Turkish warplanes struck positions of a US-backed Kurdish militia in Syria`s Afrin province on Saturday, opening a new front in the Syrian civil war and raising the prospect of deeper strains between Turkey and Washington.

The operation sees Ankara confronting Kurdish fighters allied to the United States at a time when relations between Turkey and Washington - NATO allies and members of the coalition against Islamic State - appear dangerously close to a breaking point.

Turkey`s move could also complicate its push to improve ties with Russia. Moscow will demand in the United Nations that Turkey halt its military operation, a member of the upper house of the Russian parliament`s security committee told RIA news on Saturday.&nbsp;

The bombing raids targeted the Syrian-Kurdish YPG militia, a senior Turkish official said. A Turkey-backed rebel group in Syria, the Free Syrian Army, was also providing assistance to the Turkish military`s operation in Afrin, the official added.

The YPG said a number of people had been wounded in the air strikes, but said it remained unclear how many. There were currently no clashes between Turkish forces and the YPG, &quot;only skirmishes&quot; at the edge of the Afrin region, according to Rojhat Roj, a YPG spokesman in Afrin.

Reuters cameramen in Hassa, near the border with Syria, heard the sound of heavy bombardment and saw thick plumes of smoke rising from the Syrian side of the border. The warplanes appeared to be striking from the Turkish side of the border, one of the cameramen said.

The attacks, which Turkey is calling Operation Olive Branch, follow weeks of warnings against the YPG in Syria from President Tayyip Erdogan and his ministers. Turkey considers the YPG to be an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has carried out a deadly, three-decade insurgency in Turkey`s mainly Kurdish southeast.

Friends and Brothers&nbsp;

The YPG`s growing strength across a swath of northern Syria has alarmed Ankara, which fears the creation of an independent Kurdish state on its southern border.

The Turkish military said its operation in Afrin was to provide safety for Turkey`s border and to &quot;eliminate terrorists... and save friends and brothers, the people of the region, from their cruelty.&quot;

&quot;We will destroy the terror corridor gradually as we did in Jarabulus and Al-Bab operations, starting from the west,&quot; Turkey`s Erdogan said, referring to previous operations in northern Syria designed to push out Islamic State and check the YPG`s advance.

Earlier on Saturday, the military said it hit shelters and hideouts used by the YPG and other Kurdish fighters, saying Kurdish militants had fired on Turkish positions inside Turkey.

But the Us-backed Syrian Democratic Forces - of which the YPG is a major component - accused Turkey on Saturday of using cross-border shelling as a false pretext to launch an offensive in Syria.

Differences over Syria policy have further complicated Turkey`s already difficult relationship with NATO ally the United States. Washington has backed the YPG, seeing it as an effective partner in the fight against Islamic State.

A US State Department official on Friday said military intervention by Turkey in Syria would undermine regional stability and would not help protect Turkey`s border security.

Instead, the United States has called on Turkey to focus on the fight against Islamic State. Ankara accuses Washington of using one terrorist group to fight another in Syria.&nbsp;

Turkish warplanes struck positions of a US-backed Kurdish militia in Syria`s Afrin province on Saturday, opening a new front in the Syrian civil war and raising the prospect of deeper strains between Turkey and Washington

Turkish warplanes struck positions of a US-backed Kurdish militia in Syria`s Afrin province on Saturday, opening a new front in the Syrian civil war and raising the prospect of deeper strains between Turkey and Washington. The operation sees Ankara confronting Kurdish fighters allied to the United States at a time when relations between Turkey and Washington - NATO allies and members of the coalition against Islamic State - appear dangerously close to a breaking point. Turkey`s move could also complicate its push to improve ties with Russia. Moscow will demand in the United Nations that Turkey halt its military operation, a member of the upper house of the Russian parliament`s security committee told RIA news on Saturday. The bombing raids targeted the Syrian-Kurdish YPG militia, a senior Turkish official said. A Turkey-backed rebel group in Syria, the Free Syrian Army, was also providing assistance to the Turkish military`s operation in Afrin, the official added. The YPG said a number of people had been wounded in the air strikes, but said it remained unclear how many. There were currently no clashes between Turkish forces and the YPG, "only skirmishes" at the edge of the Afrin region, according to Rojhat Roj, a YPG spokesman in Afrin. Reuters cameramen in Hassa, near the border with Syria, heard the sound of heavy bombardment and saw thick plumes of smoke rising from the Syrian side of the border. The warplanes appeared to be striking from the Turkish side of the border, one of the cameramen said. The attacks, which Turkey is calling Operation Olive Branch, follow weeks of warnings against the YPG in Syria from President Tayyip Erdogan and his ministers. Turkey considers the YPG to be an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has carried out a deadly, three-decade insurgency in Turkey`s mainly Kurdish southeast. Friends and Brothers The YPG`s growing strength across a swath of northern Syria has alarmed Ankara, which fears the creation of an independent Kurdish state on its southern border. The Turkish military said its operation in Afrin was to provide safety for Turkey`s border and to "eliminate terrorists... and save friends and brothers, the people of the region, from their cruelty." "We will destroy the terror corridor gradually as we did in Jarabulus and Al-Bab operations, starting from the west," Turkey`s Erdogan said, referring to previous operations in northern Syria designed to push out Islamic State and check the YPG`s advance. Earlier on Saturday, the military said it hit shelters and hideouts used by the YPG and other Kurdish fighters, saying Kurdish militants had fired on Turkish positions inside Turkey. But the Us-backed Syrian Democratic Forces - of which the YPG is a major component - accused Turkey on Saturday of using cross-border shelling as a false pretext to launch an offensive in Syria. Differences over Syria policy have further complicated Turkey`s already difficult relationship with NATO ally the United States. Washington has backed the YPG, seeing it as an effective partner in the fight against Islamic State. A US State Department official on Friday said military intervention by Turkey in Syria would undermine regional stability and would not help protect Turkey`s border security. Instead, the United States has called on Turkey to focus on the fight against Islamic State. Ankara accuses Washington of using one terrorist group to fight another in Syria.

Turkey air strikes hit Syria's Afrin province in push to secure borders

On Saturday Turkey urged the United States to &quot;immediately withdraw&quot; its personnel from Manbij, northern Syria.

The city of Manbij has been held by a Syrian Kurdish militia. Turkey launched an offensive last week to fight the Syrian Kurdish militia.&nbsp;

&quot;It is necessary for the US to immediately withdraw from Manbij,&quot; Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu noted. 
&nbsp; 
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also threatened to expand the military operation against the People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG) on Friday.&nbsp;

The Turkish President threatened to expand military operations from its Syrian enclave in Afrin to Manbij.&nbsp;

The city of Manbij has been held by a Syrian Kurdish militia

On Saturday Turkey urged the United States to "immediately withdraw" its personnel from Manbij, northern Syria. The city of Manbij has been held by a Syrian Kurdish militia. Turkey launched an offensive last week to fight the Syrian Kurdish militia. "It is necessary for the US to immediately withdraw from Manbij," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu noted. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also threatened to expand the military operation against the People's Protection Units (YPG) on Friday. The Turkish President threatened to expand military operations from its Syrian enclave in Afrin to Manbij.

'Immediately withdraw from Manbij' Turkey urges US personnel in Syria

Syria&#39;s High Negotiations Committee has decided to boycott the Russia-backed conference in Sochi.&nbsp;

The announcement was made public in a tweet.

The Syrian opposition accused Russia of undermining UN-led talks.

The peace conference will take place next week and is expected to see close to 1,600 Syrian representatives in attendance.&nbsp;

Russia has been in the process of steering a separate negotiating track in Astana, and now in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Russia backs Syrian President Bashar Assad&#39;s forces.&nbsp;

The boycott comes in the wake of escalating violence in northern Syria marred by Turkish attacks on the Kurdish-held enclave.

(With inputs from PTI)

The Syrian opposition accused Russia of undermining UN-led talks

Syria's High Negotiations Committee has decided to boycott the Russia-backed conference in Sochi. The announcement was made public in a tweet. The Syrian opposition accused Russia of undermining UN-led talks. The peace conference will take place next week and is expected to see close to 1,600 Syrian representatives in attendance. Russia has been in the process of steering a separate negotiating track in Astana, and now in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Russia backs Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces. The boycott comes in the wake of escalating violence in northern Syria marred by Turkish attacks on the Kurdish-held enclave. (With inputs from PTI)

Syria opposition group says it will boycott Sochi conference

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for an immediate de-escalation in Syria after Israel carried out raids inside the war-torn country.

Guterres is &quot;following closely the alarming military escalation throughout Syria and the dangerous spillover across its borders,&quot; UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Israel targeted what it said were Iranian positions inside Syria after one of its warplanes was hit by Syrian air defences and crashed.

The Israeli raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace.

Guterres stressed that all concerned in Syria and in the region must abide by international law.

&quot;He calls on all to work for an immediate and unconditional de-escalation of violence and exercise restraint,&quot; Dujarric said.

It was the most serious confrontation between Iran and Israel since Syria&#39;s war began in 2011 and came amid growing alarm over Syrian government offensives against rebel-held Eastern Ghouta and Idlib.

The Syrian people are suffering &quot;though one of the most violent periods in nearly seven years of conflict,&quot; said the UN statement.

&quot;Over 1,000 civilian casualties from airstrikes were reported in the first week of February alone.&quot;

Guterres urged the parties to move quickly toward a political solution to end the war.

Israel&#39;s Ambassador Danny Danon called on the Security Council &quot;to condemn this dangerous act and to put an immediate end to Iranian provocations.&quot;

Diplomats, however, said there were no immediate plans to convene a council meeting despite the sharp rise in tensions.

The council is due to discuss the crisis in Syria on Wednesday. 
&nbsp;

The council is due to discuss the crisis in Syria on Wednesday

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for an immediate de-escalation in Syria after Israel carried out raids inside the war-torn country. Guterres is "following closely the alarming military escalation throughout Syria and the dangerous spillover across its borders," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Israel targeted what it said were Iranian positions inside Syria after one of its warplanes was hit by Syrian air defences and crashed. The Israeli raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace. Guterres stressed that all concerned in Syria and in the region must abide by international law. "He calls on all to work for an immediate and unconditional de-escalation of violence and exercise restraint," Dujarric said. It was the most serious confrontation between Iran and Israel since Syria's war began in 2011 and came amid growing alarm over Syrian government offensives against rebel-held Eastern Ghouta and Idlib. The Syrian people are suffering "though one of the most violent periods in nearly seven years of conflict," said the UN statement. "Over 1,000 civilian casualties from airstrikes were reported in the first week of February alone." Guterres urged the parties to move quickly toward a political solution to end the war. Israel's Ambassador Danny Danon called on the Security Council "to condemn this dangerous act and to put an immediate end to Iranian provocations." Diplomats, however, said there were no immediate plans to convene a council meeting despite the sharp rise in tensions. The council is due to discuss the crisis in Syria on Wednesday.

UN chief calls for immediate de-escalation in Syria

Syria`s US-backed Kurds are getting indirect help from an unlikely source in their war against Turkey in the northwestern region of Afrin: President Bashar al-Assad.

Pro-government forces and Kurdish-led forces have fought each other elsewhere in Syria and Damascus opposes the Kurds` demands for autonomy. But in Afrin they have a common enemy and a mutual interest in blocking Turkish advances.&nbsp;

Turkey, which regards the Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin as a threat on its southern border, launched an assault on the region last month. Seeking to shield Afrin, the Kurds asked Damascus to send forces into action to defend the border.

The government shows no sign of doing so, but it is providing indirect help by allowing Kurdish fighters, civilians and politicians to reach Afrin through territory it holds, representatives of both sides told Reuters. 
Assad stands to gain while doing little.

The arrival of reinforcements is likely to sustain Kurdish resistance, bog down the Turkish forces and prolong a conflict that is sapping the resources of military powers that rival him for control of Syrian territory.

For the United States, it is yet another complication in Syria`s seven-year-old war, and a reminder of how its Syrian Kurdish ally must at times make deals with Assad even as it builds military ties with the United States.

Lacking international protection, the Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria say they have reached agreements with Damascus to allow reinforcements to be sent to Afrin from other Kurdish-dominated areas -- Kobani and the Jazeera region.

&quot;There are different ways to get reinforcements to Afrin but the fundamental route is via regime forces. There are understandings between the two forces ... for the sake of delivering reinforcements to Afrin,&quot; Kino Gabriel, spokesman for the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said.

While the Kurds depend on Assad to reach Afrin, Kurdish sources say they also enjoy leverage over Damascus because it needs their cooperation to source grain and oil from areas of the northeast under Kurdish control.&nbsp;

A commander in the military alliance fighting in support of Assad said &quot;the Kurds have no option but coordination with the regime&quot; to defend Afrin.&nbsp;

&quot;The Syrian regime is helping the Kurds with humanitarian support and some logistics, like turning a blind eye and allowing Kurdish support to reach some fronts,&quot; said the commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Turkish campaign moves slowly&nbsp;

The Turkish military is making slow gains nearly three weeks into the operation it calls &quot;Olive Branch&quot;.

Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK), which has fought a three-decade insurgency in Turkey and is regarded as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.

The United States has relied on the YPG as a vital ground component of its war against Islamic State, and has backed the group in other Kurdish-run regions in northern Syria along the border with Turkey.

But US forces are not in Afrin, so have been unable to shield Afrin from the attack by Turkey, its NATO ally.

The Kurds meanwhile accuse Russia of giving a green light for the Turkish attack by withdrawing observers it deployed in Afrin last year.

The Afrin war marks another twist in the complicated story of relations between Assad and the Syrian Kurdish groups, spearheaded by the YPG, that have carved out autonomous regions in northern Syria since the war began in 2011.

The YPG controls nearly all of Syria`s frontier with Turkey. But Afrin is separated from the bigger Kurdish-controlled region further east by a 100 km-wide zone controlled by the Turkish military and its Syrian militia allies.

For much of the war, Damascus and the YPG have avoided confrontation, at times fighting common enemies, including the rebel groups that are now helping Turkey attack Afrin.

But tensions have mounted in recent months, with Damascus threatening to march into parts of eastern and northern Syria captured by the SDF with support from the US-led coalition.

Underlining that, pro-Syrian government forces attacked the SDF in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, drawing coalition air strikes overnight that killed more than 100 of the attackers, the coalition said.

&quot;The regime has allowed the YPG to bring people into Afrin, while attacking it east of Euphrates (River). I think that is indicative of the state of relations right,&quot; said Noah Bonsey, International Crisis Group`s Senior Analyst on Syria.

He added: &quot;There is still a significant gap between the YPG and regime positions on the future of northeastern Syria.&quot;

Fighting for Afrin

The main Syrian Kurdish groups remain wedded to their vision of a Syria where they enjoy autonomy in a form of federalism that is at odds with Assad`s determination to recover all Syria.

Each side has allowed the other to maintain footholds in its territory. In Kurdish-held Qamishli, the government still controls the airport. In the Sheikh Maqsoud district of Aleppo, a government city, Kurdish security forces patrol the streets.

Scores of Kurds from Sheikh Maqsoud have gone to Afrin to support the fight, Kurdish officials there said. The short journey requires movement through areas held by the government or its Iran-backed Shi`ite militia allies.

&quot;Of course people went from Sheikh Maqsoud - in the hundreds - to bear arms and defend Afrin,&quot; said Badran Himo, a Kurdish official from Sheikh Maqsoud.&nbsp;

&quot;Around 10 of them were martyred (killed),&quot; he told Reuters as Kurdish security forces held a rally to commemorate one of the dead.

Earlier this week, witnesses say a civilian convoy of hundreds of cars drove to Afrin from other Kurdish-held areas in a show of solidarity.

The Syrian government has ignored appeals by the Kurdish authorities to guard the Syrian border at Afrin.&nbsp;

&quot;We tried to convince them, via the Russians, to at least protect the borders, to take a position, but we did not reach (get?) a result,&quot; Aldar Khalil, a top Kurdish politician, said.

&quot;If they don`t protect the borders, then at least they don`t have the right to block the way for Syrian patriots who are protecting these borders, regardless of other domestic issues.&quot;

Pro-government forces and Kurdish-led forces have fought each other elsewhere in Syria and Damascus opposes the Kurds` demands for autonomy. But in Afrin they have a common enemy and a mutual interest in blocking Turkish advances

Syria`s US-backed Kurds are getting indirect help from an unlikely source in their war against Turkey in the northwestern region of Afrin: President Bashar al-Assad. Pro-government forces and Kurdish-led forces have fought each other elsewhere in Syria and Damascus opposes the Kurds` demands for autonomy. But in Afrin they have a common enemy and a mutual interest in blocking Turkish advances. Turkey, which regards the Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin as a threat on its southern border, launched an assault on the region last month. Seeking to shield Afrin, the Kurds asked Damascus to send forces into action to defend the border. The government shows no sign of doing so, but it is providing indirect help by allowing Kurdish fighters, civilians and politicians to reach Afrin through territory it holds, representatives of both sides told Reuters. Assad stands to gain while doing little. The arrival of reinforcements is likely to sustain Kurdish resistance, bog down the Turkish forces and prolong a conflict that is sapping the resources of military powers that rival him for control of Syrian territory. For the United States, it is yet another complication in Syria`s seven-year-old war, and a reminder of how its Syrian Kurdish ally must at times make deals with Assad even as it builds military ties with the United States. Lacking international protection, the Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria say they have reached agreements with Damascus to allow reinforcements to be sent to Afrin from other Kurdish-dominated areas -- Kobani and the Jazeera region. "There are different ways to get reinforcements to Afrin but the fundamental route is via regime forces. There are understandings between the two forces ... for the sake of delivering reinforcements to Afrin," Kino Gabriel, spokesman for the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said. While the Kurds depend on Assad to reach Afrin, Kurdish sources say they also enjoy leverage over Damascus because it needs their cooperation to source grain and oil from areas of the northeast under Kurdish control. A commander in the military alliance fighting in support of Assad said "the Kurds have no option but coordination with the regime" to defend Afrin. "The Syrian regime is helping the Kurds with humanitarian support and some logistics, like turning a blind eye and allowing Kurdish support to reach some fronts," said the commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Turkish campaign moves slowly The Turkish military is making slow gains nearly three weeks into the operation it calls "Olive Branch". Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK), which has fought a three-decade insurgency in Turkey and is regarded as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union. The United States has relied on the YPG as a vital ground component of its war against Islamic State, and has backed the group in other Kurdish-run regions in northern Syria along the border with Turkey. But US forces are not in Afrin, so have been unable to shield Afrin from the attack by Turkey, its NATO ally. The Kurds meanwhile accuse Russia of giving a green light for the Turkish attack by withdrawing observers it deployed in Afrin last year. The Afrin war marks another twist in the complicated story of relations between Assad and the Syrian Kurdish groups, spearheaded by the YPG, that have carved out autonomous regions in northern Syria since the war began in 2011. The YPG controls nearly all of Syria`s frontier with Turkey. But Afrin is separated from the bigger Kurdish-controlled region further east by a 100 km-wide zone controlled by the Turkish military and its Syrian militia allies. For much of the war, Damascus and the YPG have avoided confrontation, at times fighting common enemies, including the rebel groups that are now helping Turkey attack Afrin. But tensions have mounted in recent months, with Damascus threatening to march into parts of eastern and northern Syria captured by the SDF with support from the US-led coalition. Underlining that, pro-Syrian government forces attacked the SDF in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, drawing coalition air strikes overnight that killed more than 100 of the attackers, the coalition said. "The regime has allowed the YPG to bring people into Afrin, while attacking it east of Euphrates (River). I think that is indicative of the state of relations right," said Noah Bonsey, International Crisis Group`s Senior Analyst on Syria. He added: "There is still a significant gap between the YPG and regime positions on the future of northeastern Syria." Fighting for Afrin The main Syrian Kurdish groups remain wedded to their vision of a Syria where they enjoy autonomy in a form of federalism that is at odds with Assad`s determination to recover all Syria. Each side has allowed the other to maintain footholds in its territory. In Kurdish-held Qamishli, the government still controls the airport. In the Sheikh Maqsoud district of Aleppo, a government city, Kurdish security forces patrol the streets. Scores of Kurds from Sheikh Maqsoud have gone to Afrin to support the fight, Kurdish officials there said. The short journey requires movement through areas held by the government or its Iran-backed Shi`ite militia allies. "Of course people went from Sheikh Maqsoud - in the hundreds - to bear arms and defend Afrin," said Badran Himo, a Kurdish official from Sheikh Maqsoud. "Around 10 of them were martyred (killed)," he told Reuters as Kurdish security forces held a rally to commemorate one of the dead. Earlier this week, witnesses say a civilian convoy of hundreds of cars drove to Afrin from other Kurdish-held areas in a show of solidarity. The Syrian government has ignored appeals by the Kurdish authorities to guard the Syrian border at Afrin. "We tried to convince them, via the Russians, to at least protect the borders, to take a position, but we did not reach (get?) a result," Aldar Khalil, a top Kurdish politician, said. "If they don`t protect the borders, then at least they don`t have the right to block the way for Syrian patriots who are protecting these borders, regardless of other domestic issues."

Friend or foe? Assad quietly aids Syrian Kurds against Turkey

Israel issued stark warnings on Sunday over Iran&#39;s presence in neighbouring Syria after a confrontation threatened to open a new and unpredictable period in the country&#39;s seven-year civil war.

Israel carried out major air raids in Syria on Saturday, including against what it described as Iranian targets -- the first time it had publicly acknowledged doing so since the war began.

The raids came after an Israeli F16 fighter was shot down by Syrian air defences. The pilots survived, but it was Israel&#39;s first loss of a warplane in battle since 1982.

&quot;We inflicted on Saturday a heavy blow to Iranian and Syrian forces,&quot; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of Sunday&#39;s cabinet meeting.

&quot;We made clear to everyone that our rules of engagement will not change in any way. We will continue to harm anyone who tries to harm us. This was our policy and this will remain our policy.&quot;

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Other Israeli ministers spoke of refusing to accept Iran entrenching itself militarily in Syria, as Netanyahu has said repeatedly. Tehran denies it is doing so.

While several analysts said they did not expect a further escalation in the coming days, some spoke of the possibility of the Syrian war entering a new phase.

Syria has become more emboldened to try to stop Israeli strikes inside the country, while Israel wants to maintain its ability to operate there when it sees fit, said Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group think tank.

Israel has sought to stay out of direct involvement in the Syrian war, but it acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it describes as deliveries of advanced weapons to Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

Israel fought a devastating war in 2006 with Hezbollah, which along with Iran and Russia backs the Syrian regime in the conflict.

&quot;I think this incident is more likely to be contained because fundamentally it is a gradual attempt to renegotiate the so-called rules of the game,&quot; Zalzberg said, adding that Russia should mediate.

Witnesses said Israel had deployed a missile defence system in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights near the demarcation line with Syria on Sunday morning.

&#39;Playing with fire&#39; 
Saturday&#39;s events began with Israel shooting down what it described as an Iranian drone that had entered Israeli airspace from Syria -- which Tehran has denied.

On Sunday, Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus alleged the drone was a copy of a US model captured by Iran in 2011. He said the conclusion was made from an analysis of the drone&#39;s debris.

Israel responded on Saturday with a raid on what it said was the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the drone.

During that raid, the Israeli F16 met heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire and was hit, Israeli Air Force Brigadier General Amnon Ein Dar told army radio.

The pilots ejected and the plane crashed inside Israel. One crew member was severely wounded, but his condition was said to be improving on Sunday.

Israel then carried out what it called &quot;large-scale&quot; air strikes inside Syria, including against what it described as Iranian targets.

Conricus warned on Saturday that Syria and Iran were &quot;playing with fire&quot;, but stressed that Israel was not seeking an escalation.

&quot;This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty&quot; in recent years, Conricus said.

Iran dismissed Israeli &quot;lies&quot; and said Syria had the right to defend itself against Israeli attacks.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said &quot;Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisers at the request of the Syrian government.&quot;

Russia stressed the need to &quot;avoid any measure that could lead to a dangerous escalation&quot;.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate de-escalation.&nbsp;

Netanyahu spoke with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after Saturday&#39;s confrontation.

Washington backed Israel and blamed Iran for the escalation.

Tillerson on Sunday begins a Middle East tour that will take him to Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and Kuwait.

Netanyahu has met regularly with Putin in recent months in a bid to convince Russia to keep Iranian forces away from Israeli territory.

Russia and Israel have also established a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria.

Israel is technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel carried out major air raids in Syria on Saturday, including against what it described as Iranian targets

Israel issued stark warnings on Sunday over Iran's presence in neighbouring Syria after a confrontation threatened to open a new and unpredictable period in the country's seven-year civil war. Israel carried out major air raids in Syria on Saturday, including against what it described as Iranian targets -- the first time it had publicly acknowledged doing so since the war began. The raids came after an Israeli F16 fighter was shot down by Syrian air defences. The pilots survived, but it was Israel's first loss of a warplane in battle since 1982. "We inflicted on Saturday a heavy blow to Iranian and Syrian forces," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of Sunday's cabinet meeting. "We made clear to everyone that our rules of engagement will not change in any way. We will continue to harm anyone who tries to harm us. This was our policy and this will remain our policy." The raids came after an Israeli F16 fighter was shot down by Syrian air defences. The pilots survived, but it was Israel's first loss of a warplane in battle since 1982 × Other Israeli ministers spoke of refusing to accept Iran entrenching itself militarily in Syria, as Netanyahu has said repeatedly. Tehran denies it is doing so. While several analysts said they did not expect a further escalation in the coming days, some spoke of the possibility of the Syrian war entering a new phase. Syria has become more emboldened to try to stop Israeli strikes inside the country, while Israel wants to maintain its ability to operate there when it sees fit, said Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group think tank. Israel has sought to stay out of direct involvement in the Syrian war, but it acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it describes as deliveries of advanced weapons to Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah. Israel fought a devastating war in 2006 with Hezbollah, which along with Iran and Russia backs the Syrian regime in the conflict. "I think this incident is more likely to be contained because fundamentally it is a gradual attempt to renegotiate the so-called rules of the game," Zalzberg said, adding that Russia should mediate. Witnesses said Israel had deployed a missile defence system in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights near the demarcation line with Syria on Sunday morning. 'Playing with fire' Saturday's events began with Israel shooting down what it described as an Iranian drone that had entered Israeli airspace from Syria -- which Tehran has denied. On Sunday, Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus alleged the drone was a copy of a US model captured by Iran in 2011. He said the conclusion was made from an analysis of the drone's debris. Israel responded on Saturday with a raid on what it said was the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the drone. During that raid, the Israeli F16 met heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire and was hit, Israeli Air Force Brigadier General Amnon Ein Dar told army radio. The pilots ejected and the plane crashed inside Israel. One crew member was severely wounded, but his condition was said to be improving on Sunday. Israel then carried out what it called "large-scale" air strikes inside Syria, including against what it described as Iranian targets. Conricus warned on Saturday that Syria and Iran were "playing with fire", but stressed that Israel was not seeking an escalation. "This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty" in recent years, Conricus said. Iran dismissed Israeli "lies" and said Syria had the right to defend itself against Israeli attacks. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said "Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisers at the request of the Syrian government." Russia stressed the need to "avoid any measure that could lead to a dangerous escalation". United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate de-escalation. Netanyahu spoke with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after Saturday's confrontation. Washington backed Israel and blamed Iran for the escalation. Tillerson on Sunday begins a Middle East tour that will take him to Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and Kuwait. Netanyahu has met regularly with Putin in recent months in a bid to convince Russia to keep Iranian forces away from Israeli territory. Russia and Israel have also established a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria. Israel is technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

'We will continue to harm anyone who tries to harm us,' Israel tells Iran, Syria

&nbsp;Iran, Israel&#39;s regional arch-enemy, rejected as &quot;ridiculous&quot; reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria on Saturday, state TV reported.

Separately, a Revolutionary Guards&#39; official said he could not confirm the report because Israelis were &quot;liars&quot;.

Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

&quot;Reports of downing an Iranian drone flying over Israel and also Iran&#39;s involvement in attacking an Israeli jet are so ridiculous,&quot; state TV quoted Iran&#39;s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.

Shi&#39;ite-dominated Iran is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&rsquo;s main regional ally and denies having any conventional armed forces in Syria, though it has acknowledged having military advisers and volunteers from its elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Syria.

&quot;Iran only provides military advice to Syria based on the request of the country&#39;s legitimate government,&quot; Qasemi said.

The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of Assad.

Israel said it had sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone flying over Israeli territory on Saturday. Israel said its warplanes came under fire in Syria, though it was still unclear why the jet had come down.

&quot;Syria&#39;s legitimate government has every right to defend its soil and territory against any foreign aggressor,&quot; Qasemi said, state TV reported.

Earlier the deputy head of Iran&#39;s IRGC declined to comment on the reports, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

&quot;We cannot confirm this report on the drone because Israelis are liars ... if Syrians confirm it, Iran will confirm it as well,&quot; Brigadier General Hossein Salami said.

Iran, Israel's regional arch-enemy, rejected as 'ridiculous' reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria on Saturday, state TV reported

Iran, Israel's regional arch-enemy, rejected as "ridiculous" reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria on Saturday, state TV reported. Separately, a Revolutionary Guards' official said he could not confirm the report because Israelis were "liars". Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension. "Reports of downing an Iranian drone flying over Israel and also Iran's involvement in attacking an Israeli jet are so ridiculous," state TV quoted Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying. Shi'ite-dominated Iran is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s main regional ally and denies having any conventional armed forces in Syria, though it has acknowledged having military advisers and volunteers from its elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Syria. "Iran only provides military advice to Syria based on the request of the country's legitimate government," Qasemi said. The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of Assad. Israel said it had sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone flying over Israeli territory on Saturday. Israel said its warplanes came under fire in Syria, though it was still unclear why the jet had come down. "Syria's legitimate government has every right to defend its soil and territory against any foreign aggressor," Qasemi said, state TV reported. Earlier the deputy head of Iran's IRGC declined to comment on the reports, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. "We cannot confirm this report on the drone because Israelis are liars ... if Syrians confirm it, Iran will confirm it as well," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said.

Iran sneers at reports of Israel downing Iranian drone: State TV

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel would do whatever was necessary to protect its sovereignty and security.&nbsp;Netanyahu&#39;s statement comes&nbsp;after an anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria earlier in the day.

In a video statement in English, Netanyahu said he held Iran and Syria responsible for the day&#39;s aggression. In a separate statement in Hebrew, he added that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and both agreed to continue coordination between the two states&#39; armies, according to Reuters.

The F-16, one of at least eight Israeli planes despatched in response to what Israel said was an Iranian drone&#39;s incursion into its airspace earlier in the day, was hit by a Syrian anti-aircraft missile and crashed in northern Israel, an Israeli official told Reuters. Both pilots ejected and were injured, one critically.

Israel then launched a second and more intensive air raid, hitting what it said were 12 Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria, including Syrian air defence systems.

In a video statement in English, Netanyahu said he held Iran and Syria responsible for the day's aggression.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel would do whatever was necessary to protect its sovereignty and security. Netanyahu's statement comes after an anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria earlier in the day. In a video statement in English, Netanyahu said he held Iran and Syria responsible for the day's aggression. In a separate statement in Hebrew, he added that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and both agreed to continue coordination between the two states' armies, according to Reuters. The F-16, one of at least eight Israeli planes despatched in response to what Israel said was an Iranian drone's incursion into its airspace earlier in the day, was hit by a Syrian anti-aircraft missile and crashed in northern Israel, an Israeli official told Reuters. Both pilots ejected and were injured, one critically. Israel then launched a second and more intensive air raid, hitting what it said were 12 Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria, including Syrian air defence systems.

Israel will do 'whatever is necessary' to defend itself against aggression: Netanyahu

The United States fully supports Israel`s right to defend itself against threats, a Pentagon spokesman said after Israel said it struck 12 Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria, including Syrian air defense systems.

&quot;The (US) Department of Defense did not participate in this military operation,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Adrian Rankine-Galloway said. &quot;Israel is our closest security partner in the region and we fully support Israel`s inherent right to defend itself against threats to its territory and its people.&quot;

Israel launched the air strikes after anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli F-16 warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria on Saturday. 
 
&quot;We share the concerns of many throughout the region that Iran`s destabilizing activities that threaten international peace and security, and we seek greater international resolve in countering Iran`s malign activities,&quot; Rankine-Galloway said.

Israel launched the air strikes after anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli F-16 warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria on Saturday

The United States fully supports Israel`s right to defend itself against threats, a Pentagon spokesman said after Israel said it struck 12 Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria, including Syrian air defense systems. "The (US) Department of Defense did not participate in this military operation," Pentagon spokesman Adrian Rankine-Galloway said. "Israel is our closest security partner in the region and we fully support Israel`s inherent right to defend itself against threats to its territory and its people." Israel launched the air strikes after anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli F-16 warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria on Saturday. "We share the concerns of many throughout the region that Iran`s destabilizing activities that threaten international peace and security, and we seek greater international resolve in countering Iran`s malign activities," Rankine-Galloway said.

US supports Israel's right to defend itself: Pentagon

The United Nations Security Council is considering demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow the delivery of aid and the evacuation of sick and wounded, diplomats said on Friday, although the measure is likely to be resisted by Russia.

A resolution, drafted by Sweden and Kuwait, was circulated to the 15-member council on Friday. It needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britain or France.

The United Nations called on Tuesday for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Syria for at least a month, a call that was backed by the U.S. State Department on Thursday

However, Russian UN&nbsp;Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said on Thursday: &quot;That&#39;s not realistic. We would like to see a ceasefire, the end of the war in Syria, but the terrorists, I&#39;m not sure they are in agreement.&quot;

Syrian ally Russia has cast 11 vetoes on possible Security Council action on Syria since the civil war began in 2011, shielding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government.

The draft U.N. resolution, seen by Reuters, also &quot;calls upon all parties to immediately lift the sieges of populated areas, including in Eastern Ghouta, Yarmouk, Foua and Kefraya.&quot;

Council diplomats were expected to discuss the text on Monday. It was not immediately clear when or if Sweden and Kuwait would put the draft resolution to a vote.

Diplomacy is making no progress toward ending a war, now approaching its eighth year, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced half the pre-war Syrian population of 23 million from their homes. Millions have been forced out as refugees.

A resolution, drafted by Sweden and Kuwait, was circulated to the 15-member council on Friday. It needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britain or France.

The United Nations Security Council is considering demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow the delivery of aid and the evacuation of sick and wounded, diplomats said on Friday, although the measure is likely to be resisted by Russia. A resolution, drafted by Sweden and Kuwait, was circulated to the 15-member council on Friday. It needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britain or France. The United Nations called on Tuesday for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Syria for at least a month, a call that was backed by the U.S. State Department on Thursday However, Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said on Thursday: "That's not realistic. We would like to see a ceasefire, the end of the war in Syria, but the terrorists, I'm not sure they are in agreement." Syrian ally Russia has cast 11 vetoes on possible Security Council action on Syria since the civil war began in 2011, shielding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. The draft U.N. resolution, seen by Reuters, also "calls upon all parties to immediately lift the sieges of populated areas, including in Eastern Ghouta, Yarmouk, Foua and Kefraya." Council diplomats were expected to discuss the text on Monday. It was not immediately clear when or if Sweden and Kuwait would put the draft resolution to a vote. Diplomacy is making no progress toward ending a war, now approaching its eighth year, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced half the pre-war Syrian population of 23 million from their homes. Millions have been forced out as refugees.

UN Security Council considers demand for 30-day Syria ceasefire

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson faces &quot;difficult&quot; talks next week with NATO ally Turkey on Syria and human rights, his delegation said Friday before a regional tour.

Late last month, Ankara began a cross-border offensive in northwestern Syria against what it calls a &quot;terrorist&quot; Kurdish militia supported and armed by Washington whose troops are back local militias against the Islamic State group (IS).

The Turkish operation further raised tensions between the two countries, whose relations were already complicated.

&quot;We are urging them to show restraint in their operations in Afrin, and to show restraint further along the line across the border in northern Syria,&quot; a senior US State Department official told reporters ahead of Tillerson&#39;s tour that begins Sunday and will also take him to Cairo, Kuwait City, Amman and Beirut.

&quot;You start with asking for restraint and look for ways that you can help bring it to an end as quickly as possible,&quot; the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to pull its troops back from Syria&#39;s Manbij, which is east of Afrin.

&quot;Obviously we need to work with the Turks to figure out more about what their long-term intentions are,&quot; and to try to find a way &quot;to address their legitimate security concerns while, at the same time, minimizing civilian casualties and above all else keeping everything focused on the defeat-ISIS fight, which is not over,&quot; the official said.&nbsp;

It will be &quot;a difficult conversation,&quot; the official continued, referring to the &quot;very hot&quot; Turkish rhetoric on the subject.

Tillerson&#39;s visit is also expected to touch on other sensitive topics.

These include human rights and arrests that the US called &quot;arbitrary&quot; following a state of emergency declared after an attempted coup in 2016.&nbsp;

Turkey last year detained local employees of American diplomatic missions in the country, and arrested Taner Kilic, the president of Amnesty International in Turkey.

&quot;There&#39;s no pulling punches on that,&quot; a second senior State Department official said.

&quot;We&#39;ve been very public in our call to the Turks to let these folks go, and we&#39;ve been very firm in our private conversations with them as well.&quot;

He conceded: &quot;The Turks are angry and this is a difficult time to do business.&quot;

But Washington believes the two countries share fundamental underlying interests including Syria&#39;s stability, the defeat of IS, and countering the Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party (PKK) which both Ankara and the West consider terrorists.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson faces "difficult" talks next week with NATO ally Turkey on Syria and human rights, his delegation said Friday before a regional tour

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson faces "difficult" talks next week with NATO ally Turkey on Syria and human rights, his delegation said Friday before a regional tour. Late last month, Ankara began a cross-border offensive in northwestern Syria against what it calls a "terrorist" Kurdish militia supported and armed by Washington whose troops are back local militias against the Islamic State group (IS). The Turkish operation further raised tensions between the two countries, whose relations were already complicated. "We are urging them to show restraint in their operations in Afrin, and to show restraint further along the line across the border in northern Syria," a senior US State Department official told reporters ahead of Tillerson's tour that begins Sunday and will also take him to Cairo, Kuwait City, Amman and Beirut. "You start with asking for restraint and look for ways that you can help bring it to an end as quickly as possible," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to pull its troops back from Syria's Manbij, which is east of Afrin. "Obviously we need to work with the Turks to figure out more about what their long-term intentions are," and to try to find a way "to address their legitimate security concerns while, at the same time, minimizing civilian casualties and above all else keeping everything focused on the defeat-ISIS fight, which is not over," the official said. It will be "a difficult conversation," the official continued, referring to the "very hot" Turkish rhetoric on the subject. Tillerson's visit is also expected to touch on other sensitive topics. These include human rights and arrests that the US called "arbitrary" following a state of emergency declared after an attempted coup in 2016. Turkey last year detained local employees of American diplomatic missions in the country, and arrested Taner Kilic, the president of Amnesty International in Turkey. "There's no pulling punches on that," a second senior State Department official said. "We've been very public in our call to the Turks to let these folks go, and we've been very firm in our private conversations with them as well." He conceded: "The Turks are angry and this is a difficult time to do business." But Washington believes the two countries share fundamental underlying interests including Syria's stability, the defeat of IS, and countering the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which both Ankara and the West consider terrorists.

Tough Turkey talks await Tillerson: Officials

French Defence Minister Florence Parly on Friday called for an end to air strikes in Syria and the opening of humanitarian corridors, saying it was unacceptable that civilians were being targeted.

Parly highlighted the fighting in rebel-held areas of Idlib province and eastern Damascus, where waves of Syrian government and Russian strikes have killed dozens of civilians in recent days.

&quot;We are very worried. The air strikes need to end,&quot; Parly said on France Inter radio. &quot;Civilians are the targets, in Idlib and in the east of Damascus. This fighting is absolutely unacceptable,&quot; she added.

The Syrian civil war, now entering its eighth year, has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven more than 11 million from their homes, while drawing in regional countries and global powers supporting client factions on the ground.

Parly did not specify who was carrying out the strikes.

Her comments came after the United Nations on Tuesday called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Syria of at least a month. U.N. war crimes experts have also said they are investigating several reports of bombs allegedly containing chlorine gas being used against civilians.

Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad whose military support has helped government forces claw back territory, on Thursday said a ceasefire was unrealistic.&nbsp;

Standing beside Russian President Vladimir Putin last summer, French leader Emmanuel Macron said any failure to open humanitarian corridors in Syria represented a &quot;red line&quot;, as did the use of chemical weapons.&nbsp;

France and the United Nations have repeatedly called in past months for the opening of aid corridors to alleviate the humanitarian crisis. The Paris government has also urged Moscow in private to consider ways to alleviate the crisis, but those efforts have not materialized into results on the ground.&nbsp;

France&rsquo;s foreign minister is due in Russia before the end of February.

France’s foreign minister is due in Russia before the end of February.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly on Friday called for an end to air strikes in Syria and the opening of humanitarian corridors, saying it was unacceptable that civilians were being targeted. Parly highlighted the fighting in rebel-held areas of Idlib province and eastern Damascus, where waves of Syrian government and Russian strikes have killed dozens of civilians in recent days. "We are very worried. The air strikes need to end," Parly said on France Inter radio. "Civilians are the targets, in Idlib and in the east of Damascus. This fighting is absolutely unacceptable," she added. The Syrian civil war, now entering its eighth year, has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven more than 11 million from their homes, while drawing in regional countries and global powers supporting client factions on the ground. Parly did not specify who was carrying out the strikes. Her comments came after the United Nations on Tuesday called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Syria of at least a month. U.N. war crimes experts have also said they are investigating several reports of bombs allegedly containing chlorine gas being used against civilians. Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad whose military support has helped government forces claw back territory, on Thursday said a ceasefire was unrealistic. Standing beside Russian President Vladimir Putin last summer, French leader Emmanuel Macron said any failure to open humanitarian corridors in Syria represented a "red line", as did the use of chemical weapons. France and the United Nations have repeatedly called in past months for the opening of aid corridors to alleviate the humanitarian crisis. The Paris government has also urged Moscow in private to consider ways to alleviate the crisis, but those efforts have not materialized into results on the ground. France’s foreign minister is due in Russia before the end of February.

France urges halt to air strikes, aid corridors in Syria

Two <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-fighters-with-brainwashed-children-could-carry-out-attacks-german-intelligence-chief-31343">British Islamic State fighters, members </a>of a kidnapping cell dubbed &quot;The Beatles&quot; that was notorious for videotaping beheadings, have been captured in Syria, a US defense official confirmed Thursday.

 
The two members of the group who had still been in the field, Alexanda Amon Kotey and El Shafee el-Sheikh, both from Britain, were captured in January in eastern Syria by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

 
The pair are believed to have &quot;participated in the detention, exploitation and execution of Western detainees,&quot; the official said in a statement.

 
The two were also &quot;believed to have acted as guards and interpreters involved in ISIS&#39;&nbsp;illegal captivity of Western hostages, and are thought to have links to the British terrorist often called `Jihadi John`,&quot; the official said.

 
Last year, the US State Department said the London-born Kotey had &quot;likely&quot; taken part in executions and used &quot;exceptionally cruel torture methods, including electric shock and waterboarding,&quot; while guarding the group`s captives.

 
Among the other two members of the &quot;Beatles&quot; group, Mohammed Emwazi -- &quot;Jihadi John&quot; -- was killed in 2015 in a drone strike by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group.&nbsp;

 
The fourth member of the gang, Aine Davis, is being held in Turkey.

 
Emwazi was the group`s leader, gaining notoriety for using a knife to kill hostages in a string of beheadings that were videotaped and posted on the internet, generating outrage against the IS group but also inspiring similar acts by the extremists.

 
His victims included US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, and British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning. 
Overall, the group handled more than 20 foreign hostages during the 2014-2015 period, earning a reported millions of dollars in ransom payments.&nbsp;

 
Hostages who survived reported being beaten, shocked by Tasers, and undergoing waterboardings at the hands of the group.

 
It was the hostages who gave them their nickname &quot;The Beatles,&quot; after the legendary rock group, for their British accents. The US official did not give any information on the condition of the two or what would happen to them.&nbsp;

 
&quot;El-Shafee el-Sheikh and Kotey represent a small portion of the hundreds of foreign-born ISIS terrorists from several nations who have been taken off the battlefield by Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria since October 2017,&quot; the official said, requesting anonymity.

 
The British foreign ministry declined to confirm the capture.

 
&quot;We don`t comment on individual cases or ongoing investigations,&quot; a spokesperson said.

 
The SDF last year turned over another English-speaking IS captive to the US forces. While his name remains secret, he has been identified as a native-born American with Saudi dual nationality.&nbsp;

 
The US Justice Department says they have considered transferring him to a third country -- presumably Saudi Arabia -- while US civil rights lawyers are battling to have his case transferred to US civilian courts.

 
President Donald Trump has said that Islamist fighters captured on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq, including Americans, could be sent to the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

 
Last week he reversed an order by his predecessor Barack Obama to close the Guantanamo prison, which still holds 41 people.&nbsp;

 
Most of them were captured in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. The prison has not received any new inmates since 2008.

 
&quot;I am asking Congress to ensure that in the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda, we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists wherever we chase them down, wherever we find them, and in many cases for them, it will now be Guantanamo Bay,&quot; Trump said during his State of the Union Speech on January 30.

The two were also "believed to have acted as guards and interpreters involved in ISIS' illegal captivity of Western hostages

Two British Islamic State fighters, members of a kidnapping cell dubbed "The Beatles" that was notorious for videotaping beheadings, have been captured in Syria, a US defense official confirmed Thursday. The two members of the group who had still been in the field, Alexanda Amon Kotey and El Shafee el-Sheikh, both from Britain, were captured in January in eastern Syria by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The pair are believed to have "participated in the detention, exploitation and execution of Western detainees," the official said in a statement. The two were also "believed to have acted as guards and interpreters involved in ISIS' illegal captivity of Western hostages, and are thought to have links to the British terrorist often called `Jihadi John`," the official said. Last year, the US State Department said the London-born Kotey had "likely" taken part in executions and used "exceptionally cruel torture methods, including electric shock and waterboarding," while guarding the group`s captives. Among the other two members of the "Beatles" group, Mohammed Emwazi -- "Jihadi John" -- was killed in 2015 in a drone strike by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group. The fourth member of the gang, Aine Davis, is being held in Turkey. Emwazi was the group`s leader, gaining notoriety for using a knife to kill hostages in a string of beheadings that were videotaped and posted on the internet, generating outrage against the IS group but also inspiring similar acts by the extremists. His victims included US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, and British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning. Overall, the group handled more than 20 foreign hostages during the 2014-2015 period, earning a reported millions of dollars in ransom payments. Hostages who survived reported being beaten, shocked by Tasers, and undergoing waterboardings at the hands of the group. It was the hostages who gave them their nickname "The Beatles," after the legendary rock group, for their British accents. The US official did not give any information on the condition of the two or what would happen to them. "El-Shafee el-Sheikh and Kotey represent a small portion of the hundreds of foreign-born ISIS terrorists from several nations who have been taken off the battlefield by Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria since October 2017," the official said, requesting anonymity. The British foreign ministry declined to confirm the capture. "We don`t comment on individual cases or ongoing investigations," a spokesperson said. The SDF last year turned over another English-speaking IS captive to the US forces. While his name remains secret, he has been identified as a native-born American with Saudi dual nationality. The US Justice Department says they have considered transferring him to a third country -- presumably Saudi Arabia -- while US civil rights lawyers are battling to have his case transferred to US civilian courts. President Donald Trump has said that Islamist fighters captured on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq, including Americans, could be sent to the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Last week he reversed an order by his predecessor Barack Obama to close the Guantanamo prison, which still holds 41 people. Most of them were captured in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. The prison has not received any new inmates since 2008. "I am asking Congress to ensure that in the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda, we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists wherever we chase them down, wherever we find them, and in many cases for them, it will now be Guantanamo Bay," Trump said during his State of the Union Speech on January 30.

2 British Islamic State fighters captured in Syria

Renewed government strikes killed 32 civilians on Wednesday in a rebel-held enclave near Damascus, where overwhelmed medics were still treating survivors of the Syrian conflict&#39;s bloodiest day in months.

The district of Eastern Ghouta, controlled by rebel factions including Islamists, suffered some of its worst bloodshed in years on Tuesday, when 80 civilians were killed.

Regime warplanes returned Wednesday morning for fresh strikes on the enclave, with the death toll climbing to 32 civilians including a dozen children, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Among them was the young daughter of Abu Raad, a shell-shocked man from Eastern Ghouta.

&quot;Now the rescue workers are searching for my second daughter but can&#39;t find her. What do I do?&quot; he cried.

Tuesday&#39;s toll of 80 dead was &quot;the highest civilian toll in Syria in nearly nine months, and one of the bloodiest days for Eastern Ghouta in several years,&quot; Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said..

Nineteen children and 20 women are among the dead, and around 200 were wounded, said the Britain-based war monitor.

The deadliest raids hit Beit Sawa and Hammuriyeh, the Observatory said.

&#39;Chlorine&#39; use&nbsp;

In Hammuriyeh, a young man stared at the bodies of five children, including his younger brother, killed in an air strike.

&quot;I saw them filling up water, and a few minutes later the airplane hit. I came back and found all five dead,&quot; he said.

Civilians had been bracing for more raids as the regime appeared intent on ratcheting up the pressure on Eastern Ghouta, a rebel pocket on the capital&#39;s doorstep.

&quot;Please break up all gatherings and clear the streets,&quot; blared an announcement from mosque minarets in Douma.

In apparent retaliation, rebel rocket fire on a government-controlled suburb of Damascus killed one child an wounded two people, state news agency SANA reported.

Citing a police source, SANA said the shells were launched from Eastern Ghouta.

Home to an estimated 400,000 people, the Eastern Ghouta region has been included in a de-escalation deal that was meant to bring calm.

But the bombardment has increased in recent days, including with suspected chlorine-filled munitions.

On Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said &quot;all indications&quot; pointed to the Syrian government&#39;s use of chlorine weapons in Syria.

&quot;All indications... tell us today that chlorine is being used by the regime at present in Syria,&quot; he told to a television.

Chlorine is suspected of having been used on two occasions this month alone on Eastern Ghouta.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said a fact-finding mission mandated &quot;to establish the facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals... is investigating all credible allegations.&quot;

The world&#39;s chemical watchdog voiced &quot;grave concern&quot; over the new reports.

The US State Department said on Monday it had recorded six suspected chemical attacks in Syria in the past 30 days.

&#39;Breaking point&#39;

Syria has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons.

On Wednesday, the Syrian army said it intercepted an Israeli attack on a military position in Jamraya, northwest of Damascus.

Jamraya is home to several military positions and a branch of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, suspected of playing a leading role in chemical weapons production.

An Israeli air strike hit the facility in May 2013.

&quot;This morning, Israeli warplanes fired several missiles from Lebanese airspace on one of our military positions in the Damascus countryside,&quot; said an army statement carried by state media.

&quot;Our air defence systems blocked them and destroyed most of them.&quot;

The Observatory said an arms depot in Jamraya had been hit, but it could not confirm whether research facilities had been damaged.

The United Nations has said it is looking into reports of chemical attacks in Syria, and called on Tuesday for a month-long ceasefire across the country for the sake of civilians.

The de-escalation zones, according to the UN&#39;s regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria, were not doing enough to stem the violence.

&quot;There is a misperception that de-escalation areas have resulted in peace and stability,&quot; Panos Moumtzis told reporters in Beirut.

&quot;Eastern Ghouta is a de-escalation area. If anything, there has been a serious escalation... The conflict in Syria is far from over,&quot; Moumtzis said.

He said the situation had grown direr because of the multiple fronts raging at the same time.

&quot;It&#39;s the first time -- between Eastern Ghouta, Idlib, Afrin -- we have multiple fronts with people in extreme danger without a view to a solution,&quot; he said.

&quot;Now, we feel we&#39;ve reached a breaking point.&quot;

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since the conflict in Syria erupted in March 2011.

Renewed government strikes killed 32 civilians on Wednesday in a rebel-held enclave near Damascus, where overwhelmed medics were still treating survivors of the Syrian conflict's bloodiest day in months

Renewed government strikes killed 32 civilians on Wednesday in a rebel-held enclave near Damascus, where overwhelmed medics were still treating survivors of the Syrian conflict's bloodiest day in months. The district of Eastern Ghouta, controlled by rebel factions including Islamists, suffered some of its worst bloodshed in years on Tuesday, when 80 civilians were killed. Regime warplanes returned Wednesday morning for fresh strikes on the enclave, with the death toll climbing to 32 civilians including a dozen children, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Among them was the young daughter of Abu Raad, a shell-shocked man from Eastern Ghouta. "Now the rescue workers are searching for my second daughter but can't find her. What do I do?" he cried. Tuesday's toll of 80 dead was "the highest civilian toll in Syria in nearly nine months, and one of the bloodiest days for Eastern Ghouta in several years," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.. Nineteen children and 20 women are among the dead, and around 200 were wounded, said the Britain-based war monitor. The deadliest raids hit Beit Sawa and Hammuriyeh, the Observatory said. 'Chlorine' use In Hammuriyeh, a young man stared at the bodies of five children, including his younger brother, killed in an air strike. "I saw them filling up water, and a few minutes later the airplane hit. I came back and found all five dead," he said. Civilians had been bracing for more raids as the regime appeared intent on ratcheting up the pressure on Eastern Ghouta, a rebel pocket on the capital's doorstep. "Please break up all gatherings and clear the streets," blared an announcement from mosque minarets in Douma. In apparent retaliation, rebel rocket fire on a government-controlled suburb of Damascus killed one child an wounded two people, state news agency SANA reported. Citing a police source, SANA said the shells were launched from Eastern Ghouta. Home to an estimated 400,000 people, the Eastern Ghouta region has been included in a de-escalation deal that was meant to bring calm. But the bombardment has increased in recent days, including with suspected chlorine-filled munitions. On Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said "all indications" pointed to the Syrian government's use of chlorine weapons in Syria. "All indications... tell us today that chlorine is being used by the regime at present in Syria," he told to a television. Chlorine is suspected of having been used on two occasions this month alone on Eastern Ghouta. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said a fact-finding mission mandated "to establish the facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals... is investigating all credible allegations." The world's chemical watchdog voiced "grave concern" over the new reports. The US State Department said on Monday it had recorded six suspected chemical attacks in Syria in the past 30 days. 'Breaking point' Syria has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons. On Wednesday, the Syrian army said it intercepted an Israeli attack on a military position in Jamraya, northwest of Damascus. Jamraya is home to several military positions and a branch of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, suspected of playing a leading role in chemical weapons production. An Israeli air strike hit the facility in May 2013. "This morning, Israeli warplanes fired several missiles from Lebanese airspace on one of our military positions in the Damascus countryside," said an army statement carried by state media. "Our air defence systems blocked them and destroyed most of them." The Observatory said an arms depot in Jamraya had been hit, but it could not confirm whether research facilities had been damaged. The United Nations has said it is looking into reports of chemical attacks in Syria, and called on Tuesday for a month-long ceasefire across the country for the sake of civilians. The de-escalation zones, according to the UN's regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria, were not doing enough to stem the violence. "There is a misperception that de-escalation areas have resulted in peace and stability," Panos Moumtzis told reporters in Beirut. "Eastern Ghouta is a de-escalation area. If anything, there has been a serious escalation... The conflict in Syria is far from over," Moumtzis said. He said the situation had grown direr because of the multiple fronts raging at the same time. "It's the first time -- between Eastern Ghouta, Idlib, Afrin -- we have multiple fronts with people in extreme danger without a view to a solution," he said. "Now, we feel we've reached a breaking point." More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since the conflict in Syria erupted in March 2011.

Death toll soars as Syria regime pounds rebel enclave

Syria on Saturday denied recent accusations by the United States that it had used chemical weapons on opposition forces near the capital Damascus, shrugging them off as &quot;lies.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;The foreign ministry condemns the false claims by the United States that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta,&quot; a foreign ministry source said, cited by Syrian state news agency SANA.

Eastern Ghouta is a rebel-controlled enclave adjacent to Damascus.&nbsp;

On Friday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters his government was concerned sarin gas may have been recently used in Syria.

The Pentagon chief cited reports from NGOs and rebel groups in the battlefield who say the toxic gas has been used, although he stressed that the United States currently has no proof to support those accusations.

Syria&#39;s foreign ministry seized on his comments, saying even the US acknowledged their own statements were &quot;not based on evidence&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;Claims that the Syrian state used chlorine gas one moment and sarin gas the next prove that these are nothing more than lies,&quot; the statement said.

&quot;These are lies based on stories from America&#39;s so-called partners on the ground.&quot;

Last month, 21 people were treated for respiratory problems after rockets were fired on the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus.&nbsp;

Syria has staunchly denied the claims, pointing to its 2013 handover of its chemical stores as part of a deal between the United States and Russia.&nbsp;

That agreement came after accusations that Damascus used sarin gas on Eastern Ghouta in August 2013.

But the United Nations found that Syrian government forces were responsible for chlorine attacks in Syria in 2014 and 2015, as well as sarin use in 2017.

The April 2017 attack on Khan Sheikhun left scores dead and prompted the US to fire 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian air field.&nbsp;

On Thursday, senior US administration officials said Washington was not ruling out fresh military action in the wake of new suspected attacks.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis had said his government was concerned sarin gas may have been recently used in Syria

Syria on Saturday denied recent accusations by the United States that it had used chemical weapons on opposition forces near the capital Damascus, shrugging them off as "lies." "The foreign ministry condemns the false claims by the United States that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta," a foreign ministry source said, cited by Syrian state news agency SANA. Eastern Ghouta is a rebel-controlled enclave adjacent to Damascus. On Friday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters his government was concerned sarin gas may have been recently used in Syria. The Pentagon chief cited reports from NGOs and rebel groups in the battlefield who say the toxic gas has been used, although he stressed that the United States currently has no proof to support those accusations. Syria's foreign ministry seized on his comments, saying even the US acknowledged their own statements were "not based on evidence". "Claims that the Syrian state used chlorine gas one moment and sarin gas the next prove that these are nothing more than lies," the statement said. "These are lies based on stories from America's so-called partners on the ground." Last month, 21 people were treated for respiratory problems after rockets were fired on the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus. Syria has staunchly denied the claims, pointing to its 2013 handover of its chemical stores as part of a deal between the United States and Russia. That agreement came after accusations that Damascus used sarin gas on Eastern Ghouta in August 2013. But the United Nations found that Syrian government forces were responsible for chlorine attacks in Syria in 2014 and 2015, as well as sarin use in 2017. The April 2017 attack on Khan Sheikhun left scores dead and prompted the US to fire 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian air field. On Thursday, senior US administration officials said Washington was not ruling out fresh military action in the wake of new suspected attacks.

Syria blasts US accusations on chemical weapons use as 'lies'

A Russian pilot was killed Saturday in fighting with Islamists after his warplane was downed over northwest Syria, Russia&#39;s defence ministry and a monitor said.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a powerful jihadist-dominated alliance said, on an affiliated media channel it had shot down the plane but made no mention of the pilot.

&quot;We were able to bring down the Russian warplane with a shoulder-fired missile above Saraqib in Idlib this afternoon,&quot; said Mahmoud al-Turkmani who, according to the statement, heads HTS`s &quot;air defence brigade.&quot;

He said the attack was in retaliation for a ferocious bombing campaign by Russian warplanes over Idlib.

HTS, which is dominated by Al-Qaeda`s former affiliate in Syria, controls Idlib and has sought to fight back a ferocious Russian-backed assault by Syrian government troops.

An AFP correspondent who arrived at the crash site on Saturday saw what appeared to be the charred remains of the plane, including a wing with a red star still visible.

Firefighters arrived to put out flames that had been spewing dark smoke into the wintry Syrian sky.

The Russian defence ministry confirmed that the Su-25 aircraft was shot down over Idlib province and said the pilot was killed &quot;in fighting against terrorists.&quot;

&quot;A Russian Su-25 aircraft crashed during a flight over the Idlib de-escalation zone. The pilot had enough time to announce he had ejected into the zone,&quot; the defence ministry said.

&quot;The pilot was killed in fighting against terrorists,&quot; it said, quoted by Russian agencies.

It added that &quot;according to preliminary reports, the plane was shot down by a portable anti-aircraft missile system.&quot;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the jet was downed near the town of Saraqib in Idlib and the pilot parachuted to the ground.

He was killed clashing with rebels as they tried to take him, hostage said the Britain-based Observatory.

&quot;There have been dozens of Russian air strikes in the area over the past 24 hours. This plane was also carrying out raids there,&quot; said Abdel Rahman.

The Observatory said 20 people, including eight children, were killed on Saturday during a bombardment on Saraqib and surrounding villages.

Syria`s uprising broke out in 2011 with protests against Assad`s rule but has since morphed into a complex war drawing in global powers.

Moscow began conducting air strikes in Syria in September 2015, and its intervention has swung the nearly seven-year conflict firmly in the favour of its ally in Damascus.

Opposition factions have shot down Syrian regime planes in the past, but the downing of Russian aircraft is much rarer.

Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in November 2015, leading to the worst crisis in ties between the two countries since the end of the Cold War.

And in August 2016, a Russian military helicopter was shot down over Syria and all five people on board were killed. Russia has been spearheading a more than year-long diplomatic push to try to freeze the fighting in coordination with fellow regime ally Iran and rebel backer Turkey.

Ankara has supported an array of rebel groups to fight Syria`s government, the Islamic State jihadist group, and Kurdish militia that it has blacklisted as &quot;terrorists.&quot;

On January 20, Turkey and allied rebel fighters began an offensive on the Syrian enclave of Afrin, held by the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG).

Seven Turkish soldiers were killed on Saturday as part of the assault, including five who died in a single attack on a tank, the Turkish army said.

The losses mark the highest toll in a single day for the Turkish army in operation &quot;Olive Branch.&quot;

The Observatory has also counted 104 allied rebels and 102 YPG fighters killed since the offensive began, as well as 68 civilians.

Ankara has denied targeting civilians as part of its Afrin offensive.

Mourners on Saturday gathered in Afrin to commemorate victims of the operation, including female fighter Barin Kobani whose badly mutilated body appeared in a shocking video earlier this week.

The footage sparked accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was &quot;defiled&quot; by Turkish-backed rebels.

The opposition`s government-in-exile said Saturday it had opened an investigation into the matter.

Thousands of people protested on Saturday in France against Turkey`s operation &quot;Olive Branch,&quot; gathering in Strasbourg and Paris to condemn the assault.

They held posters that read &quot;Defend Afrin&quot; and &quot;Erdogan assassin,&quot; in reference to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Russian defence ministry confirmed that the Su-25 aircraft was shot down over Idlib province and said the pilot was killed "in fighting against terrorists"

A Russian pilot was killed Saturday in fighting with Islamists after his warplane was downed over northwest Syria, Russia's defence ministry and a monitor said. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a powerful jihadist-dominated alliance said, on an affiliated media channel it had shot down the plane but made no mention of the pilot. "We were able to bring down the Russian warplane with a shoulder-fired missile above Saraqib in Idlib this afternoon," said Mahmoud al-Turkmani who, according to the statement, heads HTS`s "air defence brigade." He said the attack was in retaliation for a ferocious bombing campaign by Russian warplanes over Idlib. HTS, which is dominated by Al-Qaeda`s former affiliate in Syria, controls Idlib and has sought to fight back a ferocious Russian-backed assault by Syrian government troops. An AFP correspondent who arrived at the crash site on Saturday saw what appeared to be the charred remains of the plane, including a wing with a red star still visible. Firefighters arrived to put out flames that had been spewing dark smoke into the wintry Syrian sky. The Russian defence ministry confirmed that the Su-25 aircraft was shot down over Idlib province and said the pilot was killed "in fighting against terrorists." "A Russian Su-25 aircraft crashed during a flight over the Idlib de-escalation zone. The pilot had enough time to announce he had ejected into the zone," the defence ministry said. "The pilot was killed in fighting against terrorists," it said, quoted by Russian agencies. It added that "according to preliminary reports, the plane was shot down by a portable anti-aircraft missile system." The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the jet was downed near the town of Saraqib in Idlib and the pilot parachuted to the ground. He was killed clashing with rebels as they tried to take him, hostage said the Britain-based Observatory. "There have been dozens of Russian air strikes in the area over the past 24 hours. This plane was also carrying out raids there," said Abdel Rahman. The Observatory said 20 people, including eight children, were killed on Saturday during a bombardment on Saraqib and surrounding villages. Syria`s uprising broke out in 2011 with protests against Assad`s rule but has since morphed into a complex war drawing in global powers. Moscow began conducting air strikes in Syria in September 2015, and its intervention has swung the nearly seven-year conflict firmly in the favour of its ally in Damascus. Opposition factions have shot down Syrian regime planes in the past, but the downing of Russian aircraft is much rarer. Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in November 2015, leading to the worst crisis in ties between the two countries since the end of the Cold War. And in August 2016, a Russian military helicopter was shot down over Syria and all five people on board were killed. Russia has been spearheading a more than year-long diplomatic push to try to freeze the fighting in coordination with fellow regime ally Iran and rebel backer Turkey. Ankara has supported an array of rebel groups to fight Syria`s government, the Islamic State jihadist group, and Kurdish militia that it has blacklisted as "terrorists." On January 20, Turkey and allied rebel fighters began an offensive on the Syrian enclave of Afrin, held by the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG). Seven Turkish soldiers were killed on Saturday as part of the assault, including five who died in a single attack on a tank, the Turkish army said. The losses mark the highest toll in a single day for the Turkish army in operation "Olive Branch." The Observatory has also counted 104 allied rebels and 102 YPG fighters killed since the offensive began, as well as 68 civilians. Ankara has denied targeting civilians as part of its Afrin offensive. Mourners on Saturday gathered in Afrin to commemorate victims of the operation, including female fighter Barin Kobani whose badly mutilated body appeared in a shocking video earlier this week. The footage sparked accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. The opposition`s government-in-exile said Saturday it had opened an investigation into the matter. Thousands of people protested on Saturday in France against Turkey`s operation "Olive Branch," gathering in Strasbourg and Paris to condemn the assault. They held posters that read "Defend Afrin" and "Erdogan assassin," in reference to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Russian jet shot down in Syria, pilot killed by militants

North Korea violated United Nations sanctions to earn nearly $200 million in 2017 from banned commodity exports, according to a confidential report by independent UN&nbsp;monitors, which also accused Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Syria and Myanmar.

The report to a UN&nbsp;Security Council sanctions committee, seen by Reuters on Friday, said North Korea had shipped coal to ports, including in Russia, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam, mainly using false paperwork that showed countries such as Russia and China as the coal origin, instead of North Korea.

The 15-member council has unanimously boosted sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, banning exports including coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, and capping imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products.

&quot;The DPRK (North Korea) is already flouting the most recent resolutions by exploiting global oil supply chains, complicit foreign nationals, offshore company registries and the international banking system,&quot; the UN&nbsp;monitors wrote in the 213-page report.

The North Korean mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the UN report. Russia and China have repeatedly said they are implementing UN&nbsp;sanctions on North Korea.

Syria Myanmar

The monitors said they had investigated ongoing ballistic missile cooperation between Syria and Myanmar, including more than 40 previously unreported North Korea shipments between 2012 and 2017 to Syria&#39;s Scientific Studies and Research Centre, which oversees the country&#39;s chemical weapons program.

The investigation has shown &quot;further evidence of arms embargo and other violations, including through the transfer of items with utility in ballistic missile and chemical weapons programs,&quot; the UN&nbsp;monitors wrote.

They also inspected cargo from two North Korea shipments intercepted by unidentified countries en route to Syria. Both contained acid-resistant tiles that could cover an area equal to a large scale industrial project, the monitors reported.

One country, which was not identified, told the monitors the seized shipments can &quot;be used to build bricks for the interior wall of a chemical factory.&quot;

Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013. However, diplomats and weapons inspectors suspect Syria may have secretly maintained or developed a new chemical weapons capability.

The Syrian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the UN&nbsp;report.

The UN&nbsp;monitors also said one country, which they did not identify, reported it had evidence that Myanmar received ballistic missile systems from North Korea, along with conventional weapons, including multiple rocket launchers and surface-to-air missiles.

Myanmar UN&nbsp;Ambassador Hau Do Suan said the Myanmar government &quot;has no ongoing arms relationship, whatsoever, with North Korea&quot; and is abiding by the UN&nbsp;Security Council resolutions.

Banned exports, imports

Under a 2016 resolution, the UN&nbsp;Security Council capped coal exports and required countries to report any imports of North Korean coal to the council sanctions committee. It then banned all exports of coal by North Korea on Aug. 5.

The UN&nbsp;monitors investigated 16 coal shipments between January and Aug. 5 to ports in Russia, China, Malaysia and Vietnam. They said Malaysia reported one shipment to the council committee and the remaining 15 shipments violated sanctions.

After the coal ban was imposed on Aug. 5, the UN&nbsp;monitors investigated 23 coal shipments to ports in Russia, China, South Korea and Vietnam. The UN&nbsp;monitors said all those shipments &quot;would constitute a violation of the resolution, if confirmed.&quot;

&quot;The DPRK combined deceptive navigation patterns, signals manipulation, transshipments as well as fraudulent documentation to obscure the origin of the coal,&quot; the monitors said.

The UN&nbsp;monitors &quot;also investigated cases of ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum products in violation (of UN&nbsp;sanctions) ... and found that the network behind these vessels is primarily based in Taiwan province of China.&quot;

The monitors said one country, which they did not name, told them North Korea had carried out such transfers off its ports of Wonsan and Nampo and in international waters between the Yellow Sea and East China Sea between October and January.

The report said several multinational oil companies, which were not named, were also being investigated for roles in the supply chain of petroleum products transferred to North Korea.

North Korea violated United Nations sanctions to earn nearly $200 million in 2017 from banned commodity exports, according to a confidential report by independent UN monitors, which also accused Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Syria and Myanmar

North Korea violated United Nations sanctions to earn nearly $200 million in 2017 from banned commodity exports, according to a confidential report by independent UN monitors, which also accused Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Syria and Myanmar. The report to a UN Security Council sanctions committee, seen by Reuters on Friday, said North Korea had shipped coal to ports, including in Russia, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam, mainly using false paperwork that showed countries such as Russia and China as the coal origin, instead of North Korea. The 15-member council has unanimously boosted sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, banning exports including coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, and capping imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products. "The DPRK (North Korea) is already flouting the most recent resolutions by exploiting global oil supply chains, complicit foreign nationals, offshore company registries and the international banking system," the UN monitors wrote in the 213-page report. The North Korean mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the UN report. Russia and China have repeatedly said they are implementing UN sanctions on North Korea. Syria Myanmar The monitors said they had investigated ongoing ballistic missile cooperation between Syria and Myanmar, including more than 40 previously unreported North Korea shipments between 2012 and 2017 to Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Centre, which oversees the country's chemical weapons program. The investigation has shown "further evidence of arms embargo and other violations, including through the transfer of items with utility in ballistic missile and chemical weapons programs," the UN monitors wrote. They also inspected cargo from two North Korea shipments intercepted by unidentified countries en route to Syria. Both contained acid-resistant tiles that could cover an area equal to a large scale industrial project, the monitors reported. One country, which was not identified, told the monitors the seized shipments can "be used to build bricks for the interior wall of a chemical factory." Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013. However, diplomats and weapons inspectors suspect Syria may have secretly maintained or developed a new chemical weapons capability. The Syrian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the UN report. The UN monitors also said one country, which they did not identify, reported it had evidence that Myanmar received ballistic missile systems from North Korea, along with conventional weapons, including multiple rocket launchers and surface-to-air missiles. Myanmar UN Ambassador Hau Do Suan said the Myanmar government "has no ongoing arms relationship, whatsoever, with North Korea" and is abiding by the UN Security Council resolutions. Banned exports, imports Under a 2016 resolution, the UN Security Council capped coal exports and required countries to report any imports of North Korean coal to the council sanctions committee. It then banned all exports of coal by North Korea on Aug. 5. The UN monitors investigated 16 coal shipments between January and Aug. 5 to ports in Russia, China, Malaysia and Vietnam. They said Malaysia reported one shipment to the council committee and the remaining 15 shipments violated sanctions. After the coal ban was imposed on Aug. 5, the UN monitors investigated 23 coal shipments to ports in Russia, China, South Korea and Vietnam. The UN monitors said all those shipments "would constitute a violation of the resolution, if confirmed." "The DPRK combined deceptive navigation patterns, signals manipulation, transshipments as well as fraudulent documentation to obscure the origin of the coal," the monitors said. The UN monitors "also investigated cases of ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum products in violation (of UN sanctions) ... and found that the network behind these vessels is primarily based in Taiwan province of China." The monitors said one country, which they did not name, told them North Korea had carried out such transfers off its ports of Wonsan and Nampo and in international waters between the Yellow Sea and East China Sea between October and January. The report said several multinational oil companies, which were not named, were also being investigated for roles in the supply chain of petroleum products transferred to North Korea.

North Korea earned $200 million from banned exports, sends arms to Syria, Myanmar: UN report

The Syrian army performed air strikes in northwest Syria on Thursday killing atleast 28 people.&nbsp;

The aerial bombardment took place when warplanes and helicopters struck in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces including towns of Saraqeb and Kafr Nabouda.&nbsp;

A hospital built under 60 feet of rock in Hama province was also wrecked due to an air strike on Thursday, medical sources say.

They say the hospital was regarded as one of the best protected in the country - was put out of service by Thursday&#39;s strike.

However, it was not clear if it was the same strike carried out by the Syrian army.&nbsp;

The Syrian army and its allies are pushing towards Saraqeb from Abu Duhur, an airbase they captured last month, and they seized several villages on Thursday, the Observatory said.

The strongest rebel group in northwest Syria is Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance of jihadist factions including a former al Qaeda affiliate previously known as the Nusra Front.

The government has pushed rebels from many of the areas they seized during the civil war, which began in 2011, but opposition groups still hold significant pockets near Damascus and Homs and in the southwest, as well as the enclave in the northwest.&nbsp;

The aerial bombardment took place when warplanes and helicopters struck in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces including towns of Saraqeb and Kafr Nabouda

The Syrian army performed air strikes in northwest Syria on Thursday killing atleast 28 people. The aerial bombardment took place when warplanes and helicopters struck in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces including towns of Saraqeb and Kafr Nabouda. A hospital built under 60 feet of rock in Hama province was also wrecked due to an air strike on Thursday, medical sources say. They say the hospital was regarded as one of the best protected in the country - was put out of service by Thursday's strike. However, it was not clear if it was the same strike carried out by the Syrian army. The Syrian army and its allies are pushing towards Saraqeb from Abu Duhur, an airbase they captured last month, and they seized several villages on Thursday, the Observatory said. The strongest rebel group in northwest Syria is Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance of jihadist factions including a former al Qaeda affiliate previously known as the Nusra Front. The government has pushed rebels from many of the areas they seized during the civil war, which began in 2011, but opposition groups still hold significant pockets near Damascus and Homs and in the southwest, as well as the enclave in the northwest.

Syrian army airstrike kills 28 in Northwestern enclave

A United Nations humanitarian task force has been unable to make deliveries to desperate Syrians for the past two months as President Bashar al-Assad&rsquo;s government has withheld approval for aid convoys, the UN humanitarian adviser said on Thursday.

Before they can move into besieged areas or across front lines, the convoys require letters from the government and security guarantees from armed groups.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an all-time low in giving us the facilitation letters,&rdquo; adviser Jan Egeland told reporters after meeting senior diplomats in Geneva.

Insurgents fighting Assad&rsquo;s forces were also creating obstacles, contributing to the worst situation since 2015, he said.

Egeland called on Russia, Turkey and Iran to de-escalate the fighting in Idlib governorate, which he said was &ldquo;screaming for a ceasefire&rdquo;.

&ldquo;When we need their ability to influence the parties the most, in this bleak hour for humanitarian work, humanitarian diplomacy seems to be totally impotent. We&rsquo;re getting nowhere at the moment.&rdquo;

This week Russia convened a Syrian peace congress in Sochi. Egeland said it had so far not resulted in any progress but he hoped that it would.

Air strikes hit two crowded markets in Idlib this week, killing at least 31 people, and have deprived hundreds of thousands of healthcare.

&ldquo;I told the members of the humanitarian task force, we cannot have conventional warfare in what is essentially a refugee camp,&rdquo; Egeland said.

Further north, a Turkish offensive in Afrin district has displaced about 15,000 people, Egeland said, adding: &ldquo;There are also reports...that local authorities have made it hard for people to flee from the Afrin area.&rdquo;

And outside Damascus, the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, where almost 400,000 people are under siege and about 750 need urgent medical evacuation, desperately needs a pause in the fighting, he said.

&ldquo;We have indications from both sides that they want it, but it hasn&rsquo;t happened. And it&rsquo;s both sides that have to help us here. There are air raids, fighting from the government side, but there is a barrage of mortars and grenades going from this area going into civilian neighbourhoods in Damascus.&rdquo;

He also said 112 people had been killed by explosions in the town of Raqqa since it was recaptured from Islamic State fighters in October because people had been allowed back to their homes before the town had been cleared of bombs.

A United Nations humanitarian task force has been unable to make deliveries to desperate Syrians for the past two months as President Bashar al-Assad’s government has withheld approval for aid convoys, the UN humanitarian adviser said on Thursday

A United Nations humanitarian task force has been unable to make deliveries to desperate Syrians for the past two months as President Bashar al-Assad’s government has withheld approval for aid convoys, the UN humanitarian adviser said on Thursday. Before they can move into besieged areas or across front lines, the convoys require letters from the government and security guarantees from armed groups. “It’s an all-time low in giving us the facilitation letters,” adviser Jan Egeland told reporters after meeting senior diplomats in Geneva. Insurgents fighting Assad’s forces were also creating obstacles, contributing to the worst situation since 2015, he said. Egeland called on Russia, Turkey and Iran to de-escalate the fighting in Idlib governorate, which he said was “screaming for a ceasefire”. “When we need their ability to influence the parties the most, in this bleak hour for humanitarian work, humanitarian diplomacy seems to be totally impotent. We’re getting nowhere at the moment.” This week Russia convened a Syrian peace congress in Sochi. Egeland said it had so far not resulted in any progress but he hoped that it would. Air strikes hit two crowded markets in Idlib this week, killing at least 31 people, and have deprived hundreds of thousands of healthcare. “I told the members of the humanitarian task force, we cannot have conventional warfare in what is essentially a refugee camp,” Egeland said. Further north, a Turkish offensive in Afrin district has displaced about 15,000 people, Egeland said, adding: “There are also reports...that local authorities have made it hard for people to flee from the Afrin area.” And outside Damascus, the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, where almost 400,000 people are under siege and about 750 need urgent medical evacuation, desperately needs a pause in the fighting, he said. “We have indications from both sides that they want it, but it hasn’t happened. And it’s both sides that have to help us here. There are air raids, fighting from the government side, but there is a barrage of mortars and grenades going from this area going into civilian neighbourhoods in Damascus.” He also said 112 people had been killed by explosions in the town of Raqqa since it was recaptured from Islamic State fighters in October because people had been allowed back to their homes before the town had been cleared of bombs.

UN calls on Russia, Iran and Turkey to break Syria aid deadlock

&nbsp;A Syrian peace conference in Russia got off to a rocky start on Tuesday after some delegates opposed to President Bashar al-Assad refused to leave the airport on arrival and the Russian foreign minister was subjected to hostile heckling.

Russia, a staunch Assad ally, is hosting what it has called a Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of&nbsp;Sochi&nbsp;that it hopes will launch negotiations on drafting a new constitution for Syria after almost seven years of war.

But in a blow to Moscow, which has cast itself as a Middle East peace broker, the event has been boycotted by the leadership of the Syrian opposition, while powers such as the United States, Britain and France are not there because of what they say is the Syrian government&#39;s refusal to properly engage.

Western countries support a separate U.N.-mediated peace process, which has so far failed to yield progress toward ending the war now entering its eighth year. The latest round of talks took place in Vienna last week.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov helped open the conference on Tuesday by reading out a statement from President Vladimir Putin saying the conditions were ripe for Syria to turn &quot;a tragic page&quot; in his history.

But some delegates stood up and began heckling him, accusing Moscow of killing civilians in Syria with its air strikes.

The incident was broadcast on Russian state TV where two security guards were shown approaching one man in the audience indicating that he should sit down.

Other delegates shouted out their support for Russia. Lavrov told the delegates to let him finish speaking, saying they would have their say later.

In another setback, one group of delegates, which included members of the armed opposition who had flown in from Turkey, refused to leave&nbsp;Sochi&nbsp;airport until Syrian government flags and emblems were removed.

&quot;We will go back to Turkey,&quot; Ahmad al-Burri, who has taken part in Syrian peace talks in Kazakhstan, told Reuters by phone.

&quot;Whatever happens we will not enter&nbsp;Sochi. We informed them (the Russians) of our conditions that they should remove all the logos and flags representing the Syrian government.&quot;

Mohammed Adnan, a journalist and member of the Syrian opposition based in Turkey, said there were about 70 people in the group at the airport and that they were waiting for a plane to take them back to Ankara.

Artyom Kozhin, a senior diplomat at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said the start of the congress had been delayed because the organisers had been waiting for many of the delegates and observers to arrive.

&quot;Some problems have arisen with a group of the armed opposition that has come from Turkey which has made its participation dependent on additional demands,&quot; Kozhin wrote on social media.

Lavrov had spoken by phone twice to his Turkish counterpart and been told that the problem would be resolved, said Kozhin.

Russian officials have complained of attempts to sabotage the conference, which was originally billed as a two-day event but was reduced to a one-day event at the last minute.

Russia, a staunch Assad ally, is hosting what it has called a Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi that it hopes will launch negotiations on drafting a new constitution for Syria after almost seven years of war

A Syrian peace conference in Russia got off to a rocky start on Tuesday after some delegates opposed to President Bashar al-Assad refused to leave the airport on arrival and the Russian foreign minister was subjected to hostile heckling. Russia, a staunch Assad ally, is hosting what it has called a Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi that it hopes will launch negotiations on drafting a new constitution for Syria after almost seven years of war. But in a blow to Moscow, which has cast itself as a Middle East peace broker, the event has been boycotted by the leadership of the Syrian opposition, while powers such as the United States, Britain and France are not there because of what they say is the Syrian government's refusal to properly engage. Western countries support a separate U.N.-mediated peace process, which has so far failed to yield progress toward ending the war now entering its eighth year. The latest round of talks took place in Vienna last week. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov helped open the conference on Tuesday by reading out a statement from President Vladimir Putin saying the conditions were ripe for Syria to turn "a tragic page" in his history. But some delegates stood up and began heckling him, accusing Moscow of killing civilians in Syria with its air strikes. The incident was broadcast on Russian state TV where two security guards were shown approaching one man in the audience indicating that he should sit down. Other delegates shouted out their support for Russia. Lavrov told the delegates to let him finish speaking, saying they would have their say later. In another setback, one group of delegates, which included members of the armed opposition who had flown in from Turkey, refused to leave Sochi airport until Syrian government flags and emblems were removed. "We will go back to Turkey," Ahmad al-Burri, who has taken part in Syrian peace talks in Kazakhstan, told Reuters by phone. "Whatever happens we will not enter Sochi. We informed them (the Russians) of our conditions that they should remove all the logos and flags representing the Syrian government." Mohammed Adnan, a journalist and member of the Syrian opposition based in Turkey, said there were about 70 people in the group at the airport and that they were waiting for a plane to take them back to Ankara. Artyom Kozhin, a senior diplomat at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said the start of the congress had been delayed because the organisers had been waiting for many of the delegates and observers to arrive. "Some problems have arisen with a group of the armed opposition that has come from Turkey which has made its participation dependent on additional demands," Kozhin wrote on social media. Lavrov had spoken by phone twice to his Turkish counterpart and been told that the problem would be resolved, said Kozhin. Russian officials have complained of attempts to sabotage the conference, which was originally billed as a two-day event but was reduced to a one-day event at the last minute.

Syrian peace talk: Russian foreign minister heckled, delegates refuse to leave airport

Turkey on Sunday seized a strategic outpost from Kurdish militia in Syria, pressing ahead with a campaign that has strained relations with the United States.

After several days of poor visibility because of heavy rain and fog, Turkish warplanes and artillery took advantage of the clear skies and seized Mount Barsaya near the Kurdish town of Afrin in northwestern Syria, the military said in a statement.

The hill is significant because it overlooks the towns of Kilis and Azaz, either side of the Turkish-Syrian border.

Turkey launched operation &quot;Olive Branch&quot; on January 20 against the Syrian Kurdish People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG) in Afrin, supporting Syrian opposition fighters with ground troops and air strikes.

While Turkey brands the YPG a &quot;terror&quot; group, the militia has received support from the US, its fighters spearheading the battle against the Islamic State group across swathes of Syria.&nbsp;

Despite souring relations with NATO ally Washington, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to expand the offensive against the YPG to Manbij, east of Afrin.

In a sign the Turkish campaign has rendered prospects for peace in Syria even fainter, authorities in the war-torn country&#39;s Kurdish autonomous region said they will not attend peace talks in Russia.

&quot;We said before that if the situation remained the same in Afrin we could not attend,&quot; regional official Fawza al-Yussef said.

Rebel backer Turkey is one of the sponsors of the talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday and Tuesday, along with Damascus allies Russia and Iran.

Turkey&#39;s air and artillery strikes on Sunday were even fiercer than the preceding days, said an AFP correspondent on the Syrian-Turkish border who saw towers of smoke rising into the sky.

Turkish channel NTV broadcast live footage Sunday showing rocket fire targeting Mount Barsaya.

Turkish troops and their Syrian opposition allies said last Monday that they had captured the hill, before losing it a few hours later.Turkish relations with the US have dipped over their stances on the YPG -- which Ankara says is a &quot;terrorist&quot; offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers&#39;&nbsp;Party (PKK).

The PKK, which has waged a war against the Turkish state for three decades, is prescribed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.

US President Donald Trump earlier this week urged Erdogan to &quot;de-escalate&quot; his forces` assault on Afrin as he expressed concern about &quot;the destructive and false&quot; anti-American rhetoric emanating from Turkey.

Adding fuel to the fire, Turkey&#39;s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday urged the US to &quot;immediately withdraw&quot; its personnel from Kurdish-held Manbij.

&quot;We are going to cleanse Manbij&quot; after Afrin, government spokesman Bekir Bozdag said Sunday, according to Anadolu.

Manbij was retaken from IS by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in 2016 as part of a push that would later recapture the city of Raqa from the jihadists.

Faced with the Turkish onslaught, the YPG&#39;s political arm the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) appealed to the international community to pressure Ankara into halting its offensive.&nbsp;

Seven Turkish soldiers have died since &quot;Olive Branch&quot; was launched, Erdogan said, while around 40 others have been injured.

Sixty-nine pro-Turkish rebels have been killed, as well as 78 Kurdish fighters.

The fighting has also led to a heavy loss of civilian lives.&nbsp;

According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 44 civilians have been killed in the fighting, including 12 children, most of them in Turkish air strikes.&nbsp;

At Afrin&#39;s main hospital on Sunday, a reporter working with AFP saw two boys crying in bloodied clothes, while outside an ambulance unloaded the bodies of a man and a child.

As well as human losses, on Sunday Syria&#39;s antiquities department said that Turkish airstrikes have damaged a 3,000-year-old temple in the country&#39;s north.&nbsp;

&quot;This attack reflects the hatred and barbarism of the Turkish regime against the Syrian identity and against the past, present and future of the Syrian people,&quot; a statement on the government agency website said.

Ankara denies shelling any civilian areas.

Several nations, including Germany and France, as well as the European Union, have expressed concern over the Turkish offensive against a country where over 340,000 people have already been killed since war erupted in 2011.

Turkey on Sunday seized a strategic outpost from Kurdish militia in Syria

Turkey on Sunday seized a strategic outpost from Kurdish militia in Syria, pressing ahead with a campaign that has strained relations with the United States. After several days of poor visibility because of heavy rain and fog, Turkish warplanes and artillery took advantage of the clear skies and seized Mount Barsaya near the Kurdish town of Afrin in northwestern Syria, the military said in a statement. The hill is significant because it overlooks the towns of Kilis and Azaz, either side of the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkey launched operation "Olive Branch" on January 20 against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Afrin, supporting Syrian opposition fighters with ground troops and air strikes. While Turkey brands the YPG a "terror" group, the militia has received support from the US, its fighters spearheading the battle against the Islamic State group across swathes of Syria. Despite souring relations with NATO ally Washington, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to expand the offensive against the YPG to Manbij, east of Afrin. In a sign the Turkish campaign has rendered prospects for peace in Syria even fainter, authorities in the war-torn country's Kurdish autonomous region said they will not attend peace talks in Russia. "We said before that if the situation remained the same in Afrin we could not attend," regional official Fawza al-Yussef said. Rebel backer Turkey is one of the sponsors of the talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday and Tuesday, along with Damascus allies Russia and Iran. Turkey's air and artillery strikes on Sunday were even fiercer than the preceding days, said an AFP correspondent on the Syrian-Turkish border who saw towers of smoke rising into the sky. Turkish channel NTV broadcast live footage Sunday showing rocket fire targeting Mount Barsaya. Turkish troops and their Syrian opposition allies said last Monday that they had captured the hill, before losing it a few hours later.Turkish relations with the US have dipped over their stances on the YPG -- which Ankara says is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK, which has waged a war against the Turkish state for three decades, is prescribed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. US President Donald Trump earlier this week urged Erdogan to "de-escalate" his forces` assault on Afrin as he expressed concern about "the destructive and false" anti-American rhetoric emanating from Turkey. Adding fuel to the fire, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday urged the US to "immediately withdraw" its personnel from Kurdish-held Manbij. "We are going to cleanse Manbij" after Afrin, government spokesman Bekir Bozdag said Sunday, according to Anadolu. Manbij was retaken from IS by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in 2016 as part of a push that would later recapture the city of Raqa from the jihadists. Faced with the Turkish onslaught, the YPG's political arm the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) appealed to the international community to pressure Ankara into halting its offensive. Seven Turkish soldiers have died since "Olive Branch" was launched, Erdogan said, while around 40 others have been injured. Sixty-nine pro-Turkish rebels have been killed, as well as 78 Kurdish fighters. The fighting has also led to a heavy loss of civilian lives. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 44 civilians have been killed in the fighting, including 12 children, most of them in Turkish air strikes. At Afrin's main hospital on Sunday, a reporter working with AFP saw two boys crying in bloodied clothes, while outside an ambulance unloaded the bodies of a man and a child. As well as human losses, on Sunday Syria's antiquities department said that Turkish airstrikes have damaged a 3,000-year-old temple in the country's north. "This attack reflects the hatred and barbarism of the Turkish regime against the Syrian identity and against the past, present and future of the Syrian people," a statement on the government agency website said. Ankara denies shelling any civilian areas. Several nations, including Germany and France, as well as the European Union, have expressed concern over the Turkish offensive against a country where over 340,000 people have already been killed since war erupted in 2011.

Turkey intensifies Syria campaign against Kurdish militia

Turkish authorities have detained 311 people suspected of disseminating &quot;terror propaganda&quot; over Ankara&#39;s offensive against a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-intensifies-syria-campaign-against-kurdish-militia-31015"> Kurdish militia in Syria</a>, the interior ministry said on Monday.

The suspects have been taken into custody since the operation against the Syrian Kurdish People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG) militia began on January 20.

Ankara views the YPG as a &quot;terrorist&quot; offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party (PKK), which has been waging a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state.

The PKK is blacklisted as a terror organisation by Ankara and its Western allies.

The operation, supporting Syrian rebels with Turkish ground troops and air strikes, seeks to eliminate the YPG from its western enclave of Afrin in Syria close to the Turkish border.

Although the interior ministry did not give details, police raids have taken place across the country, from Izmir on the Aegean Sea to Igdir and Van in the east.

Rights groups have expressed renewed concerns over freedom of expression in Turkey. Human Rights Watch last week criticised Ankara&#39;s &quot;intolerance of criticism&quot;.

Among those taken into custody were journalists including writer and activist Nurcan Baysal but she was released on Wednesday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for national unity over the offensive and has warned that those who responded to calls for protests would pay a &quot;heavy price&quot;.

Meanwhile, Erdogan&#39;s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has urged the public and media to be careful of &quot;lying, fake, distortive and provocative news, images and gossip&quot;.

The authorities believe there is deliberate disinformation, especially on social media which includes the use of images that have been &quot;manipulated&quot; or taken from other conflicts but presented as from the current operation.

Local officials of Turkey&#39;s pro-Kurdish Peoples&#39; Democratic Party (HDP) have also been detained while the party has criticised the offensive calling it an &quot;invasion&quot;.

&quot;(The HDP) invites the international community to take immediate action to stop it,&quot; it said in a letter on Monday addressed to the United Nations and the European Union.

An HDP official told AFP that 209 of its members had been detained over allegations of &quot;terror propaganda&quot; and &quot;inciting people to hatred and hostility&quot; since the offensive was launched.

The Turkish government accuses the HDP of being a political front for the PKK but the party denies the claims.

The suspects have been taken into custody since the operation against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia began on January 20

Turkish authorities have detained 311 people suspected of disseminating "terror propaganda" over Ankara's offensive against a Kurdish militia in Syria, the interior ministry said on Monday. The suspects have been taken into custody since the operation against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia began on January 20. Ankara views the YPG as a "terrorist" offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state. The PKK is blacklisted as a terror organisation by Ankara and its Western allies. The operation, supporting Syrian rebels with Turkish ground troops and air strikes, seeks to eliminate the YPG from its western enclave of Afrin in Syria close to the Turkish border. Although the interior ministry did not give details, police raids have taken place across the country, from Izmir on the Aegean Sea to Igdir and Van in the east. Rights groups have expressed renewed concerns over freedom of expression in Turkey. Human Rights Watch last week criticised Ankara's "intolerance of criticism". Among those taken into custody were journalists including writer and activist Nurcan Baysal but she was released on Wednesday. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for national unity over the offensive and has warned that those who responded to calls for protests would pay a "heavy price". Meanwhile, Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has urged the public and media to be careful of "lying, fake, distortive and provocative news, images and gossip". The authorities believe there is deliberate disinformation, especially on social media which includes the use of images that have been "manipulated" or taken from other conflicts but presented as from the current operation. Local officials of Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) have also been detained while the party has criticised the offensive calling it an "invasion". "(The HDP) invites the international community to take immediate action to stop it," it said in a letter on Monday addressed to the United Nations and the European Union. An HDP official told AFP that 209 of its members had been detained over allegations of "terror propaganda" and "inciting people to hatred and hostility" since the offensive was launched. The Turkish government accuses the HDP of being a political front for the PKK but the party denies the claims.

Turkey detains over 300 for 'terror propaganda' against Syria operation

27-seven-year old Indian national Abdul Manaf has been killed fighting for Islamic State(IS) in Syria, police confirmed today.

Kannur&nbsp;deputy SP Sadanandan said today that Manaf&#39;s family received a message confirming his death.

Manaf&#39;s family belongs to Kerala&#39;s Valapattanam district in Kannur.

Police said Manaf&#39;s family received the report through a Telegram messenger.

Manaf was a leader of the Kerala-based Popular Front India, police said, adding that he was involved in the murder of a CPM worker in 2009.

At least six Indians have been killed in Syria fighting for the IS, reports said. At least five have been arrested by the NIA.&nbsp;

Kannur has emerged as a hotbed of IS recruitment activity with at least 15 persons reported to have joined the terrorist organization&nbsp;in Syria.

Kanpur deputy SP Sadanandan said today that Manaf's family received a message confirming his death.

27-seven-year old Indian national Abdul Manaf has been killed fighting for Islamic State(IS) in Syria, police confirmed today. Kannur deputy SP Sadanandan said today that Manaf's family received a message confirming his death. Manaf's family belongs to Kerala's Valapattanam district in Kannur. Police said Manaf's family received the report through a Telegram messenger. Manaf was a leader of the Kerala-based Popular Front India, police said, adding that he was involved in the murder of a CPM worker in 2009. At least six Indians have been killed in Syria fighting for the IS, reports said. At least five have been arrested by the NIA. Kannur has emerged as a hotbed of IS recruitment activity with at least 15 persons reported to have joined the terrorist organization in Syria.

Indian national from Kerala killed in Syria fighting for IS

The Syrian government said on Thursday that a US&nbsp;military presence in Syria represented an &quot;aggression&quot; against Syrian sovereignty, and vowed to free the country from any &quot;illegitimate&quot; foreign presence.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry statement was a response to a speech by US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday in which he signalled that US&nbsp;forces would stay in parts of Syria indefinitely.

&quot;The American military presence on Syrian land is illegitimate and represents a blatant breach of international law and an aggression against national sovereignty,&quot; the statement said.

Syria would continue its &quot;relentless war against terrorist movements with their different names until every inch of Syrian soil is cleansed&quot; and would work with &quot;the same determination&quot; to free Syria of any &quot;illegitimate foreign presence&quot;.

Tillerson signalled an open-ended military presence as part of a broader strategy to prevent Islamic State&#39;s resurgence, pave the way diplomatically for the eventual departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and curtail Iran&#39;s influence.

The United States has around 2,000 military personnel in Syria, deployed as part of the US-led coalition&#39;s campaign against Islamic State. The Syrian Foreign Ministry statement said the government was not in need of US&nbsp;dollars &quot;stained with the blood of Syrians&quot;.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry statement was a response to a speech by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday in which he signalled that US forces would stay in parts of Syria indefinitely

The Syrian government said on Thursday that a US military presence in Syria represented an "aggression" against Syrian sovereignty, and vowed to free the country from any "illegitimate" foreign presence. The Syrian Foreign Ministry statement was a response to a speech by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday in which he signalled that US forces would stay in parts of Syria indefinitely. "The American military presence on Syrian land is illegitimate and represents a blatant breach of international law and an aggression against national sovereignty," the statement said. Syria would continue its "relentless war against terrorist movements with their different names until every inch of Syrian soil is cleansed" and would work with "the same determination" to free Syria of any "illegitimate foreign presence". Tillerson signalled an open-ended military presence as part of a broader strategy to prevent Islamic State's resurgence, pave the way diplomatically for the eventual departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and curtail Iran's influence. The United States has around 2,000 military personnel in Syria, deployed as part of the US-led coalition's campaign against Islamic State. The Syrian Foreign Ministry statement said the government was not in need of US dollars "stained with the blood of Syrians".

Presence of US military 'act of aggression': Syrian government

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