Syrian regime forces in Palmyra, demoralized and hollowed out after years of war, attrition, and corruption, were routed with apparent ease despite distress signals when the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) attacked the ancient city, reports The New York Times.
The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS) has seized all border crossings between Syria and Iraq from Syrian regime troops, according to a monitor group.
Just two days after Islamic State fighters were supposedly routed and driven into the desert by Syrian government troops, ISIS has reportedly taken the entire city of Palmyra, placing both its population and historical treasures in grave peril.
The Islamic State was supposedly in a defensive crouch after its defeat in the Iraqi city of Tikrit, but in fact it’s lashed out aggressively on both Iraqi and Syrian fronts, with disastrous consequences in the fallen city of Ramadi.
Contents: Outrage grows over sting video of Lebanon MP planning terrorism; Stock market bubble accelerates explosion as economy falters
Iran forces Afghans to fight in Syrian regime’s collapsing army; Debate over the number of European jihadists in Syria; Greece makes debt payment as even leftists lose sympathy
Iran ally Hezbollah and Syrian regime troops joined forces to launch a successful offensive against al-Qaeda-led Syrian rebels in mountainous Qalamoun region along the Syria-Lebanon border, reports International Business Times (IBT).
Traces of sarin and VX nerve agent have been found in Syria, a finding that supports assertions by Western governments that Syrian Dictator Bashar al-Assad lied about his chemical weapons stockpile, diplomatic sources told Reuters.
War in Syria turns more and more against al-Assad; Economy falters, surprising economists, while stock market bubble explodes; Financial firm analyst told to shut up about over-valued assets
Malaysian police arrested twelve men with links to the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) who plotted to attack government buildings and people in Kuala Lumpur. The twelve men bring the total number of people arrested in Malaysia connected to ISIS to 104.
Saudi Arabia declares that it’s met its military objectives in Yemen; Patriotism and nationalism surge in Saudi Arabia, but not in Iran
(Reuters) – The U.S. State Department said on Monday it might talk with Iran about promoting regional stability, noting it had been open to including Iran in past efforts to achieve a Syrian peace deal if Tehran had altered its policy.
Thousands of immigrants flee xenophobic attacks in South Africa; South African xenophobic violence echoes 1820s Mfecane Zulu massacre
Russia’s Chechnya becomes biggest contributor of jihadists to ISIS; Chechen youth from Georgia’s Pansiki Gorge joining ISIS in droves
Members of the UN Security Council watched videos of doctors who could not save children after a chlorine gas attack in Syria. The footage was so disturbing, members of the council reportedly broke down in tears.
Thousands of immigrants flee xenophobic attacks in South Africa; South African xenophobic violence echoes 1820s Mfecane Zulu massacre
Gaza prepares for all-out war with Israel; Iran and Qatar give Hamas money and weapons to fight Israel; Israel prepares for war with Hamas in Gaza; Greece denies reports that it’s preparing for a default
At least 45 female jihadists appeared in a training video at Saint Simeon Stylites, which is the world’s oldest Byzantine church, near Aleppo, Syria. The women are demanding equality with men on the battlefield.
Syria’s Yarmouk refugee camp descends into the ‘deepest circle of Hell’; Palestinians flip-flop on Syrian action in Yarmouk refugee camp; Europe demands list of reforms from Greece after numerous delays; Iran’s demands on sanctions threaten to unravel nuclear deal
Imam Abdul Hadi Arwani, described by the UK Daily Mail as “a Syrian preacher at a fundamentalist mosque,” was gunned down on the streets of London on Tuesday, possibly because he was an outspoken critic of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.
Bashar al-Assad’s Syria army showing signs of collapse; Why do Awakening era civil wars always fizzle?; US speeds up weapons deliveries to militias in Yemen
There is a major Palestinian refugee camp on the road to Damascus, which the Islamic State is still marching down, despite efforts to “degrade and ultimately destroy” their war machine by Bashar Assad’s de facto allies in the U.S. coalition.
ISIS pushes closer to Damascus through Syria’s Yarmouk refugee camp; Texts of Iran nuclear deal differ in English and Farsi versions; Kenya’s president: terrorists are ‘deeply embedded’ in Kenya
China to sell eight advanced submarines to Pakistan, encircling India; As Russia-Saudi relations deteriorate, Egypt tries a middle road; Greece turns to Russia and China, amid reports of imminent default
Members of a Palestinian faction linked to the terror group Hamas, backed by Syrian rebels, were able to retake large parts of a refugee camp in Syria that had been seized by Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) jihadists, according to a monitoring group.
ISIS captures Yarmouk refugee camp, closes in on Damascus; Hezbollah trapped by a sense of collapse in al-Assad’s army; Turkmenistan fears jihadist invasion from Afghanistan; Palestinian Authority joins International Criminal Court
Russian President Vladimir Putin received massive blacklash from countries at the Arab summit when he submitted a letter that stated he could not “express support for the Middle East.” The leaders at the summit accused Putin of hypocrisy since he is a known ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad indicated that, contrary to assessments by U.S. officials, the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in Iraq and Syria is actually getting stronger, recruiting an estimated 1,000 militants each month in those two countries alone.
Syria’s al-Assad regime suffers major military setback in Idlib; Arab League positions harden against Houthis and Iran
According to the Associated Press, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is open to discussing cooperating with the United States—years after President Obama’s chemical weapons “red line” debacle—but demands respect as a legitimate ruler despite cementing power in an election the State Department openly called a “sham.”
Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari visited Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday in an event that appears intended to strengthen ties between Baghdad and Damascus in light of their mutually shared threat of Islamic State (ISIS) invasion. Iraq’s desire to forge stronger ties with Assad flies in the face of American diplomatic efforts to isolate the dictator after his alleged use of chemical weapons on civilians.
Al-Monitor delivers one of the most sobering assessments of the bloody mess in Syria to date, as author Edward Dark returns to his hometown of Aleppo for a look at the plight of the dwindling Christian community, and finds them turning to dictator Bashar al-Assad for protection from the jihadis fighting to overthrow him.
Almost all mosques have been destroyed in Central African Republic; Russia finally begins to grasp the danger posed by ISIS
The Associated Press reports that Jordan has announced plans to help train Syrian rebels to fight the Islamic State. “The training is part of a regional effort also involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar as hosts of training sites. The U.S. Congress has passed legislation providing $500 million for training about 5,000 rebels over the next year,” writes the AP.
The Associated Press reports that a Syrian military helicopter has crashed following an equipment malfunction, resulting in the capture and killing of its crew by “insurgents” of the al-Nusra Front.
Greece’s Alexis Tsipras threatens Europe with ‘jihadists and terrorists’; Eurogroup chairman suggests capital controls in Greece; Houthi airstrikes bomb Aden as Yemen war widens; Kerry: US is ‘deeply disturbed’ by Syrian regime’s chemical weapons
Bashar al-Assad’s military likely shot down a U.S. Predator drone in northwest Syria, U.S. officials told various news outlets.
The fallout over Secretary of State John Kerry’s implication that the United States is open to potentially negotiating with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad continues, as Germany’s foreign minister now weighs in, suggesting that such negotiations may be necessary to minimize the loss of life in the ongoing Syrian Civil War and weaken the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group.
WASHINGTON, DC — The State Department is now saying that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad will “never” be part of peace negotiations, but members of his regime could play a role in ending the bloodshed and suffering in the war-torn nation.
Sunday, after meeting with Iranian officials in Damascus on state television, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, addressed Secretary of State John Kerry’s “offer” to negotiate the end of their civil war, saying such statements “from outside do not concern us.” Secretary