Defense Chiefs Meet In Paris To Bolster Fight Against IS
Defense chiefs from the United States, France, Britain and four other countries are meeting in Paris today to look at ways to boost the fight against the IS group in Syria and Iraq.
"The object of today is to satisfy ourselves that the balance of the campaign is right...and that we can now capitalise on the setbacks [IS] has suffered in Iraq and move on to tighten the noose around the head of the snake in Syria in Raqqa," British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon told reporters before the meeting, Reuters reports.
IS Involved In Evacuation Deal From Southern Damascus Suburb
There have been reports that IS and Al-Nusra Front militants are to be evacuated today from several of Damascus' southern suburbs including al-Qadam and Hajjar Aswad.
The situation highlights the complexities and patchwork nature of the situation on the ground in Syria as well as the difficulties surrounding local cease-fire truces -- which some opposition activists say are a tool for the government to displace opposition fighters.
A deal has reportedly been struck between rebel fighters and government forces to evacuate some rebels including IS militants from al-Qadam.
The deal is the first where IS has been part of the negotiations.
But freelance journalist Alaa Ebrahim tweeted that as of this morning, the deal seems to be still on hold.
Ebrahim told RFE/RL that there is ceasefire between rebels inside al-Qadam and government forces on its outskirts.
A similar deal that was set to go ahead on December 25 and which would have allowed IS militants in al-Qadam to exit toward IS's stronghold of Raqqa failed after the commander of the powerful Islam Army, Zahran Alloush, was killed on December 24. The evacuated militants would have passed through areas under Islam Army control.
With today's evacuation deal uncertain, Syrian state news agency SANA is reporting that 500 families are set to return to al-Qadam. Under the terms of the local ceasefire, the families are being allowed to go back to their homes in the neighborhood. According to Ebrahim, the return of the families is separate from the deal to evacuate rebel fighters from al-Qadam.
IS Sends Senior Iraqi Militant to Libya's Sirte: Report
The IS group's leadership has sent a senior Iraqi "enforcer" to lead its new outpost in Libya's Sirte, Libyan intelligence officials have told the Daily Telegraph.
The Iraqi is known as Abu Omar and has been tasked with tightening IS's grip on its Libyan stronghold and preparing it as a possible refuge for IS leaders in Syria and Iraq, the officials claimed.
Abu Omar arrived in Sirte in October, according to Colonel Ismail Shukri, the head of military intelligence in Misrata.
IS Praises Jihadi John's 'Kindness' For Giving 'Concubine' To Fellow Militant
In the latest edition of its glossy magazine Dabiq, the IS group praised British militant Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, for his "kindness" in giving away a female slave he had received as a "gift" to a fellow militant.
In an obituary for the notorious British IS militant, who appeared in several IS beheading videos of victims including UK aid worker David Haines, Dabiq wrote:
"One of the deeds that attest to his kindness and generosity is that after receiving a sabiyyah (concubine) as a gift he did not hesitate to give her away -- likewise as a gift -- to an unmarried injured brother."
Emwazi also showed "affection towards the orphans," Dabiq claimed.
British Woman Arrested On Suspicion Of Syria-Related Terror Offenses
A 28-year-old British woman has been arrested on suspicion of "Syria-related terror offenses," police have said.
Counter terrorism officers arrested the woman at an address in Coventry in the West Midlands.
Residents Of Syria's Deir Al-Zor Fear IS Massacre
Civilians in the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zor, which is being attacked and besieged by the IS group, fear that IS militants may carry out a massacre there.
IS controls 60 percent of Deir al-Zor city and is besieging the remaining government held areas. Militants have also now overran the suburb of al-Baghaliyeh.
"People are afraid, the situation is very difficult," said Attiyeh, a resident of Deir al-Zor who spoke to France 24 by phone from the city.
"If the city falls there will be a massacre," he added.
Britain Disturbed By Russian Air Strikes On Moderate Syrian Opposition
Britain is "increasingly disturbed" by Russian air strikes on moderate opposition forces and civilians in Syria, the UK's Defense Secretary Michael Fallon has said.
Fallon added that it was time for the U.S.-led coalition against IS to capitalize on the militant group's recent setbacks.
Syria's Opposition Won't Attend Peace Talks If 'Third Party' Joins
The Syrian opposition council formed in Riyadh last month has said that it will not join peace talks if a "third party" joins the talks.
The reference is apparently to an attempt by Russia to include other groups in the talks, which are scheduled to begin on January 25.
Council head Riad Hijab said that Russia is impeding the negotiations.
IS Releases 270 Civilians Abducted In Syria: Monitor
The IS group has released some 270 of 400 civilians it abducted in Deir al-Zor province in eastern Syria, according to Rami Abdel Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Those released included women, children under 14 and elderly people, Rahman said.
"They will not go back into [Deir al-Zor] city, but will be spread out among local tribes in the province," Abdel Rahman told AFP.