August 2016 – Page 50 – odiaspora.org

‘Burqini’ pool party near Marseille canceled, organizers cite death threats

10 August 2016

The controversial “burqini” pool party planned by a Muslim group in France has been canceled following a strong reaction from the public, local media reported. The organizers said they received death threats and one person even received bullets in the mail. The party was set […]

U.S. Special Operations troops aiding Libyan forces in major battle against Islamic State

10 August 2016

U.S. Special Operations forces are providing direct, on-the-ground support for the first time to fighters battling the Islamic State in Libya, U.S. and Libyan officials said, coordinating American airstrikes and providing intelligence information in an effort to oust the group from a militant stronghold. The […]

Putin Seeks Approval for Air Force’s Indefinite Syria Stay

10 August 2016

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked parliament to ratify the Russian air force’s indefinite stay in Syria almost a year after the official beginning of Russia’s military operations there. The Russian Ministry of Defense struck a deal last August with the Syrian government to provide […]

Majdalani: Orthodox sect should have Senate presidency

10 August 2016

NNA – MP Atef Majdalani wished on Tuesday all political parties would agree on assigning the presidency of the expected Senate to be founded to the Orthodox sect which comes fourth in population after the Sunnite, Shiite and Maronite sects. The MP pointed out that […]

US sends $50mn worth of weapons to Lebanon as aid against terrorism

10 August 2016

The US has delivered a new shipment of weapons and military equipment to Lebanon in an attempt to bolster the Middle Eastern nation in countering extremists and militant groups from neighboring war-torn Syria. The shipment provided to the Lebanese army by the US includes 50 […]

US Troops Abandoned Weapons After Coming Under Fire, Pentagon Says

10 August 2016

After Daesh published photos of a cache of weapons and an identification card belonging to an American soldier, a military official made a statement Tuesday claiming that US soldiers abandoned their weapons and equipment when they came under fire. General Charles Cleveland, US military spokesman, […]

Small girl stages mock beheading in latest ISIS propaganda video

10 August 2016

In its new propaganda video Islamic State has resorted to its increasingly prominent tactic of using children to record its messages – in this case a little girl who beheads a doll with a knife, to symbolize killing “infidels.” Many such children later become suicide […]

Suspected Isil Leader Arrested In Germany After Bundesliga Alert

10 August 2016

Germany’s SEK special police have detained an allegedly high-ranking ISIL member. The 24-year old Syrian refugee was arrested on Friday following a tip-off from a prisoner in Gelsenkirchen, in North Rhine-Westphalia. It led to the SEK raid on an address in neighbouring Rhineland Palatinate, in […]

Civilians killed as Saudi coalition resumes airstrikes on Yemeni capital

10 August 2016

At least nine people have been killed in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The assault is reported to be the first in recent months, and adds to the growing civilian death toll during the prolonged operation against Houthi forces. Civilian deaths […]

‘Only solution for Afghanistan – US forces get out’

10 August 2016

The Taliban and ISIS don’t have solutions for Afghanistan, neither does the US. It only exacerbates religious, sectarian and tribal differences, says Sara Flounders of the International Action Center. The US arms one group against another to keep war going, she adds. Trends Islamic State […]

Two million at risk of coming under total siege in Syria’s Aleppo: UN

10 August 2016

More than two million people in Syria’s Aleppo are in danger of coming under total siege, the United Nations has warned, calling for immediate access to the heavily bombed city. Ferocious fighting has rocked divided Aleppo in recent weeks, with opposition and regime forces seizing […]

ISIS and its allies were responsible for 26 percent of terrorism deaths in 13 years

10 August 2016

Between 2002 and 2015, the Islamic State was either directly or indirectly responsible for terrorist attacks that killed more than 33,000 people and wounded 41,000 more, according to a new analysis from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Response to Terrorism. It’s […]