Syria
Syria: first joint US-Russian air-strikes?
The Pentagon denied Moscow’s claims of joint US-Russian air-strikes against ISIS, but the White House signalled its willingness to cooperate with Russia in Syria.
Tag: ISIS
Syria
Russia signs pact for long-term Syria bases
Russia signed a long-term pact to greatly enlarge its military presence in Syria, more than doubling the space for warships at Tartus, Russia’s only Mediterranean port.
North Africa
Libya: Obama’s parting air-strikes
US B-2 Stealth bombers and drones carried out a raid against presumed ISIS camps in the Libyan desert—part of a final spate of air-strikes ordered by President Obama.
Iraq
Iraq: mass exodus from embattled Mosul
Three thousand displaced persons are fleeing the embattled city of Mosul on a daily basis as US-backed Iraqi and Kurdish forces advance on the ISIS stronghold.
Watching the Shadows
Obama’s final year: a CounterVortex scorecard
With a Trump despotism looming, CounterVortex offers its final assessment of Barack Obama's record in addressing the oppressive legacy of the Global War on Terrorism.
Iraq
Amnesty: Iraq militias committing war crimes
Amnesty International charges that Shi'ite militias operating in Iraq have been committing war crimes—using weapons supplied by 16 different countries, including the US.
Greater Middle East
Russia betrays Kurds as Syria alliance shifts
After initiating talks that exclude Washington, Turkey and Russia each accused the US of backing "terrorist groups" in Syria—obviously meaning the Kurds.
North Africa
Libya: civilians detained in evacuation of Sirte
Human Rights Watch issued an urgent call for Libya's government to protect civilians who were detained after fleeing former ISIS stronghold Sirte.
Greater Middle East
UN approves investigation of Syria war crimes
With action blocked by Russia's veto in the Security Council, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing an independent investigation into war crimes in Syria.
Iraq
Iraq: militia accused of extrajudicial executions
A Shi'ite militia backed by the Iraqi government is accused of summarily executing men captured in a village outside Mosul who were suspected of being ISIS supporters.
Greater Middle East
General massacre feared with fall of Aleppo
As pro-Assad forces close in on the last opposition-held areas of Aleppo, reports are coming out of the stricken city that residents face mass detention and atrocities.
Iraq
Iraq gives Shi’ite militias legal status to fight ISIS
Iraq's parliament voted to give the Shi'ite militias fighting ISIS an official paramilitary status—a move assailed by critics who say these forces are enflaming sectarian warfare.