According to several media outlets, on 1 March 2020, Turkey shot down 2 Syrian fighter jets over Idlib. Syrian state-run news agency SANA claimed that the pilots ejected safely and landed in the government-controlled area. On the other side, Turkish Defense Ministry claimed that the downed fighter jets were Su-24 that attempted to attack Turkish…
Read moreTaliban and US sign Afghan peace agreement (with full text of the deal)
After 18 months of negotiation, the US and Taliban representatives signed the Afghan peace agreement on 29 February 2020 at a ceremony held at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the co-founder of Taliban, as head of Taliban’s Qatar office and US peace envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad signed the peace deal….
Read moreWhat should we do to counter bigoted anti-Muslim hashtags trending on Indian Twitter?
Twitter in India is supposed to be became the hub of anti-Muslim sentiments, once again demonstrating a scornful attitude towards Muslims, disparaging the community, religious beliefs and its followers. Right now, #DelhiAgainstJehadiViolence hashtag has been trending on Twitter in India for almost 5 hours. Twitter continues amplifying posts from users that are blatantly bigoted and…
Read moreTurkey vows to attack Syrian positions in Idlib as ‘legitimate targets’
On 28 February 2020, Turkey said that the positions of Syrian government forces inside Idlib would become ‘legitimate targets’. Turkish angry reaction came after Syrian airstrike that killed 33 Turkish soldiers. On the other side, Turkey’s communications director said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to meet in…
Read moreTrump’s visit to India: Understanding India’s evolving geopolitical role
U.S. President Donald Trump was in India on February 24-25 on a state visit, for the first time since coming to office, becoming the seventh American president to visit India. The prime minister of India, Narendra Modi welcomed him with a high degree of pomp and circumstance, given the fact that Mr. Trump was making…
Read moreRussia claims, slain Turkish soldiers in Idlib were with ‘terrorist groups’
Russian defense ministry said that slain Turkish troops were acting inside ‘combat units’ with ‘terrorists’ in Idlib province when they were targeted by a Syrian government airstrike on 27 February 2020, where 33 Turkish service members were killed. On 28 February 2020, the Russian defense ministry said that the airstrike happened when the Syrian government…
Read moreAt least 33 Turkish soldiers killed in Idlib airstrike
Several media reported that 33 Turkish service members were killed in a Syrian airstrike on the Greater Idlib region on 27 February 2020. Valisi Dogan, governor of the southern Turkish province of Hatay said that many other service members were injured in the Syrian airstrikes. Hatay is the Turkish province bordering Idlib. According to anti-government…
Read moreNew Delhi under grip of vicious violence: Anti-Muslim pogrom and the tide of Hindu Fascists
The death toll has risen to 27 in the deadliest violence, an earshot away from the nerve center of the government of India in the Indian capital New Delhi, hit by the worst religious violence in decades with police accused of partisanship. More than 200 others have been grievously injured in three days of violence…
Read moreThe US and India: Areas of agreement and discord
US President’s last visit to India was in March 2000 (Prez Clinton). Since then India-US relations have warmed politically, economically and strategically. But niggling differences remain, particularly over trade. Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s first official visit to India, listed are the following main areas of agreement and discord between USA & India. Being…
Read moreSituation summary of Syrian battlefield
According to Syrian government sources, the Syrian Army has resumed offensive operations in southern Idlib. That offensive is helping the government forces in liberating several villages. On 22 February 2020, the Ministry of Transport announced that Damascus-Aleppo international M5 highway was officially opened to traffic. Meanwhile, several media reported on 23 February 2020 that the…
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