Syrian Army takes full control of two strategic villages in Aleppo, key mountain in Lattakia

The Syrian army and popular forces made new military gains in the key provinces Lattakia and Aleppo over the past 24 hours, reports.

The Syrian troops captured two key villages near Bashkoy town in the Northern part of Aleppo while other army units seized back a strategic mountain in Lattakia province.

The army seized the Jabal al-Akrad (Kurds Mountain) near a region in Lattakia that borders Turkey to the North.

Meantime, the Syrian troops won back Doweir al-Zaytoun and Tal Jabin villages in Aleppo province.

The Syrian army also continued its advances in other key provinces across Syria on Monday.

Lattakia

The Syrian army continued its military gains against the terrorist groups in Northern Lattakia province, killing scores of Ahrar al-Sham militants, including their top senior commander, in heavy clashes.

Khaled Deddew, a notorious commander of Ahrar al-Sham movement, and scores of his militants were killed in heavy clashes with the Syrian troops in Jabal al-Akrad (Kurds Mountain) region that borders Turkey to the North.

The Syrian army and popular forces launched a powerful operation in several directions in Jabal al-Akrad and captured the mountain.

“The Syrian soldiers are currently pressing North from the village of Touma towards the militant stronghold of Kinsibba, which is considered the terrorists’ last line of defense before the important city of Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib province,” the sources said.

“Liwa Suqour al-Sahra (Desert Hawks Brigade), the National Defense Forces (NDF), the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), and Muqawama Souri (Syrian Resistance) have joined the Syrian army in this phase of operations in the Northeastern part of the coastal province of Lattakia,” they went on to say.

“The main objective of this phase is to seal the Northeastern corner of the Lattakia province and build a frontline at the strategic city of Jisr al-Shughour,” the sources further added.

Aleppo

The Syrian army and popular forces seized back another strategic village near Bashkoy region in the Northern part of Aleppo province, inflicting heavy losses on the militants.

The Syrian troops won back Tal Jabin village about three kilometers from Bashkoy town in Aleppo province.

Scores of militants were killed and injured in heavy clashes with the Syrian troops.

The Syrian armed forces also killed Abu Saleh Al Dieri, a Jaish Al Sham military leader, in Tel Jibbin in the Northern parts of Aleppo province.

Also yesterday, the Syrian forces seized back strategic village of Doweir al-Zaytoun near Bashkoy, killing scores of militants.

The army units inflicted heavy losses on the militants in daylong fierce clashes.

The ISIL left behind tens of the dead and wounded members and fled the battlefront.

The army and its allies are now fortifying their newly captured positions in the battlefield.

Meantime, the Syrian Army announced that two main supply lines of the ISIL terrorist group in the Northern territories of Aleppo province were cut in Syrian air and artillery attacks.

“Masqan-Aleppo and Haras-Al-Bab roads used by the ISIL terrorists as two main supplying routs were cut in the attacks of the Syrian fighter jets and the army’s artillery units,” the army said.

Damascus

The Syrian army seized back several strategic buildings in Western Ghouta in Damascus countryside.

The Syrian forces regained control of an archaeological hall and a number of important buildings located alongside the railway between the towns of al-Moadhamiyah and Darayya in Western Ghouta.

Also on Monday, the Syrian forces took back a number of government buildings in Jobar town in the Eastern countryside of Damascus.

The army purged terrorists from four strategic building blocks in Jobar town in heavy clashes.

The Syrian troops had to explode a tunnel beneath one of the buildings as the terrorists were trying to flee through the tunnel.

Also on Monday, the Syrian army and the National Defense Forces (NDF) continued to strike the militant groups’ defense lines in Eastern Ghouta.

The Syrian army troops and the NDF have gained more territories near the faculty of agriculture and SANA aerospace organization in Hawsh Kharabu in Eastern Ghouta following hours of tough battle with the militant groups.

At least 12 militants were killed and many more have been wounded in the pro-government forces’ offensives.

Homs

The Syrian fighter jets, in over 30 combat sorties, bombed heavily the ISIL concentration centers in the Central province of Homs and inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists.

The Syrian army’s aircrafts struck the ISIL strongholds near the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur), al-Maqaleh region and near the village of Um Sahrij, which left tens of the terrorists dead or wounded and destroyed their military grid.

Meantime, the Syrian Army and Air Force continued to target ISIL and Al-Nusra Front concentration centers in different parts of the Central province of Homs, inflicting heavy losses on the terrorists.

The Syrian fighter jets, in a fresh round of combat flights, targeted the ISIL gatherings and positions near Quaryatayn, Sha’er oilfield and al-Bayarat in the Eastern and Southeastern parts of Homs province, which left tens of the militants dead or wounded and destroyed their military hardware in large scale.

Several ISIL militants, meantime, were killed or wounded in the attacks of the Syrian army and the National Defense Forces near the village of Um Sahrij East of Homs.

A depot of the ISIL weapons and ammunition was also targeted and exploded in the Syrian pro-government forces’ offensives in al-Rumeileh near the road of Maheen towards Quaryatayn, and near Tuloul al-Soud in the Southeastern part of the province.

The Syria government forces also raided gathering centers of al-Nusra terrorists near Um Sharshouh, Abu al-Snasil hill in the Northern territories of Homs province.

In the meantime, the Nusra positions in Kafr Laha and al-Taybeh al-Gharbiyeh in al-Houla region came under the assaults of the Syria army and the NDF, which claimed the lives of many terrorists.

Quneitra

The Syrian Army pushed back an ISIL offensive on its positions in a mountainous area in Quneitra province.

The terrorists attempted to capture a strategic hilltop in Korom Jaba region in Quneitra province, but the Syrian troops pushed them back after inflicting heavy casualties on them.

The Syrian army destroyed the terrorists’ vehicles equipped with heavy and high-caliber machine guns.

Scores of terrorists were killed and injured in the Syrian army’s pursuing counterattack.

The Syrian air force backed the army during its ground operations.

Deir Ezzur

The Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces (NDF) fende
d off ISIL’s offensives on government forces’ defense lines in the Northwestern part of the city of Deir Ezzur, killing scores of the terrorists, including one of their top commanders.

Abu Hadhefah al-Maghrabi, one of the notorious commanders of the ISIL in the Eastern battlefield of Deir Ezzur, was killed by the Syrian army near Deir Ezzur.

Al-Maghrabi possessed an identification card that was issued to him by the so called “Caliphate”.

The ISIL’s large-scale offensives on the pro-government forces’ positions near the village of al-Baqaliyeh near the Western bank of the Euphrates River, targeting the al-Jazeera University campus, al-Rawad Hill and the Firat al-Sham Hotel for the 3rd time in the last 4 days were thwarted by the Syrian army and the NDF.

The ISIL began its assault by storming the important hilltop of Tal al-Rawad, where they were confronted by the Syrian soldiers at the Northern perimeter. The ISIL failed to breakthrough the Syrian Armed Forces’ 1st line of defense.

Sweida

The Syrian Army announced on Monday that the county’s fighter jets have bombed a column of ISIL oil tankers in the Southern province of Sweida.

“The Syrian Air Force strikers bombed a convoy of ISIL oil tankers in the Southeastern part of the village of Sha’ef,” the army said.

“In addition to explosion of most of the oil tanker, the ISIL militants guarding the convoy were also killed in the attack,” the army added.

Top 100 players of 2015: Henrikh Mkhitaryan ranked 17th

 has counted down the top 100 players of 2015 as ranked by WhoScored.com.

After every game,  gives players competing in Europe’s top five leagues a mark out of 10 based on a wide range of statistical data.

Each player received an average score for 2015, and to qualify for the list, players had to have made at least 20 league appearances.

With an average rating of 7.618, Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is placed 17th.

“One of the most talented players in the world,” according to Jurgen Klopp, but the Armenian appears to have benefited from the appointment of Thomas Tuchel at Dortmund.

The attacking midfielder is in WhoScored’s Bundesliga team of the season at the winter break with a rating of 7.9 and has provided the joint-most assists along with Raffael.

Arab League slams Turkey’s ‘blatant intervention’ in Iraq

AP Photo/ Burhan Ozbilici

 

The international backlash against Turkey has continued, with the Arab League being the latest organization to condemn the deployment of Turkish troops in Northern Iraq, labeling the incident an “intervention,” reports.

Following international criticism at Turkey’s decision to send troops into Northern Iraq to train Kurdish forces without Baghdad’s permission, Nabil Elaraby, Secretary-General of the Arab League, said the act was a “blatant intervention.”

He told newspaper Al Youm El Sabea that while the Arab League couldn’t take direct action against Turkey, they could release a statement condemning Ankara for the breach of Iraq’s national sovereignty.

Elaraby also warned that if Turkey continued to intervene in Iraqi territory without permission, then the Arab League would go to the UN Security Council to try and resolve the issue.

The furor comes after more than 100 Turkish troops, along with tanks and artillery, entered Kurdish-controlled territory in Northern Iraq.

Turkish officials said the deployment was merely part of a routine training exercise with Kurdish forces to help them fight against Islamic State.

However, Iraqi officials angrily criticized Turkey’s actions, saying that the move was a “serious breach of sovereignty.”

With tensions rising, Baghdad on Sunday threatened to go to the UN Security Council unless Turkey removed its forces within 48 hours.

London Tube station stabbing a ‘terrorist incident’

A stabbing at a Tube station in east London is being treated as a “terrorist incident”, the Met Police has said, the BBC reports.

Police were called to reports of people being attacked at Leytonstone around 19:00 GMT on Saturday. The knifeman reportedly shouted “this is for Syria”.

A man was arrested after being Tasered by police. One man suffered serious knife injuries while two others received minor injuries.

Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism detectives are investigating the case.

Downing Street said it was monitoring the situation closely.

The Met said the suspect was reportedly threatening other people with a knife.

FIFA to debate expanding World Cup to 40 teams

FIFA will debate a proposal to expand the World Cup from 32 teams to 40, the bBC reports.

The change can be approved by FIFA’s executive committee without consent from the 209 member associations, and could come into effect from 2026.

The proposal will be discussed later on Thursday in Zurich, where a meeting is taking place focused on reforms of world football’s governing body.

Earlier, two high-ranking FIFA officials were arrested in the Swiss city on suspicion of taking bribes.

The arrests came on the opening day of Fifa’s Exco meeting, at which the potential expansion of the World Cup for the first time since 1998 will be discussed.

France ’98 featured 32 teams, up from the 24 that had qualified for every World Cup since 1982.

An additional eight entrants would create an extra 32 matches, which could require the month-long tournament to be extended by a week.

The first round of the tournament, which sees teams split into eight groups of four, would also need to be adjusted.

The European Championship – to be held in France in June – will include 24 teams, a rise from the 16 to have taken part in every tournament since 1996.

Zvartnots Cathedral in Armenia to be lit in blue on UN Day

Armenia will join the world on October 24 to mark the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.

Zvartnots Cathedral will be lit in blue from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Some 250 sites around the world will be lit in ‘UN blue’ beginning on Friday as part of the global celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.

The celebration will kick off in New Zealand and from there a wave of blue – the official colour of the UN – will move across countries and continents as monuments around the world take part in the event to commemorate UN Day, October 24.

The Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the Organization officially came into being.

Among the famous landmarks taking part in the ‘Turn the World UN Blue’ campaign will be the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, the Great Wall of China, Russia’s Hermitage Museum, and the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.

Petition urges to make the study of genocide compulsory in Quebec high schools

Petition launched on the of Quebec’s National Assembly urges to make the study of genocide compulsory in Quebec high schools.

The text of the petition reads:

Considering that racial and cultural intolerance and discrimination are the preconditions associated with the beginnings of genocide, defined as the systematic destruction of a racial, ethnic or cultural group;

Considering that  education is the key to recognizing and preventing discrimination and acts of hate amongst our youth, and that knowledge of genocides is essential to preventing such acts in the future;

Considering that  significant numbers of Quebec students have no knowledge of genocides, past or present, including the Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, Rwandan genocide, and the cultural genocide of our First Nations;

Considering that the study of genocide is not currently a mandatory part of the high school curriculum in Quebec, and that the Foundation for the Compulsory Study of Genocide in Schools is able to provide such a course to be implemented in the schools;

We, the undersigned, ask that the National Assembly and the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Research act to make the study of genocide compulsory in all Quebec high schools as a means to creating a tolerant and peaceful society which is accepting of all cultures and religions.

Iran’s First Vice-President due in Armenia Wednesday

Iranian First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, heading a high-ranking political and economic delegation, will start a two day visit to Armenia on Wednesday, Tasnim News Agency reports.

According to a report by official website of the Iranian president, Jahangir is schedule to hold separate meetings with the neighboring country’s Prime Minister and parliament speaker during which the two sides will explore avenues for the expansion of mutual cooperation between the two countries.

He will also attend Iran-Armenia joint trade meeting with traders and economic activists of both countries in attendance.

The Iranian first vice president will visit Yerevan’s Blue Mosque (also known as Masjid-e Kabud) to attend the 250th anniversary of the construction of the historical mosque.

NKR Defense Ministry: Ten Azeri soldiers killed, no losses on the Armenian side

Nagorno Karabakh has dismissed reports by the Azerbaijani side.

“The statement of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, claiming that seven Armenian servicemen were killed as a result of targeted strikes of their armed forces does not correspond to reality,” the NKR Defense Ministry said in a statement.

“The Ministry declares that Defense Army divisions resorted to punitive steps in response to Azerbaijani attacks, leaving more than ten Azeri soldiers killed and many wounded in the direction of Akna,” the statement reads.

The Defense Ministry added its armed forces incurred no losses.

Atom Egoyan’s “Remember” to premiere at Venice Film Festival

Atom Egoyan’s new film Remember will premiere Sept 10 at the Venice Film Festival. The film stars Christopher Plummer as a Holocaust survivor who sets out on a path of revenge after discovering that the Nazi guard who murdered his family 70 years before is still alive and living in America.

“This film raises many issues; this is very much the last story that can be told in the present day with the characters still living,” Egoyan said in an interview with .

“The character that Plummer is playing [focuses on] that idea of people near the end of their lives still trying to find justice, and realizing that the regular channels won’t serve that, which is why he takes it on himself,” he said.

“It is a revenge film. It posits the idea that after all this time, those wounds have not healed. It is going to provoke a lot of discussion. You see how visceral the feelings are even after all this time has passed,” the director added.

Egoyan last worked with Christopher Plummer on Ararat, which deals with the impact the Armenian Genocide of 1915 had on later generations.

“It is interesting that on the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, I am making a film called Remember which deals with this issue of acknowledging the past and notions of repressed or elective memory and how we understand trauma,” Egoyan said.