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☆ What to know about Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed group on Israel’s border
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Cnn Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Hezbollah is an Iran-backed Islamist movement with one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East. The origins of the groupHezbollah emerged from the rubble of Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, when Israeli forces took almost half of Lebanon’s territory. This included Beirut, where Israeli forces, along with right-wing Israel-allied Christian Lebanese militias, laid siege to the western part of the capital to drive out Palestinian militants. A terror designationIn Lebanon, Hezbollah is officially considered a “resistance” group tasked with confronting Israel, which Beirut classifies as an enemy state. Hezbollah is a group from the Shia branch of Islam, while Hamas is Sunni.

Persons: Israel –, –, Sabra, Shatila, Hassan Nasrallah, Marwan Naamani, Israel, Mustafa Badreddine, Hamas haven’t, Bashar al, Assad, Nasrallah, Francesca Volpi, ’ Organizations: CNN, Commission, Christian Lebanese, Embassy, Hezbollah, Hamas, Gaza, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Israel’s Locations: Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Hamas, Gaza, Beirut, Lebanese, Palestinian, Islamic Republic, Tehran, Argentina, Buenos Aires, East, Syria, Iraq, Islam, Baalbek, Lebanon's Bekaa, Israel’s, Golan

Since then, Omar Abou Nabout has sought accountability over his father’s killing while forging a new life in France. Legal cases have been filed against the Syrian regime before. The Syrian regime used them extensively, and indiscriminately, in densely populated areas at the height of the civil war, which was considered a form of prohibited indiscriminate attack under international humanitarian law. It may deny targeting civilians, but Abou Nabout says the new indictments are a victory for him and others fighting impunity. I was part of it … I watched people die including friends,” Abou Nabout said.

Persons: Paris CNN — Omar Abou Nabout, Bashar al, Assad, Salah Abou Nabout, Omar Abou Nabout, Abou Nabout’s, ”, Mohamad Abazeed, Abou Nabout, Salah, Muhammed Yusuf, ” Abou Nabout, “, Mazen Darwish, Mark Esplin, CNN Abou Nabout, Darwish, Anwar Raslan, –, SANA, Fahed, ” Darwish, there’s Ali Abdullah Ayoub –, Ahmad Balloul, Ali al, Safatli, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he’s, ” Assad, … Organizations: Paris CNN, CNN, Getty, Anadolu Agency, Syrian Network for Human, Sorbonne University, French Foreign Ministry, Syrian Center for Media, Syrian Defense, Syrian, Air Force, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Arab League Summit, Saudi Royal Court, Reuters, International Criminal Court, ICC, UN Security Council Locations: Paris, France, Daraa, Syrian, AFP, Syria, Russian, Tareek, France –, Europe, Germany, Fraij, Damascus, ”, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar Algaloud, Netherlands, Russia

☆ Iran's Middle East allies primed as Israel-Hamas war rages
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned on Oct. 17 of further action by Tehran's allies against Israel if it did not cease its attacks. Since the war erupted on Oct. 7, the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah has already mounted operations against Israel, while others have threatened U.S. interests. Hezbollah has trained paramilitary groups in Syria and Iraq and inspired other forces such as Yemen's Iran-allied Houthis. Other Iran-backed Shi'ite groups backed by Tehran have played a vital combat role in Syria, including groups from Afghanistan and Iraq. Iran-backed forces have deployed across much of government-held Syria during the war, including at the Iraqi border and near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Persons: Israel, Bashar al, Assad, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, YEMEN Yemen's, Tom Perry, Edmund Blair Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Hezbollah, Israel, Party, Iran's, Guards, United, . Marine, U.S, Popular, Forces, Reuters, SYRIA Iran's Revolutionary Guards, The U.S . Fifth Fleet, Revolutionary Guards, U.S . Navy, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Israel, Tehran, Iran, Lebanese, LEBANON, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, . Washington, United States, Beirut, IRAQ, U.S, State, SYRIA, Afghanistan, Golan Heights, YEMEN, Gaza, Saudi, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, The, Bahrain, Gulf of Oman

☆ Factbox-Iran's Middle East Allies Primed as Israel-Hamas War Rages
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

Since the war erupted on Oct. 7, the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah has already mounted operations against Israel, while others have threatened U.S. interests. Hezbollah has trained paramilitary groups in Syria and Iraq and inspired other forces such as Yemen's Iran-allied Houthis. Other Iran-backed Shi'ite groups backed by Tehran have played a vital combat role in Syria, including groups from Afghanistan and Iraq. Iran-backed forces have deployed across much of government-held Syria during the war, including at the Iraqi border and near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel has mounted airstrikes targeting Iranian and Iran-backed forces.

Persons: Israel, Bashar al, Assad, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, YEMEN Yemen's, Tom Perry, Edmund Blair Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Hezbollah, Israel, Party, Iran's, Guards, United, . Marine, U.S, Popular, Forces, Reuters, SYRIA Iran's Revolutionary Guards, The U.S . Fifth Fleet, Revolutionary Guards, U.S . Navy Locations: BEIRUT, Israel, Tehran, Iran, Lebanese, LEBANON, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, . Washington, United States, Beirut, IRAQ, U.S, State, SYRIA, Afghanistan, Golan Heights, YEMEN, Gaza, Saudi, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, The, Bahrain, Gulf of Oman

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an interview with China Media Group anchor Wang Guan at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, in this image released October 16, 2023. Putin spoke to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by telephone, the Kremlin said. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Putin that the situation was escalatory, that Israeli army actions were "indiscriminate" and that the risk was that Israel would begin a ground operation against Gaza. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the conflict between Israel and Hamas with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing ahead of a visit by President Vladimir Putin to China. "The United Nations Security Council must take action, and the major powers should play an active role," Wang told Lavrov, according to a Chinese transcript of the meeting.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Wang Guan, Sergei Bobylev, Putin, Syria Putin, Ebrahim Raisi, Bashar al, Assad, Abdel Fattah al, Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov, Russia's, Xi, Yuri Ushakov, Sergei Lavrov, Wang Yi, Wang, Lavrov, Guy Faulconbridge, Ed Osmond Organizations: China Media Group, Kremlin, Sputnik, MOSCOW, Gaza, UN Security Council, United Nations Security Council, West Bank, Russian, Chinese Foreign, United Nations Security, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Israel Russia, China, Israel, United States, Israeli, Russian, Washington, Ukraine, CHINA, RUSSIA, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Beijing

☆ Putin Pushes Need for Talks in Calls With Israeli, Arab and Iranian Leaders
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The Kremlin said Putin expressed Russia's willingness to work towards "ending the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation and achieving a peaceful settlement through political and diplomatic means". But Putin briefed Netanyahu on conversations with the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Syria and the Palestinian Authority in which the Kremlin said earlier that this had been discussed. He also told Netanyahu about "the steps Russia is taking to help normalize the situation, prevent further escalation of violence and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip". Iranian state media said President Ebrahim Raisi told Putin in their conversation that supporting the Palestinians was Iran's foreign policy priority but "resistance" groups made their own independent decisions. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Putin that the situation was worsening and Israeli army actions were "indiscriminate".

Persons: Guy Faulconbridge, Mark Trevelyan MOSCOW, Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Moscow, Putin, Netanyahu, Israel, Ebrahim Raisi, Bashar al, Assad, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah al, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov, Mark Trevelyan, Parisa, Rod Nickel Organizations: Israeli, Kremlin, United Nations Security Council, Palestinian Authority, Hamas Locations: Gaza, Russia, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Ukraine, Moscow, Israel, Cairo, East, London, Dubai

☆ Explainer: What is Hezbollah? The Lebanese group backing Hamas in its war with Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Members of Hezbollah march with party's flags during a rally marking al-Quds Day, (Jerusalem Day) in Beirut, Lebanon May 31, 2019. Backed by Iran, Hezbollah has said it is ready to help when the time comes in the war between Israel and Hamas, which is also backed by Tehran. While other groups disarmed after Lebanon's civil war, Hezbollah kept its weapons to fight Israeli forces that were occupying the predominantly Shi'ite south of the country. Hezbollah demonstrated its military advances in 2006 during a five-week war with Israel, which erupted after it crossed into Israel, kidnapping two soldiers and killing others. Hezbollah's influence is underpinned by its sophisticated arsenal and the support of many Lebanese Shi'ites who say the group defends Lebanon from Israel.

Persons: Aziz Taher, Israel, Bashar al, Assad, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Tzachi Hanegbi, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hanegbi, Lebanese Shi'ites, Rafik al, Hariri, Michel Aoun, Imad Moughniyah, Nasrallah, Tom Perry, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Guards, United, Islamic, West, Maronite Christian, Marine, U.S ., European Union, Thomson Locations: Quds, Jerusalem, Beirut, Lebanon, Rights BEIRUT, Israel, Palestinian, Iran, Tehran, Lebanese, United States, Syria, ISRAEL, Gaza, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, LEBANON, Saudi, U.S, Arab, Argentina, Buenos Aires

☆ Clashes at Lebanon-Israel border raise fears of wider war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Smoke rises from Israeli artillery shelling in Dahaira, in southern Lebanon, at the border with Israel on October 16. Hussein Malla/APIsraeli soldiers patrol a road near the border with Lebanon, on Monday, amid threat of a regional conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. It is an ominous sign of what may come if the situation on the Lebanon-Israel border combusts into a full-scale war. By Friday morning, three Israeli soldiers and three Hezbollah fighters had been killed in the exchanges across the border. On Sunday, the Lebanese militants fired at several Israeli locations at the border, killing one civilian and one soldier.

Persons: Southern Lebanon CNN —, Hussein Malla, Francisco Seco, Amir Abdollahian, ”, “, Gerald Ford —, Israel, Issam Abdallah, Abdallah, Israel —, Israel’s, Bashar al, Assad, Hassan Nasrallah, Nasrallah Organizations: Southern, Southern Lebanon CNN, Hezbollah –, Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s, US, CNN, Israeli Apache, Hezbollah, Palestinian, ISIS, Observers, Israel Locations: Southern Lebanon, Israel, Iran, United States, Lebanon, Syria, Golan, Tehran, Dahaira, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Gaza, Palestinian, Israeli, Hanita, Russian

☆ Explainer: What you need to know about Hezbollah, the group backing Hamas against Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

☆ Israeli attack on Syrian Aleppo airport puts it out of service
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CAIRO, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Israel has launched an air strike against Syria's Aleppo Airport late on Saturday that put it out of service, the Syrian defence ministry said. "The Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Latakia, targeting Aleppo International Airport, which led to material damage to the airport and it being out of service," the ministry added. The airport just got to service on Saturday after simultaneous missile attacks by Israeli forces on the airports in Syria's capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo had damaged the runways and put both hubs out of service on Thursday. read moreThe Damascus airport is still out of service. Reporting by Enas Alashray and Omar Abdel-Razek; Editing by Franklin PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bashar al, Assad, Enas Alashray, Omar Abdel, Franklin Paul Organizations: Franklin Paul Our, Thomson Locations: CAIRO, Israel, Latakia, Aleppo, Syria's, Damascus, Syria

☆ Russia can gain from Middle East turmoil — but it could backfire if the war spirals out of control
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Putin likely wanted to show that Moscow is still important in the Middle East by visiting Iran, said John Drennan of the U.S. Institute of Peace. It could present an opportunity for them but also could present a very, very disastrous outcome for their influence in the Middle East too if the conflict spirals out of control," Ramani said. Analysts also believe Russia will use the war in Israel and Gaza to sow disinformation about Ukraine and discord among its allies. As such, the war between Israel and Hamas also provides Russia with an opportunity to flex its diplomatic muscles in the Middle East, after something of a hiatus from the global stage. So this shows that Russia is not isolated in the Middle East, and Russia still maintains the same array of diplomatic partnerships that it had before the war," he noted.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Ebrahim Raisi, Putin, John Drennan, Sergei Savostyanov, Samuel Ramani, Ramani, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Joe Biden, Jim Watson, Volodymy Zelenskyy, Sergei Karpukhin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Maxim Shemetov, They've, they've, Bashar al, Assad Organizations: Getty, Palestinian, Hamas, U.S . Institute of Peace, AFP, Royal United Services Institute, CNBC, Kremlin, Ukraine, Analysts, White, U.S, Congress, NATO, Afp, International Energy Agency, Russia, Israeli, Iraqi Locations: Sochi, Russia, Israel, Gaza, Moscow, Iran, Ukraine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, U.S, Europe, Washington ,, Brussels, Russian, OPEC, Turkey, Egypt, Tehran

☆ Putin says he can be a peacemaker in Israel — but he has far more to gain from prolonging the war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Kremlin says Putin wants to act as mediator in the Israel-Hamas war. But Putin has little to gain from bringing an end to the conflict. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs violence erupted between Israel and Hamas this week, the Kremlin sought to cast Russian President Vladimir Putin in the role of peace broker. They say Putin has more to gain, not by bringing a swift end to the conflict, but by prolonging it to further Russia's strategic goals, notably in Ukraine. Abbas Gallyamov, a former speechwriter for Putin, told CBC News that Russia had become an "Iran proxy" in the region, like Hamas or Hezbollah.

Persons: Putin, —, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, We've, shouldn't, Ukraine Putin, Ukraine's, Robert Dover, Aleksandar Vucic, Benjamin Netanyahu, ALEXEY DRUZHININ, Ann Marie Dailey, Bashar al, Assad, Arkadi Doubnov, Le, Abbas Gallyamov, you've, Gallyamov Organizations: Kremlin, Service, Intelligence, National Security, University of Hull, Getty, Rand Corporation, Bloomberg, Hull University, Hamas, CBC News Locations: Israel, Russian, Russia, Gaza, Palestine, Ukraine, Dover, Serbian, Moscow, AFP, Saudi Arabia, Soviet Union, Iran, Israeli, India, South Africa, China, Tehran

☆ Why have guns gone quiet on the Israel-Lebanon border?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

After five days of near constant crossfire between fighters in Lebanon and Israeli forces, the guns seem to have largely gone quiet. Hezbollah’s political stance has unambiguously supported the Palestinian militants. Hezbollah has fired back at Israeli border positions with precision-guided missiles. Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP via Getty ImagesThree Hezbollah militants and three Israeli soldiers have been killed in the nearly week-long exchange of fire here. Thursday’s calm on the Lebanon-Israel border – interrupted occasionally by Israeli interceptions of rockets from Palestinian militants – begs many questions.

Persons: Israel’s, Mahmoud Zayyat, Gerald R Ford, Houthi, Bashar al, Assad, Syria’s, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, Lebanon's, Emilie Madi, Hassan Nasrallah, – Organizations: Lebanon CNN, Palestinian, United Nations Interim Force, UNIFIL, Getty, ISIS, Reuters Hezbollah, Revolutionary Guards Locations: Marjeyoun, Lebanon, Israel, East, Iran, Gaza, Kfar Kila, AFP, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Beirut

☆ Syria state TV says Israeli attack targets Aleppo, Damascus airports
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DAMASCUS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Syria's state television said Israel launched attacks on the main airports in the capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday. It said here had been damage but no casualties at the Aleppo airport, but did not give any information on the impact of the strike on Damascus Airport. The Israeli military does not usually comment on such incidents, and there was no immediate statement from it on Thursday. Israel has for years carried out strikes against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, including against the Aleppo and Damascus airports. Reporting by Firas Makdesi; Writing by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Alex Richardson and Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Israel, Bashar al, Assad, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Firas Makdesi, Maya Gebeily, Alex Richardson, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Thomson Locations: DAMASCUS, Damascus, Aleppo, Iran, Syria

☆ Israel Shells Sites in Syria After Mortar Fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday it carried out artillery strikes in Syria after a number of mortars were launched toward northern Israel as fighting continued in the southern part of the country in the wake of Saturday's surprise attack by Hamas. Some of the mortars crossed into Israeli territory and fell in an open area, the IDF said. The mortars were launched by Iran-backed militias from near the Golan Heights, according to a Syrian security official. The United Arab Emirates has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime not to intervene in the ongoing conflict or allow attacks on Israel.

Persons: Bashar al Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, United Arab Locations: Syria, Israel, Iran, United Arab Emirates

☆ North Korea blames Israel for causing bloodshed in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Palestinians inspect damages in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, following a Hamas surprise attack, at Beach refugee camp, in Gaza City, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Oct 10 (Reuters) - North Korean state media on Tuesday blamed Israel for causing bloodshed in Gaza, weighing in the military clashes between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas for the first time. Rodong Sinmun, a ruling Workers' Party mouthpiece, published a brief article on the conflict and casualties, citing foreign media. Hamas has threatened to execute an Israeli captive every time Israel bombs a Palestinian home without warning, amid fears of a ground assault by Israel, which called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and imposed a blockade on Gaza. North Korean state media has often argued against Western views, especially of the United States, on international issues.

Persons: Mohammed Salem, Israel, Rodong, Bashar al, Assad, Hyonhee Shin, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Workers, Party, Israel, Thomson Locations: Beach, Gaza City, Rights SEOUL, Korean, Gaza, Israel, North Korean, United States, Syria

☆ Hamas and Iran are longtime allies. Did Tehran help with its attack on Israel?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s something that we’re going to keep looking at closely.”Yet Iran’s evolving relationship with Hamas and its Palestinian militant partners, the Islamic Jihad, is well documented. Israel says Iran supports Hamas to the tune of some $100 million dollars a year. (Much of the Western world and some Arab countries consider Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad to be terrorist groups.) Therefore Iran is an asset for Hamas and Hamas is an asset for Iran,” Michael said. In April, Hamas’ senior political leader Ismail Haniyeh visited the Lebanese capital for meetings with Nasrallah.

Persons: Jon, ABC’s, Jihad –, Bashar al, Assad, Israel, Hezbollah –, Kobi Michael, ” Michael, Saleh Al, Ziad al, General Hassan Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh, Nasrallah, Haniyeh, Marwan Naamani, “ Christian, ”, Khaled Elgindy, ” Elgindy Organizations: CNN, United Nations, –, US State Department, Hezbollah, Palestinian, Islamic, Tel, for National Security Studies, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Gaza, ”, United Arab, Revolutionary Guards, East Institute, Palestinian Affairs, Lebanese Locations: Israel, Iran, Tehran, United States, Jihad, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Beirut, Lebanon, Lebanese, Sidon, Jerusalem, Hamas, Islam, Syria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine

☆ What is Lebanon's Hezbollah?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

ORIGINSIran's Revolutionary Guards founded Hezbollah in 1982 to export its Islamic Revolution and fight Israeli forces that had invaded Lebanon. Lebanese parties opposed to Hezbollah say the group has undermined the state and accuse it of unilaterally leading Lebanon into conflicts. Hezbollah fighters took over parts of Beirut after the government vowed to take action against the group's military communications network. Referring to those attacks and hostage-taking, Hezbollah leader Nasrallah said in a 2022 interview they were carried out by small groups not linked to Hezbollah. TERRORIST DESIGNATIONSWestern countries including the United States designate Hezbollah a terrorist organisation.

Persons: Aziz Taher REFILE, Israel, Bashar al, Assad, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Saudi Arabia spiralled, Syria, Rafik al, Hariri, Michel Aoun, Imad Moughniyah, Nasrallah, Tom Perry, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Guards, Islamic, POWER Hezbollah, United, West, Marine, U.S ., European Union, Thomson Locations: Halta, Lebanon, Israel, Rights BEIRUT, Gaza, Iran, Lebanese, United States, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, LEBANON, Beirut, Saudi, U.S, Arab, Argentina, Buenos Aires

☆ North Korea Condemns Attack in Syria -KCNA
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Monday condemned "hostile forces inside and outside Syria" for a drone attack last week that caused many casualties in the country, calling it a terrorist attempt to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Scores of people were killed in a drone attack on a graduation ceremony at a military academy in the Homs region in Syria on Oct. 5, in one of the bloodiest strikes against the military in more than 12 years of civil war. "The recent hideous terrorist act was prompted by ... the hostile forces inside and outside Syria who are ... attempting to overthrow the legitimate regime of Syria," state media KCNA said on Monday, citing North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesperson. In November last year, Assad swore in a new ambassador to North Korea according to a statement by the Syrian government, continuing a history of ties between reclusive Pyongyang and Damascus, diplomatically isolated under a decade of Western sanctions. (Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Sonali Paul)

Persons: Bashar al, Assad, KCNA, Joyce Lee, Sonali Paul Organizations: North Korea's Foreign Ministry Locations: SEOUL, North Korea, Syria, Syrian, Homs, Pyongyang, Damascus

☆ North Korea condemns attack in Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Oct 9 (Reuters) - North Korea on Monday condemned "hostile forces inside and outside Syria" for a drone attack last week that caused many casualties in the country, calling it a terrorist attempt to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Scores of people were killed in a drone attack on a graduation ceremony at a military academy in the Homs region in Syria on Oct. 5, in one of the bloodiest strikes against the military in more than 12 years of civil war. "The recent hideous terrorist act was prompted by ... the hostile forces inside and outside Syria who are ... attempting to overthrow the legitimate regime of Syria," state media KCNA said on Monday, citing North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesperson. In November last year, Assad swore in a new ambassador to North Korea according to a statement by the Syrian government, continuing a history of ties between reclusive Pyongyang and Damascus, diplomatically isolated under a decade of Western sanctions. Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bashar al, Assad, KCNA, Joyce Lee, Sonali Paul Organizations: North Korea's Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, North Korea, Syria, Syrian, Homs, Pyongyang, Damascus

☆ Syria mourns scores killed in drone attack on military academy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Coffins carrying the bodies of some of the people who were killed on Thursday in drone attack on a military academy, lie on the ground outside a military hospital during the funeral in Homs, Syria October 6, 2023. Several weaponised drones hit the Homs Military Academy's courtyard where families were gathered with the new officers on Thursday, minutes after defence minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas had left. On Friday morning, coffins carrying victims and draped in the Syrian flag were sent out from the Homs Military Hospital. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which reports on the Syrian conflict, put the toll at above 120. Russia has helped in efforts to strengthen the Syrian military.

Persons: Firas, Ali Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Bashar al, Assad, Maya Gebeily, Tom Perry, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Homs Military Hospital, Syrian Observatory, Human Rights, Observatory, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Homs, Syria, Idlib, Aleppo, Qardaha, Latakia, Russia, Iran, Tehran

☆ At least 60 killed in drone attack on Syrian military academy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, Oct 5 (Reuters) - At least 60 people were killed on Thursday in an attack on a military academy in Syria, a war monitor and a security source said, with weaponised drones bombing the site minutes after Syria's defence minister left a graduation ceremony there. Civilians and military personnel were killed in the attack on the military academy in the central province of Homs, Syria's defence ministry said in a statement, adding "terrorist" groups had used drones to carry it out. The statement did not specify an organisation and no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Syria's defence minister attended the graduation ceremony but left minutes before the attack, according to a Syrian security source and a security source in the regional alliance backing the Damascus government against opposition groups. We don't know where it came from, and corpses littered the ground," said a Syrian man who had helped set up decorations at the academy for the occasion.

Persons: Syria's, Bashar al, Assad, Laila Bassam, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Kinda, Jon Boyle, Mark Heinrich, David Gregorio, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Reuters, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Syria, Homs, Damascus, Syrian, fatigues, Russia, Iran, Tehran, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey

☆ Drone attack on Syria military college leaves dozens of casualties
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Hamdi Alkhshali | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Drones laden with explosives hit a military college graduation ceremony in the western Syrian city of Homs on Wednesday, leading to dozens of casualties, Syria’s defense ministry said in a statement. The defense ministry blamed “terrorist organizations supported by well-known international parties.” No group has claimed responsibility yet. Located in the agricultural heartland of central Syria, the city had long been a transport and commercial hub of vital strategic importance. The road through Homs connects the capital, Damascus, in the south to Syria’s largest city, Aleppo, in the north. Turkey’s military has launched a series of airstrikes against Kurdish targets in Syria and Iraq following a deadly bombing in the Turkish capital on Sunday.

Persons: ”, Bashar Al Assad, Asayish Organizations: CNN, Kurdistan Workers ’ Party, European Union Locations: Syrian, Homs, Syria, Damascus, Syria’s, Aleppo, Turkish, Kurdish, Iraq, Ankara, Turkey, United States

☆ What is the Syrian Kurdish YPG?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 5 (Reuters) - U.S.-allied Syrian Kurdish forces said on Thursday that Turkish attacks had killed eight people in an escalation prompted by a bomb attack in Ankara claimed by Kurdish militants. A Turkish defence ministry official said a ground operation into Syria was one option for Turkey, which has previously mounted several incursions into northern Syria against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. BORN IN SYRIAN WARThe YPG, or the People's Protection Units, emerged as a powerful armed group during the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011. It is affiliated to the main Syrian Kurdish faction, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), and has a female counterpart, the YPJ. YPG control was initially concentrated in three predominantly Kurdish regions of northern Syria - known in Kurdish as Rojava.

Persons: Khalil Ashawi, Bashar al, Assad, Abdullah Ocalan, Tom Perry, Jon Boyle Organizations: REUTERS, Kurdish, Syrian Kurdish, Islamic State, Kurdistan Workers Party, Democratic Union Party, U.S, Syrian Democratic Forces, Islamic, AS, European Union, NATO, DAMASCUS, Kurdish Regional Government, Thomson Locations: Tal Abyad, Syria, Syrian Kurdish, Ankara, Turkey, Syrian, United States, France, Kurdish, U.S, TURKEY, Damascus, Qamishli, Iraq

☆ At least 100 killed in drone attack on Syrian military academy, monitor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

People stand and walk outside a building after drone attack on Syrian military academy in Homs, Syria October 5, 2023 is seen in this screen grab from a video. Video obtained by Reuters/via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBEIRUT, Oct 5 (Reuters) - At least 100 people were killed on Thursday in an attack on a military academy in Syria, a war monitor and an official said, with weaponised drones bombing the site minutes after Syria's defence minister left a graduation ceremony there. Civilians and military personnel were killed in the attack on the military academy in the central province of Homs, Syria's defence ministry said, adding "terrorist" groups had used drones. Syria's defence and foreign ministries vowed to respond "with full force". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 100 people were killed and 125 injured.

Persons: Syria's, Hassan Al, Ghobash, Bashar al, Assad, Laila Bassam, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Kinda, Jon Boyle, Mark Heinrich, David Gregorio, Alexandra Hudson, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Syrian Observatory, Human Rights, Health, Thomson Locations: Homs, Syria, Rights BEIRUT, Idlib, Damascus, Syrian, fatigues, Russia, Iran, Tehran, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey

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