Mogherini, Grandi discuss Syria, Rohingya in Brussels meeting

EU High Representative Federica Mogherini met in Brussels Monday with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and discussed the situation in Syria, including Ghouta, Libya and of the Rohingya refugees.

A press release by Mogherini’s office said she discussed in the meeting the second Brussels Conference on ‘Supporting the future of Syria and the region” that the European Union and the United Nations will co-chair on 24-25 April.

Arab states discuss security threats in Algeria

The 35th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior kicked off in Algiers on Wednesday, as participants are tackling security threats and the fight against crimes, in addition to illegal migration.

Arab interior ministers are focusing on cooperation to deal with challenges threatening the region, including terrorism, trans-border criminality, violent extremism, illegal migration, as well as cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism.

Iraqi army announces fresh anti-Daesh ops in Diyala

Iraqi forces on Friday began fresh military operations aimed at finding and neutralizing Daesh terrorist cells in the eastern Diyala province, according to a local police source.

“Army forces backed by Hashd al-Shaabi fighters have launched a major security operation against Daesh remnants in Diyala’s Azim sub-district 60 kilometers north of Baqubah,” Police Captain

US reaffirms support for Iraq’s reconstruction

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan expressed during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Abadi support for reconstruction efforts in the country.

Sullivan was quoted by a government statement as saying the US support for Iraq would continue, particularly to rebuilding the country, boosting economy, attracting investment and creation of

Algeria hosts conference on security instability in the region

The Algerian Foreign Ministry said Saturday that Algeria will host the 14th Foreign Ministers Conference of Western Mediterranean 5+5 Dialogue on Sunday.

The conference will focus on “overall, shared and sustainable socio-economic development” in the western Mediterranean region, the statement said.

Egypt, French FMs discuss Syria

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Friday had a phone conversation with French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, with whom he discussed political developments relating to Syria.

According to a Foreign Ministry statement, the two men agreed on the need to coordinate efforts between their two countries with a view to “encouraging Syria’s political process and preserving

Washington says committed to rebuilding Iraq’s Fallujah

The US has pledged to provide further assistance for the reconstruction of the city of Fallujah and other areas of Al-Anbar province, roughly 70 kilometers west of Baghdad.

In a press conference with Al-Anbar governor Suhaib Al-Rawi on Monday, the US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman that Washington is committed to helping in the reconstruction of Fallujah after the devastation afflicted on the city at the hands of the so-called Islamic State (IS).

NATO jet intercepts Russian Tu-22 close to Romanian air space

British Royal Air Force fighter scrambled to intercept the Russian bomber that approached the air space of Romania over the Black Sea. The RAF’s press service reported that on Tuesday evening.

‘Operating from the Romanian Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base near Constanta on the Black Sea coast, the RAF Typhoon responded to Russian Federation Air Force Tu-22 Backfire strategic bombers

Rival Libyan leaders in France to hold talks on crisis

Libya’s UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj holds French-brokered talks Tuesday with Khalifa Haftar, the rival military commander who controls the east, to try to end the chaos in the conflict-ridden country.

French President Emmanuel Macron has organised the talks but his office has stressed that it has modest expectations of the meeting to be held in a chateau just outside Paris.

US to deploy 2,100 troops to Iraq

The U.S. Army announced Thursday that 2,100 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) will deploy to Iraq this fall.

The soldiers from 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based in at Fort Polk in Louisiana will replace the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, in a regular rotation of forces in