[31 Oct 2013] Islamabad says only 3% of US drone strike victims were...
A new report by the Pakistani government has put the civilian death toll caused by US assassination drones at a surprisingly lower figure than...
A new report by the Pakistani government has put the civilian death toll caused by US assassination drones at a surprisingly lower figure than previous estimates by government and independent organizations.
Pakistan\'s Defense Ministry announced that only 3 percent of people killed by drones since 2008 were civilians. According to the ministry, the US has conducted about 320 drone strikes during that period, killing over 21 hundred militants and 67 civilians. The figure has sparked criticism from public opinion and groups that have been investigating the assassination drones. The Pakistani government regularly criticizes the drone program in public, even though it is reported to have secretly supported at least some of the strikes in the past.
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[31 Oct 2013] Yemeni soldiers killed as gunmen attack Abyan security...
At least eight Yemeni soldiers have been killed in an attack in the country\'s south.
Local sources say gunmen attacked a security checkpoint in...
At least eight Yemeni soldiers have been killed in an attack in the country\'s south.
Local sources say gunmen attacked a security checkpoint in the province of Abyan. Several others were injured in the incident. Abyan has been witnessing an increasing number of Al-Qaeda attacks in the past weeks. The violence has mainly targeted Yemeni army facilities. The militants say their attacks are in response to US drone strikes in the country. The group says it wants to discourage the government from cooperating with Washington.
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[31 Oct 2013] Pakistan will cooperate with Iran on border guards killing...
Islamabad says it is cooperating with Tehran to hunt down the terrorists who killed over a dozen Iranian security guards at the two countries\'...
Islamabad says it is cooperating with Tehran to hunt down the terrorists who killed over a dozen Iranian security guards at the two countries\' shared border. The position was expressed by Pakistan\'s foreign ministry spokesman in an exclusive interview with Press TV.
On Friday, a group of militants killed 14 Iranian border guards in the city of Saravan in Iran\'s Sistan-Baluchestan province. The assailants had infiltrated into Iran from Pakistan and fled to the other side of the border following the attack. Iran has demanded that Pakistan extradite the terrorists who carried out the attack.
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[04 Nov 2013] Saudi Arabian FM accuses Iran of intervention in Syria -...
Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of military intervention in Syria.
Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal says Iran has deployed troops to Syria...
Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of military intervention in Syria.
Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal says Iran has deployed troops to Syria and that the country\'s under occupation. Faisal was speaking at a joint news briefing with US secretary of state John Kerry in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has been the main supplier of weapons and funds to the insurgents fighting the Syrian government. The weapons which include Israeli missiles are purchased on the black market. Last week, French newspaper Le Figaro reported that Saudi Arabia\'s intelligence chief is the real mastermind behind the insurgency in Syria and leads the militants from a command center in neighboring Jordan. In his absence, Le Figaro says, a CIA officer leads the militancy.
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[04 Nov 2013] Pakistan premier denounces deadly US drone attacks - English
Pakistan\'s prime minister says US drone attacks violate his country\'s sovereignty, international laws and Islamabad\'s efforts to bring peace and...
Pakistan\'s prime minister says US drone attacks violate his country\'s sovereignty, international laws and Islamabad\'s efforts to bring peace and stability to the region.
In his first public comments since the US killing of a pro-Taliban leader, Nawaz Sharif warned that peace can not be achieved by unleashing quote senseless force. He made the remarks ahead of a cabinet meeting to deliberate an appropriate response to the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud. Friday\'s deadly drone strike happened as Islamabad was working to hold peace talks with pro-Taliban militants in Pakistan. There are now fears that his killing could jeopardize the talks.
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[06 Nov 2013] The Debate - Seeking Syria Solution - English
The US and Russia have come to the conclusion that there is no military solution to Syria\'s crisis and all efforts must be focused on a political...
The US and Russia have come to the conclusion that there is no military solution to Syria\'s crisis and all efforts must be focused on a political roadmap. Some US allies notably Saudi Arabia still insist President Bashar al Assad\'s government should be toppled militarily. Delayed for months, the Geneva Two peace conference aims to resolve the crisis through dialog between the Syrian government and a yet undecided opposition that includes al Qaeda-affiliated militants bent on continuing a deadly terrorist campaign. So how near is a political solution?
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[06 Nov 2013] Riyadh urged to halt policy of terrorism against Syria And...
The Syrian information minister says Saudi Arabia is responsible for death and destruction throughout the Muslim world today -- including in Syria....
The Syrian information minister says Saudi Arabia is responsible for death and destruction throughout the Muslim world today -- including in Syria. Omran al-Zoubi made the remarks in a television interview, in which he advised Riyadh to halt its policy of terrorism against Syria and other regional countries, such as Iraq, Lebanon, and Algeria. He had particularly scathing criticism of the Saudi foreign minister, saying Saud al-Faisal has always driven Saudi policy toward failure. The comments came after a meeting between Faisal and his U-S counterpart, John Kerry. During the meeting on Monday, the Saudi official reportedly lamented the international community\'s inaction on the Syrian crisis, particularly the U-S decision not to intervene militarily. Syria has long accused Saudi Arabia of being one of the main regional patrons of the foreign-backed militants, which provides military and financial support to them.
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[17 Nov 2013] Syrian refugees pour into Lebanon over two days as...
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that around one thousand families have fled from a battle in central Syria to the...
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that around one thousand families have fled from a battle in central Syria to the Lebanese border town of Arsal.
The UNHCR says the families were forced to walk more than 30 kilometers to reach safety. The refugees have reportedly fled from the strategic al-Qalamoun area in the north-east of Damascus. The Syrian army is fighting militants there to cut supply lines to insurgent-held areas near Damascus. Activists say fighting has intensified in the mountainous region. Lebanese officials say around 1-point-4 million Syrians have taken refuge in their country so far.
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[18 Nov 2013] Troops deployed in Tripoli after militias ordered to leave...
Troops have been deployed in Libya\'s violence-hit capital following deadly weekend clashes sparked by militias.
The deployment comes after...
Troops have been deployed in Libya\'s violence-hit capital following deadly weekend clashes sparked by militias.
The deployment comes after community leaders and officials urged the withdrawal of all militias from the capital within 72 hours. On Friday, gunmen fired at demonstrators protesting against militias, triggering clashes between rival militants. At least 43 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded in the violence. Meanwhile in another development, the Libyan deputy intelligence chief has been freed by his abductors a day after he was seized near Tripoli airport. Libya has been gripped by lawlessness following the 2011 uprising against the rule of Muammar Ghaddafi. Ever since, myriad militia groups have been carving out their own territories across the vast mostly-desert country.
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[19 Nov 2013] Exclusive : Syrian soldiers have secured the al-Dweireneh...
The Syrian army forces are pushing ahead with their mop-up operations in the country\'s northwest.
Syrian soldiers have secured the al-Dweireneh...
The Syrian army forces are pushing ahead with their mop-up operations in the country\'s northwest.
Syrian soldiers have secured the al-Dweireneh town, east of the al-Nayrab airport in Aleppo. This is the latest in a series of army advances across the country over the recent weeks. On Tuesday, army units regained full control of the Qara town in the strategic al-Qalamoun area in the countryside of the capital Damascus. They also freed a number of towns there. The Qalamoun region is used by militants to cross into Syria from Lebanon.
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[19 Nov 2013] Casualties as US drone attack hits eastern Yemen - English
Reports from Yemen say casualties are caused in yet another U-S assassination drone strike in an eastern province.
The airstrike targeted a...
Reports from Yemen say casualties are caused in yet another U-S assassination drone strike in an eastern province.
The airstrike targeted a pickup truck in Hadra-maut province, where three people were killed. No further details are available at the moment, but we\'ll keep you updated as we get them. It is the latest drone attacks that the U-S has been launching in Yemen over the past years. Washington is also carrying out its drone campaign in several other Muslim countries including Pakistan and Afghanistan. The U-S claims that the drone attacks are part of its so-called war on terror, and that they target militants. However, facts on the ground show that civilians often take the brunt.
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[20 Nov 2013] Two fresh US strikes kill at least seven civilians in...
A woman was among the dead in the attacks in Nuristan province. Two other civilians including a child were also injured. Officials say the victims...
A woman was among the dead in the attacks in Nuristan province. Two other civilians including a child were also injured. Officials say the victims had no links to militants. Earlier in the day, a U-S drone strike killed two people in eastern Kunar province. Police say those killed were Taliban members. However in many other similar cases, civilians were found to be the main victims. Civilian killings at the hands of foreign forces have been a source of friction between Kabul and Washington since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
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[20 Nov 2013] Tunisia security forces warn of terror threats - English
The Southern border region between Tunisia and Libya is a closed military zone where the army is fighting against terrorists who were responsible...
The Southern border region between Tunisia and Libya is a closed military zone where the army is fighting against terrorists who were responsible for dozens of attacks which killed more than 20 soldiers and policemen since July 2013. The Unions of Police forces have declared that the armed militants joined training camps in Libya and have been fighting with foreign backed-insurgents in Syria
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[21 Nov 2013] Pakistan condemns US strike in Khybar Pakhtunkhwa province...
Pakistani officials have strongly condemned a deadly US drone attack in the country\'s north-west.
Pakistan\'s Foreign Ministry said in a...
Pakistani officials have strongly condemned a deadly US drone attack in the country\'s north-west.
Pakistan\'s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that such attacks are a violation of the country\'s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also said the airstrikes have negative impacts on Islamabad\'s efforts to bring peace to the country. The statement was issued after a US drone attack on a seminary killed at least six people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The US carries out assassination drone strikes in several Muslim countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia. It claims they target militants but many civilians have lost their lives so far in the air raids.
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[21 Nov 2013] France warns Central African Republic on - English
France has warned that the Central African Republic is on the verge of genocide. This comes as the U-N is considering sending African and French...
France has warned that the Central African Republic is on the verge of genocide. This comes as the U-N is considering sending African and French forces to intervene in the strife-torn country.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has described the situation in France\'s former colony as total disorder. The Central Africa Republic has faced growing chaos since a coalition of rebels staged a coup in March, forcing president Francois Bozize to flee. Last year, France invaded Mali under the pretext of stopping what it called al-Qaeda-linked militants in the country. The invasion has caused a serious humanitarian crisis in the country, displacing thousands of people.
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[24 Nov 2013] Taliban condemn pact of slavery endorsement by Afghan Loya...
The Taliban are angry at Afghanistan\'s assembly of elders, or Loya Jirga after it endorsed a security deal with the US. In a statement, the...
The Taliban are angry at Afghanistan\'s assembly of elders, or Loya Jirga after it endorsed a security deal with the US. In a statement, the militants condemned the deal as a QUOTE- pact of slavery. The statement also said the deal would benefit neither side. The deal now has to go to the Afghan parliament for approval. The Bilateral Security Agreement, or B-S-A allows the US troops to stay in Afghanistan after NATO pulls out in 2014. Afghan president Hamid Karzai has said the deal won\'t be signed until after the 2014 election. The US has urged Karzai to sign the pact as soon as possible- a demand rejected by the Afghan president.
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[26 Nov 2013] Syria: At least 15 people have been killed in a car bomb...
Syrians are witnessing yet another deadly day. At least 15 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in the capital.
Nine of those killed in...
Syrians are witnessing yet another deadly day. At least 15 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in the capital.
Nine of those killed in the explosion have been civilians while the others are reported to be Syrian army forces. Over 30 people have also been injured. Local media say the blast took place when a bomber detonated a car packed with explosives in front of a bus stop in the Sumariyah district. The area in western Damascus is home to a complex-- housing families of soldiers fighting against foreign backed insurgents. Syria has seen a rise in such attacks since government forces escalated their mop-up operations to clear more areas of the foreign-backed militants.
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[26 Nov 2013] At least 15 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in...
Syrians are witnessing yet another deadly day. At least 15 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in the capital.
Nine of those killed in...
Syrians are witnessing yet another deadly day. At least 15 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in the capital.
Nine of those killed in the explosion have been civilians while the others are reported to be Syrian army forces. Over 30 people have also been injured. Local media say the blast took place when a bomber detonated a car packed with explosives in front of a bus stop in the Sumariyah district. The area in western Damascus is home to a complex-- housing families of soldiers fighting against foreign backed insurgents. Syria has seen a rise in such attacks since government forces escalated their mop-up operations to clear more areas of the foreign-backed militants.
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[26 Nov 2013] Yemeni Shia mourners attend funeral procession of Houthi...
In Yemen, tens of thousands of Shia mourners have attended the funeral procession of Houthi lawmaker Abel Kareem Jadban in Sana\'a. Jadban\'s body...
In Yemen, tens of thousands of Shia mourners have attended the funeral procession of Houthi lawmaker Abel Kareem Jadban in Sana\'a. Jadban\'s body was carried by his Houthi supporters to the capital\'s airport and flown to the northern province of Sa\'da for burial. Jadban was a prominent Houthi lawmaker and the leading politician representing the Shia Houthi community in the national dialog, currently underway in the Arab country. He was gunned down by armed men on a motorbike as he was coming out of a mosque last Friday. The assassination came just weeks after deadly clashes between Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed Salafi militants in the northern town of Damaj.
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[27 Nov 2013] Pakistan anti-drone protesters block NATO supply route -...
These are activists from Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf or Justice Party which is now governing the country\'s northwestern province bordering with...
These are activists from Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf or Justice Party which is now governing the country\'s northwestern province bordering with Afghanistan. For several days, the provincial government has blocked land routes for trucks carrying war supplies for US-led foreign forces in Afghanistan.
The provincial government has avoided using police force to block the supply lines in order to prevent legal action because defense and foreign policies are the exclusive domains of the federal government.
Legally speaking the federal government in Islamabad can dismiss the provincial government in northwestern region for overstepping its authority to block the NATO supply line. But given the fact that the anti-US sentiment is rising alarmingly, the federal government is hard pressed to decide on a clear policy action that goes beyond routinely condemning U-S drone attacks.
The country\'s Interior Minister Chaudhar Nisar Khan says that it is time for Pakistan to choose between US economic assistance or self respect. The federal government is engaged in consultation process with major political parties to evolve consensus on how to bring an end to the US drone attacks that has effectively derailed the peace process with the pro-Taliban militants.
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[27 Nov 2013] The foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey have called for a...
The foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey have called for a ceasefire in Syria before the upcoming peace talks in Geneva.
The statement came in a...
The foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey have called for a ceasefire in Syria before the upcoming peace talks in Geneva.
The statement came in a joint news conference between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in Tehran. The two sides added that foreign-backed militants must leave Syria, and refugees should be allowed to return home. Davutoglu said foreign intervention in Syria is not constructive, and that Iran should take part in the upcoming Geneva-two peace conference.
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[27 Nov 2013] Iran and Turkey call for a ceasefire in Syria before the...
The foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey have called for a ceasefire in Syria before the upcoming peace talks in Geneva.
The statement came in a...
The foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey have called for a ceasefire in Syria before the upcoming peace talks in Geneva.
The statement came in a joint news conference between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in Tehran. The two sides added that foreign-backed militants must leave Syria, and refugees should be allowed to return home. Davutoglu said foreign intervention in Syria is not constructive, and that Iran should take part in the upcoming Geneva-two peace conference.
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[30 Nov 2013] US Drone goes down in eastern Afghanistan - English
A US unmanned aerial vehicle has crashed in eastern Afghanistan.
The drone went down in Chaparhar-- a district in the center of Nangarhar...
A US unmanned aerial vehicle has crashed in eastern Afghanistan.
The drone went down in Chaparhar-- a district in the center of Nangarhar province on Friday. A local official says the plane crashed because of technical problems. But the Taliban militants claim they shot it down. No casualties have been reported. Following the crash, American forces arrived at the site and took away the wreckage of the drone.
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[30 Nov 2013] Foreign backed insurgents in Syria increasingly using...
Foreign-backed insurgents in Syria are increasingly using kidnapping as a means to fund their activities in the northern city of Aleppo....
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.
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[01 Dec 2013] Thousands rally in Lahore against deadly US drone attacks...
In Pakistan\'s eastern city of Lahore, thousands have staged a protest against the US drone strikes in the country. Some five-thousand people...
In Pakistan\'s eastern city of Lahore, thousands have staged a protest against the US drone strikes in the country. Some five-thousand people attended the rally organized by a coalition of around 40 religious and political parties also known as Defense of Pakistan Council. They chanted anti-US slogans and called for an immediate end to the drone strikes. The protesters also called for blocking NATO supplies for Afghanistan which goes through Pakistan. The U-S drones strikes are highly unpopular in Pakistan. Activists say the US drone operations have killed thousands of civilians and injured many more. Washington claims its drone strikes mainly target militants.
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[04 Dec 2013] FSA forces ready to join the Syrian army and drive out al...
The head of the so-called Free Syrian Army says his forces are ready to join the Syrian army and drive out al-Qaeda-linked terrorists who have...
The head of the so-called Free Syrian Army says his forces are ready to join the Syrian army and drive out al-Qaeda-linked terrorists who have taken over militant-held areas.
General Salim Idris has described as very dangerous the militant group calling itself as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or the I-S-I-S. Thousands of foreign militants have in recent months joined its ranks. General Idris also claimed that besides fighting with Syrian forces, the F-S-A forces have fought another war with al-Qaeda at dozens of different locations over the past six months. The so-called Free Syrian Army also says that it has dropped the precondition for President Bashar al-Assad to leave power before the upcoming Geneva peace conference.
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[04 Dec 2013] At least nine people have been killed and dozens wounded...
At least nine people have been killed and dozens wounded in different incidents across Iraq. The deadliest incident that involved six fatalities...
At least nine people have been killed and dozens wounded in different incidents across Iraq. The deadliest incident that involved six fatalities took place in the northern city of Kirkuk when gunmen attacked a shopping mall.
Officials say the shootout with the gunmen lasted for two hours. At least 47 people are believed to have been injured in the gun battle. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack as of yet. But such incidents are usually blamed on militants affiliated to al-Qaeda, who have strongholds around Kirkuk. At least three other people are said to have been killed in separate incidents in Baghdad, Fallujah and Tikrit. Violence in Iraq has surged over the past few months. The fatalities from the start of the year so far have now exceeded 62-hundred.
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[05 Dec 2013] Syria govt seize large cache of drugs from insurgents in...
Syrian government forces have seized a large cache of drugs from foreign-backed insurgents in Idlib province.
Syrian troops found the drugs in a...
Syrian government forces have seized a large cache of drugs from foreign-backed insurgents in Idlib province.
Syrian troops found the drugs in a warehouse in Idlib countryside. Several men were also arrested at the warehouse. The militants have been receiving funds and other supports from their regional backers, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Reports say Riyadh and Doha give them millions of dollars each month, and also buy them weapons from black markets around the world.
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