[SUDANTRIBUNE.COM] The joint force allied with the Sudanese army announced on Monday the liberation of Kulbus in West Darfur state following fierce battles against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The recapture of the town comes nearly two years after the RSF seized control of it in October 2024, following violent clashes with the joint force.
Kulbus is a historic stronghold of the Gimir tribe and the site of the tribe’s sultanate headquarters.
During the RSF expansion in West Darfur after the outbreak of the war in 2023, leaders of the sultanate reached an agreement that prevented attacks on the town, despite the RSF controlling several villages and towns in the state at the time. Kulbus eventually fell into their hands in October 2024.
The spokesperson for the joint force, Mutawakil Wakeel, said in a statement that within the framework of ongoing military operations and completing a series of victories achieved by their forces over the past few days, the forces, in coordination with the armed forces and the popular resistance, managed to fully liberate Kulbus from the grip of the rebel militia after decisive battles.
#UPDATE: Heavy Fighting Erupts in Jannaale as Al-Shabaab Militants Target Ugandan and Somali Military Bases Overnight
Heavy Night Assault Targets Somali and Ugandan Forces in Jannaale
Al-Shabaab militants carried out a coordinated overnight attack on an Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) base and a Somali National Army (SNA) position in the town of Jannaale.
Residents reported sustained gunfire and loud explosions that lasted for several hours during the night, causing widespread fear in the surrounding communities. The exact casualty figures and level of damage remain unconfirmed.
Jannaale, located in the Lower Shabelle region, is considered a key strategic location due to its proximity to supply routes linking several major towns in southern Somalia. The area has repeatedly changed hands in past years amid ongoing fighting between Somali government forces, African Union troops, and militants.
Houthis: Saudi is Backing an Armed Tribal Takeover of Al Jawf
After spending roughly a week dismissing the anti-Houthi tribal gatherings, the Houthi information campaign has shifted to a more defensive and coordinated narrative.
Houthis: Saudi is Backing an Armed Tribal Takeover of Al Jawf
After spending roughly a week dismissing the anti-Houthi tribal gatherings, the Houthi information campaign has shifted to a more defensive and coordinated narrative.
The tribal mobilization began after Sheikh Fadgham called for a tribal gathering to restore tribal dignity and secure the release of a woman alleged by some participants to be Saddam Hussein’s daughter, Mira. Houthi supporters and affiliated influencers initially sought to undermine the issue by arguing that Saddam Hussein never had a daughter named Mira and identifying the woman instead as Samira al-Zubayri. At first, they treated the gatherings as insignificant and gave them little attention.
The growing size and duration of the tribal gatherings appear to have prompted more senior Houthi figures to respond publicly. One example is the appearance of the notorious UN-sanctioned arms dealer Faris Manaa, who released a video accusing Fadgham of violating tribal customs and dishonoring established tribal rules.
In his statement, Manaa argued that the tribal mobilization itself was illegitimate. He claimed that his tribe, Sahar, together with Saba, had already requested mediation from the Bani Nawf tribe under the traditional tribal system of tahkim, a customary arbitration process in which tribal mediators are presented with symbolic guarantees such as firearms and vehicles while negotiations take place.
Manaa also rejected claims regarding the property where he resides. He stated that the house does not belong, but rather belonged to Ali Saleh, the brother of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. According to Manaa, Houthi authorities confiscated the property after the Saleh family’s uprising against the Houthis in December 2017, and he has continued paying rent for the house, first to the Saleh family and later to the Houthi authorities after it was seized.
He further denied allegations made by Fadgham that he had visited or threatened him. Manaa insisted he had never met Fadgham and described the accusations as fabricated.
At the same time, Houthi-aligned influencers have increasingly resorted to sexist messaging. Several commentators have mocked the idea that a tribal confrontation could emerge because of a woman. Others have argued that women have historically been the cause of major political conflicts in Yemen, drawing comparisons to Tawakkol Karman and the 2011 uprising, before linking the current tribal mobilization to female activists, including Sahar al-Kawlani and other detained women.
[IsraelTimes] US federal authorities arrest a woman from Upstate New York for allegedly sending funds to Paleostinian Islamic Jihad ...created after many members of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah... Catherine Beth Washburn, 37, from the Rochester area, is charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the US Department of Justice says in a statement.
Washburn is a leader of the Direct Action Movement for Paleostinian Liberation, a group that rejects peaceful protests and instead favors "direct action," such as acts of sabotage, to support Paleostinians, the statement says.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force executed search warrants on Washburn’s electronic devices earlier this year.
The Sherlocks allegedly recovered messages between Washburn and a Paleostinian Islamic Jihad fighter in 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... who claimed he had attacked Israel.
Washburn’s messages included, "I wish every day were October 7th," that she hated Jews "very much," that she wished Israel "would disappear," and that if she lived in Gaza, she "would fight alongside the resistance."
"I feel very excited every time I see news of the killing of an occupation soldier," she said, according to the Department of Justice.
Financial records showed that Washburn had sent 80 transfers of cryptocurrency to the individual, amounting to $30,116.
She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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. And Day 3 is here.
[PUBLISH.X]
🇮🇶 Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Oil for Distribution Affairs, Ali Maarej Suwaij al-Bahadli, was arrested with a huge hidden stash of cash and luxury assets
…stuffed with $11 million in cash and 4 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately $3.1 million). Alongside the money, they seized real estate titles, luxury assets, and multiple boxes of high-end Rolex watches.
According to U.S. government intelligence and official filings, al-Bahadli systematically abused his position to run massive oil-smuggling schemes that directly benefited Iran and its armed proxies.
He allegedly allowed Iranian crude to be mixed with Iraqi oil shipments and falsified official ministry documents to cover it up.
Baghdad Recovers over $14M in Iraqi Airways corruption probe
[Rudaw] Iraqi authorities on Tuesday recovered roughly 19 billion Iraqi dinars (about $14.5 million) in a case involving embezzled funds from the national carrier Iraqi Airways, Baghdad's judiciary announced, as an ongoing anti-corruption crackdown has, since Sunday, netted tens of millions of dollars as well as tens of senior Iraqi officials and politicians.
The investigative court in Baghdad's Rusafa district “recovered 19 billion Iraqi dinars on Tuesday,” Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council - the highest judicial authority for the country's ordinary court system - said in a statement, adding that “the sum was recovered as part of investigations into a financial corruption case involving tampering with deposit records of funds belonging to Iraqi Airways.”
The statement comes days after unconfirmed reports circulated about the arrest of Manaf Abdel-Monem, director general of Iraqi Airways, last Monday. The claim first surfaced when Iraqi lawmaker Alaa al-Haidari wrote in a post on Facebook that Abdel-Monem was arrested on charges of embezzlement.
Importantly, the Supreme Judicial Council's statement came a day after large sums of state funds and several properties were seized in a case involving the deputy minister of oil for distribution affairs, Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, who was sanctioned by the United States in May.
Preliminary investigations led to the seizure of "a large amount of cash" amounting to "$11 million US dollars and four billion Iraqi dinars [around $3 million], in addition to the seizure of several properties," an investigating judge from the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court said in a statement Monday.
The seizures are part of Operation Dawn, an expanded anti-corruption campaign launched under Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's orders on Sunday, which has so far led to the arrest of at least 21 suspects.
Munir Haddad, a prominent Iraqi judge and legal advisor to Prime Minister Zaidi, told Rudaw's Ziyad Ismail on Monday 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.".
A senior security source in Salahaddin province told Rudaw's Hastyar Qadir on Tuesday that funds totalling four million US dollars were found inside a vehicle at the Abbas Chuma checkpoint, located south of the Tuz Khurmatu district, the main road route between Salahaddin and Diyala provinces for both commercial and passenger transport.
The vehicle, bearing a Baghdad license plate, was heading toward Diyala. The driver, who was alone in the vehicle, has been detained for questioning. According to the source, the seized funds are now in the custody of local police, and an investigation is underway to determine their origin and whether they are connected to corruption networks.
Investigations are being conducted as part of the Iraqi government’s massive anti-corruption campaign known as “Operation Dawn,” initiated by Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi, who ordered the launch of security forces to carry out large-scale operations in Baghdad and other provinces early Sunday morning.
Arrests include over 21 officials, including former Salahadin governor Raed al-Jubouri and three former members of parliament from the province, and Adnan al-Jumaili, the former deputy oil minister for refining affairs, accused of embezzlement of 200 billion dinars ($152 million).
Security sources said authorities are examining whether the cash was being moved to conceal proceeds linked to corruption cases currently under investigation.
On Monday, Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council announced the seizure of large sums of cash and properties during an ongoing corruption investigation involving the deputy minister of oil for distribution affairs, Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, who was sanctioned by the US in May.
Preliminary investigations resulted in the seizure of “a large amount of cash” amounting to "$11 million US dollars and four billion Iraqi dinars ($3 million) in addition to the seizure of several properties,” an investigating judge from the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court said in a statement on Monday.
Iraqi security forces on Tuesday seized four million US dollars at a checkpoint in Tuz Khurmatu district, Saladin province in Federal Iraq, on possible links to embezzlement amid a series of arrests in connection to Iraq’s national anti-corruption campaign.
A senior security source in Salahaddin province told Rudaw's Hastyar Qadir on Tuesday that funds totalling four million US dollars were found inside a vehicle at the Abbas Chuma checkpoint, located south of the Tuz Khurmatu district, the main road route between Salahaddin and Diyala provinces for both commercial and passenger transport.
The vehicle, bearing a Baghdad license plate, was heading toward Diyala. The driver, who was alone in the vehicle, has been detained for questioning. According to the source, the seized funds are now in the custody of local police, and an investigation is underway to determine their origin and whether they are connected to corruption networks.
Investigations are being conducted as part of the Iraqi government’s massive anti-corruption campaign known as “Operation Dawn,” initiated by Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi, who ordered the launch of security forces to carry out large-scale operations in Baghdad and other provinces early Sunday morning.
Arrests include over 21 officials, including former Salahadin governor Raed al-Jubouri and three former members of parliament from the province, and Adnan al-Jumaili, the former deputy oil minister for refining affairs, accused of embezzlement of 200 billion dinars ($152 million).
Security sources said authorities are examining whether the cash was being moved to conceal proceeds linked to corruption cases currently under investigation.
On Monday, Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council announced the seizure of large sums of cash and properties during an ongoing corruption investigation involving the deputy minister of oil for distribution affairs, Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, who was sanctioned by the US in May.
Preliminary investigations resulted in the seizure of “a large amount of cash” amounting to "$11 million US dollars and four billion Iraqi dinars ($3 million) in addition to the seizure of several properties,” an investigating judge from the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court said in a statement on Monday.
Iraq seizes $14 million from deputy oil minister's home in anti-corruption crackdown
[Rudaw] Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council on Monday has announced the seizure of large sums of cash and properties during an ongoing corruption investigation involving the deputy minister of oil for distribution affairs, Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, who was sanctioned by the US in May.
Preliminary investigations resulted in the seizure of “a large amount of cash” amounting to "$11 million US dollars and four billion Iraqi dinars ($3 million) in addition to the seizure of several properties,” an investigating judge from the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court said in a statement on Monday.
The case is part of a broader anti-corruption campaign initiated by Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi that escalated after security forces launched large-scale operations in Baghdad and other provinces early Sunday morning.
The raids, supported by the air force, have led to the arrest of several senior officials and lawmakers, including Muthanna al-Samarrai, head of the Azm Alliance, and Maarij himself.
According to the Supreme Judicial Council, the cash was discovered hidden in bags placed inside a wall. Photos released by the court showed four sacks containing cash, another bag with five boxes, and a luxury wristwatch. Authorities also confirmed the seizure of several properties and real estate assets belonging to Maarij, as investigations continue.
The US Treasury Department placed Maarij under sanctions for his “instrumental” role in facilitating “the diversion of oil to be sold for the benefit of the Iranian regime and its proxy militias in Iraq,” aiding and abetting “known Iran-affiliated oil smuggler Salim Ahmed Said,” sanctioned in July 2025, “as well as Iran-backed terrorist militia Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH),” and by extension, Iran.
This comes amid Washington’s broader move to hold “Iran-aligned terrorist militias in Iraq, such as Kata’ib Hizballah, accountable for their attacks against U.S. personnel and civilians, diplomatic facilities, and businesses across Iraq.”
To date, investigations have led to the arrest of 21 individuals, including senior officials, political leaders, and members of parliament, with Iraqi judicial authorities stating that further details will be released as the case progresses.
Iraq ranked 136th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 2025, scoring 28 out of 100, reflecting a high level of public-sector corruption compared to global standards.
Nineveh oil projects under investigation in corruption case
[Rudaw] Three oil projects in Nineveh province are among files being investigated by federal authorities in connection with a corruption case involving former deputy oil minister Adnan al-Jumaili, a provincial official said Tuesday.
Mohammed Kakai, head of the security committee of the Nineveh Provincial Council, told Rudaw's Hastyar Qadir on Tuesday that the council had been informed that several files are under investigation on suspicion of corruption related to oil sector projects in the province.
Kakai said the files include the Hammam al-Alil refinery project, launched as part of the Nineveh Refinery Project in July 2025 by former Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani, as well as other contracts in Qayyarah and Ain Zalah, two of Nineveh’s key oil-producing areas.
The investigations come amid unmet public infrastructure gaps such as frequent power outages, unemployment, delayed salary payments, and deteriorating public services.
Investigations are being conducted as part of the Iraqi government’s anti-corruption campaign known as “Operation Dawn,” initiated by Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi who ordered the launch of security forces to carry out large-scale operations in Baghdad and other provinces early Sunday morning. Arrests include over 21 officials, including al-Jumaili, for the embezzlement of 200 billion dinars ($152 million).
The files are linked to contracts signed during Adnan al-Jumaili’s tenure as deputy oil minister for refining affairs, Kakai said.
According to information obtained by Rudaw, most of the alleged corruption in the case is related to contracts involving public and private refineries.
On Monday, Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council announced the seizure of large sums of cash and properties during an ongoing corruption investigation involving the deputy minister of oil for distribution affairs, Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, who was sanctioned by the US in May.
Preliminary investigations resulted in the seizure of “a large amount of cash” amounting to "$11 million US dollars and four billion Iraqi dinars ($3 million) in addition to the seizure of several properties,” an investigating judge from the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court said in a statement on Monday.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/01/2026 00:00 ||
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[IsraelTimes] Freed hostage Rom Braslavski on Tuesday rejoiced at the news that the Islamic Jihad ...created after many members of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah... terrorist who held and abused him in captivity had been killed in a recent strike by the Israel Defense forces, telling him to "Have fun in hell."
The Israel Defense Forces announced on Tuesday the killing of three senior terror operatives, including figures closely involved in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, one of whom subsequently held Israeli captives whom snuffies kidnapped during the rampage.
Among them was Talel Abd al-Aal, who held several roles in the Paleostinian Islamic Jihad terror group, and was killed in a strike in southern 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... on Sunday, according to a a joint statement from the IDF and Shin Bet.
"Al-Aal commanded a cell of snuffies that invaded Israel and took part in the October 7 massacre," the military said, adding that during the subsequent war he held hostages who were in PIJ’s captivity.
The IDF in recent months has been ramping up strikes on terror operatives in Gaza, including several October 7 terrorists, saying they posed a threat to Israeli forces.
"This is Talal Abd al-Aal. Or as I know him — Abu Yusuf. This is the man who weighed 100 kilograms and jumped on my neck while I was malnourished," he wrote.
"This is the man who forced me, while my hands and feet were tied and my body was covered in bruises, very close to death, to open my mouth and spat into it," Braslavski continued.
"This is the commander who was in charge of me and led the terrorist cell that held me captive for an entire year. This is the commander who gave the order: Tie up Abu Salem (me) and abuse him," the post went on.
"This is the man who, under his orders and with his own hands, abused me and almost killed me several times. This is him."
In conclusion, Braslavski wrote: "Remember when you told me to pass a message to the Shin Bet? That you gave a middle finger to the drones and that you weren’t afraid of them? The message has been delivered. Have fun in hell, you son of a ****."
Braslavski, who was freed in October after two years of captivity in Gaza, was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, while working as a security guard at the Nova music festival near Re’im. Over 370 people were killed when snuffies stormed the festival and carried out acts of brutality and sexual assault, and dozens were taken hostage.
Braslavski revealed in November that the Paleostinian Islamic Jihad snuffies who held him captive in Gaza repeatedly sexually assaulted and tortured him.
IDF STRIKES KILL PIJ OCT. 7 INVADER, HAMAS ARMS SMUGGLER
Separately, the military announced that a strike on Monday killed Ali Qaid Mohammed Stitan, identified by the IDF as a platoon commander in Islamic Jihad’s elite forces, who participated in the 2023 terror rampage.
"Ali Qaid infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 massacre," the IDF said, adding that during the war and recently, he attempted to advance attacks on troops and Israeli civilians.
"The terrorist posed a threat to our troops operating in the Gaza Strip and was eliminated in a precise aerial strike," the military added.
And, later, the IDF and Shin Bet announced they had killed the commander of the Yabna Battalion in Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... ’s Rafah Brigade, in a strike on Monday.
Mohammad Fathi Abd al-Hay Abu Fakher had recently been working to recruit new snuffies to the battalion, along with "attempting to restore the battalion’s capabilities in order to attack IDF troops," the military said.
Abu Fakher was a veteran commander in Hamas, previously serving as a senior officer in the terror group’s supply department. The military said that for two decades he was "a central figure in the terrorist organization’s smuggling network," leading efforts to bring weapons into the Gaza Strip.
[IsraelTimes] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told troops in the southern Leb ...The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. Only one of those statements is an exaggeration.... security zone on Tuesday that the military would remain in the area for the foreseeable future, crediting the soldiers’ work for the recent agreement between Israel, Lebanon, and the US that demands Hezbollah’s disarmament to enable an Israeli withdrawal.
"If you identify a threat to your security, to your lives, or to the lives of your soldiers — act. Do not wait. Act. That is an ironclad directive," Netanyahu told troops during the visit, according to a statement from his office. The visit also included Defense Minister Israel Katz and Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Tamir Yadai.
Netanyahu said Israel’s recent military operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah led to the agreement, telling soldiers that, "as a result of your actions here, Lebanon recognizes Israel, Israel recognizes Lebanon," describing them as "two sovereign states that want peace."
"We are telling both 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... and Hezbollah: leave this place. You have no business being here... This is a slap in the face, a punch in the face of the Iranian axis," he said.
The premier reiterated that "we will not leave southern Lebanon until the threat has been eliminated. And as long as Hezbollah remains here, armed and threatening us, we will remain here as well."
Netanyahu hailed military achievements against Hezbollah, calling the terror group "the most important link in the Iranian axis," and saying that after recent rounds of fighting, only 8% of its previous stock of 150,000 missiles and rockets remains, while 9,000 Hezbollah murderous Moslems have been killed.
A framework agreement signed last week committed Lebanon to restoring illusory sovereignty over its territory through the "verified disarmament of non-state gangs," which would in turn enable a progressive Israeli withdrawal. The state of Lebanon, along with Israel and the US, signed the agreement, but Hezbollah and its allies are opposed to it.
On Monday, Defense Minister Katz said Israel has "no territorial ambitions in Lebanon," but that the IDF will not withdraw "a millimeter" until the terror group is disarmed. He also voiced skepticism that the Lebanese army would "suddenly become lions charging at Hezbollah," concluding that the IDF’s presence in Lebanon would be "long-term."
That night, Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike had hit the country’s south, between the towns of Qantara and Deir Seryan. There was no comment from the IDF. The reported incident was inside the security zone and may have been demolition work.
On Tuesday, a Hezbollah operative who was identified near Israeli forces was killed in a strike, the IDF said, reporting that he was spotted near the village of Manzleh, close to the security zone.
"The terrorist’s activities posed a threat to the forces," it continued, adding that he was targeted and killed in a strike to "remove the threat."
UN SAID PUSHING TO MAINTAIN PRESENCE IN LEBANON
The United Nations ...where theory meets practice and practice loses... is pushing to maintain a military presence in southern Lebanon after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expires at the end of the year, Channel 12 reported.
According to the TV network, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, with backing from La Belle France, is pressing the United States and the UN Security Council to approve a successor force comprising some 5,000 troops and 500 observers to monitor southern Lebanon.
The proposal came amid French concerns over the dominant US role in overseeing the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, with Gay Paree sidelined in the negotiations.
Israel opposes any continued UN military presence, arguing that UNIFIL failed to prevent Hezbollah’s military buildup and did not fulfill its mandate, with an official telling the network that the peacekeeping force is "incapable of creating deterrence or reducing escalation during the war."
Some 400,000 Lebanese have returned to parts of southern Lebanon that are outside the security zone after fleeing earlier in the conflict, the country’s social affairs minister said on Tuesday, encouraged by the relative lull.
Since this round of fighting began on March 2, when Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of Iran, around a million people have been forced to flee their homes, and large numbers are still in shelters or temporary housing because their homes are destroyed or uninhabitable, said the minister, Hanine El Sayed.
Roughly 40% of those displaced have now returned to their towns and villages. The number of people staying in collective shelters has fallen sharply, to about 13,000 from 37,000, she said.
Authorities expect further returns in the coming days and hope within about a week to better gauge how many families cannot go back at all.
"In about a week’s time ... we would really know the size of the problem — how many absolutely cannot return because their homes have been totally damaged," she said.
[IsraelTimes] IRGC outlet says ‘anti-government and separatist’ agents were killed in an operation after attack; separately, state TV accuses ‘Zionist-American mercenaries’ of killing couple in their car
Attackers shot dead two members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at their home in the western city of Paveh, near the border with Iraq’s Kurdistan region, state media reported Tuesday.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the shooting. But Tehran has frequently blamed Kurdish separatist groups in the area for previous violence, accusing them of links to the United States and Israel.
The two IRGC members were killed in “a terrorist and cowardly act,” state television said, while two other Guards members were wounded.
State television said that “exact details of this incident and the measures being taken to identify those responsible are under review.”
Sepah news, the official media outlet of the Guards, later said the IRGC had dismantled a team working for “anti-government and separatist groups” that had entered Iran from the northwestern border.
The report included blurred photos showing four bodies of people allegedly killed in the operation.
Separately, “a family’s vehicle was sprayed with bullets” on Monday in the southeastern town of Saravan in Sistan-Baluchistan province, killing the father and wounding the mother, state television reported.
The woman later died of her injuries.
Authorities did not immediately identify those responsible or provide further details about the victims. But state television said the attack “was carried out by Zionist-American mercenaries,” a term Iranian officials commonly use for separatist and militant groups.
Sistan-Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long seen clashes between security forces, insurgents and drug smugglers.
One of Iran’s poorest provinces, it is home to a sizable ethnic Baloch population, most of whom are Sunni Muslims in a Shiite-majority nation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[REGNUM.RU] The United States has completely lifted its naval blockade of Iran. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced this on June 30.
"Yes... You saw that [US President Donald ] Trump announced this, not even 30 days have passed. The US naval blockade against Iran has completely ended. This demonstrates the strength of our actions and diplomacy, which allowed us to achieve conditions that meet Iran's interests," Ghalibaf said on Iranian television, responding to a question on the matter.
According to him, Iranian merchant ships and oil tankers navigate freely and do not encounter any obstacles when passing through the Gulf of Oman.
On the night of June 18, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum remotely ending the military conflict that began in late February. The document sets a timeline for the US side to lift the naval blockade, and for Iran, a timeline for restoring shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The signing of the memorandum marked the beginning of a 60-day period for negotiations on the main agreement. The nuclear issue will be discussed during this phase. Negotiations may be extended if their progress satisfies both parties.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed support for the agreements reached and reiterated Moscow's continued readiness to assist efforts to resolve the crisis. The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that from the very beginning of the unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against Iran, Russia has provided an objective assessment and maintained a responsible and principled position.
Posted by: badanov ||
07/01/2026 00:00 ||
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#1
Tea right, sure...
More likely this is an IRGC attempt to get fresh preys through...
Ansar Al-Furqan is a Sunni Islamist militant organization active in the Sistan and Baluchestan insurgency, as well as Arab separatism in Khuzestan. The group was established in December 2013 by a merger of Harakat al-Ansar and Hizbul-Furqan. The organization is a designated terrorist organization by Iran, Pakistan and China. They hang out with Jaish al-Adl ("Army of Justice" in Arabic, sometimes transliterated as Jaysh al-Adl) appeared in 2012 as a successor to the Salafist Balochi independence group Jundullah (Soldiers of God), which operates on both sides of the Pak-Iranian border but was based in Pakistan.
Armed Clashes Continue Across Rojhelat as Fighting Spreads to Three Provinces
Over the past week, several armed clashes have been reported between Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Eastern Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK) across different parts of Rojhelat… pic.twitter.com/JYbcvC5sxk
Armed Clashes Continue Across Rojhelat as Fighting Spreads to Three Provinces
Over the past week, several armed clashes have been reported between Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Eastern Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK) across different parts of Rojhelat (Iranian Kurdistan). The fighting has taken place in the areas around Marivan (Merîwan), Mahabad (Mehabad), and Paveh (Pawe), pointing to a growing escalation of military confrontations in the region.
According to statements and reports released by the parties involved, the IRGC claimed that four YRK fighters were killed during the recent clashes in the Şarstên area between Mahabad and Piranshahr (Pîranşar). As of the time of publication, the YRK command has neither confirmed nor denied the claim.
Meanwhile, local sources and media outlets close to Kurdish forces have reported that more than 10 Iranian military personnel were killed during the fighting over the past week.
YRK Confirms Death of Four Fighters in Mahabad Clashes, Accuses IRGC of Escalating Attacks
The Eastern Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK) have confirmed that four of their fighters were killed during the recent clashes near Mahabad, while accusing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard… pic.twitter.com/PyJHWc4O4f
YRK Confirms Death of Four Fighters in Mahabad Clashes, Accuses IRGC of Escalating Attacks
The Eastern Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK) have confirmed that four of their fighters were killed during the recent clashes near Mahabad, while accusing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of escalating military operations against its forces and the Kurdish population.
In a statement released, YRK said it had consistently followed its "Third Line" policy during the recent regional conflict involving Iran. The group stated that it did not support any side and had not launched attacks against the Iranian government, even during what it described as one of Iran's most vulnerable periods.
According to the statement, after recent developments, the IRGC and Iranian security agencies significantly increased their military operations against YRK positions and used the situation to target the group's forces.
YRK said the military operation in the Gagesh area near Mahabad began on June 27 and involved a large number of IRGC forces using heavy weapons. The group claimed that the IRGC suffered casualties during the fighting.
More at the link
Kurdish group says four members killed in clashes with IRGC
[Rudaw] An Iranian Kurdish opposition group said on Tuesday that four of its fighters were killed in festivities with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province, threatening to retaliate.
The East Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK), the armed wing of the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), said in a statement that four of its fighters "resisted until the very last drop of their blood and were heroically martyred" during a clash with the IRGC in the suburbs of Mahabad in the Kurdish region of 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... (Rojhelat).
The YRK also said "the IRGC forces suffered casualties... and sustained damages."
The IRGC and the YRK have engaged in sporadic festivities across Baneh, Paveh, and Mahabad - where the Kurdish group maintains mobile forces - since Saturday. Both sides have sustained casualties, with the IRGC confirming the killing of two senior Basij militia members on Monday.
Earlier on Tuesday, the IRGC claimed it killed six members in the "ambush" in Mahabad while seizing the bodies of four, alongside weapons.
The PJAK joined a coalition of Kurdish opposition groups in late February, a week before the United States and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran, sparking a regional conflict that lasted nearly six weeks. The Kurdish umbrella group has called for greater Kurdish rights.
Iran has long labeled the groups "terrorists" and "Kurdish separatists." Its fears were exacerbated during the war, as it believed the groups would incite and stage an armed rebellion in the Kurdish regions.
"We have not taken the side of any power, nor have we launched any attacks against the Iranian regime," the YRK said in Tuesday’s statement, adding that it refrained from any attack "even during Iran’s weakest conditions."
The group also said that Iranian forces have nonetheless "significantly increased their attacks," adding they are "taking advantage of this current situation" to target Kurdish fighters with "cowardly attacks."
The US and Israel launched a major aerial campaign against Iran in late February. Tehran carried out attacks on Iranian Kurdish gangs based in the Kurdistan Region during its response to the war.
Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June to extend the ceasefire they had agreed to earlier in April. Despite fluctuating tensions, Tehran and Washington have not engaged in widescale confrontations since the truce.
Iran’s attacks on Kurdish groups in the Kurdistan Region continue despite the deal with the US.
IRGC says six Kurdish opposition members killed in western Iran [Rudaw] The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that six members of a Kurdish opposition group were killed in festivities with security forces near Mahabad in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province.
The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), one of the main Kurdish opposition groups, said on Saturday that its forces clashed with the IRGC in the Mahabad area on Friday, but did not provide further details.
"Following the entry of a team from hostile and separatist groups into the country’s northwestern borders to carry out sabotage and terrorist acts, fighters from the IRGC Ground Force’s Hamzeh Seyyed al-Shohada Headquarters tracked them through intelligence operations," said semi-official Mehr News Agency ...And if you can't believe Mehr News Agency who can you believe?... The festivities come amid a spike in attacks targeting Iranian security forces in Kurdish areas. Two high-profile members of the IRGC-linked Basij were bumped off on Monday night in Paveh, Kermanshah province.
"The assailants were caught in an ambush by Hamzeh Headquarters forces and were completely dismantled," the Guards said in a statement published by state media.
The IRGC said the clash took place in the mountains between Mahabad and Piranshahr, with artillery support, adding that the six-member team was "completely destroyed." It said the bodies of four members of the group, along with weapons and equipment, were seized by IRGC forces.
State media published photos showing the bodies of three alleged Kurdish fighters dressed in traditional Kurdish baggy clothing, one of whom appeared to be a woman. The images also showed four firearms recovered from the scene, including three AK-47 rifles and one American-made M4 carbine.
PJAK has not confirmed whether any of its fighters were killed in the Mahabad festivities.
The group maintains dozens of mobile units in the rugged mountains of western Iran’s Kurdish areas, where fighters often move between remote positions to avoid direct festivities with the IRGC.
Other Kurdish opposition groups also maintain mobile units in the area.
The Paveh killings marked the third attack on Iranian security forces in the Kurdish region within a week, following separate incidents in Baneh, Kurdistan province, and Mahabad, West Azerbaijan province, that left several security personnel dead or maimed.
Two Kurdish Basij members killed by button men in western Iran
Two Kurdish members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Basij militia, including a local figure widely known for his role in suppressing the 2022 anti-government protests, were rubbed out at their homes by unidentified button men in Paveh, western Iran, late Monday.
The killing marked the third attack targeting Iranian security forces in the Kurdish region within a week, following separate assaults in Baneh, Kurdistan province, and Mahabad, West Azerbaijan province, that left several security personnel dead or maimed.
The two men were identified by the semi-official Mehr News Agency as Khaled Khaledinia and Burhan Karisani.
"Following what the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps described as a terrorist attack in Paveh, armed individuals shot up the front door of the homes of two members of the IRGC, resulting in the deaths of two local IRGC personnel," Mehr reported.
Khaledi was a well-known Basij member in the Kurdish cities of Paveh and Javanrud in Kermanshah province. Kurdish activists and those detained during the protest have accused him of playing a direct role in the crackdown on protests that erupted following the death of young Kurdish woman Zhina (Mahsa) Amini at the hands of Iran's morality police in Tehran in September 2022. The Woman Life Freedom demonstrations began in Kurdish areas before spreading across Iran.
The IRGC and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence have long recruited local Kurds as informants and auxiliary security personnel, offering financial incentives in economically deprived areas, according to Kurdish activists and rights groups.
Local Kurdish media reported that a newly emerged Kurdish group calling itself "Sun of Hope" grabbed credit for the attack. Little is known about the group, which has not publicly disclosed its identity, leadership, or objectives.
The killings come at a sensitive time for authorities in Tehran, who have deployed thousands of additional security personnel across the country, including in Kurdish areas, amid fears of renewed unrest.
The crackdown in the city of Javanrud attracted international attention in late 2022 when the IRGC and its militia basij deployed heavy guns to the city to kill and maim protesters. The city was turned into a war zone during the crackdown with thousands of people detained many of whom were severely tortured.
Paveh and other Kurdish towns were heavily bombed during the six-week US-Israeli air campaign against 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... that began in late February. An IRGC colonel maimed in those strikes died from his injuries last week, prompting a large funeral organized by the force in the city.
Iranian and US mediators are expected to meet today to resolve remaining differences over the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached in mid-June to end the conflict.
Mehr said the relevant authorities are investigating the incident, and intelligence and security efforts are underway to identify and arrest those responsible.
[JAMESTOWN.ORG] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The al-Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State (IS) affiliate Islamic State in Sahel Province (ISSP) are engaged in a widespread fratricidal war. This violent rivalry has expanded from the Sahel region into littoral West African countries.
Both jihadist groups continue to make advances against government forces despite heavy casualties from their infighting. They are increasingly attacking state security forces, besieging key locations, and applying pressure to larger towns.
JNIM recently partnered with Tuareg forces to contest strategic locations in northern Mali, while a new U.S.-Nigerian military campaign may force IS leaders to heavily prioritize the Sahel.
On April 6, Islamic State’s (IS) news agency Amaq released a statement from its Sahel affiliate, Islamic State in Sahel Province (ISSP). In the statement, the group claimed to have killed 35 al-Qaeda-aligned Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) militants in Niger’s western Tillaberi region. ISSP also claimed to have seized more than 30 weapons and 10 motorcycles from JNIM (X/@SimNasr, April 6; Reuters, April 9). Around the same period, JNIM uploaded a video to social media showing the capture and execution of an alleged ISGS member in Kebbi State, Nigeria, hundreds of kilometers south of the Niger battlefield (X/@SimNasr, April 8; Reuters, April 9).
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
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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.
[IsraelTimes] US federal authorities arrest a woman from Upstate New York for allegedly sending funds to Paleostinian 
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
...The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. Only one of those statements is an exaggeration....
...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 
[Rudaw] The 
...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 
