Eight people in eastern Syria lost their lives during an U.S.-led coalition airstrike targeting a gas distribution facility located in an Islamic State controlled Syrian town. The airstrike had targeted the distribution station located in Khasham, a town in the oil-rich province of Deir el-Zour and took place on Friday night according to activist’s accounts. The Deir el-Zour Free radio named four … [Read more...]
U.S. –Led Airstrikes Kill Hundreds of ISIS Militants
Airstrikes conducted by the United States military on Wednesday allegedly killed several hundred Islamic State fighters gathered around Ayn Al-Arab, the Syrian border town which has been under siege for weeks. Despite the airstrikes the Pentagon announced that the city of Kobani could still fall to the Sunni extremists. During the last two days, the U.S.-led coalition has prepared and conducted … [Read more...]
Middle East Situation Escalates as Turkey Bombs Kurdish Militants
As Islamic State militants continue their siege of Kobani, Turkey’s 15-million-strong Kurdish minority angrily accused the government of refusing to aid Syrian civilians in defending Ayn Al-Arab. During riots last week, at least 35 people were killed. Currently, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader is threatening to call off discussions meant to end an insurgency spanning across more than a … [Read more...]
ISIS Advancing on Kobani, Kurds Fear City is Lost
Kurdish forces in Syria fought valiantly on Tuesday as Islamic State militants continued their siege on Kobani, the city near the Turkish border that has been under attack for the previous weeks. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president, announced that the Syrian town was about to fall although the United States and their allies continued airstrikes on the extremists. Mr. Erdogan explained that … [Read more...]
Turkey Unprepared to Join the U.S. in the Fight against Islamic State
The battle against the Islamic State rages on and no United States ally is closer to the threat posed by the Islamic State than Turkey. And while it is home to the second largest army in NATO, the country, which President Barack Obama believes to be able to play a decisive role in the coalition, is hesitating on its involvement in the fighting against ISIS. On Saturday, Turkish soldiers stood and … [Read more...]
Islamic State Advances on Syrian Town as Refugees Pour into Turkey
While the United Nations had estimated the number of Syrian Kurds that had fled into neighboring Turkey at 100,000 people, the Islamic State was growing closer to the Syrian border town. The U.N. believes that the number of refugees will surely go much higher. According to residents who had managed to flee from the Sunni extremist militants attacking Ayn al-Arab and its surrounding villages, ISIS … [Read more...]
Over 60,000 Syrian Kurds Flee from the Advancing Islamic State Militants
During the last 24 hours, more than 60,000 Syrian Kurds were forced to cross into Turkey fearing the Islamic State, which has been violently seizing villages close to the border and is now threatening a Syrian town. On Friday, Turkish authorities opened the frontier for Kurdish civilians who had fled their homes in fear of an imminent attack. According to Kurdish commanders, ISIS militants are … [Read more...]
Questions Remain After 49 Turkish Hostages Were Freed by ISIS
Experts have serious doubts about the Turkish government’s story, after authorities managed to free 49 hostages that were being held by the Islamic State. According to authorities, no shots were fired. On Saturday, the men and women who had been captured by the extremist Sunni group were reunited with their families, but the question remains as to what exactly occurred to ensure their … [Read more...]
Libya Secretly Attacked by Arab Nations
Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have already launched two secret attacks against Islamist-allied fighters battling for Tripoli. The events seem to have been set off by Arab Spring revolts, senior US official states, and represent a major escalation of the power struggle in the region. Curiously, neither Egypt nor the United Arab Emirates informed the United States of their plans, despite … [Read more...]