Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 23 august 2017
Iraqi troops push into IS-held town west of Mosul

By QASSIM ZAHRA Brig. Gen. Haider Fadhil, Tuesday’s progress as “ex- Shiite-dominated paramili- “These internally displaced
Associated Press of the Iraqi special forces, cellent,” calling it an “indi- tary forces are taking part persons (IDPs) carried a
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi told The Associated Press cation of the enemy’s col- in the assault. Iraq’s state- minimal amount of clothes;
troops on Tuesday reached that the advancing troops lapse.” run TV aired live footage some only had what they
the first urban areas of faced little resistance from The U.S.-backed opera- showing pillars of smoke wore, some were partially
the northern town of Tal IS fighters, though they did tion was launched Sun- rising in the distance as clothed,” the statement
Afar on the third day of a mine the approaches, fire day, a month after Iraq military vehicles traveled said, adding that thou-
multi-pronged operation rockets and dispatch sui- declared victory over through wide, arid areas. sands more are expected
to retake it from the Islamic cide car bombers against IS in Mosul, the coun- The U.S.-led coalition, says to flee in the coming days.
State group, a military com- the advancing forces. try’s second largest city. 10,000 to 50,000 civilians Most of the residents had
mander said. Fadhil expected the fight- Tal Afar, about 150 kilome- remain in and around Tal to walk for hours in arduous
U.S.-trained special forces ing to get even heavier as ters (93 miles) east of the Afar. Some 3,200 individuals conditions before reaching
entered the al-Kifah neigh- they push into the town’s Syrian border, is one of the have fled in the past four safe areas, the statement
borhood on the southwest center, which is about 4.5 last pockets of IS-held terri- days to two displacement said. Many “arrive exhaust-
edge of town, Lt. Gen. Ab- kilometers (3 miles) away. tory in Iraq. camps south of Mosul, the ed and in poor health, often
dul-Amir Rasheed Yar Allah, In his weekly press confer- Along with the special forc- International Organization with critical levels of mal-
who commands the opera- ence, Iraqi Prime Minister es, Iraq’s regular army, mili- for Migration said in a state- nutrition among children,
tion, said in a statement. Haider al-Abadi described tarized Federal Police and ment. some unable to move.”q
Iran says only 5 days needed to ramp up uranium enrichment

edly has threatened to enriched uranium as part
renegotiate or walk away of the nuclear deal it struck
from the 2015 nuclear deal. with world powers, includ-
Salehi’s warning, along ing Trump’s predecessor,
with recent comments by President Barack Obama.
President Hassan Rouhani, The accord currently caps
show Iran is willing to push Iran’s uranium enrichment
back against Trump while at under 5 percent.
still acknowledging it wants While Iran long has main-
to keep the deal, which tained its nuclear program
lifted crippling economic is for peaceful purposes,
sanctions. uranium enriched to 20
“If there is a plan for a re- percent can be further en-
action and a challenge, riched in a matter of weeks
we will definitely surprise to the point where it can
them,” said Salehi, who be used in nuclear weap-
also serves as one of Rou- ons.
hani’s vice presidents. “If Fears about that so-called
we make the determina- “breakout time” were
tion, we are able to resume what led the U.S. and other
20 percent enrichment in countries to push for the
at most five days.” agreement.
Chief of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi, right, sits next to Foreign Minister Mo- He added: “Definitely, we Iran processed its stockpile
hammad Javad Zarif during a ceremony in Tehran, Iran. Iran’s atomic chief warned Tuesday the are not interested in such a of near 20-percent ura-
Islamic Republic needs only five days to ramp up its uranium enrichment to 20 percent, a level at
which the material could be used for a nuclear weapon. thing happening. We have nium into a lower enrich-
(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) not achieved the deal eas- ment, turned some into fuel
By NASSER KARIMI only five days to ramp up its in a nuclear weapon. ily to let it go easily. We are plates to power a research
Associated Press uranium enrichment to 20 The comments by Ali Akbar committed to the deal and reactor and shipped the
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s percent, a level at which Salehi to Iranian state tele- we are loyal to it.” rest to Russia as part of the
atomic chief said Tuesday the material could quickly vision come as U.S. Presi- Iran gave up the majority of deal. q
the Islamic Republic needs be further enriched for use dent Donald Trump repeat- its stockpile of 20-percent
Lebanon says it has driven IS from most of Syria border area

BEIRUT (AP) — The Leba- and has since driven out Earlier Tuesday, the army dent Bashar Assad’s forces President Bashar Assad.
nese military is now in con- the militants from some announced it was start- since 2013. Qanso didn’t Lebanese media say the
trol of over 80 percent of 100 square kilometers (62 ing the third phase of the speculate when the border remaining IS-held territory
the areas previously held square miles). operation, which includes operation would end, but along the border is riddled
by the Islamic State group Qanso said no militants mine clearing to open said the military has strong with caves that the mili-
along the border with Syria, have been detained in roads previously controlled international support. tants could use as hideouts.
only days after launching the operation, adding by the militants. The Syrian Lebanese officials insist the Residents of al-Qaa, a vil-
a broad offensive there, a that many were killed or army and its ally, the Leb- army is not coordinating lage near the border which
spokesman said Tuesday. retreated into Syria. In an anese Hezbollah group, its actions with the Syrian was attacked by IS militants
Brig. Gen. Ali Qanso told re- earlier statement, the army have launched a simulta- military, and Qanso said last year, took to the streets
porters that only 20 square said a Lebanese de-miner neous operation to clear IS his forces would stop at the to celebrate news of the
kilometers (12 square miles) was killed and four others from the Syrian side of the border. Lebanon’s main army advance. Al-Jadid TV
remain in the hands of the wounded early Tuesday border in the western Qa- political factions are sharp- station showed dozens of
extremists. The U.S-backed when explosives left behind lamoun mountain range. ly divided over the Syrian residents waving Lebanese
Lebanese army launched by the extremists went off Hezbollah has been fight- conflict, with some support- flags as fireworks cracked
its operation on Saturday as they dismantled them. ing in Syria alongside Presi- ing and others opposing above.q