Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — Sunni rebels have struck the heart of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Two suicide car bombers blew themselves up in front of Syrian Military Intelligence during the commuter rush on May 10. Officials said at least 55 people were killed and 400 injured in what was termed the [...]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United Nations has sanctioned Iranian arms exporters to Africa. A Security Council committee has identified members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Force responsible for shipping weapons to African clients. On April 20, the committee, in the first such measure since June 2010, imposed sanctions on officers from IRGC’s Quds [...]
Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, amid pressure to cut national defense budgets, was preparing to undergo a reduction. Diplomats said a range of European Union countries were preparing to reduce their contingents in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon over the next year. The diplomats said at least [...]
Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Western sanctions on the regime of President Bashar Assad are little more than symbolic, Western diplomats said. The sources said the regime has been cut off from most Western suppliers but was buying time and had sustained itself easily by relying on China and Iran for imports. “China and Iran [...]
John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Kofi Annan seems to have clinched a diplomatic deal in Damascus which may stop or at least decompress the debilitating year-long conflict in Syria which has taken 9,000 lives, mostly civilians. The former UN Secretary General in a bout of shuttle diplomacy has received approval from the Bashar Assad [...]
John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — As the ongoing conflict in Syria churns out a ghastly humanitarian carnage, diplomatic efforts to halt the violence are shadowed by last year’s Libyan intervention, which morphed into a six month long military operation to topple a tyrant. So when the UN Security Council met again on Britain’s initiative [...]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Libya is said to have been training Syrian rebels sworn to oust President Bashar Assad. Diplomats said Libya was believed to be hosting a camp for the training of Syrian rebels linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. They said the camp as well as equipment and training was being financed by [...]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — Qatar has become the second Arab League state to call for the arming of the Syrian opposition. Qatar has urged the international community to help send weapons to the Sunni rebels in Syria. Doha, deemed a leading supporter of the rebels, said the arms would be used to defend [...]
Special to WorldTribune.com CAIRO — Libya has reported the launch of military operations meant to stabilize the North African state. Officials said the interim government in Tripoli has ordered the first military operations in Libya since the fall of Col. Moammar Gadhafi. They said Libyan Army units have been deployed along the borders of the [...]
John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — In a political tsunami of condemnation, the General Assembly slammed Syria’s rulers for “widespread and systematic” human rights violations and demanded the Damascus regime cease the ongoing violence which has caused more than 6,000 lives during the past year of civil strife. Given the setting and the players amongst [...]
