Author: M Barbu

FSA forces are carrying out military maneuvers in preparation for the battle against Kurdish forces in Tal Rifaat, while Turkey is bringing in more reinforcements.

The Tal Rifaat Military Council affiliated with the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions has recently been carrying out military drills, using military vehicles and heavy machine guns in preparation for a Turkish military operation in the city that is controlled by Kurdish forces.

Amid longstanding political deadlock and economic and environmental challenges, Iraqi prime minister Mustafa Kadhimi is attending the GCC +3 Summit in Saudi Arabia.

Iraq announced officially today that it will participate in the GCC+3 Summit on Saturday, July 16. The summit includes the leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, as well as US President Joe Biden.

While the document lays out a platform for continued US-Israeli cooperation, there are still signs the two are divided on diplomacy with Tehran.

The press conference that followed the signing of a joint declaration on US-Israeli strategic cooperation by President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid Thursday exposed the divide between the two leaders on the Iranian nuclear file.

Reporters who reached the Syrian city of Raqqa in October 2017 found an apocalypse of dust, death, and rubble. NPR described it as a “wasteland of war-warped buildings and shattered concrete.” The New York Times called it a ghost city.

The following information is based on a general overview of a social media account demonstrating jihadi terror-related activity / sympathies.

On July 13, 2022, the office of Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announced that he would be participating in the summit scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia on July 16, 2022, which is also expected to be attended by leaders of countries that are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Egypt, Jordan and the U.S.[1]

When he arrives in Riyadh this week, US President Joe Biden is poised to finally end the purgatory in which the US-Saudi relationship has languished since his inauguration. To many Americans, meaningful engagement with the Saudi government remains anathema given Saudi Arabia’s heavy-handed prosecution of the war in Yemen and the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, both of which generated rare bipartisan condemnation. These events are stark reminders that whatever social progress Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has brought to his kingdom, the trademark characteristics of Saudi autocracy remain prominent.

Iran is expected to supply Russia with “hundreds” of drones, some of which will be able to carry weapons for use in the conflict in Ukraine. Iran is also preparing to train Russian forces on operating these drones as early as July.

The US would use force “as a last resort” to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, US President Joe Biden said this week.

In an interview with Channel 12 News that aired soon after he arrived in Israel on Wednesday, Biden said: “The only thing worse than Iran now is Iran with nuclear weapons.”