who wants to take this course which breaks up all the stages when people radicalised. The workshop is free and we are going to the therapist and will help individuals from extremism the prisons are more terrible. We want to break that delusion and we want to bring them back into reality. It is hard as it has been for myself because I had to go through the other mental breakdown and had to realise how wrong I was. WION - You are often referred to as "First lady of ISIS", how do you come up with such taglines and how did you felt on knowing this after you were completely out of such things? Tania Joya - Yes, well that's a terrible name. But all those names like "ISIS bride", and all these labels are terrible. I was married to the highest-ranking American in ISIS and he was the commander. He enjoyed ISIS but I separated from him and came to America. But those names are in self a headline I guess. But I am not an ISIS bride. I was a fundamentalist and married to extremist and finally got out with my children. You have to accept and do not need to question. Because if you are questioning, you are sinning. Part of my de-radicalisation was educating myself. I was always interested in psychology, philosophy and different religion of the middle east before Islam. Every woman deserves better as they are not property. No one is property. Women and children have equal rights as men do. WION - What events manipulated you and made you close to radicalisation? Tania Joya - Well, first my children, when I came to America I already came to the acceptance that Islam is not perfect. I got to stop pretending, after having children, I really did not want my children to be like their dad or their dad's friends for the way they use to treat their women. I wanted to see my children live life and help people rather than destroying it. Because extremists do not want to save the world or environment and are not concerned. They are irresponsible and I do not want to see the end of my children. I do not want to be parents like you see the Kurdish camps separating children every day was fear, natural materialist fear and I could not switch off that voice that I want to make my children feel safe. I see woman brainwashed to a different level. WION - What is the one message that you want to give out to all the women out there? Tania Joya - My message to women is to aim high and don't settle for less. Educate yourself and do not depend upon anyone. You should know that you are worthy.

'I can be good role model for those having identity crisis and mental breakdown', says ISIS first lady to WION

&nbsp;Syria's&nbsp;army&nbsp;has captured a strategically important town in Idlib in the rebels' last major enclave, a war monitor and a military media unit run by its ally Hezbollah reported on Sunday.

The capture of al-Hobeit represents the most significant advance the&nbsp;army&nbsp;has made in Idlib province since the start of its offensive three months ago, the Britain-based Syrian observatory for Human Rights said.

The Hezbollah media unit described the town as the gateway to the southern countryside of Idlib, to the main Damascus-Aleppo highway and to the city of Khan Sheikhoun.

Rebels have not yet commented on the fighting around al-Hobeit but this week acknowledged losing ground nearby as the&nbsp;army&nbsp;ramped up its offensive after a brief ceasefire.

Fighting on Saturday killed more than 100 fighters from both sides as the&nbsp;army&nbsp;and its allies unleashed about 2,000 air and artillery strikes against rebels dug into Syria's northwest, the Observatory said.

The three-month offensive has made slower progress than any by&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;President Bashar al-Assad since Russia entered the war on his side in 2015, prompting a run of military victories that have brought most of Syria back under his rule.

Turkey, a supporter of some rebel groups, has posted military observation posts around the enclave's front lines, complicating&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;army&nbsp;advances.

Rebels fighting to oust him are now concentrated in the northwestern enclave, covering most of Idlib province and parts of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces, though they also have a small presence in the southeast near the border with Jordan.

Assad, who offered prayers for Islam's Eid al-Adha holiday in Damascus on Sunday morning, has sworn to take back every inch of Syria. However, other large areas are still beyond his control, including the Kurdish-controlled northeast and a Turkish-held strip along the frontier.

The northwest offensive has prompted warnings by the United Nations and aid agencies of a new humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people having fled the violence to seek shelter at the border with Turkey.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/regime-and-russian-airstrikes-killed-15-civilians-in-northwest-syria-monitor-239097">Syrian&nbsp;military airstrikes</a> have targeted hospitals, schools, water points, markets, bakeries and other civilian infrastructure, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Syria, Panos Mumtzis, has said.

Syria's army has captured a strategically important town in Idlib in the rebels' last major enclave, a war monitor and a military media unit run by its ally Hezbollah reported on Sunday.

Syria's army has captured a strategically important town in Idlib in the rebels' last major enclave, a war monitor and a military media unit run by its ally Hezbollah reported on Sunday. The capture of al-Hobeit represents the most significant advance the army has made in Idlib province since the start of its offensive three months ago, the Britain-based Syrian observatory for Human Rights said. The Hezbollah media unit described the town as the gateway to the southern countryside of Idlib, to the main Damascus-Aleppo highway and to the city of Khan Sheikhoun. Rebels have not yet commented on the fighting around al-Hobeit but this week acknowledged losing ground nearby as the army ramped up its offensive after a brief ceasefire. Fighting on Saturday killed more than 100 fighters from both sides as the army and its allies unleashed about 2,000 air and artillery strikes against rebels dug into Syria's northwest, the Observatory said. The three-month offensive has made slower progress than any by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since Russia entered the war on his side in 2015, prompting a run of military victories that have brought most of Syria back under his rule. Turkey, a supporter of some rebel groups, has posted military observation posts around the enclave's front lines, complicating Syrian army advances. Rebels fighting to oust him are now concentrated in the northwestern enclave, covering most of Idlib province and parts of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces, though they also have a small presence in the southeast near the border with Jordan. Assad, who offered prayers for Islam's Eid al-Adha holiday in Damascus on Sunday morning, has sworn to take back every inch of Syria. However, other large areas are still beyond his control, including the Kurdish-controlled northeast and a Turkish-held strip along the frontier. The northwest offensive has prompted warnings by the United Nations and aid agencies of a new humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people having fled the violence to seek shelter at the border with Turkey. Syrian military airstrikes have targeted hospitals, schools, water points, markets, bakeries and other civilian infrastructure, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Syria, Panos Mumtzis, has said.

Syrian army takes strategic town from rebels in new advance

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clashes-kill-70-combatants-in-northwest-syria-report-242094">Syrian regime forces</a> seized a town on the edge of Idlib province Sunday, a monitor said, their first ground advance since resuming an offensive on the jihadist-dominated enclave more than three months ago.

The region of northwestern Syria, which is home to an estimated three million civilians, has come under almost daily Syrian and Russian bombardment since late April.

The most recent fighting focused on an area straddling Idlib and Hama provinces, a war monitor said, and claimed dozens of lives on both sides.

"Regime forces seized the town of Al-Habeet, in Idlib's southern countryside, at dawn," Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor, said.

The regime's latest gains were in the north of Hama province, which lies to the south of Idlib.

The area has escaped the control of President Bashar al-Assad's government since 2015 and is the last major bastion of opposition to his regime and its allies.

The capture of Al-Habeet, one of several strategic targets for advancing pro-regime forces, came after another night of deadly fighting, the Observatory said.

According to the Britain-based monitor's tally, 70 combatants were killed on Saturday alone, 32 of them pro-government forces.

The remaining 38 were from the opposing ranks of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the jihadist outfit led by members of Al Qaeda's former Syria franchise, and allied rebel fighters.

Rami Abdel Rahman said another 27 combatants, nine of them government fighters, were killed in early fighting on Sunday.

He described Al-Habeet as 'the first town in southern Idlib to be taken by the regime since the start of the escalation' in April.

The town is seen as a stepping stone towards Khan Sheikhun, one of the main towns in Idlib and the target of some of the eight-year-old conflict's deadliest airstrikes.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced in recent weeks and aid groups have warned that an all-out assault on Idlib could turn the current humanitarian emergency into a catastrophe of proportions previously unseen.

The fighting is a violation of a deal that was reached by the battle's two main foreign brokers Russia and Turkey but was never implemented.

Russia is Damascus&nbsp;main backer while Turkey holds sway over some rebel and jihadist forces along its border.

The deal's terms were never realistic but the agreement sealed in the Russian resort of Sochi in September 2018 staved off a fully-fledged offensive that risks triggering the Syrian civil war's bloodiest phase yet.

Syrian regime forces seized a town on the edge of Idlib province Sunday, a monitor said, their first ground advance since resuming an offensive on the jihadist-dominated enclave more than three months ago.

Syrian regime forces seized a town on the edge of Idlib province Sunday, a monitor said, their first ground advance since resuming an offensive on the jihadist-dominated enclave more than three months ago. The region of northwestern Syria, which is home to an estimated three million civilians, has come under almost daily Syrian and Russian bombardment since late April. The most recent fighting focused on an area straddling Idlib and Hama provinces, a war monitor said, and claimed dozens of lives on both sides. "Regime forces seized the town of Al-Habeet, in Idlib's southern countryside, at dawn," Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor, said. The regime's latest gains were in the north of Hama province, which lies to the south of Idlib. The area has escaped the control of President Bashar al-Assad's government since 2015 and is the last major bastion of opposition to his regime and its allies. The capture of Al-Habeet, one of several strategic targets for advancing pro-regime forces, came after another night of deadly fighting, the Observatory said. According to the Britain-based monitor's tally, 70 combatants were killed on Saturday alone, 32 of them pro-government forces. The remaining 38 were from the opposing ranks of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the jihadist outfit led by members of Al Qaeda's former Syria franchise, and allied rebel fighters. Rami Abdel Rahman said another 27 combatants, nine of them government fighters, were killed in early fighting on Sunday. He described Al-Habeet as 'the first town in southern Idlib to be taken by the regime since the start of the escalation' in April. The town is seen as a stepping stone towards Khan Sheikhun, one of the main towns in Idlib and the target of some of the eight-year-old conflict's deadliest airstrikes. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced in recent weeks and aid groups have warned that an all-out assault on Idlib could turn the current humanitarian emergency into a catastrophe of proportions previously unseen. The fighting is a violation of a deal that was reached by the battle's two main foreign brokers Russia and Turkey but was never implemented. Russia is Damascus main backer while Turkey holds sway over some rebel and jihadist forces along its border. The deal's terms were never realistic but the agreement sealed in the Russian resort of Sochi in September 2018 staved off a fully-fledged offensive that risks triggering the Syrian civil war's bloodiest phase yet.

Syria regime gains ground in deadly Idlib push: Monitor

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-us-talks-positive-and-rather-constructiveturkeys-defence-minister-241348">Turkish and US officials reached agreement</a> Wednesday to establish a "joint operations centre" for northern Syria aimed at creating a safe zone to manage tensions between Turkey and a US-backed Kurdish militia.&nbsp;

Coming after three days of tense negotiations, the agreement contained no details on the size and nature of the safe zone, but appeared to provide some breathing room after Turkey had threatened an imminent attack on the Kurdish YPG group which controls large swathes of northern Syria.&nbsp;

Turkey sees the YPG as a terrorist offshoot of the Kurdish PKK, which has fought a bloody insurgency inside its territory for the past 35 years.

The US, however, supports the militia as the main fighting force against the Islamic State group. &nbsp;

The defence ministry said in a statement that Ankara had agreed with US officials to "implement without delay the first measures aimed at eliminating Turkey's concerns.&nbsp;

"In that framework, to quickly create in Turkey a joint operation centre to coordinate and manage the implementation of the safe zone with the US."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the talks had gone in "a positive direction".&nbsp;

He refused to give a date on when the joint operation centre would be established nor provide details about the safe zone.&nbsp;

But he said the agreement showed Turkey's resolve to intervene "east of the Euphrates" was "now being done with the Americans."

'Peace corridor'

The three-point agreement described the planned safe zone as a "peace corridor" that can "ensure that our Syrian brothers will be able to return to their country".&nbsp;

Turkey has the highest number of Syrian refugees in the world at more than 3.6 million and has faced increasing pressure domestically to speed up repatriations to peaceful parts of the country.

All sides agree that a buffer zone is needed to keep the YPG away from Turkey's borders, but they have differed on how large it should be, or who should control it.&nbsp;

The talks came at a delicate moment between Turkey and the US, who have grown increasingly estranged over a number of issues, including American support for the Kurds and Turkey's decision to buy a Russian S-400 missile defence system.&nbsp;

It is also a tricky moment for Erdogan domestically after his party lost control of Istanbul and Ankara in municipal elections this year, and has seen high-profile defections.&nbsp;

"He needed to show he was both tough for Turkish security and willing to relieve the pressure on Turkey from millions of refugees. This led him toward a credible threat to invade Syria unilaterally," Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, told AFP.

"The US has started a process to give Erdogan a chaperoned presence east of the Euphrates, and the managed resettlement of some refugees."

Heras said the goal for the US was to prevent the destruction of the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG is the leading force, to ensure it remains the dominant player in northern and eastern Syria.&nbsp;

Erdogan warned in recent days that patience was running out with the Americans to find a solution in northern Syria.&nbsp;

"Turkey has the right to eliminate all threats against its national security," he said in a televised speech on Tuesday.&nbsp;

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper countered that any unilateral action by Turkey would be "unacceptable".&nbsp;

But by the third day of talks, his Turkish counterpart, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, said there were positive signs.

"We witnessed with satisfaction that our partners grew closer to our position. We would prefer to act together with our American ally. If that isn't possible we have said multiple times that we will do what is necessary," he told the state-run Anadolu news agency.&nbsp;

Turkish media outlets have often shown images in recent weeks of military convoys heading for the border area, carrying equipment and fighting units.&nbsp;

Turkey has twice carried out unilateral offensives into northern Syria against the Islamic State group and YPG, in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Turkish and US officials reached agreement Wednesday to establish a "joint operations centre" for northern Syria aimed at creating a safe zone to manage tensions between Turkey and a US-backed Kurdish militia.

Turkish and US officials reached agreement Wednesday to establish a "joint operations centre" for northern Syria aimed at creating a safe zone to manage tensions between Turkey and a US-backed Kurdish militia. Coming after three days of tense negotiations, the agreement contained no details on the size and nature of the safe zone, but appeared to provide some breathing room after Turkey had threatened an imminent attack on the Kurdish YPG group which controls large swathes of northern Syria. Turkey sees the YPG as a terrorist offshoot of the Kurdish PKK, which has fought a bloody insurgency inside its territory for the past 35 years. The US, however, supports the militia as the main fighting force against the Islamic State group. The defence ministry said in a statement that Ankara had agreed with US officials to "implement without delay the first measures aimed at eliminating Turkey's concerns. "In that framework, to quickly create in Turkey a joint operation centre to coordinate and manage the implementation of the safe zone with the US." President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the talks had gone in "a positive direction". He refused to give a date on when the joint operation centre would be established nor provide details about the safe zone. But he said the agreement showed Turkey's resolve to intervene "east of the Euphrates" was "now being done with the Americans." 'Peace corridor' The three-point agreement described the planned safe zone as a "peace corridor" that can "ensure that our Syrian brothers will be able to return to their country". Turkey has the highest number of Syrian refugees in the world at more than 3.6 million and has faced increasing pressure domestically to speed up repatriations to peaceful parts of the country. All sides agree that a buffer zone is needed to keep the YPG away from Turkey's borders, but they have differed on how large it should be, or who should control it. The talks came at a delicate moment between Turkey and the US, who have grown increasingly estranged over a number of issues, including American support for the Kurds and Turkey's decision to buy a Russian S-400 missile defence system. It is also a tricky moment for Erdogan domestically after his party lost control of Istanbul and Ankara in municipal elections this year, and has seen high-profile defections. "He needed to show he was both tough for Turkish security and willing to relieve the pressure on Turkey from millions of refugees. This led him toward a credible threat to invade Syria unilaterally," Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, told AFP. "The US has started a process to give Erdogan a chaperoned presence east of the Euphrates, and the managed resettlement of some refugees." Heras said the goal for the US was to prevent the destruction of the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG is the leading force, to ensure it remains the dominant player in northern and eastern Syria. Erdogan warned in recent days that patience was running out with the Americans to find a solution in northern Syria. "Turkey has the right to eliminate all threats against its national security," he said in a televised speech on Tuesday. US Defence Secretary Mark Esper countered that any unilateral action by Turkey would be "unacceptable". But by the third day of talks, his Turkish counterpart, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, said there were positive signs. "We witnessed with satisfaction that our partners grew closer to our position. We would prefer to act together with our American ally. If that isn't possible we have said multiple times that we will do what is necessary," he told the state-run Anadolu news agency. Turkish media outlets have often shown images in recent weeks of military convoys heading for the border area, carrying equipment and fighting units. Turkey has twice carried out unilateral offensives into northern Syria against the Islamic State group and YPG, in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Turkey, US agree 'joint operation centre' for north Syria

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the United States is getting closer to Turkey's views on a proposed safe zone in northeast Syria, and that its military deployment plans are complete, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday.

Speaking in Ankara, Akar also said that Turkey has told the United States it would prefer to act together.

"Our plans, preparations, the deployment of our units in the field are all complete. But we said we wanted to act together with our friend and ally, the United States," Akar was quoted by Anadolu as saying.

Turkey has been growing impatient with the United States, which had agreed to create a safe zone inside Syria's northeastern border with Turkey, set to be cleared of the Kurdish YPG militia.

Ankara has accused Washington of stalling progress on setting up the safe zone and has demanded it sever its relations with the YPG. The group was Washington's main ally on the ground in Syria during the battle against Islamic State, but Turkey designates it as a terrorist organization.

On Wednesday, the third days of Turkish-US talks on the safe zone, Akar described them as "positive and rather constructive", and that he expected them to finish within hours.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the United States is getting closer to Turkey's views on a proposed safe zone in northeast Syria, and that its military deployment plans are complete, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the United States is getting closer to Turkey's views on a proposed safe zone in northeast Syria, and that its military deployment plans are complete, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday. Speaking in Ankara, Akar also said that Turkey has told the United States it would prefer to act together. "Our plans, preparations, the deployment of our units in the field are all complete. But we said we wanted to act together with our friend and ally, the United States," Akar was quoted by Anadolu as saying. Turkey has been growing impatient with the United States, which had agreed to create a safe zone inside Syria's northeastern border with Turkey, set to be cleared of the Kurdish YPG militia. Ankara has accused Washington of stalling progress on setting up the safe zone and has demanded it sever its relations with the YPG. The group was Washington's main ally on the ground in Syria during the battle against Islamic State, but Turkey designates it as a terrorist organization. On Wednesday, the third days of Turkish-US talks on the safe zone, Akar described them as "positive and rather constructive", and that he expected them to finish within hours.

Turkish-US talks 'positive and rather constructive':Turkey's Defence Minister

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - August 7th, 2019

Over 1,400 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deported-from-turkey-syrians-return-to-unfamiliar-country-239462">Syrian refugees have returned to their country</a> from Jordan and Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

'Over the past day, 1,412 people returned to the Syrian Arab Republic from the territory of foreign states: 311 people, including 93 women and 158 children, from Lebanon via the Jaydet-Yabus and Talkalakh checkpoints; and 1,101 people, including 330 women and 562 children, from Jordan via the Nassib checkpoint,' Russia's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees, which is looked after the country's defence ministry, said in its daily bulletin.

According to the bulletin, the Syrian engineering units defused 40 explosive devices throughout the country, clearing 2.5 hectares (6.17 acres) of the territory from mines.

Syria is marred by civil war since 2011.

More than 370,000 people were killed and millions were displaced in Syria and abroad since the beginning of the Syrian war in March 2011.

The Russian-backed offensive has so far failed to make major inroads into rebel territory in northern Hama and southern Idlib provinces, where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mass-grave-discovered-in-syrias-raqqa-highlighting-islamic-states-brutality-233014">the Islamic State</a> (ISIS or ISIL) is putting up fierce resistance in their last remaining bastion in Syria.

However, Moscow and the Syrian army have repeatedly denied allegations of indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas or any campaign to paralyse the daily life in rebel-held areas.

Russia has blamed the terrorist group for breaking a truce by hitting government-held areas and said Turkey has failed to live up to its obligations under a deal brokered last year which created a buffer zone in the area that obliges it to push out rebels.

According to the United Nations, nearly half of the estimated three million inhabitants in northwest Syria - including Idlib province and parts of neighbouring provinces - had already fled the fighting and moved to areas near the border with Turkey.&nbsp;

Over 1,400 Syrian refugees have returned to their country from Jordan and Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. 'Over the past day, 1,412 people returned to the Syrian Arab Republic from the territory of foreign states: 311 people, including 93 women and 158 children, from Lebanon via the Jaydet-Yabus and Talkalakh checkpoints; and 1,101 people, including 330 women and 562 children, from Jordan via the Nassib checkpoint,' Russia's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees, which is looked after the country's defence ministry, said in its daily bulletin.

Over 1,400 Syrian refugees have returned to their country from Jordan and Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. 'Over the past day, 1,412 people returned to the Syrian Arab Republic from the territory of foreign states: 311 people, including 93 women and 158 children, from Lebanon via the Jaydet-Yabus and Talkalakh checkpoints; and 1,101 people, including 330 women and 562 children, from Jordan via the Nassib checkpoint,' Russia's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees, which is looked after the country's defence ministry, said in its daily bulletin. According to the bulletin, the Syrian engineering units defused 40 explosive devices throughout the country, clearing 2.5 hectares (6.17 acres) of the territory from mines. Syria is marred by civil war since 2011. More than 370,000 people were killed and millions were displaced in Syria and abroad since the beginning of the Syrian war in March 2011. The Russian-backed offensive has so far failed to make major inroads into rebel territory in northern Hama and southern Idlib provinces, where the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) is putting up fierce resistance in their last remaining bastion in Syria. However, Moscow and the Syrian army have repeatedly denied allegations of indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas or any campaign to paralyse the daily life in rebel-held areas. Russia has blamed the terrorist group for breaking a truce by hitting government-held areas and said Turkey has failed to live up to its obligations under a deal brokered last year which created a buffer zone in the area that obliges it to push out rebels. According to the United Nations, nearly half of the estimated three million inhabitants in northwest Syria - including Idlib province and parts of neighbouring provinces - had already fled the fighting and moved to areas near the border with Turkey.

Over 1,400 Syrian refugees returned home in 24 hours: Russia

The Syrian army said on Monday it was resuming military operations in a Russian-led campaign in northwest Syria that has uprooted tens of thousands and killed hundreds, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-moves-to-oversee-all-online-content-raises-concerns-over-censorship-240008">blaming Turkey for</a> not abiding by its commitments under a truce deal.

Syrian state media said on Thursday the ceasefire would depend on militants complying <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-air-strikes-in-northwest-syria-after-ceasefire-declared-observatory-240282">with a Russian-Turkish deal</a> last year aimed at creating an Idlib buffer zone.

'The agreement to a truce was conditional. This did not happen.. We resume our military operations against terrorist organisations,' said the army statement.&nbsp;

Since Damascus declared a ceasefire on Thursday night, its warplanes have not mounted air strikes, though the combatants are still shelling each other.

Damascus accuses Turkey and the rebels it supports of failing to comply with the terms of the de-escalation agreement which requires heavy weapons and jihadist insurgents to be withdrawn from a buffer zone.

Under its deals with Moscow, Ankara has forces stationed on the ground in the Idlib region at a dozen military positions.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry declined immediate comment.

The region - including Idlib province and parts of nearby Hama - was part of the last major stronghold of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, who has vowed to reclaim all of Syria.

Rebel factions, which had agreed to the latest ceasefire to give civilians a reprieve from the heavy bombing while reserving the right to respond to attacks, said the Syrian army had violated the ceasefire by maintaining its shelling of populated areas.

A week-long aerial attack on cities in Hama and southern Idlib province before the ceasefire led to the most civilian casualties since Russian jets joined the Syrian army on April 26 in the offensive to recapture the enclave.

The Russian-led campaign has been costly to Moscow and its Syrian ally.

They appear to have failed to secure any significant territorial gains despite weeks of relentless bombing and have suffered heavy human losses, according to Western military experts.

Rebels said they were prepared to continue another round of fierce fighting after the Syrian army`s unilateral announcement to end the ceasefire.

"Today (Syrian President) Assad's gangs announced they were resuming the battles and we tell them we are ready and our will to fight is there and God willing we will inflict heavy casualties,' Captain Naji Mustafa, spokesman for the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front (NLF) coalition of mainstream rebels group, told Reuters.

Rebels say Moscow has deployed special troops to make a military breakthrough with no success in one of the biggest campaigns waged by Moscow in Syria since its direct intervention in September 2015.&nbsp;

For three months, an army offensive backed by Russia has killed at least 400 civilians in northwest Syria and uprooted more than 440,000 people, the United Nations says.

Residents and rescuers say the three-month-old campaign has left dozens of villages and towns in ruins.

Russia and its Syrian army ally deny their jets indiscriminately hit civilian areas with cluster munitions and incendiary weapons, which residents in opposition areas say are meant to paralyse everyday life.

 
&nbsp;

The Syrian army said on Monday it was resuming military operations in a Russian-led campaign in northwest Syria that has uprooted tens of thousands and killed hundreds, blaming Turkey for not abiding by its commitments under a truce deal.

The Syrian army said on Monday it was resuming military operations in a Russian-led campaign in northwest Syria that has uprooted tens of thousands and killed hundreds, blaming Turkey for not abiding by its commitments under a truce deal. Syrian state media said on Thursday the ceasefire would depend on militants complying with a Russian-Turkish deal last year aimed at creating an Idlib buffer zone. 'The agreement to a truce was conditional. This did not happen.. We resume our military operations against terrorist organisations,' said the army statement. Since Damascus declared a ceasefire on Thursday night, its warplanes have not mounted air strikes, though the combatants are still shelling each other. Damascus accuses Turkey and the rebels it supports of failing to comply with the terms of the de-escalation agreement which requires heavy weapons and jihadist insurgents to be withdrawn from a buffer zone. Under its deals with Moscow, Ankara has forces stationed on the ground in the Idlib region at a dozen military positions. The Turkish Foreign Ministry declined immediate comment. The region - including Idlib province and parts of nearby Hama - was part of the last major stronghold of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, who has vowed to reclaim all of Syria. Rebel factions, which had agreed to the latest ceasefire to give civilians a reprieve from the heavy bombing while reserving the right to respond to attacks, said the Syrian army had violated the ceasefire by maintaining its shelling of populated areas. A week-long aerial attack on cities in Hama and southern Idlib province before the ceasefire led to the most civilian casualties since Russian jets joined the Syrian army on April 26 in the offensive to recapture the enclave. The Russian-led campaign has been costly to Moscow and its Syrian ally. They appear to have failed to secure any significant territorial gains despite weeks of relentless bombing and have suffered heavy human losses, according to Western military experts. Rebels said they were prepared to continue another round of fierce fighting after the Syrian army`s unilateral announcement to end the ceasefire. "Today (Syrian President) Assad's gangs announced they were resuming the battles and we tell them we are ready and our will to fight is there and God willing we will inflict heavy casualties,' Captain Naji Mustafa, spokesman for the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front (NLF) coalition of mainstream rebels group, told Reuters. Rebels say Moscow has deployed special troops to make a military breakthrough with no success in one of the biggest campaigns waged by Moscow in Syria since its direct intervention in September 2015. For three months, an army offensive backed by Russia has killed at least 400 civilians in northwest Syria and uprooted more than 440,000 people, the United Nations says. Residents and rescuers say the three-month-old campaign has left dozens of villages and towns in ruins. Russia and its Syrian army ally deny their jets indiscriminately hit civilian areas with cluster munitions and incendiary weapons, which residents in opposition areas say are meant to paralyse everyday life.

Syrian army resumes military operations against rebels in northwest Syria

The US State Department on Saturday said it welcomed news of a ceasefire in Northwest Syria - the last rebel bastion in the country - and urged for an end to attacks on civilians.

Last week Syrian media reported that the ceasefire would take place as long as rebel fighters implement the terms of a de-escalation agreement brokered last year by Russia and Turkey.

The wave of violence in northwest Syria since late April has killed more than 400 civilians and forced more than 440,000 to flee toward the Turkish border, according to the United Nations.

"The United States believes there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict, and only a political solution can ensure a stable and secure future for all Syrians," the State Department said in a statement.

"We further believe the only viable path to a political solution is the UN-led political process in Geneva, including constitutional reform and UN-supervised elections," the statement said.

The United States will support the work of UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and the United Nations to advance a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that would create a permanent, peaceful, and political end to the conflict, the State Department added.

The region - including Idlib province and parts of nearby Hama - was part of the last major stronghold of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, who has vowed to reclaim all of Syria.

The Department also commended efforts by Turkey and Russia to restore the ceasefire they agreed in September 2018.

The US State Department on Saturday said it welcomed news of a ceasefire in Northwest Syria - the last rebel bastion in the country - and urged for an end to attacks on civilians.

The US State Department on Saturday said it welcomed news of a ceasefire in Northwest Syria - the last rebel bastion in the country - and urged for an end to attacks on civilians. Last week Syrian media reported that the ceasefire would take place as long as rebel fighters implement the terms of a de-escalation agreement brokered last year by Russia and Turkey. The wave of violence in northwest Syria since late April has killed more than 400 civilians and forced more than 440,000 to flee toward the Turkish border, according to the United Nations. "The United States believes there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict, and only a political solution can ensure a stable and secure future for all Syrians," the State Department said in a statement. "We further believe the only viable path to a political solution is the UN-led political process in Geneva, including constitutional reform and UN-supervised elections," the statement said. The United States will support the work of UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and the United Nations to advance a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that would create a permanent, peaceful, and political end to the conflict, the State Department added. The region - including Idlib province and parts of nearby Hama - was part of the last major stronghold of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, who has vowed to reclaim all of Syria. The Department also commended efforts by Turkey and Russia to restore the ceasefire they agreed in September 2018.

US State Department welcomes news of ceasefire in northwest Syria

A ceasefire in northwest <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/regime-and-russian-airstrikes-killed-15-civilians-in-northwest-syria-monitor-239097">Syria</a> reduced violence in the rebel stronghold, a monitor said, with no airstrikes on Friday after a three months army offensive killed hundreds while yielding no big territorial gains.

Though the combatants exchanged fire and shelling on Friday, the British based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian government and Russian warplanes mounted no air raids.

More than 400 civilians have been killed in the escalation since late April and more than 440,000 uprooted, the United Nations said last week.

The targeted region is part of the last major piece of territory which rebels hold after facing defeat across much of Syria at the hands of President Bashar al-Assad with his allies Russia and Iran.

Syrian state media said the ceasefire would start on Thursday night if militants fulfilled a Russian Turkish deal that had tried last year to create a demilitarized buffer zone.

The Turkey-backed opposition, which is taking part in Syria talks hosted by Kazakhstan, agreed to the ceasefire and said it must "guarantee the safety of civilians". It reserved the right to respond to "violations by Assad's regime and its militias".

Though Turkey-backed&nbsp;rebel factions also operate in Idlib province in the northwest, the dominant force there is the jihadist Tahrir al-Sham alliance, formerly the Nusra Front.

In a statement on Friday, it said the truce declaration from Damascus proved the failure of "the criminal regime's military operation against the liberated north." Tahrir al-Sham did not reject the ceasefire but warned that any attack from the other side would cancel it, vowing to retaliate.

Russia's RIA news agency cited a Kazakh Foreign Ministry official as saying the agreement does not include jihadists who might not observe it.

Turkey is following the situation after the ceasefire reports, the Foreign Ministry said.

"In every talk we hold with Russia, we tell them the (Syrian) regime needs to stop its attacks ... but the situation is apparent," Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy said.

Under its deals with Moscow, Ankara has forces stationed on the ground in the Idlib region at a dozen military positions.

A series of truce deals have failed to fully end Idlib fighting and Russian-Turkish attempts have not managed to resolve the eight-year conflict.

Syrian state news agency SANA said militants fired missiles that hit a village in government territory, killing one person and injuring three other civilians on Friday.

In the latest offensive, Assad's side has been unable to gain much ground from the insurgents. The government says it has been responding to militant attacks.

The fighting has also inflicted a heavy toll on both rebel and government fighters: the Observatory war monitoring group says each side has lost around 1,000 fighters.

The United Nations will investigate attacks on U.N.-supported facilities and other humanitarian sites, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday, after two-thirds of the Security Council pushed for an inquiry.

Britain, France, the United States, Germany, Belgium, Peru, Poland, Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, and Indonesia had delivered a demarche a formal diplomatic petition over the lack of an inquiry into attacks on some 14 locations in Syria.

 
&nbsp;

A ceasefire in northwest Syria reduced violence in the rebel stronghold, a monitor said, with no airstrikes on Friday after a three months army offensive killed hundreds while yielding no big territorial gains.

A ceasefire in northwest Syria reduced violence in the rebel stronghold, a monitor said, with no airstrikes on Friday after a three months army offensive killed hundreds while yielding no big territorial gains. Though the combatants exchanged fire and shelling on Friday, the British based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian government and Russian warplanes mounted no air raids. More than 400 civilians have been killed in the escalation since late April and more than 440,000 uprooted, the United Nations said last week. The targeted region is part of the last major piece of territory which rebels hold after facing defeat across much of Syria at the hands of President Bashar al-Assad with his allies Russia and Iran. Syrian state media said the ceasefire would start on Thursday night if militants fulfilled a Russian Turkish deal that had tried last year to create a demilitarized buffer zone. The Turkey-backed opposition, which is taking part in Syria talks hosted by Kazakhstan, agreed to the ceasefire and said it must "guarantee the safety of civilians". It reserved the right to respond to "violations by Assad's regime and its militias". Though Turkey-backed rebel factions also operate in Idlib province in the northwest, the dominant force there is the jihadist Tahrir al-Sham alliance, formerly the Nusra Front. In a statement on Friday, it said the truce declaration from Damascus proved the failure of "the criminal regime's military operation against the liberated north." Tahrir al-Sham did not reject the ceasefire but warned that any attack from the other side would cancel it, vowing to retaliate. Russia's RIA news agency cited a Kazakh Foreign Ministry official as saying the agreement does not include jihadists who might not observe it. Turkey is following the situation after the ceasefire reports, the Foreign Ministry said. "In every talk we hold with Russia, we tell them the (Syrian) regime needs to stop its attacks ... but the situation is apparent," Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy said. Under its deals with Moscow, Ankara has forces stationed on the ground in the Idlib region at a dozen military positions. A series of truce deals have failed to fully end Idlib fighting and Russian-Turkish attempts have not managed to resolve the eight-year conflict. Syrian state news agency SANA said militants fired missiles that hit a village in government territory, killing one person and injuring three other civilians on Friday. In the latest offensive, Assad's side has been unable to gain much ground from the insurgents. The government says it has been responding to militant attacks. The fighting has also inflicted a heavy toll on both rebel and government fighters: the Observatory war monitoring group says each side has lost around 1,000 fighters. The United Nations will investigate attacks on U.N.-supported facilities and other humanitarian sites, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday, after two-thirds of the Security Council pushed for an inquiry. Britain, France, the United States, Germany, Belgium, Peru, Poland, Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, and Indonesia had delivered a demarche a formal diplomatic petition over the lack of an inquiry into attacks on some 14 locations in Syria.

No air strikes in northwest Syria after ceasefire declared: Report

Every once in a while, a photograph of a migrant’s tragic death (usually that of a child) catches the public’s imagination. The 2015 image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi, fleeing from the Syrian civil war, dead face down in the surf on a Turkish beach, triggered a wave of sympathy that ended with Germany opening its borders to 900,000 refugees that year; and Hungary building a border fence to keep them out.

And now, here we are again. A picture of 23-month-old Valeria Martinez, tucked into her father Oscar’s T-shirt, both dead face down on the banks of the Rio Grande, has unleashed a similar wave of sympathy in the United States, although it certainly hasn’t reached the White House yet. And once again, most of the migrants are claiming to be refugees.

In fact, few migrants fit the legal definition of refugees in either case. The Arabs and Afghans trying to get into Europe had fled genuine wars, but they were already in Turkey, which is quite safe. They just wanted to move on to somewhere with better job opportunities and a higher standard of living. That’s understandable, but it doesn’t get you the right of asylum as a refugee.

The same applies to migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe, even though thousands of them are drowning in the attempt. They are fleeing poverty, or dictatorial regimes, or even climate change, but they are not fleeing war.

Neither do they have a “well-founded fear” of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. That is the language of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951, so they don’t qualify as refugees. You may feel sorry for them, but there is no legal duty to let them in.

The Refugee Convention was incorporated into the US law in the Refugee Act of 1980, so few of the people now seeking entry at the Mexican border qualify either. This matters, because while 20 years ago, 98% of the people crossing the border were Mexican young men seeking work, more than half are now entire families from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — and most of them claim to be refugees.

They are not, and that is why US courts are rejecting at least three-quarters of the applications for refugee status. You may wish that the law took a more generous and humanitarian view, but it does not. And if you think things are bad now, they will be ten times worse in 20 years’ time.

Global warming is starting to bite. We’re still on the learner slopes, but the onslaught of droughts and floods, and then the crop failures that they cause, are multiplying, especially in the tropics and the sub-tropics where temperatures are already high.

In the worst-hit areas, family farms are failing, some people are going hungry, and the number of people on the move is starting to soar. This is precisely what unpublished, in-house government studies were predicting 20 years ago in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. Now it’s here.

As the number of migrants goes up, the willingness of host populations to receive them will inevitably go down. That’s human nature. You may deplore it, but it’s not going to change. And behind uncomfortable considerations of what the politics will permit, lies the even starker reality that they can’t all come.&nbsp;

Twenty years from now there will be far more people who desperately want to move than the destination countries could possibly accommodate.

So, the borders will start slamming shut in the countries, mostly in the temperate zone of the planet, where the climate is still tolerable and there is still enough food to eat. And don’t believe the myth that you cannot really shut a border. You can do so quite easily if you are willing to kill the people who try to cross it illegally, and the governments of the destination countries will probably end up doing just that.&nbsp;

Their military and their civil servants, if not their politicians, were already having grim internal debates about it 15 years ago. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-few-immigrants-fit-the-legal-definition-of-global-refugees-2777770">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Every once in a while, a photograph of a migrant’s tragic death (usually that of a child) catches the public’s imagination. The 2015 image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi, fleeing from the Syrian civil war, dead face down in the surf on a Turkish beach, triggered a wave of sympathy that ended with Germany opening its borders to 900,000 refugees that year; and Hungary building a border fence to keep them out.

Every once in a while, a photograph of a migrant’s tragic death (usually that of a child) catches the public’s imagination. The 2015 image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi, fleeing from the Syrian civil war, dead face down in the surf on a Turkish beach, triggered a wave of sympathy that ended with Germany opening its borders to 900,000 refugees that year; and Hungary building a border fence to keep them out. And now, here we are again. A picture of 23-month-old Valeria Martinez, tucked into her father Oscar’s T-shirt, both dead face down on the banks of the Rio Grande, has unleashed a similar wave of sympathy in the United States, although it certainly hasn’t reached the White House yet. And once again, most of the migrants are claiming to be refugees. In fact, few migrants fit the legal definition of refugees in either case. The Arabs and Afghans trying to get into Europe had fled genuine wars, but they were already in Turkey, which is quite safe. They just wanted to move on to somewhere with better job opportunities and a higher standard of living. That’s understandable, but it doesn’t get you the right of asylum as a refugee. The same applies to migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe, even though thousands of them are drowning in the attempt. They are fleeing poverty, or dictatorial regimes, or even climate change, but they are not fleeing war. Neither do they have a “well-founded fear” of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. That is the language of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951, so they don’t qualify as refugees. You may feel sorry for them, but there is no legal duty to let them in. The Refugee Convention was incorporated into the US law in the Refugee Act of 1980, so few of the people now seeking entry at the Mexican border qualify either. This matters, because while 20 years ago, 98% of the people crossing the border were Mexican young men seeking work, more than half are now entire families from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — and most of them claim to be refugees. They are not, and that is why US courts are rejecting at least three-quarters of the applications for refugee status. You may wish that the law took a more generous and humanitarian view, but it does not. And if you think things are bad now, they will be ten times worse in 20 years’ time. Global warming is starting to bite. We’re still on the learner slopes, but the onslaught of droughts and floods, and then the crop failures that they cause, are multiplying, especially in the tropics and the sub-tropics where temperatures are already high. In the worst-hit areas, family farms are failing, some people are going hungry, and the number of people on the move is starting to soar. This is precisely what unpublished, in-house government studies were predicting 20 years ago in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. Now it’s here. As the number of migrants goes up, the willingness of host populations to receive them will inevitably go down. That’s human nature. You may deplore it, but it’s not going to change. And behind uncomfortable considerations of what the politics will permit, lies the even starker reality that they can’t all come. Twenty years from now there will be far more people who desperately want to move than the destination countries could possibly accommodate. So, the borders will start slamming shut in the countries, mostly in the temperate zone of the planet, where the climate is still tolerable and there is still enough food to eat. And don’t believe the myth that you cannot really shut a border. You can do so quite easily if you are willing to kill the people who try to cross it illegally, and the governments of the destination countries will probably end up doing just that. Their military and their civil servants, if not their politicians, were already having grim internal debates about it 15 years ago. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Few immigrants fit the legal definition of global refugees

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Still reeling from his sudden deportation from Turkey with just the clothes on his back, Mohammad Hassan stood in the arrivals hall at a border crossing in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/regime-and-russian-airstrikes-killed-15-civilians-in-northwest-syria-monitor-239097">northern Syria</a> unsure what to do next.

"I left Syria seven years ago," said the 22-year-old. "I don't know anything about this country."

He was among dozens to queue up one morning last week to register with officials at the Bab al-Hawa crossing many in complete disbelief.

During Hassan's years of exile, Syria's landscape changed dramatically.

With no say in the matter, he has just been bussed into the country's last opposition bastion of Idlib, administered since the start of the year by jihadists.

His home city of Aleppo to the east has been under regime control since 2016, making it near impossible for him to return to the former rebel stronghold.

"My family is in Aleppo but I can't go there," he said, looking dejected in a black jacket and baseball cap.

Regime forces have detained young men in areas they have retaken with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-russia-signs-rs-1500-crore-deal-for-air-to-air-missiles-for-su-30-fighters-239257">Russian backing</a> since 2015 and forced others to join President Bashar al-Assad's army.

'They lied'

Syria's eight-year conflict has killed more than 370,000 people since it started in 2011, as well as displacing millions at home and abroad.

Some 3.5 million Syrian refugees live in Turkey alone, the United Nations says.&nbsp;

Hassan used to live in Istanbul, where authorities are leading a crackdown on unregistered migrants.

They have arrested 6,000 including Syrians over the past two weeks, the interior ministry said last Wednesday.

Critics have raised concern over reports that hundreds of Syrian refugees have been deported, after being forced to sign consent forms in Turkish they do not understand.

Hassan said he tried several times to get a temporary residency permit but was refused.&nbsp;

"In Istanbul, they've stopped issuing them to Syrians," he said.

Without the right "temporary protection" permit, he was stopped and arrested.

After more than a week in jail, Hassan was presented with a wad of papers to ink with a finger, which he was told would allow him to stay in Turkey legally.

"They lied to us," he said.

Instead, "we were shocked when the next morning they loaded us on buses and sent us back to Syria."&nbsp;

The crackdown has alarmed human rights campaigners.

"Turkey claims it helps Syrians voluntarily return to their country, but threatening to lock them up until they agree to return, forcing them to sign forms, and dumping them in a war zone is neither voluntary nor legal," said Gerry Simpson, an associate director at Human Rights Watch.

Bab al-Hawa crossing spokesman Mazen Alloush said Syrians were being deported daily.

Most had tried to illegally cross the border, but others were residents sent home for not having the right papers, he said.&nbsp;

More than 4,400 Syrians have been sent back via Bab al-Hawa this month, he said. &nbsp;

At a press conference in Istanbul on Thursday, Syria's exiled opposition said it had received assurances from Turkish authorities that Syrian "families would not be deported to Syria".

But Anas Abdah, the head of the Syrian National Coalition, called on all Syrians in Turkey to settle their status with the authorities.

'No family'&nbsp;

Inside the arrivals hall in Bab al-Hawa, Luay Mohammed, 23, said he was still in shock after being bussed back in the middle of the night.

"I have no idea how I will start over" in Syria, said the young man, back in his home country for the first time in four years.

After waiting in line, he finally reached his turn at the counter, leaning in to hear the official registering his details on a computer behind the perforated glass.

Muhammed had been detained in Turkey's southern city of Antalya, where he worked in a restaurant, he told AFP.

Around a week ago, he had rushed a friend injured in a fight with locals to the hospital on his motorbike, only to find the police waiting.

"They took us to the police station," he said before they were transferred to a jail containing around 350 foreigners.

"They took us back to Syria in the middle of the night," he said.

Hassan said he would try to travel east to his home city of Manbij. But that too is complicated.&nbsp;

The northern city is now under the control of a military council allied to Syria's Kurds, who are seen by Turkey and its Syrian rebel proxies as "terrorists".

And even if he did find a job, he would be without his family. "My family isn't in Syria, two of my brothers are still in Turkey," he said.

Still reeling from his sudden deportation from Turkey with just the clothes on his back, Mohammad Hassan stood in the arrivals hall at a border crossing in northern Syria unsure what to do next.

Still reeling from his sudden deportation from Turkey with just the clothes on his back, Mohammad Hassan stood in the arrivals hall at a border crossing in northern Syria unsure what to do next. "I left Syria seven years ago," said the 22-year-old. "I don't know anything about this country." He was among dozens to queue up one morning last week to register with officials at the Bab al-Hawa crossing many in complete disbelief. During Hassan's years of exile, Syria's landscape changed dramatically. With no say in the matter, he has just been bussed into the country's last opposition bastion of Idlib, administered since the start of the year by jihadists. His home city of Aleppo to the east has been under regime control since 2016, making it near impossible for him to return to the former rebel stronghold. "My family is in Aleppo but I can't go there," he said, looking dejected in a black jacket and baseball cap. Regime forces have detained young men in areas they have retaken with Russian backing since 2015 and forced others to join President Bashar al-Assad's army. 'They lied' Syria's eight-year conflict has killed more than 370,000 people since it started in 2011, as well as displacing millions at home and abroad. Some 3.5 million Syrian refugees live in Turkey alone, the United Nations says. Hassan used to live in Istanbul, where authorities are leading a crackdown on unregistered migrants. They have arrested 6,000 including Syrians over the past two weeks, the interior ministry said last Wednesday. Critics have raised concern over reports that hundreds of Syrian refugees have been deported, after being forced to sign consent forms in Turkish they do not understand. Hassan said he tried several times to get a temporary residency permit but was refused. "In Istanbul, they've stopped issuing them to Syrians," he said. Without the right "temporary protection" permit, he was stopped and arrested. After more than a week in jail, Hassan was presented with a wad of papers to ink with a finger, which he was told would allow him to stay in Turkey legally. "They lied to us," he said. Instead, "we were shocked when the next morning they loaded us on buses and sent us back to Syria." The crackdown has alarmed human rights campaigners. "Turkey claims it helps Syrians voluntarily return to their country, but threatening to lock them up until they agree to return, forcing them to sign forms, and dumping them in a war zone is neither voluntary nor legal," said Gerry Simpson, an associate director at Human Rights Watch. Bab al-Hawa crossing spokesman Mazen Alloush said Syrians were being deported daily. Most had tried to illegally cross the border, but others were residents sent home for not having the right papers, he said. More than 4,400 Syrians have been sent back via Bab al-Hawa this month, he said. At a press conference in Istanbul on Thursday, Syria's exiled opposition said it had received assurances from Turkish authorities that Syrian "families would not be deported to Syria". But Anas Abdah, the head of the Syrian National Coalition, called on all Syrians in Turkey to settle their status with the authorities. 'No family' Inside the arrivals hall in Bab al-Hawa, Luay Mohammed, 23, said he was still in shock after being bussed back in the middle of the night. "I have no idea how I will start over" in Syria, said the young man, back in his home country for the first time in four years. After waiting in line, he finally reached his turn at the counter, leaning in to hear the official registering his details on a computer behind the perforated glass. Muhammed had been detained in Turkey's southern city of Antalya, where he worked in a restaurant, he told AFP. Around a week ago, he had rushed a friend injured in a fight with locals to the hospital on his motorbike, only to find the police waiting. "They took us to the police station," he said before they were transferred to a jail containing around 350 foreigners. "They took us back to Syria in the middle of the night," he said. Hassan said he would try to travel east to his home city of Manbij. But that too is complicated. The northern city is now under the control of a military council allied to Syria's Kurds, who are seen by Turkey and its Syrian rebel proxies as "terrorists". And even if he did find a job, he would be without his family. "My family isn't in Syria, two of my brothers are still in Turkey," he said.

Deported from Turkey, Syrians return to unfamiliar country

Syrian government airstrikes on a town in the country’s northwest killed at least 11 people. The airstrikes on the town of Ariha came as the government continued its deadly air campaign against the last rebel-held region in Syria.

Airstrike claims 11 lives in Syria

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/regime-and-russian-air-strikes-killed-43-people-in-northwest-syria-war-monitor-237768">Regime and Russian airstrikes</a> Saturday killed 15 civilians, more than half of them children, in northwestern Syria where ramped up attacks by the two allies have claimed hundreds of lives since April.

Idlib and parts of the neighbouring provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia are under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate.&nbsp;

The region is supposed to be protected from a massive government offensive by a September buffer zone deal, but it has come under increasing bombardment by the regime and its Russian ally over the past three months. &nbsp;

In the Idlib town of Ariha, seven children were among 11 civilians killed in Syrian airstrikes that targeted two residential buildings and also wounded 28 other people, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.&nbsp;

One of the dead was a small boy who was found under the rubble by White Helmets rescuers, his face bloodied and his body covered in white dust, a photographer who works with AFP said from the scene.

He also witnessed rescuers digging through the rubble of a collapsed roof for more victims, while a member of the White Helmets moved the body of a young man into the back of a pickup truck.

Ariha made headlines after it was pummelled Wednesday by warplanes that claimed the lives of 10 civilians, according to the Observatory, when a picture of three sisters struggling for their lives went viral on social media networks.

The picture showed two dust-covered girls trapped in the rubble and clutching their baby sister by her shirt as she dangles from a bombed outbuilding.&nbsp;

One of the girls later died of her wounds while the other two are hospitalised and fighting to stay alive, according to local medics.

Russian airstrikes on northern Hama province Saturday that hit an ambulance killed three rescuers while another child died in Syrian regime bombardment elsewhere in the Idlib region, the Observatory said.

'International indifference'

Save the Children said on Thursday that the number of children killed in Idlib over the past four weeks had exceeded the number slain in the same region in the whole of last year.

Airstrikes by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia on the Idlib region have claimed more than 740 lives since late April, according to the war monitor.

The UN says more than 400,000 people have been displaced.&nbsp;

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented 39 attacks against health facilities or medical workers in the area in three months.

At least 50 schools have been damaged by airstrikes and shelling over the same period, it said. &nbsp;

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Friday condemned "international indifference" in the face of the mounting death toll in Idlib.

"These are civilian objects, and it seems highly unlikely, given the persistent pattern of such attacks, that they are all being hit by accident," Bachelet said.

"Intentional attacks against civilians are war crimes, and those who have ordered them or carried them out are criminally responsible for their actions," she said.

The region under attack is home to some three million people, nearly half of them already displaced from other parts of the country.&nbsp;

The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.&nbsp;

Regime and Russian airstrikes Saturday killed 15 civilians, more than half of them children, in northwestern Syria where ramped up attacks by the two allies have claimed hundreds of lives since April.

Regime and Russian airstrikes Saturday killed 15 civilians, more than half of them children, in northwestern Syria where ramped up attacks by the two allies have claimed hundreds of lives since April. Idlib and parts of the neighbouring provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia are under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate. The region is supposed to be protected from a massive government offensive by a September buffer zone deal, but it has come under increasing bombardment by the regime and its Russian ally over the past three months. In the Idlib town of Ariha, seven children were among 11 civilians killed in Syrian airstrikes that targeted two residential buildings and also wounded 28 other people, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. One of the dead was a small boy who was found under the rubble by White Helmets rescuers, his face bloodied and his body covered in white dust, a photographer who works with AFP said from the scene. He also witnessed rescuers digging through the rubble of a collapsed roof for more victims, while a member of the White Helmets moved the body of a young man into the back of a pickup truck. Ariha made headlines after it was pummelled Wednesday by warplanes that claimed the lives of 10 civilians, according to the Observatory, when a picture of three sisters struggling for their lives went viral on social media networks. The picture showed two dust-covered girls trapped in the rubble and clutching their baby sister by her shirt as she dangles from a bombed outbuilding. One of the girls later died of her wounds while the other two are hospitalised and fighting to stay alive, according to local medics. Russian airstrikes on northern Hama province Saturday that hit an ambulance killed three rescuers while another child died in Syrian regime bombardment elsewhere in the Idlib region, the Observatory said. 'International indifference' Save the Children said on Thursday that the number of children killed in Idlib over the past four weeks had exceeded the number slain in the same region in the whole of last year. Airstrikes by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia on the Idlib region have claimed more than 740 lives since late April, according to the war monitor. The UN says more than 400,000 people have been displaced. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented 39 attacks against health facilities or medical workers in the area in three months. At least 50 schools have been damaged by airstrikes and shelling over the same period, it said. UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Friday condemned "international indifference" in the face of the mounting death toll in Idlib. "These are civilian objects, and it seems highly unlikely, given the persistent pattern of such attacks, that they are all being hit by accident," Bachelet said. "Intentional attacks against civilians are war crimes, and those who have ordered them or carried them out are criminally responsible for their actions," she said. The region under attack is home to some three million people, nearly half of them already displaced from other parts of the country. The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

Regime and Russian airstrikes killed 15 civilians in northwest Syria: Monitor

Britain on Monday warned <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-put-your-life-in-danger-iran-publishes-exchange-with-british-warship-during-tanker-seizure-239211&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi6u9qi-dnjAhWLM48KHRfTD50QFjACegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw10n5QiTBy-nDC311reqIlE">Iran </a>that it must follow international rules and release a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-links-tanker-row-to-ailing-nuclear-deal-239002&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjr2_So9tnjAhWCp48KHfEPBzgQFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1IEAgHge9Qw2MnRt8zI6cw">British-flagged vessel seized</a> by the Islamic Republic in the Gulf.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab rejected the idea that it could release an Iranian tanker in exchange for a British-flagged vessel seized by the Islamic Republic in the Gulf.

Raab also told BBC radio that "this is not about some kind of barter. This is about the international law and the rules of the international legal system being upheld and that is what we will insist on."

Tensions have spiked between Iran and Britain since after Iranian commandos seized a British-flagged tanker earlier this month. That came after British forces captured an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar, accused of violating sanctions on Syria.

Britain on Monday warned Iran that it must follow international rules and release a British-flagged vessel seized by the Islamic Republic in the Gulf. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab rejected the idea that it could release an Iranian tanker in exchange for a British-flagged vessel seized by the Islamic Republic in the Gulf.

Britain on Monday warned Iran that it must follow international rules and release a British-flagged vessel seized by the Islamic Republic in the Gulf. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab rejected the idea that it could release an Iranian tanker in exchange for a British-flagged vessel seized by the Islamic Republic in the Gulf. Raab also told BBC radio that "this is not about some kind of barter. This is about the international law and the rules of the international legal system being upheld and that is what we will insist on." Tensions have spiked between Iran and Britain since after Iranian commandos seized a British-flagged tanker earlier this month. That came after British forces captured an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar, accused of violating sanctions on Syria.

Iran should 'respect international laws': Britain's Foreign Minister

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-intends-to-restart-activities-at-arak-heavy-water-nuclear-reactor-report-238974">Iran</a> said Sunday it considered Britain's seizure of an Iranian oil tanker a breach of the ailing 2015 nuclear deal, as the remaining parties to the accord meet in Vienna in another attempt to salvage the agreement.

British authorities <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-ships-stranded-in-brazil-are-set-to-depart-officials-238954">detained an Iranian tanker</a> off the UK overseas territory of Gibraltar in early July on allegations it was breaching EU sanctions on Syria.

On July 19, a British-flagged tanker was impounded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards with its 23 crew aboard in the Strait of Hormuz, which was seen by the UK as a tit-for-tat move.

Arriving at the meeting in Vienna, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-deputy-foreign-minister-says-tehran-has-not-lost-any-drones-237039">Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi</a> linked the tanker row to discussions over the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Developments have occurred, such as the seizure of the tanker carrying Iranian oil in Gibraltar, which in our view is considered a breach of the JCPOA," Araghchi said in comments carried on Iranian state TV.

"Countries party to the JCPOA must not create any obstacles in the way of Iran exporting its oil," he added.

Araghchi was speaking as envoys from Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia, and Iran gathered for talks in the Austrian capital, a month after a similar meeting failed to achieve a breakthrough.

Mounting tensions

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated since last year when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-supreme-court-lets-trump-use-disputed-funds-of-25-billion-for-border-wall-238745">US President Donald Trump</a> pulled out of the accord that was aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme and imposed punishing sanctions.

Iran said in May it would disregard certain limits the JCPOA set on its nuclear programme and threatened to take further measures if remaining parties to the deal, especially European nations, did not help it circumvent the US sanctions.

Even before the latest tanker seizures, pressure had been mounting in the region with a string of incidents involving tankers and drones.

The US has said it brought down one and possibly two Iranian drones last week, and blamed Tehran for a series of mysterious attacks on tanker ships in strategic Gulf water.

Iran shot down an unmanned US aircraft in June, after which Trump announced that he had called off retaliatory airstrikes at the last minute because the resulting death toll would have been too high.

The US and Gulf powerhouse Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of being behind multiple attacks on tankers in the Gulf in June, which Iran denies.

Efforts by European powers, notably France's President Emmanuel Macron, to salvage the nuclear deal have so far come to nothing.

The remaining signatories, however, have pledged to work towards a breakthrough at a future ministerial session, for which no date has yet been fixed.

Referring to the need for a "preparatory meeting before the ministerial-level meeting that will be necessary", one European diplomat told AFP it was "imperative to talk to the Iranians after the proven violations of their commitments".

The European Union said earlier this week the extraordinary meeting would be chaired by the secretary-general of the European External Action Service, Helga Schmid.

It said the talks were requested by Britain, France, Germany, and Iran and would examine issues linked to the implementation of the JCPOA. 
&nbsp;

Iran said Sunday it considered Britain's seizure of an Iranian oil tanker a breach of the ailing 2015 nuclear deal, as the remaining parties to the accord meet in Vienna in another attempt to salvage the agreement.

Iran said Sunday it considered Britain's seizure of an Iranian oil tanker a breach of the ailing 2015 nuclear deal, as the remaining parties to the accord meet in Vienna in another attempt to salvage the agreement. British authorities detained an Iranian tanker off the UK overseas territory of Gibraltar in early July on allegations it was breaching EU sanctions on Syria. On July 19, a British-flagged tanker was impounded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards with its 23 crew aboard in the Strait of Hormuz, which was seen by the UK as a tit-for-tat move. Arriving at the meeting in Vienna, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi linked the tanker row to discussions over the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "Developments have occurred, such as the seizure of the tanker carrying Iranian oil in Gibraltar, which in our view is considered a breach of the JCPOA," Araghchi said in comments carried on Iranian state TV. "Countries party to the JCPOA must not create any obstacles in the way of Iran exporting its oil," he added. Araghchi was speaking as envoys from Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia, and Iran gathered for talks in the Austrian capital, a month after a similar meeting failed to achieve a breakthrough. Mounting tensions Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated since last year when US President Donald Trump pulled out of the accord that was aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme and imposed punishing sanctions. Iran said in May it would disregard certain limits the JCPOA set on its nuclear programme and threatened to take further measures if remaining parties to the deal, especially European nations, did not help it circumvent the US sanctions. Even before the latest tanker seizures, pressure had been mounting in the region with a string of incidents involving tankers and drones. The US has said it brought down one and possibly two Iranian drones last week, and blamed Tehran for a series of mysterious attacks on tanker ships in strategic Gulf water. Iran shot down an unmanned US aircraft in June, after which Trump announced that he had called off retaliatory airstrikes at the last minute because the resulting death toll would have been too high. The US and Gulf powerhouse Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of being behind multiple attacks on tankers in the Gulf in June, which Iran denies. Efforts by European powers, notably France's President Emmanuel Macron, to salvage the nuclear deal have so far come to nothing. The remaining signatories, however, have pledged to work towards a breakthrough at a future ministerial session, for which no date has yet been fixed. Referring to the need for a "preparatory meeting before the ministerial-level meeting that will be necessary", one European diplomat told AFP it was "imperative to talk to the Iranians after the proven violations of their commitments". The European Union said earlier this week the extraordinary meeting would be chaired by the secretary-general of the European External Action Service, Helga Schmid. It said the talks were requested by Britain, France, Germany, and Iran and would examine issues linked to the implementation of the JCPOA.

Britain's seizure of oil tanker breach of ailing 2015 nuclear deal: Iran

A 30-year-old American held captive in Syria for two months was attempting to visit every country in the world, US media reported Friday after he had been freed.

Sam Goodwin was released by Syrian officials following the mediation of Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon's internal security, Goodwin's family told The New York Times and The Washington Post.

His disappearance had not been previously reported and the exact date of his release remained unclear.

"We are grateful to be reunited with our son Sam," Goodwin's parents, Thomas and Ann Goodwin, said in a statement. "Sam is healthy and with his family."

"We are forever indebted to Lebanese General Abbas Ibrahim and to all others who helped secure the release of our son," they said. "We will have more to say at a later date. Right now, we appreciate our privacy as we reconnect with Sam."

According to the Post, Goodwin was last seen on May 25 in the city of Qamishli in northeast Syria after crossing from Turkey as part of his bid to visit every country in the world.

Several other Americans have gone missing in Syria including Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who vanished in 2012.

A 30-year-old American held captive in Syria for two months was attempting to visit every country in the world, US media reported Friday after he had been freed.

A 30-year-old American held captive in Syria for two months was attempting to visit every country in the world, US media reported Friday after he had been freed. Sam Goodwin was released by Syrian officials following the mediation of Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon's internal security, Goodwin's family told The New York Times and The Washington Post. His disappearance had not been previously reported and the exact date of his release remained unclear. "We are grateful to be reunited with our son Sam," Goodwin's parents, Thomas and Ann Goodwin, said in a statement. "Sam is healthy and with his family." "We are forever indebted to Lebanese General Abbas Ibrahim and to all others who helped secure the release of our son," they said. "We will have more to say at a later date. Right now, we appreciate our privacy as we reconnect with Sam." According to the Post, Goodwin was last seen on May 25 in the city of Qamishli in northeast Syria after crossing from Turkey as part of his bid to visit every country in the world. Several other Americans have gone missing in Syria including Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who vanished in 2012.

American held in Syria freed after two months: US media

Russia on Friday threatened Moscow-based British media with retaliation after London's media watchdog imposed a heavy fine on the Kremlin-backed TV channel RT. &nbsp;

"British media working in Russia should be prepared to face the consequences of London's actions," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. The fine is an "act of censorship", it added.

Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, fined RT £200,000 (225,000 euros) for "serious failures" in its coverage of last year's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/parents-of-novichok-victim-ask-why-uk-settled-ex-spy-in-salisbury-197770">Salisbury nerve agent</a> poisoning and the Syrian conflict.&nbsp;

Russia said the fine "far exceeded" those imposed on other media, adding RT had been unfairly singled out.&nbsp;

"Once again we are witnessing how British authorities are trying to limit the activity of Russian media in the country," it said, claiming that this was part of an "anti-Russian campaign" in Britain.&nbsp;

In the statement, the ministry also accused UK media of "regularly" misreporting news on Russia.&nbsp;

RT denounced the fine as "astonishing" and said it was "very wrong" for Ofcom to issue it while the case was still under judicial review.

Ofcom initially found RT in breach of Britain's strict media rules last December, and RT has appealed that decision.

Relations between London and Moscow sharply deteriorated after the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a Soviet-era nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury in March 2018.&nbsp;

Russia on Friday threatened Moscow-based British media with retaliation after London's media watchdog imposed a heavy fine on the Kremlin-backed TV channel RT. "British media working in Russia should be prepared to face the consequences of London's actions," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Russia on Friday threatened Moscow-based British media with retaliation after London's media watchdog imposed a heavy fine on the Kremlin-backed TV channel RT. "British media working in Russia should be prepared to face the consequences of London's actions," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. The fine is an "act of censorship", it added. Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, fined RT £200,000 (225,000 euros) for "serious failures" in its coverage of last year's Salisbury nerve agent poisoning and the Syrian conflict. Russia said the fine "far exceeded" those imposed on other media, adding RT had been unfairly singled out. "Once again we are witnessing how British authorities are trying to limit the activity of Russian media in the country," it said, claiming that this was part of an "anti-Russian campaign" in Britain. In the statement, the ministry also accused UK media of "regularly" misreporting news on Russia. RT denounced the fine as "astonishing" and said it was "very wrong" for Ofcom to issue it while the case was still under judicial review. Ofcom initially found RT in breach of Britain's strict media rules last December, and RT has appealed that decision. Relations between London and Moscow sharply deteriorated after the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a Soviet-era nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury in March 2018.

Britain unfairly singled out RT television channel: Russia

More than 400,000 people have been displaced in northwestern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-fires-missiles-into-south-syria-state-media-238080">Syria</a> over the past three months, the UN said Friday, as the government presses an intensified bombardment of the rebel-held region.

"More than 400,000 people have been displaced since the end of April," said David Swanson of the United Nations humanitarian affairs agency OCHA.

The region under attack is home to some three million people, nearly half of them already displaced from other parts of the country.&nbsp;

It covers nearly all of Idlib and parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia provinces.

Most of the displacement is from southern Idlib and northern Hama, the two areas that have been hit hardest by the flare-up, OCHA said.

"The majority of those fleeing have displaced within Idlib governorate while a smaller number have moved into northern Aleppo governorate.

"Roughly two-thirds of people displaced are staying outside camps," it said.

The region is controlled by jihadist alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate.

Since late April, more than 730 civilians have been killed in aerial bombardment and shelling of the region by the Syrian government and its allies, according to Britain-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

OCHA said that since the end of April it had documented 39 attacks against health facilities or medical workers in the region.&nbsp;

At least 50 schools have been damaged by the airstrikes and shelling, it added.&nbsp;

WATCH:&nbsp;UN seeks support for children in Syria's camps

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A September accord struck between Moscow and Ankara was supposed to spare the region the bloodshed of a government assault, but it was never fully implemented after jihadists refused to withdraw from a planned buffer zone.

Instead, the bombardment has increased in intensity in recent weeks.

Airstrikes by the government and its Russian ally killed 12 civilians in the region on Thursday, according to the Observatory.

Another 50 civilians were killed in strikes on Monday alone - the majority on a busy market.

OCHA described Monday as one of the "deadliest days" in the region since the start of the flare-up.&nbsp;

The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

More than 400,000 people have been displaced in northwestern Syria over the past three months, the UN said Friday, as the government presses an intensified bombardment of the rebel-held region.

More than 400,000 people have been displaced in northwestern Syria over the past three months, the UN said Friday, as the government presses an intensified bombardment of the rebel-held region. "More than 400,000 people have been displaced since the end of April," said David Swanson of the United Nations humanitarian affairs agency OCHA. The region under attack is home to some three million people, nearly half of them already displaced from other parts of the country. It covers nearly all of Idlib and parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia provinces. Most of the displacement is from southern Idlib and northern Hama, the two areas that have been hit hardest by the flare-up, OCHA said. "The majority of those fleeing have displaced within Idlib governorate while a smaller number have moved into northern Aleppo governorate. "Roughly two-thirds of people displaced are staying outside camps," it said. The region is controlled by jihadist alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate. Since late April, more than 730 civilians have been killed in aerial bombardment and shelling of the region by the Syrian government and its allies, according to Britain-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. OCHA said that since the end of April it had documented 39 attacks against health facilities or medical workers in the region. At least 50 schools have been damaged by the airstrikes and shelling, it added. WATCH: UN seeks support for children in Syria's camps × A September accord struck between Moscow and Ankara was supposed to spare the region the bloodshed of a government assault, but it was never fully implemented after jihadists refused to withdraw from a planned buffer zone. Instead, the bombardment has increased in intensity in recent weeks. Airstrikes by the government and its Russian ally killed 12 civilians in the region on Thursday, according to the Observatory. Another 50 civilians were killed in strikes on Monday alone - the majority on a busy market. OCHA described Monday as one of the "deadliest days" in the region since the start of the flare-up. The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

More than 400,000 displaced in northwest Syria in 3 months: UN

An <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-dead-21-injured-in-israeli-missile-strikes-syria-231935">Israeli missile attack</a> targeted Syrian military positions held by the government and its allies early on Wednesday, Syria's state news agency said.&nbsp;

The missiles were fired into the south of the country close to the Golan Heights, an area occupied and annexed by Israel.

"The Israeli enemy launched aggression after midnight against the Tall al-Hara area," the SANA news agency said Wednesday, adding that there were reports of damage to property.&nbsp;

The attacks were earlier described as "probably Israeli" by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, who said they targeted Tall al-Hara in Daraa province, south of Damascus, and two areas in the neighbouring province of Quneitrathe.

"The regime's anti-aircraft defence has been activated to counter the attack," director of the Observatory Rami Abdel Rahmane said.

"Some missiles have been shot down, others have hit their target."

The Observatory reported "loss of life" without giving further details.

Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the beginning of the conflict in 2011, targeting forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and the regime's allies Iran and Hezbollah.

The Syrian conflict has killed more than 370,000 people and drawn in world powers since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Israeli strikes have previously targeted Tall al-Hara where Hezbollah has installed a radar system and the Syrian regime has erected anti-aircraft batteries, according to the Observatory.&nbsp;

At the end of June, six civilians and nine pro-government fighters were killed in Israeli strikes near Damascus and in the central province of Homs, it added.

Israel says it is determined to prevent its arch-foe Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, where Tehran backs Assad's regime.

The Jewish state insists that it has the right to continue to target positions held by Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah out of self-defence.

The strikes came after Hezbollah's leader said earlier this month that the group's rockets could reach key Israeli sites along the Mediterranean coast, including Tel Aviv.

Hassan Nasrallah also said that Iran was "able to bombard Israel with ferocity and force" but "will not start a war".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-warns-of-crushing-retaliation-after-hezbollah-chiefs-remarks-235756">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a> countered that his country would deliver a "crushing military blow" on the both Hezbollah and Lebanon if it were to attack.&nbsp;

An Israeli missile attack targeted Syrian military positions held by the government and its allies early on Wednesday, Syria's state news agency said. The missiles were fired into the south of the country close to the Golan Heights, an area occupied and annexed by Israel.

An Israeli missile attack targeted Syrian military positions held by the government and its allies early on Wednesday, Syria's state news agency said. The missiles were fired into the south of the country close to the Golan Heights, an area occupied and annexed by Israel. "The Israeli enemy launched aggression after midnight against the Tall al-Hara area," the SANA news agency said Wednesday, adding that there were reports of damage to property. The attacks were earlier described as "probably Israeli" by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, who said they targeted Tall al-Hara in Daraa province, south of Damascus, and two areas in the neighbouring province of Quneitrathe. "The regime's anti-aircraft defence has been activated to counter the attack," director of the Observatory Rami Abdel Rahmane said. "Some missiles have been shot down, others have hit their target." The Observatory reported "loss of life" without giving further details. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the beginning of the conflict in 2011, targeting forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and the regime's allies Iran and Hezbollah. The Syrian conflict has killed more than 370,000 people and drawn in world powers since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. Israeli strikes have previously targeted Tall al-Hara where Hezbollah has installed a radar system and the Syrian regime has erected anti-aircraft batteries, according to the Observatory. At the end of June, six civilians and nine pro-government fighters were killed in Israeli strikes near Damascus and in the central province of Homs, it added. Israel says it is determined to prevent its arch-foe Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, where Tehran backs Assad's regime. The Jewish state insists that it has the right to continue to target positions held by Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah out of self-defence. The strikes came after Hezbollah's leader said earlier this month that the group's rockets could reach key Israeli sites along the Mediterranean coast, including Tel Aviv. Hassan Nasrallah also said that Iran was "able to bombard Israel with ferocity and force" but "will not start a war". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu countered that his country would deliver a "crushing military blow" on the both Hezbollah and Lebanon if it were to attack.

Israel fires missiles into south Syria: Report

Iran does not seek confrontation with Britain amid a row over seized tanker ships, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-zarif-calls-for-prudence-and-foresight-as-tensions-mount-with-uk-237486">Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif</a> said Monday in a message directed at likely incoming premier Boris Johnson.

"It is very important for Boris Johnson as he enters 10 Downing Street to understand that Iran does not seek confrontation, that Iran wants normal relations based on mutual respect," Zarif told reporters in Managua.

Zarif was responding to a question about whether he had a message for Johnson, the favourite to be named the new leader of Britain's Tory party on Tuesday, who would then take over from Theresa May as Prime Minister on Wednesday.

Britain has demanded that Iran release a UK-flagged tanker seized in the Gulf on Friday.

That came two weeks after British authorities seized an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar on suspicion of it breaching sanctions against Syria.

Zarif claimed that move by Britain was orchestrated by the United States, whose <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-defiant-as-lawmakers-blast-his-racist-attacks-on-four-congresswomen-236257">President Donald Trump</a> on Monday blasted the Islamic republic as the world's top "state of terror."

"It was clear from the very beginning that the United Kingdom was doing the bidding for the Trump administration," said Zarif.

"What the Brits did and what the Gibraltar authorities did in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gibraltar-court-extends-detention-of-iran-tanker-for-30-days-britain-237138">Strait of Gibraltar</a> was a violation of international law. It was piracy."

British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt, the man fighting Johnson to be the next British PM, said at the weekend that London wanted to "de-escalate" tensions with Iran but insisted that the Grace 1 tanker was seized because "it was carrying oil, against EU sanctions, to Syria."

Zarif described those allegations as "unfounded" and accused the British of acting "holier than the Pope" in applying rules the "EU itself would not do."

"Everybody understands that starting a conflict may be easy, but ending it would be impossible," he said.

Hunt told the British parliament Monday he would seek to "put together a European-led maritime protection mission" for Gulf shipping.

Zarif arrived in Nicaragua on Sunday following a meeting in Venezuela of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Like Iran, the governments of Venezuela and Nicaragua are subject to US sanctions.

Iran does not seek confrontation with Britain amid a row over seized tanker ships, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday in a message directed at likely incoming premier Boris Johnson.

Iran does not seek confrontation with Britain amid a row over seized tanker ships, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday in a message directed at likely incoming premier Boris Johnson. "It is very important for Boris Johnson as he enters 10 Downing Street to understand that Iran does not seek confrontation, that Iran wants normal relations based on mutual respect," Zarif told reporters in Managua. Zarif was responding to a question about whether he had a message for Johnson, the favourite to be named the new leader of Britain's Tory party on Tuesday, who would then take over from Theresa May as Prime Minister on Wednesday. Britain has demanded that Iran release a UK-flagged tanker seized in the Gulf on Friday. That came two weeks after British authorities seized an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar on suspicion of it breaching sanctions against Syria. Zarif claimed that move by Britain was orchestrated by the United States, whose President Donald Trump on Monday blasted the Islamic republic as the world's top "state of terror." "It was clear from the very beginning that the United Kingdom was doing the bidding for the Trump administration," said Zarif. "What the Brits did and what the Gibraltar authorities did in the Strait of Gibraltar was a violation of international law. It was piracy." British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt, the man fighting Johnson to be the next British PM, said at the weekend that London wanted to "de-escalate" tensions with Iran but insisted that the Grace 1 tanker was seized because "it was carrying oil, against EU sanctions, to Syria." Zarif described those allegations as "unfounded" and accused the British of acting "holier than the Pope" in applying rules the "EU itself would not do." "Everybody understands that starting a conflict may be easy, but ending it would be impossible," he said. Hunt told the British parliament Monday he would seek to "put together a European-led maritime protection mission" for Gulf shipping. Zarif arrived in Nicaragua on Sunday following a meeting in Venezuela of the Non-Aligned Movement. Like Iran, the governments of Venezuela and Nicaragua are subject to US sanctions.

Iran 'does not seek confrontation,' says Foreign Minister Javad Zarif after tanker seizure

Britain on Monday said it was planning a European-led protection force for shipping in the Gulf after Iranian authorities seized a British-flagged tanker in a dramatic escalation of tensions in the region.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt condemned Iran's actions as "state piracy" while at the same time emphasising that Britain did not want confrontation.

"We will seek to establish this mission as quickly as possible," Hunt said, adding that a second warship that Britain has sent to the region would arrive by July 29.

In a ramping up of tensions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the Stena Impero on Friday in the Gulf's strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The move came two weeks after British authorities seized an Iranian tanker off its overseas territory of Gibraltar on suspicion of breaching EU sanctions against Syria against a backdrop of brinkmanship between Washington and Tehran.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his country is not seeking confrontation with Britain in a message directed at its likely incoming leader Boris Johnson.&nbsp;

"It is very important for Boris Johnson as he enters 10 Downing Street to understand that Iran does not seek confrontation, that Iran wants normal relations based on mutual respect," Zarif told reporters during a visit to Nicaragua.

He also accused Britain "of doing the bidding for the Trump administration".

Hunt told Parliament that the protection force "will not be part of the US maximum pressure policy on Iran because we remain committed to preserving the Iran nuclear agreement".

The United States pulled out of the nuclear deal last year.

Iran impounded the tanker after claiming it failed to respond to distress calls and turned off its transponder after hitting a fishing boat.

However, Britain has said there was no evidence of a collision and said the vessel was in Omani waters, with its transponder switched on.

The EU has already expressed its "deep concern" at the move and on Monday German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said: "We don't want any further escalation."

There have been a number of attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz since May when the United States boosted its military presence in response to what it called indications of a "credible threat" from Iran.

The British government had warned its ships to avoid the shipping channel, a chokepoint for about a third of the world's sea-borne oil.

Hunt said the volume of shipping made it impossible to protect every vessel individually.

Questions are being asked in London about why the government was not more proactive in protecting ships after the Gibraltar incident, which provoked fury and a threat of retaliation in Tehran.

The stand-off comes at a sensitive time for Britain, with Prime Minister Theresa May stepping down on Wednesday over her failure to deliver Brexit.

Former foreign minister Johnson is the overwhelming favourite to replace her and there have been calls for stronger action against Iran, such as financial sanctions.

Oil prices jumped Monday on fresh concerns about supplies and possible conflict in the crude-rich Middle East.

ran impounded the tanker after claiming it failed to respond to distress calls and turned off its transponder after hitting a fishing boat.

However, Britain has said there was no evidence of a collision and said the vessel was in Omani waters, with its transponder switched on.

The EU has already expressed its "deep concern" at the move and on Monday German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said: "We don't want any further escalation."

There have been a number of attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz since May when the United States boosted its military presence in response to what it called indications of a "credible threat" from Iran.

The British government had warned its ships to avoid the shipping channel, a chokepoint for about a third of the world's sea-borne oil.

Hunt said the volume of shipping made it impossible to protect every vessel individually.

Questions are being asked in London about why the government was not more proactive in protecting ships after the Gibraltar incident, which provoked fury and a threat of retaliation in Tehran.

The stand-off comes at a sensitive time for Britain, with Prime Minister Theresa May stepping down on Wednesday over her failure to deliver Brexit.

Iranian authorities have said the crew of the British-flagged tanker -- 18 Indians, including the captain, three Russians, a Latvian and a Filipino -- are all in good health.

The fate of the Stena Impero depends on an investigation into its alleged breach of international maritime rules, they added.

The incident on Friday began hours after a court in the tiny British territory of Gibraltar extended by 30 days the detention of the Iranian-chartered tanker, Grace 1, which was seized on July 4.

"To all the countries that are calling on Iran to release the tanker, we ask them to tell Britain the same thing," the Iranian spokesman said on Monday.

Hunt has said Britain wants sufficient guarantees that the oil was not bound for Syria.

The incidents come amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, which have left European nations caught in the middle.

In May 2018, President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the landmark 2015 deal that put curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

Britain, France and Germany were also signatories and have been trying to keep the deal alive.

The US administration reimposed tough sanctions on Iran, which has retaliated by increasing its enrichment of uranium beyond limits set in the nuclear accord.

Last month, Trump called off airstrikes against Iran at the last minute after Tehran downed a US drone.

Britain on Monday said it was planning a European-led protection force for shipping in the Gulf after Iranian authorities seized a British-flagged tanker in a dramatic escalation of tensions in the region.

Britain on Monday said it was planning a European-led protection force for shipping in the Gulf after Iranian authorities seized a British-flagged tanker in a dramatic escalation of tensions in the region. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt condemned Iran's actions as "state piracy" while at the same time emphasising that Britain did not want confrontation. "We will seek to establish this mission as quickly as possible," Hunt said, adding that a second warship that Britain has sent to the region would arrive by July 29. In a ramping up of tensions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the Stena Impero on Friday in the Gulf's strategic Strait of Hormuz. The move came two weeks after British authorities seized an Iranian tanker off its overseas territory of Gibraltar on suspicion of breaching EU sanctions against Syria against a backdrop of brinkmanship between Washington and Tehran. On Monday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his country is not seeking confrontation with Britain in a message directed at its likely incoming leader Boris Johnson. "It is very important for Boris Johnson as he enters 10 Downing Street to understand that Iran does not seek confrontation, that Iran wants normal relations based on mutual respect," Zarif told reporters during a visit to Nicaragua. He also accused Britain "of doing the bidding for the Trump administration". Hunt told Parliament that the protection force "will not be part of the US maximum pressure policy on Iran because we remain committed to preserving the Iran nuclear agreement". The United States pulled out of the nuclear deal last year. Iran impounded the tanker after claiming it failed to respond to distress calls and turned off its transponder after hitting a fishing boat. However, Britain has said there was no evidence of a collision and said the vessel was in Omani waters, with its transponder switched on. The EU has already expressed its "deep concern" at the move and on Monday German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said: "We don't want any further escalation." There have been a number of attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz since May when the United States boosted its military presence in response to what it called indications of a "credible threat" from Iran. The British government had warned its ships to avoid the shipping channel, a chokepoint for about a third of the world's sea-borne oil. Hunt said the volume of shipping made it impossible to protect every vessel individually. Questions are being asked in London about why the government was not more proactive in protecting ships after the Gibraltar incident, which provoked fury and a threat of retaliation in Tehran. The stand-off comes at a sensitive time for Britain, with Prime Minister Theresa May stepping down on Wednesday over her failure to deliver Brexit. Former foreign minister Johnson is the overwhelming favourite to replace her and there have been calls for stronger action against Iran, such as financial sanctions. Oil prices jumped Monday on fresh concerns about supplies and possible conflict in the crude-rich Middle East. ran impounded the tanker after claiming it failed to respond to distress calls and turned off its transponder after hitting a fishing boat. However, Britain has said there was no evidence of a collision and said the vessel was in Omani waters, with its transponder switched on. The EU has already expressed its "deep concern" at the move and on Monday German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said: "We don't want any further escalation." There have been a number of attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz since May when the United States boosted its military presence in response to what it called indications of a "credible threat" from Iran. The British government had warned its ships to avoid the shipping channel, a chokepoint for about a third of the world's sea-borne oil. Hunt said the volume of shipping made it impossible to protect every vessel individually. Questions are being asked in London about why the government was not more proactive in protecting ships after the Gibraltar incident, which provoked fury and a threat of retaliation in Tehran. The stand-off comes at a sensitive time for Britain, with Prime Minister Theresa May stepping down on Wednesday over her failure to deliver Brexit. Iranian authorities have said the crew of the British-flagged tanker -- 18 Indians, including the captain, three Russians, a Latvian and a Filipino -- are all in good health. The fate of the Stena Impero depends on an investigation into its alleged breach of international maritime rules, they added. The incident on Friday began hours after a court in the tiny British territory of Gibraltar extended by 30 days the detention of the Iranian-chartered tanker, Grace 1, which was seized on July 4. "To all the countries that are calling on Iran to release the tanker, we ask them to tell Britain the same thing," the Iranian spokesman said on Monday. Hunt has said Britain wants sufficient guarantees that the oil was not bound for Syria. The incidents come amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, which have left European nations caught in the middle. In May 2018, President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the landmark 2015 deal that put curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Britain, France and Germany were also signatories and have been trying to keep the deal alive. The US administration reimposed tough sanctions on Iran, which has retaliated by increasing its enrichment of uranium beyond limits set in the nuclear accord. Last month, Trump called off airstrikes against Iran at the last minute after Tehran downed a US drone.

Britain plans European-led Gulf force after tanker seizure

Regime and Russian air strikes killed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/children-among-14-civilians-killed-in-syria-strikes-235562">43 people in northwest Syria </a>on Monday, most of them in a crowded market, a war monitor said, in the latest violence to plague the opposition bastion.

In the town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, men covered in blood were carried away from the market by residents and rescue workers, who used mattresses as makeshift stretchers, an AFP photographer said.

He saw the corpse of one man sprawled on the ground near a motorcycle, rubble surrounding his lifeless body.

With his eyes closed and his face covered in dust, another man clutched the arms of two people helping him out of the bombed area, the photographer added.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes on the vegetable market and surrounding areas in Maaret al-Numan killed 35 civilians and two unidentified persons.

The Britain-based monitor said Russian aircraft carried out the air raids, but Moscow denied it was responsible.

"The Russian air force was not carrying out any missions in this part of Syria," said a defence ministry statement.

More than 100 other people were wounded, according to the monitor, which said many of those injured were in a critical condition and people trapped under rubble.

The head of the local hospital, Radwan Shardub, described his horrror at seeing "burnt and carbonised bodies, and body parts".

"It's boundless criminality to shameful international silence," he said.

The White Helmets rescue group said one of its volunteers was killed during the raids, raising the number of rescue workers killed since April to at least 6.&nbsp;

- Fragile truce - 
The jihadist-run Idlib region, home to some three million people, is supposed to be protected by a months-old international truce deal, but it has come under increased bombardment by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia since late April.

The spike in violence has killed more than 680 civilians and damaged or knocked out of service two dozen health facilities.

More than 330,000 people have fled violence in the area over the past three months, according to the United Nations.

In the Idlib town of Saraqib, another six civilians were killed in regime airstrikes on Monday, the Observatory said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, retaliatory rocket fire by jihadists and allied rebels killed seven civilians in the northern countryside of Hama province, state-run SANA news agency said.

Russia and rebel backer Turkey brokered an agreement in September seeking to stave off an all-out regime assault on Idlib, but the deal was never fully implemented as jihadists refused to withdraw from a planned buffer zone.

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, led by ex-members of Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate, in January extended its control over the region, which spans most of Idlib province as well as slivers of the adjacent provinces of Latakia, Hama and Aleppo.

On Sunday, air strikes on Idlib killed 18 people, including a young citizen journalist.

Anas al-Dyab, a photographer and videographer in his early 20s, was a member of the White Helmets who also contributed to AFP.

He was killed in Russian air strikes in his hometown of Khan Sheikhun, rescuers and the Observatory said.

The Idlib region "has fast become one of most dangerous places in the world for civilians and aid workers today", said David Swanson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"This violence must stop and it must stop now," he told AFP.

In Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad on Monday received two Vatican cardinals who handed him a letter from Pope Francis expressing "deep concern for the humanitarian situation in Syria, especially the dramatic conditions of the civilian population in Idlib".

Regime forces have been locked in battle with jihadists and allied rebels on the edges of the Idlib region but have failed to secure significant advances.

According to Sam Heller, an analyst at the International Crisis Group think-tank, the violence is likely to continue until "Russia and Turkey reach an agreement to calm" the frontline.

In the meantime, "each side will try to put pressure on the other through their Syrian partners on the ground" or "directly, (as) with the Russian bombing of parts of Idlib", he added.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests. 
&nbsp;

Regime and Russian air strikes killed 43 people in northwest Syria on Monday, most of them in a crowded market, a war monitor said, in the latest violence to plague the opposition bastion.

Regime and Russian air strikes killed 43 people in northwest Syria on Monday, most of them in a crowded market, a war monitor said, in the latest violence to plague the opposition bastion. In the town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, men covered in blood were carried away from the market by residents and rescue workers, who used mattresses as makeshift stretchers, an AFP photographer said. He saw the corpse of one man sprawled on the ground near a motorcycle, rubble surrounding his lifeless body. With his eyes closed and his face covered in dust, another man clutched the arms of two people helping him out of the bombed area, the photographer added. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes on the vegetable market and surrounding areas in Maaret al-Numan killed 35 civilians and two unidentified persons. The Britain-based monitor said Russian aircraft carried out the air raids, but Moscow denied it was responsible. "The Russian air force was not carrying out any missions in this part of Syria," said a defence ministry statement. More than 100 other people were wounded, according to the monitor, which said many of those injured were in a critical condition and people trapped under rubble. The head of the local hospital, Radwan Shardub, described his horrror at seeing "burnt and carbonised bodies, and body parts". "It's boundless criminality to shameful international silence," he said. The White Helmets rescue group said one of its volunteers was killed during the raids, raising the number of rescue workers killed since April to at least 6. - Fragile truce - The jihadist-run Idlib region, home to some three million people, is supposed to be protected by a months-old international truce deal, but it has come under increased bombardment by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia since late April. The spike in violence has killed more than 680 civilians and damaged or knocked out of service two dozen health facilities. More than 330,000 people have fled violence in the area over the past three months, according to the United Nations. In the Idlib town of Saraqib, another six civilians were killed in regime airstrikes on Monday, the Observatory said. Meanwhile, retaliatory rocket fire by jihadists and allied rebels killed seven civilians in the northern countryside of Hama province, state-run SANA news agency said. Russia and rebel backer Turkey brokered an agreement in September seeking to stave off an all-out regime assault on Idlib, but the deal was never fully implemented as jihadists refused to withdraw from a planned buffer zone. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, led by ex-members of Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate, in January extended its control over the region, which spans most of Idlib province as well as slivers of the adjacent provinces of Latakia, Hama and Aleppo. On Sunday, air strikes on Idlib killed 18 people, including a young citizen journalist. Anas al-Dyab, a photographer and videographer in his early 20s, was a member of the White Helmets who also contributed to AFP. He was killed in Russian air strikes in his hometown of Khan Sheikhun, rescuers and the Observatory said. The Idlib region "has fast become one of most dangerous places in the world for civilians and aid workers today", said David Swanson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "This violence must stop and it must stop now," he told AFP. In Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad on Monday received two Vatican cardinals who handed him a letter from Pope Francis expressing "deep concern for the humanitarian situation in Syria, especially the dramatic conditions of the civilian population in Idlib". Regime forces have been locked in battle with jihadists and allied rebels on the edges of the Idlib region but have failed to secure significant advances. According to Sam Heller, an analyst at the International Crisis Group think-tank, the violence is likely to continue until "Russia and Turkey reach an agreement to calm" the frontline. In the meantime, "each side will try to put pressure on the other through their Syrian partners on the ground" or "directly, (as) with the Russian bombing of parts of Idlib", he added. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

Regime and Russian air strikes killed 43 people in northwest Syria: War monitor

The United Nations has called on the international community to take urgent action to help children living in a camp in north east Syria, warning they remain the most vulnerable to violence and extremism.

UN seeks support for children in Syria's camps

A labyrinth of concrete blast walls, spotlights, and checkpoints are eating up ever more of Kabul, standing in stark contrast to a similar area in Iraq's Baghdad where easing tensions have seen its barricades come down.

The tale of the two "Green Zones" provides a snapshot of the dramatically changing nature of the Afghan conflict, long overshadowed by the war in Iraq where multiple insurgencies following the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003 turned Baghdad into a warzone.

But following the so-called Islamic State group's loss of territory in Syria and Iraq, Baghdad has experienced a sharp reduction in violence.

AFP reported recently on the reopening of Baghdad's Green Zone, with hundreds of streets long sealed off from the public opened as Iraq gets back on its feet after decades of conflict.

Not so in central Kabul, once known as a city of gardens and revered by Babur, the nature-loving founder of the Mughal empire.

Today its once-leafy avenues are increasingly blocked by concrete. Towering blast walls continue to expand along with the addition of an already dizzying number of checkpoints that keep traffic perennially gridlocked and residents stressed across the city.

The expansion began with a devastating truck bomb near the Green Zone in 2017 that killed some 150 people and wounded hundreds more, becoming the deadliest attack since the US invasion of 2001.&nbsp;

It caused extensive damage to the nearby German Embassy, among other buildings, and blew windows out hundreds of metres away.

Shortly after, officials announced that they were expanding the ring of steel around the heart of the city - though with more than a hundred of ways into Kabul they have admitted it is impossible to control all entrances.

Trucks entering Kabul en route to the area must now pass through a new sophisticated scanner near the airport to detect explosives, often waiting hours before they can proceed.

Congestion has grown as more of the area, which contains some of Kabul's key traffic arteries, is sealed off - a security concern, with bombers often targeting rush hour.&nbsp;

Diplomats are increasingly avoiding the roads, opting for expensive minutes-long helicopter flights to the city's airport. Diesel generators add to the roar of the choppers passing every few minutes over once tranquil streets.

Only a tiny portion of the Afghan population is allowed to enter the Green Zone, where vehicles are scanned again and armed sentries at myriad checkpoints inspect cars further.

Most Kabul residents have been locked out of the area for years.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The last time I drove my taxi there was during the Taliban rule," recalls Shir Mohammad, a 48-year-old taxi driver.

'Ugly city'&nbsp;

The zone, originally established in 2001 and encompassing buildings such as NATO headquarters and the presidential palace, is classified as "green" in security lingo, while most other areas in the capital are labelled "red" due to their high-threat levels.

In the years after the invasion, as security deteriorated across Afghanistan, the resurgent Taliban and in recent years IS stepped up their attacks on Kabul.&nbsp;

Attacks have dipped slightly in recent months, as the US and Taliban hold ongoing talks aimed at ending the nearly 18-year-old conflict.

But even if a breakthrough comes the threat from other insurgent groups remains, and Kabul officials say they are moving forward with the plans to expand the Green Zone.&nbsp;

The expansion is planned mostly at the north end of the Green Zone near the airport, with the ultimate aim of building a new access road, a security official requesting anonymity tells AFP.

The plans have gotten off to a slow start, the official admits, saying hundreds of land plots must first be levelled and its owners relocated to a new area.

Several officials questioned by AFP refused to speak about the specifics of the project, citing security concerns.&nbsp;

Kabul residents, often trapped in their cars as helicopters travelling in and out of the Green Zone whir overhead, are hopeful the situation will not last forever.

"If the Green Zone opens again it will dramatically ease the traffic pressure in the city," suggests Mohammad.

Shukrullah Khan, another Kabul resident, is anxiously awaiting the day when it "opens up to the public and the blast walls are removed from the city".

"Kabul has become an ugly city," he adds. "They should move the Green Zone to the outskirts."

A labyrinth of concrete blast walls, spotlights, and checkpoints are eating up ever more of Kabul, standing in stark contrast to a similar area in Iraq's Baghdad where easing tensions have seen its barricades come down.

A labyrinth of concrete blast walls, spotlights, and checkpoints are eating up ever more of Kabul, standing in stark contrast to a similar area in Iraq's Baghdad where easing tensions have seen its barricades come down. The tale of the two "Green Zones" provides a snapshot of the dramatically changing nature of the Afghan conflict, long overshadowed by the war in Iraq where multiple insurgencies following the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003 turned Baghdad into a warzone. But following the so-called Islamic State group's loss of territory in Syria and Iraq, Baghdad has experienced a sharp reduction in violence. AFP reported recently on the reopening of Baghdad's Green Zone, with hundreds of streets long sealed off from the public opened as Iraq gets back on its feet after decades of conflict. Not so in central Kabul, once known as a city of gardens and revered by Babur, the nature-loving founder of the Mughal empire. Today its once-leafy avenues are increasingly blocked by concrete. Towering blast walls continue to expand along with the addition of an already dizzying number of checkpoints that keep traffic perennially gridlocked and residents stressed across the city. The expansion began with a devastating truck bomb near the Green Zone in 2017 that killed some 150 people and wounded hundreds more, becoming the deadliest attack since the US invasion of 2001. It caused extensive damage to the nearby German Embassy, among other buildings, and blew windows out hundreds of metres away. Shortly after, officials announced that they were expanding the ring of steel around the heart of the city - though with more than a hundred of ways into Kabul they have admitted it is impossible to control all entrances. Trucks entering Kabul en route to the area must now pass through a new sophisticated scanner near the airport to detect explosives, often waiting hours before they can proceed. Congestion has grown as more of the area, which contains some of Kabul's key traffic arteries, is sealed off - a security concern, with bombers often targeting rush hour. Diplomats are increasingly avoiding the roads, opting for expensive minutes-long helicopter flights to the city's airport. Diesel generators add to the roar of the choppers passing every few minutes over once tranquil streets. Only a tiny portion of the Afghan population is allowed to enter the Green Zone, where vehicles are scanned again and armed sentries at myriad checkpoints inspect cars further. Most Kabul residents have been locked out of the area for years. "The last time I drove my taxi there was during the Taliban rule," recalls Shir Mohammad, a 48-year-old taxi driver. 'Ugly city' The zone, originally established in 2001 and encompassing buildings such as NATO headquarters and the presidential palace, is classified as "green" in security lingo, while most other areas in the capital are labelled "red" due to their high-threat levels. In the years after the invasion, as security deteriorated across Afghanistan, the resurgent Taliban and in recent years IS stepped up their attacks on Kabul. Attacks have dipped slightly in recent months, as the US and Taliban hold ongoing talks aimed at ending the nearly 18-year-old conflict. But even if a breakthrough comes the threat from other insurgent groups remains, and Kabul officials say they are moving forward with the plans to expand the Green Zone. The expansion is planned mostly at the north end of the Green Zone near the airport, with the ultimate aim of building a new access road, a security official requesting anonymity tells AFP. The plans have gotten off to a slow start, the official admits, saying hundreds of land plots must first be levelled and its owners relocated to a new area. Several officials questioned by AFP refused to speak about the specifics of the project, citing security concerns. Kabul residents, often trapped in their cars as helicopters travelling in and out of the Green Zone whir overhead, are hopeful the situation will not last forever. "If the Green Zone opens again it will dramatically ease the traffic pressure in the city," suggests Mohammad. Shukrullah Khan, another Kabul resident, is anxiously awaiting the day when it "opens up to the public and the blast walls are removed from the city". "Kabul has become an ugly city," he adds. "They should move the Green Zone to the outskirts."

From Kabul to Baghdad, a tale of two 'Green Zones'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gibraltar-police-release-all-crew-members-of-detained-iranian-tanker-235421">Gibraltar's Supreme Court</a> ruled Friday that a seized Iranian tanker suspected of breaching sanctions by shipping oil to Syria can be detained for 30 more days, the British territory's government said.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seized-foreign-tanker-in-strait-of-hormuz-iran-236898">Grace 1 supertanker</a>, carrying 2.1 million barrels of oil, was intercepted by British Royal Marines and Gibraltar's police on July 4 as it transited through waters claimed by Gibraltar, which is located on Spain's southern tip.

An initial order by the court authorising the detention of the vessel would lapse after Friday. The order can be renewed for up to 90 days.

But Gibraltar's Supreme Court, at the request of the attorney general, extended the period of detention "for a further 30 days" and has set a new hearing on August 15, the government said in a statement.

"We look forward to continuing to work constructively and positively with officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran to facilitate the release of the Grace 1 pursuant to the satisfaction of all legal requirements," Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo told the territory's parliament.

Picardo said Thursday he had a "constructive and positive" meeting with Iranian officials in London aimed at defusing tensions around the detention of the tanker in the British territory's waters.

Gibraltar and US officials believed the tanker was destined for Syria to deliver oil, in violation of separate sets of EU and US sanctions.

Iran has reacted with fury to what it termed "piracy" and warned it would not let the interception go unanswered.

Last week, a British warship in the Gulf warned off armed Iranian boats that tried to stop a UK supertanker. London has since announced the deployment of two more warships to the Gulf region for the coming months.

The Gibraltar court ruling comes as tensions in the Gulf region mounted Friday after Washington said an Iranian drone was destroyed after threatening a US naval vessel at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.

It was believed to be the first US military engagement with Iran following a series of increasingly serious incidents.

Iran has denied losing any drones.

Gibraltar's Supreme Court ruled Friday that a seized Iranian tanker suspected of breaching sanctions by shipping oil to Syria can be detained for 30 more days, the British territory's government said.

Gibraltar's Supreme Court ruled Friday that a seized Iranian tanker suspected of breaching sanctions by shipping oil to Syria can be detained for 30 more days, the British territory's government said. The Grace 1 supertanker, carrying 2.1 million barrels of oil, was intercepted by British Royal Marines and Gibraltar's police on July 4 as it transited through waters claimed by Gibraltar, which is located on Spain's southern tip. An initial order by the court authorising the detention of the vessel would lapse after Friday. The order can be renewed for up to 90 days. But Gibraltar's Supreme Court, at the request of the attorney general, extended the period of detention "for a further 30 days" and has set a new hearing on August 15, the government said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing to work constructively and positively with officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran to facilitate the release of the Grace 1 pursuant to the satisfaction of all legal requirements," Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo told the territory's parliament. Picardo said Thursday he had a "constructive and positive" meeting with Iranian officials in London aimed at defusing tensions around the detention of the tanker in the British territory's waters. Gibraltar and US officials believed the tanker was destined for Syria to deliver oil, in violation of separate sets of EU and US sanctions. Iran has reacted with fury to what it termed "piracy" and warned it would not let the interception go unanswered. Last week, a British warship in the Gulf warned off armed Iranian boats that tried to stop a UK supertanker. London has since announced the deployment of two more warships to the Gulf region for the coming months. The Gibraltar court ruling comes as tensions in the Gulf region mounted Friday after Washington said an Iranian drone was destroyed after threatening a US naval vessel at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. It was believed to be the first US military engagement with Iran following a series of increasingly serious incidents. Iran has denied losing any drones.

Gibraltar court extends detention of Iran tanker for 30 days: Britain

At least 12 civilians have been killed and scores have been injured in Syrian government airstrikes on a residential area in the northwestern province of Idlib. Watch this video to know more.

Syria: Airstrikes hit Idlib village market, 12 killed

The United States has tightly restricted the travel of more than a dozen Iranian diplomats and their families living in New York, according to a US diplomatic note sent to the Iran Mission to the United Nations and seen by Reuters on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The diplomats are subjected to the same rules imposed by the United States on Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who arrived on Sunday amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

They may only travel between the United Nations, the Iranian UN mission, the Iranian UN ambassador's residence and John F. Kennedy airport. There is also a carve-out for the six blocks surrounding Queensboro Plaza in Long Island City in the borough of Queens. It was not immediately clear why.

Longtime US-Iran strains have worsened since US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-human-rights-minister-deletes-tweet-criticising-trump-236553">Donald Trump</a> last year quit a 2015 international agreement to curb Iran's nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. Trump has imposed more sanctions on Iran.&nbsp;

Washington and Tehran sent mixed signals on Tuesday about resolving their disputes as Iran's supreme leader threatened to further breach the nuclear deal while Trump cited "a lot of progress."

The July 12 diplomatic note said the open-ended travel rules, apply to "all members of the permanent mission of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-says-uks-seizure-of-oil-tanker-will-not-go-unanswered-236651&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi--aGj7rvjAhWJMI8KHdXYCuQQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw17zG9ROyh3jjMutN9uGfHS">Iran</a> to the United Nations, their immediate family members, and representatives of the Iranian government to the United Nations."

It said a waiver would be required from US State Department Office of Foreign Missions for any other travel and requests must be made at least five days in advance. The Iranian UN mission is also required to submit residential and hotel accommodations for approval.

The Iranian UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday Zarif's work in New York was unaffected.&nbsp;

The United Nations said on Monday that it told the United States it was concerned by the new tight travel restrictions. A US State Department official said the United States had acted "in a manner that is fully consistent" with its obligations under a 1947 agreement with the United Nations.&nbsp;

Before the new rules, Iranian diplomats - like envoys of North Korea, Syria and Cuba - were already confined to a radius of 25 miles from Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan. According to the UN Blue Book, which lists diplomats of each mission to the world body, there are 13 Iranian diplomats in New York.

Under the 1947 UN "headquarters agreement," the United States is generally required to allow access to the United Nations for foreign diplomats. But Washington says it can deny visas for "security, terrorism, and foreign policy" reasons.

The US diplomatic note said Zarif was "being admitted to the United States for the sole purpose of attending UN meetings" and that "he should restrict his activities to UN-related business only.&nbsp;

Zarif is due to attend a ministerial meeting at the UN on Wednesday on sustainable development goals, which aim to tackle issues including conflict, hunger, equality and climate change by 2030. On Monday, he did interviews with British and US media at the residence of the Iranian UN ambassador. 
&nbsp;

The United States has tightly restricted the travel of more than a dozen Iranian diplomats and their families living in New York, according to a US diplomatic note sent to the Iran Mission to the United Nations and seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The United States has tightly restricted the travel of more than a dozen Iranian diplomats and their families living in New York, according to a US diplomatic note sent to the Iran Mission to the United Nations and seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The diplomats are subjected to the same rules imposed by the United States on Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who arrived on Sunday amid heightened tensions between the two countries. They may only travel between the United Nations, the Iranian UN mission, the Iranian UN ambassador's residence and John F. Kennedy airport. There is also a carve-out for the six blocks surrounding Queensboro Plaza in Long Island City in the borough of Queens. It was not immediately clear why. Longtime US-Iran strains have worsened since US President Donald Trump last year quit a 2015 international agreement to curb Iran's nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. Trump has imposed more sanctions on Iran. Washington and Tehran sent mixed signals on Tuesday about resolving their disputes as Iran's supreme leader threatened to further breach the nuclear deal while Trump cited "a lot of progress." The July 12 diplomatic note said the open-ended travel rules, apply to "all members of the permanent mission of Iran to the United Nations, their immediate family members, and representatives of the Iranian government to the United Nations." It said a waiver would be required from US State Department Office of Foreign Missions for any other travel and requests must be made at least five days in advance. The Iranian UN mission is also required to submit residential and hotel accommodations for approval. The Iranian UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday Zarif's work in New York was unaffected. The United Nations said on Monday that it told the United States it was concerned by the new tight travel restrictions. A US State Department official said the United States had acted "in a manner that is fully consistent" with its obligations under a 1947 agreement with the United Nations. Before the new rules, Iranian diplomats - like envoys of North Korea, Syria and Cuba - were already confined to a radius of 25 miles from Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan. According to the UN Blue Book, which lists diplomats of each mission to the world body, there are 13 Iranian diplomats in New York. Under the 1947 UN "headquarters agreement," the United States is generally required to allow access to the United Nations for foreign diplomats. But Washington says it can deny visas for "security, terrorism, and foreign policy" reasons. The US diplomatic note said Zarif was "being admitted to the United States for the sole purpose of attending UN meetings" and that "he should restrict his activities to UN-related business only. Zarif is due to attend a ministerial meeting at the UN on Wednesday on sustainable development goals, which aim to tackle issues including conflict, hunger, equality and climate change by 2030. On Monday, he did interviews with British and US media at the residence of the Iranian UN ambassador.

Iranian diplomats, families living in New York face US travel curbs

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