WASHINGTON (AA) – ISIS has a stronger presence in Afghanistan than the previous year following the withdrawal of US troops in August 2021, the top US general for the Middle East said Thursday. Speaking to the House Armed Services Committee, Gen. Michael ‘Erik’ Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), said, “ISI...
WASHINGTON (AA) – The US conducted airstrikes Thursday against Iran-backed groups in eastern Syria in response to a drone attack that killed a US contractor and injured five service members, said the Pentagon. In a statement, the Pentagon said a “one-way unmanned aerial vehicle struck a maintenance facility on a Coalition base near...
ISTANBUL (AA) – The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has said that a US warship “trespassed” into Chinese territorial waters near the Xisha Islands on Thursday. The warship was expelled from the waters, said Air Force Senior Colonel Tian Junli, a spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command, in a statement. The Xi...
MOSCOW (AA) – A senior Russian official has said that an attempt to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin under the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant would amount to “declaring a war.” Remarks by Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, came after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin ove...
WASHINGTON (AA) – US Senator Chris Van Hollen on Wednesday criticized an Israeli bill that would allow Israelis back into four West Bank settlements evacuated in 2005. The senator said the action, which rolled back an agreement reached more than 20 years ago to evacuate the settlements, was inconsistent with the obligations Israel had taken [&...
WASHINGTON (AA) – The Biden administration will release a review of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan next month and will make it available to Congress, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday. “I am committed and determined to make that information available to Congress, and we will do that by mid-April,” Blinke...
WASHINGTON (AA) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday condemned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s denial of the existence of the Palestinian people. Under questioning from Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a fellow Democrat, Blinken was asked if he joined in the Biden administration’s condemnation of the remarks,...
WASHINGTON (AA) – US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Wednesday marked the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, wishing Muslims worldwide “Ramadan Kareem.” “Today, Jill and I extend our best wishes to Muslim communities across the country and around the world as they begin the Islamic holy month of [&...
ISTANBUL / ANKARA (AA) – Chinese and Australian defense officials have resumed talks for the first time since 2019 despite Beijing’s strong reaction to the recent AUKUS deal. It was the eighth defense coordination dialogue between Beijing and Canberra, the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement. “The two sides exchanged frank and in-dept...
Washington, United States (AFP): The United States on Tuesday joined denunciations of Israel’s far-right finance minister for denying the existence of Palestinians, calling his remarks “dangerous.” “We found those comments to not only be inaccurate but also deeply concerning and dangerous,” State Department spokes...
