[KhaamaPress] The Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... ’s Ministry of Justice announced on Wednesday a ban on the activities of all political parties in Afghanistan, citing their misalignment with the interests of the people.
Abdul Hakim Sharaee, the Acting Minister of Justice for the Taliban, stated in Kabul that political parties are deemed unnecessary due to their lack of alignment with Sharia principles.
"Political parties do not have a Sharia basis, nor are they in the nation’s interest, nor does the nation want it. Experience has shown that the current destruction of the country is due to the country’s political parties," he said.
While before the Taliban took over, the Ministry of Justice in Afghanistan had permitted around 73 political parties to work and be involved in politics, according to records.
These political parties within the Republic’s government have been actively involved in at least three presidential elections held in the country since 2001.
Following the return of the Taliban on August 15, 2021, political figures and party leaders left Afghanistan. Leaders from these parties operate beyond Afghanistan’s borders, primarily in opposition to the Taliban administration.
The Taliban’s two rule periods in Afghanistan saw a consistent strategy of banning political parties. From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban banned such parties and avoided compromises and collaborations with other political groups.
An excuse to send people in-country, maintain contacts, corrupt the Taliban in that corner of the country, and succor the locals so they're less desperate to migrate to India. And a chance to show that India is a leading country in the region, able to afford to take the lead in aiding her less fortunate neighbours. Probably other things that I haven’t thought of, as well — India has much to be proud of, especially compared to Pakistan, which on the day of their joint independence looked more likely to succeed.
[FinancialExpress] Notably, India’s commitment extends beyond medical assistance; it extends to the realm of education and welfare.
Amidst the escalating humanitarian crisis and pleas from UN agencies, India remains steadfast in its commitment to providing vital assistance, encompassing medical aid and sustenance, to the people of Afghanistan.
"The government in partnership with the United Nations ...an organization originally established to war on dictatorships which was promptly infiltrated by dictatorships and is now held in thrall to dictatorships... World Food Programme (UNWFP), has undertaken the internal distribution of wheat aid within Afghanistan. A substantial total of 47,500 metric tons of wheat has been dispatched to UNWFP centers in Afghanistan through the ongoing shipments, routed via the Chabahar Port and subsequently handed over at Heart," said sources.
This contribution from India has garnered recognition from pivotal stakeholders in Afghanistan, with the UNWFP expressing gratitude.
In a recent tweet, the UNWFP expressed, "For the first half of this year, 16 million people in Afghanistan received life-saving food from WFP. We are grateful for generous donors like India who make that happen."
Turning to the medical assistance front, India’s unwavering support has encompassed the dispatch of nearly 200 tons of medical supplies, comprising essential medications, COVID vaccines, anti-TB drugs, and an array of medical and surgical items. Pediatric Stethoscopes, Sphygmomanometers with pediatric BP cuffs, infusion pumps, drip chamber sets, electrocautery devices, nylon sutures, and more were presented to the authorities at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul.
Notably, India’s commitment extends beyond medical assistance; it extends to the realm of education and welfare. The Habibia School in Kabul has continued to receive India’s backing, with assistance in the form of winter clothing and stationery items for primary students.
Recent strides have seen India forge a partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) in Afghanistan, aimed at extending aid to the vulnerable drug user population, particularly females. This partnership has resulted in the supply of 1100 units of female hygiene kits and blankets, as well as medical assistance, to UNODC in Kabul. These essential provisions are slated for utilization in UNODC’s female drug rehabilitation camps spanning across Afghanistan. Notably, India is set to extend its support further by providing medical aid for these rehabilitation camps.
In a time of uncertainty and adversity, India’s unflinching solidarity with the Afghan people not only underscores its commitment to humanitarian causes but also signifies its unwavering role as a responsible global player. Through its multifaceted assistance initiatives, India strives to alleviate the hardships faced by the Afghan populace and contribute towards a more stable and secure future for the nation.
In March this year, India undertook a remarkable humanitarian endeavor, delivering a substantial quantity of wheat to the "people of Afghanistan" through the Chabahar port situated in Iran. Notably, while the Chabahar port has previously been utilized for extending assistance to Afghanistan, this occasion marks a significant milestone, being the first instance following the takeover by the Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs underscored India’s proactive stance, stating, "With the objective of addressing the prevailing humanitarian crisis, India announced its collaboration with UNWFP to facilitate the conveyance of 20,000 metric tons of wheat to the Afghan population through the Chabahar Port." It is worth mentioning that India effectively employed the Chabahar port to transport 75,000 metric tons of wheat as humanitarian food aid to Afghanistan in the year 2020.
[SUDANTRIBUNE] Malik Agar, the Deputy Head of the Sovereign Council, conveyed a strong message to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), asserting that their claims of combatting Islamists and promoting democracy were overshadowed by their extensive crimes and human rights ...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty... violations.
During a televised address to the Sudanese nation on Tuesday, Agar reiterated his plea to end the conflict, establishing an inclusive government tasked with post-conflict reconstruction, holding a constitutional conference, and preparing for upcoming elections.
Agar emphasized that the resolution of the war would ultimately occur through negotiations. He underscored that the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF stemmed from political factors rooted in the historical legacy of corruption and mismanagement passed down by successive governments, particularly during the tenure of the deposed President Omer al-Bashir.
Furthermore, Agar urged the leaders of the RSF to refrain from overstating their motives, such as the pursuit of a democratic state, the fight against Islamist remnants from the previous regime, and the establishment of new foundations for Sudan’s future.
"Set aside embellishments and adopt a responsible perspective towards past and ongoing events. The reasons initially declared for waging war have all been overshadowed by a series of crimes and violations committed by your forces, including murder, rape, forced displacement, property confiscation from civilians, and the occupation of public institutions," he said.
Although Sudan has experienced civil wars and armed conflicts across its various regions, the magnitude of violations and atrocities against civilians has not reached the level witnessed in the actions of RSF elements, he underscored.
Agar made a renewed appeal to the RSF to halt attacks on civilians, refrain from exaggeration, and abstain from taking pride in wrongdoing. Additionally, he stressed that two separate armies should not exist within a single nation.
The negotiations between the Sudanese army and the RSF have hit an impasse due to the RSF’s refusal to withdraw their troops from the capital city, Khartoum, and relocate them to designated cantonment sites outside the Khartoum state.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/17/2023 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[13 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Sudan
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Oleg Krivoshapov
[REGNUM] The British Foreign Intelligence Service MI-6 prepared a sabotage and punitive detachment consisting of hundreds of militants of Ukrainian nationalist formations for sending to Africa. On August 16 , a source in military-diplomatic circles told RIA Novosti.
A single, anonymous source for the story?
Christopher Steele?
According to him, the order to select as quickly as possible a hundred people with combat experience was formulated in July by representatives of MI-6 and the Special Air Service of Great Britain (Special Air Service - SAS) and transferred simultaneously to two competing Ukrainian special services - the SBU and the Main Directorate intelligence (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense.
Trained combatants, according to the news agency, should be used to "oppose the development of cooperation between the countries of Africa and Russia." Specific tasks are "carrying out sabotage at infrastructure facilities in African countries, as well as the elimination of African leaders focused on interaction with Russia."
The Ukrainian detachment, trained by the British services, is planned to be sent to Africa in the second half of August on a chartered civilian ship from the port of Izmail, apparently to one of the ports of Sudan. The city of Omdurman, a suburb of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, is indicated as an intermediate point. The final destination is not named.
IS THE DETACHMENT COMMANDED BY AN EX-CANDIDATE FOR DEPUTY FROM THE ZELENSKY PARTY?
“The command of the detachment of Ukrainian thugs is entrusted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine V. Yu. Praschuk,” a source in military-diplomatic circles said.
The same source as above or a different single, anonymous source?
RIA Novosti on its Telegram channel clarifies: GUR Lieutenant Colonel Vitaly Praschuk has experience in “successful liquidations” and, allegedly, has already participated in MI6 operations in Zimbabwe.
It is reported that Praschuk, a native of the Vinnytsia region, participated in the so-called in 2014–2016. "anti-terrorist operation" in the DPR and LPR, was the commander of a sabotage and reconnaissance group. At the same time, since 2015, he entered the service in the 73rd Maritime Special Operations Center named after M.V. ataman Anton Golovaty (Ochakov, Mykolaiv region). Until 2017, he served in the Main Intelligence Directorate and, apparently, during this period, he participated in joint special operations of the Ukrainian and British intelligence services in Zimbabwe.
We add that the Ukrainian media in 2019 reported: in the elections to the Verkhovna Rada of the 9th convocation, a certain Vitaliy Yuryevich Praschuk, a native of Vinnitsa, a participant in the hostilities in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions (sniper, commander of the DRG), ran for the pro-presidential party "Servant of the People in the 15th majoritarian district, but lost to self-nominated Larisa Bilozir.
The photo of the alleged commander of the sabotage detachment, which RIA Novosti cites, coincides with the photographs of candidate Praschuk published in 2019 on Ukrainian websites. In particular, in publications with material that compromised the candidate, it was stated that he was “ a person involved in a number of criminal proceedings on the fact of car theft, hooliganism, bodily harm to his daughter and ex-wife Angela Praschuk”, which she reported on her page on the social network .
“In his biography, he notes that he is a participant in the ATO, served in 2014-2016 in a sabotage and reconnaissance group and is shell-shocked, which is why he is periodically treated,” the Vinnitsa regional portal VinMedia.com confirmed . ua in the expanded material is also of a “compromising” nature (about some fraudulent transactions with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine).
It also stated that “ the biography of the candidate for deputies has enough “dirty spots” about the raider seizure of enterprises, beatings and litigation with his wife, shooting at a restaurant and threats to almost everyone with whom he had “business”. It was also said that "behind the eyes in Kharkov and Kiev he is called the" Vinnitsa brigade leader "just not because of his love for construction." Similar facts were contained in the publication of the now defunct portal Vinnytsia News .
Be that as it may, at the time of the beginning of the SVO, Praschuk, judging by the data in open sources, was listed as a reserve officer of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
UNDER A FALSE FLAG
The British intelligence services could have recruited Ukrainians for the DRG in order to organize some provocations “under a false flag” in order to pass off the crimes of saboteurs as the work of the Russians, a veteran of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), retired colonel Lev Korolkov, suggested in a commentary to Regnum news agency.
Without a doubt, we can talk about sabotage at critical facilities. Not excluded in the performance of the same group as attempts to eliminate objectionable local leaders, and acts of terror against the local population, the interlocutor believes.
Korolkov notes that the functionality of sabotage and reconnaissance groups is usually quite wide. And one of the main tasks of the DRG may well be to compromise Russia in African countries, in which it has recently received fairly reliable positions.
“MI5, MI6 and SAS itself have great potential,” says Korolkov. “They perform special tasks not only within the former British Empire, but practically all over the world. The training is good, of high quality, which, taking into account the latest technologies, dramatically increases the ability of a relatively small group to inflict maximum damage. There is every opportunity for a small group to achieve great results.”
The retired colonel of the Foreign Intelligence Service points to the choice of people as executors who have recently received serious experience in participating in hostilities and, more specifically, experience in sabotage work. The level of training of Ukrainian saboteurs selected by the British special services for such tasks should not be underestimated, if we are talking about those who were fully trained precisely under the “wings” of the SAS, Korolkov emphasizes.
TARGETS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA
The destination, or waypoint, is Sudan in northeast Africa. Logically, if the goal of the work of the Ukrainian DRG would be Niger or another West African state where anti-Western coups have recently taken place (Mali or Burkina Faso), then it would be more logical to organize a “transplant” geographically closer. The option with the transfer of saboteurs from Sudan to West Africa - to Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria or Cameroon is unlikely, Ivan Loshkarev, a researcher at the Center for the Study of Political Elites at the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO , explained to IA Regnum.
The only explanation why British services can send Ukrainian saboteurs to Sudan is seen in their focus on the so-called Horn of Africa. Namely, Eritrea or Ethiopia, the expert believes.
“Most likely, in my opinion, Eritrea,” says the interlocutor of IA Regnum. - The fact is that it is located not far from Sudan, and at one time the Sudanese special services made several attempts on the Eritrean leader Isaias Afevorke . Why is it important? Now the situation with the naval base in Sudan is "sagging", and it is obvious that if there is any alternative, then this is just Eritrea. The most logical explanation."
The option with Ethiopia is not excluded, Loshkarev notes. “It is also quite a friendly country for Russia,” he says. “The possibility of cooperation in the energy sector is also being considered, and university cooperation will develop.” We add that Sudan itself is now experiencing a civil war.
Reserve Colonel Anatoly Matviychuk, in a comment to IA Regnum , suggested that the DRG would be tasked with destroying people who have authority, elders, and religious leaders. Matviychuk stressed that this would be pure terrorism, which Ukrainian radicals trained by MI6 would take up, since British intelligence officers themselves do not want to do this.
WHOSE EARS STICK OUT FROM BEHIND THE BRITISH CROWN
Korolkov, a veteran of the SVR, specifically points out the possible interest of the United States in the British sending a Ukrainian DRG to Africa. The depth of cooperation between Washington and London in the line of special services, since the Second World War, is such that it would be naive to exclude such an interest.
The expert cites as an example the terrorist attack on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines literally last year. The veteran of Russian intelligence is convinced that the explosion was the work of the British Special Boat Service (SBS), a special forces detachment of the British Navy, which, along with the SAS, is part of the structure of the special services of this country. And the terrorist attack was ordered by the political leadership of the United States, which did not hide its extreme rejection of this project and whose role was reported, in particular, by the well-known American journalist Seymour Hersh.
“Intelligence matters are always closely related to the political courses of the governments in power at a particular moment, and the interests of Britain and the United States coincide, including in the situation in western Africa,” notes Korolkov. - At the same time, specific steps depend on the division of responsibilities - "you do this, we do it." The Ukrainian GUR fulfills the task of supplying human material for the tasks set by the West.”
However, Russia has sufficient military-political potential to give a worthy response to provocations and sabotage in African countries of interest to it, Korolkov is sure.
The Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) has asked the military leaders of the Republic of Niger to restore constitutional power to ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and focus on the fragile security in the country as their main duty.
The West African bloc said this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, while reacting to the reported killing of 17 Niger soldiers on Tuesday in a jihadist ambush in the country.
The Nigerien Defence Ministry in a statement on Tuesday said that an army detachment was “the victim of a terrorist ambush near the town of Koutougou” in the Tillaberi region near Burkina Faso, adding that 20 other soldiers were wounded and that all the casualties had been evacuated to the country’s capital, Niamey.
The Nigerien army however said that more than 100 of the assailants who were travelling on motorbikes, were “neutralized” during their retreat.
At least 17 Niger soldiers were killed in an attack by suspected jihadists near the border with Mali, AFP News Agency reports.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the country's Defence Ministry, adding that another 20 soldiers were maimed during the clash near the town of Koudougou.
SaharaReporters earlier reported how no fewer than six Niger soldiers and 10 suspected hard boyz were confirmed to have been killed during fighting in the west of the country, on Sunday,
A statement by the National Guard High Command, on Sunday, reported by The DailyStar, said that suspected Islamic jihadists on cycle of violences ambushed the troops near the western town of Sanam.
In the ensuing battle, six soldiers died and 10 hard boyz were neutralised.
Sanam is in the Tillaberi tri-border area where Niger meets Mali and Burkina Faso ...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other... , a region where jihadist attacks are common.
On August 9, five soldiers were killed in an attack in the same area, according to the military regime that has been in power since the overthrow of President Mohammed Bazoum on July 26.
Text taken from an rbc.ru news article. Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
[ColonelCassad] African countries are looking for opportunities to jump off the topic of intervention in Niger, to which Africans are being pushed by the Western colonialists.
The African Union has rejected any possibility of military intervention in Niger, according to Le Monde, citing sources familiar with the position of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC), appointed to adopt conflict resolution.
One of Le Monde's interlocutors clarified that while the African Union opposed the insurgency in Niger, the delegates and state leaders present at the meeting decided not to support military intervention, fearing that it could provoke a "bloody war." Sources of the newspaper noted that the official position of the association will be published soon.
The African Union is an intergovernmental organization uniting 55 states of the continent, the legal successor of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The supreme body of the African Union is the assembly, which consists of the heads of state and government or their accredited representatives.
The coup in Niger took place on July 26, the presidential guard captured the head of the country, Mohamed Bazum, he is still being held in his residence. The commanders of the armed forces also joined the rebellion.
The African Union, like the countries of the West, condemned the coup and on July 29 gave the rebels 15 days to restore constitutional power. And the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS) threatened the rebels with military intervention if Bazum was not released. Niger's National Council for the Defense of the Homeland (a provisional body of power established by the rebels) ignored the ECOWAS ultimatum and on August 10 announced the formation of a new government.
The rebels threatened to kill the ousted president if they intervened. On August 14, junta spokesman Colonel Amadou Abdramane said that Bazuma would be tried for high treason and undermining the country's security. Against this background, the US State Department called military intervention in Niger a last resort.
Dragging out the issue is objectively beneficial for the military in Niger, who are now strengthening their power and ties with neighboring states that have already embarked on the path of national liberation.
PMC "Wagner" in the territory of Niger has not yet been announced, despite the regular French tantrums about this.
"Wagner" - the birthplace of French fear.
It is also worth noting that Turkey is also actively sinking for the rebels, counting on the growth of economic cooperation with Niger after the French fall down.
If the intervention does not take place, then the French will have to get out to Chad or Senegal.
President Erdogan’s original plan was to buttress the falling native Turk population with Turkic cousins from the former Soviet Union, China, Iraq and Syria. That’s how they suddenly found themselves playing host to imported Al Qaeda and ISIS jihadis taking action against their host’s licentiousness. But possibly now they’ve gotten the hang of it.
[Shafaq News] Iraqis have taken the lead among countries worldwide in obtaining permanent residency in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor... , as reported by the Ottoman Turkish Statistical Institute.
The institute indicated in a table that "the table includes foreigners who have obtained valid residency or work permits, as well as individuals with identity documents replacing permits, such as documents for international protection and holders of blue cards. It does not include foreigners with visas or permits for a duration of less than 3 months, nor does it include Syrians in the country under temporary protection."
The institute went on to state, "Iraqis are at the forefront of countries worldwide that have obtained permanent residency in Turkey. By the end of last year, their number reached 275,305 individuals, including 140,973 males and 134,332 females." The report also indicated that "Afghanistan's residents came in second place, numbering 186,160 individuals, followed by Russia in third place with 151,049 individuals."
Most of the Russias are no doubt from the Turkic areas.
Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... ranked fourth with a total of 117,026 individuals, followed by Turkmenistan
...the name makes it obvious...
in fifth place with 116,447 individuals. Germany ranked sixth with 110,453 individuals,
...how many are former Turkish guest workers returned to retire with pockets full of savings and German citizenship in hand...
while Syria took the seventh spot with 99,360 individuals.
Again, how many are Turkic tribesmen rather than Arabs?
Azerbaijan ranked eighth with 68,884 individuals, and Uzbekistan
...more Turkic cousins...
claimed the tenth spot with 61,754 individuals.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
08/17/2023 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[12 views]
Top|| File under: Sublime Porte
[Shafaq News] Iraq and Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... came together on Wednesday to ink a memorandum of understanding aimed at bolstering border security and streamlining the entry of Arbaeen pilgrims destined for Karbala.
Iranian Border Guard Commander, Brigadier General Ahmad Ali Goodarzi, confirmed the signing alongside his Iraqi counterpart, Major General Mohammed al-Saeedi. The accord underscores the exchange of information, joint patrols, and maneuvers to enhance the movement and safety of visitors during the Arbaeen pilgrimage.
According to Fars News Agency, seven border crossings will be opened, including three within the Kurdistan region, to facilitate the passage of pilgrims.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
08/17/2023 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[25 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
Once again Rantburg commenters anticipate official reports. This time it was Mercutio in yesterday’s comments to yesterday’s article on the subject.
[Shafaq News] The Pentagon refuted claims circulating in media outlets in Iraq regarding alleged recent US military movements within the country.
A Pentagon spokesperson, cited by the al-Hurra, stated that there had been no such movements towards or inside Iraq in recent days.
The spokesperson further clarified that videos circulating on social media, purportedly depicting American convoys, are unrelated to US forces and do not indicate any recent military activity.
The denial from the Pentagon comes after the Sadiqoun Parliamentary Bloc, affiliated with the Asaib Ahl al-Haq movement led by Qais Khazali, expressed unease over reports of the alleged entry of 2,500 American soldiers into Iraqi territory. The group has raised concerns about the potential violation of Iraqi illusory sovereignty and the existing strategic security agreement between Baghdad and Washington.
Hassan Salem, a spokesperson for the Sadiqoun Bloc, highlighted that the reported American soldiers have reportedly established a presence at the Ain al-Assad air base. Salem noted uncertainty regarding whether this troop movement occurred with or without the knowledge of the Iraqi government.
[Rudaw] Civil defense teams and locals came together to battle a huge fire that engulfed the forests in northern Erbil’s mountainous region, burning down thousands of trees and swathes of greenery. Officials and locals believe the fire was sparked intentionally.
An investigation has been launched into Tuesday’s fire in the Balakyati region in Choman, northeastern Erbil, that is believed to have destroyed 6,000 trees, a significant swathe of green lush and pastures and bushes, which is estimated at around 4,500 dunams of land.
The past month has reportedly seen at least ten fires in the elevated areas near the Galala sub-district in the Balakayati region, Erbil province.
With each fire, significant portions of land are turned to ashes, according to local residents who believe these fires are intentionally ignited.
"People are intentionally starting these fires, and it's not by chance. This marks the tenth time this has happened. Due to the forceful wind, as we manage one side, the opposite side becomes engulfed in flames," Sarbaz Ahmed, chieftain of Galala sub-district, told Rudaw's Andam Jabar at the scene of the giant blaze.
The lush greenery of the region, sustained by trees including oak, raisin, and oak apple, was destroyed by a relentless fire.
From the lower plains to the mountain summits, even the areas teeming with spring flora like rhubarb, spear thistle, and mushrooms were transformed into a fire ring.
Ramazan Khoshkani, who leads the Galala Agriculture Office, lamented the loss, adding that the trees may have stood there for five decades.
"The destroyed trees include oak, raisin, and oak apple. There are plenty of other tree species destroyed in the blaze. Unfortunately, many of the trees might have been fifty years old or beyond," Khoshkani said of the losses their region befell.
It took five civil defense teams, along with dozens of Peshmerga forces and local residents, to extinguish the fire.
In addition to battling the flames, authorities at the border are in pursuit of individuals believed to be responsible for igniting the destructive fire in the dead of night.
"At 11:30 pm to 12:00 pm last night, we received a distressing call regarding an anonymous hand starting a massive fire in the district," Hardi Mustafa, the district director, told Rudaw, noting that a massive amount of trees and pastures have been destroyed.
"The civil defense authorities are yet to announce the scale of the damages," Mustafa said. "This is not the first time that such an incident has happened. We have learned that such fires are intentionally started and we do not yet know the identity of the suspects, nor have we received complaints with respect to this matter."
Fires are common in the Kurdistan Region during summer. Sometimes blazes are blamed on scorching weather and some other times on tourists.
Conflict is another cause. Erbil and Duhok mountainous regions bordering The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire... are the site of frequent and sporadic festivities between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Ottoman Turkish forces. Thousands of dunams of land are destroyed as a result.
The past is prologue, relegated to schoolchild recitations...
[Shafaq News] The Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research decided to introduce the study of the "crimes" attributed to the Arab Socialist Baath Party into the syllabi of both public and private universities.
The subject, under the title: "Crimes of the defunct Ba'ath Party," encompasses various academic disciplines, including law, political science, psychology, and sociology.
This initiative aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the historical and political context surrounding the actions of the Baath Party in Iraq.
The Ba'ath Party in Iraq was a political party that ruled the country from 1968 to 2003. It was founded in 1951 by Fuad al-Rikabi and was based on the ideology of Ba'athism, a mixture of Arab nationalism, pan-Arabism, Arab socialism, and anti-imperialism.
The Ba'ath Party first came to power in Iraq in 1963 but was tossed a few months later. It regained control in 1968 and remained in power until the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies. During its time in power, the Ba'ath Party was responsible for several human rights One man's rights are another man's existential threat. abuses, including the Anfal genocide, the Halabja chemical attack, and the invasion of Kuwait.
The Ba'ath Party was banned in Iraq after the 2003 invasion but continues to exist underground. It is estimated that there are still a few thousand Ba'ath Party members in Iraq, but they have no significant political power.
The party's leader, Saddam Hussein, had absolute power over the country. He was captured by U.S. forces on December 13, 2003, and executed by hanging on December 30, 2006.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
08/17/2023 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[23 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq
[NPASyria] Ottoman Turkish authorities forcibly deported on Tuesday 30 Syrian Refugees through Tel Abyad border crossing in the north of Raqqa, northern Syria, which is under the control of the Ottoman Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA).
The number of Syrians who have been deported to Tel Abyad area since the beginning of the campaign exceeded 2,500 people, most of them spend night in the streets and gardens, a source told North Press.
On August 10, the Ottoman Turkish authorities deported 12 Syrian refugees through Tel Abyad border crossing, after keeping them detained for days.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
08/17/2023 02:21 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[12 views]
Top|| File under: Sublime Porte
[IsraelTimes] Green Without Borders and its leader provide support and cover for terror group to operate along Blue Line boundary between Leb ...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers... and Israel, Treasury Department claims
The United States imposed sanctions Wednesday on a Lebanese environmental organization it accused of being an arm of the Hezbollah terror group.
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Green Without Borders (GWB) and its leader, Zuhair Subhi Nahla, for allegedly providing support and cover to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon along the "Blue Line" boundary between Lebanon and Israel "while operating under the guise of environmental activism."
The Treasury Department said GWB outposts are manned by Hezbollah operatives, serving as cover for the terror group’s warehouses and munitions tunnels. Workers at the outposts have allegedly prevented UN peacekeepers in Lebanon from accessing areas that the United Nations ...the Oyster Bay money pit... is supposed to be able to reach.
GWB was established in 2013, and it claims that it aims to protect Lebanon’s green areas and plant trees. "We are not an arm for anyone," Nahla told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named in January. "We, as an environmental association, work for all the people and we are not politicized."
GWB sites "have been used to conduct Hezbollah weapons training, to provide support for Hezbollah’s activities along the Blue Line in southern Lebanon and to impede the freedom of movement of the UN Security Council-mandated United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)," the State Department said, adding that the sanctions are "part of our efforts to prevent and disrupt financial and other support for terrorist attacks in Lebanon, Israel, and around the world."
Brian E. Nelson, the Treasury Department’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the US rejects Hezbollah’s "cynical efforts to cloak its destabilizing terrorist activities with false environmentalism."
Already in 2017, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who at the time was head of the IDF Military Intelligence, revealed Hezbollah’s use of the GWB as a cover for its activities, in violation of the ceasefire with Israel.
In February 2020, the Israeli Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center published a report denouncing the environmental group’s affiliation with Hezbollah’s civilian institutions and the fact that some of the trees it planted near the Israeli border were named after slain Hezbollah fighters.
The US decision to sanction GWB came amid heightened tensions along the Blue Line, as Israeli security officials believe Hezbollah is looking to take advantage of societal schisms caused by the government’s judicial overhaul, including the decision by thousands of active reservists to refuse to report for volunteer duty in protest.
In a Monday televised speech marking 17 years since the end of the Second Lebanon War, the head of the Iran-backed Shiite terror group His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah ...The satrap of the Medes and the Persians in Leb... claimed that Israel’s military has gradually "weakened" since the "defeat" it allegedly suffered in 2006 and warned that if conflict erupts, the Jewish state "will cease to exist."
GWB has placed more than a dozen structures along Israel’s northern border that “serve as cover for Hezbollah’s underground warehouses and munitions storage tunnels,” the Treasury said, adding that some of its sites are only 25 meters from Israel’s border.
“Alleged encroachment on private property by GWB and Hezbollah and propagandizing by GWB have also caused well-documented clashes with locals,” the Treasury said.
"The UN and Security Council must address this Hezbollah arm in the upcoming renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate and demand that the Government of Lebanon immediately remove all military compounds built by Hezbollah under the guise of Green Without Borders along the Blue Line in grave violation of Security Council Resolution 1701. The Government of Lebanon must be held accountable for what occurs on its territory.”
The US step comes as the UNSC is preparing to vote to extend UNIFIL's mandate. Israel is concerned that the resolution that accompanies the mandate's extension will weaken UNIFIL's ability to monitor Hezbollah's entrenchment on the Lebanese side of Israel's northern border.
#1
The US complaint is humorous. Scores of so-called non-profits or charities illegally support the Democrat Party in the good old USA, and no one seems to care.
[Shafaq News] The Global Coalition against ISIS conveyed that the lifespan of the organization's leaders has considerably diminished, attributed to the concerted efforts exerted by the coalition to dismantle the terrorist group.
I guess they are not the beloved of Allah after all. Or contrariwise, America and friends are the instrument Allah has chosen for their punishment.
The coalition, formed in the aftermath of ISIS's widespread expansion across Iraq and Syria, released a statement on its social media platforms, asserting, "The leadership of ISIS remains in a state of constant flux, with each successive leader meeting their demise more swiftly than their predecessor. If this trend signifies anything, it underscores the destructive path they tread, as well as the resolute commitment of the international coalition to eradicate terrorism."
Illustrating the notable reduction in the tenure of these leaders, the coalition, established in 2014, disseminated an image showcasing the evolving timeline of their command. Notably, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who led the organization for six years, met his demise in October 2019. Following this, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi led for a span of 15 months, followed by Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi who held the position for 10 months, and Abu al-Husayn al-Husayni al-Qurashi whose leadership lasted five months. Curiously, the name of Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi bears a question mark, signifying uncertainty surrounding his fate.
Get inside their learning curve, and each generation will do moe poorly than the last, until they die before they find the key to the executive washroom.
This month, ISIS disclosed the selection of Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi as its new leader, marking the first confirmation of the demise of its previous leader, whom The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire... claimed to have eliminated in April.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for 
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for 
...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire...
...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...
...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire...
