Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has executed several of its own militants, including the group’s top official in Mosul, on charges of espionage, Kurdish sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday. Speaking exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP
Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat— The governor of Yemen’s Al-Hudaydah province, Sakhr Al-Wajih, slammed the country’s Houthi insurgents in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday, accusing them of breaching their agreement with the Yemeni government and denouncing the measures they for
Doha, Asharq Al-Awsat—Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states concluded the 35th session of the GCC Supreme Council summit in the Qatari capital of Doha on Tuesday, agreeing to the formation of joint naval and police forces. The GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif Al-Zayani delivere
Geneva, Thomson Reuters Foundation—The UN refugee agency said on Tuesday that Western governments had heeded a call to take in more Syrian refugees from neighboring countries and estimated that, in all, more than 100,000 places would be offered in the coming months. UNHCR, which wants to resettle 13
Pretoria, Reuters—South African prosecutors on Wednesday won their bid to appeal the culpable homicide verdict handed down to Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and will now seek a murder conviction. Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated as
Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—Baghdad has transferred its first shipment of arms to the forces fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh, in preparation for a military offensive to liberate the city of Mosul, the Nineveh Provincial Council announced
Some may find the ideas promoted by the UN’s Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura frustrating, despite the fact they are highly realistic and pragmatic. His proposal to “freeze” the fighting in northern Syria before moving on to a political solution to the crisis as a whole may be the only
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The US Senate’s Intelligence Select Committee issued a damning report on the interrogation of terrorist suspects by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Tuesday, saying the agency had lied to officials about the nature of its activities, which it also branded ineffectual
Amman, Asharq Al-Awsat—Radical Islamist cleric Omar Mahmoud Othman, better known as Abu Qatada, has launched a barrage of criticism at the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, calling its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, a “liar,” and his
About a decade ago, the well-known Israeli novelist David Grossman described Israeli society as being in a perpetual fit of panic. Behind all of the manifestations of oppression and force Israel is employing against the Palestinians—from evictions and killings to arrests—it appears that the policy o
Manama, Reuters—An explosion killed a Bahraini citizen and wounded an expatriate man on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said on its Twitter account, in the second fatal attack in the Gulf Arab state in two days. Political tensions have been running high in Bahrain, which has a Shi’ite majority
Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—Yemen’s Shi’ite Houthi movement, in alliance with former South Yemen president Ali Salim Al-Beidh, are seeking to create a two-region federal state, sources have told Asharq Al-Awsat. The Yemeni sources, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity on Monda
Doha, Asharq Al-Awsat—Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states are congregating in Doha for their 35th annual meeting in the Qatari capital on Tuesday. The Doha summit will last for one day only, and will be followed by a statement issued on the same day, a Gulf source told Asharq
Baghdad, Reuters—US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday as the United States expands its presence and touts progress against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants four months after starting a campaign of air strikes in Iraq. Hagel is the first US secretary of defen
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi monarch King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued a royal order on Monday appointing nine new ministers in the largest cabinet reshuffle seen in the Kingdom in years. The decree, which came a few days before the drawing up of the annual budget for 2015, named Dr. Abdul
Washington, AP—American embassies, military units and other US interests are preparing for possible security threats related to the release of a report on the CIA’s harsh interrogation techniques at secret overseas facilities after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The report from the
Manchester, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Manchester Public Library is holding an exhibition of rare photos taken by Princess Alice, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, during her famed journey through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1938. The exhibition is held under the auspices of the King Abdulaziz Public L
The recent attack in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahsa province, which killed eight citizens, was a carefully selected crime with political motives. In killing Saudi Shi’ites, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was attempting to stir turmoil in the region. ISIS committed another terrorist act last week
Geneva, AP—The United Nations appealed Monday for 16.4 billion US dollars to pay for global humanitarian needs in 2015, saying it needs that money to help 57.5 million of the world’s most vulnerable people. More than 40 percent of the appeal—7.2 billion dollars—would go to help 18.2 million pe
Tunis, Reuters—Tunisia will hold the run-off of its first democratic presidential election on December 21, between incumbent Moncef Marzouki and Beji Caid El-Sebsi, veteran leader of secularist party Nidaa Tounes, electoral authorities said on Monday. The vote for Tunisia’s first dir
