Page 8 - AT

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 16 January 2020
Iran warning puts thousands of European troops in spotlight

By JOSEPH KRAUSS Britain operates a naval
Associated Press base in Bahrain that can
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- house up to 500 British mili-
ates (AP) — A warning by tary personnel and is fo-
Iran's president that Euro- cused on maritime security.
pean forces in the Middle It also has a joint training
East could be at risk if their base in Oman. France has
nations join the U.S. pres- a naval base known as
sure campaign against the Camp Peace in Abu Dha-
Islamic Republic puts a fo- bi's Port Zayed, which hous-
cus on thousands of foreign es some 700 French troops.
troops in the region. Britain and France also sta-
Britain, France, and Ger- tion troops at U.S. bases in
many have spent months the region.
trying to preserve the 2015 ___
nuclear deal after President AFGHANISTAN
Donald Trump unilaterally The NATO mission in Af-
abandoned it in 2018. ghanistan consists of about
But on Tuesday, the Euro- 17,000 troops from 39 al-
pean Union initiated a dis- lied and partner countries.
pute resolution mechanism The alliance formally con-
to try to bring Iran back into cluded its combat mission
compliance after Tehran In this Monday, May 27, 2019 file photo, NATO forces attend the graduation ceremony of Afghan at the end of 2014 and
began openly breaching National Army soldiers from a 3-month training program at the Afghan Military Academy in Kabul, provides advice and train-
some restrictions last sum- Afghanistan. ing to Afghan forces. Britain
mer. Associated Press has nearly 1,000 troops in
Iran says it should not be Afghanistan and Germany
bound to the agreement European countries have Britain has about 400 troops about 1,000 troops in the has about 1,100.
since the U.S. reimposed troops in Afghanistan, Iraq based in Iraq while Ger- region to help combat IS in ___
crippling sanctions. After and elsewhere in the Mid- many has nearly 450 troops Iraq and Syria. LEBANON
a U.S. airstrike in Iraq killed dle East, where they mainly deployed to counter IS and The European Union as a Several European countries
Tehran's top general, Iran operate alongside much to train Iraqi forces. bloc has several dozen per- contribute forces to the
responded by firing ballistic larger U.S. deployments. Germany "temporarily" sonnel in Baghdad working U.N. peacekeeping mission
missiles at U.S. troops sta- Iran is allied with powerful withdrew 35 of its troops on security sector reform in southern Lebanon, which
tioned there. No one was armed groups in Iraq, Syria, from Iraq after Iranian and advising the Interior patrols the tense frontier
hurt in the missile attacks. Lebanon and Yemen. Gen. Qassem Soleimani Ministry. European Commis- between Israel and the
"Today, the American sol- A look at Europe's military was killed on Jan. 3 in the sion spokesman Peter Sta- Iran-backed Hezbollah mili-
dier is in danger, tomorrow presence: U.S. drone strike. Most were no said officials are aware tant group. France contrib-
the European soldier could IRAQ flown to Jordan, where of the threats, but that "we, utes about 700 troops.
be in danger," President Britain, France and Germa- Germany also has troops as the EU, are not leaving Germany provides more
Hassan Rouhani said at a ny are all part of the U.S.- involved in reconnaissance Iraq." than 100 forces to the
Cabinet meeting without led coalition that is fighting and refueling flights for the ___ peacekeepers' maritime
elaborating. the Islamic State group. anti-IS coalition. France has THE GULF mission.q

Groups: Syrian planes strike

market in rebel area, 15 dead

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian gov- Most were in critical condi- Russian raids and 33 by
ernment warplanes struck tion after warplanes struck government warplanes.
a market and an industrial a vegetable market and The Observatory has a
area Wednesday in the industrial area in Idlib city network of activists on
last territory in the hands of Wednesday afternoon. the ground and has been
rebel groups in the coun- The two areas are a few monitoring the war in Syria
try's northwest, killing at hundreds meters (yards) since it began in 2011.
least 15 people, opposi- apart. The Syrian Civil De- The government also
tion activists said. fense, also known as the launched several barrel
A new cessation of hostili- White Helmets, said one bombs from helicopters This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets,
ties agreement between of its volunteers was killed in rural Idlib, according which has been authenticated based on its contents and other
Russia and Turkey, who in the strike. The Britain- to the Observatory. The AP reporting, shows Syrian White Helmet civil defense workers
support the opposite sides based Syrian Observatory bombs are rudimentary extinguish a burning car that was hit by Syrian government
in the conflict, went into for Human Rights said the and inaccurate projectiles airstrikes, in Idlib province, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020.
effect last week. But vio- two areas were crowded that cause massive de- Associated Press
lence has continued. with people when the war- struction. Russia is a main for violating the truce Sat- It is also home to 3 million
Yahya Abu al-Yaman, planes struck. It also put backer of Syrian President urday. Idlib is controlled civilians. The United Na-
a volunteer with first re- the death toll at 15. Bashar Assad, while Tur- by armed rebel groups, tions said at least 300,000
sponders the Syrian Civil The Observatory said air- key is a strong supporter including Turkey-backed have been displaced by
Defense, said 15 people strikes were also reported of some of the insurgents opposition groups and al- the violence in the month
were killed and 65 were in other parts of Idlib prov- fighting against him. Mos- Qaida-linked militants who between Dec. 1 and Jan.
wounded in the strike. ince, recording at least 42 cow blamed the insurgents are the strongest there. 1.q