Middle Orient

US-backed forces said Monday they had seized a new neighbourhood from the Daesh terror group in the extremist stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, have been pressing an operation to capture the extremist stronghold since last year, and …

The European Union imposed sanctions on 16 Syrian scientists and military officials on Monday for their suspected involvement in a chemical attack in northern Syria in April which killed scores of civilians. Western intelligence agencies accuse the government of Bashar Assad of carrying out the attack, arguing that rebels in …

The Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat the so-called Islamic State (IS) meet Thursday to synthesize this week’s Coalition meetings and discuss priorities to build on the progress in Mosul and Raqqa, and to set (IS) on an irreversible and lasting path to defeat across the globe. In …

Iraqi forces hit further pockets of resistance from Islamic State militants in Mosul’s Old City on Friday, four days after the prime minister declared victory. Army helicopters flew overhead and explosions could be heard, residents said. “Three mortars landed on our district,” a resident of Faysaliya, just across the Tigris …

Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein held talks in Ankara with his Turkish counterparts. Goldfein met with Commander of the Turkish Air Force Abidin Ünal and other senior military officials in order to discuss ongoing military cooperation in Syria as part of international …

American military advisors are operating inside the city of Raqqa,ISIL’s last major stronghold in Syria, a US official said on Wednesday. The troops, many of them special operations forces, are working in an “advise, assist and accompany” role to support local fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces as they battle …

The European Commission announced Wednesday that it is scaling up its response to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq, which will enable the EU to continue supporting emergency relief in newly retaken areas and for newly displaced families. It will also allow to continue emergency medical services, attending injured civilians from …

IRAQI forces clashed with Islamic State militants holding out in Mosul’s Old City yesterday, more than 36 hours after Baghdad declared victory. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s victory announcement signaled the biggest defeat for the hardline Sunni group since its lightning sweep through northern Iraq three years ago. But pockets of …

A seventh round of Syrian peace talks in Geneva began on Monday with a meeting between the UN envoy on the war-torn country and a regime delegation. Staffan de Mistura met a Bashar al-Assad regime team headed by Bashar al-Jaafari at the UN offices at Geneva.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Monday “welcomed” the liberation of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul over the weekend. On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi arrived in Mosul to celebrate the victory over the Daesh terrorist group. “We welcome the successful completion of the military operation conducted since October 2016 …