Middle Orient

Four Turkish soldiers killed in operations in Iraq

Four Turkish soldiers were killed in a clash with militants in northern Iraq, Turkey’s defence ministry said late on Sunday. The ministry said the incident took place in a region where Turkey was carrying out a cross border operation.

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At least seven fighters from Kurdish-led force killed in Syria: Monitor

At least seven fighters from a Kurdish-led force were killed Sunday in two ISIS group attacks in eastern Syria, a war monitor said. “Six fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed” in an ISIS attack along the road linking Deir Ezzor province with Hasakeh, said Rami Abdel Rahman, …

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Iran says it has developed Arash-2 drone designed to hit Israel’s Tel Aviv, Haifa

Iran has designed a drone, named Arash-2, specifically for targeting the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa, a senior Iranian military commander said on Sunday. “We have specially designed this drone for Haifa and Tel Aviv. This is a unique drone that was developed for this task,” state media …

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2 Senior ISIS Members Killed in Iraqi Strikes on Hamrin Mountains

Two senior ISIS commanders were killed in an Iraqi air strike in the Hamrin Mountain range, in the Salah al-Din province, announced the Iraqi Security Media Cell (SMC) on Saturday. The operation was carried out based on intelligence information provided by the Federal Intelligence and Investigation Agency (FIIA) at the …

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Senior US commander sounds alarm over Syria’s Islamic State prison camps

Michael ‘Erik’ Kurilla, the Army four-star general overseeing all American troops in the Middle East, went inside Syria’s al-Hol Islamic State detainment camp Friday and spoke with residents. He says many can be sent home. The commander of all US military forces in the Middle East made an urgent appeal …

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In Germany, Lapid makes case for Israel’s position on Iran

Israel’s diplomatic blitz against a renewed JCPOA reaches new heights, with Prime Minister Yair Lapid traveling to Germany and Defense Minister Benny Gantz traveling again to the United States. Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid said Sept. 12 in Berlin that reviving the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Iran …

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Iran criticizes Europe over nuclear talks comments

Tehran has criticized the three European signatories to the nuclear deal for their recent joint statement questioning Iran’s intentions. Iran has criticized the three European countries for their joint remarks about Iran in the talks to restore the nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iranian Foreign Ministry …

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NATO gaffe sign of bigger strife between Turkey, Greece

The recent Turkish-Greek row over Twitter might be a taste of things to come Rising tensions between Greece and Turkey over a simple goodwill tweet indicates how alarmingly volatile the relations between two NATO allies are becoming. Allegations that Greece’s Russian-made S-300 air defense batteries locked on Turkish jet fighters …

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US Navy and allies begin exercise near Turkey as NATO monitors Russian ships

A multinational naval exercise focused on crisis response started this week in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, bringing warships from 12 NATO countries into an area with a sizable Russian naval presence. The Dynamic Mariner exercise led by NATO Allied Maritime Command, or MARCOM, began Sunday near Turkey’s Aksaz Naval Base …

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Lebanon central bank stops providing dollars for gasoline imports

Lebanon’s central bank said it has entirely ceased providing dollars for gasoline imports in a move that will likely lead to higher and more volatile prices as well as increased pressure on the local currency which has been steadily losing value. Although the central bank had said last year it …

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