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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 10 May 2017

Syrian troops shift focus to IS-held eastern region

Associated Press along the country’s north- ements of the Syrian Demo- The statement did not weren’t authorized to pub-
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s military ern border. cratic Forces as necessary specify the kinds of arms to licly discuss the matter, said
launched a new assault Dana W. White, the Pen- to ensure a clear victory be provided, but other of- the U.S. would not provide
Tuesday aimed at reassert- tagon’s chief spokeswom- over ISIS” in Raqqa. The U.S. ficials have indicated that artillery or surface-to-air
ing its authority in the east an, said in a written state- sees the Kurdish-led Syrian 120mm mortars, machine missiles. Tuesday’s offensive
of the country, battling U.S.- ment that President Don- Democratic Forces, which guns, ammunition and light in the east opens another
backed opposition fighters ald Trump’s authorization also includes Arab fighters, armored vehicles were front against IS, this time
in the remote desert near pitting the U.S.- and West-
the borders with Iraq and ern-backed rebels against
Jordan. The government Syrian government forces
forces’ ultimate goal is to in- and allied fighters. The
sert itself in the fight against clashes are part of a race
the Islamic State group in for control of an area that
the oil-rich region. stretches from the provin-
The government offensive cial capital of Deir el-Zour
came as the Trump ad- in northeastern Syria to the
ministration announced it border with Iraq, where an
would arm Syria’s Kurdish estimated 10,000 IS fighters
fighters “as necessary” to uprooted from Mosul, Iraq’s
recapture the key Islamic second-largest city, have
State stronghold of Raqqa. been massing.
The decision is meant to “Now the direction and
accelerate the Raqqa op- main goal is to reach Deir
eration, but is strongly op- el-Zour,” Syrian Foreign
posed by key NATO ally Tur- Minister Walid al-Moallem
key, which sees the Syrian said Monday, adding that
Kurdish group, known as This undated image purports to show an Islamic State fighter firing his weapon during clashes the Syrian government’s
the YPG, as an extension of with U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa. next target will likely be to
the Kurdish insurgency rag- Syria’s military launched a new assault Tuesday aimed at reasserting its authority in the east of the reach the border with Iraq.
ing in its southeast. country, battling U.S.-backed opposition fighters in the remote desert near the borders with Iraq “The priority now is what
The decision is likely to and Jordan. is happening in the des-
complicate the way go- (Militant Photo via AP) ert, whether south, along
ing forward, as the U.S. has the border with Jordan,
deployed additional troops of arms to the Syrian Kurds as its most effective battle- possibilities. The officials, or in the central desert or
to act as a buffer between gives the Pentagon the go- field partner against IS in who spoke on condition of toward the borders with
Syria’s Kurds and Turkey ahead to “equip Kurdish el- northern and eastern Syria. anonymity because they Iraq.” q

French police seek 3 men suspected in Paris attack plot

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN listed on police wanted customary condition of an- officers from the special BRI early Tuesday.
ANGELA CHARLTON notices on social networks. onymity on Tuesday. intervention force started The operation came the
Associated Press That prompted the police The three suspects have pouring into the station. day after a tense presiden-
PARIS (AP) — French police operation and the tempo- been identified by police A security perimeter was tial election won by inde-
searched Tuesday for three rary closure of one of Paris’ as Belgian citizens Bilal Al established and all pas- pendent Emmanuel Ma-
men suspected of plotting main transit hubs, the Gare Marchohi and Tarik Jad- sengers on the train from cron, who has said one of
an Islamic State group-in- du Nord, late Monday. No aoun, and Afghan national Valenciennes were taken his top priorities will be en-
spired attack after authori- arrests have been made. Zabihullah Sarwari. to a nearby brasserie to be suring France’s security.
ties conducted a major Rocco Contento of Unite The busy Gare du Nord — searched, Contento said. France remains under a
operation at a Paris train SGP police union told The the terminus of a large sub- “Unfortunately it was deter- state of emergency im-
station. Associated Press the ven- urban and national rail net- mined that the person was posed after a series of Is-
A ticket vendor in the dor informed police. Two work as well as the hub for not in the train,” Contento lamic extremist attacks in
northern town of Valenci- other police officers con- Eurostar trains from London said. 2015.q
ennes thought she recog- firmed the information to — was evacuated after 11 Police said the operation
nized one of the three men The Associated Press on p.m. on Monday night as went smoothly and ended