[KhaamaPress] According to the reports, Death Eaters linked to the Taliban ...Arabic for students... kidnapped a US contractor on Wednesday in Khost province ... across the border from Miranshah, within commuting distance of Haqqani hangouts such as Datta Khel and probably within sight of Mordor. Khost is populated by six different tribes of Pashtuns, the largest probably being the Khostwal, from which it takes its name... 57-year old American government contractor Mark Frerichs, a former US Navy diver was reportedly taken hostage by Taliban group in Afghanistan southeastern Khost province, Newsweek reported.
According to Newsweek, US officials believe the Haqqani network ...a branch of the Afghan Taliban, based in Pakistain. The network is a family business founded by the later Jalaluddin Haqqani... , an insurgency group linked to the Taliban and active in the area since the 1970s, is behind this hostage.
No individual or group has officially claimed the responsibility for the incident.
Numerous US agencies are reportedly trying to recover Frerichs, including the Departments of State and Defense and the FBI, Newsweek reported. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday evening. The Defense Department referred to inquiries on the matter to the State Department.
"The welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State," a State Department spokesperson told in a statement, adding that it had no further comment.
This is the first hostage case reported during 12-months old peace negotiations between the Taliba and United States which kicked off last February.
Anas Haqqani and two other senior Taliban members detained by the Afghan government were released in exchange for the release of two Haqqani-held professors who were working for the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF).
"No, Certainly not. They're volunteers"
[Middle East Monitor] Libya's internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) yesterday rejected media reports claiming its army has hired Syrian mercenaries to fight against renegade Major General Khalifa Haftar in Tripoli, Anadolu reported.
A spokesman for the GNA's "Volcano of Rage Operation", Mustafa Al-Mujai, told the news agency that "spreading rumours about the presence of Syrian mercenaries fighting among our forces aims at covering up the scandals of the coup camp's use of thousands of mercenaries."
The Associated Press recently reported that Turkey had sent fighters from Syria to fight alongside the GNA army in Libya.
"Haftar is the one who brought the Syrian mercenaries…. to Benghazi and he was the one who also violated the arms embargo," the spokesperson said.
Al-Mujai said the rumours also aim to "obtain information about the size and type of Turkish-Libyan cooperation, since the signing of the security and military memorandums of understanding between the two parties at the end of last year."
Meanwhile, spokesman for the Volcano of Rage Operation, Abdul-Malik Al-Madani, stressed that the only ones defending Tripoli against Haftar's offensive are the sons of the Libyan people and the city's residents.
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/06/2020 06:52 ||
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#1
I think the word 'disputes' rather than 'refutes' would be more accurate.
[AnNahar] French police on Tuesday cleared the last migrant tent camp in northeast Gay Paree, moving 427 people to shelters as part of a plan to take migrants colonists off the streets.
The migrants colonists, who included four women, were living in 266 tents and makeshift shelters in a canal-side camp "strewn with waste and refuse, overrun by rats and giving off a pestilent and foul-smelling odour of urine and excrement", according to the authorities.
The operation to tear down the camp began at 6:00 am (0500 GMT) and lasted two hours, the regional prefecture said.
Dozens of informal settlements have sprung up in recent years around the French capital.
Many of the migrants colonists have their sights on the northern Channel port of Calais, a jump-off point for crossings to Britannia.
The authorities regularly tear down the camps, saying they pose a health hazard. 'Health hazard'... yes, both short and long-term.
Last week, police moved more than 1,400 migrants colonists, including 93 children, from another camp in northern Gay Paree.
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner had promised to clear all migrant camps from the city by the end of last year, in part by opening more shelters for asylum seekers but also by deporting those whose claims are rejected.
Police are being deployed to ensure migrants colonists do not return to the razed camps or set up new ones.
"We are not going to resume a never-ending cycle of evacuations followed by new installations," Gay Paree police chief Didier Lallement said last week.
But critics say that unless the government provides long-term lodgings or the prospect of legal residency,
...or possibly — though this is a radical thought, I know — send them all back where they came from...
many migrants colonists will just return to the streets.
President Emmanuel Macron said last year that La Belle France must end its "lax" approach to immigration.
#2
The prophet of Neuilly-sur-Seine:
"Oh, no. It's the tourists again."
Sightseers in charters
From camps full of martyrs:
"He knew we were coming, back when!"
[AlAhram] At least six people were killed in festivities in Iraq's southern city of Najaf on Wednesday after supporters of populist holy manMoqtada Tater al-Sadr ...hereditary Iraqi holy man and leader of a political movement in Iraq. He spends most of his time in Iran, safely out of the line of fire, where he's learning to be an ayatollah. Formerly an Iranian catspaw, though lately he's gagged over some of their more outlandish antics... stormed an anti-government protest camp, medical and security sources said.
The medical sources said at least 20 more were maimed in the violence but did not provide further details.
The security sources said that supporters of Sadr, known as blue hats for the blue caps they often wear, had tried to clear the area of anti-government protesters, who in turn tried to stop them.
Fights broke out between both groups, the blue hats threw petrol bombs at protester tents and live gunfire rang out shortly afterwards, wounding and killing six people, they said.
Sadr has at different times both supported and abandoned Iraqi protesters who demand a removal of the entire ruling elite.
He urged followers last week to help authorities bring "day to day life" back to Iraq's streets by clearing roads blocked by sit-ins and ensuring businesses and schools can reopen after months of protests in which nearly 500 people have been killed in festivities between protesters and security forces.
Sadr has also urged the blue hats to allow protests to continue.
[IsraelTimes] Shells land in open field in southern Israel; near-daily projectile fire and balloon-borne explosive attacks persist, with limited Israeli response.
Paleostinian turbans in the Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamaswith about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip fired two mortar shells at southern Israel on Wednesday night, the military said, amid growing tensions in the enclave.
The projectiles apparently struck an open field in southern Israel. No damage or injuries were reported. As the shells were heading toward an unpopulated area, no rocket sirens were triggered in Israeli communities, though alerts were sent to cellphones in the vicinity of the impact area, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Shortly after midnight, Israeli aircraft responded by hitting Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, targets in southern Gaza, the IDF said, adding that it holds Hamas responsible for the violence.
The past week has seen near-daily rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza, during which dozens of balloon-borne bombs were also launched from the Hamas-ruled Strip toward southern Israel.
Israeli defense officials believe that the Gaza-ruling Hamas terror group is either directly carrying out or allowing these attacks to be carried out in order to increase pressure on Israel in a bid to extract greater concessions in ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told municipal leaders in the Gaza area that Israel could launch extensive military operations in the Paleostinian enclave ‐ before the upcoming Knesset elections if necessary ‐ should Paleostinian turbans continue firing rockets and launching balloon-borne bombs at southern Israel. Netanyahu told the council chairmen that while Israel was making significant efforts to ensure calm in the area, the military was ready for an operation in Gaza if needed, according to Hebrew media reports.
Earlier Wednesday, the Israeli military announced it was reducing the size of the Gaza fishing zone by a third in light of the continued rocket fire and arson attacks.
"Following security consultations, it has been decided today (Wednesday), to restrict the fishing zone of the Gaza Strip from 15 nautical miles to 10 nautical miles, starting from 4 p.m. until further notice," the Israeli military liaison to the Paleostinians ‐ known formally as the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories ‐ said in a statement.
In its statement, COGAT said Israel holds the Hamas terror group ‐ the de facto ruler of the Gaza Strip ‐ responsible for the attacks.
Israel routinely restricts the Gaza fishing zone in response to terrorist activities in the Strip, which some human rights One man's rights are another man's existential threat. groups decry as a form of collective punishment.
The military most recently imposed limits on the fishing area in December following a rocket attack from the Strip.
[IsraelTimes] In a video posted to social media, staff at a kindergarten in the south of the country rushed children to safety on Wednesday as they spotted a suspected bomb-carrying balloon from the Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamaswith about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip floating toward their play area.
The footage, which was reportedly filmed in an unnamed community near the city of Kiryat Gat, shows an airborne object similar to the kind that bully boyz have recently been using to carry explosives and incendiary devices across the border from Gaza.
Staff can be heard desperately urging the children, some of whom sound to be in tears, to "quickly run inside" as the balloon loomed overheard.
There were no injuries reported in the incident.
Also Wednesday, a suspected bomb connected to a bunch of inflated latex gloves, apparently launched from Gaza, landed in a field near the city of Sderot, police said.
Police sappers were called to the scene to remove the device.
Other balloon-borne devices were also found in the area of the Merhavim Regional Council.
[IsraelTimes] Police searching for driver and vehicle that fled scene near city’s popular First Station entertainment hub; incident comes after Hamas, the braying voice of Islamic Resistance®, calls for escalation.
At least 14 people were maimed, including one person in a serious condition, in a suspected car-ramming terror attack in central Jerusalem early Thursday morning, police and medics said. The incident occurred at about 2 a.m. near Jerusalem’s First Station, a popular entertainment hub. Police said the driver of the vehicle had expeditiously departed at a goodly pace and "a large force of officers were carrying out searches."
Magen David Adom medics said among the maimed was a "youth in his twenties who was a serious condition, unconscious and suffering major trauma."
A second man was moderately injured with wounds to his limbs. the rest were lightly hurt and being evacuated to hospitals in the city.
"When we arrived at the scene we saw chaos, three youths were lying on the sidewalk, and nearby 9 others were gathered who had been hurt," said medic Oz Faulk.
The incident comes amid a rise in tensions following the release of US President Donald Trump ...the Nailer of NAFTA... ’s plan to resolve the Israeli-Paleostinian conflict. The IDF has been on a heightened state of alert.
The Hamas terror group on Wednesday called on Paleostinians to step up confrontations with Israel after Israeli security forces rubbed out a Paleostinian teenager, who the IDF said threw a Molotov cocktail at troops during festivities in the West Bank city of Hebron
"We call for escalating confrontations with the occupation and its settlers and fighting their assaults against the land and holy sites, especially the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque," Hamas said in a statement posted on its official website, referring to the name Paleostinians use to refer to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Hamas, which rules the Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamaswith about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip, has frequently encouraged Paleostinians in the West Bank to clash with Israeli security forces and settlers.
The Paleostinian Authority Health Ministry identified the teenager as 17-year-old Mohammed al-Haddad and said that he was shot in the heart. According to the IDF, al-Haddad hurled a Molotov cocktail at soldiers at the entrance to Shuhada Street in the flashpoint city in the southern West Bank.
Small festivities between young Paleostinians and Israeli security forces have intermittently taken place in some locations in the West Bank since the publication of Trump’s plan.
“During a violent riot that took place a short time ago in the city of Hebron, IDF troops spotted a Palestinian throwing a Molotov cocktail at them. They responded with live fire in order to remove the threat,” the military said.
Fifteen soldiers were injured in a suspected car ramming attack near Jerusalem's First Station, Channel 13 reported on Thursday, adding that security forces found the suspect's vehicle in a driveway in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem.
The incident is being investigated as a terror attack, according to the Israel Police Foreign Press Spokesperson.
The terrorist who carried out a ramming attack in Jerusalem during the early hours of Thursday morning was arrested by Israeli security forces on Thursday evening.
The terrorist was named as 24 year-old Khaled al-Tourman from east Jerusalem’s A-Tur neighborhood.
[IsraelTimes] Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces reportedly break out in the West Bank city of Hebron during the funeral for a teenager shot dead earlier today by Israeli troops.
In video on social media, a group of Palestinians can be seen moving toward a military vehicle when a gun is apparently fired multiple times. There are no reports of injuries.
The army earlier said troops fired at a Palestinian, identified as 17-year-old Mohammed al-Haddad, as he threw a Molotov cocktail at soldiers during rioting in Hebron.
[Arutz 7] - The IDF has conducted experiments for a new laser system designed to destroy the arson balloons which have been launched from Gaza. The tests have been very successful, Kan 11 reported Wednesday night.
The security establishment has in recent days deployed the system established for the IDF's Gaza division.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in a meeting with the heads of the Gaza-envelope communities that there is a possibility that the IDF will act militarily in Gaza even before the elections, if the rocket fire and attacks on Israeli territory continue.
[IsraelTimes] Syria: Israeli strikes target bases near Damascus, claims to intercept missiles.
Syrian state media said early Thursday that Israel launched strikes against several targets near Damascus and claimed the country’s air defenses downed a number of missiles.
"Our air defenses confronted an Israeli attack" west of the capital, said state news agency SANA, adding that the attack was carried out from "occupied Syrian" airspace in the Golan heights.
They "were able to shoot down most of the enemy missiles before they reached their targets", SANA said.
AFP correspondents in several districts of Damascus heard loud explosions around 1:15 am (2315 GMT).
State television broadcast images showing explosions in the sky.
SANA specified that the Israeli strikes targeted the al-Kiswah area ‐ already targeted several times in the past ‐ but also Marj al-Sultan and Jisr Baghdad.
At least three government and Iranian positions near Damascus and west of the capital had been targeted, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which said a fire broke out in one of the areas.
A front man for the Israel Defense Forces declined to comment.
Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Israel has carried out many raids against Syrian government forces and their allies, 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 a cognate form of Stürmabteilung (or SA), the term Supreme Guide is a cognate form of either Shah or Führer or maybe both, and they hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... and Leb’s Tehran-backed Hezbollah group.
In November 2017, Western intelligence officials told the BBC that Iran had established a permanent military base in el-Kiswah, known as T-4. Israel has reportedly hit the base several times.
Syrian state run Ikhbariyah TV said the attack was launched from over the Golan Heights as well as through Lebanese airspace. State news agency SANA said air defenses downed most of the missiles before they reached their targets.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
British-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said several missiles were fired on Syrian government forces and Iranian militias near Damascus, including in al-Kiswa town and Mezze military airport.
Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes early on Thursday near Damascus, Syrian state media said, while an opposition war monitoring group said the strikes targeted army positions as well as Iran-backed fighters and inflicted casualties.
The state news agency SANA said the Syrian air defenses shot down most of the missiles in the suburbs of the capital and the country's south before they reached their targets. It said the Israeli warplanes fired the missiles while flying over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and neighboring Lebanon.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the Syrian war through a network of activists on the ground, said the airstrikes that occurred after midnight on Wednesday. They hit Syrian army positions and those of Iranian-backed militiamen west and south of the capital, as well as the Mazzeh military airbase in Damascus. the Observatory said.
A "large number of missiles" hit multiple positions in these areas, triggering a fire at the Scientific Research Center in the Damascus suburb of Jamraya. The Observatory said the strikes inflicted casualties but had no definitive figure.
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.
...Arabic for 
[AnNahar] French police on Tuesday cleared the last migrant tent camp in northeast 
...hereditary Iraqi holy man and leader of a political movement in Iraq. He spends most of his time in Iran, safely out of the line of fire, where he's learning to be an ayatollah. Formerly an Iranian catspaw, though lately he's gagged over some of their more outlandish antics...
[IsraelTimes] Shells land in open field in southern Israel; near-daily projectile fire and balloon-borne explosive attacks persist, with limited Israeli response.
[Arutz 7] - The IDF has conducted experiments for a new laser system designed to destroy the arson balloons which have been launched from Gaza. The tests have been very successful, Kan 11 reported Wednesday night.
...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 
