Tag Archives: iraq

The US-led coalition against extremists in Syria late on Sunday struck down the most important gas plant in the country, subtly warning militants from the Islamic State (IS) to abandon to establishment, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. “The international coalition has for the first time struck the entrance and prayer area of the Coneco gas plant. It is under …

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday indicated that Turkey’s will play a more active part in the international coalition against extremist group Islamic State (IS), following the release of several Turkish hostages nabbed by the group. For the past few months, Turkey has frustrated global powers with its rather inactive participation in the coalition, but it has insisted that …

Prominent Shi’ite scholar Sayyed Hani Fahs and popular opponent of Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian civil war passed away in Beirut on Thursday, succumbing to a long-term illness. The 68-year-old had been in a coma after he was admitted to a hospital a few days ago. A moderate figure who commanded respect both outside and inside the Shi’ite community, Fahs …

United States military commanders on Tuesday said that the US is planning to launch strikes on the Islamic State (IS) in its strongholds in Syria, and that it could send advisers into combat zones alongside Iraqi soldiers. They also warned of further escalation in their fight against the extremists, as two branches of a rival al-Qaeda group called for unity …

On Tuesday, branches of the Al-Qaeda in North Africa and Yemen called for extremists in Syria and Iraq to unite against the threat of the US-led coalition to battle extremists in the Middle East. In an unprecedented joint statement, the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula urged their “brothers” in Syria and Iraq to …

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in Tuesday urged nations with the capacity to take actions against the Islamic State (IS). “I urge the international community, and those with the means, to act decisively and after sober reflection. It is critical to keep at the forefront the protection of civilians”, he said. However, the UN chief did not say what steps …

Saudi Arabia and nine other Arab states agreed in Jeddah on Thursday to rally behind the United States in its fight against extremists from the Islamic State (IS) as it contends to build an international coalition to help combat the extremist group. In its final statement, the United States and the ten nations declared their “shared commitment to stand united …

The UN’s new Syria envoy on Thursday said that the world needs to confront “terrorist groups” in Syria and in other parts of the world, but that Syria also needs a political solution. “The terrorist groups need to be confronted and that’s clear. But there is no contradiction… in fighting terrorism both with security measures… but also with (an) accelerated …

Syrian media on Tuesday accused Arab governments of giving the United States prior consent for military action against extremists. The remarks come ahead of discussions between US Secretary of State John Kerry and US allies in the region to be held on Thursday – they will likely talk about joint action to cope with the threat posed by the Islamic …

Canadian ambassador for religious freedom Andrew Bennett said that the current outburst of ethno-religious hatred, expulsions and murders by militants from the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq has risen to the level of genocide. “ISIS is a barbaric terrorist group that has taken Sunni Islam and warped it, distorted it, twisted it and usurped it for its own …