[IsraelTimes] Libya’s National Oil Corporation says that a drone fell near a main oil tank and pipeline network at the Zawiya Oil Refining Company’s oil blending plant, the third such attack in two days.
No casualties or damage were reported, NOC says, adding it could declare force majeure and completely halt refinery operations if the attacks continue.
[JPost] So...natural causes?
The head of military intelligence for eastern Libya's Libyan National Army was killed on Monday when an explosive device detonated in his car outside his home in the Hawari area of Benghazi, two security sources told Reuters.
Brigadier Fowzi Mansouri was killed in the evening blast, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. They did not say who was responsible for the attack or provide further details on the device.
The killing highlights continuing security challenges in Libya, where rival administrations and armed groups have retained influence despite a 2020 ceasefire that halted major warfare. Libya split in 2014 between rival eastern and western factions after a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi.
Two days ago I asked about the current situation there. This is the start of an answer.
The Libyan National Army, led by military commander Khalifa Haftar, controls much of eastern and southern Libya. It is aligned with authorities based in Benghazi, while the internationally recognized Government of National Unity is based in the capital Tripoli and controls much of the west.
LIBYA'S CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR SUBMITS RESIGNATION, DOCUMENTS SHOW
The governor of Libya's Central Bank (CBL), Naji Issa, has submitted his resignation to the country's rival legislative chambers, according to two documents seen by Reuters on Monday.
In the documents, whose authenticity was confirmed by Issa, he said he could not continue in his post, but did not explain why, citing the sensitivity of the reasons.
Issa said in the documents addressed to the heads of the two rival chambers that he could not continue in his post.
"I apologize for not being able to continue in my duties as Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, without stating the reasons, due to their sensitivity," the two documents read.
Issa confirmed the authenticity of the letters in a message to Reuters, declining to reveal more about the reasons behind his decision.
The two documents are dated August 9.
The two legislative chambers are the eastern-based House of Representatives that was elected in 2014 and the High Council of State in the west, which was formed as part of a 2015 political agreement and whose members were drawn from a parliament elected in 2012.
Libya has been divided since 2014 into rival authorities in the west and east that emerged from the chaos following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.
The two chambers have not yet responded to Issa's request.
Issa took up the post in 2024 when the two legislative chambers agreed his appointment as a way to end a standoff over control of the CBL that led to the ousting of former governor Sadiq al-Kabir.
The standoff was triggered when western factions moved in August 2024 to oust Kabir and replace him with a rival board, leading eastern factions to shut down all oil production. The move sharply reduced Libya's oil output and exports during the crisis.
[PJMedia] A mob of Moslems violent mostly peacefully attacked a Coptic Christian prayer house and injured multiple parishioners. Guess whom the Moslem police arrested after the incident. Hint: it certainly wasn’t the Islamic domestic terrorists.
The Moslem mob damaged parish priest Fr. Pavlos Kamal’s car while also injuring the parishioners. European news outlet Visegrád 24 reported that police refused to release the victims they arrested until they (authorities) had pressured the victims into withdrawing their complaints against the Islamic domestic terrorists. In other words, Moslem law enforcement was completely on the side of the assailants. There was no justice against the assailants and no justice for the victims. Authorities believed the murderous Moslems were in the right.
Four Coptic Christians in Egypt were arrested by police after a Muslim mob attacked their prayer house in Tal Al-Quiblya, south of Cairo.
The attackers stoned the building while shouting sectarian abuse, injuring several Christians and damaging the car of parish priest Fr. Pavlos Kamal.
The four Coptic parishioners were released only after withdrawing their complaints against the assailants.
Egypt consistently ranks as one of the world's worst countries for Christian persecution.
Visegrád 24 added, "Egypt consistently ranks as one of the world's worst countries for Christian persecution." Egypt has a form of sharia law, and of course Islamic sacred texts endorse and command the rape, torture, and killing of non-Moslems, including Christians. So in the eyes of Egyptian authorities, the Moslems who assault Christians are honoring and obeying Allah.
This persecution is the reality for Christians in dozens of Moslem countries, however. Nigeria, Sudan ...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans... , DRC, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Somalia, Saudi Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start... , Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... , Gazoo, Leb, Syria—the list could go on and on. And this is something that American politicians who make deals with these Islamic dictatorships should acknowledge and address.
Syrian jihad dictator al-Sharaa (al-Golani) might wear a suit, but he is guilty of genocide against Christians. The Lebanese government might pretend it wants peace, but it has Hezbollah murderous Moslems in its ranks and has all but wiped out the country’s Christian population.
Nigeria, of course, has a particularly heinous situation facin Christians, with tens of thousands of victims in over a decade of genocidal Islamic violence. As the deadliest nation in the world for Christians, Nigeria has massacres every week.
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Samuel Oyetoro, has been found murdered in Kogi State, Nigeria, after being attacked with a machete.
The priest's body was discovered by the roadside with severe machete wounds to the head. He served at St. Paul's Parish.
🇲🇱 Mali : le JNIM affirme avoir pris la base militaire de San
Le JNIM affirme avoir tué des dizaines de soldats maliens et pris le contrôle total de la base militaire de San, dans la région de Ségou, lors de l’attaque du 9 août 2026. Le groupe affirme également avoir détruit… https://t.co/ZcpEF1CcF8pic.twitter.com/pgpqEwV8W3
🇲🇱 Mali: JNIM claims to have seized the San military base
The JNIM claims to have killed dozens of Malian soldiers and taken full control of the San military base in the Ségou region during the attack on August 9, 2026. The group also claims to have destroyed several vehicles and recovered 3 military vehicles, as well as weapons and ammunition.
According to the JNIM, the spoils include, among other things, 4 heavy machine guns of 12.7 mm caliber, 1 14.5 mm weapon, 1 RPG-7 rocket launcher, 4 PKM, and 7 AK-47 rifles.
[Jpost] A 16-year-old Italian boy has been arrested for association with ISIS and for possessing "neo-Nazi ...adherents of a philosophy that was seen even at the time as pure evil, which makes them either consciously purely evil, or attention-seeking ratbags. Pick one, or both.... and antisemitic content," Italian Police announced.
The teenager, from the province of Como, was arrested in Grosseto, where he was on vacation with his family, on charges of participation in an association with the aim of international terrorism, as well as propaganda and incitement to commit crimes motivated by racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination.
The investigation was conducted by officers from the General Investigations and Special Operations Division anti-terrorism section in Milan (DIGOS), with the cooperation of the Como DIGOS and the Service for Combating Extremism and External Terrorism of the Central Directorate of the Prevention Police.
This was done in coordination with the Milan Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation began following a report from AISI (the Internal Intelligence and Security Agency) concerning a user who disseminated jihadist propaganda material linked to the terrorist organization ISIS through several profiles on a messaging platform.
Further investigation enabled police to trace those profiles back to the boy, who had previously never been flagged for associations with radical circles.
An unusual case of a minor with no previous turban ties, with evidence that the teen allegedly expressed support for ISIS
This arrest therefore marks an unusual case of a minor with no previous turban ties being detained for offenses related to international terrorism.
A subsequent personal and digital search by DIGOS revealed a large amount of material on 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.... translated into different languages, propaganda videos, and images on training sessions, executions, and content of a supremacist, neo-Nazi, antisemitic nature.
They also found videos and conversations in which the teenager allegedly expressed his support for ISIS and stated that he had previously helped produce propaganda material for the terrorist organization.
A video in Russian was also found containing instructions on how to make an improvised bomb using easily available materials.
"Another well-mannered and perfectly integrated ’Italian’ boy of foreign origin," said Deputy PM Matteo Salvini. "Ready to build bombs in the name of Islamist terrorism..."
The police did not publicly mention the boy’s ethnicity.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
08/11/2026 2026-08-11 01:43 ||
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#2
Pure evil. Lock all of them up and throw away the key.
Sounded like these were old-fashioned pamphlets but it's online. These people out themselves all the time and now that we have the encryption keys to Telegram we can see right into their private messages. Not in America so no freedom speech that Jew-haters always claim. Straight to jail, assholes.
#3
Different countries have different laws defining what may and may not be said. But even where praising Nazis or threatening Jews is illegal, most instances are ignored rather than punished.
[Ynet] After warnings from the Foreign and Diaspora ministries about high-risk hot spots, only hundreds participated in the main demonstration in Athens, others were attended by far fewer - and all ended without any unusual incidents
The ominously billed Paleostinian solidarity "Day of Rage" in Greece ended Sunday night with little impact. At the main protest against Israel in Athens’ Syntagma Square, only a few hundred people showed up.
Throughout the day, dozens of pro-Paleostinian rallies were held across the country, but most drew only a handful of participants, and others just a few dozen. No unusual incidents were reported.
The BDS movement in Greece is expected to claim "victory," saying the protests reflected the spirit of the Greek people; but, despite the effort, tens of thousands of Israeli tourists are still expected to visit. The movement’s biggest achievement was the publicity it gained, largely because of official government warnings.
Authorities had prepared for possible attacks on Israelis and set up security chains, though they were ultimately not needed.
The strong ties between Israel and Greece were also visible in Cyprus, where Israel’s national basketball team defeated Greece in a warmup match ahead of the European Championship. The left-wing Syriza party had urged Greece’s team to boycott the game, saying that participation "would send the wrong message, given the humanitarian crisis 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... and recent actions by the Israeli government. Israeli sports teams should be boycotted, just as sanctions were placed on Russia."
"In a time when thousands are dying of hunger in Gaza, Netanyahu is articulating a goal of ethnic cleansing, country after country condemns the policy of genocide, and Paleostinian athletes are being killed before the world’s eyes — the right choice is not to play," the party said.
But the initiative failed, and Greece went ahead with the game — and lost.
[FoxNews] The president said he is 'Number 1' on Iran's target list after being smuggled off Air Force One in Turkey
President Donald Trump secretly boarded a third, smaller U.S. military aircraft using an airport catering truck as cover to depart the NATO summit in Turkey in July while using an older Air Force One jet as a decoy, according to reports.
Citing an official and other material it reviewed, The Washington Post reported that the undercover maneuver took place at Ankara airport amid a credible Iranian threat against the president.
Trump had arrived in the Turkish capital on July 8 aboard a brand-new Boeing 747-8, an aircraft donated by Qatar.
Following U.S. military strikes against Iranian targets earlier in the summer, intelligence officials identified a specific threat from Iran targeting the president's movements.
To counter the threat, U.S. security officials executed a ruse on the Turkish tarmac, according to the outlet.
Trump walked up the stairs of the legacy blue-and-white Boeing 747 — the older Air Force One — and waved to news cameras before entering the cabin.
Minutes later, Trump and a small team of aides were said to have stepped out of view into an airport catering truck that had been lifted to an exit door on the far side of the plane.
The truck lowered to ground level and drove across the tarmac to a nearby Air Force C-32A, a modified Boeing 757.
Meanwhile, the media and White House staff boarded the older 747, believing Trump was inside.
Reporters were then instructed to close their window shades for takeoff, and the jet took off as a decoy, according to the Washington Post.
The legacy jet initially appeared on radar without a call sign before taking the ‘AF1’ call sign midflight, despite Trump not being aboard, according to flight-tracking data reviewed by the outlet.
Trump then flew in secrecy aboard the smaller C-32A to RAF Mildenhall in England, landing shortly before the decoy jet.
It is unclear how Trump transferred from the C-32A to the legacy Air Force One after landing in the U.K.
At about 10:56 p.m., he appeared before TV cameras and descended the legacy aircraft’s external stairs, according to a media pool report.
Trump boarded the new Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8 for the return flight to Washington at about 11:01 p.m. Staff and reporters also transferred from the legacy aircraft before departing.
Reporters asked the president about why the window shades were ordered down in Turkey. Trump told them: "You're probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with."
The president added that he faces threats constantly and is "Number One" on Iran's target list.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
08/11/2026 00:12 ||
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[330 views]
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[Jpost] The Toronto Police Service announced the arrests of two additional individuals in connection with a hate propaganda investigation stemming from a pro-Paleostinian protest earlier this year.
Both suspects face charges of willful promotion of hatred and public incitement of hatred. The latest enforcement action brings the total number of people charged in the ongoing investigation to eight.
According to police, the investigation traces back to a weekly protest on March 15, when pro-Paleostinian protesters and pro-Israel counter-protesters gathered at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West.
Investigators allege that earlier that morning, the accused individuals visited a storage locker to retrieve antisemitic signs.
Later that afternoon, they allegedly joined other protesters at the intersection, displaying the signs in full view of the public and a group of pro-Israel protesters situated across the street. Police stated that the individuals marched toward the Israel supporters while shouting derogatory slurs.
Members of the Hate Crime Unit executed a search warrant in Toronto, locating and arresting two suspects on Friday. Daniela Bonamico, 40, of Toronto, and Shahram Nayeb-Yazdi, 63, of Toronto, were each charged with wilful promotion of hatred and public incitement of hatred.
The arrests follow a series of charges previously announced by authorities. In April, Muhammad Anas Sial, 33, of Toronto, was charged with public incitement of hatred and wilful promotion of hatred. Subsequently, in June, Hosaam Hemdan, 19, Omer Turcan, 43, Yasaf Skaikh, 46, Hasan Aydin, 47, all of Toronto, and Syed Hussaini, 43, of Whitby, were arrested and faced identical charges, with Hemdan, Turcan, and Hussaini also receiving additional counts of disguise with intent.
Police noted that the suspects were scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre on Saturday.
JEWISH GROUPS DEMAND ENFORCEMENT OF CANADIAN HATE PROPAGANDA LAWS
Following the March rally, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), B’nai Brith Canada, and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto condemned the rhetoric and sent a joint letter to Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw demanding immediate enforcement of Canada’s hate propaganda laws.
CIJA released a statement on social media today, saying, "Following a March 15 hateful protest targeting Toronto’s Jewish community — with propaganda and signs evoking the Nazi era — we joined @UJAFederation, @BnaiBrithCanada and thousands of Canadians in demanding that authorities take a tougher stand."
The advocacy group welcomed the update, stating: "We welcome the Toronto Police’s announcement that two more gunnies have been arrested and charged with wilful promotion of hatred and public incitement of hatred, bringing the total number charged to eight."
CIJA stressed that "There must be consequences for promoting hatred — whether at home or abroad. We call on Foreign Minister @AnitaAnandMP and Global Affairs Canada (@CanadaFP) to explain what steps are being taken to ensure that murderous Moslems, including hate-criminals, do not export their vitriol beyond Canada’s borders."
CIJA urged government leaders and authorities to "hold criminals accountable. And our politicians must ensure their words and actions do not embolden gunnies who demonize Israel and contribute to an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish Canadians."
[Rudaw] Iraqi military destroyed eight hideouts of 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.... (ISIS) sleeper cells during a series of Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s in Kirkuk province on Monday amid increased operations to clear the country of the group’s remnants.
"Several concentrated airstrikes were carried out against the terrorists' locations using Cessna Caravan aircraft," the Iraqi Security Media Cell (SMC) announced in a statement, noting that "these missions resulted in the complete destruction of 8 hideouts."
It also added that the strikes followed "precise reconnaissance" based on "precise and confirmed intelligence received by the Military Intelligence Directorate indicating the presence of remnants of ISIS terrorist gangs within the sector of responsibility of the 11th Division in the Kirkuk Operations Command."
The SMC stated that security forces will continue operations to maintain stability and protect citizens, describing the mission as a commitment to national security.
In early July, an Iraqi military officer was killed during festivities with ISIS in Kirkuk province, prompting increased airstrikes targeting the group’s hideouts using F-16 fighter jets, helicopters and Cessna Caravan aircraft.
Earlier this month, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (ICTS) forces carried out a large-scale security sweep in Nineveh province, destroying a cache of deteriorated munitions uncovered during an intelligence-led operation aimed at preventing ISIS remnants from regrouping.
The ICTS said forces found damaged military materials, including rockets of various types, landmines, mortar rounds, and improvised bombs (IEDs). The explosives were safely treated and destroyed at the site without incident.
The latest operation comes as Iraqi and Kurdistan Region security forces continue intelligence-led operations against ISIS sleeper cells, particularly in provinces that were once strongholds of the krazed killer group.
[Rudaw] Some six million firearms have been registered in Iraq as a government-set deadline for registration approaches in the coming months, Baghdad's interior ministry reported Monday, further announcing the closure of more than 70 "fake headquarters" operating under the name of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as part of the government's broader push to bring gangs under state control.
An interior ministry committee tasked with "regulating weapons, preventing armed displays, achieving security and development, and protecting economic prosperity" revealed that its database has registered "six million weapons across the country," ministry spokesperson Major General Miqdad Miri said at a briefing in Baghdad.
Miri added that the committee has also "shut down 71 fake headquarters claiming affiliation with the Popular Mobilization Forces [PMF]," in addition to "119 weapons shops and shops with expired licenses."
For its part, the PMF announced Monday that "the fake headquarters" in reference "have no connection whatsoever to the organization," pointing to efforts including "legal and administrative measures against anyone who attempts to impersonate the organization or exploit its name in any form whatsoever."
Iraq continues to face a widespread proliferation of unlicensed weapons, with an estimated eight million firearms believed to be in circulation. Successive governments have sought to curb their spread and impose tighter control over arms possession to combat recurring violence stemming from criminal activity and tribal conflict.
Regarding the registration period, Miri reaffirmed that "the current registration period, unless extended, runs until December 31," urging the public to comply with the free registration process.
"Should the scheduled period end without an extension, any unregistered weapon will be treated as illegal, and legal measures will be taken against it accordingly," he warned.
Of note, the ministry has established 845 registration offices across all Iraqi provinces with more than 600 tribal sheikhs opening their guesthouses to assist with the effort.
Moreover, Miri addressed the issue of unmanned aerial vehicles in the country, emphasizing that "any drone that is not registered and does not operate under official, normal, and natural conditions is treated as terrorism."
During the ongoing campaign, authorities have seized 49 drones and confiscated 21,224 weapons from private security companies, he explained.
#5
Heh. That's why I used the term 'slouching'. What rough beasts slouch toward Bethlehem (to be born)? Jihadis, to my mind, attracted to the Jews of Israel, to be 'martyred' and be reborn with their houris. Boggling. Not fond of Didion.
The 82nd held monthly guest lectures for the brigades, most often with excellent lecturers. ~90% of the troops slept through them; I can't blame them, we were all exhausted. But I could not sleep; I was caught up by these people with great command of their topics. I learned a lot. Interesting times.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
08/11/2026 17:18 Comments ||
Top||
#6
Slouching toward the light?
Did someone say "slouching? ... And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
-- The Second Coming, William Butler Yeats
Turning well-armed, mutually hostile tribes into a nation state will be a good trick. I doubt Iraq can do it.
[IsraelTimes] Despite PM rejecting Board of Peace road map and IDF chief vowing to act ‘proactively’ against Hamas, a Munich-style revenge campaign has seemingly been placed on hold since the start of the month
On Wednesday, a Paleostinian terrorist who invaded Israel during the October 7, 2023, onslaught was captured by Israeli troops at a crossing with the 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... Strip.
The member of Hamas ..a regional Iranian catspaw,... ’s elite Nukhba Force had requested a permit to deliver private sector goods inside the Strip and was granted one by the Shin Bet security agency, according to Israeli security sources.
Upon arriving at the Gazook side of the Kerem Shalom Crossing in a truck to collect the goods, he was apprehended by Israeli troops, the sources said.
Up until last week, it is possible that the truck driver would not have been captured.
Instead, he would have likely been targeted with deadly firepower, as part of a special operation led by the military and Shin Bet to hunt down and kill every Paleostinian terrorist involved in the October 7, 2023, invasion and massacre.
As reported last month by The Times of Israel, and confirmed on Saturday night, the IDF and Shin Bet have devoted significant time and resources to eliminating the bandidoshard boyz who took part in the October 7 atrocities, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
Officers of a special joint IDF-Shin Bet unit, dubbed Nili, have painstakingly worked over the last three years to identify, find and eliminate the thousands of Gazooks allegedly involved in the atrocities.
It has built its list of names of Gazooks who invaded Israeli territory by using a plethora of video and photographic evidence of the attack, much of it captured by the bandidoshard boyz themselves, and running the footage through facial recognition software. Also on the list are all Hamas leaders involved in orchestrating the massacre, according to Israeli officials.
Of the estimated 5,000 bandidoshard boyz who planned or participated in the October 7 attack and its aftermath, including those who may have remained in Gaza but helped hold hostages, around 2,800 have been confirmed by the military to have been killed. That number is largely made up of bandidoshard boyz killed during the onslaught and others targeted in the Strip amid the war.
Another 300 alleged perpetrators have been captured by Israel and await judgment by special military tribunals, which have yet to be set up.
Israeli officials have invoked the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics as a precedent for the retribution campaign against the October 7 terrorists, pointing to the years-long and largely unsuccessful Mosssd ...sees all, knows all, gets 'em all in the end... -led effort to track down and eliminate anyone linked to the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes during the Games.
In the past few months, the IDF and Shin Bet appeared to have stepped up the large-scale retribution campaign, The Times of Israel reported last month. Though the sides were technically in a ceasefire, Israel appears to have justified the strikes by portraying them as defensive measures against bandidoshard boyz who posed a threat to troops, meaning the IDF was permitted to act against them during the pause in fighting.
The strikes continued following the article’s publication, but stopped abruptly at the start of the month.
On Tuesday, Israeli security sources said the military had recently tightened its policy for "targeted elimination" strikes — as opposed to strikes against immediate threats — in the Gaza Strip.
Such strikes now require prior approval from IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, while they had previously required only the approval of IDF Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor or various division commanders operating in the Strip.
Since the order was issued, there do not appear to have been any liquidations of October 7 terrorists.
The last deadly Israeli attack in Gaza took place in the evening of August 3, with two reported dead after a strike hit a car in Gaza City’s Sheikh Ijlin neighborhood. Two days earlier, 19 people were reported killed in strikes in Gaza City.
The pause in attacks in Gaza came after the US-led Board of Peace published a roadmap for the disarmament of Hamas that called on Israel to halt strikes in the Strip.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel rejected the plan, but as of several hours after he spoke, Israeli strikes in the Strip had yet to resume.
Touring the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Zamir said that the army would continue to "operate proactively" against Hamas and "systematically" hit the terror group.
"We have significantly weakened [Hamas] and changed the security reality," Zamir said, according to remarks provided by the army. "We will not allow a threat to emerge on our borders as we experienced on October 7."
Despite his words, though, Israel’s guns remain silenced in Gaza.
نیروهای ترکیه ای روز یکشنبه از روستای جولبور در حومه شهر عفرین، واقع در شمال غربی سوریه، عقبنشینی کردند. این عقبنشینی پس از گذشت بیش از هشت سال از کنترل این منطقه توسط نیروهای ترکیه ای صورت گرفت، در طول این مدت، روستا به عنوان یک پایگاه… pic.twitter.com/YR35llKEgv
Turkish forces withdrew from the village of Julbur in the outskirts of Afrin city, located in northwestern Syria, on Sunday. This withdrawal came after more than eight years of control over the area by Turkish forces, during which time the village was used as a military base and residents were not allowed to return to their homes.
After the withdrawal, vehicles belonging to the internal security forces of the Syrian interim government entered the village and began search and inspection operations to identify mines and unexploded remnants of war, as well as to assess the safety of the area.
The village of Julbur has more than 110 homes, many of which have been damaged or destroyed over the years due to bombings and military operations. The village had become a front-line area and was repeatedly bombed, leading to extensive damage to residential buildings and private property.
[NorthPress] Seized narcotics and ammunition in western Aleppo countryside.
Syria’s Anti-Narcotics Department arrested two people on Monday for allegedly trafficking large quantities of narcotics in Kafr Karmine town in the Atarib area, west of Aleppo.
The department said in official social media posts that the operation led to the seizure of about 13 kilograms of hashish, 500 Captagon pills and 20 boxes of assorted ammunition following security and field investigations.
It added that legal procedures were taken against the suspects in preparation for referring them to the judiciary.
[Rudaw] The first convoy of Kurdish displaced families left Washokani camp in Hasaka for Sari Kani in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Monday, marking the start of a process to end seven years of displacement.
"After 7 years of misery in these camps, reaching this day was a dream. We hope the file of the displaced will be completely closed, the camps will be eliminated, and everyone will return to their homelands to start a new life," Jwan Issa, a member of the Sari Kani internally displaced persons (IDP) committee, told Rudaw’s Viviyan Fetah.
The Kurdish-majority city of Sari Kani, also known in Arabic as Ras al-Ain, and its surrounding areas fell under the control of the Ottoman Turkish army and Syrian armed opposition groups following an October 2019 military offensive that displaced tens of thousands of Kurdish, Arab, and other residents into camps like nearby Washokani.
The current return process stems from a January 29 landmark agreement reached between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian interim government wich followed weeks of intense fighting. The deal established a permanent ceasefire and set out the gradual integration of military, security, and civil administrative institutions in Rojava into the Syrian state.
It also outlined measures to facilitate the safe return of displaced people to their hometowns.
One of the displaced residents preparing to return to Sari Kani spoke to Rudaw with tears in their eyes, describing the journey home as a deeply emotional moment.
"I feel as if I have been born again," they said. "The day we left Sari Kani was a black day, but today is a white day for us. People have longed to return to that sacred land. I even saw a picture of a child who was born far from their homeland saying they wanted to return and see the soil of Sari Kani, because the pain of Sari Kani has remained in their heart."
However,
you can observe a lot just by watching... others expressed concern over housing after their homes were occupied for seven years. Issa said the committee is working to address the issue.
"Through the committee that has been formed, we are in constant contact. I am confident that in the near future, the houses will be completely evacuated, and those who came after 2019 will be expelled," Issa said, noting that "in the near future, the houses will be completely evacuated."
Out of 647 registered families, 410 began their journey on Monday, while the rest are scheduled for future convoys due to health problems and education affiars of their children.
The Syrian transitional government is providing $10,000 to each returning family for home renovations, an increase from the initially planned $1,000 following local protests, and is covering all transportation costs.
Rojava Internal Security Forces and General Security forces of the Syrian government are escorting the convoy to the city center and surrounding villages to ensure the safety of the returnees. Local officials confirmed that the process of expelling individuals who settled in the empty homes after 2019 has already begun.
[Rudaw] Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi on Monday condemned attacks on the first convoy of displaced residents returning to Sare Kani (Ras al-Ain), calling for accountability amid assurances that authorities in northeast Syria (Rojava) are coordinating with Damascus to facilitate safe returns.
"We condemn the attack on displaced Kurdish families returning to Sare Kani (Ras al-Ain), which was carried out in coordination with the Syrian state,” Abdi said in a post on X, calling on “the Kurdish street” to “exercise self-restraint, refrain from being drawn into any irresponsible acts, and safeguard our civil and security institutions” while acknowledging their “angry reactions.”
Displaced in 2019 after a Turkish invasion, the first convoy carrying around 400 families of Kurdish families who sought refuge in the Kurdish-majority Hasaka province returned to their homes in Sare Kani. However, they faced violence from a group of Arab settlers in the town.
Footage obtained by Rudaw shows armed men on motorcycles surrounding a vehicle carrying the Kurdish IDPs, attacking the car with AK-47 rifle butts, sticks, and stones.
The incident was followed by a strong reaction in Hasaka, where Kurdish residents stormed the headquarters of the Syrian General Security forces and took down the Syrian flag.
The SDF chief said they are working with “the relevant authorities to ensure the protection of returning displaced civilians and to hold accountable anyone proven to be involved in acts of aggression, in a manner that guarantees the rights of all and preserves the security and stability of the region."
Separately, Sipan Hemo, the SDF-appointed deputy defense minister, said the attack on the IDP convoy was carried out by “a number of saboteurs.”
"The state and relevant authorities will pursue those involved and take the necessary legal measures against them," Hemo added, urging people to “remain calm” and affirming that "no one can prevent the [indigenous] residents from returning to their cities and towns” as their right to return to their homeland is protected."
Sare Kani, a Kurdish-majority town, fell to Turkey and its Syrian proxies in 2019 following an extensive military campaign that forced Kurdish forces to withdraw. An estimated 200,000 residents were displaced to other Kurdish-held areas in Rojava following the takeover.
Properties belonging to displaced Kurdish families in Sare Kani were subsequently seized by Arab settlers and armed factions deployed in the city, with some settlers refusing to relinquish the properties and others demanding significant sums of money.
The return of Kurdish IDPs is outlined in the seventh clause of the January agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
While the final batch of Afrin IDPs returned to their homes in mid-July, the return process in Sare Kani had been delayed. Abdullah al-Jash'am, the chief Damascus-appointed administrator of the town, told Rudaw in late July that the returns depended "on reopening roads and clearing landmines."
"The Syrian defense ministry has been working for over a month to remove mines in the area," Jash'am noted at the time, adding that the territory was "heavily mined and very dangerous."
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.
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
...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 
...
...sees all, knows all, gets 'em all in the end...
