Latest news with #UnitedStates-led
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran executes nine convicted ISIL fighters
Iran has executed nine members of the ISIL (ISIS) armed group convicted of plotting attacks against civilians. The Iranian judiciary's Mizan News Agency announced the executions on Tuesday, reporting that the men had been arrested in 2018 amid a clash with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the country's restive west that had killed many. 'The death sentences of nine members of the terrorist group were carried out after confirmation by Iran's Supreme Court,' the news outlet reported, adding that the men 'had planned to carry out terrorist attacks against civilians in Iran'. The men were charged with waging war against God through armed rebellion, terrorism and illegal possession of military weapons, according to the report. Officials said a cache of weapons was recovered from the group's base after they were arrested. 'This terrorist cell intended to infiltrate Iran and conduct simultaneous attacks in border and central cities,' IRGC ground forces commander General Mohammad Pakpour said at the time, according to the AFP news agency. He added that three Iranian soldiers were killed in the operation as a number of the ISIL fighters detonated suicide armed group once controlled large swaths of Iraq and Syria before being driven back and significantly weakened in a sustained United States-led campaign. However, it has continued to carry out sporadic attacks in various countries, including Iran. In January last year, ISIL claimed responsibility for two bombings targeting a memorial for assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in the city of Kerman, in which more than 90 people were killed. At least 18 people were killed in an attack claimed by the group on Iran's parliament and a mausoleum in 2017. Iran regularly announces arrests of alleged ISIL fighters. On Sunday, police said they had arrested 13 suspected members in raids across the country. Last month, ISIL claimed responsibility for an attack on the Syrian army, in the group's first strike on government forces since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Iran executed at least 972 people last year, the second-highest number in the world last year, save for China, according to the human rights group Amnesty International.
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Syria confirms closure of civil war-era desert camp; displaced return home
The notorious Rukban displacement camp in the Syrian desert, a dark emblem of the country's civil war, has closed, with the last remaining families returning to their hometowns. Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said on Saturday on X that with the dismantlement of the camp, 'a tragic and sorrowful chapter of displacement stories created by the bygone regime's war machine comes to a close'. 'Rukban was not just a camp, it was the triangle of death that bore witness to the cruelty of siege and starvation, where the regime left people to face their painful fate in the barren desert,' he added. The camp, established in 2014 at the height of the country's ruinous civil war, was built in a deconfliction zone controlled by the United States-led coalition forces fighting against ISIL (ISIS). The camp was used to house those fleeing ISIL fighters and bombardment by the then-government of President Bashar Al Assad, seeking refuge and hoping to eventually cross the border into Jordan. But Al Assad's regime rarely allowed aid to enter the camp as neighbouring countries also blocked access to the area, rendering Rukban isolated for years under a punishing siege. About 8,000 people lived in the camp, staying in mud-brick houses with food and basic goods smuggled in at high prices. But after Al Assad was toppled following a lightning offensive led by the current president of Syria's interim government, Ahmed Al Sharaa, in December, families began leaving the camp and returning home. Al Sharaa has promised to unite Syria following the fall of Al Assad and rebuild the country at home and rejoin the international fold abroad. Last month, Al Sharaa met with world leaders, including United States President Donald Trump, who announced that sanctions on Syria would be removed in a decision that would allow the country a 'chance at greatness'. The European Union followed suit and also lifted sanctions. Both moves have given Syria a critical lifeline to economic recovery after nearly 14 years of war and economic devastation. Syrian Minister for Emergency Situations and Disasters Raed Al Saleh said on X said the camp's closure marks 'the end of one of the harshest humanitarian tragedies faced by our displaced people'. (Agencies)
Canada Standard
6 days ago
- Canada Standard
HMCS William Hall contributes to significant seizure of illegal narcotics on Operation CARIBBE
Canada News Centre 05 Jun 2025, 02:20 GMT+10 June 4, 2025 - Ottawa, Ontario - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces On May 29 and 31, while deployed in support of Operation CARIBBE, His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) William Hall and an embarked United States Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) successfully conducted seizures of more than 1300 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. During two separate maritime patrols, multi-role rescue boats were deployed from HMCS William Hall to intercept vessels of interest in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the seizures. These successful interdictions underscore the enduring collaboration and interoperability between the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and USCG and support- international efforts to prevent the flow of illicit substances into Canada and North America. Canada's contribution to United States-led Enhanced Counternarcotics Operations under Joint Interagency Task Force South represents an important dimension of our relationship with our ally, the United States, and partners in the region. This collective effort enables us to achieve greater success in making the continent more secure from the threats posed by illicit trafficking and supports broader efforts to enhance regional and continental security.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US redeploys troops in Syria, as Washington builds ties with new government
Reports indicate hundreds of soldiers may be withdrawn, and US forces may move from bases near the Euphrates River to consolidate at one base in eastern Syria. The United States is redeploying troops in Syria as changes in Damascus mean that the United States will be able to alter its footprint in the country. These changes have happened quickly as the new government in Syria has taken shape in the last six months since the fall of the Assad regime. The United States has also decided to conduct outreach to the new government in Syria and to appoint a new envoy, Ambassador Tom Barrack, who is currently the ambassador in Turkey. Reports that the United States is shifting its troop locations—reportedly withdrawing up to 500 troops, according to Jennifer Griffin at Fox News, and moving some from bases near the Euphrates to bases further east near Shaddadi—are significant because they could shift the balance of power in parts of Syria. Understanding the United States' role in Syria is important, and it is essential to understand how the United States got to this point. The United States' role in Syria is complex and dates back to 2015, when the United States intervened to fight ISIS. Initially, the United States supported the formation of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an outgrowth of the People's Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish armed group. The SDF served as an umbrella group that the United States could work with more directly in the war on ISIS. The YPG is viewed as a terrorist group by the United States and NATO ally Turkey, so it was important to keep them institutionally separate despite their significant role in eastern Syria fighting ISIS. The United States also backed a group of Syrian rebels in southern Syria who became known as the Syrian Free Army (SFA). This group should not be confused with the Free Syrian Army, an umbrella group of Syrian rebel factions. The SFA at Tanf consisted of only several hundred fighters trained by the United States. After the fall of the Assad regime, this group integrated with the Syrian Army's 70th Division. It currently patrols parts of southern Syria, helping to contain ISIS threats and protect an airbase. The SDF is much larger, with tens of thousands of fighters. It controls territory east of the Euphrates River. In early March, SDF leader Mazlum Abdi met with the new Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to discuss integrating his forces and eastern Syria into the new government. This was an important development supported by the United States-led Coalition, which included US forces under United States Central Command. The United States helped pave the way for engagement with Damascus, and both the Pentagon and the White House backed this policy in May when United States President Donald Trump met Syria's president in Riyadh. From there, the United States State Department pushed forward for sanctions relief, and Tom Barrack was appointed the new envoy. This ended years of discord between the Pentagon, which supported the SDF, and the State Department, which had generally been less supportive of the SDF. One reason the United States can reduce its troop presence is that other foreign powers are leaving Syria. During the decade-long civil war, Russia and Iran played key roles in Syria—Russia since 2015 and Iran since 2012. Turkey also invaded northern Syria in 2015 and 2016, making Syria a battleground for world powers. Many countries bombed Syria, including Israel. After the fall of the Assad regime, Iran withdrew, and Russia was confined to a base near the coast. The United States was left as the sole major power involved. However, Israel increased its attacks and took control of areas along the border. The number of United States troops in Syria has always been a point of discussion in Washington. For years, it was thought to be only a few hundred, but the actual number is around 2,000. These numbers were supposed to be reduced over the past months. Recent reports indicate that the United States is revising where it is deployed in Syria, shifting troops from the Euphrates further east. This comes as the SDF and Damascus continue talks focused on unity and integration. It is also made possible by efforts to keep ISIS in check, as the Syrian government continues to rebuild its army and graduate new forces. North Press in eastern Syria reported that, according to American officials, three United States bases have either been shut down or transferred to the SDF. Among them, the al-Omar base has been fully closed, the Conoco base handed over to the SDF, and a smaller outpost vacated. A recent interview with Envoy Barrack on NTV also highlights how the United States continues to support the SDF. His comments differed from those of other officials, such as former ambassador James Jeffrey, who had described the United States' role in eastern Syria in less committed terms. Six years ago, key figures in Washington viewed the SDF as a temporary, tactical, and transactional partner. Now, Barrack has called the SDF an ally and emphasized that members of Congress see support for them as important. He backs their integration into the new Syrian government's forces. This marks a shift in tone, as significant as having the Pentagon, the United States State Department, and the White House aligned on Syria policy, unlike the fragmented approach seen between 2015 and 2019. The United States' policy in Syria can now move forward because of this coordination, aiming to prevent a vacuum from forming along the Euphrates and to encourage stability. With each redeployment of United States forces, a 'trust, but verify' approach remains essential to ensure progress.
The Star
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
India, Pakistan agree to immediate ceasefire in US-mediated talks
ISLAMABAD: India and Pakistan on Saturday (May 10) confirmed a ceasefire deal after United States-led talks to end a conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals, reports AP. It follows weeks of clashes that were triggered by a massacre of tourists last month that India blames Pakistan for. It was their most serious confrontation in decades and left dozens of civilian dead on both sides. Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that India and Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire after US-mediated talks. Neither country has immediately confirmed a deal. On his Truth Social platform, Trump said he was pleased to announce that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. "Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council, posted on X: "@POTUS is a force for peace" over a link to Trump's online statement about a ceasefire having been agreed to, but offered no more immediate details. Meanwhile, AFP reported that Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had confirmed the announcement by Trump. "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!" Dar said in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
