The Turkish Armed Forces have begun to recruit “professional commandos” as part of a new plan to combat the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The military expects to recruit around 10,000 soldiers, who will be given special training to fight terrorists in mountainous areas.

France hosts talks at the weekend between Lebanon’s fractious leaders to try to ease a political deadlock that has plunged the nation into its worst crisis since the end of the civil war.

Insurgents fired more than two dozen mortar shells at government targets in the Somali capital overnight, including the president’s residence, in an apparent attempt to disrupt reconciliation talks planned for the weekend.