Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said today he has never faced pressure from Russia to step aside, as US secretary of state John Kerry headed to Moscow seeking to revive stalled peace efforts. 
 
Speaking to NBC News in Damascus, Assad insisted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov had never raised the issue of his departure or a political transition. 
 
&quot;Only the Syrian people define who&#39;s going to be the President, when to come, and when to go. They never said a single word regarding this,&quot; he said. 
 
Assad&#39;s fate is a key question in efforts to bring about a negotiated settlement to Syria&#39;s five-year civil war.&nbsp; 
 
Hopes for the existing peace process rest on the UN-backed blueprint sketched out by the 22-nation, US and Russian-led International Syria Support Group. 
 
Under this road map, signed by both Syria&#39;s ally Iran and Assad&#39;s pro-rebel foe Saudi Arabia, a nationwide ceasefire will precede Geneva-based talks on &quot;political transition&quot;. 
 
But there has been little progress towards a resumption of talks that had been expected to take place this month. 
 
And the prospects for a political transition beginning August, as laid out in the road map, now appear slim. 
 
Kerry was due to arrive later today in Moscow, a close ally of Assad&#39;s government that launched air strikes in support of regime forces last September. 
 
Kerry said before leaving Washington that he would meet Putin &quot;to see if we can somehow advance this (the peace process) in the important ways that people want us to&quot;. Moscow and Washington brokered a landmark partial ceasefire in Syria in February but it has since all but collapsed amid continued heavy fighting. 
 
Kerry&#39;s spokesman John Kirby told reporters his boss was &quot;extremely frustrated&quot; with the failure of peace efforts and &quot;his patience was growing thin&quot;. 
 
In Washington, many observers have criticised Kerry&#39;s outreach to Russia on Syria, arguing he has been strung along by Putin as he seeks to protect his client Assad. 
 
But Kirby insisted the administration is not being naive, and that today&#39;s visit to Moscow, Kerry&#39;s third this year, would &quot;probe the sincerity&quot; of Putin&#39;s promises. 
 
Syria&#39;s conflict began in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into a complex multi-front war that has left more than 280,000 dead and forced millions from their homes. 
 
Efforts to bring an end to the war have taken on greater urgency since the emergence of the Islamic State group, which seized control of large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in mid-2014. 
 
The jihadist group has committed widespread atrocities in areas under its control and organised or inspired a wave of attacks across the Middle East and in Western cities. 
 
A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against the jihadists in Syria and Iraq and recent months have seen IS lose significant territory. 
 
The Washington Post reported today that Washington was to offer to cooperate with Russia in joint military action against IS and the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra Front. 
 
In Paris before heading to Moscow, Kerry did not deny the report, but refused to discuss the proposal in detail until he had been to the Kremlin. 
 
According to the Post, which cited sections of what it said was a draft agreement, US and Russian commanders would set up a joint command and control centre to direct intensified air strikes against the groups. 
 
Such a deal is likely to face criticism that it amounts to a tacit acceptance of Putin&#39;s efforts to shore up Assad&#39;s regime.&nbsp; 
 
It was her own fault 
In his interview with NBC, Assad also said a US reporter killed in alleged Syrian government bombardment in 2012 was responsible for her own death. 
 
Marie Colvin, a 56-year-old war correspondent working for British newspaper The Sunday Times, died in the rebel-held Baba Amr district of Syria&#39;s third city Homs. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a war and she came illegally to Syria. She worked with the terrorists, and because she came illegally, she&#39;s been responsible of everything that befall on her,&quot; Assad said, speaking in English. 
 
Asked if she was responsible for her own death, Assad replied &quot;of course&quot;, though he denied that his forces had targeted her. 
 
His comments came days after relatives of Colvin filed a lawsuit in a US court alleging Assad&#39;s regime targeted her to stop her covering government atrocities. 
 
The suit, based on information from captured government documents as well as defectors, claims the Syrian military intercepted Colvin&#39;s communications and unleashed a barrage of rocket fire on her location, killing her and French photographer Remi Ochlik. 
 
(AFP)

'Only the Syrian people define who's going to be the President, when to come, and when to go,' he said

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said today he has never faced pressure from Russia to step aside, as US secretary of state John Kerry headed to Moscow seeking to revive stalled peace efforts. Speaking to NBC News in Damascus, Assad insisted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov had never raised the issue of his departure or a political transition. "Only the Syrian people define who's going to be the President, when to come, and when to go. They never said a single word regarding this," he said. Assad's fate is a key question in efforts to bring about a negotiated settlement to Syria's five-year civil war. Hopes for the existing peace process rest on the UN-backed blueprint sketched out by the 22-nation, US and Russian-led International Syria Support Group. Under this road map, signed by both Syria's ally Iran and Assad's pro-rebel foe Saudi Arabia, a nationwide ceasefire will precede Geneva-based talks on "political transition". But there has been little progress towards a resumption of talks that had been expected to take place this month. And the prospects for a political transition beginning August, as laid out in the road map, now appear slim. Kerry was due to arrive later today in Moscow, a close ally of Assad's government that launched air strikes in support of regime forces last September. Kerry said before leaving Washington that he would meet Putin "to see if we can somehow advance this (the peace process) in the important ways that people want us to". Moscow and Washington brokered a landmark partial ceasefire in Syria in February but it has since all but collapsed amid continued heavy fighting. Kerry's spokesman John Kirby told reporters his boss was "extremely frustrated" with the failure of peace efforts and "his patience was growing thin". In Washington, many observers have criticised Kerry's outreach to Russia on Syria, arguing he has been strung along by Putin as he seeks to protect his client Assad. But Kirby insisted the administration is not being naive, and that today's visit to Moscow, Kerry's third this year, would "probe the sincerity" of Putin's promises. Syria's conflict began in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into a complex multi-front war that has left more than 280,000 dead and forced millions from their homes. Efforts to bring an end to the war have taken on greater urgency since the emergence of the Islamic State group, which seized control of large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in mid-2014. The jihadist group has committed widespread atrocities in areas under its control and organised or inspired a wave of attacks across the Middle East and in Western cities. A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against the jihadists in Syria and Iraq and recent months have seen IS lose significant territory. The Washington Post reported today that Washington was to offer to cooperate with Russia in joint military action against IS and the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra Front. In Paris before heading to Moscow, Kerry did not deny the report, but refused to discuss the proposal in detail until he had been to the Kremlin. According to the Post, which cited sections of what it said was a draft agreement, US and Russian commanders would set up a joint command and control centre to direct intensified air strikes against the groups. Such a deal is likely to face criticism that it amounts to a tacit acceptance of Putin's efforts to shore up Assad's regime. It was her own fault In his interview with NBC, Assad also said a US reporter killed in alleged Syrian government bombardment in 2012 was responsible for her own death. Marie Colvin, a 56-year-old war correspondent working for British newspaper The Sunday Times, died in the rebel-held Baba Amr district of Syria's third city Homs. "It's a war and she came illegally to Syria. She worked with the terrorists, and because she came illegally, she's been responsible of everything that befall on her," Assad said, speaking in English. Asked if she was responsible for her own death, Assad replied "of course", though he denied that his forces had targeted her. His comments came days after relatives of Colvin filed a lawsuit in a US court alleging Assad's regime targeted her to stop her covering government atrocities. The suit, based on information from captured government documents as well as defectors, claims the Syrian military intercepted Colvin's communications and unleashed a barrage of rocket fire on her location, killing her and French photographer Remi Ochlik. (AFP)

Have never faced pressure from Russia to step aside: Assad

A top Islamic State group commander, Omar al-Shishani, has been killed in Iraq, the jihadist-linked Amaq agency said on Wednesday. 
 
The Pentagon announced in March that Shishani, known as Omar the Chechen, was believed to have died of injuries received in an air raid targeting his convoy in northeastern Syria, details at odds with Amaq&#39;s account. 
 
Citing a &quot;military source&quot;, Amaq said Shishani was killed &quot;in the town of Sharqat as he took part in repelling the military campaign on the city of Mosul&quot;, referring to the last IS-held city in Iraq. 
 
Iraqi forces are conducting operations to set the stage for a final push to Mosul, the country&#39;s second city that fell to IS in June 2014. 
 
Sharqat lies on the road north to Mosul, but Iraqi forces recently bypassed the area to recapture a key military base in the Qayyarah area farther north that the Pentagon said will be a &quot;springboard&quot; for the push toward the city. 
 
Amaq did not specify when Shishani was killed, but the loss of the commander is a blow to the jihadist group, which has suffered a string of setbacks in Iraq this year.&nbsp;In addition to Shishani, the US announced that it had killed IS deputy leader Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli in March. 
 
Shishani, a fierce, battle-hardened warlord with roots in Georgia and a thick red beard, was one of the most notorious faces of IS.&nbsp;Shishani, whose nom de guerre means &quot;Omar the Chechen&quot;, was one of the IS leaders most wanted by Washington, which had put a $5 million bounty on his head. 
 
His exact rank was unclear, but a US official had branded him as &quot;equivalent of the secretary of defence&quot; for the jihadist group. 
Shishani came from the former Soviet state of Georgia&#39;s Pankisi Gorge region, which is populated mainly by ethnic Chechens. 
 
He fought as a Chechen rebel against Russian forces before joining the Georgian military in 2006, and fought Russian forces again in Georgia in 2008. 
 
He later resurfaced in northern Syria as the commander of a group of foreign fighters, and became a senior leader within IS. 
 
IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014 but has since lost significant ground to Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes, training and other assistance. 
 
Baghdad declared victory in the city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, at the end of last month, leaving Mosul as the sole Iraqi city held by IS. 
 
The Sunni extremist group has responded to the battlefield setbacks by striking civilians, particularly Shiites, and experts have warned there may be more bombings as the jihadists continue to lose ground. 
 
(AFP)

Omar al-Shishani was one of the IS leaders most wanted by Washington, which had a $5 million bounty on his head

A top Islamic State group commander, Omar al-Shishani, has been killed in Iraq, the jihadist-linked Amaq agency said on Wednesday. The Pentagon announced in March that Shishani, known as Omar the Chechen, was believed to have died of injuries received in an air raid targeting his convoy in northeastern Syria, details at odds with Amaq's account. Citing a "military source", Amaq said Shishani was killed "in the town of Sharqat as he took part in repelling the military campaign on the city of Mosul", referring to the last IS-held city in Iraq. Iraqi forces are conducting operations to set the stage for a final push to Mosul, the country's second city that fell to IS in June 2014. Sharqat lies on the road north to Mosul, but Iraqi forces recently bypassed the area to recapture a key military base in the Qayyarah area farther north that the Pentagon said will be a "springboard" for the push toward the city. Amaq did not specify when Shishani was killed, but the loss of the commander is a blow to the jihadist group, which has suffered a string of setbacks in Iraq this year. In addition to Shishani, the US announced that it had killed IS deputy leader Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli in March. Shishani, a fierce, battle-hardened warlord with roots in Georgia and a thick red beard, was one of the most notorious faces of IS. Shishani, whose nom de guerre means "Omar the Chechen", was one of the IS leaders most wanted by Washington, which had put a $5 million bounty on his head. His exact rank was unclear, but a US official had branded him as "equivalent of the secretary of defence" for the jihadist group. Shishani came from the former Soviet state of Georgia's Pankisi Gorge region, which is populated mainly by ethnic Chechens. He fought as a Chechen rebel against Russian forces before joining the Georgian military in 2006, and fought Russian forces again in Georgia in 2008. He later resurfaced in northern Syria as the commander of a group of foreign fighters, and became a senior leader within IS. IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014 but has since lost significant ground to Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes, training and other assistance. Baghdad declared victory in the city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, at the end of last month, leaving Mosul as the sole Iraqi city held by IS. The Sunni extremist group has responded to the battlefield setbacks by striking civilians, particularly Shiites, and experts have warned there may be more bombings as the jihadists continue to lose ground. (AFP)

Top Islamic State commander Shishani killed

At least 11 civilians, including three children, were killed in air strikes on a rebel-held town in Syria&#39;s northwestern Idlib province on Wednesday, a monitor said. 
 
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said it was unclear if the strikes on the town of Ariha in Idlib province were carried out by Syrian government or Russian war planes. 
 
The town is controlled by the Army of Conquest, a rebel alliance of mainly Islamist groups including Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front that holds almost all of Idlib province. 
 
Video uploaded by activists purportedly showed the aftermath of the strikes, with residents and civil defence workers picking through debris looking for survivors. 
 
Idlib has regularly been targeted by both Syrian government air strikes and raids carried out by its Russian ally. 
 
A longtime backer of the government in Damascus, Moscow stepped up its support for President Bashar al-Assad on September 30, when it began an air campaign aimed at bolstering regime positions. 
 
Elsewhere in the country, the Observatory said at least eight people were killed on Wednesday in the town of Rastan in central Homs province. 
 
Five of them died in air strikes on the town&#39;s market place, which also wounded dozens of people. Another three were killed in shelling earlier Wednesday. 
 
(AFP)

'It was unclear if the strikes on the town of Ariha in Idlib province were carried out by Syrian government or Russian war planes'

At least 11 civilians, including three children, were killed in air strikes on a rebel-held town in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on Wednesday, a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said it was unclear if the strikes on the town of Ariha in Idlib province were carried out by Syrian government or Russian war planes. The town is controlled by the Army of Conquest, a rebel alliance of mainly Islamist groups including Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front that holds almost all of Idlib province. Video uploaded by activists purportedly showed the aftermath of the strikes, with residents and civil defence workers picking through debris looking for survivors. Idlib has regularly been targeted by both Syrian government air strikes and raids carried out by its Russian ally. A longtime backer of the government in Damascus, Moscow stepped up its support for President Bashar al-Assad on September 30, when it began an air campaign aimed at bolstering regime positions. Elsewhere in the country, the Observatory said at least eight people were killed on Wednesday in the town of Rastan in central Homs province. Five of them died in air strikes on the town's market place, which also wounded dozens of people. Another three were killed in shelling earlier Wednesday. (AFP)

Air strikes kill 11 including children in Syria's Idlib: Monitor

An Australian court today convicted Sydney man Hamdi Al Qudsi of recruiting seven young men to travel overseas and fight alongside Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria, a spokeswoman for the court said. 
 
Al Qudsi, 42, was found guilty by the New South Wales state Supreme Court in Sydney of aiding the men to fight with extremist groups in 2013, the spokeswoman told Reuters. 
 
&quot;The charges were give money/goods to promote/support foreign hostile acts,&quot; she said. Each of the seven charges carries a 10 year prison sentence. Al Qudsi is yet to be sentenced. 
 
Prosecutors alleged that Al Qudsi made arrangements for the men to travel to Syria in 2013 for the purpose of fighting alongside groups listed by the Australian government as terrorist organisations. 
 
Under tough new security powers passed in 2014, Australians face up to a decade in prison for overseas travel to areas declared off limits, which includes the province of Raqqa in Syria, a key strategic hub for Islamic State militants. 
 
A copy of the indictment provided to Reuters lists seven men that Al Qudsi recruited to fight in Syria. Two of those men - Tyler Casey and Caner Temel - were killed in Syria, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported. 
 
Two other men listed in the indictment, Muhammed Abdul-Karim Musleh and Mehmet Biber, have since returned, the ABC said. 
 
About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organisations such as Islamic State, Australia&#39;s Immigration Minister said earlier this year. 
 
Australia, a staunch US ally, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014 and authorities say they have thwarted a number of plots. 
 
There have been several &quot;lone wolf&quot; assaults, including a 2014 cafe siege in Sydney that left two hostages and the gunman dead. Also in 2014, police shot dead a Melbourne teenager after he stabbed two counter-terrorism officers. 
 
In 2015, a 15-year-old boy fired on an accountant at a police headquarters in a Sydney suburb and was then killed in a gunfight with police. 
 
(Reuters)

Hamdi Al Qudsi made arrangements for seven young men to travel to Syria in 2013 to fight with IS, and gets 10 years in jail for each recruit

An Australian court today convicted Sydney man Hamdi Al Qudsi of recruiting seven young men to travel overseas and fight alongside Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria, a spokeswoman for the court said. Al Qudsi, 42, was found guilty by the New South Wales state Supreme Court in Sydney of aiding the men to fight with extremist groups in 2013, the spokeswoman told Reuters. "The charges were give money/goods to promote/support foreign hostile acts," she said. Each of the seven charges carries a 10 year prison sentence. Al Qudsi is yet to be sentenced. Prosecutors alleged that Al Qudsi made arrangements for the men to travel to Syria in 2013 for the purpose of fighting alongside groups listed by the Australian government as terrorist organisations. Under tough new security powers passed in 2014, Australians face up to a decade in prison for overseas travel to areas declared off limits, which includes the province of Raqqa in Syria, a key strategic hub for Islamic State militants. A copy of the indictment provided to Reuters lists seven men that Al Qudsi recruited to fight in Syria. Two of those men - Tyler Casey and Caner Temel - were killed in Syria, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported. Two other men listed in the indictment, Muhammed Abdul-Karim Musleh and Mehmet Biber, have since returned, the ABC said. About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organisations such as Islamic State, Australia's Immigration Minister said earlier this year. Australia, a staunch US ally, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014 and authorities say they have thwarted a number of plots. There have been several "lone wolf" assaults, including a 2014 cafe siege in Sydney that left two hostages and the gunman dead. Also in 2014, police shot dead a Melbourne teenager after he stabbed two counter-terrorism officers. In 2015, a 15-year-old boy fired on an accountant at a police headquarters in a Sydney suburb and was then killed in a gunfight with police. (Reuters)

Australian convicted of recruiting foreign fighters for Islamic State

Pentagon chief Ashton Carter held taks in Baghdad today over the fight against the Islamic State group and the strategy to recapture Iraq&#39;s second city Mosul from the jihadists. 
 
Carter met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Khalid al-Obeidi, two days after Iraq announced the recapture of a base south of Mosul seen as an important step toward the eventual battle for the city. 
 
Carter&#39;s unannounced visit is&nbsp;his fourth to Iraq since beginning his job in February 2015, which&nbsp;comes two days after Iraqi forces captured an airbase to the south of Mosul that is seen as an important step toward the eventual battle for the country&#39;s second city, which has been under IS control since June 2014. 
 
IS losing ground in Syria, Iraq; Carter wants to highlight successes&nbsp; 
 
IS also holds territory in neighbouring Syria, but has lost significant ground in both countries, and Carter wants to highlight successes, even as the jihadists have struck back with devastating attacks in Iraq and abroad. 
 
The Sunni extremists have carried out bloody attacks against civilians as they lose ground, including a bombing in Baghdad that killed 292 people this month, one of the deadliest to ever hit the country. 
 
&quot;Let me begin... by expressing the condolences of myself and the United States for the terrorist attacks against the people of Iraq in recent weeks,&quot; Carter told Abadi. 
 
&quot;You have our sympathy but also it further strengthens our resolve to help in the defeat of (IS), which all of our societies need because all of our societies are subject to attacks.&quot;&quot;I also want to congratulate you on the string of successes that the Iraqi security forces have had,&quot; said Carter. 
 
The Qayyarah airbase, which Abadi announced Saturday had been recaptured, is located 60 kilometres (35 miles) south of Mosul and can serve as a launchpad for future operations to recapture the city. 
 
&#39;Ultimate goal is recapture of Iraqi territory&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Ahead of his meetings, Carter told journalists that he would discuss the next moves in the war against the jihadists. 
 
&quot;What I&#39;ll be discussing with Prime Minister Abadi and our commanders there are the next plays in the campaign, which involve the collapse and control over Mosul,&quot; Carter said aboard a military plane. 
 
The ultimate goal, he added, was &quot;the recapture of all of Iraqi territory by the Iraqi security forces, but of course Mosul is the biggest part of that.&quot; 
 
US defence officials say the campaign`s first &quot;10 plays&quot; have been successfully completed in the US-led counter-IS campaign in Iraq and Syria. 
 
These steps include the recapture of several important areas across the two countries, including Ramadi in Iraq and Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria previously considered a strategic IS stronghold.&nbsp; 
 
Pentagon has announced a series a measures to speed up war&nbsp; 
 
Carter and President Barack Obama have been criticised for the pace of the campaign, which began in autumn 2014 and got off to a slow start, particularly in war-torn Syria, where the United States had few assets on the ground to provide targeting information.The Pentagon has announced a series of measures to speed up the war, including a revised mission to train anti-IS rebels in northern Syria and extra advisers for Iraqi forces. 
 
Coupled with coalition air support, the results have seen the IS group losing roughly half its territory in Iraq and about 20 percent of its Syria claim, the Pentagon said. 
 
But the jihadists have struck back against civilians as they lost ground. 
 
On July 3, IS carried out the devastating bombing targeting shoppers in Baghdad that killed 292, many of whom were burned alive, sparking widespread anger among Iraqis, some of whom have accused the government of not doing enough to protect them. 
 
Four days later, the jihadists struck a Shiite shrine north the capital, leaving another 40 dead. 
 
Carter was also to meet with US troops, of whom there are now about 4,000 in Iraq, mainly to train local forces. 
 
The Pentagon chief will also phone Massud Barzani, the de facto president of Iraq`s Kurdistan region. 
 
The United States has pledged $415 million to help Kurdish peshmerga fighters as they join the fight for Mosul, moving in from the north. 
 
 
(AFP)

Ashton Carter's visit come 2 days after Iraq announced recapture of a base south of Mosul, seen as an important step

Pentagon chief Ashton Carter held taks in Baghdad today over the fight against the Islamic State group and the strategy to recapture Iraq's second city Mosul from the jihadists. Carter met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Khalid al-Obeidi, two days after Iraq announced the recapture of a base south of Mosul seen as an important step toward the eventual battle for the city. Carter's unannounced visit is his fourth to Iraq since beginning his job in February 2015, which comes two days after Iraqi forces captured an airbase to the south of Mosul that is seen as an important step toward the eventual battle for the country's second city, which has been under IS control since June 2014. IS losing ground in Syria, Iraq; Carter wants to highlight successes IS also holds territory in neighbouring Syria, but has lost significant ground in both countries, and Carter wants to highlight successes, even as the jihadists have struck back with devastating attacks in Iraq and abroad. The Sunni extremists have carried out bloody attacks against civilians as they lose ground, including a bombing in Baghdad that killed 292 people this month, one of the deadliest to ever hit the country. "Let me begin... by expressing the condolences of myself and the United States for the terrorist attacks against the people of Iraq in recent weeks," Carter told Abadi. "You have our sympathy but also it further strengthens our resolve to help in the defeat of (IS), which all of our societies need because all of our societies are subject to attacks.""I also want to congratulate you on the string of successes that the Iraqi security forces have had," said Carter. The Qayyarah airbase, which Abadi announced Saturday had been recaptured, is located 60 kilometres (35 miles) south of Mosul and can serve as a launchpad for future operations to recapture the city. 'Ultimate goal is recapture of Iraqi territory' Ahead of his meetings, Carter told journalists that he would discuss the next moves in the war against the jihadists. "What I'll be discussing with Prime Minister Abadi and our commanders there are the next plays in the campaign, which involve the collapse and control over Mosul," Carter said aboard a military plane. The ultimate goal, he added, was "the recapture of all of Iraqi territory by the Iraqi security forces, but of course Mosul is the biggest part of that." US defence officials say the campaign`s first "10 plays" have been successfully completed in the US-led counter-IS campaign in Iraq and Syria. These steps include the recapture of several important areas across the two countries, including Ramadi in Iraq and Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria previously considered a strategic IS stronghold. Pentagon has announced a series a measures to speed up war Carter and President Barack Obama have been criticised for the pace of the campaign, which began in autumn 2014 and got off to a slow start, particularly in war-torn Syria, where the United States had few assets on the ground to provide targeting information.The Pentagon has announced a series of measures to speed up the war, including a revised mission to train anti-IS rebels in northern Syria and extra advisers for Iraqi forces. Coupled with coalition air support, the results have seen the IS group losing roughly half its territory in Iraq and about 20 percent of its Syria claim, the Pentagon said. But the jihadists have struck back against civilians as they lost ground. On July 3, IS carried out the devastating bombing targeting shoppers in Baghdad that killed 292, many of whom were burned alive, sparking widespread anger among Iraqis, some of whom have accused the government of not doing enough to protect them. Four days later, the jihadists struck a Shiite shrine north the capital, leaving another 40 dead. Carter was also to meet with US troops, of whom there are now about 4,000 in Iraq, mainly to train local forces. The Pentagon chief will also phone Massud Barzani, the de facto president of Iraq`s Kurdistan region. The United States has pledged $415 million to help Kurdish peshmerga fighters as they join the fight for Mosul, moving in from the north. (AFP)

Pentagon chief visits Baghdad to step up fight against Islamic State

French President Francois Hollande called on Saturday for international action against an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, warning that the recent losses sustained by the Islamic State group could embolden other jihadist groups. 
 
&quot;Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Islamic State) is in retreat, that is beyond dispute,&quot; Hollande said after a meeting with the leaders of the United States, Germany, Britain, Italy and Ukraine on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Warsaw. 
 
But, Hollande added, &quot;we must also avoid a situation whereby as Daesh becomes weaker, other groups become stronger.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Hollande singled out Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front as particularly standing to benefit from the US-led military campaign against its arch-rival the Islamic State group. 
 
Faced with a barrage of airstrikes and ground offensives by local forces, IS has lost territory in both Syria and Iraq in recent months. 
 
&quot;We must coordinate among ourselves to continue actions against Daesh but also take effective action against Al-Nusra,&quot; Hollande said, directing his appeal at Russia and the US. 
 
On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a telephone call to &quot;intensify&quot; military coordination between their two countries in Syria. 
 
Russia had in May proposed joint air strikes with the US against jihadist targets in Syria - a suggestion that was rebuffed by Washington. 
 
The White House reported that the two leaders, in their call this week, &quot;confirmed their commitment to defeating ISIL (IS) and the Al-Nusra Front&quot;. 
 
The two groups are excluded from a broader truce brokered by Moscow and Washington in February.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

'We must also avoid a situation whereby as IS becomes weaker, other groups become stronger,' says the French President

French President Francois Hollande called on Saturday for international action against an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, warning that the recent losses sustained by the Islamic State group could embolden other jihadist groups. "Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Islamic State) is in retreat, that is beyond dispute," Hollande said after a meeting with the leaders of the United States, Germany, Britain, Italy and Ukraine on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Warsaw. But, Hollande added, "we must also avoid a situation whereby as Daesh becomes weaker, other groups become stronger." Hollande singled out Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front as particularly standing to benefit from the US-led military campaign against its arch-rival the Islamic State group. Faced with a barrage of airstrikes and ground offensives by local forces, IS has lost territory in both Syria and Iraq in recent months. "We must coordinate among ourselves to continue actions against Daesh but also take effective action against Al-Nusra," Hollande said, directing his appeal at Russia and the US. On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a telephone call to "intensify" military coordination between their two countries in Syria. Russia had in May proposed joint air strikes with the US against jihadist targets in Syria - a suggestion that was rebuffed by Washington. The White House reported that the two leaders, in their call this week, "confirmed their commitment to defeating ISIL (IS) and the Al-Nusra Front". The two groups are excluded from a broader truce brokered by Moscow and Washington in February. (AFP)

Hollande calls for military action against Syrian Qaeda affiliate

Islamic State (IS) lost an area the size of Ireland,&nbsp;a quarter of its territory,&nbsp;to hostile forces in the last 18 months in Iraq and Syria and is likely to further step up attacks on civilians in coming months, a leading research firm&nbsp;Information handling Services (IHS)&nbsp;said in a report today.

The territory controlled by the ultra-hardline Sunni group shrank from 90,800 sq km (35,000 square miles) in January 2015, six months after it declared a caliphate in Syria and Iraq, to 68,300 sq km (26,370 square miles), the research firm said.

This has led the group to step up attacks on civilian targets in the Middle East and in Europe and this is likely to intensify, IHS stated.

&quot;As the Islamic State&#39;s caliphate shrinks and it becomes increasingly clear that its governance project is failing, the group is re-prioritising insurgency,&quot; said Columb Strack, senior analyst at IHS and lead analyst for the IHS Conflict Monitor.

&quot;As a result, we unfortunately expect an increase in mass casualty attacks and sabotage of economic infrastructure, across Iraq and Syria, and further afield, including Europe,&quot; &nbsp;he added.&nbsp; 
 
IS lost control of stronghold in&nbsp;Falluja, Ramadi&nbsp;

The Iraqi military&#39;s recapture of Falluja, an Islamic State stronghold just west of Baghdad, last month has led the insurgents to step up bombings on Shi&#39;ite Muslim targets.

Nearly 300 people died when an Islamic State suicide bomber struck in a busy shopping district in Baghdad a week ago, in one of the worst such attacks by the group to date.

Islamic State lost control of the city of Ramadi at the end of last year, another key stronghold for the group which captured large swathes of Iraq in 2014. The army is now gearing up to retake Mosul, the largest city in Iraq&#39;s north and Islamic State&#39;s de facto capital.

In Syria, the militants lost ground this year to both Russian and Iranian-backed forces supporting President Bashar al-Assad and to the US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance.

In February the SDF captured the town of al Shadadi, a major logistics hub for the militants, and in March Syrian and allied forces backed by Russian air strikes drove Islamic State out of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra and surrounding areas.

An SDF advance is underway to retake areas north of Islamic State&#39;s de facto capital in Syria, Raqqa. 
 
(Reuters)

This has led the group to step up attacks on civilian targets in the Middle East and in Europe, according to a leading research firm

Islamic State (IS) lost an area the size of Ireland, a quarter of its territory, to hostile forces in the last 18 months in Iraq and Syria and is likely to further step up attacks on civilians in coming months, a leading research firm Information handling Services (IHS) said in a report today. The territory controlled by the ultra-hardline Sunni group shrank from 90,800 sq km (35,000 square miles) in January 2015, six months after it declared a caliphate in Syria and Iraq, to 68,300 sq km (26,370 square miles), the research firm said. This has led the group to step up attacks on civilian targets in the Middle East and in Europe and this is likely to intensify, IHS stated. "As the Islamic State's caliphate shrinks and it becomes increasingly clear that its governance project is failing, the group is re-prioritising insurgency," said Columb Strack, senior analyst at IHS and lead analyst for the IHS Conflict Monitor. "As a result, we unfortunately expect an increase in mass casualty attacks and sabotage of economic infrastructure, across Iraq and Syria, and further afield, including Europe," he added. IS lost control of stronghold in Falluja, Ramadi The Iraqi military's recapture of Falluja, an Islamic State stronghold just west of Baghdad, last month has led the insurgents to step up bombings on Shi'ite Muslim targets. Nearly 300 people died when an Islamic State suicide bomber struck in a busy shopping district in Baghdad a week ago, in one of the worst such attacks by the group to date. Islamic State lost control of the city of Ramadi at the end of last year, another key stronghold for the group which captured large swathes of Iraq in 2014. The army is now gearing up to retake Mosul, the largest city in Iraq's north and Islamic State's de facto capital. In Syria, the militants lost ground this year to both Russian and Iranian-backed forces supporting President Bashar al-Assad and to the US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance. In February the SDF captured the town of al Shadadi, a major logistics hub for the militants, and in March Syrian and allied forces backed by Russian air strikes drove Islamic State out of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra and surrounding areas. An SDF advance is underway to retake areas north of Islamic State's de facto capital in Syria, Raqqa. (Reuters)

IS lost quarter of its territory in Syria, Iraq in 18 months, says research firm

The family of American journalist Marie Colvin who died in Syria in 2012 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in a US court, accusing the Syrian government of deliberately killing her, the New York Times reported on Saturday. 
 
Colvin and French photographer, Remi Ochlik, were killed in the besieged Syrian city of Homs in 2012 while reporting on the Syrian conflict now in its sixth year. 
 
The lawsuit, filed in Washington, said Syrian officials deliberately targeted rockets against a makeshift broadcast studio where Colvin and other reporters were living and working. 
 
The lawsuit, to which The New York Time article provides an online link, said the attack was part of a plan orchestrated at the highest levels of the Syrian government to silence local and international media &quot;as part of its effort to crush political opposition&quot;. 
 
Colvin and Ochlik were both prize-winning reporters of wars in the Middle East, Asia and elsewhere. The Britain-based Colvin, who lost an eye while working in Sri Lanka in 2001, was working for the Sunday Times at the time of her death. 
 
(Reuters)

The lawsuit said the attack was part of a plan by the Syrian government to silence local and international media

The family of American journalist Marie Colvin who died in Syria in 2012 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in a US court, accusing the Syrian government of deliberately killing her, the New York Times reported on Saturday. Colvin and French photographer, Remi Ochlik, were killed in the besieged Syrian city of Homs in 2012 while reporting on the Syrian conflict now in its sixth year. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, said Syrian officials deliberately targeted rockets against a makeshift broadcast studio where Colvin and other reporters were living and working. The lawsuit, to which The New York Time article provides an online link, said the attack was part of a plan orchestrated at the highest levels of the Syrian government to silence local and international media "as part of its effort to crush political opposition". Colvin and Ochlik were both prize-winning reporters of wars in the Middle East, Asia and elsewhere. The Britain-based Colvin, who lost an eye while working in Sri Lanka in 2001, was working for the Sunday Times at the time of her death. (Reuters)

Family of slain US scribe sues Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad joined Eid al-Fitr prayers at a mosque in the country&#39;s third-largest city, Homs, on Wednesday in a rare public appearance outside the capital for the end-of-Ramadan holiday. 
 
Large parts of Homs were once under the control of rebels fighting to overthrow Assad&#39;s regime but since May 2014 they have been confined to a single besieged neighbourhood in the city&#39;s outskirts. 
 
The Al-Safa mosque, where Assad joined worshippers, is in Akrama, a loyalist neighbourhood which has been hit by repeated attacks by the Islamic State group and its jihadist rival Al-Qaeda. 
 
State television broadcast footage of the president in the congregation alongside Islamic Endowments Minister Mohammad Abdel-Sattar Sayyed and Syria&#39;s top Muslim cleric Ahmad Badredine Hassoun. 
 
Since the civil war erupted in 2011, Assad has made only rare public appearances and nearly all of those have been in Damascus. 
 
(AFP)

Since the civil war erupted in 2011, Assad has made only rare public appearances and nearly all of those have been in Damascus

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad joined Eid al-Fitr prayers at a mosque in the country's third-largest city, Homs, on Wednesday in a rare public appearance outside the capital for the end-of-Ramadan holiday. Large parts of Homs were once under the control of rebels fighting to overthrow Assad's regime but since May 2014 they have been confined to a single besieged neighbourhood in the city's outskirts. The Al-Safa mosque, where Assad joined worshippers, is in Akrama, a loyalist neighbourhood which has been hit by repeated attacks by the Islamic State group and its jihadist rival Al-Qaeda. State television broadcast footage of the president in the congregation alongside Islamic Endowments Minister Mohammad Abdel-Sattar Sayyed and Syria's top Muslim cleric Ahmad Badredine Hassoun. Since the civil war erupted in 2011, Assad has made only rare public appearances and nearly all of those have been in Damascus. (AFP)

Syria's Assad makes rare appearance outside capital for Eid

A motorcycle bomber killed at least 16 people outside a bakery in Syria&#39;s Hasakeh city on Tuesday, on the eve of the feast marking the end of Ramzan, an official said.&nbsp;The attack, which also wounded dozens of people, occurred in the Kurdish-majority neighbourhood of Salihiah ahead of the Eid al-Fitr festival. 
 
It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, but the Islamic State (IS) group has claimed previous bombings in the mainly Kurdish region.&nbsp;Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the attack killed at least 16 people and wounded another 40. 
 
A Kurdish police source confirmed the death toll to an AFP correspondent and said the suicide attacker detonated his explosives in front of the bakery.&nbsp;&quot;A suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up in the Salihiah neighbourhood of Hasakeh city,&quot; said Abdel Rahman. 
 
Fifteen of the wounded were in critical condition, said the head of the Britain-based group that relies on a network of sources on the ground for its information. 
 
Hasakeh city is the capital of the province of the same name.&nbsp;Nearly all of the province is controlled by the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG), who have declared an autonomous region across the mainly Kurdish northern areas they hold. 
 
The YPG is regarded by the Pentagon as the most effective fighting force against IS on the ground in Syria.&nbsp;A US-backed alliance of Kurds and Arabs has been locked in battle in the neighbouring province of Aleppo for control of the IS stronghold of Manbij for more than one month. 
 
The Syrian Democratic Forces alliance launched the offensive in late May and encircled the town and entered its southwestern districts on June 23.&nbsp;More than 280,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced since Syria&#39;s conflict broke out in March 2011. 
 
(AFP)

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, but the Islamic State has claimed previous bombings in the mainly Kurdish region

A motorcycle bomber killed at least 16 people outside a bakery in Syria's Hasakeh city on Tuesday, on the eve of the feast marking the end of Ramzan, an official said. The attack, which also wounded dozens of people, occurred in the Kurdish-majority neighbourhood of Salihiah ahead of the Eid al-Fitr festival. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, but the Islamic State (IS) group has claimed previous bombings in the mainly Kurdish region. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the attack killed at least 16 people and wounded another 40. A Kurdish police source confirmed the death toll to an AFP correspondent and said the suicide attacker detonated his explosives in front of the bakery. "A suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up in the Salihiah neighbourhood of Hasakeh city," said Abdel Rahman. Fifteen of the wounded were in critical condition, said the head of the Britain-based group that relies on a network of sources on the ground for its information. Hasakeh city is the capital of the province of the same name. Nearly all of the province is controlled by the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG), who have declared an autonomous region across the mainly Kurdish northern areas they hold. The YPG is regarded by the Pentagon as the most effective fighting force against IS on the ground in Syria. A US-backed alliance of Kurds and Arabs has been locked in battle in the neighbouring province of Aleppo for control of the IS stronghold of Manbij for more than one month. The Syrian Democratic Forces alliance launched the offensive in late May and encircled the town and entered its southwestern districts on June 23. More than 280,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced since Syria's conflict broke out in March 2011. (AFP)

16 killed, 40 wounded in suicide bombing outside bakery in Syria's Hasakeh

The Syrian army today said it was observing a 72-hour ceasefire across the country coinciding with the festival marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. 
 
&quot;A &#39;regime of silence&#39; is applied across all territory of the Syrian Arab Republic for 72 hours from 1:00 am on July 6 to midnight on July 8,&quot; the army said in a statement republished by official media. 
 
The statement did not specify whether the ceasefire extended to military action against jihadists such as the Islamic State (IS) group or the al Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front. 
 
A ceasefire between regime forces and non-jihadist rebel groups was announced by Russia and the United States in late February but has mostly collapsed amid repeated violations. 
 
There was no immediate indication whether rebel forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime would abide by the new truce. 
 
The ceasefire coincides with the three-day Eid ul-Fitr festival marking the end of Ramadan, when devout Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. 
 
Assad joined Eid prayers at a mosque in third city Homs today in a rare public appearance outside the capital Damascus. 
 
State television broadcast footage of the president joining worshippers at the Al-Safa mosque in Homs, which is mainly under government control except for a besieged rebel-held neighbourhood on the city&#39;s outskirts. 
 
Previous attempts to implement ceasefires in Syria have repeatedly failed, as have diplomatic efforts to end a five-year civil war that has killed more than 280,000 people and forced millions from their homes. 
 
Shelling reported in Aleppo 
 
Several temporary truces have been announced in recent months for second city Aleppo, scene of some of the heaviest fighting in the war, but have fallen apart. 
 
Aleppo, which was Syria&#39;s commercial and manufacturing hub before the civil war erupted, is divided between a rebel-held east and regime-controlled west. 
 
Eastern districts have faced heavy bombardment including air strikes from regime forces, while rebels regularly fire rockets into the west. 
 
Despite the ceasefire announcement, Aleppo&#39;s eastern areas came under fire today morning, according to residents and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group. 
 
In the eastern Al-Mashad district a civilian was killed and several wounded when artillery fire fell near a mosque hosting Eid prayers, the Observatory said. 
 
&quot;Shells have been falling on the neighbourhood since early this morning,&quot; resident Ahmad Nassif told AFP. 
 
&quot;I had planned to visit family and friends, to bring my children out to play, but we decided to stay inside the house in case the shelling resumes,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I hope things will calm down a bit during Eid, not for me but for my children.&quot; 
 
Syria&#39;s conflict began five years ago with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into a complex multi-front war. 
 
IS emerged from the chaos of the war, seizing control of large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq, committing widespread atrocities in areas under its control, and organising and inspiring jihadist attacks across the Middle East and in Western cities. 
 
Washington has backed rebel forces in Syria and Moscow is supporting Assad, but the rise of IS has seen efforts focus on defeating the jihadists. 
 
Russia and the United States launched a major attempt last year to bring about peace talks between Assad and rebel forces, but the negotiations faltered as the partial truce announced in February fell apart. 
 
(AFP)

The truce coincides with the three-day Eid ul-Fitr festival marking the end of Ramzan

The Syrian army today said it was observing a 72-hour ceasefire across the country coinciding with the festival marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. "A 'regime of silence' is applied across all territory of the Syrian Arab Republic for 72 hours from 1:00 am on July 6 to midnight on July 8," the army said in a statement republished by official media. The statement did not specify whether the ceasefire extended to military action against jihadists such as the Islamic State (IS) group or the al Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front. A ceasefire between regime forces and non-jihadist rebel groups was announced by Russia and the United States in late February but has mostly collapsed amid repeated violations. There was no immediate indication whether rebel forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad's regime would abide by the new truce. The ceasefire coincides with the three-day Eid ul-Fitr festival marking the end of Ramadan, when devout Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. Assad joined Eid prayers at a mosque in third city Homs today in a rare public appearance outside the capital Damascus. State television broadcast footage of the president joining worshippers at the Al-Safa mosque in Homs, which is mainly under government control except for a besieged rebel-held neighbourhood on the city's outskirts. Previous attempts to implement ceasefires in Syria have repeatedly failed, as have diplomatic efforts to end a five-year civil war that has killed more than 280,000 people and forced millions from their homes. Shelling reported in Aleppo Several temporary truces have been announced in recent months for second city Aleppo, scene of some of the heaviest fighting in the war, but have fallen apart. Aleppo, which was Syria's commercial and manufacturing hub before the civil war erupted, is divided between a rebel-held east and regime-controlled west. Eastern districts have faced heavy bombardment including air strikes from regime forces, while rebels regularly fire rockets into the west. Despite the ceasefire announcement, Aleppo's eastern areas came under fire today morning, according to residents and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group. In the eastern Al-Mashad district a civilian was killed and several wounded when artillery fire fell near a mosque hosting Eid prayers, the Observatory said. "Shells have been falling on the neighbourhood since early this morning," resident Ahmad Nassif told AFP. "I had planned to visit family and friends, to bring my children out to play, but we decided to stay inside the house in case the shelling resumes," he said. "I hope things will calm down a bit during Eid, not for me but for my children." Syria's conflict began five years ago with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into a complex multi-front war. IS emerged from the chaos of the war, seizing control of large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq, committing widespread atrocities in areas under its control, and organising and inspiring jihadist attacks across the Middle East and in Western cities. Washington has backed rebel forces in Syria and Moscow is supporting Assad, but the rise of IS has seen efforts focus on defeating the jihadists. Russia and the United States launched a major attempt last year to bring about peace talks between Assad and rebel forces, but the negotiations faltered as the partial truce announced in February fell apart. (AFP)

Syrian army declares 72-hour nationwide ceasefire

President Tayyip Erdogan outlined plans on Tuesday to grant citizenship to some of the near 3 million migrants who have fled war in neighbouring Syria, particularly those with qualifications of use to Turkey. 
 
&quot;Western nations open their doors to such skilled individuals and they have no choice but to go (to the West) when we do not open the gates (of citizenship) ourselves. We would like to benefit from their knowledge,&quot; Erdogan told reporters after praying at an Istanbul mosque. 
 
Turkey struck a deal with the European Union in March to stem the flow of migrants into Europe and it has sharply cut the number of refugees and migrants reaching Greece. However, the deal has been hampered by discord over Turkish counter-terrorism law, which the EU wants brought in line with its codes. 
 
Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits and Erdogan said they could also be made Turkish citizens. 
 
&quot;There are highly qualified individuals among Syrian refugees in Turkey. (Granting them citizenship) would both serve Turkey&#39;s interests and improve their living standards,&quot; Erdogan said at the start of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday. 
 
Some 260,000 of the Syrians in Turkey live in state-run camps, while the remainder live in accommodation in cities across the country, which has a population of 79 million. 
 
&quot;We do not think it right to host such people in tent camps, container towns or in such basic places,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
Erdogan first raised the idea of giving Syrian migrants the possibility of Turkish citizenship at the weekend, saying that the interior ministry was taking steps on the issue. 
 
His comments come after the Turkish government took steps last week to improve relations with Israel and Russia, marking a shift in a foreign policy which had left Turkey more isolated than influential. 
 
(Reuters)

Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits

President Tayyip Erdogan outlined plans on Tuesday to grant citizenship to some of the near 3 million migrants who have fled war in neighbouring Syria, particularly those with qualifications of use to Turkey. "Western nations open their doors to such skilled individuals and they have no choice but to go (to the West) when we do not open the gates (of citizenship) ourselves. We would like to benefit from their knowledge," Erdogan told reporters after praying at an Istanbul mosque. Turkey struck a deal with the European Union in March to stem the flow of migrants into Europe and it has sharply cut the number of refugees and migrants reaching Greece. However, the deal has been hampered by discord over Turkish counter-terrorism law, which the EU wants brought in line with its codes. Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits and Erdogan said they could also be made Turkish citizens. "There are highly qualified individuals among Syrian refugees in Turkey. (Granting them citizenship) would both serve Turkey's interests and improve their living standards," Erdogan said at the start of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday. Some 260,000 of the Syrians in Turkey live in state-run camps, while the remainder live in accommodation in cities across the country, which has a population of 79 million. "We do not think it right to host such people in tent camps, container towns or in such basic places," Erdogan said. Erdogan first raised the idea of giving Syrian migrants the possibility of Turkish citizenship at the weekend, saying that the interior ministry was taking steps on the issue. His comments come after the Turkish government took steps last week to improve relations with Israel and Russia, marking a shift in a foreign policy which had left Turkey more isolated than influential. (Reuters)

Turkey's Erdogan moots plan to grant citizenship to Syrians

Pope Francis on Tuesday criticised countries which are arming the warring parties in Syria while speaking at the same time of peace. 
 
The pontiff did not name any countries. President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government is receiving military and other help from Russia and Iran, while some opposition groups have the backing of Sunni Muslim regional powers and the West. 
 
&quot;While the people suffer, incredible quantities of money are being spent to supply weapons to fighters. And some of the countries supplying these arms are also among those that talk of peace,&quot; Francis said in a video message to a charity group holding a conference on Syria. 
 
&quot;How can you believe in someone who caresses you with the right hand and strikes you with the left hand?&quot; 
 
More than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 11 million displaced in Syria&#39;s five-year-old civil war, which has led to Europe&#39;s biggest refugee crisis since World War Two. 
 
UN-brokered peace talks have stalled. The United Nations&#39; envoy to Syria told the UN Security Council last week it remained unclear when the next round peace talks would take place. 
 
Francis has made many appeals for peace in Syria and has criticised arms manufacters and traffickers, saying they cannot in good conscience call themselves Christians. 
 
(Reuters)

More than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 11 million displaced in Syria's five-year-old civil war

Pope Francis on Tuesday criticised countries which are arming the warring parties in Syria while speaking at the same time of peace. The pontiff did not name any countries. President Bashar al-Assad's government is receiving military and other help from Russia and Iran, while some opposition groups have the backing of Sunni Muslim regional powers and the West. "While the people suffer, incredible quantities of money are being spent to supply weapons to fighters. And some of the countries supplying these arms are also among those that talk of peace," Francis said in a video message to a charity group holding a conference on Syria. "How can you believe in someone who caresses you with the right hand and strikes you with the left hand?" More than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 11 million displaced in Syria's five-year-old civil war, which has led to Europe's biggest refugee crisis since World War Two. UN-brokered peace talks have stalled. The United Nations' envoy to Syria told the UN Security Council last week it remained unclear when the next round peace talks would take place. Francis has made many appeals for peace in Syria and has criticised arms manufacters and traffickers, saying they cannot in good conscience call themselves Christians. (Reuters)

Pope raps countries that talk of peace in Syria but supply arms

Syrian refugees living in Turkey could eventually be granted Turkish citizenship, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signalled, a plan that could spark controversy at home. 
 
&quot;I want to announce some good news,&quot; media quoted Erdogan as saying late Saturday at a dinner to break the Ramadan fast in Kilis province, on the Syrian border. 
 
&quot;We are going to help our Syrian friends in offering them the chance, if they want it, to acquire Turkish nationality.&quot; 
 
The interior ministry will shortly announce how the naturalisation procedure would work, Erdogan said, without giving further details. 
 
&quot;We regard you as our brothers and sisters -- you are not far from your homeland, but only from your homes and your land,&quot; Erdogan told a group of Syrian refugees in Kilis. 
 
&quot;Turkey is also your homeland.&quot; 
 
Turkey is hosting over 2.7-million refugees from the conflict in Syria -- but Ankara has refused to grant them refugee status, referring to them as &quot;guests&quot;. 
 
Only a select group of Syrians have been granted work permits and residency. 
 
Life is a struggle for most Syrians in Turkey who live mostly off odd jobs that are often insufficient to feed and house a family. 
 
Erdogan&#39;s announcement sparked debate on social media, with many Turkish web users questioning whether it was a good idea. 
 
&quot;Granting citizenship shouldn&#39;t depend on what one person wants. We need a referendum!&quot; wrote Mahomet Mahomet on Twitter. 
 
Other critics suggested the move might be a bid by Erdogan to register an army of thankful Syrian voters who might back his plans to boost his presidential powers. 
 
(AFP)

The Turkish president referred to Syrians as 'brothers and sisters' but Ankara, who hasn't granted them refugee status, calls them 'guests'

Syrian refugees living in Turkey could eventually be granted Turkish citizenship, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signalled, a plan that could spark controversy at home. "I want to announce some good news," media quoted Erdogan as saying late Saturday at a dinner to break the Ramadan fast in Kilis province, on the Syrian border. "We are going to help our Syrian friends in offering them the chance, if they want it, to acquire Turkish nationality." The interior ministry will shortly announce how the naturalisation procedure would work, Erdogan said, without giving further details. "We regard you as our brothers and sisters -- you are not far from your homeland, but only from your homes and your land," Erdogan told a group of Syrian refugees in Kilis. "Turkey is also your homeland." Turkey is hosting over 2.7-million refugees from the conflict in Syria -- but Ankara has refused to grant them refugee status, referring to them as "guests". Only a select group of Syrians have been granted work permits and residency. Life is a struggle for most Syrians in Turkey who live mostly off odd jobs that are often insufficient to feed and house a family. Erdogan's announcement sparked debate on social media, with many Turkish web users questioning whether it was a good idea. "Granting citizenship shouldn't depend on what one person wants. We need a referendum!" wrote Mahomet Mahomet on Twitter. Other critics suggested the move might be a bid by Erdogan to register an army of thankful Syrian voters who might back his plans to boost his presidential powers. (AFP)

Syrian refugees could become Turkish citizens: Erdogan

Two medics were among at least 20 people killed on Saturday in Syrian government shelling of a rebel-held town northeast of the capital, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.&nbsp; 
 
The bombardment struck the town of Jayrud, 60 kilometres (35 miles) from Damascus, where the army says Islamist rebels killed a pilot they captured after he was forced to eject on Friday.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP) &nbsp;

The bombardment struck the town of Jayrud, 60 kilometres from Damascus

Two medics were among at least 20 people killed on Saturday in Syrian government shelling of a rebel-held town northeast of the capital, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The bombardment struck the town of Jayrud, 60 kilometres (35 miles) from Damascus, where the army says Islamist rebels killed a pilot they captured after he was forced to eject on Friday. (AFP)

Syria regime shelling leaves 20 dead, including 2 medics

The Obama administration is considering a plan to coordinate air strikes on Nusra Front and Islamic State militants in Syria if Syria&#39;s government stops bombing &#39;moderate&#39; rebels, US officials said on Thursday. 
 
The US backs the &#39;moderate&#39; rebels, who are under pressure from Islamic State and government forces, but the plan depends in part on whether Russia is willing to press Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, its ally, to stop bombing them. Many US officials and outside experts doubt Moscow is willing to do that. 
 
It would also require moderate opposition forces to disentangle themselves from Nusra and move into identifiable areas where they would be vulnerable to government and Russian air attacks. 
 
Although Russia says it has targeted Islamic State, most of its strikes have been on the US-backed moderate rebels, who distrust the Assad government which has caused most of the ceasefire violation, as claimed by the moderate rebels and Washington. 
 
&quot;If the moderates separate themselves from Nusra, the Russians and Assad will immediately target them,&quot; said Chris Harmer, an analyst with the Institute for the Study of War. &quot;The idea that the moderate rebels will separate themselves from Nusra is just not going to happen. It (the administration plan) is a Hail Mary pass that is dead on arrival.&quot; 
 
&quot;It&rsquo;s staggering to me that anybody, even during the fifth year of this civil war, thought this would be a good idea,&quot; said Harmer. 
 
The Washington Post, which first reported the plan, said the Obama administration has submitted a written proposal to Moscow, but two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while the plan is under discussion within the administration, no decisions have been made. 
 
A &#39;Hail Mary&#39;pass? 
 
That Washington is even considering such a plan, however, reflects the unravelling of a February 27 cessation of hostilities agreement that was supposed to bring some calm to a country riven by five years of civil war and promote a political settlement, as well as the weakness of the US-backed moderate opposition forces. 
 
In one sign of their predicament, US-backed Syrian rebels on Wednesday were pushed back from Al-Bukamal, an Islamic State-held town on the Iraq border, suffering casualties and seeing some of their fighters and arms captured, a rebel source said. 
 
Finally, targeting the Nusra Front could end up boosting the popularity of the al Qaeda affiliate, which is widely hailed by anti-government Syrians as the most effective fighting force seeking to oust Assad. 
 
Prospects for a political deal to end the conflict appear dim, not least because there is no agreement on the future of Assad, whom the US wants to step down, but whom Russia has supported with its military intervention since last September. 
 
UN Syria envoy Staffan De Mistura is in Washington this week to meet senior US officials to discuss efforts to reduce attacks on civilians and the provision of humanitarian aid as he &quot;continues to work to advance a political transition,&quot; National security council spokesman Carl Woog said on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

The rebels backed by the US is under fire from the Islamic State and the government forces which has support from Moscow

The Obama administration is considering a plan to coordinate air strikes on Nusra Front and Islamic State militants in Syria if Syria's government stops bombing 'moderate' rebels, US officials said on Thursday. The US backs the 'moderate' rebels, who are under pressure from Islamic State and government forces, but the plan depends in part on whether Russia is willing to press Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, its ally, to stop bombing them. Many US officials and outside experts doubt Moscow is willing to do that. It would also require moderate opposition forces to disentangle themselves from Nusra and move into identifiable areas where they would be vulnerable to government and Russian air attacks. Although Russia says it has targeted Islamic State, most of its strikes have been on the US-backed moderate rebels, who distrust the Assad government which has caused most of the ceasefire violation, as claimed by the moderate rebels and Washington. "If the moderates separate themselves from Nusra, the Russians and Assad will immediately target them," said Chris Harmer, an analyst with the Institute for the Study of War. "The idea that the moderate rebels will separate themselves from Nusra is just not going to happen. It (the administration plan) is a Hail Mary pass that is dead on arrival." "It’s staggering to me that anybody, even during the fifth year of this civil war, thought this would be a good idea," said Harmer. The Washington Post, which first reported the plan, said the Obama administration has submitted a written proposal to Moscow, but two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while the plan is under discussion within the administration, no decisions have been made. A 'Hail Mary'pass? That Washington is even considering such a plan, however, reflects the unravelling of a February 27 cessation of hostilities agreement that was supposed to bring some calm to a country riven by five years of civil war and promote a political settlement, as well as the weakness of the US-backed moderate opposition forces. In one sign of their predicament, US-backed Syrian rebels on Wednesday were pushed back from Al-Bukamal, an Islamic State-held town on the Iraq border, suffering casualties and seeing some of their fighters and arms captured, a rebel source said. Finally, targeting the Nusra Front could end up boosting the popularity of the al Qaeda affiliate, which is widely hailed by anti-government Syrians as the most effective fighting force seeking to oust Assad. Prospects for a political deal to end the conflict appear dim, not least because there is no agreement on the future of Assad, whom the US wants to step down, but whom Russia has supported with its military intervention since last September. UN Syria envoy Staffan De Mistura is in Washington this week to meet senior US officials to discuss efforts to reduce attacks on civilians and the provision of humanitarian aid as he "continues to work to advance a political transition," National security council spokesman Carl Woog said on Thursday. (Reuters)

US to bomb Nusra and IS if Assad halts strikes on Washington-backed rebels

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

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

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

Syria rebels take over dominant town in western coastal province

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

India arrests five suspected of plotting Islamic State attacks

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

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

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

25 children killed in air strikes in eastern Syria: UNICEF

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Battle over, say Iraqi forces in Fallujah

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

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

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

Islamic State militants launch new attacks in eastern Afghanistan

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

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

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

Syrian forces fight IS militants with US support

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad names new PM for Syria

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

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

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

700 medical workers dead since Syria war began: UN investigators

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

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

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

Turkish troops kill 11 Syrians trying to cross border

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

Several Russian warplanes crashed earlier this year due to technical failures

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

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

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

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

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

Moscow denies strikes on US-backed rebels in Syria

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