Middle Orient

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will travel on Friday to Egypt and Israel for talks aimed at bringing the deadly conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians to an end, President Francois Hollande said Thursday. Fabius said on Wednesday that Europe was ready to take action to help bring about a ceasefire between the two parties.  

Turkey and Qatar are forging a plan to produce a truce between Palestinian groups and Israel to end 10 days of violence in Gaza amid additional efforts from Cairo. Meanwhile, an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his country and Hamas “have agreed on a cease-fire” that would begin on …

At least four people were killed and more than 20 others wounded Wednesday by mortar shells which rebels fired into central Damascus during the inauguration of President Bashar al-Assad.

The Iraqi security forces fought Sunni militant groups in several areas across the country, while the troops continued a major offensive to free the militant-seized city of Tikrit, security sources said on Wednesday. In Salahudin province, the troops continued their battles with Sunni militants, including those who are linked to …

France on Wednesday praised the election of Salim Al-Joubouri as President of the Iraqi Parliament, as well as that of Haydar Al-Abadi and Arab Mohammad Ali as first and second vice-presidents of the Baghdad Assembly,

Proclaiming the Syrian people winners in a “dirty war” waged by outsiders, President Bashar Assad was sworn in on Wednesday, marking the start of his third seven-year term in office amid a bloody civil war that has ravaged the Arab country.

Iraqi forces launched an attack on Tuesday to retake the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit, the second offensive since extremists took over several cities across the country in June. Army officials told DPA that military forces began their assault on the city from the northern and southern entrances of the city, and …

Israel, after eight days of cross-border attacks with Gaza, on Tuesday unilaterally accepted an Egyptian-proposed truce, despite earlier rejections by Palestinian armed groups. “The (security) Cabinet has decided to answer positively to the Egyptian initiative for a ceasefire starting today at 9 am (0600 GMT),” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office …

The United Nations Security Council called for “de-escalation” on Saturday evening, in the latest wave of the militarised conflict playing out in the Gaza Strip. The council “expressed serious concern regarding the crisis related to Gaza and the protection and welfare of civilians on both sides”. It called for a …

Egypt declared an emergency state on the border with Gaza on Wednesday following Israeli airstrikes on the strip, a security source told Aswat Masriya. The source added that army forces have stepped up caution in the Sinai Peninsula which falls on the border of Israel. Egypt’s presidential office said on …