Middle East

Nov- 2017 -

4 November

Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah will enter Syria and battle ISIS in Al Bukamal – spokesperson

The Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary unit Kataib Hezbollah will enter Syria to fight Islamic State in the border town of Al Bukamal

3 November

Anna Varfolomeeva

0

Russian statements about US war crimes near At Tanf ‘not true’ – Pentagon

U.S. Department of Defense said that claims Russian authorities made about U.S. war crimes near At Tanf in Syria were not true.

3 November

Joanne Stocker

5

Iraqi forces recapture Qaim from ISIS: Abadi

Iraqi forces recaptured the strategic border town of Qaim from Islamic State "in record time", Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said

3 November

Abu Mohammad al-Julani, leader of Syria's Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria

Fergus Kelly

4

Al-Qaeda in Idlib? Examining bonds between Syria’s largest jihadi groups

Connections between al-Qaeda, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria demand close scrutiny

3 November

Syrian Arab Army forces in Deir Ezzor city

Fergus Kelly

3

Syrian army and allies capture Deir Ezzor city as Iraqis seize key border crossing

The Syrian Arab Army and its allies captured Deir Ezzor city from Islamic State on Friday, November 3, a statement from the ministry of defense said. “After a series of meticulous operations, units of our armed forces, in cooperation with allied forces, completed their tasks in restoring security and stability to the entire city of Deir al-Zour,” the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces said. تحرير مدينة دير الزور بالكامل من إرهابيي تنظيم داعش والقضاء على أعداد كبيرة منهم https://t.co/sdIZyqDPaZ pic.twitter.com/46ika77LpZ — وزارة الدفاع السورية (@mod_gov_sy) November 3, 2017 Large numbers of ISIS fighters, including leaders and foreigners were “eliminated,” and engineering units are now combing the city to remove improvised explosive devices, mines and other booby traps left behind. The statement highlighted the strategic importance of the city as a node linking northern and eastern Syria with the more populous east, as well as its economic importance as an agricultural area and a major reservoir of oil and gas. The army said it will continue operations against ISIS and “other terrorist groups” until security and stability are restored across Syria. بيان صادر عن القيادة العامة للجيش والقوات المسلحة _ تحرير مدينة دير الزور 3-11-2017https://t.co/44lHrT3f7V — وزارة الدفاع السورية …

2 November

Coalition spokesman Col Ryan Dillon briefs media on the liberation of Mosul

Joanne Stocker

7

The Battle for Mosul: Combat ‘you would typically only think about seeing in the movies’

CJTF-OIR spokesman Col. Ryan Dillon talks about Mosul, investigating civilian casualties, and the future of ISIS

1 November

Fergus Kelly

2

Opposition groups reject Russia-backed Syrian congress, as Turkey slams PYD invite

Opposition groups rejected the Russia-backed Syrian Congress on National Dialogue, as Turkey said it would not accept PYD's inclusion

Oct- 2017 -

30 October

Staff Writer with AFP

1

Turkish-German row stalls defense projects, Rheinmetall CEO says

Ongoing tensions between Germany and Turkey have stalled several defense projects, the CEO of German defense contractor Rheinmetall said.

30 October

Fishkhabur Simalka border crossing pontoon bridge

Joanne Stocker

0

Coalition not ‘directly involved’ in Fishkhabur border negotiations

The U.S.-led Coalition against ISIS is not controlling the Fishkhabur border crossing between Iraq and Syria and was not involved in talks between Iraq and Kurdish Peshmerga

27 October