6 killed by armed tribesmen in Darfur

Camp in Sortoni attacked by gunmen on camels and pickup trucks, claiming lives of 6 including 2 children.

Cattle rustling is a frequent source of conflict in Darfur DARFUR - An attack by armed tribesmen near a makeshift camp for displaced people in Sudan's conflict-hit Darfur region killed six civilians, including two children, a resident and a UN official said Tuesday. A peacekeeper from the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur was also wounded in the Monday attack near the makeshift camp in Sortoni in North Darfur where tens of thousands of people have taken refuge from an upsurge in fighting this year between the army and ethnic minority rebels. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Marta Ruedas, "condemns the reported shooting and killing of six civilians, including two children, by armed local tribes in Sortoni," a statement said. A resident of the makeshift camp told AFP that gunmen riding camels and pick-up trucks had launched two attacks with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the attack followed a "reported rise in tensions between displaced people and armed tribesmen over cattle raiding". Cattle rustling is a frequent source of conflict in Darfur. Last month, as many as 20 people were killed in clashes between two rival Arab tribes in East Darfur that were sparked by the theft of livestock. Darfur has been gripped by conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority rebels rose up against President Omar al-Bashir, complaining that his Arab-dominated government was marginalising the region. Bashir launched a brutal counter-insurgency and at least 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, the United Nations says. Another 2.5 million people have fled their homes. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges related to Darfur, which he denies. Since 2003, parts of Darfur have been further destabilised by conflicts between the region's myriad of ethnic and tribal groups, as well as rising criminality.

US airstrike kills ISIS senior leader in Iraq’s Anbar province

Pentagon spokesman says May 6 strike near town of Rutba targeted Abu Wahib, ISIS's ‘military emir’ for vast western province.

Latest in series of attacks on senior ISIS leaders WASHINGTON - A US-led coalition air strike has killed a senior Islamic State leader in Iraq's Anbar province, along with three other ISIS jihadists, the Pentagon said Monday. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the May 6 strike near the town of Rutba -- deep in the Anbar desert -- targeted Abu Wahib, ISIS's "military emir" for the vast western province. Wahib was "a former member of Al-Qaeda in Iraq who has appeared in ISIL execution videos," Cook said, using an acronym for the ISIS group. "We view him as a significant leader in ISIL leadership overall, not just in Anbar Province," he added. "Removing him from the battlefield will be a significant step forward." The men were traveling in a vehicle when they were hit. Cook provided no additional details and did not specify if a warplane or a drone had carried out the strike. The killing of Wahib is the latest in a series of attacks on senior ISIS leaders in Iraq and Syria, where the jihadists still control huge tracts of land despite an intense US-led air campaign dating back to August 2014. Some other recent targets include Suleiman Abd Shabib al-Jabouri, an "ISIL war council member," Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli -- the IS group's second-in-command also known as Haji Imam -- and Omar al-Shishani, the man known as "Omar the Chechen," who was effectively ISIS's defense minister. In February, US special operations forces captured Sulayman Dawud al-Bakkar, also known as Abu Dawud, who was described as a chemical weapons expert. "Since the start of 2015, we've targeted and killed more than 40 high-value ISIL and Al-Qaeda external attack plotters. We have removed cell leaders, facilitators, planners and recruiters," Baghdad-based military spokesman Colonel Steve Warren wrote online last week. Despite many significant coalition gains against the ISIS group, the jihadists still control the key cities of Raqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq, and assaults to recapture the towns are not expected for months.

Tunisians rally against closure of border with Libya

Around 1,000 people protest outside local government offices, against Libyan decision to close Ras Jedir border crossing.

Ras Jedir is the main frontier between western Libya and southeastern Tunisia BEN GUERDANE - Tunisian security forces used tear gas on Monday against hundreds of people in the southern town of Ben Guerdane protesting against the closure of the border with Libya, officials said. "Around 1,000 people rallied outside local government offices and set tyres ablaze in protest against a Libyan decision to close the Ras Jedir border crossing," interior ministry spokesman Yasser Mesbah said. Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, he added. Ras Jedir is the main frontier between western Libya and southeastern Tunisia, a region whose economy is largely dependent on cross-border trade, both legal and illegal. Tunisia's southern provinces are among the poorest in the country. Since April, Libyan border officials have stopped the flow of merchandise across the border, sparking anger among residents. A Libyan official, Hafedh Moammar, said at the time that the border was closed amid alleged "harassment" of Libyan travellers and to stop the flow of smuggled fuel. The governor of the Tunisian town of Medenine, Tahar Matmati, said Libya also wanted to impose a "unified tax" on all products crossing the frontier. In March, Tunisia closed two border crossings with Libya for two weeks in response to a deadly jihadist attack on Ben Guerdane. Tunisia has also built a 200-kilometre (125-mile) barrier stretching about half the length of its border with Libya in an attempt to prevent militants from infiltrating.

Iran possesses Russian air defence system

Iran’s Defence Minister says Islamic republic is now equipped with strategic S-300 system which serves its air force's counterattack command.

US and Israel have criticised Russia for the sale of the S-300 system to Iran TEHRAN - Iran's army is now equipped with a Russian air defence system after a long and controversial delivery process, Defence Minister General Hossein Dehghan was quoted as saying Tuesday. "I inform our people that... we are in possession of the strategic S-300 system" and that it "serves our air force's counterattack command," Dehghan said, according to ISNA news agency. Parts of the system, including missile tubes and radar equipment, were displayed on April 17 during a military parade in southern Tehran. The United States and Israel have criticised Russia for the sale of the S-300 system to the Islamic republic. Tehran says it is needed to strengthen its air defence against possible attacks, including on its nuclear facilities. Iran and Russia originally signed a contract for its delivery in 2007, but in 2010 Moscow suspended the sale after the UN Security Council issued a resolution against Iran's nuclear programme. In 2015, shortly before the conclusion of an international agreement on Tehran's nuclear programme, Moscow re-authorised the delivery. The two countries are also in talks for delivery to Iran of Sukhoi SU-30 fighter jets, a deal also criticised by Washington. Dehghan also announced that Iran will start manufacturing this year an air defence system, Bavar 373, "capable of destroying cruise missiles, drones, combat aircraft and ballistic missiles." "This long-range system is able to destroy several targets at once," he added.

Aleppo truce extended by 48 hours

Syrian army says truce in Aleppo between regime forces and rebels that was due to expire late Monday has been extended by 48 hours.

Two more days of truce ALEPPO - A truce in Aleppo in northern Syria between regime forces and rebels that was due to expire late Monday has been extended by 48 hours, the army command said. "The 'regime of silence' in Aleppo and its province has been extended by 48 hours from Tuesday 01:00 am (local time) to midnight on Wednesday," a statement said. The temporary truce, initially for two days and then prolonged until Tuesday at 00:01 am (21:01 GMT Monday), was decided after fighting killed nearly 300 people since April 22 in Aleppo, where some areas are held by rebels and others by government forces. The announcement came as Russia and the United States agreed to boost efforts to find a political solution to Syria's five-year war which has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions. The two powers also agreed to extend a truce across the whole of the country. "The Russian Federation and United States are determined to redouble efforts to reach a political settlement of the Syrian conflict," according to a joint US-Russian statement published by the Russian foreign ministry. To this end, Russia "will work with the Syrian authorities to minimise aviation operations over areas that are predominantly inhabited by civilians or parties" to the ceasefire, it said. The two powers brokered a February 27 ceasefire between regime forces and the armed opposition that did not, however, include jihadist fighters such as the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate, Al-Nusra Front. On Sunday, Syrian rebels fired rockets into a regime-held district of Aleppo, killing five civilians including two children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitor also reported 10 civilians killed on Monday by regime bombardment in the northwestern province of Idlib which is controlled by Al-Nusra Front.

Erdogan warns EU Turkey will not change anti-terror law

Turkish President says his country will not change its anti-terror law for sake of visa-free travel for Turks to EU.

Middle East Online

"Pardon me but we are going our way and you can go yours" ANKARA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the European Union Friday that Ankara will not change its anti-terrorism law, despite it being a condition laid down by Brussels to ensure visa-free travel for Turks. "The EU says: you will change the anti-terror law for visas," Erdogan said in a televised speech in Istanbul. "Pardon me but we are going our way and you can go yours." Erdogan was speaking one day after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who had championed the accord, announced that he was stepping down. Turkey must complete five more benchmarks by the end of next month to complete the EU's list of 72 criteria -- which include changes to anti-terror law as well as protection of personal data. The promise of visa-free travel for Turks is a key pillar of a deal between Brussels and Ankara to reduce the flow of migrants from Turkish territory to the European Union. A Turkish official said this week talks with the EU were under way to meet the five remaining criteria including changes to the anti-terror law. "I don't think it will be a problem," the official said. But Erdogan's comments came a day after Davutoglu announced he would not run in this month's party congress after a series of disputes with the president. Davutoglu was the architect of the migrant deal with the EU and had repeatedly held talks with EU leaders on its implementation, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "Why aren't you changing your mindset when you allowed terrorists who put up tents close to the EU Parliament?" Erdogan said in a swipe at Brussels, in apparent reference to tents set up by Kurdish activists near the EU Council building in Brussels in March.

Kenya to stop hosting Somali refugees

Government cites security concerns after scheme to encourage refugees to return home voluntarily fails.

Middle East Online

Kenya frustrated that refugees haven't returned NAIROBI - Refugees from Somalia will no longer be accepted in Kenya, the government said Friday citing security fears. "The Government of the Republic of Kenya, having taken into consideration its national security interests, has decided that hosting of refugees has to come to an end," said a statement signed by interior ministry official Karanja Kibicho. Under the directive, newly-arrived asylum seekers will not automatically receive refugee status, and the government will step up efforts to have those already living in the country removed. Kenya hosts around 550,000 refugees in two camps at Kakuma and Dadaab, the world's largest, many of whom have fled decades of war in neighbouring Somalia. "The message is clear, we are closing the camps and we will not accept more refugees in the country," said Mwenda Njoka, interior ministry spokesman. Njoka added that the new regulations were aimed at refugees from Somalia but those from other countries may also be affected. "The problematic ones are the Somalis. They're the ones we're starting with," he said. In 2013 the governments of Kenya and Somalia together with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) signed a so-called tripartite agreement aimed at encouraging Somali refugees to return home voluntarily. Only a few thousand have taken up the offer, however, leaving Kenya frustrated at the slowness. "Kenya has been forced by circumstances to reconsider the whole issue of hosting refugees and the process of repatriation," Kibicho said, adding that the Department of Refugee Affairs (DRA) responsible for refugee registration and management had been "disbanded". - Refugees fled Shebab - A DRA employee reached by phone at work on Friday afternoon expressed surprise, saying he knew nothing of the directive. Government and security officials regularly assert that Islamic militants from the Shebab group hide, thrive and recruit among Somali refugees, claims denied by independent observers and by refugees themselves who point out many of them have fled Shebab's depredations. Following deadly Shebab assaults on Nairobi's Westgate mall and Garissa university senior officials threatened to close Dadaab and kick out the refugees. In April 2015, days after the Garissa attack, Deputy President William Ruto promised to close Dadaab "in three months", but that deadline -- like previous ones -- passed. Friday's statement again conflated refugees and terrorists emphasising, "the immense security challenges such as threat of the Shebab and other related terror groups that hosting of refugees has continued to pose to Kenya." New arrivals from Somalia will no longer receive 'prima facie' refugee status but will have to argue their cases individually, however the agency tasked with processing those applications, the DRA, is to be shut down.

Hamas says not seeking war, but will resist Israeli incursions

Worst direct violence since 2014 war as Israeli forces seek out Hamas tunnels over Gaza border.

Violence raises some concerns over ceasefire GAZA CITY - Hamas's leader in Gaza said Friday his Islamist movement did not seek war with Israel but would resist incursions into the Palestinian enclave, following the worst cross-border violence since the 2014 war. Three days of mortar and tank fire between Israel and Palestinian militants, as well as Israeli air strikes, have raised concerns of a new conflict in the Hamas-run territory. Ismail Haniyeh accused Israeli forces of intruding nearly 200 metres (yards) into Gazan territory. "We are not calling for a new war, but we will not under any circumstances accept these incursions," he said in a Friday prayer sermon in the Gaza Strip. Earlier in the day Israeli aircraft carried out their fourth air raid on the Palestinian enclave since Wednesday, attacking sites at Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza and near Khan Yunis in the south of the territory, witnesses said. There were no reports of any casualties. The Israeli army confirmed only one strike, saying it was a reaction to cross-border mortar fire. "In response to the ongoing attacks against Israeli forces, Israel Air Force aircraft targeted a Hamas terror infrastructure," an army statement said. Since Wednesday, Hamas and other militant groups have fired at least 12 mortar rounds across the frontier, while Israeli tanks stationed on the border have fired repeatedly at what the army said were Hamas targets. The Palestinian fire targeted Israeli forces searching along the border, and short distances inside Gaza, for infiltration tunnels leading into southern Israel -- among the most feared weapons of Hamas fighters during the 2014 conflict. On Thursday, Zeina Al-Amour, a 54-year-old Palestinian woman, became the first fatality of the flare-up after Israeli tank fire hit her home, medics said. The violence has raised concerns for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist rulers of Gaza, that has held since the 50-day war in 2014 left 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis dead. - Living in fear - On both sides of the border, residents said they were living in fear of a wider conflict. "In the night there is the sound of mortars, bombs, planes," said Jehan Berman, a resident of kibbutz Kerem Shalom which is only 40 metres (yards) from the border with Gaza. "We're tired. We're still recovering from the last war and the next one is already at our door," he told AFP. Kerem Shalom is close to where the army has uncovered two Hamas tunnels, allegedly stretching into Israeli territory, in recent weeks, the most recent discovery coming on Thursday. Destruction of the tunnels became one of Israel's primary goals during the 2014 war, with more than 30 eliminated, according to the army. Since the conflict, Hamas has continued to build what it calls "resistance tunnels." Citing Hamas activities, Israel maintains a tight blockade on Gaza which human rights groups say is collective punishment against its more than 1.8 million residents. Ali al-Moghrabi, 40, a tailor from Gaza City's Al-Hanan Zeitun neighbourhood which was bombed on Thursday, said he still had not recovered from the last conflict. "We do not want war, but the occupier (Israel) never stops," he said. "People are already suffering from the blockade, unemployment and poverty." Hanane Akkaoui, a 53-year-old mother, said she was scared for her children. "Bombs don't differentiate between civilians and resistance (fighters)," she said. Hamas has accused Israeli soldiers of incursions into Gazan territory in recent days, saying this constitutes a violation of the 2014 truce. The Israeli army admits it has operated inside Palestinian territory but said it was within 100 metres of the border, where it says it has operated since the 2014 war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet on Friday to discuss the latest developments, public radio reported. A spokesman for Netanyahu's office said only that "an update was provided by security officals on IDF (Israel Defence Forces) activities of the past few days and the exposure of the tunnel." Army spokesman Peter Lerner said on Thursday that Israel had "no interest whatsoever" in a military escalation but added that it would continue to act against Hamas as "it continues to breach Israeli sovereignty and build tunnels." Israeli media reported on Friday that a pending report on the conduct of the 2014 war is set to be highly critical of Netanyahu, Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon and others. Yediot Aharonot newspaper said the report by the state comptroller, a national watchdog, would conclude that during the conflict "the security establishment did not have a comprehensive plan for dealing with Hamas's offensive tunnels."

Libya, Tunisia pledge cooperation against terrorism

Tunisia increasingly wary as IS use Libyan stronghold in Sirte to push closer to border.

'Time and cooperation' to conquer terrorism TRIPOLI - Neighbours Libya and Tunisia, which have been hit by a string of jihadist attacks, pledged on Friday to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. "We will conquer terrorism but it will take time and cooperation," Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid told a joint news conference in Tripoli hours after his arrival in the Libyan capital. The head of Libya's new unity government, Fayez al-Sarraj, agreed on the need to bolster bilateral cooperation against jihadists active in both countries. "We spoke about security coordination for the battle against terrorism," Sarraj told reporters. "What happened yesterday in the Abu Grein area... was very close," he added. On Thursday jihadists from the Islamic State group advanced on the town of Abu Grein east of Tripoli and overran a key crossroads in an assault during which a suicide bomber killed two policemen. The crossroads spills onto the coastal highway that stretches further east to the border with Tunisia. IS launched the assault from their stronghold in Sirte, which they captured last June and where they have set up a training camp for Libyan and foreign militants. The Libyan news agency LANA said Tunisia and Libya are expected to set up a joint committee tasked with controlling the main Ras Jedir border crossing between the two. Last year a string of deadly attacks claimed by IS killed dozens of holidaymakers in Tunisia and dealt a devastating blow to its tourism industry. Officials have said the attacks were planned in Libya. Tunisia has built a 200-kilometre (125-mile) barrier stretching about half the length of its border with Libya in an attempt to prevent militants from infiltrating. In March, Tunisia closed two border crossings with Libya for two weeks in response to a deadly jihadist attack on a town near the frontier. Thousands of Tunisians are believed to have gone abroad to join jihadist groups, many to Libya which plunged into chaos after the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi. IS has exploited this chaos and established a stronghold in Libya, where it has claimed bombings and executions.

Syria regime fails to end mutiny at Hama prison

Activists say most of prisoners at Hama jail are political detainees linked to Syrian opposition.

Tensions remained high BEIRUT - A raid by Syrian security forces on a riot-hit prison in the central city of Hama has failed to end a mutiny involving around 800 inmates, a monitor said Saturday. Ten guards were taken hostage after the violence broke out on Monday following an attempt to transfer detainees to another prison near Damascus where numerous executions of inmates have been reported. Activists say most of the prisoners at the Hama jail are political detainees linked to the opposition. Inmates "continued their mutiny on Saturday after the assault failed," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor. "Tensions remained high," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said, "and security forces remained inside the prison but outside the cells". Security forces had stormed the prison on Friday firing bullets, rubber bullets and tear gas, according to the Observatory. They also arrested relatives of prisoners gathered outside the building concerned about their fate, it said. The raid led to injuries among several inmates and "cases of fainting and choking" from the tear gas, the monitor reported. Video footage posted on social networks showed a corridor filled with flames and smoke as a voice is heard giving the date as May 6 and the location as the central prison in Hama. The sound of bursting tear gas grenades can be heard as inmates chant "Allahu Akbar!" (God is greatest) while others are heard coughing. It was not possible to verify the authenticity of the footage. Syrian activist group the Local Coordination Committees has said inmates are protesting against death sentences handed to dozens of prisoners and also against conditions inside the jail. Water and power supplies remained cut off inside the jail on Saturday, according to the Observatory, which said the authorities had released 46 prisoners since the protest began. Syria's main opposition group involved in peace talks on Friday called on international organisations "to intervene to prevent an imminent massacre" of prisoners. The High Negotiations Committee urged the international community to "shoulder its responsibilities" and stop the regime from carrying out "reprisals against the detainees". France warned of the risk of "deadly reprisals by the regime" and urged Damascus's allies to exert pressure "to avoid another massacre in Syria". More than 200,000 people have spent time in regime prisons since 2011, according to the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information. Tens of thousands of political detainees are reported to have died of torture, of which the Observatory says it has verified 14,000 cases. More than 270,000 people have died since the Syrian conflict started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

More than ‘50 mass graves’ found in ex-ISIS territory in Iraq

UN envoy says evidence of ‘heinous crimes’ committed by jihadists in Iraq are being uncovered as territory is retaken from ISIS.

In Ramadi, three graves were found in football field UNITED NATIONS - More than 50 mass graves have been discovered in territory formerly controlled by Islamic State group fighters in Iraq, including three burial pits in a football field, the UN envoy said Friday. Jan Kubis told the Security Council that evidence of the "heinous crimes" committed by the jihadists in Iraq were being uncovered as territory is retaken from ISIS. "More than 50 mass graves have been discovered so far in several areas of Iraq," he said. Iraqi forces, with backing from the US-led coalition that carries out daily air strikes against ISIS, have retaken significant ground from the jihadists in recent months. In the city of Ramadi, three graves containing a total of up to 40 sets of remains were found in a football field on April 19, said Kubis. Ramadi was declared liberated when Iraqi forces seized the main government compound back from the ISIS late last year, but the city was completely retaken only in February. The envoy said the humanitarian crisis was worsening in Iraq, with nearly a third of the population, or over 10 million people, now requiring urgent aid -- double the number from last year. He projected that a further two million people could be displaced by the end of the year by new military campaigns aimed at driving out the Islamic State group. Iraqi and Kurdish forces launched an offensive in March in the province of Nineveh, of which ISIS-controlled Mosul is the capital. The jihadists have held Mosul since June 2014. Kubis urged Iraqi leaders to resolve differences that have led to street protests in Baghdad, saying that the turmoil will only help ISIS maintain its foothold. "They are the ones who stand to benefit from political instability and lack of reforms," said Kubis. Last week, protesters in Baghdad stormed parliament after MPs again failed to approve nominees for a cabinet of technocrats to replace the government of party-affiliated ministers.

For first time, US admits troops on ground in Yemen

Pentagon acknowledges it has deployed US troops to Yemen in push to bolster Arab and local government forces battling Qaeda.

Davis: Troops are helping Emiratis with ‘intelligence support’ WASHINGTON - The Pentagon acknowledged for the first time Friday it has deployed US troops to Yemen since the country's collapse last year, in a push to bolster Arab and local government forces battling Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the US military has also stepped up air strikes against AQAP fighters in the war-torn country. A "very small number" of American military personnel has been working from a "fixed location" with Yemeni and Arab coalition forces -- especially the Emiratis -- in recent weeks around Mukalla, a port city seized by AQAP a year ago, Davis said. "This is of great interest to us. It does not serve our interests to have a terrorist organization in charge of a port city, and so we are assisting in that," the spokesman added. He said the troops were helping the Emiratis with "intelligence support," but declined to say if they are special operations forces. AQAP fighters have now fled Mukalla and other coastal areas, due to the government offensive. While the number of US personnel on the ground is limited, the United States is also offering an array of assistance to partners in Yemen, including air-to-air refueling capabilities, surveillance, planning, maritime security and medical help. The Pentagon previously had more than 100 special operations forces advising the army in Yemen, but pulled them out early last year as the country collapsed. The US Navy also has several ships nearby, including an amphibious assault ship called the USS Boxer and two destroyers. AQAP took advantage of the chaos of fighting between pro-government forces and Iran-backed rebels to expand its control in southern Yemen, including the seizure of Mukalla. The Pentagon announced it has carried out a recent string of strikes on AQAP in recent weeks, outside of Mukalla. "We have conducted four counterterrorism strikes against AQAP since April 23, killing 10 Al-Qaeda operatives and injuring another," Davis said. The United States periodically targets AQAP in Yemen, including a strike in March on a training camp that killed more than 70 fighters. AQAP, which has long been entrenched in Yemen, is regarded by Washington as the network's most dangerous branch. The group claimed responsibility for last year's deadly attack in Paris on the staff of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, and has been linked to more than one attempt to blow up aircraft bound for the United States. The Yemen conflict has killed more than 6,400 people and displaced 2.8 million since March last year.

Iran, South Korea set to triple trade volume to $18 billion

Two sides decide to increase by three times current trade volume of around $6 billion (5.2 billion euros) to $18 billion.

First South Korean president to visit Iran since 1962 TEHRAN - Iran and South Korea have decided to triple their annual trade volume to $18 billion, President Hassan Rouhani announced on Monday after meeting his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-Hye. "The two sides decided to increase by three times the current trade volume of around $6 billion (5.2 billion euros) to $18 billion," Rouhani said in a joint televised press conference. "We also spoke about tourism, direct flights between Seoul and Tehran, and Korean investment in Iranian tourism infrastructure, including building hotels," he added. Park is the first South Korean president to visit Iran since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1962, and as Seoul seeks new markets to turn around a lengthy decline in export revenues. Her three-day visit comes just months after a historic nuclear deal with world powers lifted sanctions crippling Iran's economy in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme. Park, who is accompanied by several ministers and a 230-strong business delegation, will also be received by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The two countries have pledged to develop their relations in the energy sector. "We will expand relations in energy projects and infrastructure... and in oil, gas, railways and ports," Park said. Tehran hopes this month to increase its oil exports to Seoul to 400,000 barrels per day from a current 100,000 bpd, according to Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh. The two governments signed 19 cooperation documents in the presence of the presidents, and further memorandums of understanding were due to be signed by the private sector, Rouhani said. Talks also included discussions about the situation on the divided Korean peninsula amid fears that Pyongyang is preparing to conduct a fifth nuclear test. "The security of the Korean peninsula and security of the Middle East are very important to us," Rouhani said. "We seek peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and categorically oppose building any weapons of mass destruction." Park said she "explained South Korea's opinion on... nuclear disarmament of North Korea... and requested Iranian cooperation".

PKK attack kills at least one soldier in southeast Turkey

Car bomb blamed on PKK explodes in Kurdish-majority southeast, killing one Turkish soldier and wounding 20 others.

No end to violence in sight DIYARBAKIR (Turkey) - One Turkish soldier was killed and 20 others were wounded when a car bomb blamed on Kurdish militants exploded in the Kurdish-majority southeast, the army said on Monday. In a statement, the army said a total of 23 people were wounded in the blast which took place late on Sunday, 20 of them soldiers and three of them civilian family members. The car bomb detonated near a military command complex in the Dicle district of the Kurdish majority province of Diyarbakir, a security source said, blaming the attack on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The command post and an adjacent housing area for families was seriously damaged in the attack, the Dogan news agency reported. Police stopped a suspicious car after the attack but the suspects inside opened fire, injuring a judge and three police officers before they fled, the agency said. Turkey has been waging a major military offensive against the PKK, listed as a terror group by Ankara and much of the international community, after a two-year fragile ceasefire collapsed last summer. Since then, hundreds of members of the Turkish security forces have been killed. The renewed conflict has also struck at the heart of the country, with two attacks that killed dozens of people in the capital Ankara claimed by a PKK splinter group, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK). The same group on Sunday claimed last week's suicide bombing in Bursa, Turkey's former Ottoman capital, which only killed the female bomber. Over 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK took up arms in 1984 demanding a homeland for Turkey's biggest minority. Since then, the group has pared back its demands to focus on cultural rights and a measure of autonomy. On Sunday, two police were killed and 22 other people were wounded in another car bomb attack in the southern city of Gaziantep, a major refugee hub, with initial suspicion for that attack falling on jihadists.

Sudan claims 'sovereign rights' in dispute with Egypt

Khartoum steps up its claim to Halayeb and Shalatin near Red Sea, saying they are part of its sovereign territory.

Ghandour: We will not let go of our sovereign rights KHARTOUM - Sudan insisted on Monday it had "sovereign rights" over two border territories whose ownership has been the subject of a long-standing dispute between Cairo and Khartoum. Sudan has regularly protested at Egypt's administration of Halayeb and Shalatin near the Red Sea, saying they are part of its sovereign territory since shortly after independence in 1956. Since April, Khartoum has stepped up its claim to the territories after Egypt transferred two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in a move that triggered street protests in Cairo. "We will not let go of our sovereign rights on the Halayeb triangle," Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour told parliament on Monday. "We have adopted legal and political measures to assert our rights in the Halayeb triangle." Ghandour said Khartoum was also trying to get a copy of the agreement between Cairo and Riyadh on the transfer of the two islands in the Straits of Tiran. "We need to gauge the impact of this agreement on our maritime borders," he told lawmakers. Cairo's transfer of the two islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia became a key factor behind street protests in the Egyptian capital last month. More than 1,000 demonstrators rallied on April 15 in Cairo demanding "the fall of the regime" in the largest challenge to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's regime in two years.

Egypt journalists hold sit-in after police raid of press syndicate

Police raid press syndicate in Cairo, arrested two journalists critical of government, in what syndicate calls unprecedented crackdown.

Journalists want an apology CAIRO - Egyptian police on Sunday raided the press syndicate in Cairo and arrested two journalists critical of the government, a syndicate official and reporters said in what the syndicate called an unprecedented crackdown. The interior ministry denied officers had stormed the press labour union building, a traditional spot in downtown Cairo to stage protests, but confirmed some of its members had arrested the journalists inside the syndicate. Security forces have sought to quell dissent since thousands took to the streets on April 15 to protest a decision by President Abdel Fattah Sisi to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia. Police dispersed smaller protests two weeks later. On Sunday, journalists held a sit-in inside the union when officers arrested two of them working for the opposition website Bawabet Yanayer including its editor, syndicate officials said. "The incident is true and at the very least the interior minister has to be fired and there needs to be an apology," Khalid al-Balshy, a syndicate board member said. Mahmoud Kamel, a member of the syndicate board, said over 40 policemen raided the building but the interior ministry said its force consisted of only eight officers. "The ministry affirms that it did not raid the syndicate or use any kind of force in arresting the two journalists who handed themselves in as soon as they were told there was an arrest warrant," the interior ministry said in a statement. A security guard was wounded in the eye when police raided the union, Kamel said. "There was an arrest warrant for the two journalists issued a week ago but the syndicate was negotiating with the interior ministry over the matter," he said. The syndicate council called for an indefinite strike among Egyptian journalists until the interior minister resigns and urged newspapers to black out their front pages. "This is unprecedented, no president or prime minister or interior minister has ever dared to do something like this," Kamel said. Under the law only a prosecutor is allowed to search the union in the presence of its chairman or deputy, he added. Dozens of journalists later held a new sit-in at the syndicate to protest against the arrest, a reporter said. Sisi faces criticism for putting the uninhabited Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir in Saudi waters and a faltering economy though there are no signs that his rule is under threat.

Iraq reform process in limbo after Green Zone storming

There is no clear plan of action emerging from any of main players and Sadr himself leaves to neighbouring Iran.

Abadi’s grip on top job looks more tenuous than ever BAGHDAD - Iraq's political reform process was in limbo Monday after protesters demanding a change of government reacted to weeks of stalling by storming parliament. Security concerns were also high due to the presence in Baghdad of thousands of Shiite pilgrims, who were targeted for the second time in three days with a suicide bombing that killed at least 14 people. Demonstrators pulled out of the Green Zone, where parliament is located, on Sunday evening, a day after breaching the walls of the fortified government district. But the protesters, most of whom are followers of outspoken cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, also warned they would be back on the streets of Baghdad on Friday if their demands were not met. Sadr supports Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's efforts to form a new cabinet of technocrats to replace the current government of party-affiliated ministers, accused of graft and sectarianism. There was no clear plan of action emerging Monday from any of the main players and Sadr himself flew to neighbouring Iran, the main foreign broker among Shiite political blocs in Iraq. "The leader of the Sadrist movement left at 11:00 am from Najaf airport to the Imam Khomeini airport" southwest of Tehran, a Najaf airport official said. "Sadr took two other clerics with him," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A political source in Baghdad confirmed the information. Iraq's lawmakers looked unlikely to hold another session this week however, with the main parliament building requiring a massive cleanup following Saturday's events. Thousands of mostly Sadrist protesters pulled down blast walls around the Green Zone and stormed the chamber after MPs again failed to agree on reforms. Some MPs were roughed up on Saturday and their vehicles vandalised, and lawmakers appeared wary of exposing themselves to another attack. "It was decided to hold a parliamentary session next week in another place because the (parliament) hall was damaged," MP Abbas al-Bayati said. There was no official statement from the speaker on the issue however. Abadi called for those who committed violent acts on Saturday to be arrested, but his grip on Iraq's top job looked more tenuous than ever. A senior official in the Dawa party, of which Abadi is a member, said there was discussion within the party of the premier's resignation. "We are in a debate inside the party for the first time (on) the demand for Abadi to resign," the official said. Since coming to power in September 2014, Abadi has faced tough opposition from his predecessor and fellow party member Nuri al-Maliki. Abadi nonetheless enjoys the support of Western powers, who have warned that continued political deadlock risks hampering Iraq's fight against the Islamic State group, which seized control of large parts of the country in mid-2014. Backed by a US-led coalition, Iraqi security forces have made significant gains in retaking territory from ISIS in recent months, but still face huge challenges in rooting out jihadist fighters from the western province of Anbar and the country's second city of Mosul. As the "caliphate" the jihadists proclaimed nearly two years ago continues to shrink, they have increasingly reverted to targeting civilians in bombings in Iraq's cities. ISIS claimed responsibility for Monday's bombing that left at least 14 dead, saying one of its suicide bombers had detonated a car bomb against Shiite pilgrims in southern Baghdad. They were walking to the northern Baghdad shrine of Imam Musa Kadhim, whose 799 AD death is an important date in the Shiite Muslim calendar and is commemorated annually. Another 23 people were killed in a similar attack on the outskirts of the Iraqi capital on Saturday. The religious commemoration is due to culminate on Tuesday with tens of thousands of faithful converging on the shrine in Baghdad's Kadhimiya neighbourhood.

Greece making 'incredible effort' to tackle migration issue

European Commission vice president says cooperation between Greece and Turkey in migration is something to build on also on other areas.

Timmermans ATHENS - Greece is making an "incredible" effort to tackle the EU's migration crisis following a controversial deal with Turkey, European Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said Thursday. The assessment comes two weeks before the commission, the executive arm of the European Union, is due to give its verdict on whether Greece has done enough to protect the external borders of the EU's Schengen passport-free area. "I have to say here that Greece is making an incredible effort, an incredible effort, and I really want to command the cooperation we have as the Commission with the Greek authorities to deal with this issue," Timmermans told the European Parliament. "With all the problems we have, I think this cooperation is of a quality we had never seen before and also the cooperation between Greece and Turkey is something to build on also on other areas." Turkey agreed in March to take back all migrants who do not qualify for asylum who land in the Greek islands, the main point of entry to Europe, in an agreement involving complex logistics for the registration and return of refugees. Since the deal came into force on March 20 numbers of migrants and refugees arriving in the Greek islands after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey have sharply dropped. Greece was the route taken by around 80 percent of the record 1.2 million migrants and refugees who have arrived in Europe since the start of 2015 in the biggest crisis of its kind since World War II. But Brussels threatened earlier this year to close Greece's borders with the rest of the Schengen free-travel area unless it does more to protect its own external frontiers and treat refugees better. It is due to deliver its assessment on May 12.

Turkish journalists get two years for publishing Charlie Hebdo cartoon

Publishing of controversial Prophet Mohammed cartoon leads to two-year sentence for 'inciting public hatred' and 'insulting religious values.'

Not the cartoon in question ISTANBUL - An Istanbul court on Thursday sentenced two prominent Turkish journalists to two years behind bars for illustrating their columns with a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed published by French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. The sentence, which was handed to two columnists from the opposition Cumhuriyet daily, intensified alarm over press freedoms in Turkey under strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has made Islam the cornerstone of his politics. "The two journalists were sentenced to two years each in jail," said Bulent Utku, lawyer for Hikmet Cetinkaya and Ceyda Karan. "We will appeal the ruling at the appeals court," Utku told AFP following a hearing at Istanbul's criminal court. The pair went on trial in January last year on charges of "inciting public hatred" and "insulting religious values" after illustrating their columns with the controversial cartoon. After the verdict, those who initiated the lawsuit shouted "Allahu Akbar" -- Arabic for 'God is the greatest' -- Cumhuriyet reported on its website. On January 14, 2015, Cumhuriyet had published a four-page Charlie Hebdo pullout translated into Turkish marking the French satirical weekly's first issue since a deadly attack on its Paris offices by Islamist gunmen earlier that month. The edition did not include the controversial front cover featuring Prophet Mohammed, but a smaller version of the cartoon was included twice inside the newspaper to illustrate columns on the subject by Karan and Cetinkaya. Most other media in Turkey had refrained from publishing the cover. When the edition was published, the daily received threats and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu condemned the publication of cartoons of the Muslim prophet as an "open provocation". Days before Cumhuriyet printed its special pullout edition, Davutoglu had joined dozens of other world leaders in a march of solidarity in memory of the 17 victims killed in the Charlie Hebdo attacks and elsewhere in Paris. - 'Shameful, unbearable'- Cumhuriyet, which staunchly opposes the Islamic-rooted government of Erdogan, has been regularly targeted by prosecutions as concerns grow over freedom of speech in Turkey. Its editor-in-chief Can Dundar and Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gul are currently on trial on charges of revealing state secrets and could face multiple life sentences if found guilty. Writing on her Twitter account @ceydak, Karan lashed out at the Turkish government, saying: "Let our two-year sentence be a gift for our liberal fascists #JeSuisCharlie." In the contentious cartoon, the prophet sheds a tear and holds a sign with the viral slogan "Je suis Charlie" ("I am Charlie"), in a gesture of apparent repentance after the Paris killings. Most Muslims consider portraying the prophet in images to be blasphemous. There has been growing concern about the numbers of journalists currently facing legal proceedings in Turkey, many on accusations of insulting Erdogan. Trials for insulting Erdogan have multiplied since his election to the presidency in August 2014, with nearly 2,000 such cases currently open. Reporters Without Borders slammed the verdict on its official Twitter account as "shameful" and "unbearable." In a show of solidarity, women's rights group Femen published on its Turkish Twitter account a picture of a topless activist holding a Charlie Hebdo cartoon with "Karan and Cetinkaya are not alone" written on her torso. The latest case comes as Europe looks to Ankara to implement a key deal to curb the flow of migrants seeking to reach the European Union from Turkish shores. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who spearheaded the agreement, has been accused of compromising on EU's basic values on press freedom to win Turkey's cooperation.

MSF condemns strike on Aleppo hospital

Overnight strike on the Al-Quds hospital in rebel-held Aleppo left 30 dead including two doctors.

The Al-Quds hospital ALEPPO - Doctors Without Borders condemned Thursday the "outrageous" air strike on a hospital it was supporting in the war-torn northern Syrian city of Aleppo, where doctors were among those killed. Local rescue workers said the overnight strike on the Al-Quds hospital and a nearby residential building left 30 people dead. Among them was the only paediatrician operating in the rebel-controlled eastern parts of Aleppo city, they said. Doctors Without Borders, which is also known by the acronym MSF, said two doctors were among 14 people killed in the strike on the hospital. "MSF categorically condemns this outrageous targeting of yet another medical facility in Syria," said in a statement Muskilda Zancada, the medical charity's head of mission in Syria. "This devastating attack has destroyed a vital hospital in Aleppo, and the main referral centre for paediatric care in the area. Where is the outrage among those with the power and obligation to stop this carnage?" MSF said it had been donating medical supplies since 2012 to the 34-bed Al-Quds hospital, where eight doctors and 28 nurses worked full time. Rescue workers on Thursday said 10 of the bodies they had recovered from the hospital and nearby building were unrecognisable. Nearly 200 civilians have been killed in the battered northern city of Aleppo in the past week as rebels have pounded government-held neighbourhoods with rocket and artillery and the regime has hit rebel areas with air raids.