Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov (RIA Novosti/Said Tcarnaev)

The Daily Brief 2020-07-20

This is a summary of 22 AMN articles on the following subjects: Chechnya, Kadyrov, Russia, Aleppo, Syria, US, China, Iran, Libya, Sirte, ISIS, Tunisia, IRGC, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Google, Palestine, Qamishli, Turkey, Soleimani, IDF, Israel, Lebanon, Egypt, France, UAE, Isfahan, Baghdad, Iraq, Assad, Riyadh, Saudi, India.

Categories covered in this brief: World-News, Syria, Iran, North-Africa, Turkey, Palestine, Lebanon, Middleeast, Iraq, Gulf

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US sanctions Chechen ;leader over human rights violations

Published 2020-07-20 18:42:40 by News Desk in World-News

Washington has sanctioned a number of Russian citizens and entities under the so-called Magnitsky Act, which allows it to impose restrictions on individuals and entities whom it considers to be human rights abusers. The US has imposed sanctions on Head of Russia’s Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov for alleged human rights violations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said in a statement. “Today, the Department of State is publicly designating Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation, under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020”, Pompeo said. “This designation… Read on ->

Tags: Chechnya, Kadyrov, Russia

Suspected US drone strike hits northern Aleppo

Published 2020-07-20 17:12:33 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:00 P.M.) – A new drone strike was reported in the northern countryside of the Aleppo Governorate on Monday. According to opposition reports, the drone strike, which was suspected to have been carried out by the U.S. Coalition, hit a vehicle carrying three people near the Turkish border. Opposition activists shared photos of the aftermath of the strike, which showed the complete destruction of a van near the city of ‘Azaz. No military or group has claimed for the drone strike. Since the late June, at least three suspected U.S. drone strikes have been carried out in northern… Read on ->

Tags: Aleppo, Syria, US

China detained 6 Iranian commercial ships: media

Published 2020-07-20 16:40:49 by News Desk in Iran

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:30 P.M.) – The Iranian media revealed on Monday that China has detained six ships carrying different goods belonging to the largest navigation company in the Islamic Republic. The Iranian newspaper, “Shargh Daily”, reported that “six ships belonging to the largest Iranian freight company, carrying various goods, are docked at Chinese ports, and have not been allowed to sail for nearly two weeks.” The newspaper stated, “Failure to comply with the laws of clean fuel is the reason not to allow these ships to sail,” stressing that “all ships must use diesel fuel.” Meanwhile, a source in the… Read on ->

Tags: China, Iran

Libyan Army armed with anti-ship missiles as Turkish warships position off the coast: photos

Published 2020-07-20 15:22:38 by News Desk in North-Africa

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:00 P.M.) – Activists on Twitter posted photos said to show the presence of Soviet-era anti-ship missiles in the arsenal of the the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) navy near the coast of Tobruk. According to the reports, the LNA showcased a Soviet-made “P-15 Termit” anti-ship missile, which has a range of 80 km, close enough to target any vessel attacking their forces from the southern Mediterranean. The emergence of these photos comes at a time when Turkey has positioned its navy off the coast of Libya, especially near the strategic city of Sirte, which is expected to be… Read on ->

Tags: Libya, Sirte

Recently executed Iranian spy gave US information about head of security for Syrian President: Iran TV

Published 2020-07-20 14:36:06 by News Desk in Iran, Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:20 P.M.) – The Iranian media revealed details of the espionage operations carried out by Mahmoud Mousavi Majd, who was executed this morning after being convicted of transferring information to the Mossad and the U.S. intelligence about the late commander of the Quds Force, Major General Qassem Soleimani. In his first meeting with a U.S. intelligence officer, Mousavi Majd allegedly provided an American intelligence officer with information about the head of the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s personal guard squad, along with his mobile phone number, RT reported, citing Iranian television. The report said that Mousavi Majd also provided… Read on ->

Tags: Iran, Syria

Turkey transferred 2,500 Tunisian ISIS members from Syria to Libya: monitor

Published 2020-07-20 13:54:45 by News Desk in North-Africa, Turkey

BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:30 P.M.) – The Turkish authorities allegedly transferred over 2,500 Tunisian members of the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) fro Syria to Libya, a new report from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) claimed. “At the Turkish government’s orders, Turkish intelligence have transferred Jihadi groups and ISIS members of different foreign nationalities, from Syria to Libya in the past few months. According to SOHR statistics, the Turkish intelligence transferred over 2,500 Tunisian ISIS members to Libya, out of thousands of other ISIS Tunisians operating in Syria,” the monitor said. The SOHR report said their sources learned a few days… Read on ->

Tags: ISIS, Libya, Syria, Tunisia

IRGC commanders vows to expand air force’s capabilities

Published 2020-07-20 13:26:09 by News Desk in Iran

BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:10 P.M.) – According to the defense correspondent of the Fars News Agency, Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran visited the Fatah Airbase and addressed the commanders there. In his address, General Salami said to the commanders, staff and officers of the base: “I have served with the brothers of the air force for many years. I was in the IRGC and some of the friends we visited today were also in those years; these friends are the founders of our valuable collection.” He continued: “We saw a leap in… Read on ->

Tags: Iran, IRGC

Azerbaijani army increases to 100,000 soldiers after week-long border battle with Armenia: media

Published 2020-07-20 12:58:00 by News Desk in World-News

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:45 P.M.) – The Azerbaijani military has allegedly increased the size of its forces to 100,000 active personnel after a week-long border battle with neighboring Armenia, the Russian publication Avia.Pro reported, citing Azerbaijani media. “According to the Azerbaijani media, the country’s citizens voluntarily enlisted in the army as a result of which, over the past week, the number of armed forces of the country has increased by 38,000 people, and today, it is more than 100,000 people,” the publication began. “It is noteworthy that Armenia has only about 45,000 soldiers, which already indicates the fact that Azerbaijan is… Read on ->

Tags: Armenia, Azerbaijan

Iran slams Google’s decision to remove Palestine from map search

Published 2020-07-20 12:42:56 by News Desk in Iran, Palestine

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:20 P.M.) – The head of the Iranian interests bureau in Cairo, Nasir Kanaani, responded to the removal of Palestine from Google search maps. “Palestine and its history is dug into the hearts of the Palestinian people and the free people of the world. Although Google removed the name of Palestine from the map search, you will not forget the awakened human consciences of Palestine,” Kanaani said, as quoted by the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA). Google explained the absence of Palestine on its maps by seeking to display the disputed areas objectively using a gray dotted border… Read on ->

Tags: Google, Iran, Palestine

Turkish forces attack Qamishli city in northeast Syria

Published 2020-07-20 12:27:01 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:10 P.M.) – The Turkish military and its allied militants launched a new attack on the densely populated city of Qamishli on Monday, targeting areas near the border. According to a field report from the city, the Turkish forces targeted the Jarnak neighborhood, hitting an area near the border fence between Qamishli and Turkey. The report said no one was harmed during the attack. The reason for today’s attack is unknown; however, it should be pointed out that Qamishli has a large presence of military personnel from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), U.S. Army,… Read on ->

Tags: Qamishli, Syria, Turkey

Iran executes man accused of spying on Qassem Soleimani for Israel, US

Published 2020-07-20 12:06:42 by News Desk in Iran

BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:45 A.M.) – The Iranian authorities announced at dawn on Monday, the execution of Mahmoud Kazem Mousavi Majd, who was convicted of spying for the American and Israeli intelligence services, and providing them with information about the movements of the late Quds Force commander, Major General Qassem Soleimani. The Judicial Media Center said in a statement on Monday that “the death sentence was carried out against Mahmoud Kazem Mousavi Majd after he was convicted of spying for the CIA and the Israeli Mossad,” according to the official IRNA news agency . On June 9, Iranian judiciary spokesperson Ghulam… Read on ->

Tags: Iran, Soleimani

Turkish-backed Libyan forces send massive convoy toward strategic city

Published 2020-07-20 11:45:48 by News Desk in North-Africa

BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:25 A.M.) – The Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) forces have strengthened their presence west of Sirte, despite threats from Egypt about any offensive to capture this strategic city in north-central Libya. Reuters quoted sources on Sunday as saying that the GNA moved a convoy of some 200 military vehicles from Misrata on the Mediterranean coast towards Tawergha, which is along the path to Sirte. The GNA and its supporters plan to take control of the city of Sirte, which is the gateway to the main oil ports of the country. In addition, the leaders of France,… Read on ->

Tags: Libya, Sirte, Turkey

Israel intercepts drone along Lebanese border: IDF

Published 2020-07-20 11:25:13 by News Desk in Lebanon, Middleeast

BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:10 A.M.) – The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday evening, that it had detected a drone that penetrated Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, indicating that it had been taken down. “A little while ago, the IDF detected a drone, which apparently infiltrated from Lebanon into the Israeli airspace, where the forces followed and tracked it through various means,” the Israel Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on Sunday. Adrai stressed that “the IDF will continue to work to prevent any violation of Israeli sovereignty.” Israel’s Channel 11 quoted military sources as saying that the small drone plane… Read on ->

Tags: IDF, Israel, Lebanon

ISIS finance chief captured in eastern Syria

Published 2020-07-20 11:11:57 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:00 A.M.) – On Sunday, the Syrian Democratic Forces said that they arrested the Islamic State emir responsible for distributing financial salaries to members of the terrorist cells and their collaborators in the eastern countryside of the Deir Ezzor Governorate. The SDF said that it arrested a number of ISIS cell members on the third day of the second phase of their military campaign to deter terrorism. They stressed that their forces will continue to work in coordination with the Deir Ezzor Military Council and the Women’s Protection Forces (YPJ) and with the participation of the Internal Security… Read on ->

Tags: ISIS, Syria

Turkey is not looking for war with Egypt and France in Libya: presidency

Published 2020-07-20 10:57:27 by News Desk in North-Africa, Turkey

BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:40 A.M.) – Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Sunday that his country is not pushing for the escalation of tension in Libya, but it will continue to support the right of the legitimate government in Tripoli to defend itself. He said in an interview with the Turkish channel NTV: “We are not with the escalation of tension in Libya. We have no plan, intention or thinking to confront any country there. The Libyan national government has the right to defend itself. Turkey will definitely continue to provide its support to this government.” . On the bombing… Read on ->

Tags: Egypt, France, Libya, Turkey, UAE

Iran reveals cause of power plant explosion in Isfahan

Published 2020-07-20 10:45:49 by News Desk in Iran

BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:30 A.M.) – An Iranian official in the electricity industry revealed on Sunday evening the cause of the explosion at an energy facility in the Isfahan provice, which occurred earlier in the day. The Fars News Agency quoted a spokesman for the Iranian electricity industry, Mustafa Rajabi Mashhadi, that the ‘eruption’ of a power transformer was behind the incident, which occurred in a sub-station next to the Isfahan power station . Mashhadi said that one of the transformers used in the sub-station adjacent to the Isfahan Thermal Power Station, which is the Islamabad station, had an incident on… Read on ->

Tags: Iran, Isfahan

Armenia has no intention of attacking Azerbaijan’s oil facilities: report

Published 2020-07-20 09:28:21 by News Desk in World-News

BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:10 A.M.) – Armenia has no intention of attacking oil and gas infrastructure on Azerbaijani soil, despite the ongoing clashes on the border, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, the Armenian Defence Ministry’s spokesman, said on Sunday. According to Hovhannisyan, claims that the Armenian armed forces are plotting to disrupt the international energy infrastructure passing through Azerbaijan are a “false thesis put forward by Baku”. “Technically, the Armenian armed forces could have done this a long time ago, but we have not had and do not have such plans. We believe that the oil and gas communications passing through this region belong… Read on ->

Tags: Armenia, Azerbaijan

Two rockets land near US embassy in Baghdad: report

Published 2020-07-20 09:07:24 by News Desk in Iraq

BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:45 A.M.) – A security source told Al-Sumaria TV on Sunday that two Katyusha rockets landed near the American embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone last night. Al-Sumaria TV quoted the source as saying that “two Katyusha rockets landed in a dirt yard near the American embassy in the Green Zone in central Baghdad.” The source, who preferred not to be named, added, “It is not known until now where the rockets were launched from.” In the same context, media outlets reported the targeting of the Green Zone came minutes after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had left…. Read on ->

Tags: Baghdad, Iraq

Syrian President and First Lady make public appearance to vote: video

Published 2020-07-20 08:41:30 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:20 A.M.) – On Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife, Asma, took part in the People’s Assembly elections for the third legislative session, in the electoral center of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs. The Supreme Judicial Committee for the elections announced the opening of the ballot boxes since 7 A.M. (local time) on Sunday to choose 250 deputies in the People’s Assembly (Parliament). It is likely that the Baath Party and its allies within the list of (National Unity) will gain a majority share of parliamentary seats, and this list includes an alliance of 8 national… Read on ->

Tags: Assad, Syria

Saudi King reportedly hospitalized in Riyadh

Published 2020-07-20 08:14:43 by News Desk in Gulf

BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:00 A.M.) – The Saudi Press Agency reported at dawn today on Monday that the Saudi monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, entered the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh to perform some tests. According to a statement issued by the Royal Court, the reasons for King Salman’s examinations was the presence of inflammation in the gallbladder . No other details about the health condition of the King of Saudi Arabia during the statement. The statement, published by the Saudi News Agency, concluded with a wish for health and wellness of King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Tags: Riyadh, Saudi

Turkey sent missiles used against Syrian Army to Libya for upcoming Sirte battle: media

Published 2020-07-20 07:47:35 by News Desk in North-Africa, Syria, Turkey

BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:20 A.M.) – The Turkish newspaper “Milliyet” reported that Ankara sent missile launchers to Libya to support the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces in preparation for the upcoming offensive to capture Sirte and Al-Jafra. The newspaper stated in a report that the talk is about Turkish-made T-122 Sakarya missile launchers (ÇNRA). They said that the missile launchers that arrived in Libya were placed near Sirte, and the range of their missiles reaches 40 km, claiming that they were used effectively in the military operations launched by the Turkish armed forces on Syria. The report confirmed that the… Read on ->

Tags: Libya, Syria, Turkey

India mulling decision to deploy Rafale jets to border after clashes with China

Published 2020-07-20 06:30:19 by News Desk in World-News

France has committed to delivering the first batch of four Rafale jets by July end despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. India ordered 36 Rafale jets from France in 2016. Out of these, 18 jets are to be delivered to the Indian Air Force by February next year. The remaining ones are to be delivered by May 2022. Top Indian Air Force (IAF) commanders will meet in the coming week to discuss a host of issues, including the ongoing tensions with China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh and the rapid deployment of Rafale jets… Read on ->

Tags: China, India

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