The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sunday regained control of Abu Qumra in North Darfur, according to footage geolocated by Sudan War Monitor, which placed RSF fighters at coordinates 14°19'19.16"N 23°24'20.18"E.
— Sudan War Monitor (@sudanwarmonitor) June 29, 2026
Text:
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sunday regained control of Abu Qumra in North Darfur, according to footage geolocated by Sudan War Monitor, which placed RSF fighters at coordinates 14°19'19.16"N 23°24'20.18"E.
The footage was filmed at virtually the same location where members of the Joint Force—a coalition of former Darfur rebel groups fighting alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)—recorded themselves after capturing the town days earlier.
The Joint Force's brief seizure of Abu Qumra came shortly after the militia launched an attack on Um Baru locality to the north.
In a maneuver characteristic of Darfur's fluid desert warfare, Joint Force fighters outflanked RSF positions by advancing from Jebel Moon in West Darfur and entering Abu Qumra from an unexpected direction.
#Mali 🇲🇱: A Malian soldier is using a notable AR-10 platform weapon —which appears to be a quite rare Aero Precision M5 rifle. pic.twitter.com/wZ4uBkgxR5
The investigation by @LHreports, Evident Media, @SudanWarMonitor, and a consortium of international journalists argues that Sudan's civil war is being sustained by a covert foreign support network centered on the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Drawing on more than a year of… pic.twitter.com/TUzOJba3SJ
The investigation by @LHreports, Evident Media, @SudanWarMonitor, and a consortium of international journalists argues that Sudan's civil war is being sustained by a covert foreign support network centered on the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Drawing on more than a year of reporting, satellite imagery, drone footage, open-source intelligence, and interviews with RSF defectors, the investigation alleges that the UAE has supplied the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with weapons, fuel, armored vehicles, and military assistance through routes running across Libya and Chad.
A key focus of the investigation is Camp 17, an alleged RSF training base outside Benghazi, Libya, where former RSF fighters said they received military training before returning to Sudan.
The attack comes barely a month after the mass abduction of schoolchildren in nearby Mussa, raising fresh fears over the safety of schools in southern Borno.
SUMMARY
Terrorists attacked the Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, northeastern Nigeria, killing at least one teacher and abducting others, causing a significant disruption to the students who were preparing for their NECO Biology exams.
Northeastern Nigeria is Boko Haram/ISWAP territory.
The assault involved approximately 40 armed men on motorcycles and targeted the school specifically, leading to the abduction of students and staff, including the Vice Principal, who was later rescued.
In response, security forces, including the military and local vigilantes, pursued the attackers, with some casualties on both sides. Authorities could not confirm the exact number of abducted students, but following the attack, surviving students continued their exams under increased security at a different location. Residents and officials have raised concerns about the lack of perimeter fencing at the school, an issue highlighted in previous incidents, as local security efforts have been increased following similar abductions in the nearby area.
The latest attack comes barely a month after dozens of schoolchildren were abducted in neighbouring Mussa, also in Askira-Uba LGA, renewing fears over the security of schools across southern Borno despite assurances that protective measures had been strengthened.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[KavkazUzel] A military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Dagestani resident Bilal Gasanov to nine years in prison for financing the terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,
…formerly Al Nusra, now the government of Syria with a well dressed, charming enough, interim unelected president, so really financial aid is not the thing they need…
which is banned in Russia.
Gasanov was charged with aiding terrorist activity through financing (Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code), which carries a sentence of eight to 15 years in prison.
According to the prosecution, on February 15, 2025, Gasanov entered into correspondence with an unknown individual located in Turkey. The individual stated that he was raising funds for members of armed groups and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and provided Gasanov with bank card details.
While in Kaspiysk, Gasanov made several transfers to the account, transferring a total of 332,612 rubles,
…about US$4,300…
TASS reports, citing the court's press service.
Gasanov was sentenced to nine years in a maximum-security penal colony, with the first three years to be served in prison. The case was filed with the Southern District Military Court on January 28, and the trial concluded after eight hearings. The verdict was handed down today, according to the case file on the court's website.
Bilal Gasanov, a 26-year-old native of Kaspiysk, is listed in the Rosfinmonitoring register of terrorists and extremists. According to a Telegram bot tracking updates to this list, Gasanov's profile, marked as a terrorist, was added on October 27, 2025.
The court's press service did not specify whether Gasanov pleaded guilty. Caucasian Knot has not yet received any comment from the defendant or his lawyer regarding their plans to appeal the verdict.
The "Caucasian Knot " also reported that in late April, the Southern District Military Court sentenced Dmitry Syromyatov, a native of Karachay-Cherkessia, to 18 years in a maximum-security prison for participating in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham*. In May, Khalid Asadulaev, a resident of Dagestan, was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison for transferring cryptocurrency to the organization's account.
So it’s a trend? Interesting choice.
Posted by: badanov ||
06/30/2026 00:00 ||
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[1856 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria/HTS
This appears to be the same attack reported yesterday here, though in that report the mighty Pak army blamed the attack on TTP splinter faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. It’s a puzzle.
[REGNUM.RU] Pakistani security forces killed 29 militants during a ground operation in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bordering Afghanistan. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced this on June 28 on social media.
"Security forces conducted a well-planned ground operation based on intelligence along the Pakistan-Afghan border, followed by precision strikes in the border area targeting terrorist hideouts and camps," Tarar said.
The minister noted that 29 Kharijite militants
…usually the Pakistani authorities mean the TTP by that term, not ISIS…
from the extremist organization Islamic State (IS, a terrorist organization banned in Russia) were eliminated, as well as warehouses containing weapons and ammunition.
Tarar emphasized that Pakistan has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region, but the country does not intend to compromise on the security of its citizens. He added that Pakistan will continue counterterrorism operations until threats to the country's security, supported and sponsored from abroad, are completely eradicated.
On March 24, the Pakistan Air Force violated Afghan airspace. The incursion into Afghan airspace occurred after the ceasefire between the two countries expired, which was in effect until 10:00 PM Moscow time on March 23. Neither side announced an extension of the ceasefire.
[KhaamaPress] Pakistain and Afghanistan have exchanged diplomatic protests after a deadly attack in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... and Pak Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s in eastern Afghanistan, further escalating tensions between the neighboring countries.
Pakistain’s Foreign Ministry said it summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Talban Embassy in Islamabad to lodge a strong protest over the recent attack on a Rangers facility in Karachi, where three Pak security personnel were killed. Islamabad claimed that several Afghan nationals were involved in the assault, including one suspected attacker who was captured while maimed. Pakistain also said its ambassador in Kabul, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, delivered the same protest to authorities.
Kabul’s Foreign Ministry responded by summoning Pakistain’s chargé d’affaires , condemning Pak airstrikes on the eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika ...which coincidentally borders North Wazoo and Kurram Agency... and Kunar. Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes killed 36 civilians, including women and kiddies, and maimed 163 others, describing the attacks as a violation of Afghanistan’s illusory sovereignty and international law.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply over the past two years as Pakistain has repeatedly accused Afghanistan-based holy warriors, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... Pakistain (TTP), of carrying out attacks inside Pakistain. Taliban authorities have consistently rejected the allegations, insisting they do not allow Afghanistan territory to be used against any neighboring country.
The latest diplomatic row follows a series of cross-border military operations and security incidents. Pakistain recently announced operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... in which it said 15 forces of Evil were killed, while the Karachi attack marked one of the most serious security incidents in the country’s largest city in recent months.
Pakistain says its air operations targeted holy warrior hideouts and killed armed fighters. Taliban authorities reject that claim, saying only residential areas were hit. The exchange of accusations has pushed bilateral relations to one of their lowest points in recent years, raising concerns about further military escalation along the shared border.
At least some of the corruption is connection to the Mullahcracy of Iran. Day 1 can be seen here. Day 2 can be seen here.
Iraq arrests over 20 in anti-corruption drive, sets arms surrender deadline
[Rudaw] The Iraqi government has arrested more than 20 suspects, including bigwigs and politicians, as part of a large-scale anti-corruption campaign launched over the weekend, the Baghdad government’s spokesperson said Monday. Haider al-Aboudi also noted that Iraq has set a late September deadline for Iran-aligned gangs to hand over their weapons to the state, in line with a pledge made earlier this year by the prime minister.
"Operation Dawn saw the arrest of 21 suspects, while others are still being pursued," Aboudi was quoted by the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) as saying, adding that "the operation will not stop" and that "the confessions made by the suspects are leading to other networks involving names and financial assets."
The anti-corruption campaign "is different from previous ones, and protecting public funds is a responsibility that is not affected by individuals or circumstances," the senior government official added, underscoring Baghdad’s "commitment to safeguarding public funds" and its "comprehensive vision in managing challenges, institutional reform, and combating corruption."
The remarks come as Iraqi authorities continue to make headway with Operation Dawn, a large-scale anti-corruption campaign that was launched on Sunday under the direction of Prime Minister Zaidi in coordination with Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity. The operation has so far resulted in the detention of tens of suspects including politicians, former officials, and senior babus government employees.
Moreover, Aboudi said on Monday that Baghdad has "set September 21 as the final deadline for the surrender of weapons, coinciding with the departure of the forces of the [US-led] Global Coalition [to Defeat the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... ]."
In his inaugural address to the Iraqi parliament in mid-May, the newly appointed premier pledged to pursue security reforms, including by "confining weapons under state control." Zaidi also vowed to enhance the capabilities of the security forces and strengthen citizens’ "confidence in democracy."
Earlier this month, he ordered the formation of a committee to oversee the implementation of measures aimed at disengaging political parties and armed factions from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), amid a wider effort to bring paramilitary groups and their arms under state control.
However,
a clean conscience makes a soft pillow... Iraqi gangs aligned with Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... have since been sharply divided over the government initiative with some expressing willingness to surrender their arms, while others firmly reject the proposal and linking it to the presence of foreign forces in the country.
The move is part of an expanded anti-corruption campaign, dubbed Operation Dawn, launched over the weekend that has so far led to the arrest of 21 suspects, including senior officials and politicians.
Munir Haddad, a prominent Iraqi judge and legal advisor to Prime Minister Zaidi, told Rudaw's Ziyad Ismail that “those accused of stealing public funds and looting Iraq's wealth are being prosecuted under the Iraqi Penal Code, including the Anti-Money Laundering Law and laws governing crimes against public property.”
He pledged that “neither the judiciary nor the government will stop at recovering the stolen funds,” emphasizing that the Baghdad government remains “committed to fighting corruption and holding the corrupt to account.”
“No one will be spared, regardless of their position or status,” he said.
Since Operation Dawn began on Sunday, some $75 million in cash has reportedly been seized, along with at least 40 luxury properties, land tracts, and large weapons caches across the country.
Iraqi government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said on Monday that the anti-corruption campaign “will not stop” and that “the confessions made by the suspects are leading to other networks involving names and financial assets.”
The campaign “is different from previous ones,” the senior government official said, underscoring Baghdad's “commitment to safeguarding public funds” and its “comprehensive vision in managing challenges, institutional reform, and combating corruption.”
Sadr backs Iraq's anti-corruption crackdown, urges supporters to rally Friday
[Rudaw] Influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Monday voiced support for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s anti-corruption crackdown, describing it as a “heroic reformist campaign,” and called on his supporters to take to the streets on Friday in backing the initiative.
“That campaign, which has restored hope in our hearts and the hearts of the Iraqi people after the corrupt dominated its resources,” Sadr posted on X, praising “the role of the Iraqi judiciary and the heroic security forces, especially the anti-terrorism and corruption forces.”
The endorsement follows the first-of-its-kind anti-corruption campaign led by Zaidi in coordination with Iraq’s Commission of Integrity, which has resulted in the detention of 47 suspects - including lawmakers, former officials, and senior government employees - since it began early on Sunday.
Sadr further called for Friday prayer imams to organize peaceful demonstrations next Friday to support the crackdown. He requested that participants display only Iraqi flags and banners honoring Imam Hussein, Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, during the events, which coincides with the month of Muharram.
Speaking during a cabinet session on Sunday, Zaidi said the operation marks only the beginning of a wider effort, noting that "Iraq will begin a new chapter."
“This offensive is merely a first strike; the issue of corruption is not over. We are continuing to fight it," Zaidi told the ministers, adding: "for anyone in possession of public funds, we want that money returned to its rightful owners; the people's money must return to the people.”
“I cannot remain silent about any wrongdoing. I will not compromise on the interests of the Iraqi people, and this government will be a distinguished one, God willing," he said.
“Regarding anyone whose mind is set on working for the state while stealing the money of orphans and the poor: they are mistaken. I tell them, do not stay; I will pursue them day and night.”
KDP supports Zaidi’s anti-corruption raids, calls for nationwide scope
[Rudaw] The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has declared its full backing for the Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s anti-corruption campaign that began on Sunday, while urging that the operations be expanded beyond Baghdad to all provinces across Iraq.
In a statement late Sunday, the bloc said it welcomes the measures taken by Zaidi and the judiciary in targeting corruption and arresting suspects, saying: "We hope that this campaign will not be confined to Baghdad alone, but will be expanded to all Iraqi provinces and cities."
"We reaffirm our full readiness to provide every possible form of cooperation and support... for taking legal action against every individual involved in corruption, without discrimination or exception," the statement added.
The statement comes as Iraqi authorities launched a sweeping anti-corruption operation early Sunday that led to dozens of arrests across the country.
The campaign, coordinated with Iraq’s Commission of Integrity, saw the detention of 47 suspects, including lawmakers, former officials, and senior government employees.
On Sunday, Kurdistan Region authorities handed over eight detainees to the Iraqi Commission of Integrity, including three lawmakers and five senior officials arrested in Erbil by Counter Terrorism forces on corruption-related charges.
Senior KDP official Hoshyar Zebari also commented on the arrests, stressing that the Kurdistan Region would not shelter suspects.
“Iraqi Kurdistan is the bastion of freedom and democracy in Iraq. It has been and remains a sanctuary for all the free people of Iraq and those oppressed and tortured by human rights violations; however, it will never be a haven for criminals, thieves of public funds, and the corrupt," Zebari said in a post on X on Sunday.
A Kurdish lawmaker and member of parliament’s finance committee said corrupt officials may have embezzled funds equivalent to the country’s annual budget.
“I expect that an amount equal to Iraq's annual budget can be recovered from these corrupt individuals because massive corruption has occurred,” Jamal Kochar said.
“If these steps were not taken, the largest corruption in Iraq would have occurred in 2027, as they all spent billions of dinars [on campaigns] to become MPs only to steal it back later,” he added.
Iraq’s government has given pro-Iran armed groups in the country until September 30 to disarm, coinciding with the end of the US-led anti-jihadist coalition’s mission, its spokesman said on Monday.
For some reason none of today’s articles mention the Iran sock puppet Popular Mobilization Forces as a group, nor individual organizations like Kataib Hezbollah.
The announcement comes ahead of a visit to the United States by new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, with Washington exerting pressure on Baghdad to ensure the factions turn in their weapons.
“All the armed groups have been informed of a specific date that marks the end of this issue (of disarmament)… which is September 30, which also marks the end of the international coalition’s presence,” government spokesman Haidar al-Aboudi said in a weekly press conference.
“After this date, all weapons outside the state framework will be subject to legal redress,” he added.
Iraq is home to several powerful Iran-backed armed factions, which have seen their political and financial clout increase over the years.
Many emerged in the wake of the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and gained further power and prominence during the fight against the Islamic State group from 2014 onwards.
They have long called for the withdrawal of American troops deployed within the anti-jihadist coalition, and they have frequently hit bases hosting US troops.
During the Middle East war, they have intervened in support of Tehran, targeting US facilities in Iraq more than 600 times. They also hit targets in Gulf countries.
Washington in turn launched its own attacks on the factions, before withholding cash payments for Iraqi oil revenues, which are largely at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York under an agreement reached following the invasion.
In early May, Washington pledged to resume financial transfers to Iraq and security assistance once “concrete steps” had been taken against the groups.
During a meeting with European ambassadors Monday, Zaidi “stressed that confining arms to the hands of the state is not merely a slogan, but a policy already being implemented,” according to his media office.
“The government remains committed to this course, particularly as Coalition forces are scheduled to complete their withdrawal by September 30,” said Zaidi, who recently took office with the blessing of the United States.
Powerful Iraqi politicians have also called for a state monopoly on weapons.
While some armed groups announced they will cooperate to hand over weapons to the state, others remain adamant that the issue should not be discussed under US pressure.
Iraq has long been a proxy battleground for Iran and the United States, with Baghdad trying to walk a fine line between its two key allies but mutual enemies.
[IsraelTimes] After Palestinian media reported a teen was killed by Israeli fire near Ramallah earlier today, the IDF says that it had opened fire on rioters.
During a military operation in the Ramallah area, a “violent riot developed which included stone throwing against the forces,” the IDF says in response to a query.
“The forces returned fire at a suspect in the area,” the army says, adding that “a hit was identified.”
Palestinian media reported that Amir Ahmad Jawad Jaber, 15, was killed after being shot by the army in the area. A military source says that the suspect is an Israeli citizen.
The IDF adds that the incident is under further investigation.
[IsraelTimes] The IDF has been carrying out strikes in Gaza on a near-daily basis, despite the ceasefire, saying it is responding to violations of the truce, including by thwarting plans by terrorists to attack troops.
On Monday, it announced that a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative who invaded Israel on October 7 and abducted civilians was killed in a strike in northern Gaza on Sunday.
It identified the target as Islamic Jihad member Zaher Abu Salem.
“Abu Salem took part in abducting Israeli civilians from their homes and holding them in captivity,” the military said.
The IDF says that during the war and recently, Abu Salem attempted to advance attacks on IDF troops and Israeli civilians, and therefore, he “posed a threat.”
🔴ELIMINATED: Zaher Brahim Khalil Abu Salem, an Islamic Jihad military operative who infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 Massacre.
Abu Salem took part in the abduction of Israeli civilians from their homes & in holding them hostage. Additionally, he attempted to… pic.twitter.com/JIVMpo2rRX
Separately, Hamas-affiliated news outlets in Gaza reported that three people were killed in a strike in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, on Monday morning.
According to the reports, the dead included eight-year-old Malek Abu Shawish.
Palestinian sources reported that three Palestinians, including a child, were killed and others were wounded this morning in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the al‑Baraka area of Deir al‑Balah.
Earlier at dawn, the Israeli occupation army carried out at least four demolitions northeast of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, amid repeated gunfire east of the city.
Later, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire north of the refugee camps of an-Nuseirat and Bureij and near the Wadi Gaza Bridge.
Artillery and shooting incidents were also reported in other areas of the Gaza Strip in the morning hours.
The IDF says it struck a Hamas tunnel system in the central Gaza Strip over the weekend.
The military says that it recently identified that Hamas was working to restore the underground site "in violation of the ceasefire."
Goldin was killed and abducted by Hamas in 2014. The IDF scanned the tunnel for 18 months — starting in mid 2024 — but ultimately Goldin’s remains were recovered by Hamas members operating with the military’s permission after a ceasefire between Israel and the terror group came into effect in late 2025.
The underground labyrinth where his body was held ran over 16 kilometers (nearly 10 miles) long and extended some 25 meters (82 feet) deep, according to the military. It also featured some 80 separate rooms, including command posts for senior terror commanders.
The IDF said that the tunnel ran under civilian sites near the Strip’s Egyptian border, including a building belonging to UNRWA.
In the past three months, combat engineers worked to seal the underground passages using over 30,000 cubic meters of concrete, the IDF says, adding that “their mission is now complete.”
[HodhodYemenNews] Several residents of Abdin village in the Yarmouk Basin area of western Daraa countryside were displaced overnight following Israeli military incursions and shelling around the village, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported, citing local sources.
According to SOHR, Israeli forces advanced into the area and set up several tents, prompting opposition and protests from local residents.
Residents of Abdin later confronted Israeli patrols, throwing stones at the troops, while several young men blocked the road between Jamalah and Abdin with rocks.
Israeli forces responded by firing warning shots into the air to disperse the protesters and intimidate civilians. They also fired an illumination flare over the Yarmouk Basin as military movements continued in the area.
SOHR added that a tense calm has prevailed in the village since the morning, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from positions they had occupied on al-Moghor Hill.
[IsraelTimes] Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that Israel has "no territorial ambitions in Leb ...The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else?... ," but the IDF will not withdraw "a millimeter" until the Hezbollah terror group is disarmed.
Katz’s comments came on the same day that the US Central Command chief met with both Lebanon’s president and its military chief in Lebanon, days after Jerusalem and Beirut signed a framework agreement aimed at ending their conflict, a move that has been repeatedly criticized by Hezbollah and its allies.
The deal commits Lebanon to restoring illusory sovereignty over its territory through the "verified disarmament of non-state gangs and dismantlement of associated infrastructure," enabling a progressive Israeli withdrawal, according to the text released by the State Department.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that his country’s army plans to deploy up to the border with Israel in its efforts to displace Hezbollah.
Meanwhile,
...back at the game, the Babe was wondering why the baseball kept getting bigger and bigger. Finally it hit him... Israel again struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon overnight, in what it said was a response to the terror group’s attacks on its forces in the area. Separately, an IDF soldier was seriously maimed in a kaboom in the area on Monday, the military said.
Speaking to news hounds on Monday, Katz said the military is unlikely to withdraw from additional areas of southern Lebanon beyond the two agreed-upon locations from which it will pull out as part of a pilot program that will see the Lebanese army take over.
"People should not hold their breath wondering where the next place will be from which Israel will withdraw in Lebanon, because it will not happen until Hezbollah is disarmed. We have no territorial ambitions in Lebanon, but until Hezbollah is disarmed, we will not withdraw a millimeter," Katz said.
He said that this principle was accepted by the US and anchored in the military annex to the framework agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon. Katz also noted that when he met US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper last week, they agreed that "the IDF will not withdraw from the three security zones — in Lebanon, Syria, and Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Katz said he also does not believe the Lebanese army will "suddenly become lions charging at Hezbollah," and therefore the IDF’s presence in Lebanon will be "long term."
The defense minister confirmed that Israel had recently tried to get the Lebanese army to enter the Ali Taher Ridge area, under which Hezbollah has a major tunnel system, and clear it of terror operatives. However,
there's more than one way to skin a cat... "the Lebanese army refused to do it," Katz said. Currently, the IDF remains stationed in the area, but it has not entered the underground passages where some 30 Hezbollah operatives are believed to be holed up.
Briefing news hounds, Katz claimed that had it not been for American pressure on Israel, the IDF would have caused Hezbollah’s collapse in Lebanon. He said the IDF had planned a "massive" aerial campaign that, he claimed, "would have dismantled Hezbollah," and that the terror group was "begging the Iranians to save it."
The defense minister blamed US President Donald Trump ...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US... ’s linking of the US-Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... talks with Lebanon for preventing Israel from doing so. According to Katz, when Trump "linked Iran and Lebanon," Israel had to stop "bringing down buildings in Beirut," but could carry out "surgical strikes" on Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital.
"I’m sorry about that linkage, but it was an American interest. They very much wanted to advance the possibility of negotiations with Iran," he said, adding that "when you enter into a partnership, it has advantages, but it also comes with certain constraints."
Katz said he was not present for one call between Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the signing of the MOU between the US and Iran. "I was not on the fifth call, and the president applied pressure that ultimately created the linkage between the arenas," he said.
"That is why we moved to plan B," the defense minister said, referring to the IDF’s operations north of the Litani River and the expansion of its security zone in southern Lebanon in the past month, which he said was carried out with US approval.
Regarding tensions with Iran, Katz said that if Iran attacks Israel with ballistic missiles in response to actions in Lebanon, the IDF will respond and is preparing to operate independently.
"It could happen even within two days," he said. "We have targets to strike in Iran, and the IDF is prepared and on alert, but we will not interfere with the US president’s course of action vis-à-vis the Iranians."
Katz also said the IDF still has "more tunnels to destroy and blow up," including a major underground Hezbollah system beneath the Beaufort Ridge, which he said will be destroyed with "500 tons of explosives."
The IDF said Monday that the Israeli Air Force struck three Hezbollah command centers in the Nabatieh and Mayfadoun areas in southern Lebanon overnight. The strikes were carried in response to "the continued attacks against our forces operating in the security zone by the Hezbollah terror organization," the IDF said.
Separately, the IDF said that troops of the Multi-Domain unit destroyed a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon.
The military also said Monday that an IDF reservist soldier was severely maimed by a kaboom in southern Lebanon earlier that day, and taken to a hospital for treatment. According to an IDF probe of the incident, the blast occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, during operations of the Commando Brigade in the village of Arnoun. The cause of the earth-shattering kaboom is still under investigation by the military.
Days after Israel and Lebanon signed the framework agreement in Washington, following several rounds of direct negotiations, US Central Command chief Adm. Bradley Cooper met in Lebanon on Monday with the country’s military chief and president, who vowed to implement the terms of the deal and assert control over Hezbollah. Aoun told Cooper on Monday that he was committed to extending the state’s control through its military up to the border with Israel. He reaffirmed to the CENTCOM chief "the Lebanese state’s determination to extend its authority, through its armed forces, all the way to the southern border," the presidency said in a statement, adding that the pair "discussed the preparations related to the start of implementing the framework agreement" between Lebanon, Israel, and the US.
A statement from CENTCOM said the leaders "discussed the path forward" in the wake of the deal, noting that Cooper met last week in Israel with "senior civilian and military leaders" — who were not named — and visited American troops deployed to the country.
Cooper also met on Monday with Lebanon military chief Gen. Rodolphe Haykal near Beirut for a discussion of "the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, the importance of ensuring the success of the mechanism for implementing the security annex to the framework agreement, as well as ways to strengthen cooperation in the future," according to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
"Haykal expressed his gratitude for the US support, stressing the need to continue cooperation between the two armies in a way that preserves Lebanon’s security and stability," the LAF added.
Hezbollah on Monday continued to blast the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement and said it reserved the right to self-defense and accused Israel of a "blatant violation of the ceasefire." In a statement, the Iran-backed terror group said that it "reiterates that what the enemy has done is a blatant violation of the ceasefire to which it has adhered until now, and that it is monitoring and tracking these violations, and reserves its right to defend its homeland and its people."
In addition, Lebanese Parliament Speaker and Hezbollah ally Nabih Knobby Berri
...perennial Speaker of the Lebanese parliament, head of the Amal Shiite party aligned with Hezbollah, a not very subtle sock puppet of the Medes and Persians... said early Monday that the trilateral framework agreement between Lebanon, Israel, and the United States was unviable as it didn’t guarantee Lebanon’s rights.
"This agreement will not pass, and it will not be implemented in its current form," Berri said in a statement shared by his party the Amal movement, adding that it was "an agreement of ’dictates,’ not an agreement that preserves Lebanon’s rights."
Heavy Fighting Continues in Sharestan as Military Operation Intensifies
Heavy fighting continued for a second day in the Sharestan (Şarstên) area on the Mahabad–Piranshahr road, as Iranian security forces maintained their military operation against the Eastern Kurdistan Defense… pic.twitter.com/xlV6GwrqDm
Heavy Fighting Continues in Sharestan as Military Operation Intensifies
Heavy fighting continued for a second day in the Sharestan (Şarstên) area on the Mahabad–Piranshahr road, as Iranian security forces maintained their military operation against the Eastern Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK), according to local sources.
Reports from the area say the region remains under tight military control, with clashes taking place around Şarstên, Doli Qeleweran, and Mamşal. Local sources claimed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired more than 200 Katyusha rockets from positions near the Valizadeh mine toward the Hewareba area while reconnaissance drones were used to direct artillery strikes. They also claimed that one IRGC surveillance drone was shot down by YRK fighters using a long-range rifle.
[Rudaw] The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and units of the Kurdish opposition group Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) clashed near Mahabad in western Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... on Sunday, two days after another clash in the area left two members of the Iranian security forces dead and two others maimed.
In a short statement late Sunday, PJAK said the IRGC had launched an operation in the Gagosh area, south of Mahabad in West Azerbaijan province, triggering festivities between PJAK fighters and IRGC forces.
"The IRGC has started an operation in the village of Gagosh in the Mahabad region and, based on our information, the festivities have continued until now," PJAK said, adding that it had no further accurate information about the fighting.
The IRGC has not released any information regarding the reported festivities in Mahabad. The incident marks the second such confrontation within a week between Kurdish opposition groups and Iranian security forces.
The IRGC has been on high alert in Kurdish areas since late February, when the US and Israel carried out an extensive aerial bombing campaign targeting thousands of locations across Iran. IRGC bases in Kurdish areas were heavily bombed, mostly by Israeli warplanes and drones, weakening the force’s grip on the region.
The IRGC mobilized thousands of its Kurdish militia members and deployed them to border areas to stop an imminent attack by Kurdish opposition groups, which were poised to enter western Iran in the early days of the war before President Donald Trump ...dictatorial for repealing some (but not all) of the diktats of his predecessor, misogynistic because he likes pretty girls, homophobic because he doesn't think gender bending should be mandatory, truly a man for all seasons... halted the operation.
The festivities in Mahabad came two days after a checkpoint at the entrance of Baneh city in Kurdistan province was attacked by a unit of a Kurdish opposition group, killing two members of the security forces and wounding two others. No group has grabbed credit for the attack.
Since the beginning of the US-Iran war, the bases of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have come under hundreds of missile and drone attacks by the IRGC and its affiliated Iraqi militias. Despite a fragile ceasefire, the attacks have continued.
The IRGC maintains that Iraq and the Kurdistan Region must disarm or expel Iranian Kurdish opposition groups from their territory, and has reserved the right to attack them at will.
On Saturday, the body of a member of one of the Iranian Kurdish opposition groups was found stabbed to death in Erbil, prompting the party to accuse Tehran of being behind the killing.
Iran has carried out a series of liquidations in the Kurdistan Region over the past decade, killing several officials and members of opposition groups. The IRGC’s Ramazan Headquarters, responsible for the Kurdistan Region, and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence carried out an liquidation campaign in the early 1990s that killed nearly 300 members of various Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, mostly in Sulaimani and Erbil provinces.
Gagosh, where the recent festivities have occurred, is a village in the Mangur-e Sharqi rural district of Khalifan in Mahabad county, West Azerbaijan province.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
The attack comes barely a month after the mass abduction of schoolchildren in nearby Mussa, raising fresh fears over the safety of schools in southern Borno.
...
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
...The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else?...
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for 
