Search Result in All

Christians in Syria are criticizing Western media outlets for ignoring atrocities carried out by Takfiri terrorist groups against their community. A new report by the news service of the Pontifical Mission Societies highlights the massacre of 45 Christians in the village of Sadad near Damascus. The killing has been the biggest massacre of Christians in the Syrian conflict which began two-and-a-half years ago. The report blames the foreign-backed Takfiri militants for the massacre while criticizing the U-S government and its mainstream media for remaining silent. Christians say they are fleeing their homes as the persecution is worsening in insurgent-held territories in the north. They say kidnapping, rape and executions of Christians are being carried out by Takfiri militants and those affiliated with the Western-backed Free Syrian Army.

Iran welcomes a UN Security Council resolution which calls for greater cooperation against kidnappings by terrorist groups. Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham has said that the resolution is only a first step toward ending terrorism and that a collective effort by all countries is needed to achieve that. She warned against employing double standards in implementing the UN resolution. Afkham said that if the world fails to deal with terrorism properly and allows a discriminatory approach, all attempts would fail and more countries would fall victim to violence. Afkham said that Iran is ready to take practical steps at the regional and international levels to help tackle terrorism. The UN resolution strongly condemns incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorists and calls on all countries to stop paying ransom to kidnappers who use the money to finance terrorist groups.

Iran welcomes a UN Security Council resolution which calls for greater cooperation against kidnappings by terrorist groups. Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham has said that the resolution is only a first step toward ending terrorism and that a collective effort by all countries is needed to achieve that. She warned against employing double standards in implementing the UN resolution. Afkham said that if the world fails to deal with terrorism properly and allows a discriminatory approach, all attempts would fail and more countries would fall victim to violence. Afkham said that Iran is ready to take practical steps at the regional and international levels to help tackle terrorism. The UN resolution strongly condemns incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorists and calls on all countries to stop paying ransom to kidnappers who use the money to finance terrorist groups.

Iran welcomes a UN Security Council resolution which calls for greater cooperation against kidnappings by terrorist groups. Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham has said that the resolution is only a first step toward ending terrorism and that a collective effort by all countries is needed to achieve that. She warned against employing double standards in implementing the UN resolution. Afkham said that if the world fails to deal with terrorism properly and allows a discriminatory approach, all attempts would fail and more countries would fall victim to violence. Afkham said that Iran is ready to take practical steps at the regional and international levels to help tackle terrorism. The UN resolution strongly condemns incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorists and calls on all countries to stop paying ransom to kidnappers who use the money to finance terrorist groups.

To Pakistan now, where at least four people are killed in a car bombing in the provincial capital of Balochistan. Quetta city\'s deputy inspector general says an explosives-laden car was blown up in one of the busiest areas. The powerful blast rocked the whole area, smashing windows of buildings and shops nearby. No person or group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Quetta has been plagued by sectarian violence, targeted killings, kidnappings and militant attacks. Militants there, have long demanded more autonomy and a greater share of Balochistan\'s natural resources. Militant groups have seemingly operated with impunity as security forces are said to have turned a blind eye to their attacks and kidnappings.

In Pakistan, at least four people are killed in a car bombing in the provincial capital of Balochistan. Quetta city\'s deputy inspector general says an explosives-laden car was blown up in one of the busiest areas. The powerful blast rocked the whole area, smashing windows of buildings and shops nearby. No person or group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Quetta has been plagued by sectarian violence, targeted killings, kidnappings and militant attacks. Militants there, have long demanded more autonomy and a greater share of Balochistan\'s natural resources. Militant groups have seemingly operated with impunity as security forces are said to have turned a blind eye to their attacks and kidnappings.

A heartbreaking documentary by filmmaker and journalist Ziad Zafar on the disappeared people in Pakistan. Timely and to the point. Points to the two major factors that determine Pakistani politics - the American geo-strategic interests and the politico-economic interests of the military establishment. Important to note that religious extremism and sectarianism in Pakistan have always been the function of these two factors. The American selfish interests in the region and the failure of political process since the establishment of Pakistan are the real causes behind religious extremism. Busharrafs war on terror is failing. This war is itself a form of and a cause of growing terrorism in the region. Those individuals involved in militant organizations and terrorist activities should be brought to justice. But it should be done through given constitutional and criminal procedures instead of extra-judicial kidnappings and killings. Because illegitimate and unpopular power has its own logic. It does not distinguish between one type of body from the other - one type of citizen from another - militant or otherwise - when it comes to the question of preserving itself. The history of dictatorships in Pakistan - military or democratic - provide plenty of examples where in the name of National Integrity Development Islamization and more recently Curbing Islamic Extremism and War on Terror the state has suppressed dissent liberties and freedom of its citizens. Notice the list of missing people at the end of the documentary. Recognize the backgrounds of people through their names. Are they only what the Pakistani state likes to call the Islamic Militants. Or the list also includes the Baloch the Muhajir the Pashtoon the Sunni the Shia the Liberal the Human Rights Activist and the Journalist.

Foreign-backed insurgents in Syria are increasingly using kidnapping as a means to fund their activities in the northern city of Aleppo. Militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have been named as the main culprits in insurgent-controlled areas. A London-based opposition group says that 80-percent of kidnappings target activists and journalists. Only this week, two Swedish journalists were abducted by insurgents. The missing are a combination of foreign and Syrian journalists. 30 journalists are currently being held and 52 have been killed in the country since early 2011.

Latest media reports from Syria say insurgents fighting against the government plan to use a group of nuns kidnapped from their convent in the town of Ma\'loula as human shields. The 12 Syrian and Lebanese nuns were kidnapped from a Greek Orthodox convent after the notorious al-Nusra Front militants took over parts of the Christian town. The nuns were then taken to Yabrud - a town under insurgent control north of Damascus. This, as Syrian forces have been deployed to the historic town to restore security there. The militants took over the town on Monday after rolling explosive-filled tires down the hills onto government forces, following three days of intense fighting. The kidnappings have drawn condemnation from the Vatican. Iran has also slammed the assault on the Christian religious site and called for the immediate release of the nuns. It\'s also urged the international community to take immediate action to prevent such criminal acts from taking place in the future.

The Syrian army continues mop-up operations against foreign-backed insurgents on the outskirts of the capital Damascus. Syrian troops have taken over key areas in the suburbs of the city of Adra near Damascus. A large number of militants have been killed during the operation. Adra has been the scene of atrocities against local residents after it was seized by the militants. The insurgents have committed a series of kidnappings and executions, especially targeting religious minority groups in the city over the past few days.

This is the main entrance of Pakistan\'s federal Parliament. The families of the missing citizens blocked the main gate to protest against the controversial presidential decree to provide blanket immunity to the military and intelligence agencies for all the past kidnappings of thousands of citizens. The illegal handing over of citizens to the US has also been legalized under the cover of so-called war on terror. Under this controversial decree, the security agencies can now arrest any one for a long period of time--- something Pakistani intelligence agencies have been doing illegally since 9/11.

[23 July 2014] The UN envoy in Iraq accuses ISIL Takfiri terrorists of murder - English

Center Stage - Syria Rebel Infighting - English \\\"Syria Rebel Infighting\\\" Competing rebel factions in Syria are increasingly attacking each other in a series of killings, kidnappings and beheadings. Syria rebel infighting has intensified a lot over the last couple of days. To discuss more about Syria crisis we invited two political analysts, Dr. Mohammad Hassan Khani and Dr. Houchang Hassan Yari.