Author: Faheem al-Yacoub

Frankfurt, Paris (18/8 – 62.50) Ukraine has scored a series of victories in more than a week since launching a lightning offensive into Russian territory. Now the stakes are rising as its forces prepare to defend their gains and Russia begins to regain its footing. Last week, Ukraine deployed thousands of troops to the Kursk region in western Russia, removing Russian flags from captured towns and taking the initiative from Moscow for the first time in months. On Wednesday, officials in Kyiv said Ukraine would use seized Russian territory as a “buffer zone” to shield its north from Russian strikes.…

Washington/Paris/Berlin (12/8 – 28.57). Today is the twenty-anniversary of the sinking of the Kursk. A painful experience. A true shocker. All hands are lost, the shortcomings of the Russian system fully exposed. But today is another experience. Kursk, the region. After ceremonial pageantry by the military commander, it is clear the great Red Army was ambushed. Hoodwinked by the Ukrainians who pulled off a surprise attack, a classic attack which has all the elements of a successful deception operation. Overwhelming strength, speed and first and foremost silence. Deception played a role keeping the Russian pre-occupied. Daily the news a filled…

After two days of lengthy negotiations in Doha, Hamas has named Yahya Sinwar as its new overall chief, replacing Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated in Tehran last week. Since 2017, Sinwar has served as the group’s leader inside the Gaza strip. He will now become leader of its political wing. The Hamas leadership unanimously chose Sinwar to lead the movement, a senior Hamas official told the BBC. The announcement comes at a moment of soaring tensions in the Middle East, as Iran and its allies threaten retaliation for the killing of Haniyeh, which they blame on Israel. Israel has not…

Today, the leader of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Iratxe García, called for the unity of the European Union to put an end to the spiral of violence in the Middle East and avoid a regional spill over. In a debate during the plenary session in Strasbourg, García committed to Israel’s security after Iran’s unprecedented attack. Referring to Gaza, the S&D leader reiterated the urgency of humanitarian aid in the Strip, and a cease-fire to end the massacre of the Palestinian population, the release of hostages held by Hamas, and negotiations for peace and two states between the…

Prince Rahim Aga Khan, representing the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), recently engaged in asignificant dialogue with Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, underlining their shared commitment toadvancing sustainable development in the country. The meeting, held at the Ala Archa State Residencein Bishkek on March 1, highlighted the importance of collaboration in addressing critical issues such asclimate change, education, economic opportunity, and cultural preservation.President Japarov welcomed Prince Rahim’s visit, acknowledging the AKDN’s longstanding contributionsto Kyrgyzstan’s socio-economic progress. He expressed gratitude for the AKDN’s efforts in improvingliving conditions, particularly in mountainous regions, and invited further partnership in combatingclimate change, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing…

Shafaq News / British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps announced in an interview with The Telegraph that Britain will not join the retaliatory strikes by the US against targets, including Iranian individuals and facilities, inside Iraq and Syria. The minister stated that London aims to avoid a “large-scale regional conflict” and calls on Tehran to control its affiliated forces in Syria and Iraq, as reported by Russia Today. Shapps emphasized that Britain will continue to cooperate with the US “in the war against the Houthis in Yemen to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.” At the same time, he…

The Israeli military says it killed three hostages who were being held in Gaza after they were “mistakenly identified as a threat” in the northern town of Shejaiya. They have been identified as: Yotam Haim, 28, and Alon Shamriz, 26, who were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Samer Talalka, 22, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Am. The bodies have been returned to Israel. The Israeli military says the incident is under investigation. Its statement says that “the IDF expresses deep remorse over the tragic incident and sends the families its heartfelt condolences”. An estimated 240 people were taken…

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, said on Sunday that four of its leaders had been killed since Oct 7, including Ahmed Al-Ghandour, a member of the Military Council and commander of the Northern Brigade, Anadolu Agency reports. “The Al-Qassam Brigades is mourning a group of its heroic leaders, namely Commander Ahmed Al-Ghandour, known as Abu Anas, a member of the Military Council, the commander of the Northern Brigade, and the leaders: Wael Rajab, Raafat Salman, and Ayman Siam,” the group said in a statement. The Al-Qassam Brigades did not provide any information about the dates of their…

The Turkish media has a “big role” in proving the use of white phosphorus by Israel in the Gaza Strip, a French lawyer has said, Anadolu Agency reports. Gilles Devers, the lawyer who advocates Palestinians’ rights at the International Criminal Court (ICC), attended a meeting in the Parisian suburb of Stains on Saturday about the complaint that was filed on Nov. 9 against Israel’s alleged war crimes. He criticized the French officials for their indifference towards what happens in the Middle East and the attacks targeting Palestinian civilians. Devers recalled that the ICC was the only judicial body where Palestine was considered…

Time to Make Hard Choices If devastation is the goal, Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip has been a resounding success. More than two months after Hamas killed over 1,100 people on October 7, Israeli air and ground operations have killed some 20,000 Palestinians, many of them children, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry. Much of Gaza lies in ruins, with the United Nations estimating that almost 20 percent of the territory’s prewar structures have been destroyed. More than half of Gazans are experiencing severe hunger, unemployment has risen to 85 percent, and disease is spreading. But the statements…