middle-east - INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR JOURNALISM AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

Iraq shuts border with Iran over coronavirus fears

Iraq’s south-eastern province of Maysan decided to close its border with Iran yesterday over fears of the coronavirus spreading into the country. ...

3 men confess to attacking Lebanon journalist

Three bodyguards of former minister Marwan Kheireddine yesterday confessed to the premeditated attack on financial journalist Mohammad Zbeeb. ...

Outgoing Iraqi PM warns he will walk away if successor’s government is not approved soon

Iraq’s outgoing prime minister urged political leaders on Wednesday to quickly approve his designated successor’s cabinet and warned he would walk away from his caretaker post if they do not do so by March 2, according to a report by Reuters. ...

Iran: 2 die after testing positive for coronavirus

Two Iranians have died in hospital after testing positive for the new coronavirus in the holy Shia city of Qom, the head of the city’s University of Medical Sciences told Mehr news agency on Wednesday. ...

UN envoy condemns use of birdshot against Iraqi protesters

The top United Nations envoy to Iraq condemned on Monday the use of hunting rifles loaded with birdshot against peaceful protesters in Baghdad and urged the government to ensure those demonstrating are not harmed, Reuters reports. ...

Hezbollah unveils statue of Soleimani at Israel-Lebanon border

The Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah has unveiled a giant statue of the late General Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian commander assassinated by the US in Baghdad last month. ...

Iran's beleaguered President Rouhani rules out resigning

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday ruled out resigning and vowed to see out his term, even as he admitted he had offered to step aside twice since being elected. ...

Rocket hits Iraqi base hosting US forces

A rocket hit a base in northern Iraq that hosts US forces on Thursday but caused no casualties, Iraqi security sources said to Reuters. ...

Iraq: Army hands security duties over to police in Wasit

The Iraqi army handed security duties over to the Wasit Police Command, Thursday, 13 years after it took over security in the area. ...

UN: 800,000 displaced in Idlib offensive

Over 140,000 Syrians have been displaced in just three days under the government’s offensive against opposition-held areas in the north-west of the country. ...

2 dead in shooting at Lebanon police station in Beirut

Two members of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces (ISF) have died after sustaining injuries during a shooting at the Ouzai police station in Beirut yesterday. ...

Syria war: 'One killed' as US troops clash with government loyalists near Qamishli

A man has reportedly been killed in a rare confrontation in north-eastern Syria between US-led coalition forces and pro-government militia fighters. ...

Lebanon’s government seeks vote of confidence amid violent protests

The Lebanese parliament convened this morning to conduct a confidence vote for the new government, despite attempts by protesters to prevent the assembly from taking place. ...

Syrian army recovers 600 km2 in Idlib and Aleppo

The Syrian army announced in a statement published by SANA that the armed forces advancing from the eastern countryside of Idlib met other advancing troops in the southern direction of Aleppo, and regained control of 600 square kilometres. ...

US forces ‘to start withdrawing from 15 bases in Iraq’

US forces have started to withdraw from 15 bases across Iraq according to a report by Sky News Arabia. ...

Syria regime destroys graves, digs up bodies of opposition fighters

Militias loyal to the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad have been filmed desecrating the graves and exhuming the bodies of opposition fighters and those affiliated with them, in a series of clips circulated on social media over the weekend. ...