BAGHDAD: Daesh militants can still launch deadly attacks in northern Iraq, despite the decline of its control over most areas in western and northern parts of the country, Iraqi military commanders told Arab News on Monday.
Iraq in December declared the full liberation of its territories and the end of military operations against the organization that seized vast swathes in the north and west in June 2014.
Since then there have been many vital attacks in western Kirkuk and eastern Salahudeen where most of the militants who fled the fighting in Mosul and Anbar have taken refuge — in areas with difficult terrain such as Hawija, security and local officials said.
Late on Sunday, 21 fighters from the Shiite-dominated paramilitary troops fighting Daesh alongside the government were killed in an ambush set up in Saadounia village, western Hawija, Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) field commanders told Arab News.
“A force from the 16th brigade of the PMF apparently received information from one of its secret sources in the region that there was a senior Daesh leader there, so they entered the area at 7 p.m. (on Sunday) to arrest the target but were surprised by the ambush,” Sheikh Wassifi Al-A’assi, the commander of Kirkuk PMF, told Arab News.
“The initial information that we had about the incident suggested that the informer had led them to the heart of the area where they were surrounded and killed.
“The bodies of 21 fighters were found this morning (Monday), some burned inside cars and others beheaded. All signs indicate that they were attacked while they were inside their vehicles,” Al-A’assi said.
Several military intelligence sources in the area told Arab News that the ambushed unit was looking to arrest a group of prominent militants, including Manhal Al-Humran who was responsible for oil sales within Daesh.
Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack and said in websites linked to the organization that its fighters had ambushed a “national security force” in western Kirkuk, clashed with the force and killed 30 of them and burned six vehicles.
Hawija town, 300 km north of Baghdad, was liberated from Daesh by Iraqi security forces in October, but the area’s rugged terrain and its large, dense agricultural land turned it into a safe haven for militants who fled the fighting in Mosul and Anbar.
Iraqi forces liberated the area militarily, but have not cleaned or inspected it and many of its villages remain uninhabited.
“We have information that dozens of militants have been gathering there (in Hawija). They have been taking advantage of the nature of the area to freely move from one village to another,” a local intelligence officer told Arab News.
“They (the militants) become experts in this area and have been getting help from the people of the area as most of them (militants) belong to these villages.”
Iraqi federal police backed by the PMF have launched a “limited” military operation to look for a further six missing PMF fighters, military commanders said.
Despite this, the formal statement from PMF commanders said that the forces was on a “routine inspection” mission, but the incident has highlighted the mis-coordination and lack of trust between the multiple troops deployed in the area.
“This force came from Tazza town. They were out of their area and have not informed or coordinated with troops deployed in the region or the joint military operation commandership,” a senior PMF commander told Arab News on condition of anonymity.
“Maybe they were afraid of a leak of information. Even if the goal was important, they had to coordinate with the units deployed in the region. The prior coordination would have secured their movement and they would be alive now.”
Daesh still capable of launching attacks in northern Iraq, say commanders
Daesh still capable of launching attacks in northern Iraq, say commanders
Pakistan, China and Russia to push for ceasefire as UN Security Council meets on Iran
- The three countries have circulated a draft resolution text and asked UNSC members to share comments by Monday
- A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the US, France, Britain, Russia or China for it to pass
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, China and Russia will present a joint resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East, the Pakistani mission to the United Nations (UN) said on Sunday, ahead of a UN Security Council meeting to discuss US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
It was not immediately clear when it could be put to a vote. The three countries circulated the draft text, and asked members to share their comments by Monday evening. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to pass.
The US is likely to oppose the draft resolution, which condemns the attacks against “peaceful nuclear sites and facilities under the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards in the Islamic Republic of Iran” and says that such attacks represent a threat to international peace and security, and to the entire safeguards regime of the IAEA, according to a draft seen by Arab News.
It calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue to reach an agreement acceptable to all parties that “guarantees the exclusively peaceful nature of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for complete lifting of all multilateral and unilateral sanctions.”
“Pakistan, China and Russia jointly have drafted a resolution and it is hoped that other countries like Algeria may also become its approvers,” Pakistan’s UN mission said.
“So far, it has been shared with the members countries for comments, which is a procedure before tabling it in the UNSC.”
The member countries will comment on the draft resolution and then a final draft will be tabled in the Security Council.
The world awaited Iran’s response on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the US had “obliterated” Tehran’s key nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution.
Iran requested the UN Security Council meeting, calling on the 15-member body “to address this blatant and unlawful act of aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement on Sunday that the US and Israel “do not deserve any condemnation, but rather an expression of appreciation and gratitude for making the world a safer place.”
UN Secretary-General Guterres branded the US strikes on Iran as a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.”
“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,” Guterres said in a statement.
Jordanian king chairs security meeting, affirms national unity amid regional tensions
- King Abdullah II said that Jordan will not permit any party to exploit regional tensions to undermine the country’s firm stance on key Arab issues
- The Iran-Israel conflict has escalated following US strikes on Sunday, as Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged attacks for the 10th day
LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan chaired a meeting on Sunday with officials and security agencies to emphasize national unity in the face of regional developments.
King Abdullah urged government institutions to tackle the economic effects of escalating tensions in the Middle East during the meeting at Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman.
He said that Jordan will not permit any party to exploit regional tensions to undermine the country’s firm stance on key Arab issues. He said that Amman is committed to achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the establishment of a Palestinian state, the Petra news agency reported.
He called for increased international efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region and to de-escalate tensions through diplomatic dialogue and negotiations, Petra added.
The Iran-Israel conflict has escalated following US strikes on three nuclear sites inside Iran on Sunday morning. Tel Aviv and Tehran have exchanged attacks over the past 10 days, risking a full-scale war in the Middle East.
The meeting was attended by several key figures, including Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Speaker of the House of Representatives Ahmad Safadi, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, General Intelligence Department Director Maj. Gen. Ahmad Husni, and Public Security Directorate Director Maj. Gen. Obaidallah Maaytah.
Suicide bombing at Damascus church kills at least 15
- Incident marks the first suicide bombing inside Damascus since Bashar Assad was toppled in December
DAMASCUS: At least 15 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Syria’s capital Damascus on Sunday, security sources said.
The incident marks the first suicide bombing inside Damascus since Bashar Assad was toppled in December.
Syria’s interior ministry said the suicide bomber was a member of Daesh. He entered the church, opened fire and then detonated his explosive vest, the ministry added in a statement.
A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said two men were involved in the attack, including the one who blew himself up.
Syria’s state news agency cited the health ministry as putting the preliminary casualty toll at nine dead and 13 injured.
A livestream from the site by Syria’s civil defense, the White Helmets, showed scenes of destruction from within the church, including a bloodied floor and shattered church pews and masonry.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who led the offensive against Assad before taking over in January for a transitional phase, has repeatedly said he will protect minorities during his tenure.
Israeli authorities arrest four Al-Aqsa guards, storm old prayer hall
- Israeli forces storm prayer hall beneath the Qibli Mosque, damaging its contents
- Jerusalem Governorate says action is part of efforts to assert control over the mosque’s administration and undermine the Waqf authority
LONDON: Israeli authorities arrested four guards at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during a search raid on Saturday night inside the compound’s old prayer hall.
The Jerusalem Governorate, affiliated with the Palestinian Authority, said that the detainees were identified as Mohammad Arbash, Ramzi Al-Zaanin, Basem Abu Juma, and Iyad Odeh. Several other guards and a firefighter in the compound were interrogated at the site by Israelis, the Wafa news agency reported.
Just after midnight on Saturday, Israeli forces stormed the old prayer hall at Al-Aqsa, a subterranean area beneath the Qibli Mosque, damaging its contents after breaking into storage cabinets and searching the premises, Wafa added.
The governorate said the latest Israeli action was part of efforts to assert control over the mosque’s administration and undermine the authority of the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem.
After less than a week of complete closure under a state of emergency linked to the ongoing war with Iran, the Al-Aqsa Mosque was reopened by Israeli authorities, allowing Palestinian and other Muslim worshippers to enter the site under strict regulations, Wafa reported.
Palestinian Authority considers phasing out shekel as Israeli banks refuse to accept surplus
- Israeli banks’ refusal to accept the transfer of surplus shekels means fewer foreign currencies that are necessary for commerce and business
- Israel’s finance minister in June ended a waiver that allowed Israeli banks to engage with Palestinian ones without being scrutinized for money laundering and financing extremism
LONDON: The Palestinian Authority is considering replacing the Israeli shekel as the primary currency in circulation due to its increasing accumulation in the banks.
The Palestine Monetary Authority announced on Sunday that it has taken significant steps to address the growing accumulation of shekels in Palestinian banks after Israeli banks’ continuing refusal to accept the transfer of surplus shekels in exchange for foreign currencies necessary for commerce and business.
The PMA is considering alternative options, including a shift away from using the shekel as the primary currency in circulation, the Wafa news agency reported.
In early June, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ended a waiver that allowed Israeli banks to engage with Palestinian banks without being scrutinized for money laundering and financing extremism.
Smotrich, who has been outspoken about weakening the Palestinian Authority and opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, made this decision shortly after being sanctioned by the UK and four European countries for inciting violence in the occupied West Bank.
The PMA said it aims to create a more resilient and sustainable digital economy in Palestine and has consulted various economic sectors and the Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture before it makes a final decision. Alongside phasing out the Israeli shekel, the PMA studied digital payment strategies to avoid shekel accumulation in Palestinian banks, Wafa reported.
