Russia ‘pounding IS’ in Syria
Craig TaylorRussia intensifies its air raids on what it calls “terrorist” targets in Syria and raises to 69 the number of its aircraft there. BBC News – Middle East
Middle East
Assad rejects Syria transition deadline
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad says a political process to end the country’s bloody civil war cannot begin while it is occupied by “terrorists”. BBC News – Middle East
Paris attacks ‘wake-up call to West’
The head of security in Iraqi Kurdistan says he hopes last Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris will act as a wake-up call to Western powers. BBC News – Middle East
US-led strike ‘destroys IS oil trucks’
US-led air strikes destroyed 116 fuel trucks operated by so-called Islamic State (IS) in eastern Syria on one day, US defence officials say. BBC News – Middle East
Iraqi town of Sinjar ‘liberated’ from IS
Kurdish forces have “liberated” the strategic northern Iraqi town of Sinjar, held by IS militants since last year, Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani says. BBC News – Middle East
US believes strike killed ‘Jihadi John’
A Pentagon spokesman says the US is “reasonably certain” that a drone strike in Syria killed the Islamic State militant known as Jihadi John. BBC News – Middle East