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Islamic World News ( 28 Feb 2016, NewAgeIslam.Com)

Saudi Arabia Sentences a Man to 10 Years in Prison and 2,000 Lashes for Expressing His Atheism on Twitter

New Age Islam News Bureau

28 Feb 2016

Photo: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani waves after casting his vote during elections in Tehran on Feb. 26. (Photo: Handout via Reuters)

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• Three Muslim Men Killed ‘Execution-Style’ In United States

• Iran’s Reformists to Win All Parliament Seats in Tehran

• Huge Cache of Iran-Made Explosives and Weapons Seized In Bamyan

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Arab World

• Saudi Arabia Sentences a Man to 10 Years in Prison and 2,000 Lashes for Expressing His Atheism on Twitter

• Several Militant Commanders Killed in Syrian Airstrikes in Deir Ezzur

• Syria: Saudi Aid Found in Terrorists' Positions in Aleppo

• Kurdish Forces Purge Terrorists from More Strategic Regions in Raqqa

• US Not Serious about Ceasefire Agreement

• Yemen: Mansour Hadi's Senior Commander Killed in Aden Province

• Syrian MP Describes US "Plan B" as Hollow

• Syria ceasefire: Why the 'temporary truce' is not all that it seems

• Syrian Army Inflicts Major Casualties on Militants in Hama

• Syria: Gov't Forces Continue Nonstop Advance in Lattakia

• Syrian Army Drives Militants Back from More Positions in Hama

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Mideast

• Iran’s Reformists to Win All Parliament Seats in Tehran

• Erdoğan Says He Does Not Obey or Respect Top Court Ruling On Jailed Journalists

• Syrian Rebel Group Says 3 Fighters Killed in Gov’t Attack near Turkish Border despite Truce

• Turkey needs to readjust Syria policy to avoid further damage

• Cease-fire brings relative quiet to Syria despite breaches

• Number of Syrian refugees in Turkey unclear

• US denies shift in assessment of Syrian Kurdish YPG

1 police officer killed, 2 injured in Nusaybin PKK attack

• ISIL attacks YPG-held Tel Abyad at Turkish border

• Turkey starts repairs on Iraqi Kurdish oil pipeline as violence flares

• Children released from state shelters grapple with challenges

• Nusra Front calls for more fighting as Syria ceasefire deadline nears

I• ntelligence Minister: Iran Disbands Terror Cells Prior to Elections

• Top Adviser: Iran Not to Send Aid to Palestinians through PA

• Israel welcomes Syria truce but hints could attack if threatened

• Iran's pragmatic Rouhani earns emphatic vote of confidence in initial election results

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South Asia

• Suicide Attack Thwarted In Kabul, 14-Year-Old Would-Be Bomber Arrested

• Huge Cache of Iran-Made Explosives and Weapons Seized In Bamyan

• Police Suspected Of Aiding Taliban Killed, Detained By Army in Helmand

• Two policemen martyred in Helmand explosion

• Police foil plot to carry out deadly explosion in Baghlan province

• Three brothers among those killed in Kunar suicide attack

• A-29s and MD-530s deployed to support Afghan forces in Nangarhar

• Taliban shadow governor for Faryab’s Khwaja Sabz Posh district killed

• Saudi Arabia condemns terrorist attacks in Kabul and Kunar province

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Pakistan

• Air Strikes Kill 15 Militants in South Waziristan: Pak Media

• Pakistan Tried Three Times to Formalize Durand Line during Taliban Regime

• UN urges Pak to resolve Afghan refugees' status

• Pathankot terror attack: Pakistan sends 3 suspects to police custody

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Africa

• Somalia: Bomb Explosion in Mogadishu, Casualties Feared

• South African Muslim Lawyers Demand Arrest of Israel’s Peres

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Europe

• Germany Deems Passports Issued From IS Territory Invalid

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North America

• Three Muslim Men Killed ‘Execution-Style’ In United States

• 'Don’t Want To Upset Balance’: Kerry Defends F-16 Sale To Pakistan

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saudi-arabia-sentences-man-10/d/106493

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Saudi Arabia sentences a man to 10 years in prison and 2,000 lashes for expressing his atheism on Twitter

Ashley Cowburn | The Independent | Feb 28, 2016

‘Religious police’ in charge of monitoring social networks found more than 600 tweets denying the existence of God.‘Religious police’ in charge of monitoring social networks found more than 600 tweets denying the existence of God.

A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison and 2,000 lashes for expressing his atheism in hundreds of social media posts.

The report carried in Al-Watan says the 28-year-old man admitted to being an atheist and refused to repent, saying that what he wrote reflected his own beliefs and that he had the right to express them. The report did not name the man.

It added that 'religious police' in charge of monitoring social networks found more than 600 tweets denying the existence of God, ridiculing the Quranic verses, accusing all prophets of lies and saying their teaching fuelled hostilities. The court also fined him 20,000 riyals - or, just short of £4,000.

In 2014 the oil-rich kingdom, under the late Saudi King Abdullah, introduced a series of new laws which defined atheists as terrorists, according to a report released from Human Rights Watch.

In a string of royal decrees and an overarching new piece of legislation to deal with terrorism generally, King Abdullah attempted to clamp down on all forms of political dissent and protests that could "harm public order".

Article one of the new provisions defined terrorism as "calling for atheist thought in any form, or calling into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this country is based".

Speaking at the time the new measures were introduced Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch, said: "Saudi authorities have never tolerated criticism of their policies, but these recent laws and regulations turn almost any critical expression or independent association into crimes of terrorism.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Saudi-Arabia-sentences-a-man-to-10-years-in-prison-and-2000-lashes-for-expressing-his-atheism-on-Twitter/articleshow/51178069.cms

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Three Muslim Men Killed ‘Execution-Style’ In United States

Sunday 28 February 2016

By Jonathan Walsh

Rabat – Police in Fort Wayne, Indiana are investigating the shooting of three young Muslim Men this week, in what has been described as an ‘execution-style’ killing.

Muhannad Tairab, 17, Adam Mekki, 20, and Mohamedtaha Omar, 23 of Sudanese and Chadian descent were discovered at the abandoned ‘party house’ on Wednesday evening, by police following a tip-off.

Autopsy reports suggest the men were each shot multiple times. While no motive has been given for the killings, police have warned against assumptions that the men were targeted because of their backgrounds.

“Hopefully, you know, we’ll be able to focus on exactly what the reason was, but as I said before, no reason to believe this was any type of hate crime, or focused because of their religion or their nationality whatsoever,’ said Safety Director Rusty York in an interview with ABC 21 Alive.

Residents of the largely peaceful neighbourhood hope that the deaths, which represent the areas’ first triple homicide in over a decade, are unrelated to their Islamic faith.

If it were the case, the incident would be the most prominent case of anti-Islamic hate crime America has seen since the Chapel Hill killings of 2015, in which three Muslims were murdered by gun men because of their religion.

York did confirm that the house the men were discovered at was not their place of residence, but rather a well known location to police “where young people would go. There was no adult supervision. To hang out, to drink, maybe smoke marijuana, it was one of those type homes. “

The men were not thought to be involved with local gang

s according to police, but at this stage it has not been ruled out as a possible motive.

moroccoworldnews.com/2016/02/180870/three-muslim-men-killed-execution-style-in-united-states/

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Iran’s reformists to win all parliament seats in Tehran

February 28, 2016

Reformist-backed candidates in Iran's elections are on course to win all 30 parliamentary seats in the capital Tehran, according to initial results released by the interior ministry on Sunday.

Millions of Iranians voted on Friday for elections to the parliament and the Assembly of Experts, the body that will choose the next supreme leader. Final results are expected in the coming days.

Leading conservative candidate Gholamali Haddad Adel was on course to lose his parliamentary seat in Tehran, according to the initial count by the Interior Ministry carried by state television.

todayszaman.com/world_irans-reformists-to-win-all-parliament-seats-in-tehran_413488.html

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Suicide Attack Thwarted In Kabul, 14-Year-Old Would-Be Bomber Arrested

By Khaama Press - Sun Feb 28 2016

The Afghan intelligence operatives foiled a suicide attack plot by the anti-government armed militants in capital Kabul by arresting a teenage boy assigned for the attack.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said the 14-year-old would-be suicide bomber was arrested by the intelligence operatives from capital Kabul.

No further details were given regarding the exact location where the teenage would-be bomber was arrested.

NDS said the detained teenager has been identified as Nabiullah son of Aminullah who had received terrorist attack trainings and was deployed to Kabul city from Kunar province.

The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the report so far.

This comes as the Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant during the recent months across the country, including capital Kabul.

At least 15 people were killed and 31 others were wounded after a suicide bomber targeted the Ministry of Defence (MoD) personnel in Kabul on Saturday afternoon.

Khaama.com/suicide-attack-thwarted-in-kabul-14-year-old-would-be-bomber-arrested-0198

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Arab World

Saudi Arabia sentences a man to 10 years in prison and 2,000 lashes for expressing his atheism on Twitter

Ashley Cowburn | The Independent | Feb 28, 2016

A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison and 2,000 lashes for expressing his atheism in hundreds of social media posts.

In 2014 the oil-rich kingdom, under the late Saudi King Abdullah, introduced a series of new laws which defined atheists as terrorists, according to a report released from Human Rights Watch.

Article one of the new provisions defined terrorism as "calling for atheist thought in any form, or calling into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this country is based".

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Saudi-Arabia-sentences-a-man-to-10-years-in-prison-and-2000-lashes-for-expressing-his-atheism-on-Twitter/articleshow/51178069.cms

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Several Militant Commanders Killed in Syrian Airstrikes in Deir Ezzur

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian warplanes carried out several combat flights over the ISIL gathering centers in different parts of the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur and targeted them heavily leaving several terrorist commanders dead.

The Syrian army's aircraft tracked and targeted a hideout of the ISIL leaders in the villages of al-Sfaira al-Fouqani in the Northwestern part of the city of Deir Ezzur, which ended in the killing of several leaders of the group.

In the meantime, the ISIL concentration centers in the villages of al-Jafra in the Eastern part of the province came under the heavy strike of the Syrian fighter jets, which destroyed the militant centers' infrastructures.

In relevant developments on Saturday, a column of ISIL's military vehicles, mainly armored ones, sustained major damage after the Syrian army opened heavy fire at the convoy in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur.

The Syrian army targeted the ISIL column of armored vehicles, including several tanks, deployed in the Southern part of Euphrates River near the village of al-Mura'yeh in the Eastern part of the province.

The Syrian army's attacks inflicted major damage on the ISIL vehicles.

en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000192

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Syria: Saudi Aid Found in Terrorists' Positions in Aleppo

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army and popular forces discovered weapons and food parcels in recently-captured territories in the Southeastern part of Aleppo province that have been supplied by Saudi Arabia to the ISIL terrorist group.

Pro-government troops in Syria discovered weapons, munitions and food parcels in recently-captured Khanaser, supplied by Saudi Arabia to the terrorist group.

On Saturday, the Syrian army and its popular allies continued to push the ISIL terrorists back from their positions Southeast of Aleppo province and imposed full control over one more key village and strategic hills in the region.

The Syrian army and the National Defense Forces, in a several hour battle, forced the ISIL to retreat from the surrounding of the village of Sallaleh al-Saghireh and Telal (Hills) al-Za'arour.

The ISIL left behind tens of dead or wounded members and fled the battlefield to evade more casualties.

The engineering units of the army, for their part, defused scores of bombs planted by the ISIL in the villages' buildings.

en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000241

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Kurdish Forces Purge Terrorists from More Strategic Regions in Raqqa

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)-The Kurdish forces drove out Takfiri terrorists from strategic positions and territories in Raqqa province.

The Kurdish fighters regained control over further key areas in Raqqa pushing back militants from their military positions and strongholds.

Scores of terrorists were killed and injured in heavy clashes with the Kurdish forces.

The Syrian army also continued its advances in other key provinces across Syria on Saturday.

Raqqa

The ISIL terrorists sustained heavy casualties in clashes with the Kurdish forces in Raqqa province on Saturday.

At least 45 ISIL terrorists were killed in tough battle with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the town of Tal Abyadh in Raqqa province.

Meantime, battlefield sources announced that the Kurdish forces had engaged in heavy fighting with the ISIL terrorists in Northern Raqqa.

The Kurdish forces stormed the ISIL positions near Tal Abyadh town and inflicted major losses on the terrorists.

Also, the YPG and SDF stormed the ISIL gathering centers near the villages of Marwaha in the Southeastern part of the town of Sarin, killed or wounded several terrorists and destroyed their military equipment and vehicles.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000350

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US Not Serious about Ceasefire Agreement

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Syrian political analyst underlined that the US is pursuing other objectives than brokering ceasefire in Syria, and said Washington is lacking seriousness about restoration of truce in the Arab country.

"The US is not seriously pursuing establishment of ceasefire in Syria," Ahmad Haj Ali told FNA on Sunday.

He reiterated that by agreeing to ceasefire in theory, the ceasefire agreement will not proceed, but the most important means for implementing it is cooperation of all sides and groups for reinforcing the ceasefire agreement.

Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the ceasefire in Syria on February 22. The ceasefire took effect at midnight on Saturday, Damascus time (22:00 GMT on Friday). The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the Russia-US agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria on Friday, shortly before the ceasefire came into force.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000442

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Yemen: Mansour Hadi's Senior Commander Killed in Aden Province

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Yemeni army and popular forces continued their advances in the Southern part of Yemen, killing senior pro-Hadi militia commander in tough battle.

Pro-Hadi commander Ali al-Yafe'yee was gunned down by unknown assailants in Shalal military base in Ma'ala region in Aden province.

In a relevant development on Saturday, the Yemeni forces continued their advances in Ta'iz, and killed a large number of forces loyal to former fugitive President Mansour Hadi, including his senior commanders, in the Western coastal province.

Many other pro-Hadi forces were also killed in tough battle with the Yemeni army and popular forces in Beit Wafi in Habashi heights in Ta'iz province.

Meantime, the Yemeni army and popular forces attacked the pro-Hadi militias' military positions in al-Ja'adan region in Ma'rib, killing a large number of them.

Also on Wednesday, the Yemeni forces killed at least 54 Saudi troops, including commanders, in a ballistic missile attack in the Northern Jawf province.

The Yemeni Army, backed by Popular Committees loyal to the Ansarullah movement, targeted a Saudi military installation in Beir al-Maraziq region with a Qaher-1 ballistic missile.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000380

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Syrian MP Describes US "Plan B" as Hollow

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Syrian legislator blasted US Secretary of State John Kerry's recent remarks on considering a Plan B and military option against Syria, and said they are just a bunch of hollow words.

"Moscow has underlined that a substitute plan (for Syria) is not possible; and even if such a plan exists, Washington doesn’t enjoy the power to implement it; and if it had such a power, it wouldn’t hesitate even one moment to implement it," Khalil Mashhadiya told FNA on Sunday.

Noting that the US has tested different types of plots, including all-out support for the terrorist groups to overthrow the government in Damascus, he said, "All of these plans were the US substitute plans in Syria and therefore, Kerry's recent remarks cannot show the US determination to launch a military war against Syria and they are just aimed at saving Washington's face."

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000490

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Syria ceasefire: Why the 'temporary truce' is not all that it seems

Caroline Mortimer | The Independent | Feb 28, 2016

A top Russian military official has said the country's military will suspend its bombing campaign in Syria for 24 hours in all areas of where armed groups said they would abide by a ceasefire, going further than terms initially set out in a cessation of hostilities agreement brokered with the US.

Major General Sergei Rudskoy said: "The Russian Federation has completely stopped attacks in the 'green zone', that is to say those areas and armed units that have sent to us requests for ceasefire".

Initially, Russia said it would respect the informal ceasefire agreement, but that it would continue to target terror groups in the region with air strikes.

The cessation of hostilities came into force at midnight on Friday but it has already reportedly been breached by pro-Assad forces.

The UK's ambassador to the United Nations, Matthew Rycroft, welcomed the ceasefire saying it could be "the most significant step forward in the past five years" but said much more needed to be done as the deal did not cover several groups operating in the country - including Isis and Jabjat al Nusra.

While the deal has been lauded as a positive step for Syria, it is not a ceasefire in the strictest terms. Here's why:

Isis and Jabhat al-Nusra are not included in the deal

Terrorist organisations Isis and its al-Qaeda linked rival Jabhat al-Nusra have not been included in the talks so all territory they currently control can be attacked without violating the terms of the deal.

Currently Aleppo is under siege from government forces who are sweeping through the region and pushing back the rebels which have controlled the city since 2012.

Among the coalition of rebels who still control a portion of the city - which was largest in the country when the war started - is Jabhat al-Nusra which means Assad troops can continue their assault.

According to Charles Lister, an American consultant on the Middle East, activists were reporting shelling and heavy machine gun fire in areas in the north of the Aleppo region.

Moreover terror groups have continued to attack both the government and areas controlled by other rebel groups.

Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Syria-ceasefire-Why-the-temporary-truce-is-not-all-that-it-seems/articleshow/51174456.cms

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Syrian Army Inflicts Major Casualties on Militants in Hama

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army fended off the ISIL offensives in al-Salamiyah region and forced the terrorists to retreat from the battlefront under heavy fire.

The ISIL attempts to prevail over the government forces' lines of defense near the axis of Bari al-Sharghi, Aqareb, Ghab al-Basel and Tal Abyadh were repelled by the Syrian army.

The ISIL left behind scores of the dead or wounded members and fled the battlefront.

The Syrian army also destroyed a number of the ISIL vehicles and military equipment.

On Saturday, the Syrian army and popular forces continued to advance in the Eastern parts of Hama province and seized back more strategic villages there.

The Syrian government forces took full control of al-Hasu, Koujan and Rasm Sifu villages in the South and Southeast of Al-Sa'an region in tough battle with the ISIL militants in Eastern Hama.

Scores of militants were killed and wounded in fierce clashes with the Syrian army and popular forces.

en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000433

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Syria: Gov't Forces Continue Nonstop Advance in Lattakia

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The militant groups left behind scores of dead and wounded members and fled their strongholds in the Northern part of Lattakia province after coming under heavy attacks by the Syrian Army and National Defense Forces.

The Syrian government forces engaged in a tough battle with the terrorists of al-Nusra Front and forced them to pull fighters back from the small town of al-Saraf in the Northwestern side of Rabei'eh.

Al-Saraf is now under the full control of the Syrian army and popular fighters.

Another battle is underway between the army men and the militant groups in Tal Nawareh in the same region.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000378

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Syrian Army Drives Militants Back from More Positions in Hama

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army and its popular allies, who had tactically pulled forces back from a key village East of Hama province, stormed the ISIL lines of defense and imposed full control over the village.

The village of Tayibeh in the Eastern side of al-Salamiyah, that was captured by the ISIL terrorists as a result of the Syrian government forces' tactical retreat, was the scene of an intense battle which ended in the killing or wounding of tens of militants and recapture of the village by the army men.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000311

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Mideast

Iran’s reformists to win all parliament seats in Tehran

February 28, 2016

Reformist-backed candidates in Iran's elections are on course to win all 30 parliamentary seats in the capital Tehran, according to initial results released by the interior ministry on Sunday.

Millions of Iranians voted on Friday for elections to the parliament and the Assembly of Experts, the body that will choose the next supreme leader. Final results are expected in the coming days.

Leading conservative candidate Gholamali Haddad Adel was on course to lose his parliamentary seat in Tehran, according to the initial count by the Interior Ministry carried by state television.

todayszaman.com/world_irans-reformists-to-win-all-parliament-seats-in-tehran_413488.html

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Erdoğan says he does not obey or respect top court ruling on jailed journalists

February 28, 2016

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sunday that he does not accept or respect a decision of the Constitutional Court that the imprisonment of two prominent journalists for a report on alleged illegal arms transfers to Syria amounted to a violation of their rights.

Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief Can Dündar and Ankara representative Erdem Gül were freed in the early hours of Friday after 92 days in jail following the top court's ruling. The court said the journalists' right to freedom and security, the right to express their thoughts and the freedom of press under Articles 19, 26 and 28 of the Constitution, respectively, were violated.

"The Constitutional Court may have reached such a verdict. I would only remain silent. I am not in a position to accept it," Erdoğan told reporters before departing for a visit to African countries. "I do not obey it nor do I respect it."

Full report at: todayszaman.com/national_erdogan-says-he-does-not-obey-or-respect-top-court-ruling-on-jailed-journalists_413496.html

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Syrian rebel group says 3 fighters killed in gov’t attack near Turkish border despite truce

February 27, 2016

A Syrian rebel group in the country's northwest said it came under attack from government ground forces at 4 a.m. (0200 GMT) on Saturday in what it called a breach of the cessation of hostilities plan that came into effect at midnight.

Three fighters from the rebel Second Coastal Division were killed while repelling the attack in the Jabal Turkman (Turkmen Mountain) area near the Turkish border in Latakia province, Fadi Ahmad, spokesman for the affiliated First Coastal Division, told Reuters.

The Syrian military could not immediately be reached for comment. The Syrian government has said it will respect the agreement drawn up by Russia and the United States, but that it will continue to fight the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) which are not covered by the deal.

"It is a violation (of the agreement)," Ahmad said, describing the attack as a ground assault with no air strikes. "Currently, the regime has halted the attack," he added.

The First and Second Coastal Divisions are part of a loose alliance of rebel groups known as the Free Syrian Army.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/world_syrian-rebel-group-says-3-fighters-killed-in-govt-attack-near-turkish-border-despite-truce_413468.html

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Turkey needs to readjust Syria policy to avoid further damage

February 27, 2016

Turkey's policies concerning Syria have eroded the country's international position more than any other factor due to their encouragement of radical jihadists in the fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, stirring up of sectarian conflicts and mismanagement of relations with the Syrian Kurds and simultaneously damaging its relations with Russia, the US and the EU.

Leaving its traditional allies aside, Turkey has gotten closer with Saudi Arabia and there are talks about a possible military intervention into Syria with Riyadh to protect their interests. Such a dangerous military intervention may have even more serious consequences for Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as for the region.

The “cessation of hostilities” agreement on Syria, effective as of Feb. 27, may be a chance for Turkey to alter a foreign policy that has dragged the country into a serious risk of war with regional actors, leading to lost friends and allies, a major refugee influx and an increased threat from terrorism. However, some analysts argue that Turkey's foreign policy in Syria may be past the point of no return.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/diplomacy_turkey-needs-to-readjust-syria-policy-to-avoid-further-damage_413354.html

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Cease-fire brings relative quiet to Syria despite breaches

February 27, 2016

A cease-fire brought relative quiet to parts of Syria for the first time in years on Saturday, offering civilians rare respite from Russian and Syrian government airstrikes despite some limited breaches of the agreement brokered by Washington and Moscow.

Fighting continued against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, which launched a surprise offensive on a northern town and carried out a suicide truck bombing in central Syria. The extremist group, along with al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, is not party to the cease-fire, which went into effect at midnight.

The cease-fire marks the most ambitious international attempt yet to reduce violence in the devastating conflict, which has killed more than 250,000 people, wounded a million and generated one of the worst refugee crises since World War II.

There were numerous violations of the cease-fire Saturday, but the level of violence was markedly down nationwide, giving hope to war-weary civilians across the country.

"Today we woke up and it was calm, stable. And even in the street ... it was complete calm, said Loris Atwah, a 65-year-old resident of Damascus.

"We pray to God that the cease-fire will continue," said Ragheb Bashir Ali, 22.

In southern Syria, the situation was "calm" Saturday, according to opposition activist Ahmad al-Masalmeh, who is based in the southern city of Daraa. Quiet also prevailed in large parts of the central province of Homs, according to Mohammed al-Sibai, who is based in the province.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/world_cease-fire-brings-relative-quiet-to-syria-despite-breaches_413470.html

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Number of Syrian refugees in Turkey unclear

February 27, 2016

Doubts have surfaced about the accuracy of figures given by officials regarding the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey, with a prominent opposition figure claiming that there are also 1.5 million unregistered Syrians in the country.

More than 1.5 million people from Syria have unofficially entered Turkey since the civil war began in Syria, Erdal Aksünger, a top advisor to leader of the main opposition party Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, told the Özgür Düşünce daily on Thursday.

The number of Syrians in Turkey has always been a matter of controversy as Syrians who sought refuge in Turkey were permitted entry without any registration at the border until late 2013.

The official number of Syrians in Turkey is currently around 2.7 million based on what President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters on his way back from a trip to South America at the beginning of the month.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/diplomacy_number-of-syrian-refugees-in-turkey-unclear_413345.html

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US denies shift in assessment of Syrian Kurdish YPG

February 27, 2016

The United States has reiterated once again that its assessment of a Syrian Kurdish militia group, the People's Protection Units (YPG), has not changed despite Turkish statements that Washington's position is evolving.

Speaking at a news briefing, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said on Friday the US does not even contemplate designating the YPG as a terrorist group, against Turkey's wishes, but said Washington is opposed to YPG moves to expand territory in an around Aleppo in northern Syria.

US support for YPG has strained Turkey's relationship with Washington. Turkey views the YPG as a terrorist group, an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that is designated as a terrorist group both by Ankara and Washington. The US, on the other hand, says the YPG is an effective force against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and supports it in the fight against the extremist group.

In remarks earlier on Friday, Turkish presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın said the US was becoming more careful in its ties with the YPG. "I see some change in the US position. I think they are being more careful," Kalın told reporters in Ankara.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/diplomacy_us-denies-shift-in-assessment-of-syrian-kurdish-ypg_413469.html

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1 police officer killed, 2 injured in Nusaybin PKK attack

February 28, 2016

One police officer was killed and two others were injured in the Nusaybin district of Mardin province when members of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) attacked a police vehicle using mortars early on Sunday.

The attack took place at about 6 a.m. on Çağ Street in the Dicle neighborhood of Nusaybin, the media reported on Sunday. Three police officers in the vehicle sustained injuries and they were rushed to Nusaybin State Hospital, where one of them later died.

A large-scale operation has been launched in Nusaybin to capture the perpetrators.

todayszaman.com/national_1-police-officer-killed-2-injured-in-nusaybin-pkk-attack_413498.html

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ISIL attacks YPG-held Tel Abyad at Turkish border

February 27, 2016

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters attacked the town of Tel Abyad controlled by the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia at the Turkish border as well as the nearby town of Suluk on Saturday, YPG spokesman Redur Xelil told Reuters.

The YPG and Syrian Kurdish internal security forces were able to "crush this attack and encircle the attackers," Xelil said. "The attackers were eliminated," he added. He gave no casualty toll.

The YPG captured Tel Abyad from ISIL last year in an offensive backed by US-led air strikes.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/world_isil-attacks-ypg-held-tel-abyad-at-turkish-border_413471.html

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Turkey starts repairs on Iraqi Kurdish oil pipeline as violence flares

February 27, 2016

Turkey has begun work to repair a pipeline taking crude oil from northern Iraq to the Mediterranean through its restive southeast and aims to restore flows soon, the Turkish energy ministry said on Saturday.

The pipeline, which has been repeatedly sabotaged in recent months, normally carries some 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude from Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region and the disputed Kirkuk oil fields to the port of Ceyhan for export.

Rising security threats in Turkey's southeast mean Iraqi Kurdish exports to world markets through the pipeline could remain halted for another two weeks, Turkish shipping and industry sources said on Friday.

The energy ministry said the pipeline was most recently suspended on Feb. 17 due to temporary security measures.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/business_turkey-starts-repairs-on-iraqi-kurdish-oil-pipeline-as-violence-flares_413472.html

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Children released from state shelters grapple with challenges

February 27, 2016

Children who are accommodated in state shelters face a number of challenges in adapting to life on the outside after they are released when they turn 18.

Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Nurettin Demir spoke of the plight of destitute children outside shelters in a parliamentary discussion last week. Arguing that children are not given enough support once they are discharged from the state shelters and are pushed into crime as a result, Demir said the government should continue to take care of and monitor the destitute children after they leave the shelters by employing several measures, including providing occupational training courses to prevent them from being pushed into crime.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/national_children-released-from-state-shelters-grapple-with-challenges_413341.html

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Nusra Front calls for more fighting as Syria ceasefire deadline nears

February 26, 2016

Syrian branch of al-Qaeda called for an escalation in fighting against the government and its allies, adding to the dangers facing an agreement to halt fighting set to start on Saturday.

The government and rebel groups have agreed to take part in a US-Russian "cessation of hostilities" accord that is due to begin at midnight (2200 GMT on Friday). Warring parties had been required to accept by noon.

Under the measure, which has not been signed by the Syrian warring parties themselves and is less binding than a formal ceasefire, the government and its enemies are expected to stop shooting so aid can reach civilians and peace talks begin.

The truce does not apply to jihadist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, and the Damascus government and its Russian allies say they will not halt combat against those militants. Other rebels seen as moderates by the West say they fear this will be used to justify attacks on them.

The Nusra Front on Friday urged insurgent groups to intensify their attacks against President Bashar al-Assad and his allies.

Full report at: todayszaman.com/world_nusra-front-calls-for-more-fighting-as-syria-ceasefire-deadline-nears_413459.html

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Intelligence Minister: Iran Disbands Terror Cells Prior to Elections

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Intelligence Minister Seyed Mahmoud Alavi said security forces disbanded two terror cells plotting terrorist attacks ahead of the February 26 elections.

"We identified a Takfiri terrorist on the Southeastern borders on February 8, some 18 days before the vote. He had explosive devices and tools and was planning to strike on Friday," Minister Alavi said at a press conference in Tehran on Sunday.

According to him, the suspect had a magnetic bomb that could be attached to a car and detonated remotely.

"Also, on the days leading to the elections, intelligence officers were informed of terrorists' intentions to enter the country through the Western borders," Alavi noted.

"We identified a four-member terror cell last Wednesday who had tools for suicide bombings, including 6 suicide vests, electronic detonators, explosive powder, and explosive wicks," he added.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000377

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Top Adviser: Iran Not to Send Aid to Palestinians through PA

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Parliament Speaker's Adviser for International Affairs Hossein Sheikholeslam said Tehran will not send financial aid to the Palestinian families who have lost their members in Israeli attacks through the Palestinian Authority (PA).

"Tehran will not send its aid package to the families of those killed in Intifada (uprising) through the PA as it cannot be trusted," Sheikholeslam told al-Rasalah news website on Sunday.

Noting that Iran will dispatch its aid through a special channel, he said, "The financial aid package will be sent at the earliest; Iran doesn’t spare any efforts to support the resistance."

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941209000220

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Israel welcomes Syria truce but hints could attack if threatened

Reuters | Feb 28, 2016

JERUSALEM: Israel welcomed the cessation of hostilities in neighbouring Syria but hinted on Sunday it could still launch attacks there if it saw a threat.

Guns mostly fell silent in Syria and Russian air raids in support of President Bashar al-Assad stopped on Saturday, the first day of a U.S.-Russian accord that the United Nations has described as the best hope for ending five years of civil war.

Israeli officials had earlier been skeptical about the prospects of a truce, given Syria's sectarian rifts and the exclusion of jihadi rebels. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sounded cautiously upbeat in pubic remarks on Sunday.

"We welcome the efforts to achieve a stable, long-term and real ceasefire in Syria. Anything that stops the terrible slaughter there is important, first and foremost from a humanitarian standpoint," he told his cabinet.

"But at the same time it is important that it be clear: Any arrangement in Syria has to include a cessation of Iranian belligerence toward Israel from Syrian territory," he added.

While formally neutral on the civil war, Israel has launched a number of air strikes in Syria to foil suspected arms transfers to Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah guerrillas, who are helping Assad.

Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Israel-welcomes-Syria-truce-but-hints-could-attack-if-threatened/articleshow/51177941.cms

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Iran's pragmatic Rouhani earns emphatic vote of confidence in initial election results

Feb 28, 2016

TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani earned an emphatic vote of confidence and reformist partners secured surprise gains in parliament in early results from elections that could accelerate the Islamic Republic's emergence from years of isolation.

While gains by moderates and reformists in Friday's polls were most evident in the capital, Tehran, the sheer scale of the advances there suggests a legislature more friendly to the pragmatist Rouhani has emerged as a distinct possibility.

A loosening of control by the anti-Western hardliners who currently dominate the 290-seat parliament could strengthen his hand to open Iran further to foreign trade and investment following last year's breakthrough nuclear deal.

Full report at: dawn.com/news/1242469/irans-pragmatic-rouhani-earns-emphatic-vote-of-confidence-in-initial-election-results