|27TH of June – #MENA Weekly News Update from Lima Charlie News:
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
The #UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil met this week for its quarterly review of the situation in #Afghanistan. They also reviewed what progress is being made on humanitarian access to besieged areas in #Syria. The UN’s special envoy to #Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, also attended to give his regular two-month briefing. The regularly scheduled United Nations Disengagement Observer Forcer (#UNDOF) and United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (#UNMISS) missions mandate renewal were also discussed. The results of these reviews, briefings and discussions will be made public by the UN Press Office later this coming week.
The U.N. Secretary General, #BanKiMoon, arrived to Kuwait City, #Kuwait, late JUN25 in preparation for a meeting with the #Shia al Houthi faction and the #Sunni Hadi lead government to discuss a peace treaty. Before the Yemen meeting, Ban was scheduled to hold talks with Kuwait’s Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, as well as the Gulf country’s prime minister and foreign minister. The outcome of the meeting has not yet been divulged.
Iran / Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan
#Iran has committed to air assaults using helicopters carrying Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (#IRGC) al Quds members and inserting them into #PDKI compounds this weekend. Allegedly, the orders are search and destroy for pre-designated HVTs. In the four times that insertions are known to have happened, the Iranian military shelled the compounds and areas for hours to soften defenses in preparation for helicopter insertion teams. The artillery shelling has reportedly resulted in minimal casualties, 5 injured and 3 dead as of now. The ground force assaults have reportedly resulted in 8 casualties on the Iranian side, and 3 on the PDKI side. This according to dubious official statements made by PDKI in response to the ground attacks.
Iran announced, on JUN20 that authorities broke up “the biggest terrorist plot“ targeting the capital #Tehran and other areas of the country. Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said a “Takfiri” terrorist group had planned a series of bombings over the coming days.
On JUN23 the American #Boeing Company offered new details on its proposed passenger aircraft deal with Iran, rejecting suggestions that it had not done sufficient homework in identifying end users of the planes. In a letter to congressional critics of the politically delicate deal, Boeing said #IranAir, the national airline, intended to buy 80 passenger planes in a variety of models worth $17.6 billion and lease 29 of the company’s 737s. Deliveries were projected to begin as early as next year. Iran also has negotiated an agreement with #Airbus, Boeing’s major competitor, to acquire more than 100 aircraft. The sale and lease of Boeing jetliners, if completed, would constitute the biggest American business transaction with Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The deal with Iran was disclosed to the public earlier this month, and has met significant critique from various domestic and international interest groups.
#QassemSolemani, head of the #QudsForces unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, warned #Bahrain’s Government, on JUN21 that the decision to strip Bahrain’s top Shiite cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, of his citizenship could result in the overthrow of the Gulf kingdom’s leadership. He stated that “the toppling of the regime will only be a small part of the repercussions that will also include armed resistance,” according to the semi-official FARS news agency.
Syria
The #SyrianAirForce stated in a JUN24 statement that they have used “560 barrel bombs in 20 days” during their bombardment of the town of #Darayya in the Rif Dimashq province of #Syria.
Syrian President Bashar al #Assad visited soldiers in recently re-captured Majr as-Sultan, Eastern Ghouta, and broke fast with them. #Russia’s Defense Minister #SergeyShoigu visited Syria from JUN17 to JUN20 and during a meeting with al Assad they inspected the Khmeimim air base in Latakia Province together. The Defense Minister said that ties between the two countries are strong, and that he was in the country to discuss further military cooperation. The minister also inspected the Russian air bases supply of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems that have been deployed there.
The Russian news outlet Russia Today (#RT) was accused on JUN20 of having censored footage of Russian jets in Syria to cover up use of incendiary “cluster bombs”. Footage broadcast from #Khmeimim airbase on Saturday appeared to show a plane loaded with munitions of a similar type that were dropped on US-backed rebels last week. The four-second clip shows bombs marked RBK-500 ZAB 2.5SM on a Su-34 jet.
The recently killed #Afghan commander #FatemiunHakimHoseini deployed to Syria as part of #IRGC’s operations there. As stated to a Syrian journalist on JUN22, “We earn 12,000-14,000 in Syria per month,” meaning that they are paid $450 USD per month for their participation in the operation.
Russian and Syrian government airplanes killed at least 82 people, including civilians, on JUN25 in the town of #Qourieh in Deir el-Zour province in eastern Syria, which borders Iraq and is mostly controlled by the #IslamicState militant group, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed.
US-backed #Kurdish and #Arab fighters entered #Manbij on JUN22. Manbij is an #ISIS stronghold in northern Syria. Fierce fighting between Syrian Democratic Forces (#SDF) soldiers and ISIS fighters reportedly erupted at ground level as the rebel alliance penetrated the city on JUN21. The offensive operation, supported by US-led air strikes, is part of an attempt to take back the so-called Islamic State’s “centres of gravity” in the region.
ISIS in #Aleppo has allegedly kidnapped some 900 #Kurds and forced them to fight against the Kurdish, Russian, and Syrian forces that are attempting to retake the city according to a report released by the SDF on June 25.
Egypt
“Egypt is struggling to ensure water supplies and suitable water qualities to its people,” according to a recent study released on JUN20 by #IOCC. “Egypt’s population continues to spike, and its water supplies continue to diminish at a remarkable phase,” the report stated.
In #Egypt, on JUN19, an Egyptian Police Captain, along with one lower ranked Police Officer, were shot dead in two different attacks outside of al Arish, North Sinai, Egypt.
On JUN21, an IED killed 1 Egyptian Policeman and 5 Egyptian Army Conscripts as they were traveling through the al Qessima region of Central Sinai.
On JUN22, an Egyptian Police Sergeant was shot dead, along with one lower ranked Police Officer ,was critically injured, in al Arish, North Sinai, Egypt, as they stood guard outside of their Police Station.
A statement released by the Egyptian aviation services on JUN23 stated that the damaged flight recorders (“black boxes”) from #EgyptAir flight MS804 that went down on MAY19 while en route from Paris to Cairo in the eastern Mediterranean, will be sent to France for repairs. MS804 was an Airbus A320 plane and the flight recorders will be repaired by Airbus technicians under the guidance of the French Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
An Egyptian court has voided a contentious border agreement on JUN23 that would have handed 2 strategic #RedSea islands to #SaudiArabia in a rare victory for activists challenging the decisions of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the country. The administrative court on Tuesday ruled to nullify the agreement signed in April, and rejected claims by government lawyers that it had no jurisdiction over the matter. The ruling is a setback for President #Sisi who had in one of his speeches instructed the public to stop discussing the issue.
Egypt’s education ministry voided the standardized high school (Thanaweya Amma) applied math (dynamics) final exam – which students took on JUN26 – after it was leaked on JUN24, as the Ahram Arabic news website reported. The final French, Spanish and economics exams were also reportedly leaked online.
Israel
#Israeli soldiers shot and killed a #Palestinian teenager traveling in a vehicle early JUN21 in the #WestBank “mistakenly believing he was involved in an earlier stone-throwing incident,” the #IsraelDefenseForces said. Six other Palestinians in the car were injured, including two who remain in serious condition from gunshot wounds, a spokesperson said on the evening of JUN21.
Israel and #Turkey are said to have reached a deal to restore normal diplomatic and economic relations late Sunday evening. This according to AFP wire services. The deal is said to be announced Monday or Tuesday depending on arrangements.
An Israeli military court sentenced 4 Palestinians on June 22 to “life in prison for the murder of an Israeli couple” in the occupied West Bank, the #IDF spokesperson said in a press release on JUN23.
12 Palestinians were injured during an Israeli Security Forces raid on the al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on JUN26. 2 Palestinians and 2 South Africans were detained after the raid.
Jordan
A specially conveyed #Jordanian terrorism court charged 21 people with carrying out “terrorist acts” on JUN26 after their arrest in an operation against #jihadists in the country’s north in March, a prosecutor said.
Six Jordanian border guards were killed by a suicide bomber who drove a car across the border from Syria and rammed it into a military post which is part of the #Rakban refugee camp on JUN21, Jordanian security officials said.
Iraq
#Fallujah has been declared ‘fully liberated’ from #ISIS as of JUN26 by Lt Gen Abdul-Wahad al Saadi. al Saadi stated that #Iraqi troops have entered the last neighbourhood controlled by the jihadis and is no longer meeting any active resistance. The offensive operation to retake Fallujah, which began in May, is “done and the city is fully liberated,” according to the Lieutenant Genera.
On JUN22, a video clip circulated on Arab #Twitter accounts claiming to show an #Iranian who was captured in Fallujah, Iraq. The Iranian is shown in front of three armed militants. Their affiliation is not clear from the video, though a black flag associated with the Islamic State is hanging on the wall. Islamic State-affiliated media outlets have not propagated the video as of yet. The purported Iranian national told the camera in Farsi, “I am Mohammad Saber Bayat, from the city of Hamedan, from Boo Ali neighborhood. I have not married, and my family is in Iran.” This information comes to Lima Charlie through the Long War Journal.
The Gulf States
Saudi Deputy Crown Prince #MuhammadBinSalman, second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, left the US for France on June 26 to meet with the French President, #FrancoisHollande and a number of officials to discuss common interest and aspects of cooperation between the two friendly countries, the Royal Court said in a statement.
#Kuwait has filed a lawsuit in a #Swiss court seeking $1 billion in damages from the International Olympic Committee (#IOC) over the suspension of its Olympic committee.
Turkey
#Turkish police fired tear gas to break up a gay-rights rally in #Istanbul on JUN26 and detained several activists, including two German lawmakers. Dozens of activists gathered in Istanbul to mark the annual #gaypridemarch despite the fact that organizers had called off the event after Istanbul’s governor’s office last week announced that it had been banned due to public order and security concerns.
Turkish border guards have been accused of killing at least eight Syrian refugees, including several children, as families were “fired on indiscriminately” after attempting to cross into the country, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on JUN18.
Yemen
The U.S. military has announced the transfer of a #Yemeni man named Abdel Malik Ahmed Abdel Wahab Al Rahabi from his detention center in #GuantanamoBay, Cuba to #Montenegro. The transfer leaves 79 people detained at Guantanamo where nearly 800 people have been held at some point since it opened in early 2002. Mr. al Rahabi is known as one of #OsamaBinLaden’s personal bodyguards during his stay in Afghanistan.
36 people were reportedly killed on JUN24 in clashes between pro-government forces and #ShiaHouthi militants in Yemen. Pro-government forces launched a surprise attack on a Houthi location in the northwestern Al-Bayda’ province in central Yemen, local commander Mustafa Hussein al Baydani told Anadolu Agency. In April of this year, the Yemeni government and the Houthis entered into UN-sponsored peace talks in #Kuwait aimed at resolving the conflict, in which more than 6,400 people have been killed and another 2.5 million forced to flee their homes.
Misc.
This year’s #Ramadan will be the last one to begin in the summer season until 2041, the Astronomy Association (AA) in #Jeddah announced in a statement. Ramadan 2017 is estimated to start on MAY27 and last until JUN25, which means it will still be summer for most of the month according to the meteorological season.
Middle East stocks fell sharply on JUN26 because of #Britain’s vote to leave the #EuropeanUnion (#BREXIT) but Gulf bourses came well off their lows. Egypt was hardest hit because of concern that fund inflows into the country could shrink further. Most of the Gulf does not depend heavily on foreign capital or non-oil exports, so the main threat to it from Brexit is that slower growth in Europe could push down oil prices; #BrentOil sank 4.9 percent to $48.42 a barrel on JUN24. At the time of the writing of this briefing, Brent Oil was at $49.04 (-2.57 -4.98% from previous index point), and #CrudeOil was at $47.57 (-2.54-5.07% from previous index point).
Third Party Additional Sources of Interest
– Israeli archaeologists rush to dig at #CaveofSkulls before looters take everything
– Lebanon and Jordan may collapse under a new wave of refugees
– In Turkey, it’s not a crime to be gay. But #LGBT activists see a rising threat.
– Marijuana Use Rises in Iran, With Little Interference
– Footage shows Iraqi soldier carrying civilian to safety before being shot in the leg by ISIS
– After more than $1.6 billion in U.S. aid, Iraq’s army still struggles
– Feature: Dream broken for Syrians seeking refuge in Europe
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-06/27/c_135467913.htm
– The Case Against Peace
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/06/17/the-case-against-peace-syria-europe-brexit-donald-trump/
– Think Less, Think Better
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/opinion/sunday/think-less-think-better.html
– U.S. and Russian Jets Clash Over Syria
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/19/u-s-and-russian-jets-clash-over-syria.html
– #USAID Should Become the Department of Nation-Building
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/06/22/usaid-should-become-the-department-of-nation-building/
– Political fears hit foreign investment around the world
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6c678c20-37c4-11e6-a780-b48ed7b6126f.html
– Remains of 14,000 year-old #mammoth discovered in #Mexico
http://www.dailysabah.com/history/2016/06/26/remains-of-14000-year-old-mammoth-discovered-in-mexico
– Is tribal custom above the law?
http://7iber.com/society/is-tribal-custom-above-the-law/
[MENA BLAST PREPARED JUN26 / TIMESTAMP: 2226 ZULU+2 JUN26]
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John Sjoholm, Lima Charlie News
John Sjoholm is Lima Charlie’s Middle East Bureau Chief, Managing Editor, and founder of the consulting firm Erudite Group. A seasoned expert on Middle East and North Africa matters, he has a background in security contracting and has served as a geopolitical advisor to regional leaders. He was educated in religion and languages in Sana’a, Yemen, and Cairo, Egypt, and has lived in the region since 2005, contributing to numerous Western-supported stabilisation projects. He currently resides in Jordan. Follow John on Twitter @JohnSjoholmLC
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