Syrian rebels take control of half of Aleppo, observers say – Newstrends
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Syrian rebels take control of half of Aleppo, observers say

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Syrian rebels take control of half of Aleppo, observers say

Rebel forces in Syria have taken control of “half” of the country’s second-largest city, Aleppo, according to the UK-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

SOHR said 277 people – including more than 20 civilians – have been killed since the offensive started on Wednesday.

The offensive is the largest against the Syrian government in years and the first time rebels fighting the forces of President Bashar al-Assad have reached Aleppo since being forced out by the army in 2016.

Aleppo’s airport and all roads leading into the city have been closed, military sources told Reuters news agency.

The rebels were able to capture “half of Aleppo” without meeting significant resistance, SOHR director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP news agency early on Saturday.

There “has been no fighting, not a single shot was fired, as regime forces withdrew”, he added.

Earlier on Friday, government forces said they had regained positions in a number of towns in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, following the offensive launched by HTS and allied factions on Wednesday.

Video posted on a channel affiliated with the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) appears to show rebel fighters in vehicles inside the city.

BBC Verify has geolocated the footage to a western suburb of Aleppo.

More than half a million people have been killed in the civil war that erupted after the government cracked down on pro-democracy protests in 2011.

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An array of armed groups opposed to the Assad government – including jihadists – took advantage of the turmoil to seize swathes of territory.

The Syrian government – with help from Russia and other allies – later retook most the areas it had lost.

Idlib, the last remaining opposition stronghold, is mostly controlled by HTS, but Turkish-backed rebel factions and Turkish forces are also based there.

Syrian and Russian planes carried out 23 air strikes near Idlib on Friday, according to SOHR.

The UK-based monitoring group, which uses a network of sources on the ground in Syria, said four civilians were killed and 19 others were injured in the Russian strikes.

Russia’s military said it had bombed “extremist forces”, according to Russian news agencies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed his support for “the government of Syria to quickly restore order” and said the country’s sovereignty was under attack.

On Friday, a statement posted on a rebel-affiliated channel said: “Our forces have begun entering the city of Aleppo.”

Videos verified by the BBC show armed men running in a street about seven kilometres (4.3 miles) from Aleppo’s medieval citadel in the centre of the city.

Another clip verified by the BBC showed large groups of people carrying luggage walking away from an area near Aleppo University. That video was recorded 3km away from a location where HTS-affiliated media claim rebel forces have entered the city.

Aleppo resident Sarmad told AFP he could hear “the sounds of missiles and artillery shelling around the clock”.

“We’re scared that war will break out and we’ll be displaced from our homes again,” the 51-year-old said.

The UN’s deputy regional humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, David Carden, said he was deeply alarmed by the impact of the escalating hostilities on civilians.

“Relentless attacks over the past three days have claimed the lives of at least 27 civilians, including children as young as eight years old”, he said.

Fighting in Idlib had largely wound down since 2020, when Turkey and Russia, Syria’s key ally, brokered a ceasefire to halt a push by the government to retake the province.

But on Wednesday HTS and its allies said they had launched their offensive to “deter aggression”, accusing the government and allied militias of escalation in the region.

It came as the Syrian government and its allies were preoccupied with other conflicts.

In neighbouring Lebanon, an Israeli military campaign has devastated the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, whose fighters helped turned the tide of the Syrian civil war.

Israel has also stepped up its air strikes inside Syria on targets linked to Iran and Iran-backed groups.

Syrian rebels take control of half of Aleppo, observers say

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Cybertruck filled with fuel and fireworks explodes at Trump’s Las Vegas hotel

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Cybertruck filled with fuel and fireworks explodes at Trump’s Las Vegas hotel

Police are investigating after a Tesla Cybertruck filled with fuel canisters and firework mortars exploded outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The driver was killed and seven people were injured, police said without naming any of the individuals involved. Officials said all injuries were minor.

The truck was rented in Colorado and arrived in the city Wednesday morning, less than two hours before the detonation, police said. Parked in front of the hotel near a glass entrance, the vehicle started to smoke, then exploded.

In an evening address, President Joe Biden said the White House was tracking the incident and law enforcement was investigating “whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans”, which left 15 dead early on New Year’s Day.

In an afternoon press conference, Sheriff Kevin McMahill showed dramatic footage of the explosion and photos of the aftermath, including several fuel canisters along with large fireworks in the truck bed.

Footage showed the truck parked directly in front of the entrance of the hotel. The truck sits idle for several seconds before exploding – bursts of multi-coloured fireworks shooting in multiple directions.

Another video showed investigators using a black fire-retardant tarp to put out the blaze and the charred remains of the truck bed. An array of gas and fuel canisters were left behind along with the remnants of more than a dozen firework mortars.

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The fire occurred around 08:40 PT (15:40 GMT), just hours after a man drove a truck with an Islamic State (IS) group flag into the crowd in New Orleans. At least 15 people died and dozens were injured.

Mr McMahill of the Las Vegas Police Department said the authorities were examining whether the incident could be connected to the one in New Orleans, where improvised explosive devices were found near the scene.

He said they were also investigating whether it might be linked to President-Elect Donald Trump, who owns the hotel, or Elon Musk, who owns Tesla.

“Obviously, a Cybertruck, the Trump Hotel, there’s lots of questions that we have to answer as we move forward,” he said.

The FBI also said the agency was looking into whether the incident might be an act of terrorism, but the authorities said they currently had not confirmed the identity of the driver, who died in the vehicle. Authorities also said thus far, they had found no evidence that this incident was related to IS.

“I know everybody’s interested in that word, and trying to see if we can say, ‘Hey, this is a terrorist attack.’ That is our goal, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” FBI special agent in charge Jeremy Schwartz told reporters at a news conference.

The sheriff noted that both vehicles appeared to be rented from Turo, an app-based car rental company.

A Turo spokesperson said in a statement that the company was working with authorities in Las Vegas and New Orleans to help with the investigation. The spokesperson noted both renters appeared to not have a criminal background that would have “identified them as a security threat”.

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“We are heartbroken by the violence perpetrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and our prayers are with the victims and families,” the statement reads.

The authorities say they do have the name of the person who rented the vehicle but have not officially confirmed it was the person driving the vehicle.

“As you can imagine, with an explosion here on an iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe,” he said during a news conference.

Mr McMahill said there was no longer a threat to the Las Vegas community.

Biden was briefed on both the attack in New Orleans and the Las Vegas explosion.

“We’re tracking the explosion of a Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas,” said the president in an evening address.

“Law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating this as well, including whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans.”

Fire department officials said emergency responders had quickly worked to extinguish the vehicle fire.

They added that the public should stay away from the area. The hotel was evacuated, with most of the guests moving to a different location.

It is owned in part by President-elect Donald Trump’s company. In a post on X, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, said a “reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas”.

“The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism,” he said.

Stephen Ferlando told the Washington Post that he had witnessed the incident from his hotel room on the 53rd floor of the Trump Tower. He told the outlet there was “definitely an explosion” and that the windows had begun to shake.

The Trump Hotel spans 64 floors with around 1,300 suites, according to its website.

Trump recently named Musk to co-lead a presidential advisory commission, the Department of Government Efficiency, after the two became close during Trump’s campaign.

 

Cybertruck filled with fuel and fireworks explodes at Trump’s Las Vegas hotel

BBC

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Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria in alleged sex scandal

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Usra Hendra Harahap, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Nigeria

Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria in alleged sex scandal

Usra Hendra Harahap, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, is under investigation following allegations of sexual harassment by a former staff member at the Indonesian Embassy in Abuja.

Jakarta Globe reports that the allegations, outlined in a petition by the victim’s legal team, claim that the incident occurred on February 7 during official duties.

The victim, whose identity remains confidential for privacy reasons, described the encounter as traumatic and has since returned to Jakarta to seek counselling and support.

A psychological evaluation conducted by Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry reportedly diagnosed the victim with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

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She also alleged retaliation, including unjustified termination and excessive scrutiny in her role at the embassy.

The victim’s legal representatives have called for an independent investigation, the reversal of her termination, and compensation for damages suffered.

Roy Soemirat, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Indonesia, confirmed that the Ministry is taking the allegations seriously.

“We are thoroughly examining the reports, ensuring that the investigation follows all legal guidelines,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Ministry has also extended psychological support to the victim and reiterated its commitment to addressing sexual violence within its diplomatic ranks.

Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria in alleged sex scandal

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National mourning after mass shooting in Montenegro

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Police officers and civil protection units at the crime scene

National mourning after mass shooting in Montenegro

A gunman has shot dead at least 10 people, including two children, in southern Montenegro on Wednesday, police say.

At least some of the deaths happened inside a restaurant in the Cetinje area following a verbal argument between guests, according to a police official quoted by public broadcaster RTCG.

It was later confirmed that the attacker had killed himself.

The government has declared three days of national mourning from Thursday with Prime Minister Milojko Spajic describing the shooting as a “terrible tragedy”.

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The gunman killed members of his own family, two of the restaurant owner’s children and also the owner, according to Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic.

Mr Saranovic called the incident a “consequence of disturbed interpersonal relations”, according to AFP news agency.

Four people were in a life-threatening condition in hospital after being seriously wounded in the shooting, the agency reported the prime minister as saying.

The attacker, named as Aleksandar Martinović, 45, fled the scene but later fatally injured himself after being surrounded by police who asked him to drop his weapon, a police official said.

Mass shootings are comparatively rare in the small Balkan nation.

 

National mourning after mass shooting in Montenegro

BBC

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