German parliamentarians: Turkey commits crimes in Autonomous Administration areas

 

April 23, 2024. Posted by  Periscope - Hellas

Gunmen kill more than 60 in concert attack near Moscow, Islamic State claims responsibility

 

Mar 23, 2024. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

 

Moscow.

Camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at concertgoers near Moscow on Friday, killing at least 60 people and injuring 145 in an attack claimed by Islamic State militants.

February 10, SDF Commander: No Withdrawal of US Forces from Syria

 

US armored vehicles are seen in Qamishli, Syria on Thursday. (Reuters)

Feb 10, 2024. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

The US provided guarantees to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that Türkiye would not use the F-16 aircraft, which Washington had agreed to sell to Ankara, against its forces, revealed SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.

January 26 - Russian diplomat says U.S. to withdraw from Syria after Iraq

 

Jan 26, 2024. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

Damascus, Syria.

Russian Special Envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, said on Friday that the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq will “undoubtedly” be followed by a similar step in Syria.

January 25 - President Barzani welcomes the US-Iraqi agreement about HMC

 

Jan 25, 2024. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

Erbil.

On Thursday, the President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, welcomed the resumption of work of the Higher Military Commission (HMC.)

Expert says U.S. urges Israel to learn from Iraq's lesson in its war on Gaza

 

Jan 7, 2024. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

Just over a week after Oct. 7, while Israel was still reeling from one of the worst security failures in its history, U.S. President Joe Biden landed in Tel Aviv with a warning: Don’t repeat America’s mistakes.

Iraq works to permanently end US-led coalition presence

 

Jan 6, 2024. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

 

Iraq is working to establish a bilateral committee to end the presence of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) in the country, its prime minister said on Friday while condemning a deadly American drone strike on a pro-Iran militia in Baghdad the previous day. 

Drone strikes Harir Air Base, damages unknown

 

Jan 5, 2024. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

 

An unidentified, one-way attack drone struck Harir Air Base northeast of Erbil at 4:29 p.m. and caused an explosion, with possible damages and casualties unknown at this time, according to the Kurdistan Region Counter Terrorism Directorate (CTD).

Over 7 rockets hit Global Coalition base in NE Syria

 

Military vehicles of the U.S.-led Global Coalition in northern Syria

Dec 29, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

More than seven rockets rocked on Friday a military base of the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in the countryside of Hasakah, northeast Syria.

Iraqi government condemns US retaliatory airstrikes

Dec 26, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

The Iraqi federal government on Tuesday condemned the retaliatory airstrikes carried out by United States forces against pro-Iran militia groups in the country earlier in the day, saying that the attacks targeted Iraqi military bases, killing one and injuring 18 others.

American air strikes on pro-Iranian groups in Iraq

 

Dec 26,2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

United States military forces carried out retaliatory airstrikes targeting multiple locations of pro-Iran militia groups in Iraq in the early hours of Tuesday, following an attack on global coalition forces based in Erbil which left three US soldiers injured.

Senior Peshmerga, French military officials address coordination

 

The meeting of the senior Peshmerga (right) and French military officials, Dec. 23, 2023. (Photo: KRG Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs)

Dec 23, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

Erbil. Kurdistan Region.

Staff Lieutenant General Issa Ozer, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Peshmerga, on Friday received General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army, and his accompanying delegation, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

US says base in Iraq struck with rocket

Ain al Asad airbase in western Iraq’s Anbar province

Dec 21, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

 The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) in the early hours of Thursday reported that a 122mm rocket had targeted the Ain al-Asad airbase, which houses coalition troops in western Iraq’s Anbar province, without resulting in any injuries or damage.

A British MP supports the Turkish positions on Cyprus

Dec 21, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

 

British MP Sammy Wilson in his article on December 19, 2023 published in Reaction supports the Turkish positions for the definitive separation of the island of Cyprus and the recognition of the part occupied by the Turkish army as an 'independent state'.

Turkish publications reported extensively on the positions expressed by the British politician.

The article is titled: “After failure in the Middle East, the West must realise the danger of unresolved conflict”

The article:

 

At the end of the Cold War, many people decided to believe that the world had moved on from real conflict. That Western ideology and capitalism had been proved correct which would lead to the world becoming more peaceful and tolerant. War would be a thing of the past and division would die out.

 Events have proved that was a naïve and overly optimistic worldview. It led the West to ignore problems, crises and potential flashpoints that should never have been overlooked. This has consistently led to disaster. Disaster that, on many occasions, could have been prevented.

  In early October, terrorists once again attacked Israel. Hamas, backed by several regional powers has an explicit goal of exterminating Israel from the map. This is a conflict that has raged on for nearly 70 years and sadly shows no sign of a permanent resolution. The West has failed to truly engage with this conflict. Now, civilians are suffering as a result of this lassitude.

 All around the world, there are clear examples of where conflict has not been resolved, tensions and differences have festered resulting in fresh outbreaks of violence. We can look at the ongoing border skirmishes in the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan or the nearby Indian-Chinese border in Sikkim.

 In Africa, there are constant outbreaks of violence between governments and petty warlords. Between rival ethnic, tribal and religious groups. Earlier this year, war once again broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

  Closer to home, Kosovo remains an unresolved dispute in Europe. UN peacekeepers are still on the ground, doing their best to ensure that outright war does not break out again. The situation in Kosovo is remarkably similar to another frozen conflict in Europe – that of Cyprus.

 Cyprus also has UN peacekeepers maintaining a barrier between the two rival authorities that represent different ethnic groups. However, unlike in Kosovo – where the breakaway state has been largely recognised by the international community, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus remains isolated in its rejection.

 It is time that the West no longer ignores frozen conflicts. Instability helps no one and is one of the worse outcomes for civilians as they know that fresh violence could break out at any point.

  I see no reason why the UK does not recognise the TRNC as a legitimate authority for the Turkish Cypriot population. Indeed, I would argue that they represent a good partner for the UK because unlike the Greek Cypriot population, they have never targeted or campaigned against our Sovereign Military bases on the island.

 These SBAs are a crucial part of the UK’s international capabilities and have proved vital in recent years in creating no-fly zones in the Middle East and carrying out operations against terrorist groups like ISIS.

 Conflict should never be ignored. I am Northern Irish, and I am British. I know better than most the scars that intercommunal violence can create and the lasting scars of violence between different religious groups. However, lasting peace is possible.

There is a solution that will end the Cyprus issue once and for all. That is a two-state solution with treaties between the two sides that foster cooperation. Such a solution has worked before in Ireland and can work again in Cyprus. 

Sammy Wilson has been the Democratic Unionist Party MP for East Antrim since 2005 and was formerly Northern Ireland’s finance minister.

 

reaction.life

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Christians call off holiday celebrations throughout Iraq

 The celebrations are also being called off as a tribute to the victims of the Hamdaniya fire that killed 133 people in September, with nearly all of the victims being Christians.

 

Photo:Worshippers attend a Christmas eve service at Mart Shmoni Syriac Orthodox church in the Ankawa, last year.

Dec 17, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

According to a statement issued Sunday by the Chaldean Patriarchate, all activities in clubs and churches during Christmas, and New Year's Eve will be canceled in protest against the removal of the Patriarch Raphael Louis Sako from his role as patriarch, among other issues faced by the community.

Nobel laureate and hundreds of Yazidi sue French company for supporting ISIS

 

Dec 15, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

 

Hundreds of Yazidi-Americans filed a civil lawsuit Friday against French conglomerate Lafarge S.A. for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State.

Over 4.400 ISIS-linked people left northen Syria camps in 2023

 

Dec 10, 2023. Dec 10, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

More than 4,400 people affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) left camps in northeast Syria and returned to their homes since the beginning of this year, the global coalition against the terror group said on Saturday, applauding Kurdish authorities for their work on the issue.

Christian party holds congress in Duhok, calls for autonomy

 

Romeo Hakkari, secretary general of the Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party

Dec 8, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

 

The Christian Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party on Thursday held its eighth congress in Duhok, calling for autonomy and demanding increased efforts to prevent the emigration of Christians.

US strike kills pro-Iran forces in Iraq: CENTCOM

 

Nov 21, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

A US airstrike on pro-Iran targets in Iraq killed several militiamen in retaliation to a missile strike on American personnel that injured eight, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) told on Tuesday. 

US forces in Syria targeted four times in less than 24 hours, military official

 

Nov 13, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

US and international forces in northeastern Syria were attacked with drones and rockets at least four times in the past 24 hours, though there were no casualties and only minor damage, a US military official said on Monday.