Syrian forces broke the siege of two major towns in the northern province of Aleppo on Wednesday after pushing back foreign-backed militants in a successful military operation.
Syria’s official news agency, SANA, said the Syrian forces conducted the final operation meant to break the siege on Nubbul and Zahra, ending the three-and-a-half-year blockade on the towns and liberating the residents from the captivity of militants.
The reports did not elaborate on the identity of the militants, saying the two towns were under siege by terrorist organizations. However, reports have shown that Aleppo’s northern countryside, where Nubbul and Zahra are located, have been under the control of the al-Qaeda-linked terror group al-Nusra Front.
Earlier in the day, Syria’s state television said Syrian forces had cut off major supply lines of the terrorists between the two towns and the nearby village of Maarasta al-Khan.
SANA said Syrian forces in Nubbul and Zahra have now reached other militants in Maarasta al-Khan and there are no remaining terrorists there.
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Published time: 3 Feb, 2016 17:14
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet has agreed to restrict family reunions for refugees and fast-track asylum requests as part of the government’s efforts to reduce the number of new arrivals in the country.
The so-called ‘Asylum Package II’ includes the creation of special reception centers at the border, where asylum seekers from nations that are deemed “countries of safe origin” will be processed and potentially returned to their home countries, DPA reported.
The proposed legislation adds Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia to that list.
Family reunifications will also be put on hold for two years for refugees who are not automatically entitled to asylum status under international agreements, but who could potentially fall victim to persecution if they returned home.
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Published time: 3 Feb, 2016 15:13
Germany will only continue to provide security support to Afghanistan if the influx of refugees from the nation ceases, the country’s interior minister said. He added there is no “welcome money” for refugees, and no guarantee of jobs or housing. TrendsEU refugee & migrant influx
“We’re staying here as long as it’s necessary. But we also expect that the Afghan population stays here,” German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said during a visit to Kabul on Monday, as quoted by N-TV news channel.
“We want the influx of refugees to be stopped,” he said, noting that many Germans question why so many refugees are fleeing Afghanistan when Berlin is providing security assistance there.
He called on Afghans to “stay here to build [up] the country,” noting that parts of the country are stable.
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Published time: 3 Feb, 2016 11:50
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. © Grigoriy Sisoev / Sputnik
Ending smuggling across the Turkish-Syrian border is a key condition to make the ceasefire work in the Syrian conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, stressing that he sees no reason to stop the Russian counter-terrorist operation in Syria.
“The key component for the ceasefire to be operational is the burning issue of arms smuggling across the Turkish-Syrian border, supplying the militants [in Syria],” Lavrov said.
Without the smuggling being disrupted, “it is hard to expect the ceasefire to take place – ever,” he said, adding that the issue has been discussed with the American co-chairs of the Syrian Support Group.
Lavrov expressed hope that more detailed dialogue will continue after the Syrian Support Group meets in Munich on February 11, where Moscow will present its own suggestions regarding the ceasefire in Syria.
The foreign minister called the stance of the Riyadh-formed delegation of the Syrian opposition “short-sighted” – particularly with regard to their demand that the Russian Air Force halt its anti-terrorist campaign in Syria.
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Published time: 3 Feb, 2016 11:45
A German mayor became the least popular resident of his own town after saying that schoolgirls should not “provoke” refugees and should take alternative routes to school to avoid sexual harassment. The comments outraged concerned citizens.
The Bad Schlema town hall meeting turned sour after a grandfather confronted Mayor Jens Müller about young schoolgirls who have been harassed by asylum seekers from the windows of the town’s refugee shelter. He asked Müller what would happen in the summer, when the girls are wearing less clothing.
“That’s easy, just don’t provoke them and don’t walk in these areas,” said Müller, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party.
That response was met with outrage from residents, with one person calling for Müller to step down.
“You’re not allowed to walk in your own city anymore! Go home, boy! Who the hell elected you?” a man shouted behind a camera filming the event. “Boy oh boy, you’ve got some nerve,” he added.
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Hundreds of people leave conflict-ridden area in southeast Turkey
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