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This is a summary of 15 AMN articles on the following subjects: Idlib, Syria, Coronavirus, Iran, Hasakah, Raqqa, Russia, Ansarallah, Saudi, Yemen, Marib, Iraq, Soleimani, US, Homs, ISIS, Qamishli, Pompeo, Turkey, India, Taji.

Categories covered in this brief: Syria, Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Turkey, World-News

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Table of Contents

Militant commander assassinated in western Idlib
US imposes sanctions against Iran after offering to help with coronavirus outbreak
Russian military sends reinforcements to northern Syria amid tensions with US forces
Ansarallah forces bomb several Saudi oil facilities
Syrian Army reinforcements pour into southern and eastern Idlib
Ansarallah forces reach gates of Marib city amid large-scale advance
Iran vows to continue retaliatory attacks to avenge Qassem Soleimani's assassination
Syrian Army launches attack against ISIS in eastern Syria
New satellite images reveal Russian base equivalent to Hmeimim Airport in Syria
US believes Russia was behind killing of dozens of Turkish soldiers in Syria
India to buy more Russian MiG-29 fighter jets
Drone footage of Idlib area destroyed by militants along M-4 Highway
Russia gives militants until end of March to withdraw from M-4 Highway
US Navy showcases might by testing advanced aircraft off Iranian coast
Update: US denies rocket strikes on Taji Base

Militant commander assassinated in western Idlib

Published 2020-03-18 21:51:59 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:30 P.M.) - A militant commander was assassinated in the western countryside of the Idlib Governorate on Wednesday amid growing security concerns in the area. The commander of an offshoot of Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, 'Ala'a Abu Ahmad, was reportedly assassinated when his vehicle struck an IED in the Jisr Al-Shughour countryside on Wednesday. https://twitter.com/Souria4Syrians/status/1240204663703699459?s=20 No group has claimed responsibility for this latest assassination.

Tags: Idlib, Syria

US imposes sanctions against Iran after offering to help with coronavirus outbreak

Published 2020-03-18 20:05:10 by News Desk in Iran

BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:45 P.M.) - The U.S. has imposed new sanctions against Iran, despite a previous offer to help the Islamic Republic during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement on Tuesday, vowing to continue Washington's campaign of maximum pressure against the Iranian government. Pompeo announced that the Trump administration would be blacklisting nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong, and China, as well as three Iranian individuals over "significant transactions" to trade Iranian petrochemicals. While he did not name them, Pompeo said the step included blacklisting Iran’s armed forces social security investment... Read on ->

Tags: Coronavirus, Iran

Russian military sends reinforcements to northern Syria amid tensions with US forces

Published 2020-03-18 19:35:59 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:20 P.M.) - The Russian military sent reinforcements to the northern and northeastern regions of Syria on Tuesday and Wednesday, as they strengthen their presence in both Al-Hasakah and Al-Raqqa. According to a field report from the Al-Hasakah Governorate, the Russian military sent to convoys of reinforcements: one group to the Tal Tamr countryside and the other to the Tabaqa Military Airport in western Al-Raqqa. This move by the Russian military comes at a time of increased tensions with the U.S. Armed Forces in the northeastern region of Syria. On Monday, it was reported that the U.S. forces... Read on ->

Tags: Hasakah, Raqqa, Russia, Syria

Ansarallah forces bomb several Saudi oil facilities

Published 2020-03-18 18:25:26 by News Desk in Yemen

BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:10 P.M.) - The Ansarallah forces announced on Wednesday that their air force heavily targeted several Saudi economic facilities, including oil and gas fields. The spokesman for the Ansarallah-aligned Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier Yahya Sare'a, stated at a press conference broadcast: "The Saudi enemy received painful strikes in response to its escalation on the ground and air in the battle to liberate Al-Jawf." "The Air Force conducted 54 operations, including 33 operations targeting several Saudi military and economic sites," he continued. "The operations of the air force managed to inflict heavy losses on the enemy in terms of... Read on ->

Tags: Ansarallah, Saudi, Yemen

Syrian Army reinforcements pour into southern and eastern Idlib

Published 2020-03-18 17:27:23 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:10 P.M.) - The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has sent reinforcements to the Idlib countryside this week amid concerns over the jihadist refusal to withdraw from the M-4 Highway (Aleppo-Latakia Highway). Reinforcements from the neighboring Hama, Latakia, and Aleppo governorates reportedly poured into the eastern and southern countrysides of Idlib on Tuesday and Wednesday, as the military swelled their numbers near the front-lines. According to a military source in the Idlib Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army is preparing to resume their offensive against the jihadist rebels, but will await final approval from their Russian partners, who are currently... Read on ->

Tags: Idlib, Syria

Ansarallah forces reach gates of Marib city amid large-scale advance

Published 2020-03-18 17:05:10 by News Desk in Yemen

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:45 P.M.) - The Ansarallah forces announced on Wednesday that they have seized several areas in Marib and that its forces are standing at the gates of the administrative capital as they await instructions to storm the city. According to reports, the Ansarallah forces reached the western gates of Marib after seizing the hilltops overlooking the outskirts of this capital city. This advance by the Ansarallah forces comes a few weeks after the Ansarallah forces captured the administrative capital of Al-Jawf. The Ansrallah forces announced on Monday that its troops had seized almost all of the Al-Jawf Governorate,... Read on ->

Tags: Ansarallah, Marib, Yemen

Iran vows to continue retaliatory attacks to avenge Qassem Soleimani's assassination

Published 2020-03-18 14:47:56 by News Desk in Iran, Iraq

Iran will continue to respond to the January 3 assassination of Commander Soleimani, President Hassan Rouhani has warned, one day after a coalition base holding NATO troops came under rocket fire. “The Americans assassinated our great commander. We have responded to that terrorist act and will respond to it,” Rouhani said in a televised address Wednesday. Rouhani also commented on the economic situation in the country amid the tough US sanctions against his nation, stressing that Iran’s enemies “have not been able to subjugate Iran through economic pressure.” Rouhani did not clarify what he had in mind regarding Iran’s “response”... Read on ->

Tags: Iran, Iraq, Soleimani, US

Syrian Army launches attack against ISIS in eastern Syria

Published 2020-03-18 14:26:07 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:10 P.M.) - The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) forces in the vast desert region of the Homs Governorate was heavily targeted by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) forces on Wednesday. According to a field report from the Homs Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army and National Defense Forces (NDF) confronted an ISIS contingent near the T-3 Pumping Station, which has witnessed an increase in violence lately. The report said the Syrian Arab Army was able to force the Islamic State terrorists to flee into the desert, but not before they inflicted a number of casualties within their ranks. On Tuesday,... Read on ->

Tags: Homs, ISIS, Syria

New satellite images reveal Russian base equivalent to Hmeimim Airport in Syria

Published 2020-03-18 13:15:03 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:45 P.M.) - A military base equivalent to the Hmeimim Airbase in northeastern Syria has been revealed by satellite images, the Russian aviation publication Avia.Pro reported. "Russia has begun to establish in Syria its largest new military air base, which is said to be equipped no less than the Hmeimim Airport, and this has already been confirmed by satellite imagery," Avia.Pro reported after posting a picture of the Qamishli Airport. According to Avia.Pro, the Russian military is converting the Qamishli Airport in northeastern Syria as their main installation in that part of the country. "According to information... Read on ->

Tags: Qamishli, Russia, Syria

US believes Russia was behind killing of dozens of Turkish soldiers in Syria

Published 2020-03-18 12:43:14 by News Desk in Syria, Turkey

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:30 P.M.) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday that he believed that the Russian military was behind the killing of dozens of Turkish soldiers during an attack in Idlib earlier this month. According to statement from Pompeo, he said he believes Russia was likely behind the killing of the Turkish soldiers, which was later blamed on the Syrian Armed Forces. This attack later resulted in a large-scale retaliatory assault that was carried out by the Turkish military against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the Idlib, Aleppo, and Latakia governorates. Furthermore, Pompeo vowed to... Read on ->

Tags: Pompeo, Syria, Turkey

India to buy more Russian MiG-29 fighter jets

Published 2020-03-18 11:19:02 by News Desk in World-News

India is very much likely to buy an extra batch of Russian MiG-29 fighter jets, chief of Russia’s Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev said on Monday. "There is a high probability that we will have an additional order for MiG-29 fighter jets," he said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel. India currently has more than 60 MiG-29 aircarft. According to Shugayev, Russia has good chances to take part in India’s tender for the purchase of 110 fighter jets that is to be announced soon. It was reported earlier that the Russian side planned to take... Read on ->

Tags: India, Russia

Drone footage of Idlib area destroyed by militants along M-4 Highway

Published 2020-03-18 10:31:56 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:20 A.M. - The Turkish-backed militants and their jihadist allies destroyed a part of the M-4 Highway (Aleppo-Latakia Highway) that was going to be used by the Turkish and Russian military patrols. According to reports, the militants dug-up a part of the M-4 Highway and left a big dirt mound over the roadway to prevent the joint Turkish-Russian patrols in the Idlib Governorate. This move by the militant forces came in response to a joint patrol that was conducted the day prior by the Turkish and Russian armed forces; however, both parties were unable to complete their task,... Read on ->

Tags: Idlib, Syria

Russia gives militants until end of March to withdraw from M-4 Highway

Published 2020-03-18 09:48:21 by News Desk in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:10 A.M.) - The Russian Armed Forces have given the militants in Idlib until the end of March to withdraw from all areas around the M-4 Highway (Aleppo-Latakia Highway), Syrian military media reported on Tuesday. According to the reports, all militants group, including the Turkish-backed forces, must withdraw from the M-4 Highway and its surroundings. If the militant forces do not withdraw from the M-4 Highway, the Syrian Arab Army, alongside the Russian military, will resume their offensive in the Idlib Governorate. Given the recent build up of Syrian Army troops in southern Idlib, it appears that they... Read on ->

Tags: Russia, Syria

US Navy showcases might by testing advanced aircraft off Iranian coast

Published 2020-03-18 00:50:44 by News Desk in Iran

In its latest display of force, the US Navy conducted a live-fire drill off Iran’s coast in which AC-130 gunships practiced blasting away small patrol vessels like those used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). During the drills on March 8 and 9, a US Navy P-8A Poseidon naval patrol aircraft coordinated attacks by AC-130 gunships for the first time against simulated small, hostile ships. The aircraft is typically used to pound land targets and has seen heavy action in the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. In a grainy video shared by the Navy, the AC-130W “Stinger” II,... Read on ->

Tags: Iran, US

Update: US denies rocket strikes on Taji Base

Published 2020-03-18 00:33:57 by News Desk in Iraq

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:10 A.M.) - The U.S. Armed Forces have denied that any rockets hit their troops at the Taji Military Base north of Baghdad. "As of 11pm (Baghdad Time), no rockets were fired at Camp Taji. no explosions occurred near US/Coalition facilities," Colonel Myles Caggins II tweeted this evening. Prior to the Caggin's statement, it was reported that two rockets fell in the Baghdad Green Zone and three other projectiles targeted Camp Taji. Some reports have clarified that the rocket actually landed in southern Baghdad and did not hit any military assets this evening. Tensions have been rather high... Read on ->

Tags: Iraq, Taji

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