Netanyahu Hails 'Great Victory' But Result Close

Reports: US Troops Pulling Out Of Yemen

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 22 Maret 2015 | 10.52

By Sky News US Team

Some 100 US troops, including specials forces commandos, have begun pulling out of Yemen amid worsening security concerns, according to US media reports.

The troops are the last of the US forces deployed to Yemen to conduct operations against al Qaeda and allied groups.

Yemeni military and security officials told Associated Press the American troops evacuated al Annad air base near the southern city of al Houta, which was seized by al Qaeda militants on Friday.

CNN, citing sources in the region, also reported the withdrawal.

US officials have declined to comment.

The US has been waging a drone war against al Qaeda's branch in Yemen, which Washington considers to be the terror group's most dangerous offshoot.

The country has become increasingly unstable amid a power struggle between the Iranian-backed Shia rebels, known as Houthis, in the north and UN-recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Mr Hadi fled to the southern city of Aden in February after escaping house arrest in the capital Sanaa.

On Friday, suicide bombers killed at least 142 people in attacks on two Sanaa mosques frequented by Houthis.

A previously unknown Sanaa branch of Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombings, but the US said it was too early to confirm whether IS was involved.

That same day, al Qaeda militants killed 20 Yemeni soldiers during a brief occupation of al Houta.

Mr Hadi on Saturday gave a defiant speech challenging the Houthis, who he accused of orchestrating "a coup against constitutional legitimacy".

"We shall deliver the country to safety and raise Yemen's flag on Mount Marran in Saadeh instead of the Iranian flag," the embattled president said in his first televised speech since fleeing the capital.

The Shia rebels responded by calling for an offensive against state bodies controlled by the country's embattled president.

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Tunis Museum Terror Attack: CCTV Of Gunmen

Footage showing a militant attack carried out by two gunmen on a museum in Tunisia has been released by the country's interior ministry.

It shows the armed men walking through the Bardo national museum in the capital Tunis before they opened fire on tourists.

The government also released two still images of the men, named as Tunisians Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui.

It is claimed they had trained in camps in Libya, and the Tunisian government say they have arrested more than 20 suspected militants following the attack.

Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid said Laabidi had been flagged to intelligence services, although not for "anything special".

Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi admitted "failures" helped facilitate the deadly attack.

"There were failures" which meant that "the police and intelligence were not systematic enough to ensure the safety of the museum", he told the Paris Match magazine.

A senior Tunisian politician said the guards supposed to be protecting the museum and the nearby parliament were having coffee at the time of the assault.

"I found out there were only four policemen on security duty around the parliament (compound), two of whom were at the cafe. The third was having a snack and the fourth hadn't turned up," deputy speaker Abdelfattah Mourou said.

Islamic State later released an online audio recording in which it claimed responsibility for the shooting last Wednesday.

Witnesses said the gunmen opened fire on tourists arriving at the museum before chasing them inside.

The two attackers were among the 23 people left dead, which included tourists from Japan, Italy, Colombia, Australia, France and Poland.

A "much-loved" British mother-of-two was also among the victims.

Newly retired Sally Adey, 57, was on holiday with her husband Robert, who was unharmed in the attack.

The Adeys, both solicitors from Shropshire, had been on the cruise ship MSC Splendida, which docked at the port in Tunis early on Wednesday.

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At Least 142 Killed In Yemen Suicide Bombings

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Maret 2015 | 10.52

At least 142 people have been killed and hundreds more injured after four suicide bombers attacked two mosques in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

The bombers struck during Friday prayers at mosques mainly used by supporters of the Shia Muslim Houthi group which recently seized control of the government.

The attackers detonated their explosive belts inside and outside the buildings.

One witness said: "A man with a crutch and his leg covered with plaster showing the Houthi sign on the crutch entered the inside of the mosque, then we heard the explosion."

A spokesman for the country's health ministry said at least 30 of those wounded in the attacks were in a critical condition in intensive care.

In an online statement, the previously unknown Sanaa branch of Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombings and said they were "just the tip of the iceberg".

The US condemned the attacks, but said it was too early to confirm whether IS was involved.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said there is not, as yet, a "clear operational" link between Yemeni extremists and IS fighters in Syria and Iraq.

"We express our condolences to the families of the victims, we deplore the brutality of the terrorists who perpetrated today's unprovoked attack on Yemeni citizens, who were peacefully engaged in Friday prayers," he said.

Yemen is divided by a power struggle between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the north and UN-recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who fled to the southern city of Aden in February after escaping house arrest in the capital.

He has established a rival seat in Aden with the backing of Sunni-led Gulf Arab states but twice in the last two days unidentified aircraft have attacked his presidential palace.

A government spokesman said the President was not in the palace at the time and is unharmed.

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Shia Volunteers Lead Fightback Against IS

By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent

Ansar Marjaiyeh, or Soldiers Of The Religious Leadership, is a group of Shia volunteers leading the fightback against Islamic State militants near Fallujah.

IS snipers are just 200m away, and they return fire hard and fast. The volunteers are slowly pushing the militants back, but holding the territory they retake is their main challenge.

Their weapons are not impressive, but their resolve is. Dozens of these fighters have been killed so far. This is just one of several open fronts with the Islamic State group in Iraq.

More than 20,000 Shia militiamen from different groups, many backed by Iran, are involved in the fight against IS. They make up what is known as the Popular Mobilisation Force. Around 5,000 Iraqi officers and soldiers are working with them.

The men proudly show off their weapons and what they have picked up during battle.

One militia leader showed us what he said was a receipt, bearing the stamp of the Islamic State group, invoicing the Syrian government for crude oil worth thousands of dollars. The receipt said the oil was to be transferred from Mosul to Syria.

We met up with hundreds of fighters on their way to the frontline in Tikrit - the birthplace of former president Saddam Hussein, which was taken over by IS last summer.

The military operation In Tikrit is in its third week, but the militias still only control parts of the city.

Hadi al Amiri heads up the Badr Brigade, one of Iraq's most effective fighting forces.

Seen by many as Iran's man on the ground, he told Sky News that dozens of Iranian advisors are helping take back territory from IS, and that Tikrit would be retaken within days.

But he insists co-ordination with local Sunni forces has been key, and is confident his men will soon take back Anbar before recapturing the country's second city, Mosul.

He said: "We were victorious in Diyala, and we're using the same strategy here, as a result of a high degree of co-ordination between the army, the popular mobilisation forces and the police."

In Diyala, though, Sunni families returning have found their homes burned and looted. Rights groups say dozens of villages were destroyed not just by IS, but also Shia militias carrying out revenge attacks.

We spoke to people in Diyala who told us they heard about those attacks from their neighbours and friends, but did not see anything themselves.

Militia leaders insist they have strict orders not to harm locals under their control, and near Tikrit, we found Shia fighters helping hundreds of families going home.

There are also some areas where the battle was too fierce, meaning there is nothing left to come back to. Islamic State flags still litter the walls along the streets as mangled metal and charred buildings replace what used to be a vibrant neighbourhood.

For now, the momentum is with the militias and the Iraqi army.

Tikrit will be a strategic and symbolic victory before the push northwards, but that will entail Shia militias controlling Sunni and mixed villages - putting Iraq's delicate sectarian balance to the ultimate test.

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Obama Backs Two-State Plan In Netanyahu Call

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 20 Maret 2015 | 10.52

By Sky News US Team

President Barack Obama has pointedly reaffirmed US support for a two-state solution in the Middle East, in a call to congratulate Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on his election win.

In pre-poll comments, Mr Netanyahu worsened already-sour relations with the White House by ruling out a Palestinian state and pledging to continue building settlements on occupied land.

The White House said that in Thursday's telephone call, the President backed a plan "that results in a secure Israel alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine".

The two leaders agreed to continue discussing the "difficult path forward" on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the White House said.

Mr Obama waited two days before making the normally routine congratulatory call, following a resounding win for Mr Netanyahu's Likud party in the general election.

On Thursday, Mr Netanyahu denied having abandoned his commitment to the eventual creation of a Palestinian state.

"I haven't changed my policy ... calling for a demilitarised Palestinian state that recognises the Jewish state," he told MSNBC.

But the White House did not appear convinced.

Shortly after Mr Netanyahu's interview was broadcast, it warned of possible "consequences" for Israel.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest signalled the Obama administration may review its Middle East diplomatic strategy.

"He walked back from commitments that Israel had previously made to a two-state solution," Mr Earnest told reporters.

"It is cause for the United States to evaluate what our path is forward."

The creation of a Palestinian state has been the cornerstone of countless rounds of Middle East peace negotiations.

Mr Netanyahu also angered the White House with a pre-election warning to conservative supporters that left-wingers were transporting Israel's minority Arab voters on buses to the polls.

"It's a pretty cynical tactic and there's no doubt it's divisive," Mr Earnest said.

The White House spokesman reaffirmed US commitment to military and intelligence co-operation with Israel.

But he noted that US policy of shielding Israel from pressure at the United Nations depended on the two-state plan.

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Bodies Of Five Babies Discovered In House

The bodies of five dead babies have been found in a house in southwestern France, according to reports.

After finding the body of a newborn in a thermal bag on Thursday morning, officers "discovered four more bodies of babies during their search" at the house in Louchats, near Bordeaux.

Reports in French media have said the four remaining bodies were found in a freezer.

The father has been taken into custody while the mother is being treated in hospital.

The couple has two daughters aged 13 and 15.

The worst case of infanticide in recent French history dates back to 2010, when a mother admitted to killing eight of her babies, smothering them immediately after they were born.

More follows...

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Nairobi Mall Attack Mastermind Killed By Drone

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 19 Maret 2015 | 10.52

An al Shabaab leader thought to be a mastermind of the Nairobi shopping mall attack was killed in a US drone strike last week, the Pentagon says.

Adnan Garaar was targeted while in a car near the town of Dinsoor, 150 miles west of the Somalian capital Mogadishu, on 12 March.

Residents said the car contained three al Shabaab members and the vehicle was completely destroyed.

Confirming Garaar's death, the US military said in a statement: "He posed a major threat to the region and the international community and was connected to the Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi, Kenya.

"His death has dealt another significant blow to the al Shabaab terrorist organisation in Somalia."

Some 67 people, including six Britons, were killed in the Westgate Mall attack in September 2013.

The attack was the largest in Kenya since al Qaeda bombed the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998.

Al Shabaab has vowed to carry out attacks in Kenya and Uganda in retaliation for the countries' contribution to the African Union force supporting Somalia's government.

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At Least 20 Tourists Killed In Tunisia Attack

At least 20 people have been killed after militants attacked a museum in the Tunisian parliament building compound.

Of those killed, 17 were foreign tourists.

Initial reports on local media said those killed included British nationals, but the Tunisian prime minister Habib Essid told national television the victims were Polish, Spanish, German, Italian and Tunisian.

The gunmen, wearing military uniforms and armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles, opened fire on tourists as they were getting off buses and later held hostages inside the Bardo Museum.

Security forces surrounded the building and later stormed it, killing two militants. One policeman was killed along with a cleaner during the operation.

The interior ministry said Tunisian troops freed all the hostages, but there were reports that security forces were hunting as many as three accomplices believed to still be at large.

Thirty-eight people were also wounded in the attack, according to Health Minister Said Aidi.

The massacre is a blow for the country which is heavily dependent on Western tourism.

The museum is a leading tourist attraction in the country, and houses one of the world's largest Roman mosaic collections.

The local stock market fell in the wake of the attack and a number of tour operators said they had temporarily suspended excursions to Tunis.

Prime Minister Habib Essid said in a national address: "All Tunisians should be united after this attack which was aimed at destroying the Tunisian economy.

"These savage minority groups will not frighten us and the fight against them will continue until they are exterminated."

Both the US and UK have condemned the attack and pledged support for the Tunisian government.

Prime Minister David Cameron said he was "appalled" by the attack.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are urgently looking into the serious events in Tunisia and are working with the Tunisian authorities as well as with contacts in the tourist industry to establish if any British nationals have been affected.

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Gallery: Eight Tourists Killed In Tunisia Militant Attack

Tunisian security forces attempt to secure the area after gunmen attacked Tunis' famed Bardo Museum

At least seven foreigners and a Tunisian were killed in an attack on the museum by two men armed with assault rifles, the interior ministry said

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Turkey Detains 'Syria-Bound' British Woman

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 18 Maret 2015 | 10.52

A 21-year-old British woman has been detained in Turkey on suspicion of trying to travel to Syria to join Islamic State militants.

The woman, named by officials as Jaila Nadra H, was detained at a bus station in the capital Ankara on Monday and is being held pending deportation hearings.

One official said she was expected to be deported "soon".

Another said authorities apprehended her based on Turkish intelligence and were not tipped off by British authorities.

Correspondence and images on her mobile phone indicate she was planning to head to IS territory, officials said.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm the detention of a British national in Ankara and are providing consular assistance."

The development comes as footage emerged of three British teenagers suspected of planning to join IS militants in Syria.

The CCTV video of the young men was taken at an airport in Istanbul just before they were stopped allegedly heading to the border with Syria.

The teenagers, two aged 17 and one aged 19, were arrested and flown back to the UK but have since been released on bail.

Their parents had contacted police when they did not return home after Friday prayers.

UK police then got in touch with Turkish officials and were able to stop the three.

Their arrests came after tensions between UK police and Turkish officials were raised following the disappearance of three girls who attended Bethnal Green Academy in east London.

Their disappearance led to criticism from Turkey's deputy prime minister, who said officials had not been given enough warning about them going missing.

Shamima Begum, Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16 - all from East London - took flights to Istanbul last month, from where they are thought to have travelled to join Islamic State militants in Syria.

The schoolgirls are believed to be staying at a house in al Raqqa, Sky sources say.

Security services estimate 600 Britons have gone to Syria or Iraq to join militant groups, including Mohammed Emwazi, also known as "Jihadi John", who has appeared in several IS beheading videos.

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Netanyahu Hails 'Great Victory' But Result Close

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Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed a "great victory" in Israel's election - but exit polls put his party neck-and-neck with the centre-left Zionist Union.

Mr Netanyahu is fighting to remain as prime minister after his centre-right Likud won 27 seats, the same number as its main rival in the 120-member parliament, according to two polls.

A third put Likud on 28 and Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union on 27, with the figures coming out moments after voting ended.

Likud appeared to have gathered some late momentum as it had trailed by up to four seats in the final polls published last week.

The two leaders will now each try to join up with other parties in order to form the next government.

But Mr Netanyahu, 65, could find it easier to create a coalition, as he has backing from an array of smaller right-wing and religious parties.

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Gallery: Israel Goes To The Polls In Tight Election

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu casts his vote in Jerusalem

An Israeli soldier choosing a ballot from behind a voting booth near Ofakim

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Isaac Herzog, co-leader of centre-left Zionist Union party, poses for a photograph at his party's headquarters in Tel Aviv

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Mr Herzog places a note in the Western Wall, the holiest prayer site for Jews in Jerusalem

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A supporter of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party holds a campaign poster in Bnei Brak

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He wrote on Twitter: "Against all odds: a great victory for Likud, a great victory for the national camp led by Likud, a great victory for the people of Israel."

Mr Netanyahu also said he had invited other right-wing politicians to join him in a coalition "without delay", adding: "Reality does not take a break."

But Mr Herzog, 54, insisted he was still in the race to form the next government. "Everything is open," he told activists in Tel Aviv.

"I intend to make every effort to build a real social government in Israel."

The polls also showed the centrist newcomer Moshe Kahlon with enough seats to determine who will be the next prime minister.

Mr Kahlon, who broke away from Likud, has not said whether he favours Mr Netanyahu or Mr Herzog.

The main Arab parties took third place with 13 seats after joining forces to challenge the premier, according to exit polls.

Final results were not expected until Wednesday morning and it typically takes weeks of negotiations for a governing coalition to be formed.

Sky's Middle East reporter Tom Rayner said: "In terms of the seats for both [main] parties, this is more than people were expecting.

"And it's a lot closer than people were expecting."

More than 5.8 million people were eligible to vote in 10,372 polling stations nationwide, and they cast ballots for a party list, rather than individual candidates.

Mr Herzog has repeatedly called for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Mr Netanyahu was seeking a fourth term in office and cast the threat to his reign as a foreign-orchestrated bid to install a leader who might agree to Palestinian statehood or nuclear diplomacy with Iran.

In a last-minute appeal to his hardline base, the 65-year-old reiterated that a Palestinian state would not be created on his watch.

He told a news website that turning over captured territory to the Palestinians would clear the way for Islamic extremists to take control and attack Israel.

"Whoever ignores that is burying his head in the sand," he said.

"The left is doing that, burying its head in the sand time after time."

His vow not to allow a Palestinian state goes back on a long-standing promise to the US, something that could strain troubled ties with Washington.

Mr Netanyahu brought the election on himself, calling the snap vote after firing centrist ministers from his fractious coalition just two years into its term.

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Netanyahu Hails 'Great Victory' But Result Close

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