DAILY SCOPE: Saudi Crimes against Humanity, Takrit Back to Iraq
Local Editor
Newspapers Headlines:
AS-SAFIR:
Aoun: War on Yemen illegal
Ansarullah at Bab al-Mande Strait
DAILY STAR:
Syria, Iraq a ‘Finishing School' for Foreign Fighters: UN Report
AL-AKHBAR:
Riyadh Looks for Achievement and Algeria for a Solution, Ansarullah at Bab al-Mandeb
Tehran to Saudis: Your Aggression is a Strategic Mistake
NEW YORK TIMES:
Yemeni Civilians Shudder, Bristle under Bombing Campaign
The outcome of the Saudi war on Yemen is not so different from that of previous wars launched by "Israel" on Lebanon or the Gaza Strip, or even the attacks of the so-called Islamic State and terrorist groups like al-Nusra front or Daesh also known as ISIL. One week almost on the assault Saudi Arabia launched on Yemen, with whom it shares long borders, dozens are killed with their bodies mutilated and charred with a majority of them being women and children.
Despite the rise in the Saudi attacks, the killing of civilians and destruction of infrastructure, the Ansarullah were able to advance and are now in control of an important military post at the Bab al-Mandeb strait. Similar to the Saudi crimes, the takfiri Daesh groups committed a massacre in the Syrian city of Hama, in its ongoing attempt to control the transportation route that connects Hama, Aleppo and Damascus together. In Iraq, and after major sacrifices, the city of Takrit was freed from Daesh terrorist groups which had occupied the city in 2014.
Meanwhile, the world awaits a nuclear deal between the P5+1 countries and Iran, amid speculations on whether a deal will be signed on paper today especially after the announcement that the talks have reached an important stage and will resume as early as 6:30 Thursday morning.
Daesh Came to an End in Takrit --- AS-SAFIR
Saad al-Hadithi, the spokesperson of the Iraqi Prime Minister told As-Safir newspaper that the Iraqi forces along with the volunteers and the popular gatherings were able to reach the heart of Takrit city, and take control over the Southern and Western areas of the city as well.
Al-Hadithi told the paper that the Iraqi forces and popular gatherings are still advancing into the city, in an attempt to free what is left under the terrorist groups' control. Also, spokesman of the popular gathering, Karim al-Nouri told As-Safir "Daesh will not come back, they have come to an end, now we are thinking about bringing back the displaced people and we will head to other important areas to proceed the liberation process."
US Constant Hurdles on Talks, Saudi Cooperates with "Israel" on Iran --- AL-AKHBAR
As Iran opens its hands wide and portrays flexibility in the nuclear talks, the US keeps finding excuses and conditions that seem to take the talks to dead ends.
Iranian sources told al-Akhbar Lebanese daily that two issues in the nuclear talks are difficult to resolve, explaining that the US insists that any international decision issued in the nuclear deal should come out under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter; a step that iran sees as a confession that its nuclear peaceful program is a threat to international security in addition to giving the US and the West legitimacy to resort to power in case of any complications when the deal is made by. The sources added that the US insists the monitoring and application of the agreement should be carried out according to the principle of probable military dimension (PMD) which, according to Iranian interpretation gives the West the right to monitor any program related to military manufacturing of ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear war heads for instance.
On another note, the paper quoted a Western diplomatic source that Saudi Arabia is coordinating fully with "Israel" in all matters related to Iran, adding that Saudi Arabia will set a blind eye if "Israeli" war jets need to fly in Saudi airspace to target Iranian goals in the future. The same source further pointed out that "Israeli" and Saudi intelligence officers met two months ago to exchange intelligence information on Iran, noting that "Riyadh showed readiness to help in any mission against Iran such as providing "Israeli" planes with fuel in Saudi airspace."
More Than 25 Thousand Foreign Fighters in Syria, Iraq --- THE DAILY STAR:
More than 25,000 foreign fighters from some 100 countries are linked to al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State, with Syria and Iraq comprising a "veritable international finishing school for extremists," United Nations experts reported to the U.N. Security Council.
The experts, who monitor al-Qaeda sanctions violations that along with some 22,000 foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq, there were also 6,500 in Afghanistan and hundreds more in Yemen, Libya, Pakistan and Somalia, the Daily star quoted a report seen first by Reuters.
Eye-Witness: Women and Children Killed, Horrible Images --- The Guardian
More than two dozen people in the camp were killed in the apparent air strike on Monday by the Saudi-led coalition.
The Guardian on Thursday revealed that images provided to the newspaper by a humanitarian worker from Haradh hospital showed gruesome scenes - charred bodies immolated by the blast, mangled corpses in plastic bags, and wounded children being treated.
"They were burned, it was a very horrible image," said Hisham Abdulaziz, a doctor who laboured to treat the wounded, including women and children, who streamed into the nearest hospital. By the end of the day there were 29 bodies in the hospital morgue.
"One man came looking for his five children who were missing, and he was able to identify two of their corpses, but he couldn't find the others," said the doctor, who spoke with the Guardian by telephone. "It was difficult to identify them."
"It is an inhumane situation, these are women and children who have nothing to do with war," said Abdulaziz. "In fact, they had tried to flee the war. It's very much a civilian population," he said. "They've got nothing to do with any conflict, they just wanted to stay clear of the conflict for years."
Radical Wahhabism to Ensure Hold Power --- The Week
In an opinion article, Kevin Sullivan wrote in The Week that the newfound faith in tranquility and continuity strikes everyone as it is not odd or dubious.
"Who, after all, could forget the last time the Saudi monarchy was called upon to defend local stability, when in 2011, its national guard, joined by hired mercenaries from Pakistan rolled into Bahrain to help the country's ruling Khalifa monarchy crush a mostly peaceful protest movement?"
He goes on to stress that the Saudi insistence on the sanctity of global order and stability might surprise more than a few, seeing its fingerprints can be found on decades of uprisings, insurgencies, and acts of terrorism.
"The Monarchy's reliance on a radical class of Wahhabi clerics to ensure its hold on power has resulted in chaos across the globe, and the kingdom has spent billions of dollars to push its rigid - and often violent- interpretation of Islam to every corner of the world, from West Africa to the far reaches of northwest China."
Stances and Positions:
Aoun: Saudi War on Yemen Illegal --- As-Safir
Head of the free patriotic Movement MP General Michel Aoun said that the UN Charter and Arab League both prevent the intervention of any country in the affairs of another country, noting that the current situation is defined as a Saudi war on Yemen. He noted this war is illegal according to international law.
Aoun criticized the Arab official dual-standards in dealing with Syria, Iraq, Egypt Libya and Yemen, assuring that the Saudi air raids on Yemen will not bring about any good results.
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