The Hindu | Why is Iran growing its presence in Iraq? The Hindu After the U.S. withdrew its troops from Iraq in 2011, Baghdad became increasingly dependent on Tehran on various avenues, from trade to security, which raised Iran's global profile. Iran established a Shia corridor stretching from Tehran through ... Iran vows full support for Iraq |
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Why is Iran growing its presence in Iraq? - The Hindu
TheSpec.com | No peace yet in Iraq or Syria TheSpec.com People walk through a damaged neighbourhood as the sun sets on the west side of Mosul, Iraq. U.S -backed forces succeeded in wresting Mosul from the Islamic State group but at the cost of enormous destruction. The nine-month fight culminated in a ... |
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No peace yet in Iraq or Syria - TheSpec.com
MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) - Seven months after Libyan forces defeated Islamic State in the coastal city of Sirte, hundreds of bodies of foreign militants still lie stored in freezers as authorities negotiate with other governments to decide what to do with them, local officials say.
The corpses have been shipped to Misrata, a city further to the west whose forces led the fight to defeat Islamic State in Sirte in December.
Allowing the bodies to be shipped home to countries such as Tunisia, Sudan and Egypt would be sensitive for the governments involved, wary of acknowledging how many of their citizens left to fight as jihadists in Iraq, Syria and Libya.
"Our team removed hundreds of bodies," a member of the Misrata organized crime unit dealing with the bodies told Reuters, his face masked to conceal his identity because of security concerns.
"This is the main operation which allows us to preserve the bodies, document and photograph them and also collect DNA samples."
The crime unit said it was awaiting a decision from the Prosecutor General, who was in talks with foreign governments over the return of the bodies.
Islamic State has now been defeated in its main stronghold in the Iraqi city of Mosul and is under pressure in its base in the Syrian city of Raqqa. But at the height of its territorial control it attracted recruits from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe to its ranks.
In Tunisia alone, officials say more than 3,000 citizens left to fight in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Tunisians who trained in militant camps in Libya carried out two gun attacks on foreign tourists in 2015 that battered Tunisia's vital tourism industry.
Islamic State took over Sirte in 2015, taking advantage of infighting between rival Libyan armed factions and using the city as a base from which to attack oil fields and other nearby towns.
Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Mark Trevelyan
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Hundreds of Islamic State corpses await repatriation from Libya - Reuters
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Fighting between the self-styled Libyan National Army and rival armed groups in Benghazi killed six troops and wounded eight as the LNA advanced into the last pockets of resistance in eastern Libya's largest city, a commander said on Saturday.
The LNA, led by Khalifa Haftar, also carried out air strikes on armed groups in the city of Derna, further east, who fired back with anti-aircraft cannon, witnesses told Reuters.
Haftar's eastern forces are engaged in a multi-sided conflict between factions that fought together to oust veteran Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but are now battling each other.
A U.N.-backed government in Tripoli is trying to bring stability to the North African OPEC member, but it is struggling to impose its authority. Haftar has so far rejected the Tripoli government as his forces advance in eastern Libya.
Two weeks ago, Haftar declared Benghazi's "liberation" in a televised speech after three years of fighting. But street battles continue as his LNA troops face resistance from the Majlis Shura Thuwar Benghazi, an alliance of ex-rebels and Islamists.
"Special forces carried out an attack on Friday on the last resistance pockets of terrorism in Khraibeesh area and successfully the forces advanced and controlled several points," an LNA commander, Mari El-Houti, said of the Benghazi operation.
El-Houti said the advance was impeded by a large number of mines in the area. He said 30 mines were dismantled on Friday.
Haftar, a former Gaddafi ally who turned against him, has gained ground with support from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Derna, some 380 km (235 miles) east of Benghazi, is still under the control of an alliance of Islamists and former rebels called the Derna Mujahideen Shura Council.
Reporting by Ayman Al-Warfalli in Benghazi; writing by Ahmed Elumami in Tripoli; editing by Patrick Markey and Mark Trevelyan
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Eastern commander's forces battle resistance in Libya's Benghazi - Reuters
Libya's sports channel back on air in time for Libyan football league The Libya Observer After three years off the air, the Libya Sports Channel is preparing to return to the scene after development and modernisation work in the studios is nearing completion. The channel management has upgraded the graphics department and they are in ... |
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Libya's sports channel back on air in time for Libyan football league - The Libya Observer