Middle Orient

DAMASCUS (Reuters) – A Syrian court sentenced 12 dissidents to 2-1/2 years each in prison on Wednesday for political crimes after they had called for democratic reforms.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. helicopter attack into Syria this week underscores the Bush administration’s determination to cross borders when it can strike an enemy target, and to weather any international backlash.

Iraqi authorities have taken over responsibility for security in another province from US military forces.

A boat carrying 27 pro-Palestinian activists has arrived in Gaza despite an Israeli blockade of the territory – the second such voyage in three months.

Syria has reduced the sentences of 12 pro-democracy activists from six years to two-and-a-half years each in prison, a human rights group has said.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Hundreds of Christian families who fled Iraq’s northern city of Mosul in fear for their lives this month have returned home in the past few days, a senior Christian lawmaker said Tuesday.

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish separatist targets on Tuesday in northern Iraq with the backing of artillery fire from Turkey, the military said.

GAZA (Reuters) – Hamas said Tuesday Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s security forces had arrested 170 of its members in the West Bank in the past four weeks in a campaign that could hamper Egyptian-sponsored unity talks.

Iraq has denounced a raid into Syria at the weekend, saying it does not want its territory to be used as a launch-point for US attacks on its neighbours.

Syria condemns a deadly US raid on its soil as “serious aggression” while Washington says the attack was meant to send a message to Damascus .