Middle Orient

DIWANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) – The Polish military marked the end of its five-year partnership with U.S. forces in Iraq on Saturday and prepared to withdraw.

ANKARA (Reuters) – Fifteen Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes with Kurdish PKK separatist rebels in southeast Turkey Saturday, CNN and other media said.

The head of Syria’s nuclear programme has said that the country’s military sites will remain off-limits to international nuclear inspectors.

VIENNA (Reuters) – Syria said on Friday it was cooperating fully with a U.N. inquiry into allegations of secret nuclear work in the country but would not go as far as opening up military sites because this would undermine its security.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem called for security cooperation with neighboring Lebanon to boost the border area in combating arms smuggling.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned the United States against destabilizing Pakistan.

Suicide bombers have struck near two Shia mosques in Baghdad, killing 20 people and wounding another 25, Iraqi security officials said.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei pledged Iranian support for the Palestinians and the Hamas government.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Israel has reportedly sought US support for a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities last spring.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Eyed with suspicion by the state but credited with dealing al Qaeda a heavy blow, Iraq’s largely Sunni Arab neighborhood guards cautiously welcomed their transfer from U.S. to government control on Wednesday.