CrossTalk:
Bibi’s Back (ft. Norman Finkelstein)
On
the back of an election victory Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to
become Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. What will his
legacy be: a talented politician who polarized society, isolated
Israel in the world, and refused to make peace with the Palestinians,
and eventually made war with Iran?
About 100 US military
personnel, including Special Forces commandos, have been evacuated
from the Al Anad air base near the city of al-Houta
in the Lahij Governorate, following that city's brazen
seizure by fighters from al-Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula, AFP reports.
CNN has reported that the evacuating personnel constitute the last American forces stationed in the country, torn by sectarian violence.
The troops left late Friday for an "unknown destination," a military source at the base told AFP. Elements of Yemen's anti-terrorist forces trained by US forces have also been evacuated, the source dded.
The US and several European countries closed their embassies in Yemen last month amid the deteriorating security situation.
At least 30 people were killed Friday in Lahij in fighting between security forces and armed groups believed to include both al-Qaeda and separatist forces.
On Friday, at least 150 people were killed and over 350 wounded after four suicide bombers blew themselves up in two Shiite mosques in the capital of Sanaa, over 300 km north of al-Houta. Local politician Fuad Musaad told Sputnik that in addition to the suicide bombers, attackers used a car bomb. Among the dead were three high-ranking Houthi leaders, among them Al-Murtadha Bin Zaid Al-Muhatwari, an imam considered to be the spiritual leader of teh Houthi movement.
Power in Yemen is currently in the hands of the Shiite Ansar Allah militias. In late January, Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the country's government resigned after the militias captured the presidential palace and government buildings.
On February, 6 Houthis dissolved the Yemeni parliament and created a presidential council in a "constitutional declaration."
US
Evacuates Last Personnel From Southern Yemen Base Amid Security
Concerns
US
troops have been evacuated from an airbase in southern Yemen as the
security situation in the country continues to deteriorate, AFP
reports, citing unnamed Yemeni military sources.
CNN has reported that the evacuating personnel constitute the last American forces stationed in the country, torn by sectarian violence.
The troops left late Friday for an "unknown destination," a military source at the base told AFP. Elements of Yemen's anti-terrorist forces trained by US forces have also been evacuated, the source dded.
The US and several European countries closed their embassies in Yemen last month amid the deteriorating security situation.
At least 30 people were killed Friday in Lahij in fighting between security forces and armed groups believed to include both al-Qaeda and separatist forces.
On Friday, at least 150 people were killed and over 350 wounded after four suicide bombers blew themselves up in two Shiite mosques in the capital of Sanaa, over 300 km north of al-Houta. Local politician Fuad Musaad told Sputnik that in addition to the suicide bombers, attackers used a car bomb. Among the dead were three high-ranking Houthi leaders, among them Al-Murtadha Bin Zaid Al-Muhatwari, an imam considered to be the spiritual leader of teh Houthi movement.
Power in Yemen is currently in the hands of the Shiite Ansar Allah militias. In late January, Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the country's government resigned after the militias captured the presidential palace and government buildings.
On February, 6 Houthis dissolved the Yemeni parliament and created a presidential council in a "constitutional declaration."
ISIS
capitalizes on Libya security vacuum, establishes ‘legitimate
foothold’ – State Dept.
Amid
a chaotic situation in Libya three years after the US-led NATO
operation toppled Colonel Gaddafi, Washington is voicing strong
concerns over the growing influence of Islamic State radicals in the
country.
As
Islamist Libya Dawn and Operation Dignity factions, headed by Lt Gen.
Khalifa Haftar, battle for power in Libya, creating a separate
government and army rival to internationally-recognized Abdullah
al-Thani’s parliament in Tobruk, at least three terrorist groups in
north African country swore allegiance to the Islamic State (IS,
formerly ISIS / ISIL).
These
new ISIS affiliates in Libya are the IS Barqa Province, IS Fezzan
Province and IS Tripoli. The US State Department says that between
1,000 to 3,000 militants in Libya are now fighting for the Islamic
State cause.
Since
the start of the year, IS carried out a number of attacks and have
captured the Mabruk oilfield south of Sirte, according to a report by
the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Bureau. The militants
also beheaded 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians earlier this year.
“An
expanding security vacuum has given ISIL an opening to establish a
legitimate foothold,” the report says according to Washington Free
Beacon.
“ISIL
is capitalizing on the conflict to conduct sophisticated attacks, but
so far has made only limited territorial gains, and is already facing
backlash from Libya Dawn,” the report adds.
US
estimates state that at least 800 ISIS fighters are based in the
Derna area, 300 of whom have previously fought in Syria or Iraq.
Meanwhile, according to US officials who spoke to Reuters, several
“senior” Islamic State leaders traveled to Syria to recruit
fighters particularly in the cities of Derna and Sirte.
The
State Department believes that ISIS influence in the country has
reached critical proportions, especially in the ideological pressure
jihadists exert. Some US firms were forced to leave Libya, which had
become a springboard for fighters from across Africa wanting to join
the Islamists, from which they could travel to Syria for frontline
experience.
“But
rise of ISIL in Libya marks a direct shift in which foreign nationals
and western private-sector interests are being targeted specifically
for ideological purposes,” the report said. “The emergence of
ISIL compounds an already severe threat environment.”
The
State Department is certain that Libya’s government is incapable of
providing security especially for Libya’s oil fields which are
constantly attacked by Islamic State militants.
IS
is gaining a massive following across the wider Middle East and
Africa including Nigeria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Egypt’s
Sinai Peninsula. There is evidence that militants who killed 20
foreign tourists in an attack on a museum in Tunis also had links to
ISIS.
Tikrit
Operation Stalled by Mass Casualties, War Crimes Allegations
Three
weeks after it started, the Iraqi government operation to retake the
city of Tikrit from the self-proclaimed Islamic State has stalled,
while the government and militias remain divided after suffering
greater casualties than anticipated.
A
two-day pause supposedly intended to give the Iraqi government time
to bring up reinforcements has stretched into a week. At least 1,000
militiamen died in the early days of fighting, according to some
reports, roughly 5% of the 20,000 men in the militias.
An
anonymous witness in a government hospital at the nearby city of
Samarra told McClatchy DC that at least 100 dead or wounded
pro-government fighters had been brought in over the last four days
and that “bodies are everywhere” at the facility.
Difficulties
with the Tikrit operation make it unlikely that the Iraqi military
will be in any position to launch an assault to recapture Mosul
before the fall. Iraq’s second largest city was captured by Islamic
State militants last June.
The
government and the militias are split on how to proceed in Tikrit.
Iraqi officials say a full-frontal assault against IS forces might
succeed, but would come at a heavy cost. Iraq’s special operation
forces, which would lead the charge, are opposed to it.
An
Iraqi military commander told McClatchy DC that while the number of
IS forces have been described only as a few hundred, they are heavily
fortified with booby-traps and defended by snipers and suicide
bombers scattered among civilians unable to leave the city.
Iraqi
Prime Minister Haider al Abadi is hesitant to unleash eager Shiite
Militias due to reports that they have terrorized the local Sunni
population, pillaging houses and raping women. Abadi fears backlash
from America, which is already sensitive over videos of a wide range
of abuses, from executions to kidnappings, some involving troops US
advisers had trained.
In
a statement to ABC News about the abuses, angry US officials said:
“As the ISF (Iraqi Security Forces) and militias reclaim territory,
their behavior must be above reproach or they risk being painted with
the same brush as ISIL fighters.”
For
now, the Iraqi military has decided to use heavy earth-moving
equipment to clear booby-traps while keeping the militias from
resupplying – essentially waiting them out – Iraqi sources told
McClatchy DC.
A
spokesman for the largest of the Shiite militias, however, disputed
that that was the plan in an interview with McClatchy DC. The
spokesman said the militias would resume operations “in one or two
days as more men and equipment are brought to the area.”
Pentagon
spokesman Col. Steve Warren told reporters earlier this week: “They
have a way to go still. Urban warfare is difficult.”
“An
expanding security vacuum has given ISIL an opening to establish a
legitimate foothold,” the report says according to Washington Free
Beacon.
“ISIL
is capitalizing on the conflict to conduct sophisticated attacks, but
so far has made only limited territorial gains, and is already facing
backlash from Libya Dawn,” the report adds.
US
estimates state that at least 800 ISIS fighters are based in the
Derna area, 300 of whom have previously fought in Syria or Iraq.
Meanwhile, according to US officials who spoke to Reuters, several
“senior” Islamic State leaders traveled to Syria to recruit
fighters particularly in the cities of Derna and Sirte.
The
State Department believes that ISIS influence in the country has
reached critical proportions, especially in the ideological pressure
jihadists exert. Some US firms were forced to leave Libya, which had
become a springboard for fighters from across Africa wanting to join
the Islamists, from which they could travel to Syria for frontline
experience.
“But
rise of ISIL in Libya marks a direct shift in which foreign nationals
and western private-sector interests are being targeted specifically
for ideological purposes,” the report said. “The emergence of
ISIL compounds an already severe threat environment.”
The
State Department is certain that Libya’s government is incapable of
providing security especially for Libya’s oil fields which are
constantly attacked by Islamic State militants.
IS
is gaining a massive following across the wider Middle East and
Africa including Nigeria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Egypt’s
Sinai Peninsula. There is evidence that militants who killed 20
foreign tourists in an attack on a museum in Tunis also had links to
ISIS.
ISIS
claim laying waste to 4th century Iraqi Christian monastery
Islamic
State militants say they have destroyed an ancient Mar Behnam
Monastery in northern Iraq. The monastery dates back to the 4th
century and reportedly has one of the most valuable Syriac libraries
in existence.
The
images, displaying the destruction of a monastery tomb complex in
Nineveh Province, were released on the internet on Thursday. It’s
not yet clear when the site was destroyed.
The
photos also allegedly depict the bombing of a number of Shiite
mosques and shrines in the district of Hamdania, northern Iraq,
reports ARA News, citing local residents.
ISIS have allegedly blown up the monastery of Mar Behnam near the town of Qaraqosh built by Assyrian king Sanharib.
ISIL
Claims DoD Hacking, Marks 100 US Service Members for Assassination
The
so-called Islamic State, or ISIL, has named 100 US military service
members to be killed. They have reportedly hacked into US defense
systems and extracted the names, addresses and photos of specific
members to target.
ISIL
went to social media to call on "brothers residing in America"
to kill the 100 service members, providing their details.
In
the online posting, the group referred to itself as the "Islamic
State Hacking Division." They claimed to have hacked military
servers, databases and emails. They announced they were making the
information public so that "lone wolf" attackers can kill
them.
Defense
officials have said that they could not confirm that the information
had been hacked and the information could have been culled from
public records.
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