Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 21 sepTember 2017
Battle against IS in Raqqa in ‘final stages,’ force says Moody’s:
Egypt economy
By SARAH EL DEEB particularly in the last few der with Iraq, is caught up Press his troops have redi- still recovering
Associated Press days, according to the in a race with Syrian gov- rected their battles away from 2011 crisis
BEIRUT (AP) — The battle for head of the Britain-based ernment forces and allied from the river for now to
the Islamic State group’s Syrian Observatory that troops, who are also vying fight IS militants deeper CAIRO (AP)—Egypt’s econ-
de-facto Syria capital, monitors the war. for control. in the eastern desert. He omy has started to improve
Raqqa, has reached its The campaign to take In the past two weeks, the said with the Raqqa battle but has yet to recover from
“final stages,” the Syr- Raqqa began in June in pro-government forces, nearing an end, he hopes the country’s 2011 upris-
ian Democratic Forces a quick advance after a backed by Russian air cov- troops fighting there would ing and the years of unrest
come to boost his ranks. that followed, an interna-
“We hope that the SDF tional credit rating agency
fighting in Raqqa, includ- said.Moody’s hailed re-
ing our own fighters taking cent economic and fiscal
part in Raqqa, finish there reforms in its annual report
so they can come and released Tuesday, saying
boost our advance on the they point to “improved
eastern bank of the river,” government effectiveness
said Ahmed Abu Khawla, and policy predictability.”
the commander of the Weak finances, however,
SDF unit Deir el-Zour Mili- remain a “key challenge”
tary Council, which is lead- for the government, it
ing the fight on the oil-rich added.Egypt embarked
province. on an ambitious eco-
Meanwhile, the U.S. and nomic reform plan shortly
its international coalition after President Abdel-Fat-
partners intensified their tah el-Sissi took office in
air raids on the militants’ 2014. The government has
last remaining enclave in slashed subsidies, imposed
Raqqa, according the Ob- a value-added tax and al-
servatory. The U.S. also has lowed currency devalua-
hundreds of forces embed- tion in order to qualify for a
ded with the Syrian fighters $12 billion bailout loan from
In this July 27, 2017 photo, a U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighter runs in front of a dam- who provide artillery fire the International Monetary
aged building as he crosses a street on the front line, in Raqqa, Syria. The Syrian Democratic and other support. Fund.The austerity mea-
Forces said in a statement Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, that the battle for the Islamic State group’s Observatory director Rami sures have hit the public
de-facto capital, Raqqa, has reached its “final stages” with the opening of a new front. Abdurrahman said there hard, however, with infla-
(AP Photo/Hussein Malla) are less than 300 remaining tion hovering around 30
said Wednesday, almost breach of the wall of the er and Iranian-allied militia, in an enclave in Raqqa, percent for months, many
four months after the U.S.- Old City, a major fortifica- gained control of most of which is now 90 percent import products unavail-
backed force launched tion for the militants. But it the city of the same name controlled by the SDF. able, and soaring electric-
an assault on the self-pro- has since slowed down as and crossed over the Eu- The Observatory on ity and fuel costs.Moody’s
claimed capital of the mili- the forces faced mount- phrates River to the area of Wednesday accused the said reforms and financial
tant group. ing resistance from the mili- operations of the SDF. U.S.-led coalition of killing support provided by in-
The Kurdish-led Syrian Dem- tants. Coalition and SDF officials more than 1,000 civilians ternational lenders have
ocratic Forces said it cap- Three months after the say they want to avoid in airstrikes on Raqqa since helped in restoring Egypt’s
tured Raqqa’s last grain Raqqa campaign began, clashes with pro-Syrian the SDF first entered the city foreign reserves, which are
silos from the militants in a the SDF began a sepa- government forces, which in June. The claim could currently above $36 billion,
surprise offensive on the rate campaign earlier this crossed to the eastern not be independently veri- their highest level since
city’s northern neighbor- month to take the other IS side of the river earlier this fied. The coalition has said December 2010.“We also
hoods, mounted five days stronghold in Syria, Deir el- week, bringing them just ki- repeatedly that it relies on expect that Egypt’s high
ago. Less than 300 militants Zour. lometers (miles) away from the latest intelligence to fiscal deficits and govern-
remain holed up in the city, The SDF’s campaign for oil- SDF forces. minimize civilian casual- ment debt levels will grad-
which has witnessed an in- rich Deir el-Zour province, An SDF commander in Deir ties and strike only military ually reduce,” said Stef-
tense bombing campaign, which straddles the bor- el-Zour told The Associated targets.q fen Dyck, a Moody’s vice
president.Egypt’s Finance
Report: Minister Amr el-Garhy an-
nounced earlier this week
Iran group hacks aviation, petrochemical industries that the country will face
a $10-$12 billion budget
deficit for the current fis-
By JON GAMBRELL hackers left behind a new report on the claims. How- FireEye, which often works cal year 2017-18, which
Associated Press type of malware that could ever, suspected Iranian with governments and started in July. He also said
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- have been used to destroy hackers long have operat- large corporations, refers to the government plans to
ates (AP) — A group of the computers it infected, ed without caring if people the group as APT33, an ac- plug the gap by increasing
hackers suspected of work- an echo of two other Iran- found it was them or if there ronym for “advanced per- foreign debt issuance, and
ing in Iran for its govern- attributed cyberattacks would be consequences, sistent threat.” APT33 used will announce future bond
ment is targeting the avia- targeting Saudi Arabia in making them incredibly phishing email attacks with offerings in the coming
tion and petrochemical 2012 and 2016 that de- dangerous, said Stuart Da- fake job opportunities to weeks.Egypt’s sovereign
industries in Saudi Arabia, stroyed systems. vis, a director at one of Fire- gain access to the com- rating by Moody’s remains
the U.S. and South Korea, a Iran’s office at the United Eye’s subsidiaries.“Today, panies affected, faking do- unchanged at B3, far be-
cybersecurity firm warned Nations did not immedi- without any repercussions, main names to make it look low investment grade and
Wednesday. ately respond to a request a neighboring country can like the messages came subject to high credit risk,
The report by FireEye also for comment Wednesday compromise and wipe out from Boeing Co. or defense but the outlook remains
said the suspected Iranian and its state media did not 20 institutions,” Davis said. contractors.q stable. q