Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

Wednesday 9 august 2017 WORLD NEWS
A10

Iraqi Shiite militia says 40 of its fighters killed in Syria

By QASSIM ZAHRA geted the militiamen. place in the area at the es from the Islamic State cluded a suicide bombing,
Associated Press The deputy head of the time. group, and was followed followed by fighters storm-
BAGHDAD (AP) — A pow- militia, known as Kattaib According to the militia’s by an on-the-ground as- ing the militiamen’s posi-
erful Iraqi Shiite militia said Sayeed al-Shuhadaa, ac- deputy, Ahmed al-Mak- sault by S militants. Along tions.
Tuesday that at least 40 of cused U.S. forces of carry- sousi, they were hit by artil- with 40 killed, at least 30 The group added that one
its militiamen were killed in ing out the early Monday lery fire in Syria’s Jamouna militiamen were wounded, IS fighter was captured.
an attack the previous day assault. area, about 12 kilometers al-Maksousi added. Prime Minister Haider al-
on its positions across the The Baghdad-based (about 7.5 miles) from the The militia vowed “this act Abadi, speaking at a press
border in Syria. The militia spokesman of the U.S.-led Iraqi border. will not pass without punish- conference Tuesday, said
blamed the U.S.-led co- coalition, Army Col. Ryan He said the attack was ment.” he spoke with the militia’s
alition for the assault but Dillon, dismissed the allega- launched from around In an online statement, leadership and that reports
the Islamic State group tion, saying on Twitter that Iraq’s city of Mosul, recent- IS said it staged a three- of the incident were still be-
claimed its fighters had tar- no coalition airstrikes took ly recaptured by Iraqi forc- pronged attack that in- ing confirmed.q

Lebanon’s army prepares to clear border area of IS militants

By BASSEM MROUE time for an all-out assault.
Associated Press The planned operation fol-
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s lows a six-day military offen-
U.S.-backed military is gear- sive by the Lebanese Shiite
ing up for a long-awaited militant group Hezbollah
assault to dislodge hun- that forced al-Qaida-linked
dreds of Islamic State mili- fighters to flee the area on
tants from a remote corner the outskirts of the town of
near Syrian border, seeking Arsal, along with thousands
to end a years-long threat of civilians. In a clear distri-
posed to neighboring bution of roles, the army is
towns and villages by the now expected to launch
extremists. the attack on IS. In the past
The campaign will involve few days, the army’s artil-
cooperation with the mili- lery shells and multiple rock-
tant group Hezbollah and et launchers have been
the Syrian army on the pounding the mountainous
other side of the border areas on the Lebanon-Syria
— although Lebanese au- border where IS held posi-
thorities insist they are not tions, in preparation for the
coordinating with Syrian offensive. Drones could be
President Bashar Assad’s heard around the clock
government. and residents of the eastern
But the assault could Bekaa Valley reported see-
prove costly for the under- In this June 19, 2016 photo, a Lebanese army soldier takes his position overlooking an area con- ing army reinforcements ar-
trolled by the Islamic State group at the edge of the town of Arsal, in northeast Lebanon. Leba-
equipped military and risk non’s U.S.-backed military is gearing up for a long awaited assault to dislodge hundreds of IS riving daily in the northeast-
activating IS sleeper cells in militants from a remote corner of northeastern Lebanon near the border with Syria, seeking to end ern district of Hermel to join
the country. a years-long threat posed to neighboring towns and villages by the extremists. the battle.
The tiny Mediterranean na- (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) The offensive from the
tion has been spared the and random car bomb- ing to neighboring towns Aided directly by the Unit- Lebanese side of the bor-
wars and chaos that en- ings, particularly in 2014, and villages, from shelling, ed States and Britain, the der will be carried out by
gulfed several countries when militants linked to al- to kidnappings of villag- army has accumulated the Lebanese army, while
in the region since the so- Qaida and IS overran the ers for ransom. Car bombs steady successes against Syrian troops and Hezbol-
called Arab Spring uprisings border region, kidnapping made in the area and sent the militants in the past lah fighters will be working
erupted in 2011. But it has Lebanese soldiers. to other parts of the coun- year, slowly clawing back to clear the Syrian side of
not been able to evade The years-long presence try, including the Lebanese territory, including strate- IS militants. Hezbollah has
threats to its security, in- of extremists in the border capital, Beirut, have killed gic hills retaken in the past been fighting alongside
cluding sectarian infighting area has brought suffer- scores of citizens. week. Authorities say it’s Assad’s forces since 2013.q

Suburbs of Syrian capital heavily bombarded, say activists

PHILIP ISSA fire” that was supposed to kered by Egypt and Russia fell on Douma, al-Rayhan army’s vaunted 4th Division,
Associated Press bring calm to the besieged and signed in Cairo on July and Housh al-Douahira, in battle Monday. It said
BEIRUT (AP) — Pro-govern- enclave inhabited by some 22. Air strikes on the Ein Ter- towns and villages held the bombardment contin-
ment forces intensified their 400,000 people. ma and Zamalka towns in by the Islam Army fac- ued Tuesday. “What kind of
assault on the rebel-held Opposition media activ- Ghouta blasted debris hun- tion, which is party to the cease-fire is this?” said Ob-
suburbs of the Syrian capi- ist Anas al-Dimashqi said dreds of feet into the air, as cease-fire, according to servatory director Rami Ab-
tal, activists said Tuesday, a government air raids and seen in footage posted by al-Dimashqi and the Britain- durrahman. “I don’t con-
day after rebels beat back artillery fire have reached the Ghouta Media Center based Syrian Observatory sider this a cease-fire.” For
an attempted government a rate of 60 to 70 strikes per on social media Tuesday. for Human Rights monitor- its part, Faylaq al-Rahman
advance, killing several day on areas held by the The opposition-affiliated ing group. The Observatory said it came under attack
soldiers. The fighting threw Faylaq al-Rahman rebel center said one civilian was said rebels killed nine sol- by the Islam Army over the
into sharp relief the fragil- faction, which was not killed and several others diers and captured at least weekend, it said in a state-
ity of a so-called “cease- party to the cease-fire bro- wounded. But mortars also one fighting for the Syrian ment Tuesday.q