Author: Steven Sahiounie

On July 22, two civilians were killed and five others were wounded when militants based in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib shelled the government-held towns of al-Suqaylabiyah, al-Baraka, Nobol Elkhatib and Jurin with artillery and multiple rocket launchers. The three towns are located in the northwestern countryside of Hama. The militants’ rocket and artillery strikes targeted several other government-held towns in the northern Lattakia countryside, the southern Idlib countryside and the western countryside of Aleppo. However, no casualties were reported there. The al-Fateh al-Mubeen Operations Room, which is led by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), claimed responsibility for…

At least four American mercenaries were killed in Ukraine, and two more were captured by Russian forces. US officials said, on Friday night, that two Americans who were fighting in Ukraine died in the war-torn country’s east. A State Department spokesperson said as quoted by ABC News: “We can confirm the recent deaths of two US citizens in the Donbass region of Ukraine.” “We are in touch with the families and providing all possible consular assistance”, he added. At least two other American fighters were killed in Ukraine, and two more were captured by Russian forces. Stephen Zabielski, 52, was killed in May after…

Ukraine and Russia signed a deal Friday to release an estimated 22 million tons of wheat and other crops, allowing Ukrainian grain to be exported, which will be supervised by Turkey and the United Nations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres attended the signing ceremony, with Russia represented by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukraine by the Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, who signed the deal separately with Turkey and the UN. Turkey first announced the tentative deal last week after hosting talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the UN. Under the agreement, Ukrainian vessels would guide ships in…

On July 21, a unit of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) backed by three battle tanks stormed the town of Jubata al-Khashab in the southern Syrian governorate of al-Quneitra. The unit advanced in the outskirts of the town and reached the area of Hursh al-Hurriyah. Some Syrian pro-opposition activists alleged a unit of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) was operating in the area before the Israeli incursion. However, this is yet to be confirmed. Jubata al-Khashab is located within the UN-monitored 235 square kilometer buffer zone in al-Quneitra, which was created under the 1974 separation of forces agreement. This was…

Belarus can formally recognize Donetsk and Lugansk if necessary, President Alexander Lukashenko told AFP Belarus will officially recognize the independence of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk if it becomes necessary, but the absence of a formal recognition isn’t stopping Minsk from helping them, President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday in an exclusive interview with Agence France-Presse. The French agency asked Lukashenko why Belarus, which supports Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, has not recognized the Donetsk People’s Republic and Lugansk People’s Republic as independent states – or Crimea as part of Russia, for that matter. Crimea voted to rejoin…

Budapest wants to purchase an additional 700 million cubic meters of natural gas Hungary needs to buy an extra 700 million cubic meters of natural gas this year to ensure its energy safety and this is “simply impossible” to do without Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday. Speaking in Moscow at a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, the Hungarian minister said that “some may sell empty promises and chase dreams,” but the “physical realities cannot be changed.” “Like it or not,” in his opinion, “it is currently simply impossible to buy this much extra natural gas in…

July 21 was another day of explosions in Ukraine. The Russian Armed Forces once again targeted the concentration of manpower and military equipment, as well as facilities performing military tasks at the time of bombardment. The main shelling of Ukrainian facilities and positions in the past 24 hours occurred in the southern regions. In particular, Ukrainian positions were subjected to another bombardment in the Kherson direction. Russia, anticipating a counterattack by Ukrainian troops, is actively working to destroy available equipment and personnel. Also, local residents observed explosions in Nikolayev. The Russian Armed Forces fired ten missiles at military targets. Eyewitnesses…

According to Maria Zakharova, the Ukrainian attacks on the NPP confirm Kiev’s goal to create conditions for a nuclear catastrophe for all of Europe Russia has sent an appeal to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the Ukrainian army’s attacks on the Zaporozhye NPP and is awaiting its reaction, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday. “We have already addressed the leadership of the IAEA’s Secretariat over this incident and are expecting the appropriate reaction on the part of the agency,” she said. According to the diplomat, the Ukrainian attacks on the NPP confirm…

Occupied Jerusalem, SANA-A number of Palestinians were injured Thursday and others were arrested as the Israeli occupation troops stormed different areas in the West Bank. Wafa News Agency stated that the occupation troops stormed several neighborhoods in cities of Jenin and al-Bireh amid opening fire and toxic gas canisters as two young men were injured and others suffered suffocation, while three Palestinians were arrested. The occupation troops also stormed the towns of al Yamoun in Jenin, Bir Zeit and Deir Abu Mishaal in Ramallah and Huwara in Nablus and arrested eleven Palestinians. Source: SANA

Liz Truss will face UK ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak in the final round of the race to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Thursday came out against the direct involvement of British troops in the Ukrainian conflict. The politician, who reached the final round of the race for the post of the Conservative Party leader and the prime minister, told the BBC: “We are doing all we can to support Ukraine. We’ve led the international coalition on sending weapons, we’re putting the sanctions in place, but I do not support the direct…