Syria
Syrian War Closes In on the Heart of Damascus
Syrian War Closes In on the Heart of Damascus
Islamist rebels captured the country’s largest hydroelectric dam. The government moved tanks to reenforce hard-pressed units in the eastern Jobar district of Damascus. The government said it was ready to meet with the leader of the opposition Syrian National Coalition.
Code Name ‘Murat’: What Germany Knew About Ankara Bomber
A car with a Syrian license plate exploded at the Cilvegözü border gate on the Turkish-Syrian border in Hatay province, killing 13 civilians and wounding 28 more. The incident occurred near a rebel rear base in northern Syria where disputes between rebel fighters and the jihadist Al Nusrah Front have broken out in recent weeks.
Hedegaard lashes out following failed assassination attempt
Timbuktu: al-Qaeda’s terrorist training academy in the Mali desert
A suicide bomber killed four people in an attack that targeted a senior police official in Galkayo. Shabaab claimed credit for the attack and said that six “apostate troops” were killed.
Defense Minister Barak left for the United States in a “surprise visit.” Barak’s trip will include meetings with top intelligence and Pentagon officials. The trip comes mere days before aides to Prime Minister Netanyahu visit America to prepare for Barack Obama’s March visit to Israel.
The Algiers Criminal Court postponed the case of 48 suspected terrorists, including al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb emir Abdelmalek Droukdel and the leader of al Ansar battalion “B.A.” The defendants face charges related to “more than 20 collective massacres” and other terrorist acts. Security forces arrested 10 members of a weapons trafficking network in […]
The al Qaeda-linked Ansar al Sharia in Tunisia released photos and videos showing its members conducting “intensive security patrols” in areas “all over the country.” President Marzouki’s party rejected Prime Minister Jebali’s plan for an interim cabinet, and insisted on the resignation of the Islamist interior, justice, and foreign ministers. Ennahda is dismissing rumors of […]
Malian soldiers hunted in Gao for Islamist fighters who had staged a surprise attack on Feb. 10. In battles in Gao, three insurgents were killed and 11 taken captive, several Malian troops were wounded, and three civilians were killed and 11 wounded. French airstrikes hit targets in Gao, including a police station. MUJAO claimed the […]
The Qatar initiative: JUI-F chief features in Doha talks
General Dunford has assumed command of ISAF. ISAF has begun to withdraw equipment from Afghanistan via Pakistan. Security forces killed 11 Taliban fighters in Helmand.
Will the al-Qaeda affiliates ousting Assad turn to Israel next?
Hezbollah moves into south Lebanon villages
Hamas: Egypt destroying Gaza smuggling tunnels by flooding them
Iran and Hezbollah build militia networks in Syria in event that Assad falls, officials say
Exclusive: U.N. monitors see arms reaching Somalia from Yemen, Iran
President Ahmadinejad said he is ready to have talks with the US if the West stops pressuring his country over its nuclear program. Hundreds of thousands of pro-government supporters celebrated the 34th anniversary of the Islamic revolution that ousted the shah in 1979.
Hamas Weighs Options For Recognizing Israel
Insight: Iran nuclear fuel move may avert mid-year crisis
Have hired guns finally scuppered Somali pirates?
After two years of political conflict, the government and the opposition started reconciliation talks. The opposition is demanding a constitutional monarchy with an elected premier.
Syria’s Druze Grapple With Jabhat al-Nusra
Government and rebel forces battled for the fifth day for control of a key highway in Damascus that connects the city with the country’s north. Rebels fought for control of a military base outside the city of Dei el-Zour, using tanks they had captured previously.
Iran political bickering heats up as election approaches
Tunisia’s recent turmoil exposes failings of country’s young democracy
Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh boom threatened by Morsi assault on foreign ownership
The Egyptian press has reported on two letters written by Muhammad Jamal to Ayman al Zawahiri. Jamal’s trainees reportedly took part in the Sept. 11, 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. The letters do not deal with the Benghazi assault, but one of them was written less than one month beforehand.
Palestinian factions meeting in Cairo for unity talks have failed to reach a breakthrough in their discussions. One official involved in the discussions said the meetings “did not achieve anything.” Hamas has already begun blaming Palestinian Authority President Abbas for the failure of the talks.