Photo: At least 37 Takfiri terrorists, including their leader, were killed by the Syrian army and popular forces stationed in Darayya in Western Ghouta of Damascus countryside.
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Arab World
Al-Azhar University 'Winning the Battle against Evil ISIS Propaganda'
37 Terrorists, Ringleader Killed In Western Ghouta
Islamic Military Alliance Meeting to Be Held In Saudi Arabia Next Month
Safavi: Saudi Syria Deployment Silly Propaganda
Syrian Jets Hit ISIL Oil Tanker in Sweida Province
Russian Airstrikes Blow Up Terrorists' Positions in Aleppo
Major powers agree on Syria ceasefire plan
ISIL, Al-Nusra Pinned Down under Heavy Attacks by Syrian Warplanes in Aleppo
Al-Nusra's Command Centre Destroyed in Dara'a
Army Airstrikes Continue in Aleppo, Kill More Terrorists
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Pakistan
No Organised Presence of ISIS in Pakistan, Says Foreign Office
ISI Trains LeT, Jaish Terrorists, Pervez Musharraf Says
97 Al-Qaeda And Lashkar-E-Jhangvi Militants Arrested As Pakistan Foils Plan To Free Jailed Terrorists
From TTP to IS: Pakistan's terror landscape evolves
Jain Temple Demolished In Pakistan, Opposition in Punjab Assembly Demands Inquiry
Pakistan launched $500m projects for Afghanistan: minister
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South Asia
Isis Loyalists Attempting To Establish Base of Operations in Nangarhar
Several Killed In Daesh, Taliban Clashes in Paktika
US launched 20 airstrikes against ISIS militants in Afghanistan in 3 weeks
A-29s to start combat operations with Afghan Air Force from March: Wardak
Pakistani minister says projects worth $500 million launched in Afghanistan
Mausoleum of King Amanullah Khan to be reconstructed
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Africa
Nigerian Suicide Bomber Gets Cold Feet, Refuses to Kill
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Europe
New IS Video Shows 4-Yr-Old Blowing Up a Car, Killing 3
NATO Launches Mission to Stop Smuggling Of People
Gov. Herbert, Interfaith Roundtable encourages Utah public to attend interfaith events this month
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North America
The Islamic State Will Survive America’s Military Onslaught: A Report
ISIS Militants Have Used, Can Make Chemical Weapons: CIA
US Says Wins Saudi Air Campaign Commitment against ISIS
NYC Children’s Museum Celebrates Muslim Diversity
Florida Muslims Challenge 'Islamophobic' Rhetoric at the State Capitol
Minnesota man pleads guilty in Islamic State case
Canada’s defence minister reluctant to call conflict with Islamic State a war
New Scandal for US: Republicans Asked Tehran to Keep US Prisoners in Jail until Presidential Elections
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia: Muslim Minority Group Faces 'Harassment and Intimidation'
Islamic Influence Creeping Into Malaysia's Mission Schools
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India
India, UAE Ink 7 Pacts but Fail to Seal Deal On Civil Nuclear Energy
6 Fidayeen behind Pathankot Attack: NSG Chief
Headley says ISI, LeT wanted to target Mumbai airport, Naval station
Islamic Banking: A Necessary Step towards the Financial Inclusion of Indian Muslims
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Mideast
Turkey’s Internet Watchdog Blocks Access to Website Broadcasting Gülen’s Speeches
Erdoğan Says Patience Running Out In Syria, Turkey Could Take Action
Erdogan threatens to send refugees to EU as NATO steps in
Former FM: Turkey may lose territory if it intervenes militarily in Syria
Erdoğan: Turkey may open gates to send migrants away
EU’s 2016 Turkey report will mention jailed journalists Dündar and Gül
Davutoğlu says Turkey spent up to $35 billion on Syrians
Official: Turkey-Israel talks to restore ties going well, no deal yet
Compiled by New Age Islam Edit Bureau
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Arab World
Al-Azhar University 'Winning the Battle against Evil ISIS Propaganda'
By Vincent Wood / Published 12th February 2016
Al-Azhar is combatting the vile jihadi’s slick propaganda machine by sifting through dozens of ISIS publications across eight different languages.
According to the Cairo-based University, the tactic is stopping people from being recruited.
They then show potential recruits the twisted lies and spin that the sick death cult jihadis use to make Islamic scripture support their dark regime.
But the group admit that there is little they can do about the tens of thousands who have already fled to join the group.
Reham Abdullah from the group, said: “Maybe they (ISIS members) will never read our books or visit our website but there are many others who haven't (joined) but are thinking to do so and we are trying to save these guys.”
But they are confident they can use their skills to beat back the desperate jihadi’s internet scramble for new soldiers to fuel their sick war.
Ibrahim Negm, the senior advisor to the Grand Mufti, said: "There's a cancer spreading in the body of the world and we have to realise that this cancer is not going to spread only on the Middle East but everywhere."
"Condemnation won't do it all, we have to save an entire generation - the online generation - glued to social media and that don't have access to proper knowledge.
"I feel some Western analysts are saying our response is a slow response but they haven't given space for moderate analysts to talk and discuss.
Prior to September 11 the radical sermons were aired live on British media. It's time to give platforms to moderate Muslims."
Meanwhile Sabra el-Qasami – a former Jihadi who has spent years in prison and runs an unofficial de-radicalisation program – has said they’ll have to work hard to fight back the powerful social media campaigns the group use.
He added: "Al-Azhar needs more support and more freedom to delve deeper into the issues that terrorist youth are concerned with.
"In my opinion the armed fight against terrorism will have dire results and will create more sympathy for the terrorists. This issue needs an ideological battle in parallel to the armed battle on the ground."
dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/494096/Muslim-university-winning-the-battle-against-evil-ISIS-propaganda
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37 Terrorists, Ringleader Killed in Western Ghouta
February 12th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- At least 37 Takfiri terrorists, including their leader, were killed by the Syrian army and popular forces stationed in Darayya in Western Ghouta of Damascus countryside.
A military source said on Thursday that the army units carried out concentrated operations against bases and fortified positions of terrorist organizations in Darayya city, killing 37 of their members and destroying their arms and munitions in the past 24 hours.
"The leader of the so-called 'unified battalion 4' in 'Sahd brigade' terrorist group, nom de guerre 'Abu Salmo', was killed along with other terrorists," the source added.
The Syrian Amy forces, on Wednesday, inflicted heavy defeats on Takfiri terrorists in concerted raids in Western Ghouta, continuing their march on Takfiri militants in the Western parts of Damascus province.
Scores of militants were killed in fierce clashes with Syrian pro-government forces in the city of Darayya, in western Ghouta.
A field commander of a Takfiri group, lurking in the area, called Islam's Martyrs Brigade, was among the militants killed during the intensive armed operation by the Syrian army in the city.
Meanwhile, shelling of militants' positions by the Syrian army artillery units in Darayya, in Western Ghouta region, inflicted huge losses and significant damage on the militants.
In recent days, the Syrian army seized back several strategic buildings in Western Ghouta in Damascus countryside.
The Syrian forces regained control of an archaeological hall and a number of important buildings located alongside the railway between the towns of al-Moadhamiyah and Darayya in Western Ghouta.
en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941122000260
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Islamic Military Alliance meeting to be held in Saudi Arabia next month
Friday 12 February 2016
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia will host the first meeting of the 34-member Islamic Military Alliance next month. According to a report in the local media, the meeting will bring together all nations of the newly formed coalition, led by Saudi Arabia.
The alliance members are Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Malaysia, Tunisia, Sudan, Nigeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Senegal, Benin, Chad, Togo, Djibouti, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Gabon, Guinea, Palestine, Comoros, Qatar, Cote d’Ivoire, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger and Yemen. More than 10 other (Muslim-majority) countries have expressed their support for the alliance.
At the time of its formation, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had announced that the alliance would protect all member states.
He said the alliance consists of nations making up most of the Islamic world, which are committed to fighting this “disease (of terrorism) which affects first” the Islamic world and then the international community.
He said that the alliance would not focus only on certain groups, such as Daesh, but confront terrorist operators across the world.
arabnews.com/featured/news/879306
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Safavi: Saudi Syria Deployment Silly Propaganda
February 12th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Top military aide to the Iranian Supreme Leader Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said on Thursday that the Saudi rhetoric of troop deployment to Syria is silly propaganda, designed only to do some damage control.
Addressing a massive rally in the city of Hamedan to mark the 37th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Rahim Safavi said the Saudis don’t have what it takes to send troops to Syria.
If the Saudis had enjoyed such a capability, they would have already done so in Yemen, he said.
“The United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia and their allies have launched multiple proxy wars in the region in alliance with various terrorist groups. This is designed to help protect the Zionist regime of Israel. They are destroying the civilian infrastructures of sovereign nations to send them back centuries. However, the resistance will ultimately prevail, particularly in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen," the Major General said.
He went on to maintain that the alliance of Iran, Syria, Russia and Lebanon’s Hezbollah is winning the war on all manners of terrorism and extremism in Syria, adding that it is the Islamic Revolution which has the final say in regional matters.
According to the official, Iran is helping Iraq and Syria in the Terror War so as not to fight the foreign-backed terrorists along its own borders.
He said the battlefields of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon are the depths of Iran’s strategic defense deterrence, where the political strategy adopted by the alliance of Iran, Russia, Iraq and Hezbollah is winning the war in Syria.
Rahim Safavi has on several occasions maintained that Saudi Arabia’s huge acquisition of weapons and its continuing support for the ISIL terrorist group are among the main contributors to the growing insecurity in the Middle East.
“Saudi Arabia, being the largest buyer of weapons among Persian Gulf littoral states and supporting the terrorist Daesh (ISIL) group, is one of the main factors of insecurity in the region,” the top military adviser said earlier this year.
On the contrary, he added, Iran continues its efforts for establishing stability and reinforcing unity among regional countries.
Rahim Safavi said the formation of ISIL, the conflict in Yemen as well as sectarian strife and political disputes in Middle Eastern countries are aimed at causing division among Muslims and guaranteeing the security of the Zionists.
en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941122000816
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Syrian Jets Hit ISIL Oil Tanker in Sweida Province
February 12th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army announced on Thursday that, in a concerted air and ground operation, the county's fighter jets have bombed an ISIL oil tanker and a number of major military facilities and hardware of the terrorist group in the Southern province of Sweida.
"The Syrian Air Force strikers bombed an ISIL oil tanker on a road Southeast of the province" the army said.
"The ISIL militants guarding the tanker were killed in the oil tanker's blast," the army added.
On the ground, the Syrian infantry forces struck and destroyed the ISIL terrorists' equipment, including two bulldozers and their cannon in Dara'a province in regions close to Sweida province, inflicting heavy casualties on them.
In a recent development, the Syrian Army troops stormed the militant groups' fortified strongholds at Dara'a province's border with Sweida in Southern Syria, and destroyed their military grid.
The militant groups' concentration centers and positions between the villages of Sama al-Hneidat and al-Mleiha were attacked by the Syrian government forces, which nor only claimed the lives of several terrorists but also ended in the destruction of their military grid.
en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941122000976
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Russian Airstrikes Blow Up Terrorists' Positions in Aleppo
February 12th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Russian air force launched massive airstrikes on terrorists' positions in Northern Aleppo province on Thursday.
The Russian warplanes conducted 20 sorties of bombing raids on terrorists' lines of supply between Ezaz region and Tal Rafat city in the Northern parts of Aleppo province on Thursday.
Early battlefield reports said the terrorists moving on the supply routes sustained heavy damage and casualties in the Russian bombing campaign.
Also, the militant groups sustained major losses in the joint combat flights of the Russian and Syrian fighter jets in the Northern part of Aleppo province on Wednesday.
The Syrian and Russian warplanes raided the defense lines of militant groups near the towns of Kafr Hamra and Hayyan, which inflicted a heavy death toll on the militants and destroyed their military grid in large scale.
Also on Wednesday, reports said that Kurdish fighters of People's Protection Units, supported by Syrian and Russian air backup, recaptured a strategic military airbase North of Aleppo province.
The Kurdish militias in a concerted operation, backed by joint Russian and Syrian air cover, managed to establish full control over the Minaq Airbase, 6 kilometers South of Azaz town in Aleppo province, and restored total security to the strategic facility.
en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941122000952
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Major powers agree on Syria ceasefire plan
Reuters | Feb 12, 2016
MUNICH: Major powers agreed on Friday to a cessation of hostilities in Syria set to begin in a week and to provide rapid humanitarian access to besieged Syrian towns, but failed to secure a complete ceasefire or an end to Russian bombing.
Following a marathon meeting in Munich aimed at resurrecting peace talks that collapsed last week, the powers, including the United States, Russia and more than a dozen other nations, reaffirmed their commitment to a political transition when conditions on the ground improved.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Major-powers-agree-on-Syria-ceasefire-plan/articleshow/50955633.cms
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ISIL, Al-Nusra Pinned Down under Heavy Attacks by Syrian Warplanes in Aleppo
February 12th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Air Force launched a series of massive airstrikes on ISIL and al-Nusra Front's main military grid and defense lines in Aleppo countryside on Thursday, according to a military source.
The source said that the ISIL gatherings and military hardware, including a depot of machinegun-equipped vehicles, were destroyed during the strikes in Tadef and Tiba al-Ism regions and nearby farms as well as al-Bab city in the Eastern and Northeastern parts of the province, respectively.
Dozens of ISIL and al-Nusra Front militants were killed and wounded during the attack, the military source added.
Full report at: The residents of Tal Rafat are also waiting for the army to take control of the town.
en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941122000675
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Al-Nusra Front Leaders Acknowledge Increasing Casualties in Aleppo
February 12th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Leaders of the Al-Nusra Front terrorist group confirmed death of dozens of their comrades in the Syrian air force strikes against their command centers in across Aleppo province.
The airstrikes had targeted fortified positions of the al-Nusra Front in al-Bawabia, Kamarin, al-Zarba, and Khan al-Assal towns in the Southern and Southwestern parts of Aleppo province on Thursday, destroying the terrorists' positions and military grid.
Field sources said that all terrorists inside the al-Nusra command centers were killed and their weapons were destroyed. Several social media pages of the al-Nusra leaders confirmed large casualties, saying that the death toll of the massive airstrikes on their positions is increasing.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941122000780
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Army Airstrikes Continue in Aleppo, Kill More Terrorists
February 12th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Several gathering centers of the Al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups came under heavy attack by the Syrian fighter jets, the army said Thursday, adding that the airstrikes inflicted major losses on the terrorist groups.
The army's airstrikes against Sawaran village near Ezaz city, which is one of the main lines of supply used by the terrorists to procure arms and transfer fresh recruits, killed and wounded dozens of militants.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941122000967
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Pakistan
No Organised Presence of ISIS in Pakistan, Says Foreign Office
February 12th, 2016
ISLAMABAD: Despite intelligence warnings that the militant Islamic State (IS) group is an emerging threat, Foreign Office insists that the Middle Eastern terrorist group has “no organised presence” in the country.
“Let me reiterate that there is no organised presence of Daesh, the Arabic acronym for IS, in Pakistan,” FO spokesman Nafees Zakaria said on Thursday.
The new spokesman, who was holding his first media briefing, was answering a question about the testimony by Aftab Sultan, the chief of the Intelligence Bureau, the lead civilian intelligence agency, before a Senate committee on Wednesday that IS was an emerging threat, particularly because of the support of local terrorist and extremist organisations, including the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Sipah-i-Sahaba (now operating under the name of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
IS has been discussed as an emerging threat at different national forums in the past as well.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1238991/no-organised-presence-of-is-in-pakistan-says-fo
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ISI trains LeT, Jaish terrorists, Pervez Musharraf says
TNN | Feb 11, 2016
NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, confirmed to an Indian TV channel something Indian security establishment always knew, that "Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) trains Jaish-e-Mohammad(JeM) and Lashkar-eTaiba (LeT) terrorists."
While describing Masood Azhar of JeM as a "terrorist", Musharraf said Hafiz Saeed of LeT was nothing short of a national hero in Pakistan. "LeT is not involved in terror in Pakistan". He also accused India's intelligence agency RAW for carrying out attacks in Pakistan.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/ISI-trains-LeT-Jaish-terrorists-Pervez-Musharraf-says/articleshow/50949687.cms
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97 Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militants arrested as Pakistan foils plan to free jailed terrorists
12 February 2016
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has arrested 97 Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militants, including three commanders, in the southern city of Karachi and foiled a planned attack to break US journalist Daniel Pearl’s killer out of jail, the army said on Friday.
The men are accused of involvement in major attacks on two Pakistani air bases, the Karachi airport, several regional intelligence headquarters and on police installations between 2009 and 2015, the military said.
The LeJ’s Naeem Bokhari and Sabir Khan, as well as Farooq Bhatti, deputy chief of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), were captured by Pakistani forces in recent raids, military spokesman Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa said.
“Our conclusion is that all of the terrorist groups are trying to cooperate with each other in order to carry out terrorist attacks,” he told a news conference.
The LeJ and AQIS had been working “in collusion” with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, Bajwa added.
Full report at: arabnews.com/news/879356
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From TTP to IS: Pakistan's terror landscape evolves
Ali Akbar — Updated about 6 hours ago
As the self-styled Islamic State (IS) gains ground in the Middle East, key commanders of the fractured Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are submitting to the overtures of the violent global movement that is slowly making inroads into Pakistan. At the same time, regrouping of some of the deadliest outfits in the country could signal great trouble, even as the TTP and allied Al-Qaeda fighters are perceived to be struggling to hold fort against a military onslaught and the country-wide National Action Plan.
IS, which is led by Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi, is currently based in Iraq and Syria and occupies border areas. It is accused of killing hundreds of Muslims and some American and UK citizens, which include journalists and aid workers.
Reports of IS activity inside the country emerged in 2014 against the backdrop of two ongoing military operations against the TTP and its affiliates in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1169542/from-ttp-to-is-pakistans-terror-landscape-evolves
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Jain temple demolished in Pakistan, opposition in Punjab Assembly demands inquiry
Yudhvir Rana | TNN | Feb 12, 2016
AMRITSAR: The demolition of historical Jain temple in Lahore has led to an uproar in Pakistan, with leader of opposition in Punjab assembly Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid demanding an inquiry into the incident.
Rashid condemned the demolition of the temple while speaking to TOI from Lahore on Thursday, saying: "We condemn the incident. We have demanded an inquiry into the incident as to why the historical Jain temple was demolished and why it couldn't be protected?" Pakistan's Punjab government had demolished the temple on Wednesday for completion of Orange Line Metro Train (OMT) project. Besides the Jain temple, various other buildings, including Maharaja Building and Kapurthala House situated in Jain Mandir Square, were also brought down.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Historic-Jain-temple-demolished-in-Lahore/articleshow/50955160.cms
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Pakistan launched $500m projects for Afghanistan: minister
February 12th, 2016
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday that Pakistan had launched $500 million worth of projects for Afghanistan’s education, health and infrastructure sectors.
He said that 3,000 scholarships had been offered to Afghan students in different universities of Pakistan and 100 Afghan students would study in the Lahore University of Management Sciences.
Talking to an Afghan delegation comprising academicians, lawmakers, students and civil society members here, Mr Iqbal said that Islamabad had desired to forge friendly relations with all its neighbours, including Afghanistan.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1238972/pakistan-launched-500m-projects-for-afghanistan-minister
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South Asia
ISIS loyalists attempting to establish base of operations in Nangarhar
By Khaama Press - Fri Feb 12 2016
The loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and syria (ISIS) terrorist group in Afghanistan are attempting to establish a base operations in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.
Army Brig. Gen. Wilson Shoffner, deputy chief of staff for communications for NATO’s Resolute Support Mission, said the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is operating in four or five remote districts of Nangarhar province.
Full report at: khaama.com/isis-loyalists-attempting-to-establish-base-of-operations-in-nangarhar-0109
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Several killed in Daesh, Taliban clashes in Paktika
By Khaama Press - Thu Feb 11 2016
Several militants have been killed in clashes between the loyalists of the terrorist group of the Islamic State (IS) which is also known by its Arabic name ‘Daesh’ and Taliban in Gomal District of Paktika province.
Local residents said on Thursday that the clashes have been erupting in Khand and Dinarkhil areas since last two days and that around 80 insurgents have been killed so far.
According to them, drone strikes were also carried out during these clashes in which 18 Taliban were killed and two vehicles belonging to the security guards of the group’s shadow governor for Paktika province were destroyed.
Full report at: khaama.com/80-killed-in-daesh-taliban-clash-in-paktika-4568
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US launched 20 airstrikes against ISIS militants in Afghanistan in 3 weeks
By Khaama Press - Fri Feb 12 2016
US drone strike AfghanistanThe United States Forces in Afghanistan have carried out at least 20 airstrikes targeting the loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group in the past three weeks, it has been reported.
The US forces have increased air raids on the loyalists of the terror group after the Obama administration granted new authority last month, allowing the U.S. commanders in Afghanistan launch airstrikes against militants in the same way that the military targets fighters linked to al-Qaida.
The move by the Obama administration followed shortly after the U.S. Department of State designated the Khorasan branch of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as a terrorist organization.
Full report at: khaama.com/us-launched-20-airstrikes-against-isis-militants-in-afghanistan-in-3-weeks-0111
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A-29s to start combat operations with Afghan Air Force from March: Wardak
By Khaama Press - Fri Feb 12 2016
The commander of the Afghan Air Force Major General Abdul Wahab Wardak said Thursday that the A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft will start combat operations with the Afghan Air Force from the month of March.
During a ceremony “Re-birth of the Afghan Air Force” at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Gen. Wardak said the Afghan Air Force is expecting to receive a total of 8 A-29 aircraft until March.
Full report at: khaama.com/a-29s-to-start-combat-operations-with-afghan-air-force-from-march-wardak-0110
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Pakistani minister says projects worth $500 million launched in Afghanistan
By Khaama Press - Fri Feb 12 2016
Pakistan has launched projects worth around $500 million in Afghanistan covering different sectors including education, health and infrastructure, a Pakistani minister said Thursday.
According to the local media reports, citing Ahsan Iqbal, the country’s Minister for Planning, Development and Reform, Pakistan has offered 3,000 scholarships to the Afghan students in different universities.
Iqbal further added that 100 Afghan students would study in the Lahore University of Management Sciences.
Full report at: khaama.com/pakistani-minister-says-projects-worth-500-million-launched-in-afghanistan-0108
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Mausoleum of King Amanullah Khan to be reconstructed
By Zabihullah Moosakhail - Thu Feb 11 2016
The mausoleum of King Amanullah Khan who fought with world’s biggest empire and acquired independence for Afghanistan would be reconstructed in near future.
A delegation of the Ministry of Urban Development Affairs and Housing comprised of Minister Sayed Sadat Mansour Naderi, Deputy Minister for Construction Affairs Amiruddin Salik and other high ranking officials arrived in Jalalabad on Thursday for a technical survey of the mausoleum.
In a meeting with Saleem Khan Kundozi, Governor of Nangarhar province, the delegation said that a budget would be allocated for the project and its reconstruction would begin after the technical survey.
The orders of reconstructing mausoleum of the acquirer of independence for Afghanistan were given by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani during his recent visit to Jalalabad.
Who was King Amanullah Khan?
96 years ago Afghan nation led by King Amanullah Khan upraised and fought with the world’s biggest empire and acquired independence for Afghanistan.
Full report at: www.khaama.com/mausoleum-of-king-amanullah-khan-to-be-reconstructed-4570
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Africa
Nigerian suicide bomber gets cold feet, refuses to kill
AP | Feb 12, 2016
Boko Haram's 6-year-old Islamic insurgency has killed 20,000 people, made 2.5 million homeless and spread across Nigeria's borders.(Representative photo)Boko Haram's 6-year-old Islamic insurgency has killed 20,000 people, made 2.5 million homeless and spread acro... Read More
ABUJA, Nigeria: Strapped with a booby-trapped vest and sent by the extremist Boko Haram group to kill as many people as possible, the young teenage girl tore off the explosives and fled as soon as she was out of sight of her handlers.
Her two companions, however, completed their grisly mission and walked into a crowd of hundreds at Dikwa refugee camp in northeast Nigeria and blew themselves up, killing 58 people.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Nigerian-suicide-bomber-gets-cold-feet-refuses-to-kill/articleshow/50953672.cms
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Europe
New IS video shows 4-yr-old blowing up a car, killing 3
PTI | Feb 12, 2016
LONDON: The Islamic State (IS) terror group has released a new graphic video showing a four-year-old British boy blowing up a car and killing three people, accused of spying in Syria for the West.
The boy is believed to be the son of Muslim convert Grace "Khadija" Dare from south-east London, who fled to Syria in 2012 and married Swedish extremist fighter Abu Bakr, who is believed to have been killed since.
The boy, identified as Isa Dare by his grandfather Henry Dare, had also appeared in another propaganda video by IS a month ago, the Independent reported. In the latest video, the child dressed in IS's trademark camouflage clothing and a black headband, is apparently shown with his hand on the detonator.
The three prisoners, dressed in orange, are then seen tied up in the car before the boy presses the detonator. A masked man with a British accent also threatens PM David Cameron in a speech. Grace Dare was brought up as a Christian but converted to Islam and started using the first name Khadijah before fleeing to Syria in 2012, her family said.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/New-IS-video-shows-4-yr-old-blowing-up-a-car-killing-3/articleshow/50954584.cms
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Nato launches mission to stop smuggling of people
February 12th, 2016
BRUSSELS: Nato launched on Thursday an unprecedented naval mission in the Aegean Sea to tackle people smugglers taking migrants and refugees from the Turkish coast, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
The move follows a request this week by alliance members Germany, Greece and Turkey for assistance in tackling Europe’s biggest migrant crisis since World War II.
Speaking after Nato defence ministers approved the mission, Mr Stoltenberg said the alliance was “now directing the standing maritime group to move into the Aegean without delay and start maritime surveillance activities”.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1238986/nato-launches-mission-to-stop-smuggling-of-people
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Gov. Herbert, Interfaith Roundtable encourages Utah public to attend interfaith events this month
By Alex E. J. Mohammad on February 11, 2016.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable chairman were among a few officials who urged members of the public to be “open to the ideas and beliefs of others” during the kick off of the Interfaith Month at Utah State capitol on Friday.
Gov. Gary R. Herbert address the people attending the blessing of the Interfaith Roundtable on Friday, Feb. 5. (Ari Davis)
Those speaking at the opening event encouraged members of any faith background to attend upcoming events.
“In commemoration of Interfaith Month 2016, the Interfaith Roundtable encourages members of all faiths and belief systems to attend this sacred blessing for peace and understanding among all creation,” according to a press release.
Herbert referenced The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as he explained that meeting at the Capitol to celebrate faith was fitting since Utah was founded on those seeking religious freedom. “It’s a great concept of freedom and liberty we have in this country,” the governor said.
Full report at: universe.byu.edu/2016/02/11/gov-herbert-interfaith-roundtable-encourages-utah-public-to-attend-interfaith-events-this-month/#sthash.3Ga9LTST.dpuf
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North America
The Islamic State Will Survive America’s Military Onslaught: A Report
Feb. 12, 2016
In a new report, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon predicts the ranks of the Islamic State will swell in 2016.
The U.S.-led air coalition in Syria and Iraq has put the Islamic State on the defensive over the past year, helping allies reclaim conquered territory and cutting into the terrorist group’s oil profits with precision strikes on refineries and trucks.
But the ranks of the self-declared Islamic caliphate are likely to expand in the coming year, as veterans of the Middle East wars move on to other countries, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon forecast in a report released Thursday. That has raised concerns about the spread of terrorist attacks and the possible development of crude chemical weapons, the report concluded.
Full report at: foreignpolicy.com/2016/02/11/the-islamic-state-will-survive-americas-military-onslaught/
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ISIS Militants Have Used, Can Make Chemical Weapons: CIA
PTI | Feb 12, 2016, 11.13 AM IST
WASHINGTON: The Islamic State militant group has used chemical weapons and can make small quantities of chlorine and mustard gas, CIA Director John Brennan has said, warning of the possibility that the dreaded outfit could seek to export the weapons for financial gain.
"We have a number of instances where ISIL (ISIS) has used chemical munitions on the battlefield," Brenna told CBS News in an interview, the excerpts of which was released yesterday.
"There are reports that ISIS has access to chemical precursors and ammunitions that they can use," Brennan said in response to a question.
According to the CBS news, CIA believes that ISIS has the ability to manufacture small quantity of chlorine and mustard gas.
Brennan warned of the possibility that the Islamic State group could seek to export the weapons to the West for financial gain.
"I think there is always a potential for that (exporting those chemicals). That is why it is so important to cut off the various transportation routes, the smuggling routes that that have used," he said in response to a question.
Brennan said the US intelligence is actively involved in part of the effort to destroy ISIL and get as much insight into what they have on the ground inside Syria and Iraq.
Early this week, James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, told members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that ISIS has used chemical weapons in Iraq and Syria.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/IS-militants-have-used-can-make-chemical-weapons-CIA/articleshow/50956792.cms
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US says wins Saudi air campaign commitment against IS
Feb 12, 2016
BRUSSELS: United States (US) Defence Secretary Ash Carter, who has been under pressure to shore up support from Arab allies to fight the militant Islamic State (IS) group, on Thursday welcomed a commitment from Saudi Arabia to expand its role in air strikes against the militants.
At a gathering of more than two dozen defence ministers at Nato headquarters, Saudi Arabia, which has quietly resumed its participation in air strikes in the past few weeks, also renewed the possibility of sending forces into Syria.
"Saudi Arabia's defence minister ... indicated that the Kingdom is reinvigorating its commitment to the coalition air campaign, which is very welcome news, and contributing in other critical ways on the ground," Carter said after the talks in Brussels.
Carter, broadly praising contributions from allies, said the US-led war against IS would be won despite former Cold War foe Russia's role in the civil war in Syria on the side of President Bashar al-Assad's government.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1239041/us-says-wins-saudi-air-campaign-commitment-against-is
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NYC Children’s Museum Celebrates Muslim Diversity
February 11, 2016
Imagine a place where children can steer a dhow boat across the Indian Ocean, sell Egyptian spices and Moroccan rugs, hop on a camel and embark across the Sahara. “America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far” is a groundbreaking interactive museum exhibit in the heart of New York City that lets kids do just that: explore the A-to-Z of Muslim cultures.
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM), established in 1973, is a hands-on cultural destination for families committed to nurturing “the next generation of global citizens.”
CMOM’s executive director, Andrew Ackerman, says the addition of the Muslim cultures exhibit allows families an opportunity to discuss unity and diversity within the same tradition — a factor he says is crucial for developing young minds.
“Those attitudes really form very early in life,” Ackerman said. “So part of our role as a children’s museum is to open their minds and experiences with very positive images about people from different lifestyles and different parts of the world, so that negative stereotypes don’t take root.”
Full report at: voanews.com/content/new-york-children-musem-celebrates-muslim-diversity/3187843.html
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Florida Muslims Challenge 'Islamophobic' Rhetoric at the State Capitol
By KATE PAYNE • 12 Feb. 2016
Hundreds of Muslims gathered in the Florida Capitol Thursday, to lobby and engage in the political process. The event is part of an annual Muslim day of advocacy, but this year is different: it’ s an election year.
During the legislative session, citizens and groups from across the state come to the Florida capitol to lobby their lawmakers and make their voices heard. Usually those groups don’t have to hire a cop to protect them as they walk the halls. Thursday was Florida Muslim Capitol Day, an annual day of advocacy for Muslims from across the state. Here’s Ghazala Salam giving the group the safety spiel.
Full report at: news.wfsu.org/post/florida-muslims-challenge-islamophobic-rhetoric-state-capitol
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Minnesota man pleads guilty in Islamic State case
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man accused of plotting to join the Islamic State group pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to the militant organization, saying he was attracted to the idea of fighting overseas to create an Islamic caliphate.
Abdirizak Mohamed Warsame, 20, admitted in U.S. District Court that he learned about Islam from videos on YouTube and listening to lectures, including those of Anwar al-Alwaki, an American who joined al-Qaida and was killed in 2011. He said he knew members of the Islamic State group had carried out killings, but he felt it was his duty to fight and help Muslims who were being oppressed.
"At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do and it was justified ... by Islam," Warsame said.
Full report at: news.yahoo.com/minnesota-man-plead-guilty-islamic-state-case-063412201.html
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Canada’s defence minister reluctant to call conflict with Islamic State a war
Feb. 11, 2016
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says Canada is not currently at war, but is involved instead in “a conflict that has high risk” with the so-called Islamic State.
Mr. Sajjan made the comments in an interview with The Globe and Mail on the sidelines of a meeting of the 49 countries involved in the U.S.-led campaign to crush the self-declared caliphate. At the summit, where it was earlier announced a Canadian warship will be one of three sent to the Aegean Sea to gather intelligence on deadly human-smuggling rings, U.S. Defence Secretary Ashton Carter asked coalition members to contribute more to what he said must be an “accelerated” effort to destroy the extremist organization’s base in Syria and Iraq.
Full report at: theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canadas-defence-minister-reluctant-to-call-conflict-with-islamic-state-a-war/article28738387/
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New Scandal for US: Republicans Asked Tehran to Keep US Prisoners in Jail Until Presidential Elections
February 12th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran's top security official Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani disclosed on Thursday that the US Republicans had demanded Tehran to suspend the January prisoners' swap deal with Washington until the presidential elections in the US.
"The US Republicans sent a message to Tehran, demanding us not to release the American spies until the presidential race starts in the US," Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Thursday.
“However, we did release the US prisoners in an independent decision,” he continued.
Shamkhani, who was addressing a Thursday rally in the city of Yazd to mark the 37th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, went on to state, “During the prisoner swap talks, we showed that we will never be affected by domestic or foreign pressures. The decision to release the American prisoners was made on humanitarian grounds and after being approached by their families. Ultimately, the decision was made based on our national security interests as well as the fact that our own people were being held in US prisons.”
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941122000872
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia: Muslim minority group faces 'harassment and intimidation'
11 February 2016
An Ahmadiyah mosque was closed in Subang, West Java, last month amid a rising tide of harassment against the group.
A minority Muslim group has been banned from holding religious activities and had its mosque closed in Indonesia in the latest crackdown by district officials.
The Ahmadiyah religious community in Subang, a town in West Java province, is being harassed and intimidated by local authorities, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today.
A letter was issued by four Muslim clerics and a number of police, military and religious officials on January 29, banning all Ahmadiyah activities in central Subang. The community's mosque was later closed, leading HRW to call on the Indonesian government to intervene.
Full report at: christiantoday.com/article/indonesia.muslim.minority.group.faces.harassment.and.intimidation/79377.htm
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Islamic influence creeping into Malaysia's mission schools
February 11, 2016
Looking for the right school for your child in Malaysia? Mission schools remain the first choice.
Their reputation as centers of excellence and learning remains intact and they continue to draw students from all communities, much to the government's chagrin.
The reasons for this are varied but central is the belief that they stand for discipline and are a safe zone for non-Muslims in a country that is rapidly Islamizing.
But this view of such schools as a sanctuary for non-Muslims may be a mirage.
There are three types of public schools in the country: government, government-aided and private schools. The majority of mission schools are government-aided. Their staff are appointed and paid by the government. The churches retain ownership of the property and look after its administration through a board of governors.
Full report at: ucanews.com/news/islamic-influence-creeping-into-malaysias-mission-schools/75176
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India
India, UAE ink 7 pacts but fail to seal deal on civil nuclear energy
TNN | Feb 12, 2016
NEW DELHI: India and UAE on Thursday signed seven agreements spanning cyber security, infrastructure investment, renewable energy and space cooperation as Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice met the visiting Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two had a tete-a-tete in the morning which was followed up later with delegation-level talks.
Two more agreements, including one on currency swap, are expected to be signed on Friday in Mumbai, said MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup.
Official sources said Modi and Al Nahyan discussed ways to increase the annual trade volume by over 60% in the next 5 years. The two countries couldn't conclude an agreement for civil nuclear energy cooperation though. UAE had earlier said that it was looking forward to signing that agreement during the visit.
"Cooperation in the oil sector, food security, UAE's contribution to our strategic oil reserves, maritime security and terrorism as a common threat were some of the other issues discussed by the two leaders," said an official.
The crown prince also praised the role of the Indian community in the development of UAE.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-UAE-ink-7-pacts-but-fail-to-seal-deal-on-civil-nuclear-energy/articleshow/50953505.cms
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6 fidayeen behind Pathankot attack: NSG chief
TNN | Feb 12, 2016
NEW DELHI: National Security Guard (NSG) chief RC Tayal on Thursday said there were six fidayeen behind the Pathankot attack as two terrorists, armed with weapons and explosives, could be heard conversing through a wall radar placed outside the airmen's barrack, after four others had been neutralised.
"According to us, there were four plus two (terrorists). But it is for NIA to investigate and come up with factual details," the NSG director general told reporters here on the sidelines of an international seminar on the menace of improvised explosive devices.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/6-fidayeen-behind-Pathankot-attack-NSG-chief/articleshow/50953378.cms
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Headley says ISI, LeT wanted to target Mumbai airport, Naval station
PTI | Feb 12, 2016
MUMBAI: Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley on Friday told a court here that ISI and LeT wanted to target Mumbai airport and Naval air station during the 26/11 terror attack, and that he had videographed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and was asked to recruit someone from there to work with the Pakistani spy agency.
Testifying via video-link from the US, he also told the court he was interested in developing close relations with a Shiv Sena member as he thought that LeT would be interested in future to either attack Sena Bhawan or assassinate its head.
"Major Iqbal expressed disapproval of certain areas I had recced as targets. I felt that Major Iqbal was unhappy because Mumbai airport was not selected and included as one of the targets for the 26/11 attack," Headley said.
In another major revelation, Headley said he had videographed BARC at Trombay in Mumbai in July 2008 and that LeT had asked him to recruit some employee of BARC who would work for ISI.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Headley-says-ISI-LeT-wanted-to-target-Mumbai-airport-Naval-station/articleshow/50957042.cms
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Islamic Banking: A Necessary Step Towards The Financial Inclusion Of Indian Muslims
12 February 2016
In a report released last December by the committee on the medium-term path for financial inclusion, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) broached the concept of "Islamic banking", which refers to the provision of interest-free products to achieve the targets of wider financial inclusion. The report of the RBI committee, headed by Deepak Mohanty, strongly recommends that commercial banks in India be enabled to open specialised interest-free windows, describing them thus:
Full report at: prpan.com/news/9726/islamic-banking-a-necessary-step-towards-the-financial-inclusion-of-indian-muslims
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Mideast
Turkey’s Internet watchdog blocks access to website broadcasting Gülen’s speeches
February 11, 2016
Turkey's state-controlled Internet watchdog, the Telecommunications Directorate (TİB), has blocked access to herkul.org, a website that regularly broadcasts speeches by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.
Turkish users could not access the website on Thursday but met with a notification saying TİB imposed a “protection measure” for the website based on a decision taken by the İstanbul 7th Penal Court of Peace on Thursday.
The website's editor, Osman Şimşek, condemned the ban on Twitter. “Access to our herkul.org website was blocked by a court decision. Now it will not be able to build bridges among our hearts… God is generous!” he tweeted.
Full report at: todayszaman.com/national_turkeys-internet-watchdog-blocks-access-to-website-broadcasting-gulens-speeches_412090.html
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Erdogan threatens to send refugees to EU as NATO steps in
February 12, 2016
ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday threatened to send the millions of refugees in Turkey to EU member states, as NATO pledged to deploy ships to the Aegean Sea to ease the migrant crisis.
Erdogan stepped up his denunciations of Western policy on migrants in a speech in Ankara, confirming he had threatened EU leaders at a summit meeting in November that Turkey could say “goodbye” to the refugees.
Alarm is growing in EU capitals that thousands of migrants are still crossing the Aegean daily from Turkey after over a million made the perilous journey last year.
NATO has agreed to send a naval group to the Aegean to crack down on people-smugglers feeding the influx of migrants, while Greece is considering sending anyone picked up in the waters back to Turkey.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1239043/erdogan-threatens-to-send-refugees-to-eu-as-nato-steps-in
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Erdoğan says patience running out in Syria, Turkey could take action
February 11, 2016
Turkey's patience may run out over the crisis in Syria and it could be forced to take action, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday, calling on the United Nations to do more to prevent what he said was "ethnic cleansing" in the country.
He also repeated his call for the establishment of a no-fly zone in Syria, a framework that is opposed by Russia.
Erdoğan accused the UN of insincerity in calling on Turkey to do more to help Syrian refugees instead of taking action to prevent the bloodshed in its southern neighbor.
Russian war planes have been bombing around the Syrian city of Aleppo in support of a Syrian government offensive to recapture the city, sending tens of thousands of people fleeing to the Turkish border.
Full report at: todayszaman.com/diplomacy_erdogan-says-patience-running-out-in-syria-turkey-could-take-action_412040.html
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Former FM: Turkey may lose territory if it intervenes militarily in Syria
February 12, 2016
Former Foreign Minister Yaşar Yakış has warned that Turkey may risk losing a portion of its own territory should it decide to intervene militarily in Syria amid an intensified military campaign by regime forces backed by Russia.
In an interview with Today's Zaman, Yakış stated that Turkey may look to occupy the region between Azaz and Jarablus in Syria, which is known as the “Mare Line,” to protect rebels from the opposition but warned that Turkey may very well lose the Hatay province from its territory if things do not pan out the way Ankara expects.
“The world would not accept such interference [by Turkey's military in Syria]. It would not allow the border to be redrawn unilaterally. What's more, if the Turkish military faced defeat, Syria might reintroduce the claim that Hatay belongs to Syria,” he explained.
Syria has never approved of the annexation of Hatay by Turkey in 1939, a year after the province declared its independence from Syria and later decided to join Turkey. But Damascus has not pushed the issue forward with any force so as not to harm ties.
Full report at: todayszaman.com/national_former-fm-turkey-may-lose-territory-if-it-intervenes-militarily-in-syria_412084.html
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Erdoğan: Turkey may open gates to send migrants away
February 11, 2016
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has confirmed the content of a leaked conversation between him and top European leaders back in November, and appeared to reiterate his threat to allow migrants to leave Turkey by opening bordergates at a time of continent-wide efforts to curb the heavy flow of migrants from Turkey to Greece.
Full report at: todayszaman.com/diplomacy_erdogan-turkey-may-open-gates-to-send-migrants-away_412028.html
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EU’s 2016 Turkey report will mention jailed journalists Dündar and Gül
February 11, 2016
The EUropean Union's 2016 progress report on Turkey, which will be released on Feb. 15, will include criticism of the Turkish government over the imprisonment of the Cumhuriyet daily editors Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, Cumhuriyet claimed on Thursday.
The report will mention the authoritarian tendencies of the government in Turkey and the declining freedom of the press and issue warnings to the Turkish government on these matters, according to the Turkish daily.
Full report at: todayszaman.com/national_eus-2016-turkey-report-will-mention-jailed-journalists-dundar-and-gul_412083.html
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Davutoğlu says Turkey spent up to $35 billion on Syrians
February 11, 2016
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said Turkey has spent up to $35 billion to host Syrian refugees in Turkey, including those who live outside of camps set up by the country.
Turkey has spent at least $20-25 billion for those who live outside of the camps, Davutoğlu said -- the first time a Turkish official has put a figure on it -- as he addressed representatives of the Turkish community in the Netherlands late on Wednesday.
The Turkish prime minister said the country has also spent $10 billion so far on hosting the Syrians in camps in various cities in Turkey.
Full report at: todayszaman.com/diplomacy_davutoglu-says-turkey-spent-up-to-35-billion-on-syrians_412050.html
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Official: Turkey-Israel talks to restore ties going well, no deal yet
February 11, 2016
Talks between Turkey and Israel to mend relations are going well but a deal has not yet been reached in efforts to improve relations and increase energy cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean, a spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said.
Full report at: todayszaman.com/diplomacy_official-turkey-israel-talks-to-restore-ties-going-well-no-deal-yet_412042.html
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