Hi there, !
Today Sun 03/24/2019 Sat 03/23/2019 Fri 03/22/2019 Thu 03/21/2019 Wed 03/20/2019 Tue 03/19/2019 Mon 03/18/2019 Archives
Rantburg
531687 articles and 1855967 comments are archived on Rantburg.

Today: 72 articles and 193 comments as of 10:13.
Post a news link    Post your own article   
Area: WoT Operations    Non-WoT    Opinion        Politix   
HTS captures infamous ISIS commander in rural Idlib
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 2: WoT Background
0 [] 
12 21:08 Besoeker [3] 
3 17:03 Skidmark [] 
5 15:45 Skidmark [] 
1 10:10 Skidmark [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
1 15:42 M. Murcek [] 
0 [] 
2 16:39 Skidmark [] 
0 [2] 
Page 1: WoT Operations
3 16:09 Woodrow []
3 11:28 Bright Pebbles [2]
4 23:39 Don Vito Grundy9916 [4]
4 16:48 swksvolFF []
2 10:46 Mullah Richard []
0 [1]
0 []
1 06:49 Skidmark [1]
0 []
4 16:58 Skidmark [3]
0 [1]
0 [1]
0 []
0 []
0 []
0 []
0 []
0 []
0 []
1 13:27 Frank G [1]
0 []
2 08:06 Whiskey Mike []
0 []
0 []
0 []
8 17:54 M. Murcek [2]
Page 3: Non-WoT
6 20:31 SteveS []
4 12:13 Airandee [1]
14 22:35 Thing From Snowy Mountain []
3 08:31 Bobby []
2 14:26 rjschwarz [2]
0 []
1 12:16 Airandee []
0 []
0 []
0 [1]
7 16:17 M. Murcek []
1 06:24 Mike Kozlowski [1]
0 []
4 16:23 M. Murcek []
3 16:02 Skidmark []
9 19:12 Clem Lover of the Platypi6766 [1]
Page 4: Opinion
14 21:22 trailing wife []
6 16:11 Besoeker [1]
9 16:07 Skidmark []
3 07:23 M. Murcek []
9 20:51 Sheatle Whains7373 []
6 10:14 Raj [2]
4 08:04 M. Murcek [1]
Page 6: Politix
3 16:21 M. Murcek []
3 22:37 crazyhorse []
7 18:39 M. Murcek []
3 13:45 M. Murcek [1]
9 18:47 Rambler in Virginia [2]
4 18:03 Muggsy Turkeyneck9888 [1]
3 09:36 Frank G []
Afghanistan
Afghan Military, Civilian Casualties Saw Sharp Rise In 1397 (3/21/2018 - 3/20/2019)
Happy Persian New Year!
[ToloNews] Civilian and military deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from suicide kabooms and other violence-related incidents by forces of Evil rose by 12 percent in 1397 Solar year, according to statistics by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

The fall of Ghazni city to the Taliban
...Arabic for students...
, for few days, attack on Afghan Army’s 215 Maiwand Corps in southern Helmand
...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan...
province, a suicide attack on a sports complex in Kabul, suicide attack on Mawood tuition center in the west of Kabul and the suicide attacks on a demonstration in Momand Dara district in eastern Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
province were among the deadliest attacks in 1397 which resulted to massive civilian casualties.

The AIHRC statistics show that 3,010 non-combatants were killed and 7,500 civilians were maimed in 1397.

The Ministry of Interior, meanwhile, said hundreds of Talibs were killed during 1397 (March 21, 2018 to March 21, 2019), including 600 commanders and shadow governors of the group. But the ministry’s officials refrained to give an exact figure about the toll among Afghan forces.

On March 8, at least 11 people were killed in an attack on a gathering of Afghan politicians and hundreds of their supporters in the west of Kabul.

Mohammad Ayub and Ghulam Abbas were among those who bit the dust in the attack. They were the only breadwinners of their families.

"There are many problems, especially economic problems and other issues, but I will not surrender and I will stay alongside my mother," said Humaira, the elder daughter of Mohammad Ayub. Ayub left behind a widow and two daughters.

The second victim, Ghulam Abbas, has left four children and a widow.

"We are devastated. How can we grow the four children?" said Zohra, Ghulam Abbas’s wife.

DETAILS OF FOUR MAJOR ATTACKS IN 1397:
    • Attack on Maiwand wrestling club left 20 civilians dead and 70 other maimed

    • Attack on Mauood tuition center left 48 students dead and 67 others maimed

    • Attack on Momand Dara protests left 45 civilians dead and 160 others maimed

    • Attack on Green Village Camp in Kabul killed 4 civilians and maimed 95 others

    • Attack on death anniversary of Abdul Mazari killed 11 civilians, 95 others, including 12 women, were maimed in the attack.

    • Attack on a construction company in Nangarhar which killed 16 civilians

"Our statistics show that over 10,575 non-combatants were killed or maimed last year which shows a 12 percent increase compared to this period a year before," said Bilal Sediqqi, front man to AIHRC.

AFGHAN COPS ALSO SUFFERED MAJOR CASUALTIES IN 1397
The attack on Ghazni city left 200 Taliban fighters dead. 100 military personnel and 30 civilians were also killed in the attack.

"I assure the residents of Ghazni that in 1398, the security forces are fully on alert to secure the central province," said Ramazan Ali Mohseni, Commander of Ghazni Security Department.

An attack by Talibs on a training center of National Directorate of Security
...the Afghan national intel agency...
(NDS) in Maidan Wardak province left at least 43 officers dead and 57 others maimed. Later last month, the Taliban launched a coordinated attack on 215 Maiwand Army Corps which left 26 soldiers dead. Almost 20 faceless myrmidons were killed in the attack.

"In 1397, the security forces in joint cooperation with the defense and air forces of the country carried out over 6,270 joint operations against the enemies of the people of Afghanistan," said Nusrat Rahimi, front man for Ministry of Interior Affairs.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Afghanistan presidential election delayed till September 28
[DAWN] War-torn Afghanistan has delayed its presidential election until September 28, officials announced on Wednesday, the second time the ballot has been put back and five months later than it was originally scheduled to be held.

The announcement by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) comes after speculation that the vote would be postponed to create space for US-led efforts to end the 17-year war with the Afghan Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
The presidential ballot was originally scheduled for April 20, then delayed to July 20.

Many observers had considered both dates unrealistic given the IEC is still finalising results of October's shambolic parliamentary elections.

Posted by: Fred || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Down Under
Australian PM blasts Erdogan for 'reckless', 'vile' Christchurch comments
[DAWN] Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday condemned "reckless" and "highly offensive" comments made by President Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First
... Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey...
in the wake of the Christchurch massacre, warning he would consider "all options" in reviewing ties.

On the campaign trail, the Ottoman Turkish leader has used video footage of the terror attack that killed 50 people and painted it as part of an assault on The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund....
and Islam.

Erdogan had also warned that anti-Moslem Australians would be "sent back in coffins" like their grandfathers at Gallipoli, a blood-drenched WWI battle.

His office on Wednesday said the remarks were taken out of context.

Posted by: Fred || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte


Christchurch harbored white supremacists before massacre
[IsraelTimes] Activists accuse New Zealand government of ignoring increasing threat for years, opting to focus monitoring efforts on Islamists instead.

The leafy New Zealand city where a self-proclaimed racist fatally shot 50 people at mosques during Friday prayers is known for its picturesque meandering river and English heritage. For decades, Christchurch has also been the center of the country’s small but persistent white supremacist movement.

An expert on such fringe groups says it’s probably more than coincidence that the accused mosque shooter, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, settled in the region, known for a whiter demographic than the country’s north, after frequently traveling abroad in 2016-2018 in what appears to have been an extreme-right pilgrimage.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Fighting back against porKoranimals is supremacist?

Tell that to anyone caught in Saudi Arabia with a Bible.
Posted by: Woodrow || 03/21/2019 16:13 Comments || Top||

#2  Activists accuse New Zealand government of ignoring increasing threat for years
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/21/2019 16:39 Comments || Top||


Europe
‘They don't even try': Hungary's new border fence called ‘spectacular success'
[World Tribune] Skeptics who believe a border wall will not stop illegals from entering the United States may want to look at what’s happening in Hungary.

On the day its border fence was completed, the influx of illegals entering Hungary went down from 6,353 one day to 870 the next. For the remainder of that month, illegal border crossings were steadily below 40 per day, officials said.

"They don’t even try," a local border guard told The Daily Caller News Foundation. "We haven’t had a Syrian in six months."

Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s pledge to stop illegals from flowing into the country appears to be a spectacular success.

Hungary’s 96-mile long, 14-foot tall double-line fence includes several layers of razor-wire capable of delivering electric shocks. The barrier features cameras, heat sensors and loudspeakers ready to tell migrants they’re about to break Hungarian law if they as much as touch the fence, the April 30 Daily Caller report said.

Nearly every police officer in Hungary is part of a rotation to monitor the border fence at all times. Temporary military bases house the police while they do their rotation.

Additionally, Hungary will train and pay more than 1,000 volunteers to deploy as "border hunters".

Illegals who are caught are arrested and dropped off on the Serbian side of the fence. They don’t get a chance to apply for asylum unless they do so at a "transit zone" where they are held in housing containers while their cases get processed, the Daily Caller report said.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/21/2019 10:44 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Moslem Colonists

#1  Gosh, the MSM will pick up on this so soon!
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/21/2019 12:11 Comments || Top||

#2  The article is almost two years old. I'm afraid the MSM missed it!
Posted by: Bobby || 03/21/2019 12:58 Comments || Top||

#3  Israel is another to site. There also a spectacular success.
Posted by: Dale || 03/21/2019 14:40 Comments || Top||

#4  includes several layers of razor-wire capable of delivering electric shocks

That's what is missing down south!
Posted by: Woodrow || 03/21/2019 16:03 Comments || Top||

#5  Don't need too good a fence with enough M18 Claymores.
Posted by: Glenmore || 03/21/2019 16:16 Comments || Top||

#6  There is an analysis that contends sanitary sewers and refrigeration have done the most to extend human lifespans. Nobody thinks at all about what happens when they flush the toilet (well, except for people in that line of work) they just expect the desired result. Likewise, you see people who are "anti-hunting" buying meat at the supermarket every time you are there. A fence would be "mean" they say. So what? A slaughter house is mean? What has to happen to process your trip to the john is mean? Wake. The. F*ck. Up...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/21/2019 16:48 Comments || Top||

#7  There is an analysis that contends sanitary sewers and refrigeration have done the most to extend human lifespans.

Proof of the analysis? Take a look at places in this old world that still do NOT have it.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/21/2019 16:50 Comments || Top||

#8  ...the analysis.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/21/2019 17:08 Comments || Top||

#9  Many hipsters think "shitting where you eat" could be cool...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/21/2019 18:02 Comments || Top||

#10  It's always fun to ask an anarchist how sewage will be handled in their preferred world...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/21/2019 18:06 Comments || Top||

#11  Along the off-topic:
I was returning home on a flight back when. Few rows ahead of me was this dude with a mohawk and a jacket which had that doofy anarchist symbol on it. He must have been charismatic because he not only had his row mates' ears, but some neighbors as well. Not eavesdropping, plane was getting in line and like everyone who finds themselves the center of attention the conversation gets steadily louder. Well, he makes no bones he is a true anarchist, at which time, had we been at cruising altitude, I would have spit out my bloody mary all over the skymall crap.

My Absolut - all the systems which must be in place to get him, us, all here, up, and down safely and fartpusher is railing on about down with the systems. Reminded me of a friend of my when I lived in collegetown. Good guy, lots of fun, not an automaton but could grasp me pointing out that here he is, downtown bar with out of town band drinking European beer and smoking Turkish blend cigarettes pontificating why he is an anarchist.

Any rate, walls work. History is covered in walls.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 03/21/2019 19:16 Comments || Top||

#12  Ref #11: I wanted to keep reading....
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/21/2019 21:08 Comments || Top||


Suspect in 2017 Paris killing of Sarah Halimi deemed unfit for trial
[IsraelTimes] Final ruling yet to be made on the 3rd psychiatric assessment of Kobili Traore, and lawyers for victim’s family may appeal; Jewish community says the slaying was anti-Semitic.

Psychiatrists have concluded that the suspect in the 2017 Gay Paree slaying of a Jewish woman is not fit to stand trial due to diminished mental capacity at the time of the killing, French media reported Tuesday.

Kobili Traore is alleged to have beaten his neighbor, 66-year-old Sarah Halimi, to death while calling her a demon and shouting about Allah, before throwing her body from the window of her third-story apartment.

The French Jewish community has long claimed Halimi, a physician and kindergarten teacher, was the victim of an anti-Semitic crime.

According to reports on Tuesday, a third assessment of Traore found he did not suffer from mental illness, but that he could not be held responsible for his actions at the time of Halimi’s murder as he was in a state of "acute delirium." It has been reported in the past that Traore was under the influence of strong cannabinoid drugs at the time of the incident.

A judge still has to make a ruling on the basis of the report, and lawyers for Halimi’s family may submit an appeal.

Last January, Traore was determined fit to stand trial following an assessment. But that was overturned after a judge requested a second series of tests, which determined that the Malian immigrant was not able to stand trial. Tuesday’s reports are the result of a third assessment of Traore’s mental capacities.

Months after the killing, prosecutors announced that Halimi’s killing was an anti-Semitic crime. An aggravated element of a hate crime was added to Traore’s indictment following vocal protests by Union of French Jewish Communities (CRIF), which said that the omission of such charges may have part of a "cover up" by French authorities.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Moslem Colonists


India-Pakistan
Rao Anwar, others to be indicted in Naqeeb murder case on 25th
[DAWN] An antiterrorism court on Tuesday fixed March 25 as the date for indictment of former SSP Rao Anwar and other police officials in the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case.

Then SSP Anwar, then DSP Qamar Ahmed Sheikh along with their 13 detained and seven absconding subordinates have been booked for allegedly killing four men in a staged encounter by dubbing them murderous Moslems associated with ISIS, or the murderous Moslem 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, and outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
... a 'more violent' offshoot of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistain. LeJ's purpose in life is to murder anyone who's not of utmost religious purity, starting with Shiites but including Brelvis, Ahmadis, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Rosicrucians, and just about anyone else you can think of. They are currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of al-Qaeda ...
in Shah Latif Town on Jan 13, 2018.

On Tuesday, the ATC-III judge allowed the plea of complainant, the father of Naqeeb, and amalgamated two criminal cases registered against the former SSP and others.

Posted by: Fred || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


US tells Afghan president it won’t deal with his NSA
[DAWN] The United States has told Afghanistan's Caped President Ashraf Ghani
...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. ..
that Washington will no longer deal with his national security advi­ser Hamdullah Mohib, the US and Afghan media reported on Tuesday.

On Monday afternoon, US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khal­ilzad met Pakistain’s ambassador Asad Majeed Khan and told him that everyone will benefit from peace in Afghanistan.

"Met with Pak and British Ambassadors to Washington. Whe­ther your perspective is regional or international, everyone benefits from the security and economic dividends an end to war in Afghanistan will bring," he wrote in a tweet.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Rooters news agency reported that on March 15, US Under Secretary of state for political affairs David Hale told President Ghani by phone that Mohib would no longer be received in Washington and that US civilian and military officials would not do business with him.

"Mr Hale called President Ghani and told him that Mr Mohib is no longer welcome in DC. The US will not deal with him in Kabul or in DC anymore," the report added. Other media reports claimed that the move was part of a US effort to pressure Ghani to fire Mr Mohib.

Mr Khalilzad, also a senior US diplomat, leads the US team in the talks with Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
in Doha. So far, the two sides have held five rounds of talks with the Taliban in Doha and Mr Khalilzad returned to Kabul late last week after the fifth round to brief US officials and representatives of other governments on the talks. But during the weekend, the Afghan NSA Mohib triggered a major controversy when he claimed that Mr Khalilzad had intentionally kept the Afghan government out of the talks because he wanted to be the next "viceroy" of Afghanistan.

The statement annoyed the US State Department, which summoned Mr Mohib to protest. Because of the dispute, US National Security Adviser John Bolton also cancelled a meeting with Mr Mohib and he was told that he may not be issued a US visa for future visits, although he has an American wife.

Posted by: Fred || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Lahore court sentences Czech model to 8 years, 8 months in jail for smuggling narcotics
[DAWN] A Lahore Sessions Court on Wednesday sentenced a Czech woman placed in durance vile
Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up!
last year on charges of attempting to smuggle heroin from Pakistain to Abu Dhabi to eight years and eight months in jail.

The trial in the case had been completed on January 9; today, Additional Sessions Judge Shahzad Raza issued the verdict against 21-year-old Tereza Hluskova.

Since her arrest on January 10, 2018 Hluskova has told Sherlocks that she came to Pakistain to work as a model, but someone put eight and a half kilogrammes of narcotics into her luggage as she was returning.

She was arrested as she tried to board a flight for Abu Dhabi.

Czech diplomats had provided her legal assistance.

Pak authorities often make arrests of both Paks and foreigners for transporting narcotics.

Over the course of her trial, nine witnesses had recorded their statements against the accused.

Posted by: Fred || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Narcos


Pakistan’s F-16 buildup opens India’s doors for advanced Russian missiles
[ALMASDARNEWS] Amid reports of the Indian Air Force (IAF) seeking an immediate purchase of air-to-air missiles to counter Pakistain’s alleged build-up of F-16 fighters, analysts have started predicting bright chances for Vympel, a Russian missile maker, to bag a substantial contract with India.

"The missile’s designer Vympel, part of Russia’s consolidated JSC Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV) finds itself formidably better armed now to push the next generation of its air-to-air missiles to India at a time when India is looking well beyond Russian technology", Shiv Aroor, founder of LiveFist writes.

Vympel is the manufacturer of the R-73 air-to-air missile which was used by Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan to shoot down an F-16 of the Pakistain Air Force on 27 February when the two countries engaged in an aerial clash.

"After the upgrade, MiG-21 Bison got a significantly good AI radar and two new potent air-to-air missiles, the R-73 close combat missiles and R-77 RVVAE BVR missiles. That makes it good for aerial engagements", Air Vice Marshal Anil Chopra (retired) told Sputnik.

Earlier it was reported that the Indian Air Force intended to replace the Su-30 MKI’s current close combat missile ‐ the Russian-built Vympel R-73 ‐ with the European ASRAAM heat-seeking close combat air-to-air missile in phases.

It is believed that the Russian missile maker is now ready to offer the RVV-MD short-range missile, the RVV-SD medium-range missile, and RVV-BD beyond visual range missile to India. The RVV-MD is the export model of the R-74. Russia also has the K-74M2 (izdeliye 760) missile, which is an improved variant with a reduced cross-section for the Sukhoi Su-57 that is intended to match Western missiles such as the AIM-9X and ASRAAM.

"These missiles are designed to arm MiG and Sukhoi aircraft and are being offered by Russia to its partners, including India", LiveFist quotes an official with the Vympel design bureau.

Posted by: Fred || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Iraq
US hands Iraq another 3-month exemption from Iran sanctions
[Rudaw] Washington has granted Iraq a second extension on a waiver exempting it from sanctions on Iran. For the next three months at least, Iraq will be free to continue importing energy from its neighbor.

"While this waiver is intended to help Iraq mitigate energy shortages, we continue to discuss our Iran-related sanctions with our partners in Iraq," an unnamed US State Department official said, according to AFP.

Boosting Iraq’s domestic capabilities and diversifying its imports "will strengthen Iraq’s economy and development as well as encourage a united, democratic and prosperous Iraq free from malign Iranian influence," the official added.

The US reimposed sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal in May.

Last November, the US granted Iraq and several other countries a 45-day waiver to allow them time to gradually reduce their reliance on Iranian electricity and energy imports.

Iraq was given a second 90-day waiver in December, which was set to expire at the end of March.

Iraq suffers chronic power shortages. Years of mismanagement, corruption, and old distribution networks have contributed to a defective electricity grid that fueled protests last summer in major cities.

Washington has repeatedly urged Baghdad to end its energy dependency on Iran. However,
by candlelight every wench is handsome...
Tehran has sought to deepen its involvement.

Earlier this month, Iran’s Minister of Energy Reza Ardkanian told state news agency Tasnim that Iran wants to play a bigger role in rebuilding Iraq’s electricity infrastructure.

On February 8, Iran and Iraq inked a deal for Iraq to buy Iranian electricity for another year. Iran exports 1,200 megawatts of electricity to Iraq.

Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, landed in Iraq on March 11 for a three-day state visit, during which commercial and diplomatic ties between the two states were further cemented.

Sanctions targeting Iran’s oil and finance sectors have devastated the economy and send the currency tumbling.

Under pressure from both sides, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi has tried to balance relations with both the US and Iran.

During his weekly presser in Baghdad on Tuesday night, Abdul-Mahdi hailed Iraq’s growing trade relationship with all of its neighbors ‐ not just Iran.

He also pointed out Iran is not the only local power helping Iraq weather its energy crisis.

"If we open toward Jordan, we can open well toward Iran, if we open toward Iran we can open toward Saudi, if we open toward Saudi we can open toward The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund....
," Abdul-Mahdi told news hounds.

"As you know, Kuwait and Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
provided Iraq during summer with quantities electricity for free. This is an important thing. Iran also increases quantities of electricity to Iraq. This is also an important thing, helping Iraq in its big issues and giving it great opportunities in addressing difficulties," he added.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Trump: US should recognize Golan Heights as Israeli territory
[NY Post] Heads exploding. *Literally* worse than Hitler!
President Trump on Thursday called for the US to recognize Israel's sovereignty of the Golan Heights that Israel captured from Syria in the Six Day War in 1967.

"After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!," Trump wrote on Twitter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lobbied Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the Golan Heights during his visit to Israel this week, according to reports.

And Netanyahu is expected to meet next Monday and Tuesday with Trump, the White House announced on Wednesday.
Posted by: Frank G || 03/21/2019 14:21 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria


Unifil Confirms Existence Of Six Tunnels In South Lebanon
[Jpost] The UN Interim Force in Leb has confirmed the existence of six tunnels in southern Leb, two of which violated the Blue Line and crossed into Israeli territory.

While UNIFIL said it could not determine who built the tunnels or when, they were recorded by UNIFIL in the region of Kafr Kila after UNIFIL engineers used verification tools such as laser range finders to confirm their existence.

Though the IDF reported the existence of six cross-border tunnels, UNIFIL was able to visit only five of them, as one was destroyed by Israel’s military before it notified UNIFIL.

UNIFIL is said to have requested to enter one disused brick factory across from Metulla, after Israel filled it with liquid concrete, but the government of Leb refused to give it access, as it was private property. The property was said to then be completely covered in blue tarpaulins within 24 hours of UNIFIL’s request.

Israel launched Operation Northern Shield in early December and destroyed at least five cross-border tunnels, either by explosives or by flooding with liquid concrete.

The tunnel underneath the brick factory was the first one to be discovered by the IDF and stretched some 40 meters into kiwi and apple orchards belonging to the community of Metulla. According to the military, the tunnel, which stretched a total of 200 meters, took Hezbollah around two years to build.

Hezbollah, the military said, chose the building because of its strategic location, in near proximity to a UNIFIL post and hidden behind the security wall and not visible from Israel.

The military discovered the location of the tunnel after Israeli jets noticed dozens of trucks going in and out of the building and driving some 10-12 kilometers to dispose of the material.

The IDF declared the end of the operation in mid-January, saying that it had "deprived Hezbollah of the unique offensive abilities it had built for years as part of its planned attack on Israeli territory," and strengthened security along the northern border.

On Tuesday the military held a ceremony to mark the conclusion of the operation, in the presence of OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Yoel Strick; the commander of the 91st Division, Brig.-Gen. Rafi Milo; officers from the 91st Galilee Division and its regional brigades, defense battalions, and technological units; as well as intelligence officials, combat engineering troops, representatives of the civilian communities in the Galilee region, and others.

During the ceremony, Strick awarded a decoration to the Yahalom unit, the elite unit of the Combat Engineering Corps, for leading a continuous, professional and exceptional effort to locate and neutralize the tunnels.

"Many different forces played a part in the operation, and the cooperation between them contributed to fulfilling the mission with efficiency, power and determination," the military said in a statement.

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed "deep concern" about Hezbollah’s tunnels, Leb’s Naharnet News reported. Guterres encouraged the Lebanese Armed Forces to "conduct all the necessary investigations on the Lebanese side," in order to "confirm that the tunnels are no longer a security threat."

According to the report, he also said that Hezbollah’s weapons could "jeopardize the stability of Leb and the region," and called on UN member states to "carry out their duties" and stop supplying weapons and military equipment to nongovernment entities and individuals in Leb.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/21/2019 01:53 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Hezbollah

#1  The bad good news is that they were dug by Elon Musk for his miracle Jerusalem to Damascus link.
Posted by: ed in texas || 03/21/2019 7:46 Comments || Top||

#2  While UNIFIL said it could not determine who built the tunnels or when

"It could be very large prehistoric moles...or something"
Posted by: Frank G || 03/21/2019 8:53 Comments || Top||

#3  Lava tubes no doubt.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/21/2019 9:03 Comments || Top||

#4  Wouldn't need to worry about tunnels if they didn't have a wall.
Posted by: Glenmore || 03/21/2019 10:07 Comments || Top||

#5  I have a good sense the IDF rat catch-and-relocate humane disposal program has a new home.
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/21/2019 15:45 Comments || Top||


Olde Tyme Religion
Four Birmingham mosques smashed in overnight sledgehammer attack
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/21/2019 07:51 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Britain being what it is nowadays, I would expect there is CCTV footage.

Way too early to be placing bets, but my monkey brain is whispering false flag op. Ssshhh, we're waiting for evidence!
Posted by: SteveS || 03/21/2019 9:56 Comments || Top||

#2  Peter Gabriel wanted for questioning...
Posted by: Raj || 03/21/2019 10:05 Comments || Top||

#3 
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/21/2019 17:03 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Report: Russian Initiative to Repatriate Refugees Falters
[AnNahar] The Russian initiative to return the Syrian refugees back to their homeland has seen a "setback" in light of the complexities affecting a political solution in Syria, and the Syrian regime’s "unwillingness" to have them back, the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily reported on Wednesday.

Official sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the daily that in light of the difficult circumstances accompanying the return, and despite the ground developments in Syria, Leb seems "doomed to coexist with the refugee crisis with the least damage possible."

Based on diplomatic reports, the sources added that even the Russian initiative to repatriate displaced persons to some regions in Syria "has faltered and declined due to the deterioration of the economic, living and security conditions in these areas."

They pointed out that the Syrian regime "does not wish the refugees to return because it is incapable of meeting their basic needs and because it has no possibility of securing the minimum living conditions for them."

Another factor affecting the process is the controversy between Leb’s political parties over relations and coordination with the Syrian government to that end.

The insistence of the Free Patriotic Movement
Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic...
and March 8 forces
... the opposition to the Mar. 14th movement, consisting of Hizbullah and its allies, so-called in commemoration of their Mar. 8th, 2006 demonstration of strength in Beirut ...
on a Lebanese-Syrian government relationship on one hand, and al-Mustaqbal
... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri...
Movement, Lebanese Forces
A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb...
and Preogressive Socialist Party preference to limit the relationship to ambassadors of the two countries has shifted the focus from the return to relations between the two countries, said the sources.

They said in order to accelerate the return of refugees, "political forces in Leb must stop contention, because continued confusion between two views, paralyzes the State’s ability to move towards this goal."
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/21/2019 00:06 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria

#1  "So we'll just bomb them, Comrade."
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/21/2019 10:10 Comments || Top||


Over 1,300 Dagestanis are fighting inside Syria
[ALMASDARNEWS] More than 1,300 people coming from Russia’s North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan
...a formerly inoffensive Caucasus republic currently bedevilled by low-level Islamic insurgency, occasional outbreaks of separatism, ethnic tensions and terrorism, primarily due to its proximity to Chechnya. There are several dozen ethnic groups, most of which speak either Caucasian, Turkic, or Iranian languages. Largest among these ethnic groups are the Avar, Dargin, Kumyk, Lezgin, and Laks. While Russers form less than five percent of the population, Russian remains the primary official language and the lingua franca...
have joined Syrian Death Eaters, the head of Dagestan’s National Guard department, Magomed Baachilov, has told news hounds.

"At present, more than 1,300 Dagestani people are fighting in the Syrian Arab Republic. Imagine the consequences of their return. All they can do is kill and rape. If they return, the entire North Caucasus region will be in trouble. That’s why we are taking precautions," Baachilov said.

According to the official, a "sufficient number" of Death Eaters who returned from Syria have been identified and detained. Others were killed in special operations.

"It is also of great concern that more and more often, interior ministry officers come across facts indicating that young women aged between 18 and 25 are departing to Syria. They leave not to accompany their husbands; they go there to take part in hostilities. A significant number of our young women have been departing to Syria," Baachilov added.

In March 2018, Dagestan’s Interior Minister Abdurashid Magomedov said about 1,300 residents of the republic have joined the ranks of international terrorist organizations.

According to the regional minister, 15 people were detained upon their return to Dagestan from Syria, where they fought for Death Eater groups. 23 people were detained while attempting to leave for Syria and join Death Eater groups there.

Posted by: Fred || 03/21/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: al-Nusra

#1  I predict these will not be repatriated with a perpetual stipend. Sweden, looking at you...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/21/2019 15:42 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
33[untagged]
5Moslem Colonists
4Hamas
4Commies
3al-Nusra
3Govt of Pakistan
3Taliban
3Islamic State
2Sublime Porte
2Govt of Syria
2Govt of Iraq
1TTP
1al-Shabaab (AQ)
1Govt of Pakistain Proxies
1Hezbollah
1Jaish-e-Mohammad
1Jundullah
1Narcos
1PFLP

Bookmark
E-Mail Me

The Classics
The O Club
Rantburg Store
The Bloids
The Never-ending Story
Thugburg
Gulf War I
The Way We Were
Bio

Merry-Go-Blog











On Sale now!


A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
Click here for more information

Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Thu 2019-03-21
  HTS captures infamous ISIS commander in rural Idlib
Wed 2019-03-20
  Colombia seizes assets to the ELN guerrillas
Tue 2019-03-19
  Three Dead in Utrecht Shooting, Police Identify Turkish Suspect
Mon 2019-03-18
  Syria force says 'thousands' still inside last IS pocket
Sun 2019-03-17
  1 killed, another wounded in a magnetic bomb explosion in Kabul city
Sat 2019-03-16
  TV details how Hamas ‘accidentally’ fired at Tel Aviv
Fri 2019-03-15
  Over 40 killed as gunmen open fire in two mosques in New Zealand
Thu 2019-03-14
  Niger Says It Killed 33 Boko Haram 'Terrorists'
Wed 2019-03-13
  SDF close in on ISIS in Baghouz
Tue 2019-03-12
  Baghouz: ISIS militants retreat underground as coalition offensive resumes
Mon 2019-03-11
  Foreign ISIS brides isolated after attacking ‘infidel’ refugees at Syrian camp
Sun 2019-03-10
  More than 60 Taliban militants killed in Special Forces operations and airstrikes
Sat 2019-03-09
  JuD offices in Muridke, Lahore taken over
Fri 2019-03-08
  Nine border tunnels uncovered, destroyed in North Sinai
Thu 2019-03-07
  Blasts target major Shia ceremony in Afghanistan's Kabul

Better than the average link...



Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
3.235.120.24
Help keep the Burg running! Paypal:
WoT Operations (26)    Non-WoT (16)    Opinion (7)    (0)    Politix (7)