I Want to Vote - Myanmar’s Muslims and Hindus Side-lined in Election
New Age Islam
News Bureau
28 August 2020
Myanmar Muslim May Thandar
Maung says she hasn't been able to get an ID card because of her religion and
so is unable to vote in the upcoming election
-----
• Israeli Court
Rules for Removal of Settler Homes from Palestinian Land
• Australia PM
Open to Talks to Repatriate New Zealand Mosque Gunman
• Even Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism Prohibit Alcohol, PAS MP Says
• Tablighi
Jamaat: MEA Says 1,095 Look Out Circulars Deleted; 630 Foreign Members Left
India
• Feds: NYPD
Ambush Suspect Had Interest In Islamic Extremism
• After Talks
with Arab Officials, US Position ‘Has Not Changed’ On Jerusalem: Official
• Imran Invites
Afghan Peace Chief Dr Abdullah Abdullah To Discuss Ways for Clearing the Path
to Intra-Afghan Dialogue
South Asia
• I Want to Vote
- Myanmar’s Muslims and Hindus Side-lined in Election
• More Than 100K
Rohingya Children Born in Squalid Camps in Bangladesh, Myanmar
• Intra-Afghan
Talks to Begin Next Week: Abdullah
• Taliban kill
four civilians during clashes with Afghan forces
--------
Mideast
• Israeli Court
Rules for Removal of Settler Homes from Palestinian Land
• Al-Quds Mufti
quits UAE forum over endorsement of Israel normalization
• Iran Calls for
UN's Immediate Measures to Help Save Yemeni Civilians
• Iran Exports Nearly
50 Percent of Non-Oil Goods to Neighbouring States
• Rouhani Voices
Iran’s Readiness to Continue Cooperation with IAEA
• IAEA Granted
Access to Two Sites, Says Has No More Demands to Visit Undeclared Iranian
Centres
• Turkey not the
cause of instability in eastern Mediterranean, Erdogan tells Trump
• Arab Coalition
intercepts Houthi ballistic missile targeting Saudi Arabia’s Najran
• Israel
demolishes Palestinian village in Negev desert for 177th time
• Israel
establishing intelligence bases on Yemeni island in cooperation with UAE:
Report
--------
New Zealand and
Australia
• Australia PM
Open to Talks to Repatriate New Zealand Mosque Gunman
• 'Wicked' New
Zealand mosque gunman sentenced to life without parole
• Sydney judge
orders restrictions on extremist's movements
--------
Southeast Asia
• Even Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism Prohibit Alcohol, PAS MP Says
• Muslims
encouraged to have Islamic calendar - Zulkifli
• Malaysia-Philippine
Frontier: Sabah Tightens Borders After Terror Attack in Jolo
• Court orders
trial judge to determine religious status of 39 Ahmadiyya followers
--------
India
• Tablighi
Jamaat: MEA Says 1,095 Look Out Circulars Deleted; 630 Foreign Members Left
India
• Punish Mumbai
And Pulwama Plotters, Shared Enough Proof: India To Pak
• Pulwama case:
India to cite money trail to Pak banks at FATF
• BJP MP,
Harnath Singh Yadav, Wants Islamic Studies Off UPSC List
• Cannot Discriminate
Against Shia Muslims: Bombay High Court Directs State to Allow Muharram Rituals
• Security Tightened
in Srinagar To Stop Muharram Procession Amid Covid Pandemic
• Delhi 2020 religious’
riots: Amnesty International accuses police of rights abuses
• 'Dragon's
favourite': Hindu groups target Bollywood's Aamir Khan
--------
North America
• Feds: NYPD
Ambush Suspect Had Interest In Islamic Extremism
• Trump’s Iran
policy makes United States more isolated: Harris
• Convicted
Terrorist Arrested in California on Meth Charges
--------
Arab world
• After Talks
with Arab Officials, US Position ‘Has Not Changed’ On Jerusalem: Official
• Deadly
Sectarian Clashes Near Beirut Between Hezbollah Supporters, Local Clan
• Lebanese
presidency to consult with Parliament on Monday to designate new PM
• Coronavirus:
Syria cases likely ‘far exceed official figures’ says UN
• Lebanese
army’s neutrality, legitimacy put to the test amid clashes with protesters
• Nearly two
dozen Saudi troops enter US base in northeastern Syria: Report
• Arab
parliamentary union slams incessant attacks by Turkish forces, militants on
Syrian civilians
• Iraqi
President Salih calls on Turkey to stop cross-border incursions, respect
sovereignty
--------
Pakistan
• Imran Invites
Afghan Peace Chief Dr Abdullah Abdullah To Discuss Ways for Clearing the Path
to Intra-Afghan Dialogue
• Allowing Nawaz
to leave was a 'mistake', says PM Imran
• Rehbar
committee meeting after Ashura: Fazl
--------
Africa
• Boko Haram Massacres
75 People in Nigeria: Report
• US Says
Airstrike Kills 6 Al-Shabaab in Somalia after Ambush
• Congo army
says Islamist militia kills 20 in east
• EU freezes
Mali training missions after coup
• Sudan PM to
Pompeo: Govt. has no mandate to normalize with Israel
--------
Europe
• Turkey’s
Erdogan Warns Greece Against Taking ‘Path to Ruin’
• French
minister heads to Iraq amid ISIS resurgence
• Greece says
ready for conditional de-escalation with Turkey in Mediterranean
• France’s
Macron to head to Beirut to pressure Lebanese political elite
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/i-want-vote-myanmars-muslims/d/122740
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I Want to Vote - Myanmar’s Muslims and Hindus Side-lined in Election
August 28, 2020
Myanmar Muslim May Thandar
Maung says she hasn't been able to get an ID card because of her religion and
so is unable to vote in the upcoming election
-----
MEIKTILA: One of Myanmar’s five million young adults, May Thandar Maung had been excited to cast her ballot for the very first time in November’s election.
But the
18-year-old is Muslim and says that means she will remain voiceless.
“My religion
means I haven’t been able to get an ID card,” she tells AFP in her hometown of
Meiktila in central Myanmar – and no ID means no vote.
She describes
how local officials have obstructed her attempts for over a year, while
Buddhist peers faced no such delays, in a town where memories of brutal
inter-communal violence in 2013 are still raw.
The
majority-Buddhist nation is widely expected to return Aung San Suu Kyi’s
National League for Democracy (NLD) party to power on Nov 8 in the second polls
since Myanmar emerged from outright military rule in 2011.
The country’s
Rohingya Muslims – whether in Bangladeshi refugee shelters or confined to camps
and villages in Myanmar – will nearly all be completely disenfranchised.
But Myanmar also
has many more Muslims of other ethnic heritage – about 4% of the population
–whom the country, in theory, accepts as citizens.
In practice,
however, it can be very different.
Muslims
complained to AFP of systemic corruption, detailing how they are forced to pay
backhanders of hundreds of dollars – exorbitant rates in a country where a
quarter of the population lives in poverty.
Three members of
Maung Cho’s family had to pay US$370 each, the 53-year-old says, many times
higher than the token sums of ‘tea money’ demanded of Buddhists.
Mixed bloods
Their
experiences are echoed by Muslims across the country, says Yangon-based analyst
David Mathieson.
“Anti-Muslim
sentiment is ever-present with discrimination in schools, the workplace and
access to government jobs,” he says.
Challenges
continue even for those who obtain an ID in a country where these cards state
the holder’s ethnicity.
Many Muslims say
false ethnic identities, usually from South Asia, are increasingly being
foisted on the community.
Maung Cho’s
family has lived in Myanmar for generations, yet when his renewed ID card came
back, it labelled him as “Indian-Muslim”.
“It must have
been my beard,” he tells AFP, ruefully.
Like other
so-called “mixed bloods”, he now faces extra scrutiny at every ID check and
must even stand in a separate queue at immigration offices.
Myanmar Hindus –
who number about 250,000 – are also often branded as “mixed bloods” and face
similar problems.
Yangon-based Tun
Min, 28, tells AFP it took him 10 years to get an ID card.
Last week he
chose to speak out, posting a video on Facebook explaining the discrimination
his community faces.
“I drove a taxi
for eight years but only used to work at night because I couldn’t apply for a
licence without an ID card.”
The ‘B’ word
The least
desirable label, however, is “Bengali”, a pejorative term normally used to
refer to the persecuted Rohingya.
Myanmar faces
charges of genocide at the UN’s top court after the military drove out about
750,000 Rohingya in a supposed crackdown on militants in 2017.
Many of the
600,000 who remain in Myanmar live in what Amnesty International calls
“apartheid” conditions, refused citizenship and deprived of rights.
Mathieson says
there have been numerous reports in recent years of other Muslims across
Myanmar also being coerced into adopting “Bengali” as an identity.
He blames
“racist and discriminatory” bureaucratic procedures rather than an official
policy but warns the government has not tried to stamp the practice out.
The NLD has
“more important agendas than pursuing a reverse engineering of a racist system
many of their supporters are comfortable with”.
An immigration
department official, asking not to be named, refuted allegations of corruption
and discrimination, insisting ID cards were granted in accordance with the law.
Progress?
But Maung Cho
says he thinks racism against Muslims is worse now than under the military
junta, describing his community as “disappointed and depressed”.
Many people he
knows feel so disillusioned they plan not to vote in the upcoming election.
A campaign to boycott
the vote is gathering pace.
Former student
leader and political prisoner Sithu Maung is one of just two Muslims out of
1,143 NLD candidates. In 2015, the party fielded no Muslim candidates at all.
He says he
understands his community’s disappointment but denies times are worse than
under the military.
“They should be
optimistic about the future. The NLD has only had five years in power.”
But optimism is
in short supply among young people like May Thandar Maung.
“Even though I
was born here, I can’t vote and that’s discrimination,” she says.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2020/08/28/i-want-to-vote-myanmars-muslims-hindus-sidelined-in-election/
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Israeli Court
Rules for Removal of Settler Homes from Palestinian Land
27 August 2020
A picture shows the Israeli
settlements of Mitzpe Kramim (R) and Kokhav HaShahar (l) in the occupied West
Bank on June 18, 2020. (AFP)
------
Israel’s Supreme
Court ruled on Thursday that a cluster of homes in an Israeli settlement
outpost in the occupied West Bank was built on privately owned Palestinian land
and must therefore be removed.
Accepting a
petition by Palestinian plaintiffs, Israel’s top court overturned a 2018
District Court ruling which had broken judicial ground by recognizing the
Mitzpe Kramim settlers’ claim to the land, despite it being owned by
Palestinians.
The District
Court had declared the settlers the legal owners, finding that Israeli
authorities were unaware the land was privately owned when they originally
mapped out the area.
That ruling was
based on an Israeli law which states that transactions with legal faults could
be valid if they were conducted in “good faith.”
Established 20
years ago on a hilltop overlooking the Jordan Valley, Mitzpe Kramim is home to
about 40 families, most of whom live on Palestinian-owned plots and say they
received Israeli authorities’ approval to set up there.
But the Supreme
Court said that the Israeli authorities had not acted in good faith by “turning
a blind eye to the many warning signs given over many years,” which showed the
plots were actually owned by Palestinians.
Placing most of
the responsibility for what it called “the painful outcome for Mitzpe Kramim’s
residents” on the state, the court gave authorities 36 months to find
alternative housing for them.
Most countries
consider the settlements built on land Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East
war as illegal.
Israel and the
US dispute this. The Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future state.
About 450,000
Israeli settlers live in the territory among some three million Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank
was shelved this month in a diplomatic deal with the United Arab Emirates.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/27/Israeli-court-rules-for-removal-of-settler-homes-from-Palestinian-land.html
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Australia PM Open
To Talks To Repatriate New Zealand Mosque Gunman
August 28, 2020
Police snipers keep watch
from the High Court building's roof on the last day of the sentencing hearing
for Brenton Tarrant. (Photo: AFP/Sanka Vidanagama)
------
Canberra is open
to the idea of New Zealand sending the Australian-born gunman behind the
Christchurch mosque massacre back home to serve his life sentence, Prime
Minister Scott Morrison said Friday.
White
supremacist Brenton Tarrant was sentenced to life without parole on Thursday
for the attacks on two mosques last year that killed 51 Muslim worshippers.
Soon after the punishment was handed down, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister
Winston Peters said Tarrant, 29, should be transferred to the Australian prison
system.
"The
Islamic community and all of New Zealand has already suffered enough without
having to pay astronomical prison costs to keep him safe in our prison
system," Peters said.
Australia's
Morrison said he had received no request to transfer Tarrant but he was
prepared to talk about the prospect with his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda
Ardern.
"Whether he
is held in Australia or New Zealand, look we're open to that discussion,"
he told Seven News television.
"That
obviously has a lot of implications, these sorts of decisions. The prime
minister of New Zealand and I will talk about those issues."
He said the
wishes of survivors and bereaved family members would be paramount in any
decision on Tarrant's future.
"Most of
all we are concerned about what the views of the families would be for those
affected and we want to do the right thing by them," he said.
Tarrant, a
former gym instructor from the rural New South Wales town of Grafton, moved to
New Zealand in 2017 and immediately started planning an attack on the country's
Muslim community.
Government
documents show it is costing around NZ$4,900 (US$3,240) per day to keep Tarrant
behind bars, compared to NZ$302 for a regular prisoner.
The documents
say he is "likely to have needs and present risk at a level of severity
beyond any" managed in New Zealand before.
Tarrant has
already caused issues for prison authorities, when a letter he wrote from jail
was posted on the extremist website 4Chan in August last year.
In it, Tarrant
praised British fascist Oswald Mosley and warned "there is a great
conflict on the horizon".
The Corrections
Department apologised and promised it would not happen again.
Lawyers at
Tarrant's sentencing this week revealed that in a pre-sentencing interview in
April he said he had renounced his racist views and felt remorse for the
attacks.
But judge
Cameron Mander on Thursday rejected the gesture as "uncorroborated,
self-serving and a relatively recent phenomenon", before imposing life
without parole, an unprecedented sentence in New Zealand.
Tarrant is
likely to be kept in isolation for his own safety at New Zealand's only
maximum-security prison in Auckland, where 80 percent of inmates are Maori or
Pacific islanders.
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/australia-pm-open-talks-repatriate-new-zealand-mosque-gunman-1716029-2020-08-28
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Even Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism prohibit alcohol, PAS MP says
Minderjeet Kaur
August 26, 2020
KUALA LUMPUR: A
PAS MP today said all religions do not allow their followers to consume
alcohol, sparking a brief tiff with a DAP MP.
Nik Muhammad
Zawawi Salleh (PAS-Pasir Puteh) said Islam did not stop others from selling
alcohol but other religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism did not allow
adherents to consume alcohol.
But Ngeh Koo Ham
(PH-Beruas) asked Zawawi to correct his facts as other religions, such as
Christianity, allowed people to taste alcohol but not to get drunk.
“During Jesus’
last supper, they had wine,” said Ngeh.
However, Zawawi
told Ngeh to check his facts, including about Christianity “before the Bible
was amended”, as even a bit of liquor was not allowed.
Ngeh retorted by
telling Zawawi to ask other religious experts first, prompting the PAS MP to
say he had read about Christianity written by Christians.
“It was not
written by Muslims. I read from the source,” he said, adding that he was not
putting any religion down as all religions did not allow their devotees to
drink liquor.
While debating
the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020, he also urged the government to
monitor the sale of liquor at “wild entertainment outlets”.
He said
entertainment was allowed but if it went overboard then it might cause more
problems, including drink driving.
He urged the
authorities to test patrons before they left such outlets to prevent accidents.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/08/26/even-buddhism-christianity-hinduism-prohibit-alcohol-pas-mps-says/
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Tablighi Jamaat:
MEA says 1,095 look out circulars deleted, 630 foreign members left India
Aug 28, 2020
NEW DELHI: As
many as 1,095 look out circulars have been deleted and 630 foreign members of
the Tablighi Jamaat have left India, the Ministry of External Affairs said on
Thursday.
On the issue of
foreign Tablighi Jamaat members stuck in India for violating visa rules and
pandemic restrictions, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the ministry has
been actively facilitating their consular access, deletion of LOCs and smooth
repatriation to their respective countries.
"We have
kept the respective foreign embassies informed through the entire
process," he said.
"As of
August 24, 1,095 look out circulars (LOCs) were deleted and 630 foreign members
of the Tablighi Jamaat have left India," he said at an online media
briefing.
These members of
the Tablighi Jamaat were charged under the Foreigners Act for indulging in
activities that were incompatible with their visa status, he said.
Therefore, for
such activities, appropriate category of visa has to be sought, Srivastava
said.
To a separate
question on whether External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will participate in
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting next
month, Srivastava said the minister has received an invitation for the meeting
to be held in Moscow and a decision on his participation would be made known
once it is taken.
On whether the
Kerala government had sought MEA's approval for signing an MoU with the UAE Red
Crescent Authority - an NGO -- for a project, Srivastava said no such approval had
been taken.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tablighi-jamaat-mea-says-1095-look-out-circulars-deleted-630-foreign-members-left-india/articleshow/77795828.cms
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Feds: NYPD
ambush suspect had interest in Islamic extremism
By Michael R. Sisak
August 27, 2020
NEW YORK — A man
who ambushed a New York City police officer in June — stabbing him in the neck
and stealing his gun to shoot other officers — had an interest in violent
Islamic extremism and punctuated the attack with screams of “Allahu Akbar,”
prosecutors alleged in court papers filed with his indictment Thursday on state
and federal charges.
Days later,
according to prosecutors, suspect Dzenan Camovic told a hospital worker: “My
religion made me do it.”
Camovic, a
21-year-old Bosnian immigrant living illegally in the U.S., faces state charges
including attempted aggravated murder and federal charges including theft and
unlawful possession of a firearm. Camovic’s lawyer said arraignments could be
scheduled within a few weeks.
The attack
happened amid protests over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd,
leading to speculation among police and union officials that he had been
inspired by anti-police rhetoric. Officer Yayonfrant Jean Pierre and the other
wounded officers survived their injuries.
Camovic’s
lawyer, Robert Stahl, refuted the government’s assertion that his client showed
support for the Islamic State or other terrorist groups. Camovic “is a troubled
young man in a number of respects, as opposed to having any terrorist or
Islamic leanings,” Stahl said in a telephone interview.
Federal
prosecutors and the Brooklyn district attorney’s office announced the
indictments within minutes of each other Thursday, just as the police
department was releasing surveillance and body camera footage that captured the
chaotic scene just before midnight on June 3.
The video, some
of which was previously made public, shows Camovic walking up and stabbing Jean
Pierre in the neck as the officer stood on a street corner while assigned to an
anti-looting patrol.
The bloodshed
happened hours after an 8 p.m. curfew that was intended to quell the at-times
violent protests. Federal prosecutors said Camovic cased the area first,
walking past the area and crouching nearby for several minutes before
attacking.
After the
stabbing, Camovic is seen chasing another officer, Randy Ramnarine, before
rushing back toward Jean Pierre. Ramnarine fired two shots at Camovic and Jean
Pierre fired six times. Camovic then wrestled Jean Pierre’s gun away from him
and fired six shots — wounding Ramnarine and another officer in the hand.
Ramnarine and a responding sergeant returned fire.
Camovic was
hospitalized with gunshot wounds to the face, legs and torso before being moved
to the city’s Rikers Island jail complex. His injuries, including a shattered
wrist and elbow, have required several surgeries and he is still receiving
physical therapy, Stahl said. Last month, a judge ordered Camovic to undergo a
psychiatric evaluation.
While recovering
days after the attack, federal prosecutors said, Camovic mistakenly told a
worker at Kings County Hospital that he had killed two police officers and
explained that “my religion made me do it.”
According to
federal prosecutors, Camovic texted a friend “Ill be a while” just before
attacking Jean Pierre. Camovic’s phone contained deleted images of Arabic
writing referencing the Islamic State and the name of a magazine it has used to
radicalize and recruit followers, federal prosecutors said.
Camovic had CDs
and a thumb drive in his Brooklyn bedroom containing audio and video files of
lectures and sermons by Anwar al-Awlaki, a deceased Islamic cleric and reputed
al-Qaeda leader, federal prosecutors said.
About a year
before the attack, Camovic started expressing interest in Islamic State and
other Syrian-based terrorist groups and asked about the permissibility of
killing civilians, federal prosecutors said, citing information provided by an
unidentified person interviewed during the investigation. Camovic did not hold
extreme religious beliefs, the person said, according to federal prosecutors.
In a statement,
Attorney General William Barr said Camovic “used the cover of chaos” of the
Floyd protests to commit a “premeditated and cowardly” attack. Barr said
Camovic’s alleged use of encrypted messaging and the hidden part of the
internet known as the dark web prevented investigators from learning more about
his plans and who else may have been involved.
“If not for the
heroism and bravery of the responding NYPD officers who returned fire and took
the assailant down early in the attack, untold additional officers and
innocents could have been killed or injured,” Barr said.
Camovic has no
criminal record and immigrated to the U.S. as a young child because of turmoil
in his homeland, Stahl said. Federal prosecutors said he was born in Germany,
has Bosnian citizenship and no legal immigration status in the U.S.
Federal
prosecutors lodged an immigration detainer against him and filed paperwork
requesting that he be kept in jail pending the outcome of his case, arguing
that he has no incentive to stay in the U.S. while facing certain deportation.
Stahl said they would not oppose continued detention.
“It’s not like
he snuck into the country or something, but his immigration status is perilous
because he’s stateless,” Stahl said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/feds-nypd-ambush-suspect-had-interest-in-islamic-extremism/2020/08/26/e3533702-e7e3-11ea-bf44-0d31c85838a5_story.html?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1475497_
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After talks with
Arab officials, US position ‘has not changed’ on Jerusalem: Official
27 August 2020
The United
States continues to back an undivided Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the State
Department told Al Arabiya English on Thursday, as Arab allies maintain their
stance of East Jerusalem being the capital of a future Palestinian state.
“The United
States’ position has not changed,” said a State Department spokesperson when
asked if the Trump administration would amend their Mideast peace plan to
propose East Jerusalem as the future Palestinian capital.
The Trump plan,
which supports a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
calls for an “united” Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and assigns a future
Palestinian capital to be in a suburb area to the east of the city of
Jerusalem.
The
Palestinians, according to the plan, would not control any part of the Old City
of Jerusalem that includes the Islamic holy site Al Aqsa and the holiest place
in Christianity the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – both demanded by the
Palestinians.
Previous US
administrations have held the position that the city of Jerusalem should never
be divided, according to former US Ambassador Dennis Ross.
“Prior to the
Trump Administration, the US position was that the city of Jerusalem should
never be divided again, but that the political status of the city must be
resolved through the negotiations between the parties,” said Ross, a former
special assistant to US President Barack Obama, in an interview with Al Arabiya
English.
Trump’s
predecessor President Barack Obama said during a 2008 AIPAC speech that
“Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided.”
Palestinian,
Arab, and other world leaders have long contended that any peace agreement must
return territory Israel annexed in the 1967 war, as stated by the United
Nations Security Council Resolution 242.
This annexed
territory includes the part of the city known as East Jerusalem - where 360,000
Palestinians currently live under Israeli occupation, confronted by a wall
separating them from Palestinians in the West Bank, which the International
Court of Justice (ICJ) concludes is against international law.
Arab leaders
emphasize East Jerusalem as Palestinian capital
After the United
Arab Emirates’ historic agreement to normalize ties with Israel, Pompeo
embarked on a Middle East tour on Monday beginning in Israel, with stops in
Sudan, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman.
Pompeo said
Monday that he was hopeful other Arab nations will follow the UAE.
However Gulf
countries such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have reiterated their support for
the Arab Peace Initiative, which states that relations with Israel can only be
reached upon actualization of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as the
capital.
In a meeting
with Pompeo on Wednesday, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa emphasized an
Israeli-Palestinian peace process that “leads to the establishment of an
independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its
capital,” according to the country’s state news agency.
Saudi Arabia’s
Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has said the Kingdom is committed to
the Arab Peace Initiative and former Saudi Arabian intelligence chief Prince
Turki al-Faisal said his country has “set a price for concluding peace between
Israel and the Arabs.”
“It is the
creation of a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital, as
provided for by the initiative of the late King Abdullah,” Prince Turki wrote
in the newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, and translated on Al Arabiya English’s
dedicated In Translation page, on Friday.
The Arab Peace
Initiative was first presented by then-Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdullah bin
Abdulaziz al Saud in 2002 and is support by the Arab League, whose members
include Sudan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/08/27/After-talks-with-Arab-officials-US-position-has-not-changed-on-Jerusalem-Official.html
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Imran Invites
Afghan Peace Chief Dr Abdullah Abdullah To Discuss Ways for Clearing the Path
to Intra-Afghan Dialogue
Baqir Sajjad
Syed
27 Aug 2020
ISLAMABAD: Prime
Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday invited Afghan peace chief Dr Abdullah
Abdullah to discuss ways for clearing the path to intra-Afghan dialogue.
Prime Minister
Khan, according to his office, called the chairman of Afghan High Council for
National Reconciliation, Dr Abdullah Abdullah, and invited him “to visit
Pakistan at the earliest to share perspectives on advancing the Afghan peace
process and forging closer ties between the two countries”.
Mr Khan said
Pakistan looked forward to the commencement of intra-Afghan talks at the
earliest. He urged Afghan leaders to seize the historic opportunity for
achieving an inclusive political settlement.
The call
followed a meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and a Taliban
delegation from their Qatar-based political office led by Mullah Baradar, the
deputy chief of insurgents dealing with political affairs, at the Foreign
Office on Tuesday.
Mr Qureshi had
after the talks said: “After listening to the Taliban delegation, I’m
optimistic of progress in the near future despite problems and the presence of
spoilers. Hopefully a way out would be found.”
The foreign
minister had further said: “The Taliban look ready and agreeable to moving in
the direction of a settlement of the outstanding issues through dialogue.” Mr
Qureshi’s comments created fresh hopes for talks that have been held back
because of an impasse over the issue of release of prisoners.
The Afghan
government was to release 5,000 Taliban militants in exchange for its 1,000
Afghan security forces personnel held by the insurgents under an agreement
signed by the US and Taliban in February.
The Afghan
government is, however, reluctant to release the remaining 320 Taliban
prisoners despite an approval by the Loya Jirga and a subsequent presidential
decree ordering their release. The latest demand of the Afghan government is
that Taliban set free 22 more Afghan commandoes in their captivity.
Mr Abdullah,
after talking to Mr Khan, tweeted that both leaders during their conversation
emphasised the importance of the “unique opportunity to reduce violence, start
I/A talks & pursue a path to a dignified & durable peace”.
While thanking
Mr Khan for the invitation, Mr Abdullah said, he would visit Pakistan in near
future.
Mr Abdullah too
has been advocating the release of the remaining Taliban prisoners so that the
long-awaited talks could start.
“We are calling
for the completion of the prisoner exchange & immediate beginning of the
intra-Afghan talks to put an end to agony of a nation,” he tweeted on Monday.
Foreign minister
In a related
development, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday informed the
top outgoing diplomat of US in Islamabad, Mr Paul Jones, that efforts for
Afghan peace had reached a critical phase.
“The foreign
minister said … the process has now reached a crucial phase and all Afghan
sides should seize this historic opportunity and commence intra-Afghan
negotiations at the earliest to achieve an inclusive and comprehensive
political settlement,” a statement of Foreign Office quoted the foreign
minister as telling the US ambassador.
US Charge
d’Affaires Ambassador Paul Jones visited Mr Qureshi for a farewell call.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1576637/imran-invites-afghan-peace-chief-for-talks
--------
South Asia
More than 100K
Rohingya children born in squalid camps in Bangladesh, Myanmar
AUG 26, 2020
An estimated
108,037 Rohingya children have been born in squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh
and Myanmar over the past several years, facing an uncertain future, according
to an analysis by the Save the Children.
According to the
humanitarian aid organization, the children have limited access to education
and health care, no freedom of movement and are almost entirely dependent on
aid.
Save the
Children analyzed population data from refugee camps in Bangladesh since August
2017 and displacement camps in Myanmar's Rakhine State since 2012 to mark three
years since more than 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in the wake of brutal
violence.
The persecution
of Rohingya Muslims is one of the worst humanitarian tragedies of our time but
is also the most overlooked.
The Rohingya,
described by the United Nations as one of the most mistreated communities in
the world, have been facing systematic state aggression in the northern Rakhine
state of Myanmar since the early 1970s. The Myanmar government has long been
blamed for genocidal policies against the minority Muslim community.
In Bangladesh,
there are currently an estimated 75,971 children under 3 years old in the
refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, or 9% of the total refugee population. Nearly all
of them were born after their mothers fled from Myanmar, the study added.
More than 1
million Rohingya refugees are living in Bangladesh, and nearly half of them are
children.
Meanwhile, in
Myanmar, displacement camps in Rakhine State have been housing Rohingya Muslims
as well as Kaman Muslims since 2012 following previous waves of ethnic
violence. Using data by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) up to
December 2019, Save the Children estimates there are 32,066 children under
seven years of age spread across 21 camps, representing over 25% of the
displaced population.
Due to apartheid
policies put in place leading up to the genocide in Myanmar, Rohingya children
have often been unable to attend mixed Rakhine-Rohingya schools and are instead
kept in separate education facilities where the quality of education is low.
As a result of
Myanmar's ongoing human rights abuses against Rohingya, more than 73% of those
in Rakhine State identify as illiterate, according to a report released in 2018
by the Burmese Rohingya Organization U.K. (BROUK).
In Bangladesh,
the situation seems little better for Rohingya refugees.
Given that close
to 1 million Rohingya refugees have been largely housed in dozens of refugee
camps in Bangladesh after last year's huge exodus, many Rohingya children are
unable to access education.
Rohingya need to
have accreditation to gain a formal education, BROUK said. If they are lucky
enough, they are often taught in classrooms that are severely overcrowded and
badly resourced.
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/asia-pacific/more-than-100k-rohingya-children-born-in-squalid-camps-in-bangladesh-myanmar
--------
Intra-Afghan
Talks to Begin Next Week: Abdullah
By Muhammad Arif
Sheva
27 Aug 2020
KABUL,
Afghanistan – The chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation
Abdullah Abdullah said the long-awaited Intra-Afghan dialogues on peace in
Afghanistan will begin next week.
The first talks
will take place in Qatari capital Doha, where Afghanistan and Taliban
delegations will come together to end the 18-year war in the country, which
apparently exhausted both parties – Afghan citizens being the beads for the
political settlement.
One of the main
topic for this long-awaited gathering is to implement a comprehensive ceasefire
in the war-torn country, where the people could with no fear pursue the life
they ever dreamt of for decades.
It came a month
after the initial schedule for the talks were delayed due to a complicated
issues on the release of Taliban prisoners, where the opposition group insist
to free all its group members capture by the Afghan government.
Earlier this
month, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani released at least 80 of the 400 Taliban
prisoners upon the decision made by the Loya Jirga – a national assembly;
making the Taliban persistent on their demand of freeing the remaining 320
prisoners.
According to
sources, among the Taliban prisoners are some who were directly linked to
killing of a number of foreign nationals, including Australia and France,
opening doors for the Afghan leaders to reconsider their decision upon request
of the foreign government.
Chairman
Abdullah did not comment whether or not the issue is solved.
https://www.khaama.com/intra-afghan-talks-to-begin-next-week-abdullah-23556/
--------
Taliban kill
four civilians during clashes with Afghan forces
27 August 2020
Taliban
militants have killed four civilians during clashes with Afghan forces in the
central flood-hit Parwan province, local officials say.
Abdul Shukoor
Qudoosi, a district official, said on Thursday that clashes took place between
Afghan and Taliban forces in Bagram, which is located in Parwan province and
houses the biggest US military base.
"Taliban
fighters opened fire on civilians fleeing areas worst hit by the flash
floods," said Qudoosi.
"Taliban
were clashing with Afghan forces and they killed civilians who were in an
autorickshaw near an army checkpoint," Qudoosi said, adding that it
appeared as if the militants mistook the passengers for Afghan soldiers.
At least one
Afghan soldier was reportedly killed and two were injured in the fierce fighting
in the troubled region.
In recent weeks,
the Taliban have staged almost daily battlefield attacks across various parts
of the war-ravaged country.
The spike in
violence comes as talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government have
stalled again in the wake of a controversial prisoner swap.
The swap has
stumbled over the final few hundred prisoners. Kabul is reluctant to release
"dangerous" Taliban militants tied to deadly attacks.
At least three
people were killed and dozens others injured in a truck bomb attack near a
military base in Afghanistan’s northern province of Balkh on Thursday.
Official data
shows bombings and other assaults by the Taliban have surged 70 percent since
the militant group signed the deal with the United States in February.
The deal
envisages a complete withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, and the Taliban
have pledged not to attack American and other foreign forces.
The Afghan
government is a party neither to the negotiations nor to the deal, but it has
been acting in accordance with its terms, including by agreeing to free Taliban
prisoners.
Washington
invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban-run government in 2001 on the
pretext of fighting terrorism following the September 11 attacks.
The Taliban,
however, never stopped their attacks, citing foreign military presence as one
of the main reasons behind their continued militancy.
Afghanistan has
been gripped by insecurity since the US and its allies invaded the country as
part of Washington’s so-called war on terror in 2001. Many parts of the country
remain plagued by militancy despite the presence of foreign troops.
The Daesh
terrorist group has also emerged in the Asian country more recently.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632752/Afghanistan-Taliban--Parwan-Abdul-Shukoor-Qudoosi--
--------
Mideast
Al-Quds Mufti
quits UAE forum over endorsement of Israel normalization
27 August 2020
Grand Mufti of
Jerusalem al-Quds Sheikh Muhammad Hussein has resigned from the so-called Forum
for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies (FPPMS) after the UAE-based
organization issued a statement endorsing a recent normalization agreement
between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.
“Normalization
is a stab in the back of Palestinians and Muslims, and a betrayal for Muslim
and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem [al-Quds],” Sheikh Hussein said on
Wednesday, where he announced his resignation.
It was the
second such resignation in recent days. Muslim-American activist Aisha
al-Adawiya also quit the FPPMS on Sunday over the organization’s statement.
She stressed
that the topic of normalization was never brought up at a recent board meeting
and that “there was no agreement on any kind of support for the UAE’s deal with
Israel.”
“As a result of
this breach of trust and consistent with my values, I'm announcing my
resignation,” Adawiya said in a Facebook post.
Earlier this
month, the FPPMS claimed that normalization deal “stopped Israel from extending
its sovereignty over Palestinian lands” and was a means to “promote peace and
stability across the world.”
It, however,
faced criticisms over the controversial statement and was forced to remove it
from its platforms.
The Israel-UAE
deal was announced by the White House on August 13, sparking anger among
Palestinians and supporters of their cause against Israeli occupation.
Emirati
officials have tried to portray the normalization deal as a successful means to
stave off Israel’s West Bank annexation plan, but Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu
has reaffirmed his commitment to the land grab scheme.
In the wake of
the deal, the al-Quds Mufti issued a fatwa (religious decree) banning Muslims
from taking advantage of the normalization between Israel and the UAE to travel
to the occupied lands and pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
“It is forbidden
for a Muslim to arrive in a plane of [either] the United Arab Emirates or not
of the United Arab Emirates to the Lod Airport [in Israel], which today they
call Ben-Gurion Airport, in order to come and pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque. This is
false marketing in terms of religious law: legally false, religiously
offensive,” he said.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632718/alquds-Jerusalem-mufti-resign-UAE-Israel-normalization
--------
Iran Calls for
UN's Immediate Measures to Help Save Yemeni Civilians
Aug 27, 2020
Khaji made the
remarks in a meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen Martin
Griffiths.
Khaji urged the
UN to defend the rights of the people of Yemen in a bid to put an end to
killing innocent people, as well as lifting the imposed sanctions on Yemen.
The diplomat,
meantime, voiced Iran's support for the political settlement of the crisis in
Yemen, Tehran's constructive measures to establish the ceasefire, complete
elimination of the blockade, as well as advance the peace process in the
country.
Griffiths, for
his part, elaborated on the recent UN actions on drafting a joint statement,
praising Iran’s constructive role in the political process of Yemen.
During the
meeting, both sides exchanged views on observing the ceasefire and peace
process in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia and
its allies, including the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan, launched a
brutal war against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall Yemen’s former
president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
The aggression
initially consisted of a bombing campaign but was later coupled with a naval
blockade and the deployment of ground forces to Yemen. Hundreds of thousands of
people have died since the war began, says Yemen’s Health Ministry.
The Saudi-led
war has also taken a heavy toll on the country’s infrastructure, destroying
hospitals, schools, and factories. The United Nations (UN) has said that a
record 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million
threatened by severe hunger.
Despite Riyadh's
claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi
bombers are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
According to
several reports, the Saudi-led air campaign against Yemen has driven the
impoverished country towards humanitarian disaster, as Saudi Arabia's deadly
campaign prevented the patients from travelling abroad for treatment and
blocked the entry of medicine into the war-torn country.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990606000279
--------
Iran Exports
Nearly 50 Percent of Non-Oil Goods to Neighbouring States
Aug 27, 2020
"Since 47
percent of Iranian products are exported to neighboring countries, it seems
that high capacities of border provinces should be used optimally in line with
the increasing exports," Ansari said on Thursday.
He underlined
the need to use border capacities of the country to promote export.
Despite tough
sanctions imposed against Iran, the country attained positive growth in export
terms and the US anti-Iran policy, in bringing the country into its knee, has
failed, Ansari highlighted.
Focusing on the
export of products to neighboring countries and setting up better equipment and
opportunities to facilitate trade with neighbors are of salient programs of the
Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the economic sector, he said, adding,
“export capacities with a focus on export of agricultural products should be
strengthened and developed in Ardabil province.”
Productions
should be made with the aim of export and in this way, export of products in
agricultural sector should be supported duly, he emphasized.
Transfer of
foreign exchange obtained from export into the country is one of the major
problems facing those who are active in economic sector, he said, adding,
“bartering goods can be considered as a safe way to settle the problem.”
Elsewhere in his
remarks, Ansari pointed to the markets of Caucasian countries which have good
capacity for export of products from this province to these countries due to
the lingual commonalities and emphasized, “drastic planning should be made for
importing and exporting products, so that both the government and Parliament
are staunch supporter of export activities in the country wholeheartedly.”
In relevant
remarks on Thursday, Minister of Road and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami
said that Iran's border trade with neighboring countries is underway through
tens of border customs offices by observing health protocols safeguards.
Eslami made the
remarks in a video conference with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov.
Iranian borders
are facilitators of trade relations with the neighboring states and there are
currently 30 customs office which are operating in this field, the Iranian
minister said, expressing hope that the volume of trade exchanges with the
friendly countries, including Turkmenistan would reach the previous level
before the coronavirus epidemic.
Eslami
underlined the importance of removal of any restrictions in order to boost
trade between Iran and Turkmenistan.
He called for
Turkmenistan cooperation for safely re-opening Sarakhs and Incheboron border
terminals and remove obstacles to railroad link in border crossings.
Sarakhs,
Bajgiran, Lotfabad and Incheboron are four land border crossings with
Turkmenistan in east of the Caspian Sea and northeastern Iran.
In a releveant
development, caretaker of Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade Hossein Modarres
Khiabani announced on July 5 that 80 percent of the border crossings have
reopened and border trade is underway.
Modarres
Khiabani said that 60 percent of the country's non-oil products are exported to
15 neighboring states.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990606000752
--------
Rouhani Voices
Iran’s Readiness to Continue Cooperation with IAEA
Aug 27, 2020
“In view of
Iran, IAEA is of paramount importance and like in the past, the Islamic
Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate with IAEA within the framework of
safeguards.” Rouhani made the remarks in his meeting with IAEA Chief Rafael
Grossi on Wednesday.
“In addition to
its technical and specialized duties in the field of ‘safeguards’ and
‘Additional Protocol’, which Iran voluntarily implements, the IAEA also has an
important responsibility in relation with JCPOA and preservation of this
multilateral document signed between Iran and six world powers in the Vienna in
July 2015,” he added.
The US
unilaterally withdrew from JCPOA in May 2018, Rouhani said and reiterated,
“More than two years after the US withdrawal from JCPOA, Americans are well
aware that their action was wrong.”
Grossi, for his
part, expressed his satisfaction with the agreement made with the Atomic Energy
Organization of Iran (AEOI) during his visit to Iran underlined the necessity
for expansion of further cooperation between Iran and IAEA.
JCPOA was really
a great success for all parties involved in the nuclear talks so that IAEA
assumes a great responsibility to preserve it (JCPOA), Grossi stressed without
referring to the US illegal withdrawal from the agreement.
On a tweet on
Tuesday evening, Grossi had also voiced his willingness for further cooperation
with Iran.
In relevant
remarks, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif once again stressed his
country’s full transparency in terms of nuclear activities, adding that over 92
percent of the IAEA’s total inspections in the world are conducted in Iran.
"Iran has
been fully transparent: over 92 percent of IAEA total comparable global
inspections were carried out in Iran," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account
on Tuesday.
"Some are
intent to torpedo transparency thru pressure to reopen closed matters. We want
normal relations w/ IAEA," he added.
Zarif met and
held talks with Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency
Rafael Grossi in Tehran on Tuesday afternoon.
During the meeting,
Zarif emphasized that IAEA should act professionally and impartially in its
interactions.
In relevant
remarks, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi
described his Tuesday talks with Director-General of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi as “constructive”, stressing that
Tehran will not act beyond undertakings.
Salehi made the
remarks in a joint press conference with Grossi after holding negotiations with
him in Tehran on Tuesday.
“Iran has well
shown that it does not accept demands beyond its undertakings. We act based on
our undertakings and the Agency acts within the framework of the agreements
with Iran,” Salehi said.
He appreciated
Grossi and the IAEA for cooperation with a spirit of understanding, and said,
“Good agreements were made between the two sides and a statement is due to be
issued and both sides are working on it.”
Salehi
underlined the need for the IAEA to act based on principles of independence and
professionalism.
Grossi, for his
part, said that the IAEA acts based on documents and not the desires of the
director-general, and added, “We guarantee that the Agency is not influenced
but it is under pressure. We do not allow these pressures to affect our
activities as much as we can.”
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990606000208
--------
IAEA Granted
Access to Two Sites, Says Has No More Demands to Visit Undeclared Iranian
Centres
Aug 27, 2020
"Iran and
the IAEA reached an agreement on the resolution of the safeguards
implementation issues specified by the IAEA, in good faith. In this regard, Iran is voluntarily providing
the IAEA with access to the two locations specified by the IAEA and
facilitating the IAEA verification activities to resolve these issues," a
statement issued by the two sides in Tehran said on Wednesday.
"The IAEA
verification activities will proceed in accordance with the CSA and the AP, and
the IAEA’s standard verification practice as implemented for all States with
CSAs and APs on equal basis and without discrimination," it added.
"... the
IAEA and Iran recognize that these safeguards implementation issues are
exclusively related to nuclear material and activities subject to safeguards
under the CSA and the AP," the statement reiterated.
"In this
present context, based on analysis of available information to the IAEA, the
IAEA does not have further questions to Iran and further requests for access to
locations other than those declared by Iran under its CSA and AP," the two
sides underscored in their final statement.
Here is the full
text of the joint statement,
Joint Statement
by The Director General of the IAEA and The Vice-President of the Islamic
Republic of Iran and Head of the AEOI
Tehran, 26
August 2020
The
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Islamic Republic of Iran
(Iran) agreed to further reinforce their cooperation and enhance mutual trust
to facilitate the full implementation of Iran’s Comprehensive Safeguards
Agreement (CSA) and the Additional Protocol (AP) thereto, which is
provisionally applied by Iran since 16 January 2016.
After intensive
bilateral consultations, Iran and the IAEA reached an agreement on the
resolution of the safeguards implementation issues specified by the IAEA, in
good faith. In this regard, Iran is voluntarily providing the IAEA with access
to the two locations specified by the IAEA and facilitating the IAEA
verification activities to resolve these issues. Dates for the IAEA access and the
verification activities have been agreed. The IAEA verification activities will
proceed in accordance with the CSA and the AP, and the IAEA’s standard
verification practice as implemented for all States with CSAs and APs on equal
basis and without discrimination.
In the context
of resolution GOV/2015/72 adopted by the Board of Governors on 15 December
2015, the IAEA and Iran recognize that these safeguards implementation issues
are exclusively related to nuclear material and activities subject to safeguards
under the CSA and the AP.
In this present
context, based on analysis of available information to the IAEA, the IAEA does
not have further questions to Iran and further requests for access to locations
other than those declared by Iran under its CSA and AP.
Both sides
recognize the independence, impartiality, and professionalism of the IAEA
continue to be essential in the fulfillment of its verification activities.
The IAEA will
continue to take into consideration Iran’s security concerns, by protecting all
safeguards confidential information in accordance with the IAEA’s Statute, the
relevant provisions of the CSA and the AP, and the established IAEA
confidentiality regime, standards, and procedures.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990606000106
--------
Turkey not the
cause of instability in eastern Mediterranean, Erdogan tells Trump
27 August 2020
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it is not Turkey that has created
instability in the eastern Mediterranean in a phone call with US President
Donald Trump, the Turkish Presidency said via its Twitter account.
Turkey has been
widely accused of stoking tensions through a series of steps to assert its
claims over disputed maritime rights over vast swathes of the eastern
Mediterranean, accusations it denies.
"President
Erdogan underscored that Turkey has proven with concrete steps it has taken
that it favors dialogue and de-escalation of tensions," the statement said
after the phone call where the heads of state discussed biliateral matters as
well as regional developments.
Erdogan's
comments come as Turkish media outlet TRT Arabic reported that the country will
host military drills involving the use of live ammunition in the eastern Mediterranean
next week.
The drills will
take place on Tuesday, September 1, and Wednesday, September 2, said TRT,
despite concerns being voiced by Greece, Cyprus and other countries over
Turkey's ongoing seismic exploration mission in the disputed waters.
“We are
determined to protect our rights in the eastern Mediterranean,” the Turkish
media outlet quoted the country's Defense Minister Hulusi Agar as saying.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/27/Turkey-not-the-cause-of-instability-in-Eastern-Mediterranean-Erdogan-tells-Trump.html
--------
Arab Coalition
intercepts Houthi ballistic missile targeting Saudi Arabia’s Najran
28 August 2020
The Arab
Coalition has intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed
Houthi militia toward the southern city of Najran in Saudi Arabia.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/08/28/Arab-Coalition-intercepts-Houthi-ballistic-missile-targeting-Saudi-Arabia-s-Najran.html
--------
Israel
demolishes Palestinian village in Negev desert for 177th time
27 August 2020
Israeli forces
have displaced hundreds of Bedouin Palestinians after demolishing their village
in the Negev region for the 177th time, as the Tel Aviv regime presses ahead
with its expropriation of Palestinian lands for the expansion of illegal
Israeli settlements.
On Thursday
morning, Israeli bulldozers, heavily guarded by the regime’s soldiers, stormed
the al-Araqib village and razed all of its tents and makeshift homes, making
its inhabitants, including children and elderly people, homeless for the 177th
time, the Palestinian Information center reported.
Al-Araqib,
populated by members of the al-Turi Arab Bedouin tribe, is one of dozens of
Bedouin villages in the Negev desert, which are “unrecognized” by the Israeli
regime.
Since January,
Israeli forces had demolished the village, some eight kilometers north of
Beersheba, five times, the last of which was on March 5.
The village,
with about 220 residents, was initially demolished on July 27, 2010, but has
since been rebuilt dozens of times by its residents and activists, who are
challenging Israel’s repeated attempts to uproot the villagers from their
native land.
Israel to
demolish several homes
The Israeli
authorities on Wednesday issued demolition orders against three homes in
Nahalin town, west of Bethlehem, and stop-work orders for six
under-construction ones there, the Palestinian Information Center reported.
Subhi Zaidan,
the mayor of Nahalin, confirmed that the Israeli military had already notified
three local residents of its decision to make them and their families
homeless.
Separately on
Wednesday, Israeli authorities allowed the annexation of 525 dunums of
Palestinian-owned lands in the town and confiscated them as property belonging
to the so-called Jewish national fund, the report added.
Shlomo Neiman,
the head of Gush Etzion regional council, hailed the courts’ orders and
described the annexation step as a historic measure taken after 76 years.
He added that
the occupied lands would be used to expand Gush Etzion settlements, in the
northern parts of the occupied West Bank.
The annexation
orders came after Israeli courts rejected all documents that had been filed by
Palestinian locals proving their ownership of the annexed area.
Over half a
million Israeli settlers live in more than 230 settlements built since the 1967
occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds. Built on the occupied
land, the settlements are internationally condemned as illegal.
Palestinians
want the West Bank as part of their future independent state with East
Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632749/Palestine-Israel-Araqib-Negev-demolition-Nahalin--
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Israel
establishing intelligence bases on Yemeni island in cooperation with UAE:
Report
27 August 2020
Israel, in
cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is to build
intelligence-gathering bases on a Yemeni island in a strategic area overlooking
the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a new report says, four years after Tel Aviv began to
build its largest spy base in the region.
Citing a number
of sources, including some Yemeni ones, the French-language news outlet JForum
said in a report that the Tel Aviv regime plans to build a number of spy bases
on Socotra Island, which is almost 3,650 square kilometers.
Socotra, some
350 kilometers south of Yemen in the Indian Ocean, is the name of the largest
island of a Yemeni archipelago, where a number of smaller islands are still
uninhabited.
According to the
report, a delegation of Israeli and Emirati intelligence officers arrived on
the Socotra Island very recently and examined various locations for
establishing the planned intelligence bases.
It cited an
unnamed high-ranking Eritrean source as saying that Israel in 2016 had started
to build its largest intelligence-gathering base at the top of Mount
Ambassaira, south of the Eritrean capital of Asmara.
The purpose of
the base, according to the report, is to electronically monitor forces
belonging to a Saudi-led military coalition waging a war against Yemen and the
Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the region, the report added.
It also monitors
the activities of Houthi fighters in Yemen and Iran’s naval movements in the
region, beside analyzing sea and air traffic in the southern Red Sea, it added.
According to the
report, the Israelis and Emiratis are currently making all logistical
preparations to establish intelligence bases to collect information from across
the Gulf of Eden, including Bab al-Mandab and south of Yemen, which is under
the control of forces loyal to the UAE.
Two sites on
Socotra have so far been selected for spy bases, namely the Momi region in the
east of the island, where the Jamgua Center will be built and a locality in the
west of the island, where Katanan Center will be established, it added.
Citing Yemeni
sources, the report went on to say that Israeli and Emirati intelligence
experts believe that these two sites are topographically the most appropriate
places to set up the bases, whose jobs will be collecting electronic
information from southern Yemen, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Eden, the
Egyptian Bab al-Mandab and the Horn of Africa.
The US recently
announced that the UAE had “normalized” relations with the Tel Aviv regime,
becoming the third Arab government — after Egypt and Jordan — to establish
relations with Israel.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632739/Israel-UAE-spy-bases-Yemeni-island-Report
--------
New Zealand and
Australia
'Wicked' New
Zealand mosque gunman sentenced to life without parole
27 Aug 2020
New Zealand
mosque gunman Brenton Tarrant was sentenced to life in prison without parole on
Thursday for the massacre of 51 Muslim worshippers, with a judge calling his
actions “wicked” and “inhuman”.
As the sentence
was read out, there was jubilation outside the courtroom, with crowds cheering
and singing the national anthem — “God Defend New Zealand”.
Judge Cameron
Mander said Tarrant's “warped” ideology and “base hatred” led the Australian
white supremacist to murder defenceless men, women and children last year in
New Zealand's worst terror attack.
“Your crimes are
so wicked, that even if you are detained until you die it will not exhaust the
requirements of punishment and denunciation,” Mander said as he announced a
sentence that is a New Zealand legal first.
The judge
solemnly read out the names of those murdered in a livestreamed rampage and
recounted in forensic detail how Tarrant executed the wounded as they pleaded
for help on March 15 last year.
“It was brutal
and beyond callous. Your actions were inhuman,” the judge said, pointing out
that Tarrant deliberately attacked Friday prayers to maximise casualties.
Tarrant, 29,
retained the same impassive demeanour through the four-day hearing as survivors
and bereaved family members gave heart-wrenching testimony of their
incalculable loss.
Gamal Fouda, the
imam of Al Noor mosque — one of those targeted by Tarrant — said the sentence
was what the Muslim community had hoped for.
“But no
punishment is going to bring our loved ones back and our sadness will continue
for the rest of our lives,” he said.
Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern, who was praised for her compassionate and decisive response to
the shootings, also welcomed the sentence.
“The trauma of
March 15 is not easily healed but today I hope is the last where we have any
cause to hear or utter the name of the terrorist behind it,” she said.
“His deserves to
be a lifetime of complete and utter silence.”
As New Zealand
reeled from the shootings, Ardern immediately moved to tighten gun laws and
pressure social media giants to curb online extremism.
She expressed
hope that members of the country's traumatised Muslim community felt “the arms
of New Zealand around you” during the painful sentencing process.
Ardern's
Australian counterpart Scott Morrison echoed the sentiment, condemning
Tarrant's “cowardly and horrific” crimes.
“It is right
that we will never see or hear from him ever again,” he said.
'Racist and
xenophobic'
Tarrant sparked
global revulsion when he rampaged through two Christchurch mosques for 20
minutes during Friday prayers.
He had admitted
51 charges of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one of terrorism over the
attacks, after reversing an initial not-guilty plea.
Prosecutor Mark
Zarifeh said the atrocity was “without comparison in New Zealand's criminal
history”.
“The offending
was motivated by an entrenched racist and xenophobic ideology ... in my
submission, the offender is clearly New Zealand's worst murderer,” he said.
Zarifeh said
life behind bars was “the only proper sentencing option” for Tarrant.
For much of the
sentencing, the court heard testimony from dozens of his victims and their
families.
“Since my
husband and son passed away, I've never had a proper, normal sleep. I don't
think I ever will,” widow Ambreen Naeem told the court.
“His punishment
should continue forever.”
Fearing Tarrant
may use the platform to spout extremist ideology, the court had imposed tight
restrictions on the reporting of proceedings.
Before the
sentencing, Tarrant, a former gym instructor, had sacked his legal team and
declared he would represent himself.
Instead, he
waived his right to speak and court-appointed lawyer Pip Hall made a brief
one-line statement on his behalf.
“Mr Tarrant does
not oppose the application that he should be sentenced to life imprisonment
without parole,” Hall said.
The court was
told that Tarrant had made a belated expression of remorse during a
pre-sentence interview with prison authorities in April, when the killer
described his actions as “unnecessary, abhorrent and irrational”.
But Judge Mander
rejected Tarrant's gesture as “uncorroborated, self-serving and a relatively
recent phenomenon”, saying he had never shown any compassion for his victims
and probably retained his racist views.
He is likely to
be kept in isolation for his own safety at New Zealand's only maximum-security
prison in Auckland, where 80 per cent of inmates are Maori or Pacific
islanders.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1576740/wicked-new-zealand-mosque-gunman-sentenced-to-life-without-parole
--------
Sydney judge
orders restrictions on extremist's movements
26 August 2020
SYDNEY -- An
Australian judge on Wednesday issued a rare order restricting the movements of
an extremist when he is released from a Sydney prison after serving 12 years
for a terrorism-related conviction.
Police applied
for the control order against former Qantas cabin cleaner and online publisher
Belal Saadallah Khazaal before he is released from prison this weekend.
Federal Court
Justice Michael Wigney made the order, but the conditions and his reasons will
not be made public until sensitive information is redacted from the judgment.
Khazaal was 39
in 2008 when he was found guilty by a New South Wales state Supreme Court jury
of making a document connected with assisting a terrorist act.
The online book,
which described itself as a “practical guide to achieving martyrdom,” included
advice on assassination techniques and listed countries to be targeted,
including Australia.
Control orders
were created under counterterrorism legislation in 2005 to protect the public
from extremist acts. Orders have been issued against seven people since then.
Restrictions can
include a curfew at a home address, wearing an electronic monitoring device,
limits to use of telecommunications and regular reporting to police.
Khazaal, the
former editor of “Call to Islam” magazine, was sentenced to 12 years in prison
with a non-parole period of nine years. The term expires on Sunday.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/sydney-judge-orders-restrictions-extremists-movements-72619676?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1475497_
--------
Southeast Asia
Muslims
encouraged to have Islamic calendar - Zulkifli
27 AUG 2020
KUALA LUMPUR:
Every Muslim family is encouraged to have an Islamic calendar or taqwim in
their house as a reference or life compass for matters pertaining to Islamic
law as well as a reminder of important dates.
Minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad
Al-Bakri (pix) said that every ‘ibadah’ (religious ritual) in Islam must refer
to the Hijri year and the taqwim is significant to decide on important dates
and celebrations, ‘zakat’ (tithe) and ‘iddah’ (the period a woman must observe
after the death of her husband or after a divorce) as well as the age of
puberty.
“Taqwim plays an
important role in the management of human life. It is a system closely related
to social and religious activities, and also in managing daily lives,” he told
reporters after launching the Pusrawi International College of Medical Sciences
(PICOMS) Hijri calendar here, today.
PICOMS, a
higher-education institution under the Federal Territories Islamic Religious
Council (MAIWP), has published the taqwim in collaboration with I Quest
Training Consultancy which offers special features for Muslims.
They include a
colour system, infographics and unique symbols to show important dates,
information on suitable dates for voluntary fasting and reading the Quran,
religious events and celebrations, as well as public and school holidays.
Zulkifli said
that PICOMS’ ‘1 Home 1 Taqwim’ campaign would also be expanded so that the
Muslim community in Malaysia would benefit from the calendar. — Bernama
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/muslims-encouraged-to-have-islamic-calendar-zulkifli-II3695921
--------
Malaysia-Philippine
Frontier: Sabah Tightens Borders After Terror Attack in Jolo
Amy Chew
2020-08-26
Sabah is
tightening its borders to prevent Abu Sayyaf Group militants from entering its
territory in search of “safe haven” after this week’s twin suicide bombings in
the nearby southern Philippines, the police chief in the Malaysian Borneo state
told BenarNews.
At least 15
people were killed and more than 75 injured in the two explosions on Jolo
Island that were carried out Monday by two widows of members of ASG, a
pro-Islamic State extremist group, the Philippine military said Wednesday.
In an interview,
State Police Commissioner Hazani Ghazali said “we have tightened up our
borders, deployed our assets after the bombings.”
“We don’t want
militant suspects to come over here to make Sabah their safe haven,” he told
BenarNews, adding, “We are on the alert.”
According to
security experts in the Philippines, at least three more female bombers are
at-large in the restive southern region – including two daughters of an
Indonesian woman who was involved in a suicide bombing at a church in Jolo last
year – and the two women who carried out Monday’s attacks were each paid at
least 3 million Philippine pesos (U.S. $61,750) ahead of the twin bombings.
Jolo town, where
the attacks took place, is the capital of the island province of Sulu, which
lies close to Sabah’s eastern coast. In the past, ASG members have fled to
Sabah from the Sulu Islands to lie low during times when the Philippine
military has conducted clearing operations against the militants.
In 2017,
Malaysian police said they had foiled a plan by Abu Sayyaf to attack the
closing ceremony of the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur. From 2013 to
September 2018, a total of 27 Abu Sayyaf members were arrested by police in
Malaysia.
On the
Philippine side of the border with Sabah, which is separated by the Sulu and
Celebes seas, the military said it was hunting for other suspects linked to
Monday’s attacks. They said the attacks were planned by Mundi Sawadjaan, an ASG
operative and bomb maker who is believed to be the nephew of Hatib Hajan
Sawadjaan, the commander of the IS branch in the Philippines.
It is believed
that at least three other female suicide bombers are roaming in the southern
Philippines, according to Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute
for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, a local think-tank.
“[They are] two
Indonesians, daughters of the Jolo Cathedral bombers, and one Egyptian, the
daughter of a female Egyptian bomber who died in September 2019,” Banlaoi told
BenarNews.
In January 2019,
an Indonesian couple, Rullie Rian Zeke and Ulfah Handayani Saleh, blew
themselves up at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, killing 23 people.
The couple were
members of Indonesia’s IS affiliate, Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), according to
security analysts in that country. Philippine officials have said the married
couple carried out the twin bombings under orders from Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan.
In Jakarta, a
senior Indonesian counter-terrorism source confirmed that at least one of the
couple’s three children was still in the Philippines.
“[T]he daughter
of Rullie, is married … [and] is still in Philippines,” the source told
BenarNews. He gave no other details.
ASG’s use of
female suicide bombers is a major shift in the group’s tactics because women
and girls come under less scrutiny than men, said Mimi Fabe, professor of
financial terrorism and transnational organized crime at the Philippine
National Police College.
Before the 2019
church bombings in Jolo, all the suicide bombers in such attacks carried out in
the Philippines were male.
“The [latest]
Jolo bombing was a strategy of the ASG to encourage more female suicide bombers
among the locals … Because it gives a more chilling effect to our troops,” Fabe
told BenarNews.
“[Also] the
Muslim women do not undergo body searches, unlike the men,” she added.
Once a rare
occurrence, there have been five suicide bombings since July 2018, including
the latest blasts.
The two female
suicide bombers in Jolo were each paid an estimated “3 million to 5 million
pesos [$61,750 to 102,900],” money which is believed to have come from foreign
sources, Fabe said.
“The money went
to their families. In operations like this, the money is paid prior to the
mission,” said Fabe, adding there was a need to look into the terrorism
financing aspect of the latest terrorist attack.
“I expect more
bombings since the ASG receives funding from abroad. Unless we disrupt the
terrorism funding, more female volunteers will step forward as female suicide
bombers,” she added.
According to
Fabe, the two female suicide bombers were believed to have been “trained” by an
Indonesian foreign fighter.
“There is a
clear effort on the part of the funders and the terrorists to incite their
women to engage in violent attacks,” Fabe said.
Sabah:
Kidnappings, illegal entry
Meanwhile, Sabah
has deployed assets from the navy, military, police, and the Malaysian Maritime
Enforcement Agency (MMEA) to beef up security along the state’s east coast,
where abductions by kidnap-for-ransom groups, working in concert with Abu
Sayyaf, have taken place sporadically.
“So far so good,
we have no incidents,” said Hazani, who took over on Aug. 12 as police chief in
Sabah after serving as commander of the Eastern Sabah Security Command
(ESSCOM), the agency that oversees security along the eastern Sabah coastline,
Hazani said at
least one kidnap-for-ransom group had been eliminated this year and there were
an estimated five groups still in operation.
ESSCOM, through
its intelligence unit, was tracking down boat skippers who collude with
illegals to enter waters of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone, according to a
report by Bernama, the state-run news agency.
Its Public
Action Division director, Terry Henry said the move was aimed at breaking the
chain involving the entry of illegal immigrants into Sabah.
“This is towards
ensuring our country, especially Sabah, is free of illegals,” Bernama quoted
him as saying at the merdeka @ Kalabakan district community program organized
by ESSCOM and the Tawau Information Department on Tuesday.
“Those found
colluding with illegals and trying to harbor them could be jailed for up to
five years or fined RM10,000 [U.S. $23,980] or both, if convicted,” he said.
https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/malaysian/Sabah-Jolo-attack-08262020164349.html
--------
Court orders
trial judge to determine religious status of 39 Ahmadiyya followers
V Anbalagan
August 27, 2020
PUTRAJAYA: The
Court of Appeal has remitted to the High Court to determine whether 39
individuals, including foreigners, who professed the Ahmadiyya belief are
Muslims or otherwise.
A three-member
bench chaired by Badariah Sahamid said if the persons were Ahmadiyya by
original faith, then the Selangor shariah court had no jurisdiction over them
in the state.
She said should
it be proven that they were following the faith after converting out of Islam,
then the religious court had authority over them.
Badariah said
the information in the identity cards on the religious status of Malaysians was
not conclusive proof which faith one belonged to.
Badariah, who
sat with Zabariah Mohd Yusof and Nor Bee Ariffin to hear appeals from the
Selangor government and the religious authorities last year, delivered the
judgment on Tuesday.
The bench set
aside the relief given in a judicial review on July 6, 2018 by then High Court
judge Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera to the applicants pending their religious status.
The bench has
also ordered Vazeer, who is now a Court of Appeal judge, to rehear the matter
as soon as possible.
Twenty
Malaysians, eight Pakistani asylum seekers, two Indian nationals and an
Indonesian were performing Friday prayers on April 11, 2014 at the community
centre in Batu Caves, Selangor.
They challenged
the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) for trying to charge them with
shariah offences, on the basis that Islamic authorities in Selangor do not
recognise Ahmadiyya as Muslims.
The group was
informed that they had not obtained written permission to use the premises – a
shoplot in Dolomite Park, Batu Caves – for purposes which may only be carried
out on, in or by a mosque, contrary to Section 97 of the Administration of the
Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003.
Vazeer went on
to rule that the Selangor religious authorities have no right to stop religious
activities of the Ahmadiyya community, who follow a sect which Muslims
generally regard as being outside the fold of Islam.
The judge also
ruled that JAIS has no right to bring charges against members of the sect for
violating a state fatwa against Ahmadiyya teachings.
On a broader
note, Badariah, who will go on mandatory retirement next month, said
Ahmadiyya were,
as with all other persons, entitled to the freedom of religion subject to
Articles 11(4) and (5) of the Federal Constitution.
“But because of
the dual legal system in Malaysia, their status, as to whether they are
Muslims or not,
coupled by the fact that their MyKad may state their religion to be ‘Islam’ may
give rise to ambiguity in their religious status,” she said.
She said the
difficulties were compounded as the issuance of MyKads by the National
Registration Department is pursuant to federal powers.
Badariah said
perhaps it was timely that all the states along with the federal government
worked out a unified regime to determine the religious status of the Ahmadiyya
so that they are not put at risk of shariah investigation and prosecution.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/08/27/court-orders-trial-judge-to-determine-religious-status-of-39-ahmadiyya-followers/
--------
India
Punish Mumbai
and Pulwama plotters, shared enough proof: India to Pak
Aug 28, 2020
Rezaul H Laskar
India on
Thursday demanded Pakistan should prosecute the perpetrators of the 2019
Pulwama terror attack and 2008 Mumbai carnage, saying the main accused in last
year’s suicide bombing – Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar – continues
to be sheltered by Islamabad.
New Delhi also
called on Islamabad to act against UN-designated terrorists such as Dawood
Ibrahim, saying Pakistan’s assertion that its actions to enforce the global
body’s sanctions doesn’t mean it admits to the presence of such individuals on
its territory reflects its “insincerity” in tracking down global terrorists
operating from Pakistani soil.
India’s response
to Pakistan’s rejection of the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA)
chargesheet in the Pulwama terror attack was outlined during a weekly news
briefing by external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, who said
Islamabad was evading its responsibility even after New Delhi had shared
“enough evidence” on the suicide bombing.
The chargesheet
filed by the NIA in a court in Jammu on Tuesday named Masood Azhar, his two
brothers Abdul Rauf Asghar Alvi and Ammar Alvi, his nephew Mohammad Umar Farooq
and 15 others who carried out the bombing at Pakistan’s behest. The attack
killed 40 Indian troopers and triggered a brief stand-off between the two
countries.
Pakistan
rejected the chargesheet on Wednesday, contending it contained fabrications to
further the Indian government’s “anti-Pakistan rhetoric and its narrow domestic
political interests”. It also said the Indian side had failed to respond to two
requests for further information on the terror attack.
Responding to a
question on whether India will share further information with Pakistan on the
attack, Srivastava said: “Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed the responsibility of
the Pulwama attack. The organisation and its leadership are in Pakistan. It is
regrettable that Masood Azhar, the first accused in the chargesheet continues
to find shelter in Pakistan.”
He added,
“Enough evidence has been shared with Pakistan but it continues to evade
responsibility.”
The chargesheet,
Srivastava said, was filed after an investigation lasting a year-and-a-half
since the attack on February 14 last year. “It has been filed to address the
act of terrorism and to bring perpetrators of such a heinous crime to justice.
Our aim is not to simply issue statements or notifications,” he said.
Srivastava also
pointed out that Pakistan was yet to take “any credible action” against
perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, which claimed 166 lives,
including 25 foreign nationals.
The Mumbai
attacks were carried out by a 10-member team of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT). Pakistani security agencies arrested seven men, including LeT operations
commander Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, in the weeks after the attack but their trial
has made little headway even after scores of hearings. Lakhvi was released on
bail in 2015 and his current whereabouts are unknown.
Pakistan also
recently issued two statutory regulatory orders (SROs) to enforce UN Security
Council sanctions on hundreds of terrorist individuals and entities, including
Masood Azhar, LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and Dawood Ibrahim ahead of an expected
assessment of its counter-terror financing actions by the Financial Action Task
Force (FATF). One of the orders listed three addresses in Karachi for Ibrahim,
though Pakistan has long denied the mob boss’ presence in the country.
After the matter
was widely reported in the Indian media, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a
statement the SROs didn’t amount to “Pakistan admitting to the presence of
certain listed individuals on its territory”.
Asked about this
matter, Srivastava said: “Pakistan’s assertion that the SRO does not mean that
it admits to the presence of listed individuals on its territory or that it
would impose any new measures on these listed individuals, lays bare the
insincerity of Pakistan in responding to legitimate expectations of the world
that they will track down international terrorists based on its soil.”
Pakistan, he
said, has “not only maintained its opposition to this international consensus
but it has also chosen not to act against” the terrorists. “Pakistan has never
taken any credible and verifiable action against terror entities or listed
individuals, including the most wanted ones,” he added.
Srivastava said
the denial by Pakistan’s Foreign Office “calls into question their intentions
and it would not mislead the world community in believing its propaganda”. He
added, “Pakistan must take credible action and ensure that the listed
individuals are prosecuted.”
Ibrahim, wanted
by India for his role in the 1993 Mumbai bombings, has regularly featured in
lists of wanted terrorists and dossiers provided by India to Pakistan.
In response to
another question, Srivastava reiterated that Pakistan’s envoy to the UN had
issued a statement on August 24 about addressing a Security Council meeting on
Monday on threats to international peace and security from terrorism that
subsequently turned out to be untrue.
“The briefing
and discussions at this UNSC meeting were confined to members only and we had
sought clarification from the Indonesian chair, who informally confirmed to us
that there was no scope for any non-member to speak in this discussion. Our
permanent mission to the UN has clearly rebutted all allegations made by
Pakistan in this statement,” he said.
Sameer Patil,
fellow for international security studies at Gateway House, said it is
important for the Indian government to keep highlighting the issue of terrorism
emanating from Pakistan even if such assertions hadn’t resulted in any change
in the neighbouring country’s behaviour.
“The statement
on Pulwama may be more for domestic consumption since cross-border terrorism
remains an emotional issue. Not to highlight it could be seen as some sort of
acquiescence on the issue, and no Indian government, least of all a BJP
government, will want a charge like that levelled against it. But highlighting
it also shows India is still pursuing the issue and this is important from the
domestic and international perspective,” he said.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/punish-mumbai-and-pulwama-plotters-shared-enough-proof-india-to-pak/story-WDknCG1QltRHXiZi6VVJ0M.html
--------
Pulwama case:
India to cite money trail to Pak banks at FATF
Aug 28, 2020
NEW DELHI: The
irrefutable trail of Rs 10.4 lakh cash deposits by Pakistan-based
Jaish-e-Mohammed masterminds into Pulwama case accused Muhammad Umar Farooq’s
two bank accounts in Peshawar and Khyber Agency to finance the February 14,
2019, fidayeen attack, is likely to strengthen India’s case for Pakistan being
‘blacklisted’ by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Pakistan’s
delivery on FATF’s 27-point action plan to curb terror financing and money
laundering will come up for review by the multilateral body on September 14,
followed by the final decision at the body’s plenary in October.
Sources said
India may raise the funding trail of Pulwama attack to banks in Pakistan, to
highlight Islamabad’s “limited” understanding of the terror financing risk
emanating from its jurisdiction.
“The fact that a
Jaish terrorist was receiving funds in his bank accounts back in Pakistan, with
which he bought the car and explosives used for the blast in India that killed
40 CRPF jawans, shows that Pakistan has failed to deliver on its promises of
due diligence in its banking system,” an officer said. The NIA’s probe into the
Pulwama attack has found that cash deposits totalling Rs 10.4 lakh were made in
five instalments into Umar’s separate bank accounts in Meezan Bank, Peshawar, and
Allied Bank in Khyber Agency.
The trail of all
the five deposit slips has been retrieved from Umar’s phone that was broken
into with the help of CERT-In. These funds were deposited after Umar made a
request to his uncles Abdul Rouf Asghar and Ammar Alvi.
The voice clips
where Umar asks them for money for the Pulwama attack, after which the cash
deposits were made, have been submitted as evidence in the NIA chargesheet on
Tuesday.
Of the over 10
lakh Pakistani rupees deposited in Umar’s accounts, Rs 5.7 lakh was used for
purchase and modification of the car and procuring explosives, including
ammonium powder from Amazon.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pulwama-case-india-to-cite-money-trail-to-pak-banks-at-fatf/articleshow/77793949.cms
--------
BJP MP, Harnath
Singh Yadav, Wants Islamic Studies Off UPSC List
28.08.20
A BJP
parliamentarian, Harnath Singh Yadav, has told The Telegraph he plans to raise
in the Rajya Sabha a demand for the removal of Islamic Studies as
a subject from
the Union Public Service Commission exam.
His decision
coincides with a pro-Hindutva campaign against the purportedly rising number of
Muslims clearing the civil services exam, although the MP
denied any such
link.
He, however,
insisted that Islamic Studies — which covers the history of the rise and spread
of Islam as well as Islam’s contributions to science, philosophy, art and
architecture, among other things — shouldn’t be part of exams to select future
civil servants and police officers.
“I have strong
objections against Islamic Studies being part of the UPSC,” the Rajya Sabha
member from Uttar Pradesh said.
Asked why, he
cited platitudes usually heard in Right-wing echo chambers and suggested
“incompatibility” with “Indian culture”.
The MP added: “I
shall gather more information on the subject and raise it during the upcoming
session of Parliament and demand its removal (from the UPSC exam).”
Parliament is
expected to be convened in mid-September.
Harnath’s
comments come against the backdrop of a controversy over a television channel
chief posting a teaser for a news programme on the “infiltration” of the civil
services by Muslims, which he labelled “UPSC jihad” and “bureaucracy jihad”.
Several IAS
officers and the IPS Association have expressed outrage at Sudarshan News
editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke and demanded action against him for the
“communal” teaser.
Chavhanke is
followed on Twitter by many key BJP leaders. The channel is widely perceived as
peddling blatantly communal campaigns that BJP members cannot raise directly,
with the objectives of testing the waters and influencing public opinion.
Harnath’s name
had figured in one of Chavhanke’s tweets in which he claimed the
parliamentarian had agreed to raise the subject of “UPSC jihad” in the Upper
House.
The MP acknowledged
having spoken to Chavhanke recently but denied he had anything to do with the
“UPSC jihad” or “bureaucracy jihad” posts.
“My issue is
limited to demanding the removal of Islamic Studies from the UPSC and I will do
it,” he said.
Harnath denied any
bias against Muslims and underlined that he had consistently been raising
issues related to the UPSC exam in the Rajya Sabha.
“I have been
demanding that the UPSC papers be prepared primarily in Hindi and the regional
languages. They shouldn’t be translated from English,” he said.
Harnath said the
quality of the translation tended to be poor and handicapped rural students who
chose to read and answer the questions in Hindi or the regional languages.
Officially, the
BJP has refrained from commenting on the Sudarshan TV controversy.
Several retired
and serving civil servants have condemned the campaign and demanded action.
“A news story
targeting candidates in civil services on the basis of religion is being
promoted by Sudarshan TV. We condemn the communal and irresponsible piece of
journalism,” the IPS Association tweeted.
A post from
retired IPS officer N.C. Asthana said: “By casting doubts on the integrity and
impartiality of a constitutional body like the UPSC in selection of officers
for All-India Services, he is spreading disaffection for the constitutional
scheme of governance.”
Serving IPS
officer Niharika Bhatt has castigated the “despicable attempt at hate
mongering” and demanded the use of “the strictest legal provisions” against the
campaign.
“Why don’t
police arrest him and why SC or HCs or minorities commission or UPSC don’t take
suo motu cognisance now?” tweeted IAS officer Prabhjot Singh.
Some Twitter
users have demanded that the social media platform suspend Chavhanke’s account.
An official from
a government coaching centre for the UPSC exam said the results of the 2019
exam, announced a fortnight ago, showed that Muslims accounted for only 5 per
cent of the successful candidates, up from 4.5 per cent last year.
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bjp-mp-wants-islamic-studies-off-upsc-list/cid/1790274
--------
Cannot
discriminate against Shia Muslims: Bombay high court directs state to allow
Muharram rituals
KAY Dodhiya
Aug 27, 2020
The Bombay high
court (HC) has said that it would be discriminatory if the Shia Muslims, who
are seeking permission to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain by
observing rituals as per the norms laid down by the Maharashtra government’s
disaster management department, are barred, as a similar approval was given to
the Hindus to celebrate the annual 10-day Ganesh Utsav that started on August
22, despite the prevailing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.
The observations
were made while hearing a petition filed by All India Idara
Tahfaz-e-Hussainiyat, an organisation from south Mumbai, which had sought
directions to the state government to allow a limited number of people be
allowed to perform mehendi, alam and taziya rituals for the Muharram.
HC has asked the
state government and the disaster management department to hear the petitioner
and submit their report by Friday (August 28) morning.
A two-member HC
division bench, comprising justices SJ Kathawalla and Madhav Jamdar, while
hearing the petition on Thursday, was informed that Shia Muslims in Mumbai and
Maharashtra desired to observe a period of mourning for two hours on four days
of the Islamic month of Muharram – from August 27 to 30 -- by performing
rituals.
Advocate
Rajendra Shirodkar, who appeared for the petitioner along with advocate Shehzad
Naqvi, submitted that the Shia Mulsims were seeking permission for a group of
20-50 of them to perform the rituals through a procession, which would start at
Bhendi Bazar and end at Mazgaon Kabrastan in Mumbai.
When the court
sought to know about the mehendi, alam and taziya rituals, Shirodkar explained
that a group of Shia Muslims would carry flags and replicas of the mausoleum of
Imam Hussain and go from Bhendi Bazar to Mazgaon.
However, HC was
not convinced and sought an explainer that was submitted by Shirodkar later in
the day. Shirodkar submitted that though the prayer was made for 20-50 Shia
Muslims, the number of participants could be reduced as per the court’s order.
State additional
government pleader Geeta Shastri and government pleader Poornima Kantharia
opposed the petition.
They stated that
the petition was seeking permission for a procession, where thousands of Shia
Muslims take part in the annual procession and it should not be allowed because
of the prevailing viral outbreak and it would impossible for the state
authorities to enforce social distancing norms.
Kantharia
submitted since Ganesh Utsav processions were not permitted, similarly there
should be a ban on the Muharram procession.
Earlier, Shastri
informed HC that the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday had rejected a petition for
carrying out Muharram processions throughout the country following which the
court perused the summary of the apex court’s order.
The court
observed that there was no SC order barring Muharram processions across the
country. The court stated that the petition in SC was only for taking out a
procession in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and other states were not involved in it.
“If limited
permissions are issued for Lord Ganesha, then refusing permissions for Muharram
would be discriminatory. Hence, we direct the (state) authorities to give the
petitioner a hearing and decide on it,” said Justice Kathawalla.
The court
directed Amitabh Gupta, principal secretary (home), Maharashtra; and Kishor
Raje Nimbalkar, secretary, disaster management department, Maharashtra, to give
the petitioner a hearing.
The court also
directed Gupta and Nimbalkar to submit a report on the state government’s
decision on Friday morning.
HC will hear the
case again in the first half on Friday.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/cannot-discriminate-against-shia-muslims-bombay-high-court-directs-state-to-allow-muharram-rituals/story-va6Do07gdy8j55Sl9r3DrK.html
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Security
tightened in Srinagar to stop Muharram procession amid Covid pandemic
Aug 28, 2020
Authorities in
Srinagar have tightened security in some parts of the city especially around
business nerve centre Lal Chowk to ensure that Muharram processions are not
taken out on Saturday.
The processions
have been banned because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Late Thursday
night, police started closing roads towards the city centre Lal Chowk by
placing barbed wire and barricades. Similar steps were also taken in other
parts of the city like Batamaloo, Karan Nagar, Dalgate and Rainawari areas. But
shops and business establishments in other parts of the city are functioning as
usual.
Earlier on
Thursday, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole had ruled out any
chance of allowing Muharram processions.
“Restrictions
will continue on all religious processions and gatherings in all districts,”
Pole said during a meeting with Shia groups.
Traditionally, a
procession used to be taken out from Guru Bazar to Dalgate area of the city on
the eighth day of Muharram before militancy erupted in the Valley.
Authorities have
not allowed a procession on this route for almost 30 years now.
On several
occasions in the past, security forces scuttled Muharram processions in
Batmaloo, Jahangir Chowk, Abi Guzar and Dalgate by using tear gas shells.
On Tuesday
night, police arrested two persons in Srinagar for allegedly raising Azadi
slogans during a Muharram procession.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/security-tightened-in-srinagar-to-stop-muharram-procession-amid-covid-pandemic/story-JhNOqNPzSaIWBvFBwxaOAP.html
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Delhi 2020
religious’ riots: Amnesty International accuses police of rights abuses
28 August, 2020
Indian police
"committed serious human rights violations" during deadly religious
riots in Delhi earlier this year, Amnesty International alleges.
It said police
beat protesters, tortured detainees and at times took part in riots with Hindu
mobs.
More than 40
people died when clashes broke out between Hindus and Muslims over a
controversial citizenship law. Muslims bore the brunt, Amnesty said.
The Delhi police
are yet to respond to Amnesty's request for a response.
The
investigation corroborates the BBC's reporting on incidents of police brutality
and complicity during the riots in February, the deadliest in the city for
decades. The police denied any wrongdoing.
Some of the top
findings of the Amnesty report mirror the BBC's investigation into the Delhi
police's role in the violence.
Videos had
emerged on social media and messaging groups from the Khajuri Khas area in
north-east Delhi, in which police are seen acting with a mob and throwing
stones. We investigated these videos by gathering eyewitness testimony from
both communities.
One shopkeeper
alleged that police gave stones to him and other Hindus to throw at Muslims
over the road. Bhoora Khan, a Muslim whose home and shop across the street were
burnt down, also alleged the police acted with Hindus against Muslims.
We also
investigated another set of videos that showed a group of policemen brutally
beating a Muslim man, Faizan. The man died a few days later. His brother Naeem
told me Faizan succumbed to the injuries he suffered at the hands of the
police.
While the Delhi
police didn't initially respond to the BBC's request for a reply, after the
report aired, they told BBC Hindi they would look into what is seen in these
videos. But many, including Amnesty, are asking how the police can be trusted
to investigate allegations against their own men.
The Amnesty
report says that while Hindus also suffered losses, Muslims were disproportionately
targeted in the riots.
"The riot
that seemed far from spontaneous saw almost three times the number of Muslim
casualties compared to Hindus. Muslims also bore the brunt of loss of business
and property," it said.
"The
percentage may be lower but establishments and homes owned by Hindus were not
left completely untouched," it added.
The Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) - which critics say is anti-Muslim - sparked massive
protests across India after it was passed last year.
One such demonstration
in Delhi turned violent - clashes broke out between protesters for and against
the law.
"The riot
that seemed far from spontaneous saw almost three times the number of Muslim
casualties compared to Hindus. Muslims also bore the brunt of loss of business
and property," it said.
"The
percentage may be lower but establishments and homes owned by Hindus were not
left completely untouched," it added.
The Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) - which critics say is anti-Muslim - sparked massive protests
across India after it was passed last year.
One such
demonstration in Delhi turned violent - clashes broke out between protesters
for and against the law.
The violence
soon took religious overtones and the rioting continued for three days, with Muslim
homes and shops being targeted by violent mobs.
The report says
its forensic analysis of videos from the rioting supports the conclusion that
the police stood by, allowing rioters to wreak havoc in some places.
It also alleges
that hate speeches by right-wing leaders sparked the riots - but notes that the
police have taken no action against them.
On the other
hand, it says, police have arrested civil rights activists, teachers and
students, most of them Muslim.
"Not even a
single political leader that made hate speeches, which advocated violence in
the build-up to the riots has been prosecuted," it said.
The report
recommends an independent inquiry into the allegations.
"As the
Delhi police investigate who is responsible for the riots, there have been no
investigations till now into the human rights violations committed by the Delhi
police during the riots," says the report.
Several other
reports have also raised questions over police conduct during the riots. A
report by the Delhi Minorities Commission also alleged that the police allowed
Muslim homes and shops to be targeted by mobs.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53891354
--------
'Dragon's
favourite': Hindu groups target Bollywood's Aamir Khan
28 August, 2020
On August 15,
Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan posted a picture of her meeting Bollywood star
Aamir Khan on Twitter. It soon went viral.
"I had the
great pleasure of meeting @aamir_khan, the world-renowned Indian actor,
filmmaker, and director, in Istanbul…" Emine Erdogan tweeted after meeting
the Muslim actor, who was in Turkey to shoot his latest film, Laal Singh
Chaddha.
Pro-government
supporters were furious at Khan for taking a picture with the wife of Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has criticised the Indian government's
decision to strip Indian-administered Kashmir of its special status last
August.
Erdogan has
backed Pakistan in the dispute over Kashmir, a territory both India and
Pakistan claim as its own but rule in parts.
New Delhi told
Ankara not to "interfere" in its internal affairs after President
Erdogan expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in the
Muslim-majority region, which has been under security lockdown since its
limited autonomy was removed on August 5, 2019.
India also acted
against Malaysia for criticising its Kashmir move by banning the import of palm
oil from the Asia Pacific nation.
'Anti-national'
Khan, one of the
biggest Bollywood stars, was soon the top Twitter trending topic along with
Erdogan, with Hindu nationalists branding the film star
"anti-national" and "unpatriotic" for standing with the
"enemy".
His criticism
was not limited to social media, where the pro-government users dominate. A
recent report by The Wall Street Journal said Facebook India executives failed
to act against anti-Muslim posts by governing party leaders. Facebook has about
300 million users in India.
This week, the
right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) volunteer organisation, which is
the ideological parent of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
criticised Khan's ties with Turkey, saying he was "forging friendships
with those that are considered enemies of India".
The RSS
magazine, Organiser, put Khan on its cover calling him "The Dragon's
favourite Khan", a reference to China.
The 55-year-old
star was attacked for his massive popularity in China, which has been accused
of transgressing into Indian territory across Line of Actual Control (LAC) -
the de facto border between the two Asian countries.
"Aamir
seems to be the favourite of the Chinese Communist Party system and the fact
his movies are doing so well is an indication that he is being promoted by
Chinese state," the editor of the weekly Hitesh Shankar told a news
website.
Growing
marginalisation of Muslims
Khan is a brand
ambassador for Chinese smartphone maker Vivo, and is also a major draw on the
mainland with films such as Dangal (2016). He has 1.16 million followers on
China's Twitter-like platform, Weibo.
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's government has fanned growing hostility towards China following
a deadly clash on their disputed Himalayan border on June 15. Modi is a devout
Hindu and a lifelong RSS member.
Since Modi came
to power in 2014, the BJP government has enacted a number of policies that have
raised fears of marginalisation among India 200-million-strong Muslim minority.
Last year,
Modi's government passed a citizenship law that made faith a basis for
acquiring Indian citizenship in the officially secular nation. The new law,
which sparked nationwide protests, was dubbed "fundamentally
discriminatory" by the United Nations.
The three Khans
Bollywood has a
long tradition of Muslim movie stars and the so-called three Khans - Aamir,
Salman and Shah Rukh - have dominated the industry for the last 30 years.
But Aamir Khan stands
out because of his outspokenness.
He is one of
Bollywood's most bankable leading men and has appeared in dozens of films -
often playing Hindu or Sikh heroes. He has an enormous fan club, which includes
millions of Hindus.
Khan was the
target of a vicious online campaign in 2015 and forced out of several
advertisement campaigns after he said his wife feared for the safety of their
children in India.
At the time,
India was reeling under a climate of insecurity following the lynching of a
Muslim man for allegedly eating beef, which many Hindus believe to be
sacrilegious. Since then, dozens of Muslims have been lynched by Hindu mobs
over rumours of cow slaughter or smuggling.
In the past,
Hindu right-wing groups have called for boycott of films starring Khans,
particularly Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. In recent years, the three stars
have largely remained silent on issues facing the minority community.
The BJP has
denied its policies are against the minority community but has done little to
stop its supporters from indulging in online hate speech against Muslims.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/favourite-hindu-groups-target-bollywood-aamir-khan-200827100846118.html
--------
North America
Trump’s Iran
policy makes United States more isolated: Harris
27 August 2020
US Democratic
vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris has said that the United States is more
isolated now than ever from its allies due to President Donald Trump’s policies
against Iran, noting that his approach has led to an “alone America”.
“The Trump
administration took the issue of the arms embargo against Iran to the (UN)
Security Council recently and only one other country voted with us. I think
it's fair to say this (Trump’s) America First approach has been America alone which
is not in our best interest or in the interest of our allies,” she said.
Harris said
that, "I serve on the Intelligence committee and I believe that we are
more isolated than ever from our allies and that we need help for us to meet
this challenge.”
“Our
administration will hold Iran’s government accountable and rejoin a diplomatic
agreement if Iran comes back into compliance. And we will work with our allies,
of course, to strengthen the Iran deal and push back Iran's other destabilising
actions,” the first-term Senator from California said at a virtual fundraiser.
Earlier in
August, the United Nations Security Council rejected a US resolution to extend
an arms embargo on Iran that is due to expire in October as part of the 2015
Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),
which has been endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2231.
The US
resolution needed support from nine of 15 votes to pass. Eleven members
abstained, including France, Germany and Britain (nuclear deal signatories),
while the US and the Dominican Republic were the only “yes” votes.
The Trump
administration had repeatedly threatened to trigger the so-called snapback
provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal if it cannot secure an arms embargo
extension.
Elsewhere in her
remarks, Harris said, if voted to power, Democratic presidential candidate Joe
Biden’s administration would offer unwavering support for Israel and would
never let Iran obtain a nuclear weapon.
“Joe has made it
clear he will not tie security assistance to any political decisions that
Israel makes and I couldn't agree more,” Harris said.
"I pledge
to you the Biden-Harris administration will sustain our unbreakable commitment
to Israel's security, including the unprecedented military and intelligence
cooperation pioneered during the Obama-Biden administration and the guarantee
that Israel will always maintain its qualitative military edge."
Former
vice-president Biden helped shape the unprecedented $38 billion US military
assistance to Israel agreed in 2016, which was the largest military aid package
in American history, Harris said.
Harris said,
“That Iran nuclear deal, as we all know, blocked Iran’s pathways to a nuclear
weapon and it was working, as was verified by international inspectors and the
US intelligence community. But Donald Trump withdrew from it...promising a
better deal and a cowed Iran, but instead Iran is revving up its nuclear
activity and becoming more provocative.”
US President
Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, which was clinched under
Barack Obama, and reinstated Washington’s unilateral sanctions as part of the
US maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic.
The US has
suffered another debasing defeat at the UN Security Council last week to gather
support even from its allies to trigger the return of all UNSC sanctions
against Iran through the “snapback” mechanism.
13 of the 15
council members, including the three European nations still party to the JCPOA,
agreed that the US is no longer part of the deal and therefore its notification
of “snapback” has no effect.
French deputy UN
ambassador Anne Gueguen said the trio (France, Germany and Britain) are willing
to work with council members, including the other JCPOA participants, Russia
and China, “to seek a realistic path forward that could secure the support of
the council.”
On Wednesday,
Iran called on the remaining parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal not to allow
the US to use the UN Security Council as a tool to advance its own agenda,
urging the JCPOA partners and UNSC members to stand up to US intimidation.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632704/Trump-Iran-policy-United-States-isolated-Harris-snapback-nuclear-deal-
--------
Convicted
Terrorist Arrested in California on Meth Charges
Aug. 26, 2020
RIVERSIDE,
CALIFORNIA (AP) — A man who served years in prison for conspiracy to commit
terrorism has been arrested in Southern California on suspicion of selling
large quantities of methamphetamine, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Ahmed Binyamin
Alasiri, also known as Kevin Lamar James, faces two counts of distribution of
meth, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office. It wasn't
immediately known if the 44-year-old Garden Grove resident has an attorney.
Alasiri was on
supervised release following a 2009 conviction for conspiracy to levy war
against the United States through terrorism, prosecutors said. Alasiri’s
co-conspirators committed armed robberies of gas stations to raise money for
attacks Alasari had planned on U.S. military operations and Israeli and Jewish
facilities in Southern California, prosecutors said. Alasiri completed his
prison sentence in September 2019.
He's been
ordered detained pending the outcome of the narcotics case. Arraignment is
scheduled for September 14.
Alasiri
allegedly sold 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) of 96% pure methamphetamine to a buyer
on July 24 for $3,700, according to court papers. On August 6, Alasiri
allegedly again sold another pound of methamphetamine to the same buyer for the
same price, the court filing said. Laboratory analysis of the second purchase
showed the meth was 98 percent pure, the filing said
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california/articles/2020-08-26/convicted-terrorist-arrested-in-california-on-meth-charges?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1475497_
--------
Arab world
Deadly sectarian
clashes near Beirut between Hezbollah supporters, local clan
27 August 2020
At least two
people were killed Thursday in clashes that broke out between Hezbollah
supporters and a local clan south of Beirut, over a religious banner.
Local
eyewitnesses told Al Arabiya English that an argument over the displaying of a
religious flag in Khaldeh led to a gunfight between the two sides.
For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Hezbollah
supporters were raising flags to mark Ashoura before local clan members
objected. Closer video shows the gunfire battle between Hezbollah supporters
and Sunni Arab tribe members of Beirut's Khaldeh area.
The Lebanese
army arrived at the scene and blocked the road to calm the situation. The army
then released a statement saying four people were arrested and efforts were
underway to apprehend the remaining suspects.
The tribe
members called on the army to intervene and protect local residents. A
statement released by the Sunni Arab tribes placed the blame on the country’s
political elite and Hezbollah. “Hezbollah turned its arms into sectarian and
militia weapons,” the statement said.
Ashoura is an
annual a religious commemoration held by Shia Muslims on the tenth day of tenth
day of the Islamic month of Muharram to mark the death of Imam Hussein, the
grandson of Islam’s Prophet Mohammed, who was killed in battle.
“It is a jungle
here,” one eyewitness said shortly after the clashes broke out.
Progressive
Socialist Party Walid Joumblatt said that the main highway that passed through
Khaldeh was for all Lebanese. "“It is forbidden for any political side or
sectarian party to tamper with the road and area that is for all,” he tweeted.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/27/Clashes-in-Beirut-s-southern-town-of-Khaldeh-erupts-between-local-tribes-Hezbollah.html
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Lebanese
presidency to consult with Parliament on Monday to designate new PM
28 August 2020
The Lebanese
presidency will convene consultations with parliamentary blocs on Monday to
designate a new prime minister, the presidency said, after the government quit
earlier this month following the catastrophic explosion at Beirut port.
The president is
required to designate the candidate with the greatest level of support among
MPs.
Sunni politician
Saad al-Hariri is so far the only serious name floated for the post. But he
said earlier this week he was not a candidate after several major parties said
they did not support his return to the job.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/28/Lebanese-presidency-to-consult-with-Parliament-on-Monday-to-designate-new-PM.html
--------
Coronavirus:
Syria cases likely ‘far exceed official figures’ says UN
27 August 2020
A senior UN
humanitarian official says reports of Syrian health care facilities filling up
and increasing death notices and burials appear to indicate that actual
coronavirus cases “far exceed official figures” of 2,440 cases confirmed by the
government’s Ministry of Health.
Assistant
Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs Ramesh Rajasingham told the UN
Security Council on Thursday that “rising patient numbers are adding pressure
to the fragile health system.”
He says many
people “are reluctant to seek care at medical facilities, leading to more
severe complications when they do arrive,” and “health workers still lack
sufficient personal protective equipment and associated supplies.”
Of the more than
2,400 cases confirmed by the Ministry of Health, Rajasingham says, “the
majority cannot be traced to a known source.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/08/27/Coronavirus-Syria-cases-likely-far-exceed-official-figures-says-UN.html
--------
Lebanese army’s
neutrality, legitimacy put to the test amid clashes with protesters
Mona Alami
28 August 2020
As Lebanon faces
renewed protests, the Lebanese Armed Forces’ neutrality and legitimacy is being
put to the test, as its members are routinely put in the direct path of
protesters. While the army’s unity’s does not seem to be at risk experts say,
the willingness of low ranking officers to repress crowds is diminishing.
And the longer
the political and economic crises last, the less willing common foot soldiers
will be to carry out the will of the state.
“The army is in
a difficult position. On one hand, it is conscious that corruption plagues the
political class controlling the state’s institutions [has] sway over the army.
On the other, it has to protect peaceful protests while preventing any riots,”
said General Khaled Hamadeh, a retired general and an expert on military
affairs.
For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The historically
well-respected institution is under severe pressure, as the situation is
tenuous and protesters and security forces have clashed sporadically. The
Lebanese parliament granted the army with sweeping power in the wake of the
Beirut explosion that killed 181 people and injured over 6,000 others.
The protests
that followed the blasts have placed the Lebanese army (LAF) between an angry
street and the ruling elite. The explosion was caused by 2,750 tons of ammonium
nitrates, which the government knew about, and that had been stored at the port
since 2013.
Hezbollah and
its Christian ally the Free Patriotic Movement, which have backed the
government of PM Hassan Diab at the time of the bombing have been largely the
target of the public ire.
“The army is
reflective of the country’s political divisions. The fact that Christian
Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai is now indirectly blaming (Christian) President
Michel Aoun and its ally Hezbollah for the Lebanese disastrous situation will
have an impact on the army’s Christian leadership,” Hamdeh said.
“To that, one
has to add sectarian tensions resulting from those who are siding with or
against Hezbollah. While this may not affect the army’s unity per say, it will
reflect on the process of effective decision making,” he continued.
Patriarch Rai
indirectly attacked this week Lebanon’s current political leadership,
attributing implicitly the Beirut bomb blast to Hezbollah’s weapons caches.
As tensions rise
further between the Lebanese political elite and the Lebanese population, the
LAF, called into the streets to maintain peace, may find themselves in between
the two groups with increasing frequency.
Above the
political divide
So far, the LAF
have attempted to remain above the sectarian and political foray, maintaining a
semblance of neutrality, but this has been broken by acts of defiance of
retired soldiers.
During the
protests, in the wake of the Beirut blast, the Lebanese army drove out a group
of demonstrators, led by retired soldiers who had stormed the foreign ministry
during the anti-government demonstrations on October 8. The retired army
officers were led by former general Samer Rammah, who said he felt that
President Michel Aoun, himself a former general, who he once served under in
the 1980s, “did not respect his oath.”
Other pressure
groups are represented by the antigovernment movement National Salvation Front,
led by Chamel Roukoz, former brigadier general of the Ranger regiment of the
LAF and son in law of President Michel Aoun.
Roukoz said he
does not believe in violent action against public institutions. “People have
the right to express their opinion and for peaceful demonstrations,” he
explained. Roukoz warned that protests cannot turn into a direct confrontation
with the security forces.
Roukoz was also
critical of the recent brief attempts by hawkish retired LAF members to occupy
the state’s institutions
“We are in a
very similar situation [compared to] the early years of the Syria war,” said a
retired soldier on condition of anonymity who hails from Tripoli.
The war in Syria
pushed the army to increase coordination with Hezbollah, which supported the
regime of Alawite President Bashar al-Assad against a largely Sunni rebellion.
This coordination ran parallel of a crackdown on Lebanese extremists in
Lebanon. Those who supported the Syrian revolution, particularly those in the
Sunni political street, were critical of the coordination between the LAF and
Hezbollah.
Because of this
perceived coordination, several suicide attacks and bombings also targeted LAF
positions between 2012 and 2013 as terrorist groups moved into Lebanon from
nearby war-battered neighboring Syria.
“At the time,
members of my family fought in Syria and I supported them; I was against the
regime of Bashar al-Assad. Today I support the protestors and I do not see how
we can repress people who are voicing our concerns and injustices of which we
are the victims,” added the retired soldier.
The LAF today
faces another similar daunting balancing act. This time, divisions are not
along political and sectarian lines, but between the ruling elite and an
increasingly angry population.
In October 2019,
mass demonstrations swept across Lebanon after the government announced new
austerity measures set against the backdrop of an unpreceded economic crisis.
The August 4, the explosion at the Beirut port which destroyed large swaths of
Beirut, only worsened the divide between the population and the political
class.
“I think that
the security forces can still withstand the pressure on the short term, but as
the crisis prolongs, in the backdrop of the state economic failure, LAF
elements may start buckling under the strain,” said a high former security
source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Lebanese
government defaulted in March on its $1.2 billion Eurobond payment, triggering
talks with the IMF to restructure some $90 billion in debt. Since then, the
Lebanese pound has lost more than 80 percent of its value and the salary of an
average soldier has now reached around $120 a month, said General Hamadeh.
Soldiers previously earned around 1,292,000 Lebanese pounds ($855 at the
official exchange rate) each month, according to one article from French daily
L'Orient Le Jour.
The LAF command
is nonetheless wary of the economic threat posed to the army on the long-term,
says a source in the Lebanese ministry of defense.
“Soldiers are
thus offered increased food, transport and health subsidies,” explained the
Ministry of Defense source who spoke to Al Arabiya English on condition of
anonymity. However, at the end of June, the army scrapped meat from the meals
it offers soldiers as food prices have skyrocketed.
Facing pressure
from the street, the political class has used the army as a first line of
defense under the new state of emergency, giving it the power to declare
curfews, refer civilians to military tribunals for alleged security breaches,
prevent public gatherings and censor the media.
“The army is
going to face increasing problems at the level of how soldiers and commanders
choose to execute orders. The less convinced of the orders soldiers are, the
more likely they will try avoid executing these orders,” said Hamadeh.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/08/26/Lebanese-army-s-neutrality-legitimacy-put-to-the-test-amid-clashes-with-protesters.html
--------
Nearly two dozen
Saudi troops enter US base in northeastern Syria: Report
28 August 2020
Saudi Arabia has
reportedly deployed nearly two dozen combat troops to a US-run military base in
Syria’s oil-rich northeastern province of Hasakah as the Riyadh regime and some
of its regional allies are vying with the United States to loot the natural
resources of the war-ravaged country.
Lebanon’s
Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network, citing an informed source,
reported that 20 Saudi soldiers, led by an officer called Saud al-Joghaifi,
arrived at the US base in the city of Shaddadi on Wednesday.
The source added
that the Saudi troops were accompanied by a convoy of US-led forces from the
coalition purportedly formed to fight the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, which
withdrew from Camp Taji, situated 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the Iraqi
capital Baghdad, earlier this week.
Back on December
21 last year, informed local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told
the Arabic service of Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency that dozens of
Saudi soldiers had arrived at Omar oil field in Syria’s eastern province of
Dayr al-Zawr aboard helicopters.
The sources
added that the troops were expected to guard Saudi and Egyptian experts, who
had arrived at the energy facility a week earlier and were believed to be
working for Saudi Arabia's giant state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco.
The report noted
that the deployment of Saudi soldiers to the oil field coincided with the
arrival of about 30 trucks equipped with digging and drilling machinery.
The sources said
the vehicles had entered Syrian territory from northern Iraq, and that Saudi
soldiers were stationed in a residential area close to Omar oil field that is
said to be housing American troops.
Since late
October 2019, the United States has been redeploying troops to the oil fields
controlled by Kurdish forces in eastern Syria, in a reversal of President
Donald Trump’s earlier order to withdraw all troops from the Arab country.
The Pentagon
claims the move aims to “protect” the fields and facilities from possible
attacks by Daesh. That claim came although Trump had earlier suggested that
Washington sought economic interests in controlling the oil fields.
The presence of
US forces in eastern Syria has particularly irked the civilians, and local
residents have on several occasions stopped American military convoys from
entering the region.
Syria, which has
not authorized the presence of the US military in its territory, says
Washington is “plundering” the country’s oil.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/28/632771/Nearly-two-dozen-Saudi-troops-enter-US-base-in-northeastern-Syria--Report
--------
Arab
parliamentary union slams incessant attacks by Turkish forces, militants on
Syrian civilians
27 August 2020
The Arab
Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) has condemned in the strongest terms the
inhumane practices and relentless attacks by Turkish military forces and their
allied militants against Syrian people in the northern part of the war-ravaged
country.
“The AIPU
follows with grave concern the inhuman acts being perpetrated by Turkey and its
associated terrorist groups against brotherly Syrian people, and their constant
attacks on Syrian soil under false pretexts that only expose their desire for
an unjustified and flagrant military aggression,” it said in a statement
released on Thursday.
The union then called
on the Ankara government to “respect the rights of neighbors and the relations
that bind Turkey with the Arab world. The AIPU underlines that such practices
would not foster stability in the region, but would rather provoke more
conflicts.”
It called on the
international community and the United Nations to intervene immediately and put
an end to violations being committed by Turkish forces and their allied
militants against Syrian people and territories.
The AIPU also
called on “Arab councils and parliaments to issue statements in rejection of
attacks by any party or country on any brotherly Arab country.”
The Arab
Inter-parliamentary Union also underscored its “complete support for brotherly
Syria as it defends its sovereignty and nation,” noting that it is confident
that Damascus can well defend Syria’s sovereignty and territories.
The AIPU is an
Arab organization composed of parliamentary groups representing Arab
parliaments. It was established in the wake of the 1973 Arab–Israeli War and
amid the atmosphere of Arab solidarity, which encouraged Arab cooperation
through political, professional and other institutions. The union is based in
the Jordanian capital city of Amman.
On October 9,
2019, Turkish forces and Ankara-backed militants launched a long-threatened
cross-border invasion of northeastern Syria in a declared attempt to push
Kurdish militants affiliated with the so-called People’s Protection Units (YPG)
away from border areas.
Ankara views the
YPG, which is supported by the White House, as a terrorist organization tied to
the homegrown Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been seeking an
autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984.
Two weeks after
the invasion began, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish
counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, signed a memorandum of understanding that
asserted YPG militants had to withdraw from the Turkish-controlled "safe
zone" in northeastern Syria within 150 hours, after which Ankara and
Moscow would run joint patrols around the area.
The announcement
was made hours before a US-brokered five-day truce between Turkish and
Kurdish-led forces was due to expire.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632758/Arab-parliamentary-union-slams-incessant-attacks-by-Turkish-forces-militants-on-Syrian-civilians
--------
Iraqi President
Salih calls on Turkey to stop cross-border incursions, respect sovereignty
27 August 2020
Iraqi President
Barham Salih has called on Turkey to stop its ongoing operation in the
country’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region against hideouts of the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group, saying the cross-border offensive is
violating Iraq's sovereignty.
Speaking in a
meeting with visiting French Defense Minister Florence Parly in Baghdad on
Thursday, Salih stressed the need for an end to the Turkish military aggression
on the Iraqi soil, saying Ankara's actions are in violation of the Iraqi
sovereignty as well as international law and undermine good neighborly
relations.
The Iraqi
president then called for concerted international efforts in the fight against
terrorism, and stronger cooperation and coordination to combat all forms of
extremism.
Parly, for her
part, voiced France’s support for the stability and sovereignty of Iraq.
The French
defense minister added that her country is ready to provide training, munitions
as well as logistical support to Iraqi security forces.
The two
officials also discussed ways for further development of Iraq-France bilateral
relations, and expansion of cooperation in all fields, especially security and
military capabilities.
They exchanged
viewpoints on the latest regional and international developments as well.
Turkish min.: We
have no problem with our Iraqi brethren
Separately on
Thursday, Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stated that Turkish forces will
continue their military operations in northern Iraq.
“We're going to
destroy the [terrorist] threat there; that's our goal,” Akar said in an
exclusive interview with the official Anadolu news agency.
“Our struggle
within this framework will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized.
There is no retreat. This is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s instruction. We
will save our nation that has suffered from this calamity (PKK) for more than
40 years. This is our wish,” the Turkish defense chief emphasized.
“Apart from
that, we do not have a problem with our Iraqi brothers. We are already
discussing the operations with the Iraqi administration and the efforts to
neutralize terrorists there,” he added.
The Turkish
military started its ground campaign, dubbed Claw-Tiger Operation, against PKK
positions in northern Iraq on July 17. Claw-Eagle Operation, the air campaign,
had begun two days earlier.
Turkish ground
and air forces frequently carry out operations against PKK positions in the
country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.
A shaky
ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015.
Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.
More than 40,000
people have been killed during the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the
autonomy-seeking militant group.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632734/Iraqi-President-Salih-calls-on-Turkey-to-stop-cross-border-incursions-respect-sovereignty
--------
Pakistan
Allowing Nawaz
to leave was a 'mistake', says PM Imran
28 Aug 2020
Prime Minister
Imran Khan on Thursday said that allowing former premier Nawaz Sharif to leave
the country was a "mistake" and that his government
"regretted" the decision.
In a
wide-ranging interview to ARY News on Thursday night, the prime minister hinted
that the government was pressurised into sending Nawaz abroad, saying that the
reports presented to the government suggested that the PML-N supremo was
severely ill.
The federal
cabinet, he said, had held a long debate over whether the government should let
Nawaz leave on humanitarian grounds.
Furthermore, the
prime minister added, the court had declared that the government would be
responsible, should anything happen to Nawaz. The premier also recalled that
PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif submitted indemnity bonds worth Rs7 billion,
promising Nawaz would return to the country.
"Now we
feel embarrassed. Now he [Nawaz] has started doing politics [from] there as
well and, when you see him, it seems like there is nothing [wrong] with him.
"We did not
give and NRO, we tried our best to do what we could, but the medical opinion
presented to us was that if we didn't do anything, he [Nawaz] could die, that
he might not even reach London. This is what we were told and after that we
would have been held responsible. So after that we sent him in good
faith."
When asked if he
would order an inquiry in order to confirm if he was presented with "fake
reports", the prime minister said that he had been in contact with Punjab
Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid — whom he described as a "die-hard,
visionary worker" of the ruling PTI — at the time and she conveyed all
medical opinions regarding Nawaz's condition. He said that Dr Faisal, who is an
expert of infectious diseases, had concluded that Nawaz's platelets count did
not pose much of a threat but some related diseases may lead to serious
problems.
In response to a
question, the prime minister admitted that a royal had asked the government to
let Nawaz leave, but refused to take a name citing "international
relations".
"They
(Sharifs) do have connections abroad. But they (the royal) did not assert it,
they said it in a very polite manner. It wasn't like 'if you don't do this,
this will happen'."
He, however,
insisted that the request from the unnamed king was "not an issue"
for him.
"I would
never have allowed [Nawaz to leave] if medical opinion did not suggest that his
life in danger."
Prime Minister
Imran also lamented that the country had suffered in the past because
"there have always been two laws, one for the powerful and one for the
weak".
He criticised
the infamous verdict passed by then chief justice Mohammad Munir that
"justified martial law" and added that it "showed that might is
right".
FATF blacklist
The PM also
addressed the recent opposition move to block two bills regarding measures in
compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). He pointed out that the
country was placed on FATF grey list during PML-N's tenure and the PTI
government had introduced the bills in order to prevent the financial watchdog
from placing Pakistan on its blacklist.
He warned that
if Pakistan was placed on the blacklist, the country would suffer the same
challenges as Iran as all international organisations would stop dealing with
the country. As a result, he said, the rupee would fall which would lead to
inflation.
"People
talk about inflation now. If we are placed on the blacklist, we will experience
inflation that would ruin our economy."
He repeated that
the incumbent government had inherited a crumbling economy, which has only now
started to recover. If Pakistan was placed on the blacklist, the country
"would face destruction that India is working towards".
He condemned the
opposition for blocking the legislation despite knowing that India has been
trying to place Pakistan's name on the blacklist for the past two years. He
said that the opposition is insisting that the government takes out money
laundering sections from the bills and have also proposed 34 amendments in the
NAB Ordinance which essentially mean to "dig a grave and bury NAB in
it".
https://www.dawn.com/news/1576771/allowing-nawaz-to-leave-was-a-mistake-says-pm-imran
--------
Rehbar committee
meeting after Ashura: Fazl
August 28, 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Jamiat
Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman on Thursday announced that
opposition parties’ Rehbar committee meeting including the Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will be held after Ashura.
Fazl expressed
his views while chairing a meeting of the small opposition parties at his
residence where his proposal for calling the meeting was approved.
The participants
of the meeting included PkMAP Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Usman Kakar, NP’s Senator
Mir Kabeer, ANP leader Mian Iftikhar, MNA Amir Haider Hoti, JAH’s Sajid Mir,
BNP leader Akhtar Mengal and JUP’s Shah Owais.
The opposition
parties also backed the JUI-F chief’s suggestion of Charter of Democracy (CoD)
between them which would be discussed in the all parties conference (APC).
Speaking to
media after the meeting, Fazl demanded fresh and transparent elections and
stressed that the institutions should work under the constitution.
“Those
opposition parties [which] have met [today] were invited a week ago so that
they could exchange their views on the current political situation. The
meeting, which had been scheduled earlier, has been held now because of the
death of Mir Hasil Bizenjo,” he said.
Fazl observed
that PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif had visited him a few days earlier and
added that he wanted to take the members of opposition parties into confidence
on the development.
He noted that
the elections held on July 25, 2018 were a “fraud” and added that the
opposition’s Rehbar committee’s meeting would be held soon where the agenda for
the APC would be decided.
The JUI-F chief
stated that he wanted the supremacy of law in the country and demanded the
reconstitution of the election commission.
“In the first
phase, meeting of Rehbar committee will be held in which recommendations will
be forwarded and agenda for APC will be decided,” he said.
Responding to a
question, Fazl negated the impression that there was a split in the opposition
and maintained that a procedure for the anti-government movement had to be
decided.
He said that
Akram Durrani will call the Rehbar committee meeting.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2261546/rehbar-committee-meeting-after-ashura-fazl
--------
Africa
Boko Haram
massacres 75 people in Nigeria: Report
27 August 2020
At least 75
members of a community have been killed by the Boko Haram terrorist group in
Nigeria’s northeastern province of Borno, a report says.
The massacre
occurred in the town of Gwoza, Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency quoted Ali
Ndume, a senator and chairman of the Senate Committee on the Army, as saying on
Wednesday.
Ndume said that
despite the security operations in the flashpoint region, people were being
killed by Boko Haram almost on a daily basis, warning that the situation was
very bad in the area. “Even as a senator, I still can’t go to Gwoza because
it’s not safe,” he said.
On Monday,
Amnesty International said in a report that at least 1,126 people had been
killed in rural areas across several states in central and northeastern Nigeria
amid an alarming escalation in raids and kidnappings by armed bandits since
January.
Northwestern
Nigeria has been wracked by years of violence involving clashes between rival
communities over land, attacks by heavily-armed criminal gangs, and reprisal
killings by vigilante groups.
Nigeria also
faces the terrorist activities of the Takfiri Boko Haram group in the
northeast, conflicts in central states, and other militant activity in the
Niger Delta to the southeast.
Boko Haram’s
violence has spilled over into the neighboring countries of Chad, Niger, and
Cameroon, which have created a joint military force to fight the terrorists.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632714/Nigeria-Boko-Haram-massacre-
--------
US Says
Airstrike Kills 6 Al-Shabaab in Somalia after Ambush
26 Aug 2020
JOHANNESBURG —
The United States military says it killed six al-Shabaab extremists with an
airstrike in Somalia after the al-Qaida-linked group attacked Somali forces
while U.S. forces were nearby.
The U.S. Africa
Command statement said Monday’s airstrike was carried out near Darasalam
village in southern Somalia's Lower Shabelle region after al-Shabaab fighters
attacked from a building in the area. The statement said three al-Shabaab
fighters were wounded.
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No U.S. forces
were killed or wounded, the statement said, dismissing an al-Shabaab claim of
U.S. casualties. Somalia’s government in a separate statement said the U.S.
forces were there to advise and assist local ones.
Al-Shabab
remains the most active Islamic extremist group in Africa, and the U.S. under
President Donald Trump has increased the number of airstrikes against it. The
U.S. Africa Command calls the group a “danger to Africa and the United States.”
In January,
al-Shabaab killed a U.S. service member and two U.S. contractors in an attack
on a military airstrip in neighboring Kenya. It was al-Shabaab’s first attack
against U.S. forces in that country, and the group quickly shared online images
of masked fighters standing next to blazing aircraft.
The U.S.
military has since stepped up its warnings about al-Shabaab’s increasingly
sophisticated use of propaganda.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/08/26/us-says-airstrike-kills-6-al-shabaab-somalia-after-ambush.html?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1475497_
--------
Congo army says
Islamist militia kills 20 in east
Erikas Mwisi
Kambale
AUGUST 26, 2020
BENI, Democratic
Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Islamist militants killed at least 20 people
during attacks on three villages in eastern Congo, the army and a local
administrator said.
The Allied
Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan armed group operating in eastern Democratic
Republic of Congo for more than three decades, have killed more than 1,000
civilians since the start of 2019, according to United Nations figures.
The army and
local authorities discovered the victims of the latest massacre on Wednesday in
the villages of Mapasana, Mayitike and Sayuni, around 30km north-west of the
city of Beni.
The killings
come just three days after a similar raid that left 13 dead.
Late last year
the Congo army launched a large-scale operation against the ADF, sparking a
string of revenge attacks against civilians that the U.N. says may constitute
war crimes.
“The population
is distraught and on edge,” said Rosette Kabula, deputy administrator for Beni
territory. “It is a moment of mourning.”
“Our ultimate
mission is to protect the integrity of the national territory, but
unfortunately the enemy is bypassing our troops to attack the population,” said
Antony Mwalushayi, an army spokesman.
The attacks
started at around 6 p.m. on Monday, and finished at around 5 a.m. the following
day, according to CEPADHO, a local civil rights group.
“Our sources
indicate that the assailants have engaged in real carnage,” said Omar Kavota,
vice president of CEPADHO, in a statement.
Several attacks
attributed to the ADF have also been claimed by Islamic State, although
researchers and analysts say there is a lack of hard evidence linking the two
groups.
The insecurity
has forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes and complicated Congo’s
response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-congo-violence/congo-army-says-islamist-militia-kills-20-in-east-idUSKBN25M189?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1475497_
--------
EU freezes Mali
training missions after coup
26 August 2020
The European
Union has suspended its training missions in Mali after the military coup this
month that removed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita from power, EU officials
said on Wednesday.
The two missions
training Mali's army and police as part of international efforts to stabilize
Mali and extend the state's authority are frozen because they were designed to
support "the legitimate national authorities," one EU official said.
Officials said
the suspension was temporary. West African mediators and Mali's coup leaders are
discussing the possibility of a transitional government, which could allow the
EU to eventually resume training in partnership with the United Nations.
The coup has
raised the prospects of further political turmoil in Mali which, like other
countries in the region, is facing an expanding threat from Islamist militants.
EU defense
ministers meeting in Berlin on Wednesday will discuss the situation in Mali,
the officials said.
Drawn up in late
2012 to help Mali's army regain control of the country after France drove out
militants in the north, the EU military mission (EUTM Mali) has more than 600
soldiers from 28 European countries including EU and non-member states.
Its headquarters
in Mali's capital Bamako was targeted by militants in 2016, although no personnel
were hurt.
The EU agreed in
2014 an additional civilian mission (EUCAP Sahel Mali), sending experts to give
advice and training to the internal security forces in Mali, the police,
Gendarmerie and National Guard.
EU training will
continue in neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, officials said.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/26/632667/EU-Mali
--------
Sudan PM to
Pompeo: Govt. has no mandate to normalize with Israel
26 August 2020
Sudan’s Prime
Minister Abdalla Hamdok has dashed America’s hopes for quick normalization with
Israel, saying his government has no mandate to establish ties with Tel Aviv
and any such a decision should wait until after the transitional period ends in
the African country.
During talks in
the capital Khartoum on Tuesday, Hamdok “clarified” to US Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo that the country’s transitional period “is being led by a wide
alliance with a specific agenda — to complete the transition, achieve peace and
stability in the country and hold free elections,” Sudanese government
spokesman Faisal Saleh said in a statement.
It “does not
have a mandate beyond these tasks or to decide on normalization with Israel,”
Hamdok was quoted as saying.
The Sudanese
prime minister also reaffirmed the importance of separating normalization of
ties from a US decision to remove Sudan’s designation as a state sponsor of
terrorism, Saleh pointed out.
Sudan’s interim
government took power last year after longtime leader Omar al-Bashir was
overthrown by the army following mass popular protests. It is set to remain in
office until elections in 2022.
Pompeo arrived
in Khartoum on Tuesday to push for Sudan’s normalization with Israel, two weeks
the US brokered a highly contentious peace deal between the regime and the
United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Following the
talks, the US State Department said in a statement that Pompeo and Hamdok
discussed “positive developments in the Sudan-Israel relationship.”
Sudan that has
no formal relations with Israel has been cozying up to the regime over the past
year.
In February,
Sudan’s leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the chairman of the ruling
council in the country, met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Uganda,
sparking anger among politicians and public at home, where anti-Israel and
pro-Palestine sentiments run high.
After the US
announced the UAE-Israel deal, Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Haidar
Badawi Sadiq said in an interview with Sky News Arabic that “there is no reason
for the hostility to continue between Sudan and Israel,” in comments that drew
Netanyahu’s praise and raised speculation that Khartoum may be the next in line
to normalize with Tel Aviv.
The Sudanese
official was, however, sacked shortly afterwards over “unauthorized” comments,
with Sudanese Foreign Minister Omer Ismail saying that his ministry “didn’t
discuss the possibility of relations with Israel in any way.”
Palestinians
have derided the UAE’s decision to normalize with Israel as “backstabbing,”
with President Mahmoud Abbas warning other Arab countries against following Abu
Dhabi’s lead.
Pompeo in
Bahrain to talk normalization
Pompeo visited
the Israeli-occupied territories before arrival in Sudan.
Later on
Tuesday, Pompeo left Sudan for Bahrain as part of a tour aimed at getting more
Arab countries to follow in the UAE’s footsteps.
Palestinians
have denounced the agreement as a “betrayal” of their cause.
Meanwhile, there
are reports that an Israeli delegation and top aides to US President Donald
Trump will fly together on board an Israeli airliner directly from Tel Aviv to
Abu Dhabi on Monday for talks on cementing UAE-Israel normalization deal.
Netanyahu said
in a video statement that White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, national
security adviser Robert O’Brien, US Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz and other
US officials will escort the Israeli delegation led by national security
adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat.
A high-ranking
US administration official confirmed the participation of Kushner, O’Brien and
Berkowitz, and said former US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook would
also be on the flight.
Talks will focus
on ways to promote Israeli-UAE cooperation in various sectors, Netanyahu added.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/26/632624/Sudan-Israel-normalization-Pompeo
--------
Europe
Turkey’s Erdogan
warns Greece against taking ‘path to ruin’
26 August 2020
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey would not give up “what it deserves”
in the Mediterranean Sea, warning Greece against making mistakes that would
pave the way to its “ruin,” as the two countries remain locked up in a dispute
over energy resources in the sea.
“We will not
compromise what is ours… We are determined to do whatever is necessary,”
Erdogan said on Wednesday.
“We invite our counterparts…
to beware that any error could pave the way to their ruin,” the Turkish
president said.
The remarks came
after Greece said it would launch joint military exercises with France, Italy,
and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday.
“Cyprus, Greece,
France and Italy have agreed to deploy a joint presence in the eastern
Mediterranean as part of the quadripartite cooperation initiative,” the Greek
Defense Ministry announced in a statement.
The drills,
south of Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete, will last three days, according
to the statement, which also said, “The tensions and instability in the eastern
Mediterranean have heightened disputes on issues concerning maritime space.”
A standoff has
already intensified between Turkey and Greece over oil and gas exploration
rights in the eastern Mediterranean. The two have been at loggerheads over
overlapping claims for hydrocarbon resources in the waters.
Turkey’s
discovery of major gas deposits in waters surrounding Crete and Cyprus has
further escalated tensions between them.
The European
Union (EU) has taken the side of Greece in the dispute.
EU foreign
ministers are scheduled to meet in the German capital, Berlin, on Thursday and
Friday. They are expected to press the bloc to impose sanctions on Turkey.
Ankara said on
Tuesday that it was ready for talks with Greece without preconditions over the
row.
Greece and
Turkey almost went to war in 1974 over Cyprus, which has since been divided,
with the northern third run by a Turkish Cypriot administration recognized only
by Turkey and the southern two-thirds governed by the
internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government.
Meanwhile,
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas made an emergency visit to both Athens and
Ankara to meet with his counterparts over the dispute.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/26/632647/Turkey-Greece-Mediterranean-path-to-ruin
--------
French minister
heads to Iraq amid ISIS resurgence
27 August 2020
French armed
forces minister Florence Parly began a trip to Iraq on Thursday that the
ministry said formed part of the country’s ongoing commitment to the fight
against terrorism and its support for Iraq’s sovereignty.
“The minister
for the armed forces is insistent upon the fact that Islamic State remains a
serious challenge which we must continue to face up to. French airstrikes
against isolated pockets of Islamic State have picked up in recent months,” the
French armed forces ministry said in a statement.
Ministry
officials said Paris was concerned by a resurgence in Iraq of ISIS, which is
profiting from political uncertainty in the country and rivalries between Iran
and the United States in the region.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/27/French-minister-heads-to-Iraq-amid-ISIS-resurgence.html
--------
Greece says
ready for conditional de-escalation with Turkey in Mediterranean
27 August 2020
Greek Prime
Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says Athens is ready for a “significant
de-escalation” in the eastern Mediterranean if Turkey stops its “provocative
actions” in the area.
In a telephone
conversation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Mitsotakis offered to
de-escalate “on the condition that Turkey immediately stops its provocative
actions.”
Turkey and
Greece have been at loggerheads over oil and gas exploration rights in the
eastern Mediterranean. Turkey has dispatched a seismic research vessel — and
warships to escort it — to an area in the sea that is disputed with Greece.
Greek naval
vessels have been shadowing the Turkish ships. Earlier, one Greek and one
Turkish naval vessel were involved in a minor collision.
Germany,
meanwhile, has been mediating to defuse the tensions between Turkey and Greece.
On Tuesday,
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said after a meeting with visiting
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas that Ankara was ready for talks with Athens
without any preconditions.
“We are in favor
of negotiations for fair sharing but nobody should lay down preconditions. This
cannot happen with preconditions laid down by Greece,” Cavusoglu said.
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said on Wednesday that his country would not
give up “what it deserves” in the Mediterranean Sea, threatening Greece with
“ruin.”
Separately on
Wednesday, Greece and its European Union (EU) allies France, Italy, and Cyprus
held military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean while Turkey carried out
its own with the US Navy nearby.
Mass, who
visited both Greece and Turkey, said the dispute between the two countries,
both of them NATO members, had now entered a “very critical” phase, criticizing
the joint naval drills by the US and Turkey as “not helpful.”
NATO Secretary
General Jens Stoltenberg has said he is “personally regularly in contact with
Ankara and Athens.”
France has been
more assertive against Turkey. The Mediterranean “should not be a playground
for the ambitions of some — it’s a shared asset,” French Defense Minister
Florence Parly tweeted earlier, in an apparent reference to Turkey.
Meanwhile, an
informal EU foreign ministerial meeting is scheduled in the German capital,
Berlin, for Thursday and Friday. Greece is expected to press the bloc to impose
sanctions on Turkey.
Greece and
Turkey almost went to war in 1974 over Cyprus, which has since been divided,
with the northern third run by a Turkish Cypriot administration recognized only
by Turkey and the southern two-thirds governed by the internationally-recognized
Greek Cypriot government.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/27/632700/Greece-Turkey-de-escalation
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France’s Macron
to head to Beirut to pressure Lebanese political elite
August 28, 2020
PARIS: French
President Emmanuel Macron will head to Beirut next week to pressure local
politicians into pressing ahead with the creation of a government that can
implement urgent reforms, a French presidential official said on Friday.
“The president
has said it he will not give up. He made a commitment to do what needs to be
done and to apply the necessary pressure to put this program in place,” the
official told reporters ahead of Macron’s visit to Beirut next Monday and
Tuesday.
The official
added it was time for Lebanese political parties to temporarily step aside and
ensure a government of change was put into place.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1725896/middle-east
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/i-want-vote-myanmars-muslims/d/122740