Page 10 - aruba-today-20170610

A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 10 June 2017

Circling around US embeds, Syrian forces reach Iraq border

a direct confrontation with to take “appropriate mea-
U.S.-backed forces based sures” to protect U.S. forces
out of al-Tanf, the border tasked with defeating the
post under U.S. and opposi- Islamic State group.
tion control. “As long as pro-regime forc-
They are advancing in the es are oriented toward Co-
direction of Boukamal, ac- alition and partnered forc-
cording to Col. Gen, Sergei es the potential for conflict
Surovikin, the commander is escalated,” CENTCOM
of Russian forces in Syria. said in a statement to The
On their side of the border, Associated Press.
Iraqi forces, along with Ira- “Coalition forces are ori-
nian-backed Popular Mobi- ented on ISIS in the Euphra-
lization Committee militias, tes River Valley,” the state-
are advancing through IS- ment added, using a differ-
held territory to meet the ent acronym for the Islamic
Russian-backed forces at State group.
the frontier, according to a The U.N. children’s agency
Lebanese TV station close warned Friday that the fight
to the Syrian government. for IS’s stronghold of Raqqa
The evening news broad- threatens more than 40,000
cast on Al-Manar TV, which children, while overnight
This March 7, 2017 frame grab shows fighters from the Syrian Democratic forces standing near U.S
military vehicles on the outskirts of the Syrian town of Manbij, in Aleppo province, Syria. Russia’s belongs to the Lebanese airstrikes on the city in north-
Ministry of Defense reported on Friday that pro-government forces circled around U.S. military militant group Hezbollah, ern Syria killed more than a
advisers in eastern Syria to reach the Iraqi border, dealing what could be a major blow to the hailed the advance of the dozen people.
declared U.S. mission to defeat Islamic State militants in the desert region. pro-government forces, The violence has displaced
(Arab 24 network, via AP) and the Hezbollah fighters residents in and around
PHILIP ISSA backed pro-government ening its local allies. The embedded with them. the city, with about 80,000
Associated Press forces have blocked the strikes are believed to have The Britain-based Syrian Ob- children living in temporary
BEIRUT (AP) — Russia’s Min- path of U.S.-backed op- killed dozens of Syrian sol- servatory for Human Rights shelters and camps, UNICEF
istry of Defense reported position forces advancing diers and Iranian-backed monitoring group also re- said in a statement.
on Friday that pro-govern- north along the Iraqi-Syrian militia forces, in addition to ported the development, The U.S.-backed Syr-
ment forces circled around border, in the direction of destroying tanks and heavy saying it was the first time ian Democratic Forces
U.S. military advisers in east- the IS strongholds of Bou- weapons. On Thursday, the government forces have launched an attack on
ern Syria to reach the Iraqi kamal and Deir el-Zour, on U.S. shot down an armed reached the Iraqi border in Raqqa earlier this week
border, dealing what could the Euphrates River in east- drone it said had attacked over three years. and airstrikes by the U.S.-led
be a major blow to the de- ern Syria. its units embedded with lo- The United States Central coalition have intensified
clared U.S. mission to de- The two forces have clashed cal opposition forces in the Command said it “does since then.
feat Islamic State militants regularly in the area, with region. not seek to fight the Syr- “An estimated 40,000 chil-
in the desert region. U.S. aircraft twice striking By circling around them, ian regime, Russian or pro- dren remain trapped in ex-
The development, if true, Russian-backed forces the the Russian-backed forces regime forces partnered tremely dangerous condi-
would mean Russian- Pentagon said were threat- have apparently avoided with them,” but promised tions in Raqqa. q
Iran leaders accuse US, Saudis of supporting Tehran attacks

By NASSER KARIMI Iranians harbor toward the On Thursday, Iran’s Intelli- message from the Tehran ises further attacks. He con-
Associated Press U.S. and Saudi Arabia. gence Minister Mahmoud attackers. The four-minute cludes by threatening the
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian In a condolence message Alavi said investigators video shows three masked royal family of Saudi Arabia
leaders on Friday accused ahead of a funeral for were working to determine men sitting on a floor hold- and promises, “after Iran, it
the United States and Sau- the victims, Ayatollah Ali whether Saudi Arabia had ing automatic rifles. One of will be your turn.”
di Arabia of supporting Khamenei said the attack: a role Wednesday’s at- the men speaks in the sora- During the funeral, Parlia-
the Islamic State-claimed “will not damage the Irani- tacks but said it was too ni Kurdish dialect common ment Speaker Ali Larijani
dual attacks that killed 17 an nation’s determination soon to say if that was the among Kurds in northeast- called the U.S. the “interna-
people in Tehran this week, and the obvious result is case. ern Iraq and northwestern tional” version of the Islamic
as thousands of Iranians at- nothing except an increase The Islamic State group has Iran. State group and said Wash-
tended a funeral ceremo- in hate for the governments claimed responsibility for The speaker claims to rep- ington had exchanged de-
ny for the victims. of the United States and the attacks. The IS media resent the “first battalion” mocracy for money, a ref-
The country’s Supreme their stooges in the region arm Aamaq released a vid- of IS formed inside of Iran. erence to a recent huge
Leader said the attacks like Saudi (Arabia),” state eo Thursday evening show- He speaks out at length arms deal between the U.S.
will add to the hatred that media reported. ing what it claimed was a against Shiites and prom- and Saudi Arabia. q