July, 2021

• 7 July

  US Treasury Department removes Iranians from designated individuals list

  

  A Treasury official told Reuters the move was unrelated to the talks on Iran’s nuclear program. The Biden administration also removed some Iranian citizens from the list in June. A few Iranians were removed from a US government blacklist Friday. The Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List …

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• 7 July

  Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal urges Riyadh to restore ties, release Palestinian prisoners

  

  Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshaal on Monday called on Saudi Arabia to release its Palestinian prisoners, as he stressed his group’s readiness to “build the best ties” with Riyadh. Speaking to Saudi-based Al Arabiya TV, Meshaal said Hamas refused to intervene in the affairs of any country and welcomed …

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• 7 July

  Pro-Iran militias increase attacks, rhetoric against foreign troops

  

  Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has called on the United States and Iran “to avoid settling scores in Iraq.” On July 5, three Katyusha rockets targeted Ain al-Asad air base in the western province of Anbar. No casualties have been reported yet. On the same day, a drone tried to …

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• 7 July

  Diplomacy wears thin between Egypt, Ethiopia over Nile Dam

  

  The statements between Egypt and Ethiopia escalated ahead of the second stage of filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, as experts warn of the repercussions of dwindling coordination between Cairo and Khartoum on the matter. Egypt has once again warned Ethiopia over the continued failure to reach an agreement on …

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• 7 July

  Islamic State suspected of sabotaging Iraqi electrical towers

  

  Power transmission towers have recently been targeted in Iraq, which already is suffering from major electricity shortages. The Joint Operations Command in Iraq called on citizens July 1 to “be brave” and report individuals who are damaging electric power transmission towers.The command also offered a financial reward for those who …

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• 7 July

  US Embassy, Ain al-Asad base targeted in Iraq as militias up tension

  

  Following the US strike on militias’ bases last week, the US Embassy and Ain al-Asad base were targeted by a drone and rockets. The US Embassy in Baghdad, in the heart of the Iraqi capital’s Green Zone, was the intended target of an armed drone the night of July 6. …

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• 7 July

  UK Special Forces Will Reportedly Stay in Afghanistan ‘as Advisers’

  Violent clashes and terror attacks continue to ravage Afghanistan despite ongoing peace talks between the government and representatives of the Taliban in the Qatari capital of Doha. A small number of the Special Air Service (SAS), a special forces unit of the British Army, will stay in Afghanistan after the …

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• 7 July

  Tajikistan Reinforces Border As Afghan Forces Collapse Under Taliban Offensive

  Tajikistan will reinforce its border with an additional 20,000 troops in response to a Taliban offensive capturing large swaths of territory in northern Afghanistan as U.S. troops exit the country. Underscoring the rapid collapse of Afghan security forces, more than 1,000 Afghan troops fled into Tajikistan overnight, Tajik border guards …

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• 7 July

  Suspected Russian Cybercriminals Demand $70 Million In Massive Ransomware Attack

  Suspected Russian-speaking cybercriminals behind what may be the largest ransomware attack to date have demanded $70 million in Bitcoin in exchange for a decryption tool as companies and security experts continued to assess the extent of damage. Cybersecurity experts believe thousands of victims in at least 17 countries may be …

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• 7 July

  Gov’t forces reclaim swaths of territory in central Yemen

  Heavy fighting raged between forces of Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels in central Bayda province, officials said Monday. Government forces and allied tribesmen, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, reclaimed large swaths of territory in the province, according Information Minister Moammar al-Iryani. Houthi officials said the rebels suffered heavy …

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