The issue of security and stability in the Western Balkans will be the focal point of a trilateral summit of Greek, Serbian and Bulgarian leaders at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall on Thursday. Prime ministers Alexis Tsipras, Boyko Borisov of Bulgaria and Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia are also expected to discuss …
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Major NATO drill begins in eastern Europe
Major military exercises are taking place in Eastern Europe as more than 25,000 NATO troops from 20 allied and partner countries descended on Bulgaria. The Saber Guardian 17 exercises are being led by US Army until July 20. The training will also take place in Hungary and Romania, including at …
Read More »Egypt police kill 6 IS sympathisers in shootout
Egyptian police killed six militants who allegedly adhered to the Islamic State group’s beliefs when a gunfight erupted on Monday during a raid on their Nile valley hideout, the government said. The militants opened fire on the police as they approached the hideout in Dairut, a town in the southern …
Read More »UN: South Sudan forces attack rebel stronghold
South Sudan government forces have launched an offensive against a rebel stronghold in the north of the country, the UN said on Wednesday. David Shearer, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), described “heavy fighting” and an “extremely worrying” situation around the town of Pagak, in Upper Nile …
Read More »New round of Syria talks kick off in Geneva
A seventh round of Syrian peace talks in Geneva began on Monday with a meeting between the UN envoy on the war-torn country and a regime delegation. Staffan de Mistura met a Bashar al-Assad regime team headed by Bashar al-Jaafari at the UN offices at Geneva.
Read More »Turkey welcomes liberation of Mosul
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Monday “welcomed” the liberation of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul over the weekend. On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi arrived in Mosul to celebrate the victory over the Daesh terrorist group. “We welcome the successful completion of the military operation conducted since October 2016 …
Read More »Iraq PM set to declare Mosul victory
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is set to declare victory over Islamic State in Mosul as only a few dozen militants put up resistance in the city that was the capital of their self-declared caliphate for the past three years. Gunfire and explosions could be heard as the US-led coalition …
Read More »Iraqi troops push for last area of Mosul
Iraqi forces slowly advanced today to retake the last patch of ground in Mosul where Islamic State militants are holding on to a tiny sliver of the Old City, west of the Tigris River, a day after the prime minister visited the soldiers to congratulate troops on the hard-fought battle. …
Read More »US strongly condemns attack in Egypt's Sinai
The United States says it’s strongly condemning the attack in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula that killed at least 23 Egyptian troops. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert says that the US continues “to stand with Egypt as it confronts terrorism.”
Read More »South Sudan's troops said to advance on rebel stronghold
Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have been displaced and aid workers evacuated as rebels accuse government troops of advancing on their stronghold and killing civilians along the way. Opposition spokesperson William Gatjiath Deng on Saturday said government troops have stepped up attacks in the past week in Mathiang and …
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