Turkey sends military convoy with 300 troops into Syria to protect tomb

Turkey sends military convoy with 300 troops into Syria to protect tomb

Special to WorldTribune.com ANKARA — Turkey has acknowledged military operations in Syria. Prime Minister Recep Erdogan said Turkish troops were sent to northern Syria to protect the tomb of Suleyman Shah. Erdogan said a military convoy was sent to the tomb, some 25 kilometers inside Syria and under Turkish sovereignty. “The job of our convoy […]

Al Qaida bloodbath in Syria terminates Nusara Front commander, wife, daughter, brother and two assassins

Al Qaida bloodbath in Syria terminates Nusara Front commander, wife, daughter, brother and two assassins

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — A leading rebel commander has been killed in the Al Qaida war in Syria. Abu Mohammed Al Ansari was killed in the northern Syrian province of Idlib on April 16 in the latest attack by the rival Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Al Ansari, a commander for Al […]

U.S. advisers train Iraqi special forces to counter spreading Sunni offensive

U.S. advisers train Iraqi special forces to counter spreading Sunni offensive

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States has been training Iraqi special operations forces to quell the Sunni revolt. Officials said U.S. advisers were training and mentoring Iraqi SOF units in the war in Anbar. The officials said the advisers were training the Iraqis in urban warfare, counter-insurgency techniques, bomb detection and coordinated helicopter […]

Death toll nears 3,000 in battle between rival Al Qaida militias

Death toll nears 3,000 in battle between rival Al Qaida militias

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — The war between Al Qaida militias has resulted in heavy casualties in Syria. Opposition sources said nearly 3,000 people have been killed in the war between Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and rival Islamist militias. They said ISIL was focusing its attacks on the rival Al Qaida-aligned Nusra […]

Al Qaida recruiting Sunnis, targeting Iraqi politicians, police in northern Diyala province

Al Qaida recruiting Sunnis, targeting Iraqi politicians, police in northern Diyala province

Special to WorldTribune.com BAGHDAD — Al Qaida has increased operations in a northern Iraqi province. Security sources said Al Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant expanded its presence in the Diyala province. The sources said ISIL was targeting Iraqi officials, politicians, and police in the northern Sunni-dominated province. “ISIL has moved from Anbar […]

Iraq’s Al Qaida plans major assaults in Baghdad to disrupt April 30 elections

Iraq’s Al Qaida plans major assaults in Baghdad to disrupt April 30 elections

Special to WorldTribune.com BAGHDAD — Al Qaida has moved military operations to Iraq’s capital ahead of parliamentary elections. Officials said Al Qaida in Iraq was targeting military bases and critical facilities in an attempt to torpedo elections on April 30. They said Al Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was recruiting fighters from […]

U.S. calls out top Kuwaiti official for helping finance Al Qaida

U.S. calls out top Kuwaiti official for helping finance Al Qaida

Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — A Kuwaiti minister has been challenged to confirm allegations by the United States that he helped fund Al Qaida. Kuwaiti Justice Minister Nayef Al Ajmi was accused by a senior U.S. official of promoting what was termed terrorism. Al Ajmi, who also serves as Islamic Affairs minister, was also […]

Assad’s forces surround Aleppo, now control 80 percent of Syria’s largest city

Assad’s forces surround Aleppo, now control 80 percent of Syria’s largest city

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — The Syrian Army has been working on encircling the nation’s largest city. Western diplomats said the Army, backed by Hizbullah and other Iranian proxies, was moving steadily into Aleppo. They said forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad were advancing into Aleppo from three directions and reached the Old City […]

CIA: Syria’s Assad ‘sort of standing back’ while warring Sunni militia lose war

CIA: Syria’s Assad ‘sort of standing back’ while warring Sunni militia lose war

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The U.S. intelligence community has determined that President Bashar Assad would maintain his regime in Syria. The intelligence community concluded that Assad was winning the war against Sunni rebels. Officials said Assad was exploiting rebel infighting to capture large areas of the country over the last year. “I believe that […]

Interpol: Foreign fighters flowing into Iraq ‘from across the globe’ to join Al Qaida revolt

Interpol: Foreign fighters flowing into Iraq ‘from across the globe’ to join Al Qaida revolt

Special to WorldTribune.com BAGHDAD — Iraq has been attracting foreign fighters for the Sunni revolt. Officials said Western and other nationals were flowing into Iraq to join the Al Qaida-led Sunni revolt in Iraq. The officials cited recruitment by Al Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which has seized large areas of Iraq’s […]