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Mullah Haibatullah new Taliban supremo
Today's Headlines
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Page 1: WoT Operations
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Page 3: Non-WoT
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Page 4: Opinion
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Page 6: Politix
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Good morning
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336071 views] Top|| File under:

#1  It's funny, seeing her that young.
Posted by: Pappy || 05/26/2016 9:17 Comments || Top||

#2  C'mon Fred___Quit holding back on the good stuff. Where's Betty White?
Posted by: Cronter Omose4055 || 05/26/2016 13:50 Comments || Top||

#3  Joan Blodell...
Posted by: CrazyFool || 05/26/2016 17:24 Comments || Top||


Afghanistan
11 killed, 10 wounded in Kabul suicide attack
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] At least eleven people were killed and ten others were maimed in an kaboom in Kabul
...the capital of Afghanistan. Home to continuous fighting from 1992 to 1996 between the forces of would-be strongman and Pak ISI/Jamaat-e-Islami sock puppet Gulbuddin Hekmayar and the Northern Alliance, a period which won Hek the title Most Evil Man in the World and didn't do much for the reputations of the Northern Alliance guys either....
province earlier today.
It doesn't matter who they kill, as long as they kill somebody every day.
A front man for the Ministry of Interior earlier confirmed the incident and said at least ten people were killed and four others were maimed.

Najib Danish sad the attack took place in the 5th police district of Kabul targeting a vehicle carrying the appellate court employees of Maidan WArdak.

He said the attack was carried out by a jacket wallah.

No group including the Talibs has grabbed credit behind the incident yet.

Earlier the Taliban group vowed to target the judiciary workers in retaliation to the execution of a number of group’s holy warriors by the Afghan government.

The Afghan government executed at least six holy warriors over terror offences in capital Kabul earlier this month.

The execution of the holy warriors followed days after a deadly attack rocked capital Kabul leaving at least 64 people dead and 347 others maimed.

Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336072 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


Mullah Haibatullah new Taliban supremo
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] The Talibs group released a photograph of the group’s newly-appointed supreme leader Mawlavi Haibatullah Akhundzada
...Deputy to Taliban supremo Mullah Akhtar Mansour...
No further details have been given regarding the background of Mawlavi Akhundzada who replaced Mullah Akhtar Mansoor 3 days after he was killed in a drone strike.

Meanwhile the former Afghan Intelligence Chief Rahmatullah Nabil has said Mawlavi Akhundzada was a village Mullah and has no military or political experience.

In a Twitter message, Nabil said the newly-appointed Taliban supreme leader is 56-year-old but lacks military and political experience.

He also added that one of his deputies, the 24-year-old Mullah Yaqoob, son of Mullah Mohammad Omar, also lacks military and political experience.

But according to Nabil, his other deputy, the leader of the Haqqani terrorist network, Sirajuddin Haqqani
...son of Pashtun warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani, still titular head of the Haqqani Network....
will be defacto leader of the group.

Earlier experts had warned that the appointment of Sirajuddin Haqqani would be dangerous for the country amid concerns that the group would further intensify its attacks.

The Taliban group released a statement to confirm the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor and appointment of Mawlavi Akhundzada and his deputies earlier today.
An Nahar's reporter consulted some experts:
Religious scholar Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, named Wednesday as the Afghan Taliban's new leader, was a senior judge during the insurgent group's five-year rule over Afghanistan and issued many of its harsh verdicts.

Believed to be aged in his fifties, he hails from Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar like both his former boss -- Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who was killed in a US drone strike on Saturday -- and Taliban founder Mullah Omar, who died in 2013.

Akhundzada went on to become the group's "chief justice" after a US-led invasion toppled the Taliban government in 2001. He was a close ally of Mansour and was one of his two deputies.

Akhundzada is not known for his prowess on the battlefield, having preferred a life of religious and legal study. He is said to have issued many of the group's rulings on how Muslims should comply with the Taliban's extreme interpretation of Islam.

According to Rahimullah Yousafzai, considered the region's foremost expert on the Taliban, Akhundzada was away in Pakistan during the 1979-89 Soviet occupation of Afghanistan -- unlike Omar and Mansour, who earned reputations as fighters as part of the U.S.-backed mujahideen.

It is unclear whether he will follow Mansour in shunning peace negotiations with the Afghan government. Analysts believe he will be more heavily reliant on his shura (council) than Omar and Mansour and will need to rule by consensus.

In terms of age and seniority, he was second only to Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, whom many sources had believed was in contention for the leadership despite his reported detention by Pakistani authorities.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336187 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


61 militants eat dirt in latest air and ground operations of Afghan forces
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] At least 61 bandidos snuffies were killed and dozens of others were maimed in the latest clearance operations of the Afghan National Security and Defense (ANSDF), the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said.

According to a statement by MoD, the operations were conducted in the past 24 hours in various parts of the country with the support of the Afghan Air Force and Artillery units.

The statement further added 30 of the militanst were killed and several others were maimed in Chemtal district of balkh and 11 others were killed and 7 more were maimed in Suzma Qala district of Sar-e-Pul province.

A least 7 bandidos snuffies were killed during an operation in Baghlan Markazi district of Baghlan and 10 others were maimed, MoD said.

The statement also added that 9 bandidos snuffies wre killed and 7 others were maimed during an operation in Dehrawood district of Uruzgan and 4 more were killed in Yakya Khel district of Paktika
...which coincidentally borders South Wazoo...
The anti-government armed bad boy groups including the Taliban snuffies have not commented regarding the report so far.

Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336073 views] Top|| File under: Taliban

#1  Putting those new Super Tucanos to good use, eh?
Posted by: SteveS || 05/26/2016 14:35 Comments || Top||


8 Afghan soldiers martyred during counter-terrorism operations
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] At least 8 soldiers of the Afghan National Army (ANA) forces were martyred in fight against terrorism in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said.

According to an operational update by the Ministry of Defense (MoD), the soldiers were martyred while conducting counter-terrorism operations against the internal and external terrorists.

"The Afghan National Army (ANA) forces are prepared for all kinds of devotion and with all force to maintain security and comfort for the people of Afghanistan," a statement by MoD said, adding that 8 Afghan soldiers were martyred during counter-terrorism operations against the internal and foreign terrorists.

There has been a sharp rise in the casualties of the Afghan national security forces since they took full control of the security responsibilities from the coalition forces at the start of last year.

According to the earlier estimates by security officials, the Afghan army deaths stood at 4 service members daily on average which is mainly caused due to improvised bomb (IED) attacks.

The Afghan forces have increased counter-terrorism operations to suppress the anti-government armed krazed killer groups who are preparing to step up attacks as they announced their spring offensive earlier last week.

Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336072 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


Africa North
Libyan terrorist arms cache found in Tunisia
[Libya Herald] Tunisia’s National Counterterrorism Brigade today found a significant arms cache in the border town Ben Guerdane. The arms, believed to have been smuggled in from Libya, were discovered as a result of information from a holy warrior captured a fortnight ago in a Tunis suburb. According to the Tunisian interior ministry, they consisted of thee RPG rocket launchers, 29 Kalashnikovs, 130 other automatic rifles and several thousand rounds of ammunition.

The information came from one of the six forces of Evil incarcerated
Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try!
in a raid on 11 May on a house in the northwestern Tunis suburb of Mnihla being used by what the ministry described as "dangerous terrorists". Two others were killed, including reportedly one of the leading holy warriors sought by the Tunisian authorities, Adel bin Mohammed Elgandari.

The ministry said at the time the forces of Evil had gathered to carry out a terrorist attack in the city.

Following the raid, another 21 forces of Evil were arrested in various parts of the country.

Ben Guerdane, a centre of the smuggling trade between Libya and Tunisia and a trouble spot for some months, is said to contain a significant number of Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(IS) sympathisers. Smugglers from the town, nicknamed by some as "Tunisia’s Derna" are reported to have collaborated with IS, helping transport Tunisian IS supporters to Libya for training there.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336071 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Militants shell Benghazi as army still fights to seize Gwarsha
[Libya Herald] One of four shells fired from murderous Moslem positions that slammed into Benghazi today forced the postponement of a graduation ceremony for medical students. Though one person was injured in all the attacks, there were no deaths and damage was not substantial.

The graduation ceremony for pharmacology students at the Benghazi Medical School in Belaoun was abandoned after a round struck near the building. The nearby Benghazi Medical Centre also appeared to be targeted last week when a mortar round or rocket landed at a busy road junction close by killing three and wounding nine.

Two further rockets or mortar went kaboom! today in Sidi Abaid and a fourth struck an abandoned house in Hawari. It is understood that at least one of the missiles was fired from Sabri where snuffies continue to hold out despite being virtually surrounded by the army since the end of last year.

It also appears that the army’s hold on Gwarsha is no longer as firm as it claimed last month when terrorist resistance seemed to collapse in the face of its "Blood of the Martyrs" assault. At the time, army sources said that the main enemy force had fallen back to the tourist village and its tiny harbour at Ganfouda. Gwarsha required only a cleaning up operation.

The situation would seem to have changed. There has been heavy fighting in Gwarsha today between the army and members of the Benghazi Revolutionaries’ Shoura Council. Militant positions were bombed in at least one pass by an airforce jet.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336073 views] Top|| File under: Arab Spring


Egypt army 'kills 88 militants' in North Sinai during third stage of Martyr's Right
[AlAhram] Martyr's Right is the largest operation aimed at rooting out and killing snuffies in the restive Sinai since the army's response to a wave of attacks in July

The Egyptian army said on Wednesday that its forces have killed 88 snuffies in central and North Sinai during recent military operations.

As a continuation of an earlier campaign which started in September 2015, the army announced that it will begin the third phase of the operation entitled Martyr's Right.

Martyr's Right is a comprehensive military operation targeting Islamist snuffies in North Sinai.

Army spokesperson Mohammed Samir said that during the past four days Egyptian forces killed 85 bully boys, detained three suspects, and destroyed 73 hideouts, ten cars and five cycle of violences.

Samir also announced the killing of three other snuffies in the western parts of Halal Mountain in North Sinai.

In tandem with ground operations, "Navy special forces imposed control over Egyptian coasts to prevent illegal migration or any attempt of infiltration and smuggling across the sea," the statement read.

Martyr's Right is the largest and most comprehensive military operation aimed at rooting out and killing snuffies operating in the restive peninsula.

The Egyptian army announced the end of the first stage of the operation - which lasted 16 days - on 22 September, after the "achievement of its primary objectives."

The first phase of the operation concluded with the killing of over 500 snuffies and the destruction of various bully boy hideouts and artillery storage facilities in North Sinai.

Phase two of the operation, according to a statement released by the army, will "pave the road for creating suitable conditions to start development projects in Sinai."
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336071 views] Top|| File under: Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (IS)


Africa Subsaharan
Kenya Arrests Two over 'IS' Bomb Plot
[AnNahar] Kenyan police said Wednesday they had tossed in the clink
Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up!
two suspected members of an Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
affiliate plotting kabooms, weeks after arresting other members of the alleged gang.

Police claimed that the two men, Kiguzo Mwangolo Mgutu and Abubakar Jillo Mohammed, had been radicalized in a mosque in a slum in the capital Nairobi, where they were recruited into the Islamic State group (IS), which they said "is seeking to establish itself in Kenya."

The two men are alleged to have been plotting Dire Revenge attacks after Mohammed Abdi Ali, the alleged leader of the group and a medical student, was arrested earlier this month along with two others for allegedly planning an anthrax attack. They have not yet been charged.

"Following Mohammed Abdi Ali's arrest, members of his network have been planning retaliatory attacks using home-made explosives," police said.

"The arrest of the two has foiled terror attacks with explosives and other weapons that were planned for Nairobi and Mombasa."

Materials seized suggested the pair had been plotting bombings, with kit taken for forensic analysis including "nails, ball bearings, batteries, electrical wire, fertilizer, cell phones and other suspected explosive substances," police added.

While the Somali-led and al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab has been active in Kenya since 2011, after the Kenyan army was deployed in southern Somalia, there has been little evidence to date of an IS presence in the country.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336071 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Europe
Belgian Police Arrest Four, Find 'Traces' of Terror Attack Plot
[AnNahar] Police found "traces" of a plot to launch a new attack in Belgium when they placed in durance vile
Book 'im, Mahmoud!
four people suspected of recruiting jihadists for Syria and Libya, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The four were charged with "participating in the activities of a terrorist group" following their arrests in the northern port of Antwerp and other Phlegmish-speaking cities, the federal prosecutor's office said.

"The four were more involved in the part of recruiting," Eric Van der Sypt, a front man for Belgium's federal prosecutors, told AFP. "And we found traces of plans for an attack in Belgium."

He said the probe into an alleged plot continued while his office said that "for now there is no link" with the investigation into the deadly March 22 bombings in the capital Brussels.

The prosecutor's office said the four people arrested are "suspected of having wanted to recruit people to send them to conflict zones in Syria and Libya," adding that some of them had intended to travel to those areas and join the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
group.

Eight raids in Antwerp as well as in Ternat and Borgerhout turned up neither weapons nor explosives, the statement said without saying when the action was carried out.

The investigating judge ordered one of the four to be detained, but released the three others -- one on condition he wear an electronic bracelet and the other two under "strict" conditions, it added.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336070 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


The Grand Turk
Kurd kommies kill 6 Turk soldiers
[Al Arabiya] Six soldiers were killed and two others wounded when a bomb hit a military convoy in southeast Turkey, the army said Tuesday, blaming Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants for the attack.

The armored vehicle carrying the soldiers "was hit by a roadside bomb that was hidden" at the edge of a road in Van province in the Kurdish-majority southeast, the army said in a statement.

The explosives were planted on the highway between Van's Jaldıran and Agrı's Dogubeyazıt districts, according to Daily Sabah website.

The wounded soldiers were immediately transferred to hospitals, it added.

Turkey's southeast has been the scene of significant military operations since December 2015, as the police and army seek to clear the PKK organization from urban areas.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, more than 480 members of the security forces, including troops, police officers and village guards, have been killed, according to Daily Sabah.
Posted by: badanov || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336078 views] Top|| File under:


India-Pakistan
Militants kill cop, Army porter; snatch rifle
[Daily Excelsior] Militants today killed a security guard of National Conference leader and former MLA in Pulwama and an Army porter in Kupwara.

A policeman was today killed as faceless myrmidons struck at the security guards of a former MLA in Pulwama district.

Police said that the incident took place in Monghama village where the former National Conference MLA Ghulam Mohiuddin had gone to attend a marriage function.

His Personal Security Officer (PSO), Shabir Ahmad, and another guard were waiting in a private car outside the venue when three pistol-borne faceless myrmidons struck.

The faceless myrmidons tried to snatch the service rifle from the PSO which led to a scuffle during which Shabir Ahmad received minor injuries on the face.

Militants then fired a few shots, resulting in injuries to constable Riyaz Ahmad Ganie. He was hit in the throat and departed this vale of tears later at a hospital.

The faceless myrmidons fled from the site along with the weapon of the PSO taking advantage of the panic which followed the shooting.

Meanwhile,
...back at the wrecked scow, a single surviver held tightly to the smashed prow...
in the morning, faceless myrmidons killed a porter working with Army in Kupwara. Liyakat Ali who was working as porter was fired upon by faceless myrmidons at Waderbala. The injured was rushed to hospital where he was declared as brought dead.

A massive hunt has been launched to nab the gunnies who managed to escape after killing the porter.

In the meantime, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Kilo Force, Major General Jarken Gamlin, today said that there are 50 faceless myrmidons operating in North Kashmire and Army is ready to foil their designs.

The GOC while speaking to Excelsior after a function at North Kashmire said there are nearly 50-60 faceless myrmidons active in Kilo Force area including Sopore, Handwara, Kupwara and Bandipora ’but the Army is ready to foil their every design’.

"The faceless myrmidons always try to infiltrate and we have been receiving intercepts about infiltration from some time but our army is ready to eliminate them and we always eliminate them whenever they come into our reception area." he said. He said the Army recently conducted one of the major operations of this year in Drugmulla area of Kupwara where five foreign faceless myrmidons were bumped off in a day-long operation.

"The successful operations give us encouragement. We will continue to eliminate them," the GOC said. In reply to a question regarding holy warrior strike in Srinagar’s Tengpora area, which falls in the domain of Kilo Force, the GOC said: "The faceless myrmidons are always here to carry out attacks but we also are here and we will foil all designs."

Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336073 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistain Proxies


Policeman killed, two others injured in Swat attack
[DAWN] MINGORA: A police official was killed and two others injured when gunnies ambushed their official vehicle in Manglore locality of the Swat
...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat...
valley late on Monday night.

This was the second attack of its kind in 24 hours. Earlier on Sunday, a member of the Village Defence Committee (VDC) and his guard were rubbed out by assailants in the district.

Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Marwat said that the police van was on routine patrol duty when assailants opened fire on it, causing injuries to three personnel of the special police force. "One policeman, Fazal Wahid, departed this vale of tears while two others, Zahir Shah and Ubaidullah, were shifted to Saidu Teaching Hospital for treatment," he said.

The assailants managed to escape. Local residents said that gunshots echoed through the area for a long time.

DPO Marwat said that such timid actions would not discourage police personnel, adding that the culprits would be tossed in the clink
Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out!
soon. Sometime later, police and security forces cordoned off the area to conduct a search operation and detained around 50 suspects.

This was the second such incident in the area in 24 hours as gunnies rubbed out VDC member Mohammad Khan and his police guard at Bara Bandai village in Kabal tehsil on Sunday.

Over 50 VDC members and 42 personnel of the special police force have been killed in assassinations since 2009. In the current year alone, police have come under attack at least five times, resulting in the deaths of four personnel and leaving five others injured.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336091 views] Top|| File under: TTP


US blacklists two ‘Pakistan-based’ terrorist groups
[GEO.TV] The United States on Wednesday designated two ‘Pakistan-based’ groups with links to the Taliban as global terrorist threats.

A statement issued by US State Department said that as ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorists,’ US citizens are forbidden from associating with the Tariq Gidar Group (TGG) and the Jamaat ul Dawa al-Qu’ran (JDQ).

It said any assets owned by the groups in places under US jurisdiction will be frozen, and US law enforcement will be authorised to investigate their activity. The State Department claimed that the TGG is linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and is based in Darra Adam Khel.

According to the statement, the Gidar group was responsible for the attack on Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar that killed over 150 people mostly children. The group is led by Umar Mansoor, who is said to also have ordered the January 2016 attack on a university in Charsadda that left more than 20 dead.

US State Department also said the TGG was behind the 2008 kidnapping and beheading of Polish geologist Piotr Stanczak in Attock.

The second group, the JDQ, is said to be based in Peshawar but has sworn allegiance to the late leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Omar. The JDQ also has alliances with Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the statement added.

The group has also been blamed for the 2010 kidnapping of British aid worker Linda Norgrove in Afghanistan. Norgrove died after being wounded in the explosion of a grenade thrown by a US Navy SEAL commando during a failed rescue attempt.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336091 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistain Proxies

#1  Since they have been black listed does that mean they can only make Michael Moore movies and do interviews on MSNBC and NPR?
Posted by: Elmoluth Slaiger9049 || 05/26/2016 23:21 Comments || Top||


Iraq
Kirkuk security bust ISIS cells to clear road to Hawija
[RUDAW.NET] Security forces in Kirkuk tossed in the slammer
... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not...
four men suspected of planning to carry out attacks on the province’s oil wells just weeks after an attack set two oil wells Khabaza ablaze.

Brigadier Sarhad Qadir, chief of Kirkuk’s suburban police told Rudaw that they had orders for the men’s arrest and kept them in sight until it was made sure they were planning an attack on the oil wells.

"The four suspected men were trying to reorganize their terrorist activities in that region using a car," said Brig. Qadir, pointing to two oil wells in the distance still burning from an attack last month.

In two weeks of continued operations police and security forces in Kirkuk have arrested an ISIS Amir, 24 murderous Moslems and more than 40 suspects believed to be affiliated with ISIS.

Qadir Hussein, deputy commander of the special Black Force--that is carrying out these raids--said the raids were to secure the rear of the Peshmerga defense lines before the final attack on Hawija.

"We need to clean up these areas behind us before moving forward to Hawija, because there are suspects and wanted people here. ISIS gunnies must be driven out of these areas otherwise they can attack us when we are moving forward to Hawija," Hussein explained.

Peshmerga forces have in recent months moved beyond 11 villages previously held by ISIS in their gradual approach to Hawija.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336072 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Peshmerga foil ISIS suicide bombers near Mosul, killing two
[RUDAW.NET] Peshmerga forces on Wednesday foiled Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS) jacket wallahs who tried to infiltrate Kurdish lines of defense on the Bashik front, killing two hard boys.

The would-be bombers had tried to blend in with civilians fleeing fighting in the area.

"At dawn on Wednesday, two ISIS forces of Evil with boom belts tried to attack Peshmerga on the Bashik Mountain. Both of them were killed before they detonated their explosives," Hamid Afandi, commander of the Bashik front, told Rudaw.

"The suicide bombers had hidden themselves among families who surrender to the Peshmerga on a daily basis. Before the attackers reached Peshmerga positions we opened fire on them, setting off their explosives and killing them both," Afandi explained.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336075 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Kurds eliminate suicide bomber in Bashiqa
(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh – A security source revealed on Wednesday, that the Peshmerga forces killed a suicide bomber who tried to target the Turkish forces in Bashiqa.

The source said in a statement followed by IraqiNews.com, “Today, a suicide bomber tried to target the Turkish troops headquarters above Kanona mountain in Bashiqa.”

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added, “The suicide bomber tried to sneak near the Peshmerga 3rd regiment that killed him before reaching the valley between the Turkish forces and Peshmerga.”
Posted by: badanov || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336073 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Iraqi Jailhouse stories: 8 detained in Kirkuk
(IraqiNews.com) Kirkuk – On Wednesday, Kirkuk Police chief Brigadier General Sarhad Qader announced arresting eight wanted individuals on charges of “terrorism” northwest of the province.

Qader said in a statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “Today, a force belonging to Kirkuk Police and Peshmerga conducted a security operation in the village of Qura Taba in the vicinity of Aegi (15 km northwest of Kirkuk), resulting in the arrest of eight wanted individuals on charges of terrorism.”

Qader added, “The detainees were transferred to the headquarters of detention for interrogation.”
Posted by: badanov || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336073 views] Top|| File under:


The Beatings Will Continue: Fallujah Edition
ISIS Bad Guys snip tongues of 5

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – An informed source in the city of Fallujah revealed, that the so-called ISIS cut the tongues of five of its members who tried to flee from the city.

The source reported for IraqiNews.com, “ISIS terrorist gangs cut the tongues of five of its members who tried to flee from the city after being sentenced by the so-called ISIS Sharia Court.”

The source, who asked to remain anonymous, added, “ISIS committed this crime in public in front of its members and citizens.”
Posted by: badanov || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336076 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Hezbollah’s Iraq branch fighting Fallujah battle
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] An Iraqi military front man said troops were trying to tighten the encirclement of Falluja by advancing on the western front, near the village of Khalidiya.

Meanwhile,
...back at the shouting match, the spittle had reached unprecedented levels...
Iraqi Defense Ministry published an official report which includes statements confirming that the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades are involved in the battle of Fallujah.

Days ago, a YouTube account linked to Kata’ib Hezbollah, a US-designated terrorist organization and Iranian proxy, has uploaded a video showing a large convoy of its rocket launcher systems being sent to the front lines near Iraqi city of Fallujah.

From its part, days ago, Harakat al Nujaba, or Movement of the Noble, an Iranian-supported Shiite militia which operates in both Iraq and Syria, has said it is clearing a road in eastern Anbar province in preparation for an upcoming offensive to retake Fallujah from the ISIS.

Also, Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force ‐ the external operations wing of the Revolutionary Guards ‐ was spotted in a picture said to be taken near Fallujah. A picture of Soleimani in the "Fallujah operations room" was posted to the Facebook account of Harakat al Nujaba.

Fear civilian casualties will worsen sectarian strife

On Wednesday morning Iraqi troops concentrated artillery fire on Falluja's northern and northeastern neighborhoods, according to a resident contacted via the Internet.

A Falluja hospital source said that six non-combatants were killed and 11 maimed on Wednesday morning, raising the overall corpse count since Monday's launch of the government offensive to 35 - 21 civilians and 14 holy warriors.

"Fierce fighting is now raging around the city," Save the Children said in a statement on Wednesday, calling for safe civilian exit routes to be established as quickly as possible.

Falluja's population is around 100,000, according to U.S. and Iraqi government estimates.

The offensive is part of a government campaign to roll back ISIS' seizure of wide tracts of northern and western Iraq. Baghdad's forces retook Ramadi, the Anbar picturesque provincial capital near Falluja, in December but have not yet tackled a bigger challenge - IS-held djinn-infested Mosul
... the home of a particularly ferocious and hairy djinn...
, Iraq's largest northern city.

The Association of Muslim Scholars of Iraq, a hardline political organization formed after Saddam's ouster to represent Sunnis, has condemned the assault on Falluja as "an unjust aggression, a reflection of the vengeful spirit that the forces of evil harbor against this city".

Meanwhile,
...back at the shouting match, the spittle had reached unprecedented levels...
Iraq's top Shi'ite Muslim holy man urged government forces battling to retake Falluja.

Sistani wields enormous influence over Iraq's Shi'ites. It was at his call that Shi'ite militias regrouped in 2014 in a coalition known as Hashid Shaabi (Popular Mobilization), to stem Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
's stunning advance through the north and west.

Hashid Shaabi will take part in encircling Falluja but will not enter the city unless the Iraqi army fails in doing so, said Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organisation, the largest component of the Shi'ite coalition.

"Our decision is to encircle the city from the outside and let the security forces operate; if the security forces are unable to cleanse the city, we will then go in,'' he said, according to video recording on the state-run TV channel.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336093 views] Top|| File under: Hezbollah

#1  Popcorn.
Posted by: Pappy || 05/26/2016 14:37 Comments || Top||


Anbar Antics: 21 die

Iraqi forces continue offensive near Fallujah

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – The leadership of al-Hashed al-Shaabi in Anbar Province announced on Wednesday launching the liberation operation of Amiriyah areas from the control of the so-called ISIS, while pointed out that the security forces are advancing toward the southern entrances of Fallujah (62 km west of Baghdad).

The commander of the 2nd regiment in al-Somoud brigade in Amiriyah Fallujah, Colonel Mohammed al-Eissawi said in a press statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “The joint forces from the army, Federal Police, emergency regiments and al-Hashed al-Shaabi fighters in Anbar started the liberation operation of the remaining areas of Amiriyah vicinity (22 km south of Fallujah).”

Eissawi added, “The military operation is aiming to cleanse the areas of Fallujah Dam and the new bridge, as well as liberating the banks of the river that links between Fallujah and Amiriya vicinity,” pointing out that, “The security forces backed by the international coalition are advancing significantly in the targeted areas, in order to cleanse them from ISIS guerrilla.”

Security forces control area near al-Karma

(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – On Wednesday, official journalists with the Ministry of Defense announced, that the security forces imposed their control on a fuel station and the northern entrance of Karma District in eastern Fallujah, and cut Albu Shajal crossing in northern Fallujah completely.

The journalists said in a press statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “This morning, Baghdad Operations’ reconnaissance regiment and tribal fighters were able to enter to al-Karma District from the northern entrance in eastern Fallujah, while controlled al-Rashad entrance and al-Karma gas station,” pointing out that, “The operations are still ongoing and the security forces’ advance is continuous.”

The statement added, “The forces from Baghdad Operations Command managed to cut Albu Shajal crossing in northern Fallujah completely.”

ISIS Top Dawg, 6 others die near al-Karma

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – The leadership of al-Hashed al-Shaabi in Anbar Province announced on Wednesday killing the so-called ISIS Wali of al-Karma District, along with six of his assistants during the liberation battles of the district axes in eastern Fallujah (62 km west of Baghdad).

The media director of al-Hashed al-Shaabi in Anbar, Captain Essam El-Din Abdullah said in a brief statement followed by IraqiNews.com, “The joint forces were able to kill the so-called ISIS Wali of al-Karma District Qasim Eqab, along with six of his assistants, as well as destroying a missiles launcher during the cleansing battles of Shihabi Taniya area in the District (19 km east of Fallujah).”

Abdullah added, “The security forces are advancing in the remaining axes of al-Karma in eastern Fallujah,” indicating that, “The security forces are also stationing near to the eastern entrance of Fallujah.”

Iraqi forces liberate al-Sijar

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – On Wednesday, al-Hashed al-Shaabi forces in Anbar Province announced liberating al-Sijar area in northern Fallujah (62 km west of Baghdad) from the control of ISIS, while pointed out that the security forces raised the Iraqi flag over the government buildings and killed 14 ISIS fighters, including Arabs and foreigners during the operation.

The commander of Karmat Fallujah bridge in al-Hashed al-Shaabi forces, Colonel Juma Fazaa Jumaili, said in a press interview received by IraqiNews.com, “The joint security forces managed to cleanse al-Sijar area (10 km north of Fallujah) completely and raised the Iraqi flag over its government buildings and police station,” noting that, “The battles resulted in the killing of 14 ISIS fighters including Arabs and foreigners.”

Jumaili added, “The joint forces are working to dismantle the booby-trapped buildings and improvised explosive devices, as well as opening safe corridors for the military vehicles and tanks to the northern entrance of Fallujah.”

Iraqi kops liberate 10 areas

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – The Federal Police Command announced on Wednesday liberating ten areas from the ISIS control in eastern Fallujah (62 km west of Baghdad).

The Federal Police Command said in a statement received by IraqiNews.com, “The Federal Police forces managed to liberate the areas of Naif Ali, Subaihat, al-Lahib, al-Sahwa, Albu Ayad, local council in Karma, al-Harariyat, al-Layfiya, Shihabi, Jamila and Albu Hadid.”

The statement added, “The security forces are still advancing firmly to liberate other areas.”

Iraqi forces dismantle 37 IEDs

(IraqiNews.com) al-Anbar – The Federal Police captain, Raed Shaker Jawdat, announced on Wednesday dismantling 37 improvised explosive devices in the city of Fallujah.

Jawdat said in a statement received by IraqiNews.com, “The Explosives Treatment Battalion is cleansing the road which links between the al-Ma’mal al-Azraq and the village of al-Lifiyah,” adding that, “The battalion was able to dismantle 37 explosive devices in the eastern axis of Fallujah.”

ISIS Bad Guys in disguise destroyed in airstrike

(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – On Wednesday, official journalists with the Ministry of Defense announced, that a group of ISIS members who were disguised as shepherds
"We are naught but simple, well-armed shepherds, sorrr, hurrying to meet our sheepdogs over yonder."
had been killed in an air strike conducted by the Iraqi Army Aviation in northern Fallujah (62 km south of Baghdad).

The journalists said in a press statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “The Iraqi Army Aviation carried out an air strike that targeted a group of ISIS terrorists who were disguised as shepherds in northern Fallujah,” adding that, “The disguised ISIS members were carrying weapons and accompanied by three vehicles.”

Noteworthy, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Monday, that the security forces had launched military operations to liberate the city of Fallujah (62 km west of Baghdad), while emphasized that ISIS has no choice but to flee from the battle.
Posted by: badanov || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336073 views] Top|| File under:


ISIS prevents Fallujah residents from fleeing
[Iraq Sun] A local Iraqi official and an aid group say the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
group (ISIS) is preventing people from fleeing Fallujah amid a military operation to recapture the city west of Baghdad.

Shakir al-Issawi, the head of the council in the nearby town of Amiriyat al-Fallujah,
... the City of Mosques, which might have somthing to do with why it's not called Center of Prosperity or a really nice place to raise your kids...
says only about 20 families have left from Fallujah's outskirts since the offensive started three days ago. Al-Issawi says no families managed to flee Wednesday as ISIS bandidos faceless myrmidons tightly control the city exits.

The Norwegian Refugee Council says ISIS holy warriors are threatening residents with death if they attempt to flee. Its spokesperson, Becky Bakr Abdullah, says there is much fear for anyone "attempting to flee."
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336077 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Baghdad bomb and Bullet Bulletin: 4 die

1dies in bomb attack near Alwa Rasheed

(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – A source in the Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday, that eight people had been either killed or wounded in a bomb blast in southern Baghdad.

The source said in a press statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “This morning, a bomb exploded near Alwa Rasheed in Abu Deshir neighborhood in Dawra area in southern Baghdad, killing one person and wounding seven others.”

The source, who requested anonymity, added, “A security force rushed to the area and transferred the wounded to a nearby hospital for treatment and the dead body to the forensic medicine department, while cordoned off the area of the incident and barred approaching it.”

1 dead in bombing in bomb blast northwest of Baghdad

(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – On Wednesday, a source in the Ministry of Interior announced, that eight people had been either killed or wounded in a bomb blast northwest of Baghdad.

The source said in an interview followed by IraqiNews.com, “An explosive device exploded, at noon today, near shops in al-Tobji area northwest of Baghdad, killing one person and injuring seven others.”

The source, who asked anonymity, added, “A security force rushed to the area and transferred the wounded to a nearby hospital for treatment and the dead body to the forensic medicine department, while carried out raids to search for the perpetrators of the bombing.”

2 die in bomb attack in al-Karaghul

(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – A source in the Iraqi police said on Wednesday, that two civilians had been killed and four others were injured in a bomb blast that took place south of Baghdad.

The source said in a statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “This afternoon, an explosive device that was emplaced on the road side in the village of al-Karaghul in the vicinity of al-Rashid, south of Baghdad, has went off resulting in the death of two civilians and wounding four others,” adding that, “A security force blockaded the area of the incident, while ambulances transferred the injured to a nearby hospital for medical treatment and the two dead bodies to the forensic medicine authority.”
Posted by: badanov || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336073 views] Top|| File under:


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
IDF soldiers arrest 21, seize guns in large West Bank raid
It was a dark and busy night...
[IsraelTimes] Israel Defense Forces soldiers and border police jugged
Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'!
10 Paleostinians and seized guns, ammunition and "military equipment" in a large-scale raid in the West Bank village of Kufr al-Dik, east of Tel Aviv, early Wednesday morning, the army said.

Another 11 suspects were arrested in raids across the West Bank, making the overnight operation one of the largest of its kind in recent weeks.

Soldiers from the IDF’s Givati infantry brigade, as well as special forces units, uncovered three homemade guns, hunting rifles, body armor and military uniforms during the al-Dik foray, the army said.

The 10 Paleostinian suspects arrested in the village were accused of taking part in violent demonstrations, throwing rocks and other forms of "popular terrorism," as the IDF refers to such activities.

In Abu Dis, west of Jerusalem, residents threw rocks and pieces of wood at IDF troops as the Israeli forces arrested two Paleostinian men for undisclosed charges. No soldiers were maimed in the incident.

The army also detained three suspected members of the Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, terror organization, two in the Nablus area and a third in Turmus Ayya, north of Ramallah.

Additional arrests were made in Beit Fajjar, Silwad and the Paleostinian village of Tekoa.

It was the highest number of suspects arrested in one night since April 5, as the outpouring of violence that began in late 2015, with a flurry stabbing and shooting attacks, appears to be winding down, according to defense officials.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336075 views] Top|| File under: Hamas


2 Border Policewomen injured in Molotov cocktail attack
[Ynet] Border Policewomen lightly injured in Molotov cocktail attack on Ofrit base next to Hebrew University in Jerusalem

Two Border Policewomen were maimed by two Molotov cocktails thrown at them near their base in Jerusalem on Wednesday. They were lightly injured due to a fire which broke out on the base as a result of the cocktails.

The attack happened on "Ofrit" base, located next to Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus. Security forces are searching for the suspect. The Border Policewomen were evacuated to Sha'are Tzedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem district firefighter's front man said that four firefighting units, including a water vehicle are working to put out a brush fire next to Ofrit base which started as a result of the Molotov cocktail attack on Mt. Scopus.

The fire poses no danger to the base at this time.
The Times of Israel adds:
Witnesses who reported the fire to police reportedly said they saw the fire start from a firebomb attack on the mountain’s northern side, which faces the Palestinian neighborhood of Issawiya.

2 Palestinians ram West Bank checkpoint

[IsraelTimes] Two Paleostinian men ram a West Bank border crossing in the Samaria region, the Defense Ministry says.

After plowing their car into the checkpoint near the Oranit settlement, the pair attempt to flee the scene. One is quickly apprehended, while the search for the second continues, the ministry says in a statement. No Israeli troops are harmed in the incident.

A police sapper is called to the scene to inspect the vehicle and ensure there are no explosives on board. Until that investigation is complete, the Samaria border crossing, which lies along the Route 5 highway, will remain closed in both directions, the ministry says.
Shortly thereafter, The Times of Israel reported, the vehicle was cleared, the road was opened, and the captured miscreant was sent for questioning.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336077 views] Top|| File under:


Southeast Asia
Philippine troops seize Abu Sayyaf camp in Sulu
[CNN] Philippine troops have captured a camp of the Abu Sayyaf after a firefight in Maimbung, Sulu. Military spokesman Filemon Tan said the soldiers fought an unknown number of militants under the leadership of Idang Susukan for about 45 minutes on May 24 before the rebels withdrew.

Tan said the encampment could accommodate about 200 people and had a water source. The military suffered no casualties, while the number of dead and wounded on the insurgent side was still unknown.

Tan said the military is doing its best to rescue the three hostages remaining as captives by the Abu Sayyaf. A fourth was killed by the terrorist group last month.

Soldiers have been tracking down the rebels who are holding Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Filipina Marites Flor. The hostages were abducted on September 2015. The Abu Sayyaf killed Canadian John Ridsdel in April.

Tan said, "The deadline set by the ASG is their deadline but for the WMC, we are doing our best to immediately rescue the KVs (kidnap victims) and neutralize the Abu Sayyaf."

On May 23, the militants released a 'final video' showing the three hostages begging for help from president-elect Rodrigo Duterte. The captives said if negotiations fail, the Abu Sayyaf will kill them on June 13 at 3:00 in the afternoon.
Posted by: ryuge || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336074 views] Top|| File under: Abu Sayyaf


Roadside bomb injures village official
[Bangkok Post] An assistant village leader was wounded slightly by a bomb blast in Pattani province on Thursday morning. A roadside bomb went off as a village security team led by Winij Ratwichian, assistant chief of Ban Mae Kang villlage in Khok Pho district, was traveling in two trucks along a village road. Mr Winij suffered from chest pains, but was later declared safe. One of the patrol vehicles was damaged.
Posted by: ryuge || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336072 views] Top|| File under: Thai Insurgency


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Battle for Raqqa: US backs Syrian rebels
US to work with SDF forces in liberating Raqqa

[ARA News] KOBANE – The United States will not need any Russian support to take Raqqa from ISIS, and will only work with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US State Department spokesman said in response to comments made by the Russian Foreign Minister.

Russian FM Sergey Lavrov has said that Moscow would like to coordinate with the U.S. coalition and the Kurds in the offensive to take northern Raqqah from the Islamic State (ISIS).

However, the US made clear that they only want to work with the Russians for Geneva’s Syrian peace talks and to implement a ceasefire on the ground in Aleppo and Damascus to stop the killing and move towards elections and a transitional government in Syria.

“I would just say that right now, first and foremost, we’re focused on engaging with Russia in terms of upholding and strengthening the cessation of hostilities, and we believe it’s important that Russia focus on ensuring that all parties live up to the commitments that they’ve made and that Russia uses its influence on the Assad regime to, again, to uphold the ceasefire,” US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said on Tuesday.

“[Regarding Raqqa] we do continue to work and support the efforts of the Syrian Democratic Forces to retake territory from Daesh and further isolate its transportation, communications, supply routes into Raqqa in order to really choke off their hold on that city,” he said, using an acronym for ISIS.

Moreover, the US government does not believe that the Assad-regime is really fighting ISIS.

“Our only objection is that far too often we’ve seen the [Assad] government claim to be hitting ISIS targets, and in fact, they’re hitting opposition groups who are part of the cessation of hostilities for strategic gain for – to hit their supply lines, whatever the rationale is behind it,” Toner said.

Moreover, the US State Department’s spokesman said that the Syrian regime has carried out unspeakable violence against its citizens for the past five years although they liberated Palmyra from ISIS. “If you want to go over and categorize and catalog all those unspeakable acts, I’m happy to do that. But let me finish. What I did say is that Daesh/ISIL is a common enemy,” he stated.

Speaking to ARA News, Salih Gheddo, leader of the Kurdish Democratic Left Party, said that the Russian government is not interested in Kurds.

“The goal of Russia is to help the Syrian regime. They want to speak good about Kurds, because of their growing problems with Turkey over the last six months,” Gheddo said.

However, the Kurdish official believes that the Kurds still should have relations with the Russian government.

“If we have good relations with Russia it’s better, because they play a big role in Syria,” he said.

In the meantime, senior Kurdish leader from the TEV-DEM party Abdulselam Mohammed told ARA News the goal of Russia is not to help Kurds.

“Russia is a friend of the Assad regime and Iran, it’s not our friend,” he said. “If Syrians sit together, they can decide their own future,” he added.

Nevertheless, the Syrian Kurds are worried that America only wants to use the Kurds to fight the Islamic State, and not to recognize their political rights.

The Kurds hope that in the future, the Americans will help them to become part of the peace talks as an independent delegation.

Syrian rebels gains ground near Raqqa

[ARA News] RAQQA – Supported by the US-led coalition, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Wednesday continued their operations against the radical group of Islamic State (ISIS) in the northern countryside of Raqqa for the second consecutive day.

The SDF troops on Wednesday recaptured four villages in the northern countryside of Raqqa–the de facto capital of the Islamic State.

“Our forces advanced in Raqqa, regaining territory with a depth of more than 6km from the northern border of the province,” the SDF leadership said in a statement.

Subsequent to clashes with ISIS militant fighters, the SDF alliance liberated the villages of Qartaja, al-Fastah, Indebin and Matmasraja.

“We have also expelled ISIS terrorists from the surrounding farms. The liberated areas will serve as a pad from which our troops could extend their operations until liberating the entire northern countryside of Raqqa from those terrorists, and then advance towards the city itself,” SDF officer Hebun Osman told ARA News.

The western-backed SDF troop also destroyed two ISIS vehicles and seized a deal of ammunition after recapturing the four villages on Wednesday.

According to the Kurdish officer, the coalition’s air cover is helping their troops to advance on the ground.

“The battle for northern Raqqa has started, and our advance will continue until we cleanse the entire province from ISIS,” Osman said.

The western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Tuesday afternoon launched an operation to capture the countryside of Raqqa from the Islamic State (ISIS) group, military sources told ARA News.

“Cleansing these territories from ISIS starts now from the north of Raqqa,” Kurdish Defence Minister of the Rojava Auto-Administration told ARA News in Kobane.

“We began the operation to liberate northern Raqqa with the participation of all the Syrian democratic forces and the support of the international coalition aircraft. The goal of the campaign is to liberate the people of this region from the injustices of the ISIS mercenaries. Through this campaign, we will liberate the north of Raqqa,” said Abu Fayyad, SDF commander in Tel Abyad city–north of Raqqa.

“This operation is important in that it will continue to apply direct pressure on ISIS inside of the city of Raqqa,” Washington-based Middle East researcher at the Centre for a New American Security, Nicholas Heras, told ARA News. “However, the importance of the current campaign should not be overstated. There is still some time left to go before the civil and military structures to replace ISIS in the city of Raqqa have been built up by the Coalition through the SDF.”

US aircraft support Syrian rebels' bid in Raqqa attack

[ARA News] KOBANE – Aircraft of the US-led coalition on Tuesday launched a number of airstrikes on headquarters of the Islamic State (ISIS) radical group in Syria’s northeastern Raqqa province. This comes as the Kurdish-Led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) started a campaign to liberate Raqqa province from ISIS militants.

In its first phase, the SDF campaign would focus on capturing the countryside of Raqqa, which will serve as a launching pad for more operations against ISIS in its de facto capital in the future.

“US-led coalition’s fighter jets launched over a dozen airstrikes against ISIS tactical units and fighting positions in northern Raqqa,” SDF officer Habun Osman told ARA News. “The raids bombed ISIS in the southeastern suburb of Ain Issa town in northern Raqqa.”

“The coalition’s air cover is helping our troops to advance on the ground,” Osman said.

The Kurdish officer reported that SDF troops were engaged in fierce clashes with ISIS near the Jubriyat Khalil town of Raqqa province on Tuesday evening.

The western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Tuesday afternoon launched an operation to capture the countryside of Raqqa from the Islamic State (ISIS) group, military sources told ARA News.

“Cleansing these territories from ISIS starts now from the north of Raqqa,” Kurdish Defence Minister of the Rojava Auto-Administration told ARA News in Kobane.

“We began the operation to liberate northern Raqqa with the participation of all the Syrian democratic forces and the support of the international coalition aircraft. The goal of the campaign is to liberate the people of this region from the injustices of the ISIS mercenaries. Through this campaign, we will liberate the north of Raqqa,” said Abu Fayyad, SDF commander in Tel Abyad city–north of Raqqa.
Posted by: badanov || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336074 views] Top|| File under:


Terror Networks
Final ISIS ‘Beatles’ gang member identified
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] The fourth member of a group of ISIS jailors who murdered hostages and were dubbed the "Beatles" by former captives has been identified by The Washington Post and BuzzFeed News.

According to stories in the two outlets on Monday, British and US intelligence officials have identified El Shafee Elsheikh, 27, as the final member of the group of jail guards.

The men gained notoriety when one member, Mohammed Emwazi, nicknamed "Jihadi John," used a knife to kill hostages in a string of videotaped beheadings, including of US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

He was killed in a drone strike in Syria last year.

BuzzFeed said Elsheikh grew up in White City in west London, having moved to Britannia at age 5 after fleeing the Sudanese civil war with his parents.

He later studied mechanical engineering, became a fairground mechanic and supported local soccer team Queen's Park Rangers.

The news site interviewed his mother, Maha Elgizouli, who said her once "perfect" son went to Syria in 2012 when he was radicalized after hearing hardline sermons at west London mosques.

The other two "Beatles" members are Alexanda Kotey, whose whereabouts are unknown, and Aine Davis, who is being held in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
Elsheikh's mother told BuzzFeed and the Post that her son is living in Syria and stays in contact with some friends and family, but not her.

"That boy now is not my son. That is not the son I raised," she said.

According to BuzzFeed, the four ISIS jailers beheaded seven American, British and Japanese hostages, as well as 18 members of the Syrian army.
Posted by: Fred || 05/26/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336107 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  Head chopping another sad case of control over language and knowledge and abuse of power! The root of all evil power madness!
Posted by: Elmoluth Slaiger9049 || 05/26/2016 23:24 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
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Two weeks of WOT
Thu 2016-05-26
  Mullah Haibatullah new Taliban supremo
Wed 2016-05-25
  Italy: 5600 migrants rescued off Libya in 48 hours
Tue 2016-05-24
  120 die in bomb attacks near Tartus
Mon 2016-05-23
  Mullah Mansour carried Pak passport
Sun 2016-05-22
  Taliban leader Mansour 'likely killed'
Sat 2016-05-21
  ISIS commander kill his 11 fighters in east of Afghanistan
Fri 2016-05-20
  One of the eight killed militants in Multan was ‘Al Qaeda country head’
Thu 2016-05-19
  EgyptAir Jet Disappears Over Mediterranean Sea
Wed 2016-05-18
  Fighting among Syrian rebels kills more than 50
Tue 2016-05-17
  Pro-Rassoul Faction Declares Jihad On Mansour Clan
Mon 2016-05-16
  ISIS release execution photos of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan
Sun 2016-05-15
  ISIS kill 16 Real Madrid fans in massacre at supporters club headquarters
Sat 2016-05-14
  Rebels kill at least 75 Quds Brigade militants north of Aleppo
Fri 2016-05-13
  Top Hezbollah commander in Syria Mustafa Badreddine killed by Israel, group says
Thu 2016-05-12
  ISIS says it's behind Iraq blasts that killed over 90

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