Archive for the ‘Eurasia’ Category
Palestinian factions to meet in Cairo to prepare for general elections
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Palestinian factions to meet in Cairo to prepare for general electionsIt is not clear whether Abbas would present his candidacy in the upcoming presidential election. Representatives of several Palestinian factions including Fatah and Hamas, are scheduled to meet in Cairo this week to discuss preparations for holding general elections for the first time since 2006.
PA: Abbas rival won’t be allowed to run in Palestinian election
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on PA: Abbas rival won’t be allowed to run in Palestinian electionDivisions and bickering in Fatah were one of the reasons why the ruling faction lost the parliamentary election to Hamas in 2006. Deposed Fatah operative Mohammed Dahlan will not be allowed to run in the upcoming Palestinian presidential election, because he is a convicted criminal, two senior Palestinian officials said on Saturday.
US support for Israeli airstrikes in Syria has been important recently
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on US support for Israeli airstrikes in Syria has been important recentlyJames Jeffrey sees Israel’s campaign against Iran as part of a multi-pillar US strategy in the region that worked between 2018 and 2020. In a recent article in Foreign Affairs, the former American envoy on Syrian policy notes that “US-supported Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in the country further limited the [Syrian] regime’s military options.” […]
Massive Iran missile drill is message to US, Gulf and Israel
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Massive Iran missile drill is message to US, Gulf and IsraelFootage from Iran shows the missiles and precision strikes. A massive Iranian missile drill showcasing long range missiles, drones and other weapons is taking place this weekend and serves as a message to Gulf countries, the US and Israel.
European gov’ts warn Iran’s latest move has ‘grave military implications’
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on European gov’ts warn Iran’s latest move has ‘grave military implications’US announces new round of sanctions after Tehran moves to produce uranium metal; Biden appoints new negotiator. Iran’s move towards producing uranium metal could only be used to produce weapons, the governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom warned in a statement on Saturday.
Africa Fears Turkish Arms Smuggled through Libya May Fall in Wrong Hands
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Africa Fears Turkish Arms Smuggled through Libya May Fall in Wrong HandsNigerian President Muhammadu Buhari recently warned that the chaos and spread of arms in Libya may negatively impact security in Africa as a whole. His remarks raised concerns among experts that the weapons smuggled into Libya, namely from Turkey, may fall in the wrong hands in Africa, especially terrorist groups.
Turkey Establishes Checkpoint Overlooking Damascus-Aleppo Highway
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Turkey Establishes Checkpoint Overlooking Damascus-Aleppo HighwayTurkish forces plan to establish an observation post 200 meters from the Damascus-Aleppo international road on the northwestern outskirts of Saraqeb city, reliable sources said Friday, a few days after Iranian forces and their proxy militias redeployed in areas that were hit by a series of airstrikes in eastern Syria this week.
Moscow Speeds up Training of Syrian Regime Forces
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Moscow Speeds up Training of Syrian Regime ForcesRussian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Samsar discussed Friday the situation in Syria and Libya, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Aleppo | Turkish-backed factions and “Manbij Military Council Forces” trade fire on frontlines in western Manbij
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Aleppo | Turkish-backed factions and “Manbij Military Council Forces” trade fire on frontlines in western ManbijAleppo Province – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: SOHR sources have reported clashes, on Friday evening, between Turkish-backed factions and “Manbij Military Council Forces” on the frontlines of Al-Bughaz in the western countryside of Manbij, north-east of Aleppo. the clashes coincided with exchange of bombardment between the tow parties, but no casualties have been reported.
Idlib city | Unknown assailants attack HTS checkpoint, a few days after eliminating an ISIS cell
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Idlib city | Unknown assailants attack HTS checkpoint, a few days after eliminating an ISIS cellReliable sources have informed thee Syrian Observatory that unknown gunmen attacked, last night, a checkpoint of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham at the southern entrance of Idlib city, on the road to Areha. Clashes erupted between the attackers and HTS members stationed at the checkpoint, then HTS brought in military reinforcement to the area, before the attackers […]
Syrian desert | Over 65 Russian airstrikes hit ISIS positions in 24 hours
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Syrian desert | Over 65 Russian airstrikes hit ISIS positions in 24 hoursSyrian Observatory activists have documented a spike in the number of Russian airstrikes on the Syrian desert in the past 24 hours, as the Russian fighter jets executed 65 airstrikes targeting ISIS positions in Alepp-Hama-Al-Raqqah triangle and other positions in the desert, amid reports of casualties.
Greece to purchase advanced jets from France amid tensions with Turkey
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Greece to purchase advanced jets from France amid tensions with TurkeyGreek lawmakers have approved a government plan to purchase advanced fighter jets from France in a three-billion-dollar deal that is expected to infuriate Turkey, amid a dispute with Athens over energy resources in the Mediterranean.
North Korea Shows Off New Submarine-Launched Missile at Military Parade
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on North Korea Shows Off New Submarine-Launched Missile at Military ParadeNorth Korea has unveiled what it says is a new submarine-launched ballistic missile, the latest apparent development in its fast-advancing weapons program. Several of the SLBMs rolled through Pyongyang’s central Kim Il Sung Square during a nighttime military parade, state media said Friday.
U.S. Aligns Key Partners Against Shared Threats in the Middle East
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on U.S. Aligns Key Partners Against Shared Threats in the Middle EastIn a sign of the changing political environment in the Middle East, the United States military will move Israel from the U.S. European Command’s area of responsibility to that of the U.S. Central Command, DOD officials announced today.
U.S. Completes Troop-Level Drawdown in Afghanistan, Iraq
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on U.S. Completes Troop-Level Drawdown in Afghanistan, IraqTroop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan have dropped, acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller announced today. There are now 2,500 U.S. service members in Iraq and 2,500 in Afghanistan. It is the lowest number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan since operations started there in 2001.
Will Israel lose its freedom to operate against Iran?
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Will Israel lose its freedom to operate against Iran?Israel needs to prepare for this new reality where its ability to combat Iranian forces and proxy groups is concerned. Speculation about the extent to which the incoming American administration will appease Iran has been rampant. But US President-elect Joe Biden’s picks for relevant top positions don’t seem to leave much room for conjecture.
Israel, Iran fight for influence over Biden administration
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Israel, Iran fight for influence over Biden administrationCafé Milano, the upscale Italian restaurant in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, was the scene of an important dinner on Monday night: Mossad chief Yossi Cohen sat down to eat with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and the two were spotted by journalists.
Aden attack investigation fuels regional concerns about Iranian missiles
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Aden attack investigation fuels regional concerns about Iranian missilesThe Yemeni interior minister said the Houthi militias, helped by Iranian and Lebanese experts, were behind the strikes that targeted Aden airport on December 30. The results of investigations by the Yemeni government about the Aden airport attack underline the danger posed by missiles Iran has supplied to the Houthis, which have seriously threatened energy […]
Muslim Brotherhood adopts disruptive strategy in Yemen
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Muslim Brotherhood adopts disruptive strategy in YemenReconciliation between Qatar and four boycotting Arab countries has not yet been reflected in the Yemeni file. Yemeni political sources suggested that a mortar attack on the Arab coalition’s camp in Al-Alam area in Shabwa was part of a broader scheme aimed at stopping the Riyadh Agreement from being implemented and thwarting the completion of […]
Lebanon Wants an End to Iranian Occupation
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Lebanon Wants an End to Iranian OccupationThe Lebanese are worried that their country will meet the fate endured by Iraq, Syria and Yemen, where the Iranians and their militia proxies are playing a major role in the civil wars currently plaguing these countries. The Lebanese are demanding an end to Iranian occupation of their country; they are clearly hoping that the […]
US Slaps Sanctions on China Oil Giant Over South China Sea Activity
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on US Slaps Sanctions on China Oil Giant Over South China Sea ActivityThe United States on Thursday blacklisted Chinese oil giant CNOOC and slapped visa restrictions on officials of the Chinese navy, ruling party and state-owned enterprises over land reclamation and “coercion” of Southeast Asian claimants in the disputed South China Sea.
Commerce Tightens Controls to Prevent Support of Foreign Military-Intelligence and WMD Activities
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Commerce Tightens Controls to Prevent Support of Foreign Military-Intelligence and WMD ActivitiesToday, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce (Commerce) imposed new controls on any U.S. technologies and specific activities of U.S. persons who may be supporting foreign military-intelligence end uses and end users in China, Cuba, Russia, and Venezuela, as well as in terrorist-supporting countries. BIS is also enhancing controls […]
US House reintroduces bill to sanction global backers of Hamas, Islamic Jihad
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on US House reintroduces bill to sanction global backers of Hamas, Islamic JihadPalestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act passed House unanimously in 2019 but stalled in Senate Bipartisan American legislation directing the US president to sanction international individuals and agencies tied to the Gaza-based Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups was re-introduced in the House on Thursday.
U.N. chief Guterres tries again to appoint a Libya mediator
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on U.N. chief Guterres tries again to appoint a Libya mediatorU.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to appoint veteran diplomat Jan Kubis as his envoy in Libya nearly a year after the last mediator stepped down, according to a letter to the U.N. Security Council seen by Reuters on Thursday.
Saudi FM Faisal bin Farhan arrives in Moscow for official visit
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Saudi FM Faisal bin Farhan arrives in Moscow for official visitSaudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Moscow on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations with his Russian counterpart, according to the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry.
Qatar releases Bahraini bodybuilding champion Sami Al-Haddad, 2 others
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Qatar releases Bahraini bodybuilding champion Sami Al-Haddad, 2 othersQatar released three Bahrainis on Thursday who were arrested at sea while on a fishing trip. Sami Ibrahim Al-Haddad — a body building champion — and his friend Mohammed Yousef Al-Dossari were arrested on Jan. 8 by Qatar’s coastal and border security. Manama said they were in Bahrain’s territorial waters at the time.
Iran’s Quds Force denies deaths in Israeli airstrikes in Syria
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Iran’s Quds Force denies deaths in Israeli airstrikes in SyriaThe Afghan Fatemiyoun also denied members were hit, but said Syrian army personnel were killed. A deputy commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) denied that any deaths had resulted from a string of airstrikes believed to have been carried out by Israel in Syria earlier this week.
Israel turns its back on French-Egyptian Mideast initiative
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Israel turns its back on French-Egyptian Mideast initiativeForeign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi rejected the invitation for meeting French, German, Egyptian and Jordanian foreign ministers in Cairo, citing the nationwide lockdown in Israel as an excuse.
Iran’s shows off ballistic missiles, drones in drill amid US tensions
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Iran’s shows off ballistic missiles, drones in drill amid US tensionsThe military exercise in Iran’s central desert comes as the Trump administration makes a final push to punish Tehran. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Friday fired a “barrage” of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and launched new bomb-carrying drones in a military drill held in the country’s central desert of Iran, state media reported.
Russia crowds out Turkey in post-war Caucasus
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Russia crowds out Turkey in post-war CaucasusHaving brokered a cease-fire deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Vladimir Putin is now giving priority to the development of transport links in the conflict-ridden region. The first meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia after their six-week war over Nagorno-Karabakh last year has clearly shown that Russia is rebuilding its leadership in the Caucasus, […]
ISIS increases attacks in Raqqa as Turkish-backed forces shell Ain al-Issa
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on ISIS increases attacks in Raqqa as Turkish-backed forces shell Ain al-IssaOne expert noted that the Russia and Syrian regime attempts to push the SDF to withdraw from the Ain al-Issa area and shelling by Turkish-backed rebels is “giving ISIS cells greater ability to conduct attacks deep behind the SDF lines.”
Drug trade major source of funding for PKK’s activities in Iraq, Turkmen leader says
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on Drug trade major source of funding for PKK’s activities in Iraq, Turkmen leader saysDrug trafficking is a major source of revenue for the PKK terrorist group to carry out its activities in Iraq, the head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front Ershad Salihi said Monday. According to Iraqi sources, the PKK has accelerated illegal drug trafficking activities across the country to fund its terrorist network.
How Qaeda-Friendly GSIM Became the Sahel’s Leading Jihadists
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on How Qaeda-Friendly GSIM Became the Sahel’s Leading JihadistsA group of jihadists close to Al-Qaeda has emerged as the West’s most formidable enemy in the Sahel, taking over from the Islamic State as the region’s major threat. The Group to Support Islam and Muslims, also known by its Arabic acronym JNIM, is a sworn enemy of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara […]
Former Al-Qaeda spokesman living in £1m house in London: Report
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on Former Al-Qaeda spokesman living in £1m house in London: ReportA former spokesman for Al-Qaeda who worked closely with the group’s late leader Osama bin Laden is now living freely in London after being released early from a US jail due to the high COVID-19 risk posed by his weight and asthma, Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper reported on Monday.
Almost Two Years After Defeat, ISIS Resurfaces in Syria’s Badia
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on Almost Two Years After Defeat, ISIS Resurfaces in Syria’s BadiaFor weeks, ISIS has managed to escalate its attacks against Syrian regime forces and their allies in the Syrian Badia, largely suggesting that the terror group has succeeded in reorganizing its ranks in the vast desert region.