The European Union extended its sanctions on Russia six months on Wednesday, keeping restrictions on business with the Russian energy, defense and financial sectors. The formal extension of sanctions was adopted unanimously by the EU Council. As a result of the measures, European companies can not borrow or borrow five big Russian state banks for […]

Egypt’s military says its air force destroyed 12 vehicles loaded with weapons, ammunitions and explosives, after receiving intelligence that “criminal elements” were attempting to cross the western border with Libya.

Afghanistan to urge “political and military” pressure on Pakistan at NATO defense ministers meeting on Wednesday in Brussels, Afghan Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The meeting would focus on the security situation in Afghanistan, more specifically, strengthening the capability of Afghan security and defense forces and counter-terrorism as well as the number of coalition forces in […]

United States Vice President Mike Pence has said he is planning to visit India soon and asserted that the Indo-US partnership has never looked brighter with the best days for the two nations yet to come. Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump as “historic and productive”, Pence said, “Today I […]

India and the US will soon sign a pact for enhancing bilateral security cooperation that will include sharing of information on terror groups and counter-terror initiatives. A meeting of the Union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved signing of a memorandum of cooperation between India and the United States on homeland security.

Turkish forces retaliated with an artillery barrage overnight and destroyed People’s Protection Units (YPG) targets after the Kurdish militia opened fire on Turkey-backed forces in northern Syria, the military said on Wednesday. It said Turkish warplanes separately struck Kurdish militants in northern Iraq on Wednesday, killing seven fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) group, […]

Iraq’s military pushed deeper into Mosul’s Old City on Wednesday, taking two more districts from Daesh and bringing it closer to total control of the city. The army’s 16th infantry division captured Hadarat Al Saada and Al Ahmadiyya, the military said in a statement. The areas are northwest of the historic Grand Al Nuri Mosque […]

The EU recently agreed to extend sanctions against Russia on its actions in Ukraine following the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, 3 years ago. Moscow also sees NATO with suspicion after the Alliance has strengthened its presence in Eastern Europe.

Egyptian cabinet decided on Thursday to extend the state of emergency in the country for three more months. The decision to extend the emergency state was made during a cabinet meeting.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Sartaj Aziz, advisor to Pakistan’s prime minister on foreign affairs, on Sunday in Islamabad to discuss peace and stability in Afghanistan. During the meeting, Aziz said: “Pakistan has consistently emphasized that peace and stability in Afghanistan is in our interest and a stable Afghanistan would help us promote our […]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held talks with US Defence Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump. Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was also present at the meetings.

US-backed fighters seized a quarter of Syria’s Raqqa from the Islamic State group, a monitor said on Monday, less than three weeks after they first launched the offensive to recapture the northern city. Arab and Kurdish militiamen from the Syrian Democratic Forces smashed into the militants’ main Syrian bastion on June 6 after a months-long […]

The battle to take full control of Mosul from Islamic State will be over in a few days after an attempted fightback by the militants failed, an Iraqi general has told Reuters. “Only a small part remains in the city, specifically the Old City,” said Lieutenant General Abdul Ghani al-Assadi, commander of the Counter Terrorism […]

Fresh clashes on Saturday between government troops and a militia in Nord-Kivu province in the troubled east of Democratic Republic of Congo have left two soldiers and four fighters dead, the army said. The army’s position in Kaseghe was attacked around dawn “by the Mai Mai (militia) which caused the death of two soldiers from […]

Eight Chadian soldiers were killed in fierce fighting with Boko Haram insurgents at the weekend on islands on Lake Chad, which borders four countries on the edge of the Sahara, Chad’s army said on Monday. “Our forces attacked Boko Haram elements on five islands near Nigeria on June 24 and 25,” said spokesperson Colonel Azem, […]

Prime minister Narendra Modi Friday said the aim of his upcoming visit to the US was to build a “forward-looking vision” for the bilateral partnership and further consolidate the robust and wide- ranging ties. Modi, who will be meeting president Donald Trump for the first time on June 26 in Washington, said he looked forward […]

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have completed a siege on areas under the Islamic State (IS) in Syria’s northern city of Raqqa. The siege on Raqqa has been completed, amid talks among the tribesmen in the city about reviving negotiations with IS over the next 24 hours for the withdrawal of IS from the […]

The Islamic State (IS) militants bombed historical al-Nuri mosque on Wednesday during fierce battles against the Iraqi army which has retaken most of Mosul, the country’s second largest city, after eight months of offensives. Iraqi Prime Minister Hadier Abadi said “blowing up the al-Nuri mosque and the al-Hadba minaret is an official declaration of defeat […]

The “liberation” of the city of Mosul from Daesh will be announced in a few days, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi said on Thursday, according to Baghdad-based Al-Sumaria TV. “It’s a matter of a few days and we will announce the total liberation of Mosul,” Al-Abadi told reporters in Baghdad, according to Al-Sumaria.

NATO member countries in Eastern Europe hosted four multinational battalions of the Alliance. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, said during the Allied forces meeting in Latvia. Approximately 4,000 soldiers are stationed in Poland and the Baltic States. Germany is in charge of the battalion in Lithuania, the United States manages troops in Poland, UK runs […]

Clashes between militants and government troops on Thursday left 16 dead in the restive east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the army said. The fighting erupted in the eastern suburbs of Beni, a city in the troubled North-Kivu province, with residents hearing gunshots and heavy weapons fire. The province has been plagued by regular […]

The United Nations secretary-general is making a plea for protection of refugees around the world, saying some richer countries haven’t been as tolerant as some in Africa. Antonio Guterres on Friday addressed a UN-backed summit in Uganda that seeks $8bn for nearly a million South Sudanese refugees and the host communities that officials say are […]

The United States ambassador to Somalia says the US once again will have a permanent diplomatic presence in the country after it opens offices in Mogadishu later this year. The US embassy was closed in 1991 as the Horn of Africa nation slid into decades of chaos. Former Secretary of State John Kerry during a […]

Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was awarded the Legion of Merit in Ankara on Tuesday in recognition of his services for promotion of Pakistan-Turkey defence ties. Speaking on the occasion, General Bajwa dedicated the award to the martyrs of both Pakistani and Turkish armed forces.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has suggested meetings with Indian and Pakistani leaders as a means to facilitate dialogue between the two adversaries over the Kashmir dispute.

A US warplane shot down an Iran-made drone operated by pro-regime forces in southern Syria early on Tuesday, officials said, the second such incident in less than two weeks. The US-led anti-ISIL coalition said an F-15E Strike Eagle jet destroyed the Shaheed-129 drone around 12.30am, north-east of the Al Tanaf garrison which is close to […]

The European Union (EU) on Tuesday expressed deep concern about civilians trapped in the Iraqi city of Mosul as the battle enters the final stage and expressed support to humanitarian organizations to deliver lifesaving aid to them. “Our deepest concern right now are the civilians still trapped inside. Protecting the lives of tens of thousands […]

Iraq’s army said it encircled Islamic State’s stronghold in the Old City of Mosul on Tuesday after taking over an area to the north of the densely populated historic district. The army’s 9th armored division seized al-Shifaa district, which includes the city’s main hospitals, alongside the western bank of the Tigris river, a military statement […]

The foreign ministers of Algeria and France on Tuesday urged Libya’s rival armed factions to seek a political solution in the North African country to help stem the spread of militant groups there and potential spillover across its borders. Algeria has joined with North African neighbor Tunisia to seek support for an inclusive dialogue in […]

Egypt’s military says its air force has killed 12 “extremely dangerous” militants in airstrikes in northern Sinai, a militant hotspot. In a Tuesday statement, the armed forces said the strikes also destroyed four vehicles as it targeted a “terrorist stronghold” of the local Islamic State affiliate, formerly known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis.

At least 40 people were killed in clashes on Tuesday in the Central African Republic, aid and security sources said, the day after the signing of a ceasefire deal. The violence in the central town of Bria was between members of Christian ‘anti-balaka’ militias and ex-Seleka fighters, the sources said.

An American Navy fighter jet shot down a Syrian regime SU-22 fighter jet shortly after it attacked U.S. partner forces, the anti-Daesh coalition said Sunday. The Syrian aircraft had dropped bombs near Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) south of Tabqah, which the group seized from Daesh in May, according to the coalition statement that said the […]

US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis will meet again with his Turkish counterpart in Europe next week, said Monday the US general, who described the United States’ ordinary efforts to address Turkey’s concerns at the US decision, to provide arms for Kurdish fighters in Syria. US Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs […]

According to a German official, the country’s troops will start leaving a Turkish air base where they are stationed in July. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen revealed the Bundeswehr soldiers would pull out of the Incirlik air base in Turkey after strained relations between the NATO allies. The German troops will be relocated […]

The EU Foreign Affairs Council discussed during its meeting in Luxembourg on Monday the situation im Iraq, focussing on the latest developments, in particular in Mosul and Nineveh province, and on the future stabilisation of the country. The Council issued a statement praising the Iraqi Government and the Iraqi security forces for the significant advances […]